Chapter 4

On Thursday Mr Zhen was sitting his corner office with a spectacular view over Beijing, with his back to the door trying to negotiate a costing to buy out the company Zhiyi tech, which was owned by Xiao Nai. As he was finishing his phone call Yiran and Zhenshui walked into his office together.

"Uncle", Yiran called as they walked into the room.

"Yiran, what are you doing here?", he asked her.

"Why?", she teased him "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Yes! Very happy," Mr Zhen told her and walked sit behind the great flat-topped rosewood desk that was covered with a thick plate glass that allowed the wood to shine through. "No class today", he asked his niece

"Dad, Yiran is very mature now." Zhenshui told his father "She's hard-working at school and she has been asking me to find her an internship. Then I though, aren't we looking for interns? So here she is."

"Uncle, please give me an internship here." She begged her Uncle. She needed any reason to get close to Nai and if what her cousin had told her was true then he was going be a full-time staff member at Zhenyi tech very soon. She had to get the internship so she could be near him and finally bag him. "So, I can be here every day and give you a shoulder rub".

Zhenshui looked at Yiran with disbelief on his face. She knew exactly how to work his dad and get exactly what she wanted from him. "You're welcome here anytime", her uncle told her "But I worry it would distract you from your studies and your parent would chew me out, if that were to happen."

"Don't worry, Uncle. I promise, I'll manage both school and internship." She assured him.

"Have I ever said no to you?", he asked Yiran "Well, then. You can start as my assistant. I will show you around the office later".

'Sure, I will do what you say Uncle". Yiran replied.

A secretary entered the office while the family were chatting. "Mr Zhen, the CEO of Zhiyi tech, Mr Xiao is here", Yiran got excited she was going to be able to see him and be in arms reach from him. She took a deep breath; she didn't want to seem eager to him.

"Have him come up. Have Mr Lee from the investment division join us", Mr Zhen told his secretary who immediately left. "Son, show her around the office. Help her get to know the place".

"Sure", Zhenshui told his dad

"I'm not leaving, Uncle. I want to start the internship now", Yiran told her Uncle. Her cousin knew exactly why she didn't want to go with him. He knew that she was in love with Nai and wanted to know what was so special.

"I'll be in a business meeting", his dad tried to convince her.

"I won't bother you", she began to pout "I will serve you tea." Her cousin stood and began to smile but was trying to stifle a laugh. 'Please, Uncle?".

"Fine, fine', her uncle gave in. Everyone knew he was going to give in eventually.

"I'll stay, too" Zhenshui told them, interested to see what this Xiao Nai looked like and how he managed to win the heart of his ever-picky cousin. "I'd like to see...." Before he could finish his sentence when Yiran pushed him out the office and told him she didn't want to make Nai uncomfortable and to please not wait to which he agreed.

Nai and Yugong both walked into Mr Zhen's office where he was checking over some paperwork that had just been laid on his desk for urgent attention. "This way", he heard Mr Lee tell them. "Mr Zhen", Mr Lee walked into the office with Nai and Yugong behind him.

"Welcome!" Mr Zhen told Nai and Yugong. "Mr Xiao, you're so young!"

"Hello", Nai said confidently but was uncomfortable about the constant comments about his age. They shook hands and took a seat, in a separate area of Mr Zhen's office which held a long leather couch and two leather arm chairs. Yugong and Mr Lee both took place on the sofa closest to the chair that their CEO was sitting on. Yiran entered the office with two mugs of tea and placed one in front of Yugong and Nai. Yugong recognised her straight away and was shocked to see her there, however Nai did not even acknowledge her existence which upset her. She then stood beside her Uncle and let the meeting go ahead.

"I got a briefing from our investment division", Mr Zhen started "I am very interested in your work."

"Yes", Mr Lee supported what Mr Zhen had been saying. "Mr Zhen thinks very highly of you. He wanted to meet you as soon as possible".

"Thank you, Mr Zhen,", Nai nodded towards him.

While Nai was in the meeting with Mr Zhen, Weiwei was in the building reception area waiting for her interview. "How came there are so many people?", Er Xi asked her.

"It's a big company", Weiwei told her "Everyone wants to get in."

"Stinky Xiaoling! Stinky Sisi! They refused to sit with me", Er Xi chastised them. They wouldn't sit with her because of the way she was dressed. She currently looked like a woman from the 40's, with a short haircut, big black glasses on her slim face. She was wearing a white arran jumper and a blue pinafore dress. She looked as though she had been selected out of a 40's catalogue and placed in the reception as a joke. "They must be worried that I would out shine them".

"Er Xi", Weiwei advised "It's good to be confident, but it should be based on reality." Er Xi started to tickle Weiwei while protesting what she had said.

"Wait here. I will go snoop around for info", Er Xi told Weiwei before she ran away into the huge building that was Zhenyi tech.

All of a sudden Er Xi came running back at full speed and sat in the chair she had vacated earlier. Weiwei handed her a glass of water and gave her a minute to catch her breath before she asked her what had her so worked up. "The interview apparently is easy but since we want to get into game development, they will ask us if we have played any games and ask about our gaming handles", Er Xi was beginning

To worry the only one that played any sort of games was Weiwei. "What now?"

"Go get Xiaoling and Sisi", Weiwei told Er Xi, who was up before Weiwei had finished her sentence. Weiwei had an idea but it was slightly underhanded.

While Weiwei was hatching a plan on how to get her friend through the interview Nai was still in Mr Zhen's office taking a meeting that he thought was going to be about collaboration but Mr Zhen and Mr Lee had different ideas as Nai was about to find out.

"Real success relies on having great products", Mr Zhen said "We've given it a lot of though and we are so hungry for talent. When Mr Lee recommended your game, I knew right away that there is something in it" he continued to flatter Nai.

"We are all technical people", Mr Lee interjected. "Instead of beating around the bus, I will get straight to the point. We would like to buy the rights to your game for three million RMB. We would also like you to come and work for us to finish the development." Yugong could not believe what he was hearing, the anger surged through him like a tidal wave that took over all of his senses. He trusted Nai implicitly and knew he would do what was right for all four of them. But still the anger was overtaking his brain, he did not dare speak as it would have been rage filled no matter what was said.

Nai glance at Yugong and could see that his friend was struggling to control his temper. "Well....", Nai was thinking how to respond in a way that would not offend his hosts.

"The thing is, we're also developing games with similar ideas", Mr Lee interrupted before Nai could finish his sentence. "If Mr Xiao would direct the projects, we'll be more confident with the results."

That was it Yugong's temper had reached it's limit and he was going to tell Mr Zhen and Lee to take their offer but before he could do that Nai interjected "We will sure give a lot of thought to the gracious offer." Yugong looked at Nai in shock. No way was his friend and ally actually considering this offer. He stayed quiet while in the room but he was determined him and Nai were going to talk about this as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"We're very sincere", Mr Zhen tried to guarantee the win over Nai. "Our company needs new blood like you guys".

"That's right. Mr Zhen is a rarity. Nowadays, not may would be willing to invest in college students" Mr Lee told them. Nai could feel the condescension radiating across the office towards him and Yugong. He was going to assure their game was a hit and without the help of Zhenyi tech. "Mr Xiao, don't pass up the opportunity."

"Right", Nai nodded in understanding.

"Good, I will wait to hear back from you", Mr Zhen told him "Mr Xiao, you go to Qing University?"

"Yes", he responded.

"What a coincidence! My niece is also a student there." Mr Zhen pointed behind him to Yiran. "I hear she is quite famous on campus. Do you know each other?"

Nai knew exactly who she was, she had told him she liked him previously and she had also tried to trick Yugong to bring him along to fix her computer. He did not like girls that played tricks with people and that's exactly what she had done previously. He was not going to give her the satisfaction of a yes answer now. "I'm sorry, I don't think we have met", he told Mr Zhen.

The disappointment was soul destroying to Yiran. Her heart crumbled under the pain of hearing him saying that he didn't know her. She felt the sting in her eyes from tears that started to form and the knot in her throat and stomach. Her throat was as dry as the desert but she had to keep up appearances and fought every urge she had to crumble to the floor and cry. "You must be wholly devoted to your studies and career", Mr Zhen told Nai, "It's fine. Young people get to know each other fast." Nai looked towards Yugong with a knowing smile to try and calm him down slightly as Mr Zhen was looking toward Yiran.

"We'll see", Nai replied politely again not wanting to offend anyone. Nai checked his watch and realised they had a class very soon. "Mr Zhen, Mr Lee, we won't take up any more of your time".

"Okay, I have a meeting to", Mr Zhen advised him. "Xiaowang, see them out" The secretary nodded and showed Nai and Yugong the way to elevator. As they made their way to the lifts Yugong could not contain his anger.

As soon as the secretary left around the corner, Yugong grabbed Nai by the arm and span him around with a force that Nai wondered what happened. "What do they take us for? They want our life's work with that crappy offer?" Yugong was shouting now.

"That's a joke! They think we are that gullible?", Nai looked behind him to check that there was no one listening to their conversation that shouldn't have been. "And you thought about it! Why? What is there to consider?", he asked with hurt in his voice now

"I was acting", Nai told Yugong, realisation fell over Yugong's face. He knew his friend would never sell them out but Nai was a good actor and even had him going there.

"You were acting?" Yugong asked but it came out a lot louder than Nai would have like. He grabbed Yugong's shoulder to remind him they were in public and quiet down. "What the heck?" Yugong asked now in a hushed tone. "Why? Just reject them outright!', Yugong didn't understand why he thought that this was needed. "And that guy, Lee something..." still trying to keep his voice so that only Nai and he could hear it "did he mean that deal or no deal, he could use our idea anyway? I didn't misunderstand?", he wanted Nai to confirm what he thought he heard.

"No, you didn't misunderstand" Nai told him

"That's like a hostile acquisition!", now Yugong was beginning to panic. Was everything they worked for, for nothing. "What do we do?"

"They are using irregular tactics", Nai guaranteed Yugong "Well, so can we. Don't worry".

Yugong saw the determination in his friend and he knew Nai could out manoeuvre anyone on his worst day. "You're summoning your Machiavellian side. Now I am worried for them", Yugong tells his friend.

"You're to kind, but we need to pick up the pace." As Nai was finishing what he was saying to Yugong and the elevator arrived they could hear a set of heels hitting the floor as if someone was rushing. In curiosity both looked around and found Yiran standing there, they both made their way into the elevator when Yiran said "Wait, Xiao Nai."

"Did Mr Zhen want something, Miss Meng?" Nai said as he turned around to face her.

No, it's not Mr Zhen, it's me", she told him. Yiran looked at Yugong in a way that requested him to leave. Yugong knew when he wasn't wanted in a situation and excused himself to the bathroom. Nai was determined that this interaction would be short. He did not want to know what she needed or wanted. "Xiao Nai", even the fact that she used his name slightly irritated him. "Xiao Nai, my uncle's ideas can be too old-fashioned." She explained to him. If he has said anything upsetting, please don't be mad?" She asked him.

"Don't say that, Miss Meng" he was going to use honorifics to ensure she knew he did not see her as a peer. "It's just a business meeting."

"Maybe I can convince my uncle and get you a better deal?" Yiran told him

"That's okay", Nai told her "It may not be appropriate to do that, given your position. Thanks a lot though, I should go", the elevator behind him opened and he took the opportunity to escape the conversation and called Yugong to meet him in the reception area when he was finished.

Yiran stood frozen on the spot. Maybe she still had a chance with him after that conversation. He was friendly and she felt he was warm towards her, there was still hope she kept telling herself. Zhenshui walked up behind his cousin and pulled her into his side. "That's the guy who has stolen your heart?", he asks her. "Poor and backward, yet arrogant to the max. Your parents would never accept him."

Yiran looked at Zhenshui with disgust. "I don't care. If I like him, my parents will accept him", she challenges her older cousin. He knows differently though. Their family wealth would not just accept anyone in marriage. "Plus, he's great. The more he is himself the more I like him", she tells her cousin with a warm smile on her face as she truly believes that she has a chance of claiming Nai as her own. "Cousin, help me convince uncle to work with Xiao Nai!" she begged him.

He twisted his face in disappointment she was going so far to try and gain a man's approval. She should just let the guy chase her, she was pretty enough and was of a wealthy family that did not need her chasing someone the way she was. "Little cousin... No, I will call you Lady Meng okay?", he told her. "Please, it's my dad's company. I don't call the shots", he looked in the direction Nai walked and walked back to his office. She was determined to convince her uncle herself then.

Weiwei waited for Er Xi outside of the conference room hoping her friend did well. It would be amazing if they could all intern at the same company, they would get to spend most of the summer together. Er Xi walked out of the interview downcast. Weiwei jumped up to meet her friend. "What's wrong Er Xi? How did it go?".

Er Xi looked at Weiwei unsure how to explain what had happened. "It went pretty well; except I made a little mistake." Er Xi explained "A little tiny one".

This doesn't bode well", Weiwei told her, unsure of the mistake she made but if they didn't see that Er Xi was amazing then that was their loss.

Er Xi looked around her to check no one would over hear her. "I forgot the subaccount you gave me", she told Weiwei in a hushed voice. "I was so nervous that I blurted out your master account. Luwei Weiwei." Er Xi looked at Weiwei slightly nervous of what her friend would think.

That's no big deal. I will just give them my sub account", Weiwei reassured Er Xi.

Thanks, Lady Weiwei", Er Xi was overjoyed her friend was not angry with her and was willing to be help her out of this little mess she had created. "Also, I saw a guy in there who seemed really odd. He was with Yiran to", Er Xi continued to explain "He's so good looking!" Er Xi started to get an idyllic dreamy look on her face. "But he seemed angry when he heard the name Luwei Weiwei. Could he be an enemy in the game?" Er Xi asked.

I don't know. Who cares?" Weiwei responded. "I am just glad you didn't blow your cover." Er Xi nodded her head in agreement. "My turn is coming up. Wait for me?"

Okay", Er Xi replied.

While Weiwei was finishing up in her interview Nai was still waiting in reception surrounded by hundreds of college students applying for the internship at Zhenyi.

Nai, their office is huge.", Yugong told Nai as he came up behind him. "I almost got lost". Nai and Yugong did not see Weiwei and Er Xi walk through the reception area towards Xiaoling and Sisi. The girls swapped seats because it was now their friends turn for their interviews. "I had to stand in line to use the men's bathroom. That means they have way more men than women here". Yugong continued to find points about the company that he didn't like. Nai knew he'd been offended by the offer but didn't realise how childish Yugong could be when offended.

Let's go", Nai told him

Wait", Yugong wanted to know what was said between the school beauty and his friend. "What did Yiran say to you? Did she confess her love to you?"

If you used your imagination on game design," Nai started to tell him "I'd be more pleased."

"Whatever!" Yugong told him annoyed he wouldn't share the details. "Drop the act. She has been so obvious. Did you say yes?"

Nai turned to walk away from Yugong and towards the car when all of a sudden there she was again. The girl that had inhabited his dreams since the first moment he saw her. She took his breath away every time he pictured her. With her in front of him in reality he was enchanted. He knew now he was in love with this girl. "Wow, what a lucky day!", Yugong told him. "First the campus beauty and now the department beauty."

Nai looked at Yugong confused and hid the excitement he felt knowing at the possibility that Yugong knew who she was. "Department beauty?" he questioned his friend, meanwhile telling himself don't let him see anything.

"That's right.", Yugong told Nai "The one in the ponytail. Her name is Bei Weiwei. Last year we had a campus beauty contest", Nai listened to Yugong but could not take his eyes from Weiwei. His heart was leaping in his chest. "She did well for our department. It proved once and for all that the computer department has pretty girls too." Yugong continued to tell Nai as he just gazed at her with the thought, he was a step closer to making her his. "Although the result wasn't ideal and she only got second place." Nai began to feel over protective and had to fight the urge to protect her. "No campus belle title, but department belle is good too." Yugong noticed the look on Nai's face, "What are you smiling at?" he questioned.

"Bei Weiwei? The name fits her", Nai told his friend standing next to him before he realised what he said.

"I should buy a lottery ticket", Nai looked at him in a way that encouraged him to explain further. "First, I'm lucky enough to see two gorgeous girls in one day, then I heard you utter a girl's name out loud. My life is complete", both friends started to laugh with each other. Nai turned back to face Weiwei and take one last look at her before he had to tear himself away and go back to work.

'Department beauty is good. Over the top is too much", Nai told Yugong and walked away leaving Weiwei in the Zhenyi tech building with her friends with him wondering when he would get to see him again.

Weiwei walked up to the apartment building that she knew very well. However, she was surprised to see Cao Guang waiting on her, she thought that when she handed him the photograph he would not turn up. "Cao Guang" she called out to him.

He turned to face her "You showed up?", he questioned. He fully believed that she would stand him up and she was lying about the circumstances around the picture.

"I invited you." She told him sarcastically "I wouldn't stand you up. Come on. I will take you in", Weiwei told him. They made their way to the apartment building, Weiwei dialled a number into the keypad and waited. The speaker box rang out while they were waiting. "is no one home?", Cao Guang questioned her before a woman in uniform came and opened the door.

Weiwei and Cao Guang made their way to the big mahogany doors and Weiwei began to tap rhythmically on the doors. "What are you doing?" Cao Guang questioned. Weiwei again ignored what he was saying and just waited for the young boy to come to the door.

"Miss Weiwei, welcome!", a young voice called out. Cao Guang guessed the boy could not have been more than thirteen.

"Thanks", Weiwei replied as the doors opened. When Weiwei and Cao Guang entered he was shocked to see the young boy in a wheelchair. "Where is Auntie?" Weiwei asked "You home alone?"

"She went out", he told her and then looked at Cao Guang, who had decided he did not like on the spot. "You're the English tutor, Miss Weiwei mentioned?"

"Yes", he replied.

"You don't look much", the young boy told him and then turned and rolled himself through to the area the he and Weiwei would normally study and play games together. Weiwei couldn't help but stifle a laugh as Xiaoyang left.

"You're not going to get mad at a kid, are you?" Weiwei asked him.

'I'm not that childish", Cao Guang told Weiwei. Cao Guang closed the antique wooden doors behind him and made his way into the luxurious apartment. He heard Weiwei talking to the boy and made his way into a room that was large in size and had a wall Muriel dedicated to what Cao Guang's assumption was the young boy's favourite gaming characters. In front of the Muriel stood a solid wooden desk that had hand carved and painted golden dragon's down the legs. On top of the desk sat a very high spec Mac desktop and was already logged into a game. Cao Guang was not into gaming at all so did not what the boy and Weiwei were talking about.

"Miss Weiwei, look at this level. The game designer is mean!", he complained to her hoping that she was going to help him complete the level.

"Wait, let me introduce you." She told him. "This is Cao Guang, a rare talent from the foreign languages department", Xiaoyang did not care how much of a rare talent he still didn't like him. "Aren't you looking for an English tutor? You can give him a shot", Weiwei suggested. Xiaoyang did not look impressed by Weiwei's suggestion. Cao Guang stood with a smug grin on his face, he enjoyed the compliments from Weiwei. "This is Xiaoyang, my student."

"Hello, kid", Cao Guang held a hand out to shake his hand but the boy refused to reciprocate.

"I am not a kid!", Xiaoyang says curtly. "Didn't you hear how she called me Xiaoyang? I am twelve years old. That's two-thirds of an adult." He told Cao Guang. "Miss Weiwei, forget him. Show me how to pass this level."

"I will check your homework first." Weiwei checked his homework and then Xiaoyang and Weiwei sat talking about gaming and Cao Guang did not have a clue what they were talking about. After a little while Weiwei told the young man that she had to go. The boy moved to walk out with her.

"Kid, I will come and see you again soon", Cao Guang told Xiaoyang as he was leaving, when he opened the door to leave Weiwei started to give instructions to him as they left to ensure that he was challenged in the next week as he had made comments about how he found it easy the week before, when she finished issuing the instructions Xiaoyang looked at Cao Guang to give him a minute with Weiwei alone.

"Miss Weiwei?" Xiaoyang signalled to Weiwei he wanted to ask her a question.

"What's up?", Weiwei asked him

"Miss Weiwei, is that guy your boyfriend?" He wanted to know; he had found a guy that he believed was perfect for her on her University school forum. Weiwei however did not take the question well and pinched his ears.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" she told the Xiaoyang. "He's just my fellow student"

"Good to know", Xiaoyang told Weiwei. "I checked him out for you, he's not good." Weiwei gave Xiaoyang a soft smile. The boy had a special place in her heart, he was the person that introduced her into the wonderful world of gaming and she was always grateful for that but he was a kind and generous little boy as well who always showed he had admiration and care for her.

"If he wants to court me, I will be sure to turn him down", she told him with confidence. There was no way Weiwei was even remotely interested in Cao Guang anyway she thought to herself, not with men like Xiao Nai and Yixiao Naihe around.

"Good, but you're getting on in age", he told her. "You should fall in love. I picked one for you", Xiaoyang reached in his pocket and pulled out his mobile phone and began to look through his pictures to find the picture he had saved for her. "See if you like him", he told Weiwei as he showed her a picture of Nai. She let out a girlish giggle and thought he had impeccable taste. "What you do you think? Is he perfect or what? He goes to the same school as you". Cao Guang was looking on in hopes that he would hear Weiwei say that she didn't like Nai. He had realised over their outing that he liked her a lot more than he thought. He mistook the jealousy he felt when he saw her getting out of the car for dislike. Seeing the way, she interacted with this young boy made him realise he was interested in her.

"You've got great taste", Weiwei told Xiaoyang. "But he's the most popular guy on campus, way out of my league."

"Miss Weiwei, you're a catch too", he told her. "I believe in you. Good Luck." He was determined that was who she should end up with. She laughed and stood to leave. "Miss Weiwei, next time will you bring your gaming notebook next time for me to study?"

"Sure. Finish your homework first", she promised him. They all said goodbye. Weiwei and Cao Guang left the building and as they were walking towards the end of the road Weiwei asked him to wait for Xioyang's mum to prove the car really did belong to her. Cao Guang refused and told her that he had already removed the post and apologised for the situation that he had caused. He even pulled his mobile phone from his pocket to prove it to her. As Weiwei walked away from Cao Guang he could not help but watch as she left and felt anticipation for what the future held. He was going ask her out the first chance he got, there was no way that she would refuse him he thought. He was from a good and wealthy family and he was seen as the idol of the department.

Weiwei walked into the dorm and saw Er Xi sitting at her computer joining a Chinese Ghost Story. Er Xi explained after lying at her interview she had to ensure that she was up to date on how to play the game encase she got the internship and they asked her how to do anything on the game. Weiwei automatically went to her computer and offered to help her which Er Xi refused she had to do this by herself. Weiwei understood and told her that if she needed any help to ask her.

Weiwei logged onto her own game to find out what was happening with the couple's battle championship and there were no updates, but she did spot a video drama contest and noticed that Zhenshui had submitted an entry. She clicked on his video to watch what he had created and she was shocked. The video they had submitted attacked her. She thought they were friends, even though there had been a misunderstanding around his wedding, she believed they had managed to resolve all issues and had agreed to remain friends. She swallowed the anger that felt like a chilli seed and she didn't drink anything to cool it down. The anger grew in her core and in her stomach that anger turned into fire that she was about to release on her keyboard. She clicked on Zhenshui's name and started to type furiously on her laptop, her anger boiled over the top and she slammed her laptop screen down.

"What's wrong?" Er Xi gingerly enquired

"It's nothing", the words coming from Weiwei like acid. "People are evil. I'm going to bed"

Weiwei was not the only one to see the video. Houzi, Hao Mei and Yugong had all logged into the game and noticed what happened. Nai's phone began to ring in his pocket. "What up?", Nai asks Hao Mei.

"Hello, Nai? We've got a situation. Go check out the game forum." Hao Mei explained to him. "Zhenshui Wuxiang made a video, throwing shade at Mrs Nai. Its infuriating. Yugong is on a tirade on the forum"

"Okay. I am on my way", Nai told him. Nai made his way straight to their dorm with anger fuelling his feet. Nai kept telling himself to exercise self-control, but arguing with himself that self-control was finite resource, that the brain gets tired, the energy it exerted to control oneself was tiring. It felt like he was at the dorm room in minutes, the blind rage he felt had obviously obscured his sense of time. He walked in and used Hao Mei's laptop to watch the video that was posted. He remained calm and had managed to keep his aloof aura while watching the video and was plotting revenge and how to ensure that Weiwei was respected.

"Zhenshui Wuxiang is so narcissistic", Hao Mei told Nai "He's deluded into think Mrs Nai fancies him. He should take a look at himself. He is no match for Nai."

"Is that narcissism?" Houzi asked. "That's extreme narcissism. I hear this guy is a rich kid. He's okay looking."

'Nai doesn't post his photos online", Hao Mei replied "If he did, who would believe Mrs Nai fancied Zhenshui?"

"A gamer from our server wrote a post that said Mrs Nai was dumped by Zhenshui Wuxiang. I got so mad; I gave him a virtual tongue lashing" he laughed with his friends. "That shut him up."

"Why bother with that?", Houzi questioned. He knew his friend's capability. "Nai, just hack the post"

"No, leave it", Nai said to the shock of the three guys standing around him. They never thought he would allow that to be left up for even five minutes. "We'll solve this civilly.'

"Civilly?", Yugong challenged him "How?" Nai shut the laptop with purpose and stood while he told his friends to wait for him to log on tomorrow and they would see. All three guys stood in place feeling sympathy for Zhenshui. The one thing that they had learned while being friends with Nai is that he had a stellar sense of right and wrong. If you wronged him, he was going to ensure that you regretted it and he was smart and ruthless in the way that he did things.

The next day Weiwei was completing the university physical exercise requirements. She was running and had all of her roommate's exercise cards on her. She would present a different card every time she did a lap, she rarely did this, it was only when they were extremely busy with exams or they weren't feeling well. Everyone had exams coming up and they are all trying to get prepared, little did she know that Cao Guang had pulled up on his moped. He had no intention of running; he was told by someone that she liked to run on the track and was there quite a bit. She did not realise he was sitting behind the card reader as she ran up and presented the card, it was only when she went to run past the reader, she saw him sitting on the brick wall and looked at him with surprise. As she ran past him, not really interested in why he was there. As she ran away, he jogged to catch up with her.

"Hi Weiwei."

"You're jogging to? Cao Guang" she asked to be polite and find out what he wanted.

"I saw you beeping four cards earlier", he told her. She stopped in her tracks and began to worry that he was going to expose her for that. He made up something in his head about her getting out of a car who knew what he would with this information.

"Are you going to expose me again?" she asked him. "I only do this occasionally"

"You think I have nothing better to do", he told her

"You're not so trustworthy, based on your history", she challenged him. He couldn't help but smile at her she was so cute when she became indignant. "Thanks, though. I will get back to jogging."

"Wait!" he told her. He took a deep breath before asking her "Can I buy you a meal?"

"No, thanks. I am eating with my roommates", she told him.

"When are you free?", he was determined to make her his girlfriend. He would eat as much humble pie as she wanted. "I'll treat you to breakfast. I want to apologize for the day. A simple sorry doesn't cut it."

"It's fine, really", she tried to convince him. "It's all cleared up now. Just don't do it again."

"If I went back in time, I'd do it again", Weiwei looked at him dumbfounded not sure if she heard him correctly. "I mean, I am glad that incident happened. "This wasn't going the way he wanted it to go. "No, I mean, I am glad to have met you." Cao Guang offered his hand to Weiwei to shake it, she however didn't accept and just looked to the floor with an awkward smile on her face. "I have another question. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend, nor do I plan to have one", Weiwei responded hoping that would discourage him from asking her out anymore as she was not interested in him like that. "I'll get back to jogging. Bye!", she jogged off. He stood in awe of her and the conversation between them made him more determined to court her.

Later that day Weiwei had completed all her classes and logged on to the game, the excitement was coursing through her veins that her heart rate had increased and the butterflies were dancing in her stomach to talk with Naihe again. He was becoming an important part of her everyday life. She was talking to, and playing with him every evening. She realised that Zhenshui had not replied to the message she sent him. "What are you doing here, Luwei Weiwei?" a player asked her in the global chatroom. "Isn't Yixiao Naihe in a face-off with Zhenshui Wuxiang! Aren't you going?"

Weiwei was confused. Why was Naihe facing-off with Zhenshui what happened? "Face-off?" she asked him

"You've heard right? Let's go", he told her "Come with me." Weiwei signalled her avatar to follow the player which it did. He led her to the player versus player arena, that currently had quite a big crowd around it. There was an octogen shaped stage with a white fabric centre. On the fabric was traditional Chinese art hand painted onto the fabric in red and black. On the stage was a wooden Chua Gong that was engraved with traditional Chinese artwork but was weighted to the floor with two wooden pillars. As Weiwei approached she could see Naihe's avatar was sat in front of the Chua Gong playing his Guzheng waiting. Weiwei saw Houzi, Yugong and Hao Mei so made her way pushing through the crowd to get to them to find out what was going on.

"How come it's just Yixiao Naihe?", one player asked "Why isn't Zhenshui Wuxiang here?"

"Has he chickened out?", another player questioned.

"I don't think Yixiao Naihe can win honourably today", the player typed.

"They are all players. Why would that matter? Zhenshui Wuxiang can only win by wealth." He responded "Anyway, he had it coming, for making that video?"

Female players were making comments about how handsome Naihe was and Weiwei found herself getting jealous. She finally got to Houzi Hao Mei and Yugong. "Mrs Nai, you're finally here", Hao Mei greeted her. "Hello", Yugong welcomed her and Houzi waved at her.

"What's going on?", Weiwei asked them worriedly. "Why is he suddenly battling Zhenshui?"

"You don't know about the video?" Houzi asked her. She realised he was protecting her again. Her heart began to race, he was always ensuring she was happy and safe in the game and she loved that about him. The more she was getting to know him the deeper she was falling for him. Falling in love with him was the easy part, admitting that to herself however was difficult.

"Naihe is doing this because of the video", Weiwei asked them

"Of Course!", all three of them said in unison. "This is serious", Houzi continued "If Naihe doesn't destroy Zhenshui Wuxiang how will he hold his head up in the game?"

"Yes! At least knock two grades of his cultivated status." Hao Mei told them. Weiwei was now staring at the screen in awe of Naihe.

"Two grades?" Weiwei typed "Battling doesn't affect cultivated status."

"Battling doesn't" Yugong responded "but face-off does! Didn't you see Naihe's letter of challenge?"

"I have only just logged on"

"He sent the letter of challenge yesterday! The system reports Zhenshui Wuxiang's reaction every five minutes", Yugong told her. 'Zhenshui Wuxiang is online, but he's afraid to accept the challenge."

"Zhenshui Wuxiang won't accept the challenge." Weiwei told them. "He and Naihe may both have the best equipment but face-off is suicide for him. His status is so high, dropping a grade will take him forever to recover, not to mention two."

"He has no choice", Hao Mei quickly typed back. "Naihe is wagering two rounds. If Zhenshui Wuxiang wins one round, he wins the face off. Naihe will never mention the video again. Plus, Naihe voluntarily gave up two pieces of artifact equipment." Weiwei was concerned for Naihe. She knew he could beat Zhenshui not a problem but what if something happened that his connectivity dropped or electricity went out. Naihe had stacked everything against himself. Zhenshui would be silly not to take up this challenge because he did have every advantage going in. "If Zhenshui Wuxiang can't agree to those terms, is he still a man? No-show is worse than loosing"

"Insidious, indeed", Yugong said.

The male voice suddenly boomed through the game. "Zhenshui Wuxiang and the Xiaoyu clan have are here! It's showtime!"  

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