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There’s no night quite as magical as Christmas Eve.
It’s a belief Chu Yunxiu has held ever since she was a little girl. On Christmas Eve, the air seemed to be filled with excitement, a tingling anticipation of good things to come. When she was young, her parents used to take her and her brother out to see the light displays on Christmas Eve. The glow and sparkle of the lights shining through the dark always seemed to fill her heart with wonder.
At 31 years old, Chu Yunxiu is no longer a child so full of whimsical imagination, but she can’t help but think the cold Christmas Eve air rushing through her lungs feels like a breath of magic.
“Are you cold?” Yu Wenzhou asks, and Chu Yunxiu shakes her head.
It’s been an unusually warm winter this year, but the weather has actually been seasonable lately, so it’s a bit chilly, especially now that the sun has set.
“It’s not bad,” she says, taking the opportunity to slip her arm around Yu Wenzhou’s and rest her head on his shoulder.
Yu Wenzhou crooks his elbow so they can link arms more securely, and together they stroll down the city streets. The way they walk arm in arm is comfortable in a way that Chu Yunxiu never could’ve imagined when they first started seeing falling for other all those years ago.
It was supposed to be a blind date at a local coffee shop. Chu Yunxiu had been in town visiting her Popo for the Lunar New Year vacation when she was suddenly informed that she had been set up by her grandmother.
“He’s your age, Xiao-Xiu,” her Popo had said, eyes gleaming. “My friend says he’s a very nice boy."
Chu Yunxiu had tried to tell her grandmother that she wasn't really interested in dating someone at this point in her career, that she had her team to think about and a difficult schedule to boot, but her Popo had insisted she meet him at least once.
"I've seen pictures. He's quite handsome, you know. And he plays that game you like.”
Yunxiu had suppressed the urge to sigh. Her grandmother, while supportive of Yunxiu’s chosen career, had never really understood the difference between casual and pro gaming. Chu Yunxiu had gone into the date warily, expecting some dudebro gamer who’d insist on giving her unwanted advice.
So when her blind date turned out to be none other than Captain of Blue Rain, Yu Wenzhou, she'd nearly knocked her drink over in surprise.
“You’re my Popo’s best friend’s grandson?” she’d blurted out incredulously.
Yu Wenzhou had quickly joined her at the table. “I didn’t think it would be you,” he admitted, equally shocked. “All my grandmother told me was that you played Glory. I was worried you’d be a fan I needed to turn down gently.”
The fact that he also had no intentions of dating was the most comforting thing Yu Wenzhou could’ve said. She didn’t have to explain her reasons for not wanting a relationship because he was the same. They were both Captains; they understood each other’s dedication to their teams and their sport.
Rather than leaving quickly as they had planned to do, they ended up talking for two and a half hours, catching up on how the season was going, laughing about funny things their teammates said, and commiserating about poor decisions from management. At the end of the date, they agreed they didn’t need to see each other romantically, but having enjoyed their talk, they should meet up like this again in the future.
Life went on. Or, that’s how it should have gone. After that meeting, every time they saw each other, they would lock eyes. Yu Wenzhou would smile at her and she’d smile back—a shared secret between them—and somehow, Chu Yunxiu had found herself falling for him, hard.
At first, she didn’t know what to do with these feelings. All the dramas in the world could not have prepared her to be the romantic lead in her own story. When it was her own life and career on the line, the stakes became much more heightened, much more real. She was already looked down upon for cracking under pressure; she feared she would never be taken seriously if it came out she was pursuing romance instead of solely focusing on gaming.
And yet—she kept being drawn to him. His cerulean eyes were captivating, his limbs long and sensual, and his intelligence incredibly sexy. On the few free days they had during holidays and between seasons, they’d meet up for coffee and talk for hours. She felt... safe around him. He saw her for who she was.
“I don’t know what to do,” Chu Yunxiu had confessed to Su Mucheng during one particular girls’ night out. “I wish I could have it all, but I can’t. That’s how it works in dramas, but not in real life.”
Su Mucheng had taken a long sip of her drink before responding. “You should tell him how you feel,” she said. “Because he would wait for you. That’s the kind of person he is.”
When they arrive at the hotel, Yu Wenzhou tells her to wait for him while he checks them in. Chu Yunxiu nods, and as thanks for taking the tedious part, she offers to hold his winter coat. He shrugs off the outer layer gracefully, revealing the suit and tie combo underneath. He’d carefully chosen the tie color to match Yunxiu’s dress.
She’s wearing a long red dress tonight, a soft velvety thing with an off-the-shoulders neckline. They’d gone to see the ballet—a wonderfully magical Christmas Eve production of The Nutcracker—and now they're ready to retire for the night... hopefully after a nice glass of wine at the hotel bar.
Yu Wenzhou sends Chu Yunxiu off with his coat and a chaste kiss on the cheek. As Chu Yunxiu wanders off to find a place to sit, she admires the sleek and luxurious design of the hotel lobby. It’s absolutely gorgeous, with white marble, gold accents, and an elegant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Thousands of delicate glass gems shine and sparkle like the Christmas lights outside, and Yunxiu thinks of the translucent pink stone on the promise ring around her finger.
Following Su Mucheng’s advice, Chu Yunxiu had confessed her feelings of attraction and her trepidation all in the same breath. She liked him romantically, not just platonically, but at this time she couldn't be in a relationship, not while she was still captain of Misty Rain. Yu Wenzhou had sat quietly through the whole confession, simply listening until Chu Yunxiu had spilled out every complicated feeling. Through it all, Chu Yunxiu didn’t dare look him in the eye. It was a lot to take in and even more to ask of him. Would he be accepting of her feelings for him? And even if they did both like each other, would he be willing to wait a few years?
Yu Wenzhou had asked for a few days, no more than three, to come up with an answer. Those were the three most nerve-wracking days of her life. But on the third day, just as he’d promised, Yun Wenzhou had shown up at her door and presented her with a silver ring, inlaid with a tiny pink gem.
“I like you too, Chu Yunxiu,” Yu Wenzhou said. His cheeks were warm with affection. “I would like to be in a relationship with you, but I'm okay if it takes a few years. After all, you’re not the only one who has things they want to pursue before diving into romance.”
Tears came down her face as she laughed and cried at the same time. She should have known that she didn’t need to be anxious, since he was the same.
She let him slip the silver promise ring on her right ring finger.
“This will be our promise: Let’s get together when we’re both ready.”
Chu Yunxiu retires first. Although she regrets she could never break past her limit to bring Misty Rain to the finals, she’s proud of what she managed to accomplish with her team and as an individual. She’s proud of her trailblazing legacy as first female captain. And she’s proud that she didn’t give up on her pro gaming career or her crush on one Yu Wenzhou. After retiring from the pro alliance, she’d gone back to school to become a freelance web designer, occasionally hopping back into the online spotlight to livestream herself playing Glory and other games.
Yu Wenzhou takes another two years before he retires. Fewer injuries from his slower hand speed and ability to make up for weaknesses with tactics means he's had a longer career than most in the Golden Generation. Of course, his role evolves over time; during these two years, he slowly eases back as core of Blue Rain to train his successor, a talented young Warlock player who will make up the new Sword and Curse along with Lu Hanwen. These days, Yu Wenzhou provides analysis and tactical support to his old team, and he’s often asked to be a live commentator for pro matches.
With a lighter burden and less public scrutiny, Chu Yunxiu and Yu Wenzhou finally begin to see each other in earnest. They start slowly, but with their mutual attraction and understanding, it’s easy to fall into rhythm, as if they had been together for years.
The fact that their story has all turned out for the best is honestly just like magic.
She sees him approach from across the lobby, having finished checking them in. Chu Yunxiu meets him halfway, underneath the shimmering glass dewdrops of the crystal chandelier. It’s late on Christmas Eve, the end of a magical night with a magical person.
His eyes light up and so do hers.
“Should we head up to our room?” he asks.
“Mm, yes," she says, "But not before a glass of wine.”
He chuckles. “Of course, m'lady.” Like a gentleman, he takes the coats in one hand and holds up the other for her to take. They set off for the bar, hand in hand.
When they reach the entrance to the bar, Chu Yunxiu leans in conspiratorially, pulling a red credit card out of her clutch. “Let’s get the nice wine tonight,” she whispers. “My grandmother offered to pay. She’s hoping for great grandchildren soon.”
Yu Wenzhou grins. “That’s funny," he says, pulling a blue card out of his suit pocket. "Because my grandmother said the same thing.”
They burst out laughing. There are plans in the works to replace Chu Yunxiu's promise ring with an engagement one, but for now, they're content to just be here with each other on this wonderful, magical night.