Chapter Text
Lu Sicheng debated for the fifteenth time, not that he’d been counting, if he should just leave. It wasn’t like he wanted to be here; he loved his mother, but this, he promised himself, would be the last time he’d accept her interference and agree to go on a date. A blind date.
He wondered at the arrogance of the woman he was meeting. It was a nice enough restaurant he supposed, but the last-minute change to insist it was to take place in a private room? What did she think she could do, compromise him? He almost snorted at the thought before he reached for the water the waiter had placed before him.
The slight commotion at the door informed him his date had arrived, but he didn’t bother looking up, it wasn’t like he had plans to actually get along with her, she would find him the same as every other date his mom had set him up with – disagreeable. Instead, he just played with the glass tilting the rim against the table.
“Let me know if there’s anything else you need,” the waiter said enthusiastically, too enthusiastically, so his date was pretty at least (like his mother hadn’t tried that approach multiple times before with no success), but still he refused to look up.
If she was offended, she didn’t say, Sicheng could feel her wave their waiter away from the private room even as she took off her pink coat and settled it on the back of her chair before gracefully sitting and tucking herself in. He had refused to play the gentleman for her, and she’d forced their waiter to leave before he could.
“I must admit, I was worried how long you might cling to me – but this is a good sign. I’m sorry to say, your original blind date was, er, busy tonight, and asked me to send you her apologies but, she won’t be able to see you, now and in the future.”
Sicheng blinked, glancing up at the woman who had politely delivered her speech. For a fraction of a moment his training failed him, and he froze. This wasn’t the expensive heiress he’d grown used to seeing during these things. It was Jingjing. Qiao Jingjing, the beautiful actress that kept getting top billing for any project she chose. Lao Moe had wanted to put up her poster in his room, but K, more grounded than his roommate, had flatly refused.
She was clearly going for a casual elegant look; at first glance one wouldn’t assume she had on a lot of makeup – but as someone who had had the displeasure of wearing it often – he knew it was a lie. Her clothing too, all of it custom, had the appearance of just fancy enough to no longer be ‘casual’ which he thought ironically matched his own style if not the color. Still, his black garb only made her light pink and silver ensemble stand out more.
A refusal to be thrown, even when he was genuinely surprised, forced him to open his mouth. What had she said? “How unfortunate.” He forced his voice to be dry. “Do you typically make the sacrifice for your friend?” Casually he wondered who would send Qiao Jingjing of all people in their place of a blind date, but that wasn’t important, nor did he really care. Though, it was a tactic he should use in the future… maybe if Yue annoyed him enough, he’d send his brother. Though the affect would be ruined when Yue inevitably told their mother.
Jingjing’s eyes sparkled merrily with the charm she was known for, even as she took a sip of her own water. “Actually, this is the third time I’ve done this for her. The first time was awkward, he just kept repeating my name, eventually I just signed a napkin for him telling him it was a pleasure to meet him and that unfortunately my friend wouldn’t see him again. The second young man, he was so young and cute (I’m not sure what her parents were thinking!), he tried so hard to keep his composure. Frankly he was adorable.” She smiled up at him before a slight challenge entered her gaze, “What’s your reaction going to be?”
“I’m not a game.” He said it flatly, coldly even. His wolf stare one that he’d perfected over the years and rarely failed.
Except today.
Jingjing merely blinked at him, “No,” she said calmly, “I’m sorry if I implied you were. My apologies Lu Sicheng, I didn’t mean to make it seem like a game. Nor do I consider this a date – so you can be relieved on that score and know I’m not coming for your money, your name or even your virtue,” she smiled before she took a deep breath and continued. “My friend’s mother is over the top in wanting her daughter to succeed – hence why she must have jumped at this chance to have the date with you. My friend… isn’t good at saying no, especially to her mother, I’ve stepped in before and gone on her dates for that reason.”
Jingjing took another breath and carelessly brushed her hair behind her face, “I said it like that, because I think you might have the same problem – the fact that you’re here when you clearly are portraying your desire to be anywhere but here – is what I was referring to.”
Again, she sent him a little smile, “You forget, I came in blind too – all I expected was to meet someone with a massive ego, dazzle them for thirty seconds, give them my friends regrets, leave and let her know she’s in the clear.”
“Instead, here I find myself in the presence of the Lu heir, and more importantly for this conversation, Chessman.”
He blinked, once again thrown when he shouldn’t be. There was no way Jingjing cared that he was Chessman. That she knew who he was from a business perspective wasn’t surprising. Jingjing was no fool and anyone who followed investments knew it, but the idea of her knowing his gaming alias shifted the ground they were walking. Changed the game they were playing inevitably playing.
“Oh,” Cheng kept the curiosity out of his voice from habit, but knew he couldn’t quite hide the focus he gave her. “And why would Qiao Jingjing care about Chessman?” He smirked for a second, “Do you want my autograph?”
He leaned back slightly as she laughed full heartily at him, her delighted sound filling the space and seemingly summoning their waiter back into the room. A quick glance showed the young fool was completely besotted with her.
Cheng hadn’t been planning on staying for dinner, hadn’t even looked at the menu, but he couldn’t see himself leaving yet, not now when he still had questions for her. He gestured for Jingjing to make the first move, though she’d had even less time with the menu than he had, but within seconds she’d placed her order before looking at him expectantly. He found himself naming the first thing he saw, and hoped oft handedly that, with the rather ridiculous prices, it was good.
“My friend and I like this place,” Jingjing admitted, “If I’m in Shenzhen we typically eat here. They have private rooms, which I find important, and good food with low calories.” Cheng almost rolled his eyes at her but refrained. After all, it was the first time she’d sounded like the weight-worrying actress she no doubt was.
For a moment he debated whether to follow her new conversation or instead focus on what he was curious about – but he was called Chessman for a reason and knowing when to attack was a signature of his. “About my name,” he invited.
Jingjing smiled broadly at him, “You mean Checkers?” She teased. He merely looked at her, waiting, watching as she shook her head at him. “You have to learn how to smile Lu Sicheng I bet you’d dazzle your enemies.” She sighed. “Honestly, I shouldn’t have said anything, and I knew it as soon as I said it.”
He frowned at her, but she waved her hand negligently before continuing. “I would tell you; I think you’d have insight to my questions – but NDAs are no joke and so I can’t. Sufficient to say I’ve been looking into the pro gamer circuit lately, and since then, your name keeps popping up. Something about being the face of OPL, handsome and wealthy.” Jingjing smiled again, but this time it was different, it was a fan smile. Twitterpated and seemingly in love before she dropped it, and he could see her face becoming Jingjing again, “I guess it doesn’t hurt that you’re a decent player as well.”
He felt his lips quirking upward, and this time he didn’t stop it. Something about her delivery or was it just her had his lips twitching into a small smile. Decent. He was much more than decent and somehow, this A-list actress knew enough about gaming to know it. “Why be the face,” he asked, “If you can only do one of those?”
Again, a Jingjing smile verses a practiced one. “Management must positively love and loathe you. You’re everything they say you are, aren’t you?”
Cheng shrugged carelessly, though he couldn’t help but ponder on her earlier words. So, Jingjing had signed an NDA, for what he wondered. Dramas surrounding gaming had become more popular as of late, but he was surprised that any of them had caught Qiao Jingjing’s attention. Still, something had gotten to her, and if she had done her research, and his first impression said she had, he’d soon hear what that was.
“Do you play?”
Again hesitation, her NDA must cover a lot of ground otherwise it wouldn’t be a difficult question. “I’m beginning to.”
“What game?” It wasn’t OPL, that much he was positive – he was much too wrapped up in the ins and out of it to not know if they were contacting Qiao Jingjing for a project.
“What’s the Lu family planning on buying stock in next?”
Again, his lips quirked, she was faster than he thought even with knowing her investments were often respected, it was easy to dismiss her as just a pretty face. And she was pretty face, he acknowledged, and had a way of making you feel like she heard you. It was no wonder that she had risen straight to the top in such a short time.
“Touche.”
“Tell you what,” Jingjing offered, “We exchange WeChat information, and when this all plays out, I’ll come asking for advice.”
For a moment he just looked at her, but even he could admit she’d snagged him. Not romantically, but with charm and curiosity. Like her, he didn’t consider this a date, and since it wasn’t a date, he wasn’t adverse to seeing her again. He pulled his phone out of his pocket letting her scan his information.
After all, why did Qiao Jingjing have an NDA and what questions did she have for him?