Chapter 16: Sunset Purple

The door to the gaming room swung open, and the noisy chatter of three young men filled the room as they entered. Each of them had an easy confidence that matched their bold appearance—one with messy blonde hair, another with shaggy brown locks, and the third with sleek, shoulder-length black hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

They were mid-banter, their conversation lively and unapologetically loud.

"I swear, if you touch my pudding one more time—" the brown-haired one started, his voice full of outrage.

"Touch it? I didn't even get a chance to touch it because he ate it first!" retorted the blonde, pointing accusingly at the long-haired one.

The third player shrugged nonchalantly, a smug grin tugging at his lips. "Should've put a sticky note on it"

Their laughter echoed through the room, and Wang Chaihong instinctively shrank back in her chair. The rowdy energy they brought was overwhelming, a sharp contrast to the calm focus she tried to maintain. Her fingers curled nervously around the edge of the desk as she kept her gaze fixed on the monitor, hoping they wouldn't notice her.

But it didn't take long for one of them to spot her.

"Whoa, who's this?" the blonde-haired player asked, his eyes widening as he pointed at her. "Leader, since when did you have a girlfriend?" he teased, his grin mischievous.

The brown-haired one leaned over to get a better look, and chimed in tease "Wait—so our leader isn't gay?"

Wang Chaihong, startled by their antics, tried to suppress a laugh but failed. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, surprising even herself. The playful banter reminded her of her old teammates from years ago—a memory she hadn't thought of in a long time.

Zhang LiQiang stood up abruptly, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Didn't I tell you I was bringing a new member today for a tryout?" he said sternly, walking over to Lixin and Yamada Kaito. Without hesitation, he smacked them lightly on the back of their heads.

"Hey!" Lixin yelped, rubbing his head. The blonde hair had his jersey on today, his name printed on his sleeves.

"Alright, alright, we get it!" Yamada Kaito grumbled though he was suppressing a grin.

Meanwhile, the black-haired one, Yang Zihan, stepped forward. Unlike his louder teammates, his demeanor was calm and composed. He walked over to Wang Chaihong and offered a warm smile.

"Don't mind those two," he said gently, his voice reassuringly. "I'm Yang Zihan. It's nice to meet you, Chaihong."

His calming presence immediately put her at ease. She glanced up at him and nodded slightly. "Nice to meet you too," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zhang LiQiang clapped his hands, silencing the playful banter. "Alright, let's have a warm-up match before Coach Ming gets here," he announced, his tone authoritative yet casual. "Chaihong and Zihan will team up. Lixin, you and Kaito are together. I'll spectate and observe."

Lixin groaned dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. "Why do I have to team up with Kaito? He always forgets to ping."

Yamada Kaito smirked, leaning back in his chair. "And you never stop rushing into fights. Perfect balance."

Yang Zihan chuckled softly, already adjusting his in-game settings. "Focus, you two. This should be fun."

Wang Chaihong stayed quiet, her hands moving across the keyboard to log into the game. The familiar interface greeted her, and she quickly joined the lobby.

As they waited for everyone to load in, the room was filled with the clicking of keyboards and the occasional quip from Lixin and Yamada Kaito. Then, the three noticed her in-game nickname flash across the lobby screen: "MapoTofu".

Lixin froze mid-stretch, his eyes narrowing at the name on the screen. "Wait a second… Is this the MapoTofu?

Yamada Kaito leaned forward, squinting at the monitor. "You mean the one who's been on the global leaderboard every season? The one with those insane highlight clips on RedBook?"

Yang Zihan glanced at Wang Chaihong, his expression calm but his eyebrows slightly raised. "So that's why you seemed familiar," he said, his voice carrying a hint of admiration.

Wang Chaihong tilts her head and looks at Zhang LiQiang "RedBook?"

Zhang LiQiang raises his eyebrows "You don't know? It's the latest social media for video games. Everyone share gameplay or clips on it."

"I don't do social media. How do people get my gameplay anyway?" Wang Chaihong bit her lips.

Lixin laughs at her "Do you live under a cave or something? There are programs these days that allow to record gameplay and post them online."

Yamada Kaito, who had been scrolling on his phone, suddenly raised it with enthusiasm. "Let's add each other on Mestagram! It'll be fun!"

Wang Chaihong's face flushed slightly "I don't have that too."

Everyone in the room was speechless, how could someone live that long without socializing? Lixin leaned back in his chair, gesturing dramatically at Zhang LiQiang. "Leader, where did you find her? Was she hiding in a forest somewhere, away from civilization?"

Zhang LiQiang stares at Wang Chaihong blankly 'It's no wonder I couldn't find anything about her'

"I-I never thought of any use in downloading social media apps. The last time I used one was Kachat. Wang Chaihong tries to explain herself, but she couldn't tell the reason why she avoid social media at all costs.

Lixin was in disbelief once more "Kachat?! That app is extinct already!"

Yang Zihan stepped in to diffuse the tension. He glanced at Wang Chaihong, his expression calm but kind. "Social media isn't for everyone," he said gently. "But it can be useful for staying connected, especially in the gaming world."

Lixin leaned forward, his grin widening. "Useful? It's essential! You're missing out on all the memes, gameplay tips, and networking, big sister!"

Wang Chaihong bit her lip, feeling the weight of their collective stares. "I never thought I needed it," she said softly, her voice tinged with defensiveness.

The room fell silent again, this time more out of disbelief than anything else. Lixin shook his head dramatically. "She's hopeless! Truly, a relic from a bygone era!"

Yang Zihan shot Lixin a look before turning back to Wang Chaihong. "How about this," he offered, his tone soothing. "If we win this warm-up match, you'll create an account and add us. Deal?"

Wang Chaihong hesitated, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her jacket. She looked at Yang Zihan, whose calm demeanor reassured her, then at the others, who were all watching her expectantly. Finally, she nodded. "O-Okay. Deal."