Chapter 4
Translator: Aafkee
Proofreader: ChaiTea
The game ends and Mu Wanwan closes out of the statistics page.
The only reason why she played support was that one of her viewers sent her 5 small gifts on stream, specifying for her to play Lulu.
“I’m changing the rules a bit,” She opens up a webpage on her monitor, editing the rules as she continues, “From now on, 5 small gifts can indicate for me to play any -- ADC heroes…”
[?????]
[Damnit! I was gonna ask for a Teemo!!]
[Putting down my hand that was gonna send you 5 small gifts.]
The viewers begin to comment on how uninteresting that is profusely but Mu Wanwan ignores all of them. Seeing that no one else requests for her to play any specific ADC, she enters the matchmaking queue straight away.
The Challengers rank is no joke. It’s one thing if she trolls herself, but there’s no way she will troll her teammates intentionally.
The situation is now much better. After the revamp of the report system, players who AFK* or feed* are punished by the system immediately. Before the punishment system that was implemented a few years ago, there were many more trolls in-game in the Challenger and Diamond ranks.
(T/N*: AFK: Away from keyboard. Feed: to intentionally give the kill to the opponent.)
From what she knows, many god-tier players have their own personal blacklist. Whenever they get into a game with anyone from their blacklist, they’ll throw* the game with no hesitation. At the very worst, they could lose rank points together, so there was nothing to be scared of.
(T/N*: Throw a game: doing things intentionally that would cause your team to lose.)
Given how mediocre she performed the previous game, even scolding her teammate afterwards, she must have made space for herself in one of those blacklists if it was in the past…
Mu Wanwan’s stream lasts until ten in the evening. As she closes her game client, she says, “That’s all for today’s stream. I’ll be streaming tomorrow evening at four.”
She started her stream at two in the afternoon today.
[That’s it?? The night is still young.]
[She has irregular stream times since she started streaming on TigerTV.]
[Why are you starting your stream so late tomorrow? Don’t you have a fixed schedule?]
Mu Wanwan stares at the time and thinks carefully for a moment before she says, “I usually stream from five to eight in the evening, but may start or end early due to unforeseen circumstances.”
[This is the first time I see a newbie streamer being so stubborn with their stream times.]
[Tsk, she must be fearless seeing her own popularity. I’m not gonna watch anymore, good riddance.]
Mu Wanwan didn’t try to explain herself at all since this was, indeed, her personal problem. Most of the other streamers have a fixed schedule, which helps attract more fans.
But she is a university student and her class timetable is too irregular. Sometimes, there are classes and sometimes, there aren’t. Since it is out of her control, she can only promise to start her stream at five in the evening after her classes.
As for nighttime… there can be many unforeseeable circumstances too.
Today, for example, she had promised to have a video call with Mama Mu at eleven at night.
Thanks to her semester courses ending the day after tomorrow, it’ll be her holidays right after her exams. Meaning, she can then start her streams earlier.
“Tomorrow’s stream starts at four in the afternoon. That’s all for today, good night everyone and sweet dreams.”
After turning off her stream, Mu Wanwan rushes to her bathroom, grabs her make-up remover and starts wiping her face instantly.
The make-up she does is usually quite thick, so it takes her a really long to remove her make-up completely each time. After removing her make-up, she changes into a fluffy, grey loose nightgown, her soft hair resting obediently on her shoulders.
In an instant, she transforms from a cute, big-eyed loli into a sweet and gentle homebody. Mu Wanwan looks at herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but sigh in amazement -- Thank god for temporary plastic surgery: make-up!
Although they have scheduled the call at eleven, Mu Wanwan receives Mama Mu’s call at half-past ten. Knowing full well how her mum’s personality is, Mu Wanwan is already sitting in front of her computer. She quickly accepts the video call. Mama Mu, not expecting her to answer her call so quickly, is still looking down while she’s working on some report forms.
Mu Wanwan calls out to her, “Mum!”
Mama Mu lifts her head and smiles, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes obvious, “How did you answer my call so quickly?”
“Because I’ve been waiting for your call,” Mu Wanwan rests her chin on her hand, “Mum, did you work overtime today, again?”
“Yeah, it’s the New Year soon so my work has piled up.” Mama Mu asks, “Are you on your holidays, yet?”
Mu Wanwan reports, “Soon, I’ll be having my exams after my last class the day after tomorrow.”
“Come back home during the holidays. I’ll wrap some dumplings for you.”
“Mum, didn’t I tell you that I’ll be travelling with my classmate during the holidays?” Mu Wanwan tilts her head as she continues, “I may have to go back later.”
“Of course I remember, but didn’t you say that it was tentative? How is it? Has it been decided?” Mama Mu asks.
Previously, when she had yet to officially sign a contract with BattleCat, she had used ‘tentative’ as an excuse.
She nods, “Yeah, it’s settled now. I’ve even bought plane tickets.”
“Oh, that’s fine then. Do you have enough money to spend?”
As Mama Mu is asking that, her hands are already on her phone opening her Alipay* app.
(T/N*: A commonly used e-wallet application in China.)
“Yes, yes, yes,” Mu Wanwan quickly stops her. “I got a part-time job recently and even earned a few thousand dollars. Don’t transfer money to me.”
Mama Mu lifts her head, her expression fills with doubt, “What kind of part-time job? Why have I not heard about it from you before?”
“Tutoring and cashiering at a milk tea shop.” Mu Wanwan didn’t even blink her eyes.
“... Tutoring?” Mama Mu looks even more worried. “Wanwan, it’s not like we are lacking money. Don’t you hamper others’ progress just because you want to earn money.”
Mu Wanwan is silent.
That’s a blood-related mother for you.
**
On the last day of the current semester, Mu Wanwan woke up to her ringing phone.
“Don’t tell me you were still sleeping.” Lin Jiu intentionally lowered her voice so she could hear the lecturer’s voice in the background.
Mu Wanwan freezes for two seconds, looks at the time, and then sits up immediately.
She overslept!!!
She quickly leaves her bed and washes her face. She rushes out of her house after grabbing and putting on her down jacket. Fortunately, her rental apartment is right at her campus’s entrance. In less than ten minutes, Mu Wanwan is already trying to sneak into the classroom.
“You’re lucky that the professor has not started to take attendance,” Lin Jiu glances at her. “... Why are your dark circles getting worse?”
Mu Wanwan lets out her breath and jokes, “Maybe it’s the make-up that I didn’t get to clean up properly.”
“Have you eaten breakfast?”
Just as Lin Jiu finishes her sentence, a male classmate sitting not far away in front of them turns back to them suddenly. He is their class’s Class President.
The Class President sees her and smiles at her, Mu Wanwan, too, responds with a polite smile.
Mu Wanwan manages, “Not yet, I ran here, there’s no way I had time to eat.”
“Here, I bought extras,” Lin Jiu takes out the bread she bought and supports her chin with her hand lazily. “Tsk tsk tsk, look at the Class Pres throwing flirtatious glances at you again.”
Mu Wanwan is amused, “Da heck do you mean, flirtatious glances?”
“Don’t tell me that you can’t tell Class Pres has been paying extra attention to you.”
“I can’t tell.” Mu Wanwan refuses to waste her time on this topic. “When are you planning to go back home?”
“Right after the exams.”
Lin Jiu’s family knows about her streaming career. Seeing that it earns her pretty big bucks, they don’t stop her.
Lin Jiu asks, “How about you?”
“I’ll go back after the New Year.”
Knowing the situation with Mama Mu, Lin Jiu nods, “Don’t worry. If she asks, I’ll help cover it up.”
Feeling emotionally touched, Mu Wanwan grabs Lin Jiu’s hands, her mouth still filled with a large piece of bread. With her mouth full, her words are unclear, “We’ll be together forever in this life, my good sister. From now on, whoever dares to break your wings, I will definitely destroy their heaven for you.”
“...” A look of disgust is clear as day on Lin Jiu’s face.
She did choose her best friend, so she has to control her temper, … control.
“What time are you streaming today?”
“Four in the afternoon.” Right after their classes.
“That works well,” Lin Jiu smiles. “I’ll bring you somewhere later.”
Mu Wanwan frowns, “Don’t we have classes later?”
“It’s Oldie Yan’s class. Just skip it.” Lin Jiu dismisses.
“You’re going to skip it even though it’s the last class of the semester??”
“Don’t act as if you’ll listen in class if you attend.” Lin Jiu adds, “Don’t worry, I’ve already asked someone to help us with our attendance.”
After class, Mu Wanwan follows Lin Jiu and boards a train after having lunch together.
“... Why are we here?”
Mu Wanwan stands outside a certain plaza, puzzled, “Window shopping?”
“Oh my god, are you really a loyal player of LOL?” Lin Jiu facepalms and drags her into an elevator.
Mu Wanwan understands the moment she steps inside the elevator. Every single poster that filled the elevator’s walls have an obvious title: LOL Spring Season Tournament happening right now! Address: XX Plaza, 9th floor.
Right after she steadies herself, a group of young ladies rush into the elevator after her. They are all holding team signs and fluorescent signboards. Even their faces have stickers of a professional team’s team logo.
One of the girls speaks up, “Have you guys memorised the fan chants? We have to shout once MA steps onto the stage. I’ll lead, you guys must follow closely.”
The others affirm.
“This won’t do. Let’s take this opportunity in the elevator and practice it one more time.”
Thus, Mu Wanwan and Lin Jiu were forced to listen to the fan chants, loud and clear, several times.
Mu Wanwan, “... Youngsters nowadays sure are energetic.”
“Listen to yourself, we’re only 20, alright?”
“But those girls look like they are in high school.” Arriving at the venue, Mu Wanwan is surprised to find it to be already packed with people. “I didn’t think the regular season would attract such a big audience.”
Although she is a loyal fan of LOL, she has never seen a professional LOL tournament live. The reason is very simple -- She thinks that watching it online is much more convenient than having to go to the actual venue. Besides, there aren’t any professional teams that she especially likes.
Lin Jiu whispers, “Most of these young ladies aren’t here for the tournament.”
Mu Wanwan, “Then, what are they here for?”
“To look at people.” Lin Jiu answers. “Most people like the strongest team. Coincidentally, MA’s middle lane looks especially handsome. You know Xu Hao, right?”
“Of course,” Mu Wanwan sits down on her seat, “But I don’t think he’s especially handsome.”
Just as she finishes her sentence, the girl sitting in front of her turns back and looks at her weirdly.
Mu Wanwan responded with a smile.
“Say that louder, and we’ll see how Xu Hao’s fans tear you, a tiny streamer, apart alive.” Lin Jiu is amused.
“... My bad, my bad.” Mu Wanwan lowers her volume. “Who is MA playing against today?”
“TS!” Lin Jiu hugs her shoulders with a big smile. “How is this? Am I not the best bestie in the world?”
“You are.” Mu Wanwan replies, only carefully asking after her initial reply. “But what does TS’s match have to do with me?”
Lin Jiu asks, “Didn’t you say you like Team TS’s Pei Lu the most??”
Mu Wanwan could react after a long moment -- It was what she said a few days ago when she was eating.
Seeing Lin Jiu raise her brow slightly, Mu Wanwan answers, “... I do like him.”
She did say that out of all professional players, her favourite is Pei Lu…
-- A god-tier player, the League’s number one support... there can’t be any ADCs who don’t like him, right???
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