Chapter Text
Season 11 just ended with Tyranny winning its overall 2nd Championship. Just like his fated rival the year before, Han Wenqing announced his retirement right after the awarding ceremony. Everyone knew it was going to happen sooner or later but it still instilled the biggest shock in the Pro Glory World. Or so that was what the fans knew. Unknown to most, there was something more incredible brewing deep within the circle of the Glory Pros.
“W-what?” someone who had snapped out of shock reacted out loud. “I said I’m getting married,” Tang Rou repeated as if it was the most normal thing in the world and the crowd was once again stumped at her statement.
During the after-party of Team Tyranny, she had invited some close pro players to come to Team Happy’s dorm as she had something to announce. They told her to drop it in the party but she refused, stating that it was Tyranny’s day and not hers. Happy had been the home stadium for the finals as her team faced Tyranny, losing not so far from the champions and being declared runner-ups for the season. It wasn’t quite bad considering it was their first year without Ye Xiu.
The next morning after the party, Happy’s dormitory found its living room filled with several Glory players, waiting for Tang Rou to announce what she needed. Everyone had chatted quite casually first, settling in with each other, and catching up as their short vacation from the season started.
It was only her second season in the alliance but with the help of the female pros, Tang Rou had become quite close with the senior pro players. Being Ye Xiu’s direct apprentice piqued the interest of some and with her intellect and mannerisms, it wasn’t hard for the males of the alliance to become friends with her. Of course she was still closest to her own team and the female pros but she didn’t shy away from the so-called intimidating All-Star lineup of the alliance. They all somehow felt like distant family members and she knew they treated her with the same feelings in mind.
“I’m getting married,” she nonchalantly dropped as she placed the last batch of refreshments she fetched for her guests on the table. Suddenly, the once noisy room turned eerily quiet that if anyone dropped a needle, it would be heard. They knew she called them for something but they never expected this type of bomb to be dropped. Even her team members from Happy looked baffled by her sudden announcement.
“W-what?” Chen Guo had asked out loud as soon as she snapped out of shock. “I said I’m getting married,” Tang Rou repeated as if it was the most normal thing in the world and the crowd was once again stumped at her statement.
“Y-you had a boyfriend?” Du Ming managed to ask and some members can’t help but look at him with eyes full of pity. They knew the boy had a thing for Tang Rou so it must be exceptionally shocking and hard for him with the sudden news.
“Wait a minute Little Tang, we didn’t even know you were seeing someone!” Fang Rui complained. “So even Happy doesn’t know about this?” Zhang Xinjie asked, earning a collective nod from the said team.
“When did it happen? How? What? Happy didn’t know about it? How did you hide it? Are you retiring? Just like that? If even Happy didn’t know about it don’t tell me you’re---” Huang Shaotian didn’t finish his statement as his eyes suddenly focused on Tang Rou’s stomach to see if there were any changes in its size. The pro players immediately understood the implication of his words and looked at her for any sign of answer. Indeed, they didn’t know her for long but she was one of them and this sudden news did quite a number on their minds. Even the usual chatty girls that were all up for drama were silent, expectantly waiting for her answer.
“I’m not pregnant if that’s what you’re thinking.” Tang Rou sat down and opened a bottle of water quietly. The room released the breath they didn’t know they were all holding. “Also, I’m not retiring. This is my career and I won’t stop until my body screams at me that I can no longer go on.”
Some of them chuckled at her statement. Yeah. What were they thinking? As if this stubborn girl will just stop participating in matches because she is getting married. She was not someone that can be tied down by anything and as long as she willed it, she will always get it.
“So how long have you been seeing the guy? And how did you even see them if Happy, who you’re with 24/7, didn’t know about it?” Chu Yunxiu had asked, finally recovering from the sudden shock. She smiled brightly as finally, there was some useful news update in the alliance! It was an actual life changing news piece and not the usual small talk that the pros shared after every match.
“In name? Since I was 18, so that's more or less 5-6 years ago. In person? Around 6 months I guess. We met whenever I came back home for the holidays and some breaks within the season.”
“6 months and you’re already getting married? And what do you mean by in name?” Dai Yanqi was so confused that Tang Rou didn’t seem to find anything strange with her own statements. The male members left it to the girls to interrogate one of their circle’s goddesses and just opted to quietly listen to the conversation.
“Our parents decided it. They’ve been talking since we were kids but they said it was too early to decide anything so they opted for it later on. Then they gave verbal promises to each other when I was 18 but only really finalized the decision 6 months ago with our formal introduction to each other. Although I already knew who he was beforehand.”
“Right. You’re the heiress to Tang Corporation so an arranged marriage wouldn’t be strange. But I thought your father said to follow your own path? So why the sudden decision?” Su Mucheng had asked.
“It was--”
“Now wait one moment!! Heiress? You’re rich? What the heck? I thought Happy was dirt poor before? Why didn’t they just ask for sponsorship from your company?” Huang Shaotian had asked in disbelief, cutting off whatever reply Tang Rou had.
“Hey I take offense to being dirt poor! We weren’t THAT poor!” Chen Guo had protested and Yu Wenzhou gave her an apologetic look on behalf of his vice-captain before glaring at the said person to quietly reprimand him.
“No one in Happy wanted to receive any benefits from the outside. Sis Tang Rou offered but Senior Ye Xiu refused. He wanted to build things from the ground up. He said that with his skills it wouldn’t be impossible to rise to the top and earn the money we need as we go,” Qiao Yifan had answered instead of Tang Rou. “As stubborn and shameless as ever I see,” Han Wenqing quietly muttered to himself.
“As I was saying, it was my decision to push through with the agreement. My father allowed me to do anything I wanted to be happy but I didn’t want to be an unfilial daughter so I wanted to do at least one thing for them which is to marry their desired partner for me.”
“Being an heiress must be hard.” Chen Guo had sympathized. “But who’s the guy? And why call everyone here when the news could be announced in your QQ?”
“Because I had to give something.” Tang Rou then stood up, taking a stack of envelopes from the table beside her and distributing it to the people around her. "Also, it's Ye Qiu."
“YE QIU!!!????” Su Mucheng and Chen Guo both shouted at the same time. Everyone was once again baffled at the name they heard and consequently read from what seemed to be invitations. It had Tang Rou and Ye Qiu’s name in front and details regarding an engagement party. For sure they didn’t read the name wrong nor heard it wrong. They all thought to one person but shook their heads immediately-- wasn’t his name Ye Xiu now and not Ye Qiu? It might just be that they have similar names and the person may not really be related to their shameless senior.
“You mean the CEO of the Ye Corporation?” Yu Wenzhou carefully asked. “That company that invested a lot for the materials for this season’s competition?” Xiao Shiqin had added.
“Oh. You’re well informed as expected,” Tang Rou had praised, going back to her previous seat after distributing the invitations to her peers.
“Little Tang you didn’t answer my and Mucheng’s question.” Chen Guo had chided. “You had a question?” Tang Rou simply asked and the disbelief in the faces of the pros were so evident. This girl is really becoming more and more like Ye Xiu for some reason. Is this the effect of being his direct apprentice?
Su Mucheng had shook her head hard before speaking up again, “Does Xiu-ge know about this?” Before Tang Rou answered, Mucheng already contradicted herself. “Well duh of course he does, he’s the older twin brother. But what I mean is what did he say about it?”
Now that was once again shocking information. So this Ye Qiu was really connected to the Glory Textbook? And what more, he has a twin? That means there are two of that black-hearted senior they know to love and hate?
“He said he’s happy it’s me and he’s looking forward to becoming my brother-in-law. And to take care of his Qiu-didi because he’s a lot to manage.”
Su Mucheng had to giggle at that statement. Indeed Ye Qiu was a lot to manage especially if put in front of his infuriating brother. “Ye Xiu had a twin brother? You mean there’s two of that shameless bastard?” Zhang Jiale had asked the question that were hanging on their minds.
“Yeah. He looks exactly the same although acts completely different. He’s very prim and proper. Although he does act quite childishly when in front of Ye Xiu. That idiot can pull aggro from anyone after all.” They all nodded in agreement at Chen Guo’s last sentence.
“Senior… you know?” Zhou Zekai suddenly said. Before anyone could comment, Jiang Botao started translating for his captain. “My captain means to say that means you know where Senior Ye is? And that if we attend we can meet him?”
Tang Rou nodded as an answer and it was obvious how the faces of all the people in the room suddenly brightened up. They can finally see their evasive senior! Ever since the end of the World Glory Championship, Ye Xiu had suddenly disappeared off the map again to everyone’s disappointment. No matter how many times they message him in QQ, he rarely answers. He does go online in Glory sometimes but it wasn’t as frequent as before. They all hated him but deep inside, everyone missed his presence. It really didn’t feel right to any of them that he wasn’t competing in Glory anymore.
“Actually the purpose of giving you guys invitations besides the fact that you’re my close friends and family--” the girls cooed at that statement while the guys gave her warm smiles “--is because Ye Qiu wants to mess up his brother. He’s been avoiding you guys like a plague so Ye Qiu wanted to bring you all without Ye Xiu’s knowledge. The party will be quite small. There will be other guests and it will be in a formal setting but in the end, no one would really dare say anything if we cause a ruckus in there.” Tang Rou had smiled to herself as she saw mischief light up in the eyes of Fang Rui and the others.
“Oh count us in!” Huang Shaotian, Fang Rui, and Zhang Jiale all said in unison.