Honey Stewed Squid

Tong Nian stared at that pa.s.sword, and after piecing it together more than ten times and confirming that it indeed was his name written out in pinyin, she excitedly hugged her phone to herself. She did not know how she should reply to this WeChat message, but yet, she really wanted to reply with something. Until—

Gn: Starting training now. Don’t reply.

Oh, right. This time of night was K&K’s training time.

Like a good girl, she put away her phone.

Yaya soon returned to see Tong Nian fiddling with her computer and downloading the new shooter game, Tempest of the Sealed Chamber. Shooter game?! Yaya nearly fainted. Why was this kid, who did not even know how to play Lianliankan, suddenly starting to play shooter games? Needless to say, it definitely had something to do with that middle-aged uncle dude. Her heart and mind ached with grief and bitterness, but still, she maintained her calm as she walked over. “Let’s go have ice cream?”

Required download time was seven to eight hours. Obviously, she wouldn’t have enough time, right?

A speed-up plug-in?

Yes, a speed-up plug-in.

Tong Nian was completely immersed in her own world, trying various methods to increase the download speed, and did not even know that the person behind her was inviting her to go out. Even when Yaya had brought her coat and hat over to her, pulled her up from the chair, and helped her put them on before dragging her out of the dormitory, her mind was still in a fog. “Where are we going?”

“To have ice cream.”

“Huh?” Who ate ice cream in March?

Muddledly, she followed her out and was led to a shopping centre not far away, into a little shop that sold handmade ice cream.

Out of the two or three people in the shop, there was one person she knew: the captain of her ACM-ICPC team. “What a coincidence.”

The boy hurriedly stood up from his chair. “Yeah, such a coincidence. What do you guys want to eat?”

Yaya’s gaze scanned around. “I’m easy. Oh, right. Tong Nian, my mouse is broken. I’m going upstairs to buy one.”

Tong Nian gave an “oh, okay” in response.

It was only after Yaya had left that she realized something was not right. Their dormitory room had lots of mice, won from the various little compet.i.tions she had partic.i.p.ated in or randomly given to her by the Students’ Union and teachers in Administration. There were so many that they would not be able to even use them all.

Why did she need to buy a new one?

However, she quickly gave up on pondering on this bizarre question and turned her mind to repeatedly muse over whether those several speed-up plug-ins would be able to finish downloading the game on time. So, for this entire hour of ice cream-eating, the boy in front of her had tried to find a variety of topics to chat with her about, but she still ended up bringing the conversation over to the question of increasing download speeds…

By the time Yaya returned with a mouse in hand, she saw that those two were enthusiastically discussing away. Standing outside the gla.s.s door, she could not hold back a gratified smile. The lad was actually not bad. From the looks of it, he had a chance.

When they returned to their dorm room, Yaya began to carry out another strategy—fish for information to a.s.sess the situation. “Oh right, why did you suddenly want to play Tempest of the Sealed Chamber?”

Tong Nian delightedly discovered that the download had completed! So awesome! There were still another twenty minutes to register an account and read the walkthrough[1]. “My boyfriend plays this game.” She was so elated it was as if she had found a gold bar on the ground. “He said he’d play with me.”

… Sure enough.

Yaya put on a nonchalant look. “Since I’ve gotten bored of all the other games these days anyway and I heard this one is a huge hit, I’ll play with you.”

“Really?!” This was great! Someone there to help her out. In any case, Yaya definitely would not get annoyed with her for being a drag on her!

“Of course really. Back then, you were the one who helped me out on so many big a.s.signments. Don’t worry. Inside the game, you can entrust your body and mind to me.” Yaya heaved a long sigh. “I don’t have the heart to see you getting killed, you know. Who knows whether your boyfriend really is an expert in gaming?”

0.0? “It’s true. He honestly plays really well.” She immediately set Gun’s reputation straight for him.

Yaya broke out in a grin. “How well?”

How well? She remembered what grunt had said in his comment the day she posted her Weibo. “Bonjwa level.”

Sh*t…

Yaya nearly flew into a rampage.

Hey, uncle dude, you sure have the nerve to ridiculously exaggerate. In the entire gaming circle, the number of people who can actually be called a Bonjwa does not exceed twenty, you know?! “Um… Tong Nian, ‘Bonjwa level’ is usually used to refer to certain pro gamers. They have to lead the tide of the entire video game, influence and change the destiny of eSports and games, and leave behind countless game strategies before they can be called that…”

“Mm-hmm. I know. He’s always been really amazing.” The sense of pride that surged upwards in her heart from hearing her roommate say this gave her a great feeling of satisfaction, so satisfied that she knew only to smile, and that smile was especially dazzling.

Sh*t…

No, not that uncle dude of yours. That dude is just full of it and making things up!

Yaya tried hard to maintain her cool. “Every single Bonjwa has gone down into eSports history. Take, for example, Korea’s StarCraft scene and, beginning with BoxeR, its seven or eight Bonjwas. Over a period of a dozen or so years, only seven or eight of these influencers of an era were produced.”

“Oh.” She was listening carefully, remembering each word. “What about CS?”

“CS… that game is a little farther back in time. It could be considered the first eSports game that became crazily popular on a worldwide level. Back at that time, Europe was quite strong, but we had a good team as well. It was awesome, an especially awesome team. Most importantly, their contribution was not just to the individual game of CS but that, within the country, they raised the atmosphere of eSports as a whole to a new level. They can be considered the people at the forefront who paved the way for eSports.”

“Team… Solo?” The more Tong Nian listened, the more excited she became, and she even did not quite dare confirm whether the team Yaya was describing was in fact Team Solo.

The comments she had read online were quite consistent with what Yaya was saying, but to hear these words spoken from her good friend’s lips still gave her a feeling that it was all a little unreal.

“That’s right!” Yaya was also rather excited. “Many people on that team were my idols when I was young! Gun, Solo, appledog, All, Xiao Mi…” The always imposing and in control Yaya could not really restrain herself and felt that she was too stirred up right now. Pressing a hand against her chest, she blew out a long breath. “Some time in my lifetime, I must see them. Absolutely must! They were the team that ignited the gaming dream within me!”

0.0…

Feeling slightly bashful, but also slightly proud, Tong Nian told her, “My boyfriend is Gun.”

Sh*t!

Yaya truly went crazy now…

Hey, uncle dude! If you’re going to make up a load of c.r.a.p, at least choose someone who’s easy to pa.s.s yourself off as, ’kay?! You know, if you’re going to con a little girl who doesn’t even game, just randomly saying that you play really well and that you’re a pro gamer will already be really sw.a.n.ky. Don’t go trying to pa.s.s yourself off as this person who deserves the true credits for forging the way for the sport, ’kay?! You’re pretending to be him just so that you can take his Baidu Baike page to flaunt around and get some kicks, right?

Yaya jumped to her feet, then immediately sat back down.

Calm down, calm down. This kid has always been slow. Aside from school and studying, she’s slow in everything else. Can’t blame her.

No! Just can’t friggin’ hold it in! Why would the big boss of K&K show up in a little streetside cybercafé?! Why would that ridiculously cool and haughty, ridiculously bad-tempered man recklessly go and, in just three days, completely have his raunchy way with this innocent little girl?

She beat her own chest and stamped her feet in anguish. But seeing the contented look on Tong Nian’s face, she silently swallowed the mouthful of blood that had surged up into her throat.

The moment of truth will come tonight! Imposter!

Yaya updated her Tempest of the Sealed Chamber at light speed.

Seeing Tong Nian’s ID, she once again vomited a mouthful of blood. Uncle dude, you are just too sleazy. Come on. Lolicat?

No problem. Once we’re in the game, we’ll find out anyway.

When this particular game was on its global exhibition tour, the IDs had already been internally registered and given to all the professional gamers. You want to pa.s.s yourself off as Gun? You go and get yourself his ID, eh? Try and get it!

Yaya, who had been logging into the game while all the while continuing with her silent dissing, was sitting side by side with Tong Nian. She could already imagine how, after that middle-aged uncle dude logged into the game, he would use the excuse of “It’s not very appropriate for me to use my main, official account since I’m a Bonjwa-status player.”

Logging in.

Connecting.

Waiting for chat room to set up.

Tong Nian soon received an invitation, and after accepting it, she entered that little chat room. Quickly, she did as Yaya had taught her and sent off an invitation as well to the person beside her. Yaya’s mind was clouded by rage, and sitting on her chair, she glared at her screen for a long time but still did not see an invitation icon in the upper right corner. “Yaya.” Tong Nian nudged her arm. “I sent an invitation to you.”

Oh, invitation.

Alright, I’m coming.

Yaya breathed and breathed and breathed some more, making herself keep her mind clear so that she could successfully complete her difficult mission—to, without showing any hints of what she intended to do, unmask this old dude’s façade.

The picture on the screen changed.

Inside the chat room, the right side of the screen showed five users online.

Yaya glanced at the list.

…………………………………………

Gun, grunt, 97, demo… Gun, grunt, 97, demo… Gun, grunt, 97, demo…

……

A ferocious heartbeat pounded against her chest. Was this… a dream…?

Lolicat: My roomie wants to play. Is that ok?

grunt: No problem. demo, you’ve been liberated.

Demo: OK! Waves to Sister-In-Law. demo is a round ball that rolls away. *rumble rumble*

System: demo is now offline.

97: Let’s just use voice chat. Sister-In-Law, I’m opening up the team channel. Later on, when the game starts, it’ll be inconvenient to type.

Tong Nian understood his meaning and took down the little white headset that had been hanging on her monitor, slipping it on. In pa.s.sing, she threw a puzzled look at Yaya. Why was she just sitting blankly? … Hadn’t she been looking forward to this just a moment ago? And she had even been praising Team Solo the whole time. How come, now that she actually saw them, she wasn’t saying anything?

Lolicat: “I read the strategy guide and walkthrough just now. I don’t really know how to play, so, you guys, please don’t get frustrated with me. But my roomie plays really well. Honest. Don’t judge based on the fact that she’s a girl. She’s played video games since she was in middle school. She’s way better than me, 100 times better.”

Yaya… On my knees, begging you to stop praising me. Compared to pro players… and especially compared with the top eSports organization that K&K is, I’m the uncontested, suckiest gamer in all of history… aaaah… aaaah…

grunt could not stifle himself and with a “pffft,” burst out laughing. “No worries, Sister-In-Law. Good or not, this is just completely casual. Casual. Completely for fun.”

97 chimed in, “Yup. Sister-In-Law, don’t worry. Leader is with us. Definitely, absolutely, not a single female living creature has hara.s.sed him.”

Yaya at last heard her own voice ask, “… You guys… are… all… K&K…?”

grunt yawned. “For now we are. Who knows? Maybe if SP pays more next year, we’ll jump ship and go there.”

97 chuckled awkwardly. “Hi, Sister-In-Law’s cla.s.smate… Ah, Leader, Sister-In-Law is online now and brought a cla.s.smate along, too.”

He’s here? Tong Nian instantly broke into a smile.

Leader?! It really is Gun? Yaya thought she was going to faint…

Her mouse in her hand, Tong Nian held her breath and waited for his voice to speak. They had only been apart for half a day, but still, her heart and mind were filled only with him: how his finger had slid down her nose and, with a smile, he had said, “Then let’s not break up”; how, in the lobby of the hotel, he had held her up securely but also somewhat crossly said, “Get down now”; the side view of his face when, after climbing up a few steps and setting her foot on his lap, he had lowered his head to tie her shoelace; and how, in the darkness, he had leaned his forehead against hers, wanting to have just a moment of rest…

And also…

How, that night, he had pressed her seamlessly against the wall, his voice suppressed into the deepest part of his throat as it said, “Continue?”

……

Inside the headset, she seemed to hear that Gun was eating candy. m.u.f.fledly, he tossed out a sentence. “Who told you to turn on your mics?”

Familiar, husky, manly, not very patient—his tone of voice.

And it took over the entire team channel.

[1] Strategy guide on the story of a video game and how to play it, so named as it walks you through the game and the story while you follow along.