Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

Chapter 224 "The Champion~"

The atmosphere changed as soon as Zhou Ye and Zhai Xiaowen's solo performances began.

Zhai Xiaowen chose Zed, and Zhou Ye chose Akali. Both are assassin heroes, so a solo match would be either you die or I live.

Zhai Xiaowen's expression was much more serious than Zhang Linghe's earlier. He had just witnessed Zhou Ye's strength and understood that he was someone who could carry his teammates in a random match, so he naturally dared not underestimate him.

Hu Xianxu rested his hands on the back of the chair, looking at Zhai Xiaowen's tense expression, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh ho, so serious? You're really pushing the limits now." His tone was quite exaggerated.

Zhang Linghe sat in the chair next to him.

He lost to Zhou Ye and lost face, so he desperately needs someone to take the fall for him.

He cleared his throat and chimed in, "Zhai Xiaowen, don't let your hand shake. Weren't you just about to make Zhou Ye cry?"

Zhai Xiaowen ignored them.

His gaze was fixed on the screen, as if it were permanently attached to it.

He knew Zhou Ye's skill level. In the solo match with Zhang Linghe just now, this girl's positioning, last-hitting, and timing of skill release were not something to be taken lightly.

He dared not underestimate his opponent, nor could he afford to; if he lost, it would be too humiliating.

The moment the minion waves met, he quickly calculated in his mind—Zed vs. Akali, the advantage is in the opponent's hands, but it depends on how they play it.

Zhou Ye's Akali is clearly not as skilled as her Zoe.

Li Ran stood to the side, hands in his pockets, relaxed, but his eyes were fixed on the screen.

After watching for a while, he already had his answer.

Akali has an advantage in ganking, but only if you know how to play her.

Zhou Ye's Akali proficiency is not high. His Twilight Shroud placement is not tricky enough, and his skill combos are a little choppy. This might not be noticeable in casual games, but in a one-on-one solo match like this, every small mistake will be magnified.

Zhai Xiaowen's Zed is a hero he often plays. He is quite proficient with it, uses his skills accurately, and moves very cautiously.

The outcome of this solo match was actually decided from the very beginning.

As expected, during the level six wave, Zhai Xiaowen seized the opportunity during the cooldown of the Shadow Array, dashed in with his shadow, drew his sword, unleashed his burst, and ignited—all in one smooth motion.

Zhou Ye's Akali struggled for a moment in the smoke, trying to use her second ultimate to create distance, but her health was already low and the screen went gray.

The humorous darts player wins the game.

Zhou Ye sighed, released the mouse, and leaned back in his chair.

"We lost, we lost."

She turned her head and looked at Li Ran, who had been standing silently beside her. She blinked her doe eyes and a sly smile curved her lips.

"I'll play for someone else," she said matter-of-factly. "Log in."

Li Ran looked into her eyes, and those eyes seemed to say, "You will avenge me."

Wang Junkai, who was standing next to him, was already laughing. Zhai Xiaowen sat in a chair with his arms crossed, looking smug, as if to say, "I've already won, so I'm not afraid of anyone."

But his triumph didn't last long.

Li Ran sat down, flexed his fingers, and without saying anything, silently clicked "confirm".

A dozen minutes later, the screens of Zhai Xiaowen, Wang Junkai, Zhang Linghe, and Hu Xianxu went black in turn.

Li Ran uses a wide variety of heroes, and he is proficient in all of them, which shows how deep his hero pool is.

His techniques weren't flashy, but every skill was so precise it was as if he had calculated it.

The training room was so quiet that only the sounds of keyboards and mice could be heard, along with occasional exclamations like "Holy crap!" and "They can kill that too!"

After losing three rounds, Zhai Xiaowen leaned back in his chair, looked up at the sky, and sighed, "Ah! This is unfair! How can we play if we use a substitute player?!"

Li Ran stood up, put the mouse back on the table, and clapped his hands.

"Alright, let's go eat."

The group turned off their computers, packed their things, and headed out.

Zhou Ye walked beside Li Ran, her ponytail swaying back and forth, her lips curled up high, like a kitten that had won a fight—although she herself hadn't won, the substitute she hired had, so it was practically a win for her.

Li Ran suddenly really liked this atmosphere; this familiar feeling made him feel very relaxed.

Perhaps, deep down, he prefers the feeling of competing on the field to the entertainment industry.

After dinner, the group dispersed at the restaurant entrance.

Wang Junkai and the others returned to the film crew's hotel on their own.

The restaurant they had booked wasn't far from Li Ran's hotel, so he and Zhou Ye slowly walked back along the bluestone path.

Zhou Ye walked beside him, neither taking his arm nor speaking, but simply looking down at his own footsteps as they trod on the bluestone slabs.

His ponytail swayed gently behind his head, occasionally brushing against his arm, tickling him.

Li Ran didn't say anything, his hands were in his pockets, and he walked slowly.

It had been a long time since the two of them had spent such a quiet time together.

When they arrived at the hotel, there were only the two of them in the elevator.

Zhou Ye leaned against the elevator wall, his eyes closed, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyelids, and his face still had a faint blush left from the wine he had drunk during the meal.

Looking at the two shadows reflected in the elevator doors, Li Ran suddenly remembered that year in college, when they walked back to their dorm together from the cafeteria, with her walking beside him, her ponytail swaying back and forth.

At that time, she didn't have so many worries, and he didn't have so many ties.

The elevator arrived, the doors opened, and the motion-sensor lights in the corridor turned on one by one.

Li Ran took out his room card, swiped it, and pushed open the door.

The room lights were on, and Liu Haocun was nestled on the sofa with a script spread out on his lap.

She hasn't had any scenes to film these past two days and has been staying in her hotel room, either memorizing lines or watching interview videos.

Hearing the door open, she looked up, the light first falling on Li Ran's face, then moving behind Li Ran as Zhou Ye walked in through the door.

Liu Haocun's doe-like eyes narrowed slightly.

The movement was so light that it was almost imperceptible, but Li Ran caught it.

He thought something was going to happen, but then a smile appeared on Liu Haocun's face.

"Li Ran~" she called out, her voice rising at the end, with a hint of coquetry.

Li Ran nodded and walked over to sit down next to her.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked casually.

"I've already eaten. I ordered takeout," Liu Haocun replied, his gaze naturally turning to Zhou Ye.

There was no scrutiny, no eye-opening, just a faint smile on his lips.

Zhou Ye frowned slightly, then relaxed, and raised his chin slightly.

"Li Ran is mine today."

Liu Haocun looked at her; there was no provocation or dissatisfaction in her doe-like eyes. She smiled and appeared very composed.

"It's yours, it's yours, I never said I was going to take it from you."

Zhou Ye was stunned, feeling as if she were coaxing a tantrum-throwing child.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She looked at Liu Haocun, her gaze sweeping over her face, trying to find any trace of sarcasm.

No.

Those doe-like eyes were bright and smiling; they didn't look like they were plotting anything bad.

But this is unreasonable.

Based on her understanding of this manipulative woman, she knew she couldn't possibly be that easy to talk to.

Something unusual must be going on—is he planning something even bigger?

Liu Haocun did not give her any more time to think.

She stood up, walked to Li Ran, bent down, and kissed him on the cheek.

Her lips were soft, with a hint of the sweetness from just drinking milk tea.

"I have a surprise for you in a couple of days." She straightened up, looking into Li Ran's eyes, which held a hint of cunning and mystery.

Then she turned around, picked up the tablet and script from the sofa, hugged them to her arms, and walked towards the door.

Li Ran sat on the sofa, somewhat bewildered.

He thought he would have to waste a lot of time arguing tonight, but Cunzi just left without a fuss, without fighting or grabbing, and even took the initiative to leave.

Abnormal, very abnormal.

What on earth is she up to? And what is that "surprise" all about?

Zhou Ye stared at the closed door for a few seconds, stunned.

She moved to sit next to Li Ran and turned her head to look at him.

"What surprise does she have for you?"

Li Ran shook his head; he genuinely didn't know.

"How would I know?" he asked, his tone tinged with doubt.

Zhou Ye pursed his lips and didn't press the matter further.

She knew Li Ran wasn't lying; his expression just now didn't seem fake.

She put her phone on the coffee table, turned around to face him, and her expression became serious.

"My parents would like to meet your parents."

Li Ran was still thinking about Liu Haocun's matter, and simply nodded upon hearing this.

"Hmm," he replied absentmindedly.

Seeing him nod, Zhou Ye continued, "Then when?"

Li Ran then realized what was happening and paused for a moment.

He looked at her, at the expectation and nervousness in her eyes, and suddenly remembered that he had promised her this last time, but had been putting it off for a long time.

Some things can't be hidden forever.

Her parents wanted to meet his parents simply to find out what kind of people their daughter had entrusted herself to.

He couldn't keep using "being busy" as an excuse, nor could he let her bear the constant questioning from her family alone.

He thought for a moment, then slowly said, "Wait until I finish filming this movie."

Zhou Ye nodded upon hearing this.

The night outside the window was deep. It was the season for wild geese to fly south again. Occasionally, a few geese could be heard calling in the sky, sometimes forming the character "穹" (qióng), sometimes the character "窜" (cuàn).

Li Ran leaned back on the sofa and reached out to pull Zhou Ye into her arms.

She didn't struggle or speak; she simply leaned on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and her breathing gradually became steady.

He looked down at her, at her drooping eyelashes, at the slight curve of her lips, and suddenly felt that there were some things that needed to be done.

The following morning, on the set of "Glory".

Zhou Ye had already returned to his film crew, and when Li Ran arrived, the studio was already bustling with activity.

Today's shooting session focused on Liu Haocun's interview scenes, not just one scene, but a series of them.

The LPL host she plays needs to interview multiple players before and after matches. These scenes are scattered across different stages of the script, but the production team decided to film them all at once.

This kind of filming method is not new in the industry. It's like the scene in "Empresses in the Palace" where the emperor lies down on the dragon bed, and the concubines line up, one is carried in, and when it's over, they are carried out, and the next one comes.

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It's efficient, cost-effective, and doesn't waste your emotions.

The interview area was set up next to the training room, with a backdrop displaying the logos of the sponsors.

Of course, they are not sponsors of the real LPL, but sponsors of film and television dramas. How so? These sponsorships alone have brought in a lot of money.

Many of the team uniforms also feature Iogo as a sponsor.

Liu Haocun stood with the host, holding a microphone, her makeup exquisite and her smile appropriate, like a flower blooming under the spotlight.

The position next to her was constantly being filled by Wang Junkai and Zhang Linghe—taking turns on the field.

Everyone had a different expression when they came in; some were nervous, some were relaxed, some were flirting with the camera, and some were looking down, afraid to look.

Liu Haocun had to readjust his emotions for each interviewee. The questions were similar, but his tone, eye contact, and micro-expressions had to be tailored to each individual, sometimes gentle, sometimes sharp, sometimes teasing, and sometimes serious.

Li Ran stood behind the monitor for a while, then suddenly smiled.

The assistant director asked him what he was laughing at, and he shook his head without saying anything.

He recalled the scene not long ago when Liu Hao was in a hotel, watching interview videos on a tablet. His doe-like eyes were fixed on the screen, never blinking, occasionally frowning, occasionally nodding, like a student preparing for the college entrance examination.

Now she sits in front of the camera, asking every question perfectly and giving every reaction subtly, making it impossible to tell that this is her first time hosting.

"Cut!" the assistant director called out. "Ten-minute break."

Liu Hao put down the microphone, rubbed his stiff shoulders, and looked past the busy staff to Li Ran.

She smiled, and that smile looked especially beautiful under the light.

Li Ranchong gave her a thumbs up, her eyes crinkled into a smile, and she looked away, glancing down at her lines for the next scene.

She thought, she didn't want to mess up this role.

It wasn't because of the director, it wasn't because of the script, it was because of him.

This is the best way for her to understand Li Ran's past.

The following scene is an interview with SK Gaming after their first victory in the Spring Split.

Liu Haocun stood on the host's side, holding a microphone in his hand and displaying cue cards in front of him.

Beside her were SK's Ueno Twins from last year, Li Ran and Wang Junkai, who fought their way up from the second division.

One is last year's Rookie of the Year and World Championship runner-up, and the other is last year's second-team top laner with extremely strong lane dominance and a reckless playstyle that showcases his unique style.

The two of them standing there, even before they spoke, exuded an aura of "we're here to win the game."

It exudes the unique confidence and pride of youth.

The lights were adjusted, the camera was brought closer, and the clapperboard snapped shut.

Liu Haocun looked at his cue card, raised his head, and smiled at the camera. The smile was understated but comfortable, as if he were genuinely happy for the victory.

"Let's congratulate SK Gaming on their first win of the season." Her voice was clear and crisp, her pace neither too fast nor too slow, with a rhythm unique to a professional presenter.

She turned to Li Ran, her gaze falling on his face.

"I'd like to ask Li Ran, what are your thoughts on joining a new team this year?"

Li Ran was relaxed, with a faint smile on his lips.

"I don't really have any thoughts," he paused, "I just wanted to win the game."

Liu Haocun nodded, his gaze returning to the card in his hand, then he looked up, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"As everyone knows, Li Ran achieved good results after her debut last year, and many teams have extended offers to her after the World Championship."

She paused, slowing her speech slightly, "Why did you ultimately choose the SK team?"

Li Ran looked at her and smiled.

He said with a hint of exasperation, "Host, are you trying to stir up trouble?"

Liu Haocun shrugged, looking innocent, "These are all questions your fans want answered."

Li Ran remained silent for two seconds.

He looked down at his hands, then looked up again, his gaze falling on a spot off-camera—a staff member standing there.

He spoke, his voice a little softer than before, but every word was clear.

"SK team showed me the fearless drive of newcomers, and I also saw the spirit of young people—"

Wang Junkai couldn't help but chime in.

He didn't wait for Li Ran to finish speaking, leaning forward slightly and stating bluntly, "Brotherhood Alliance,"

He looked at Liu Haocun as he spoke, "Li Ran joined SK so that he could win the game with me."

Li Ran quickly turned to look at him, "Don't talk nonsense."

He wanted to explain, but Wang Junkai had already moved away, his lips curled into a smirk, looking like a rogue.

Liu Haocun watched the two of them go back and forth and smiled.

"It seems Burn and Kaier have a good relationship." Her tone was slightly teasing.

She flipped over the cards, glanced at the last question, looked up, and her expression became serious.

"Finally, I'd like to ask, what are SK's goals for this year?"

Wang Junkai looked at the camera with a serious expression.

"Champion~"

The "er" sound was drawn out long, with an upward slur at the end, as if it were announcing something or making a promise.

Li Ran listened from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips, but he remained silent.

"Card""