The bell above the café door jingled as another customer walked in, but Ye Xiu barely noticed. His eyes remained fixed on the glowing screen in front of him, his fingers moving mechanically over the keyboard. The phone call from the night before still echoed in his mind, unsettling him in ways he hadn't expected. The voice had been familiar—too familiar.
He had spent the entire night thinking about it, replaying the conversation in his head. The person on the other end hadn't revealed much, only that they "needed to talk." It had left him with more questions than answers, but one thing was certain: his past, the one he had tried so hard to leave behind, was catching up to him.
The usual hum of the café was oddly comforting as he dove back into the game, trying to regain the focus he'd lost during that match. But just as he was beginning to settle into the rhythm, a soft, cheerful voice broke through his concentration.
"Excuse me! Sorry to interrupt, but can I get you something? Another coffee, maybe?"
Ye Xiu's fingers froze over the keyboard as he looked up, blinking away the haze of the game. Standing next to his table was a young woman, a bright, bubbly energy radiating from her. She was holding a tray of empty cups, her wide smile framed by dimples, and her big, sparkling eyes were fixed on him expectantly.
At first, she seemed like just another server, someone he hadn't noticed during his countless nights here. But then something clicked. The light in her eyes, the curve of her smile—it was unmistakable. His heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned.
"Su Mucheng?"
Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a brief moment, they both just stared at each other, the weight of years hanging between them. Then her smile grew even brighter, and she let out a soft laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Wow, I didn't think you'd recognize me, Ye Xiu!" she said, her voice a mix of amusement and relief. "It's been... what? six years?"
Five years. The last time he had seen Su Mucheng was the day she had left the team—left him—without a word. She had been a key part of their group, not just because of her skills, but because of her presence. Always cheerful, always bringing light to the darkest of days, Su Mucheng had been the glue that held their team together in more ways than one. And when she'd left, everything had started to fall apart.
Ye Xiu leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. "It has been a while," he said slowly, trying to hide the surprise in his voice. "I didn't know you were back in the city."
"I wasn't, at least not until recently," she replied, setting the tray down on an empty table nearby. "I came back to help my grandfather with the café. Well, technically, he owns it, but I'm the one who runs it now."
Ye Xiu blinked. Her grandfather owned the café? The very café where he had been hiding out, spending his nights lost in Glory, unknowingly under her roof this entire time?
"How did I not know this was your place?" he asked his tone a mix of disbelief and amusement.
Su Mucheng shrugged, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I guess I've always been good at flying under the radar. Plus, I didn't think you'd ever come here, of all places. You were always the type to play in secret, away from everyone else."
Ye Xiu couldn't help but chuckle. "Old habits die hard."
For a moment, they stood there, the tension between them softening as they slipped into the familiar banter that had once come so easily. But there was still an unspoken weight in the air, a shared history that neither of them could ignore.
"You disappeared," Ye Xiu said quietly, his voice more serious now. "One day, you were just... gone. No explanation."
Su Mucheng's smile faltered, and she glanced away, her fingers tightening around the edge of the tray. "I know," she admitted softly. "I should've said something, but... things got complicated."
"Complicated how?" Ye Xiu asked, genuinely curious. He had never fully understood why she had left the team so abruptly, and he had always assumed there was more to the story.
Su Mucheng sighed, her bubbly demeanour dimming as she looked back at him. "It was the injury," she said after a pause. "I never told anyone how bad it was. The doctors said I could keep playing, but... it would've cost me too much in the long run. So, I left. I didn't want to drag the team down with me."
Ye Xiu stared at her, a mix of emotions swirling inside him. He had always suspected there was more to her departure, but hearing it from her now—it stung. "You could've told us. We were a team, Mucheng. You didn't have to go through that alone."
"I know," she said softly. "But at the time, I thought it was for the best."
Silence hung between them, the unspoken regrets and missed chances filling the space. Ye Xiu, ever the stoic, didn't say anything more, but his gaze softened as he watched her, the years of separation and misunderstandings beginning to melt away.
Su Mucheng, sensing the tension, smiled again, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Anyway, enough of that. I'm glad you're here now, even if it's just for the coffee." She winked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
Ye Xiu smirked, shaking his head. "It's more than just the coffee. I come here to... think. And play."
"Ah, still playing, huh?" she teased. "Some things never change."
He shrugged. "It's what I do."
Su Mucheng's gaze softened, and she tilted her head slightly, studying him. "You know," she began, her voice quiet, "I always wondered if you'd come back to the game. But I didn't expect to find you here, of all places."
Ye Xiu smiled faintly, his eyes drifting to the screen. "Funny how life works out."
Before Su Mucheng could respond, the bell above the door jingled again, and the sound of her grandfather's voice called out from the back. "Mucheng! We've got another order!"
She sighed, her eyes rolling playfully. "Duty calls. But hey, don't be a stranger, okay?"
Ye Xiu nodded, watching as she grabbed the tray and hurried off toward the counter. As she disappeared into the back, he leaned back in his chair, staring at the screen but no longer seeing the game.
Su Mucheng had always been a bright presence in his life—someone who had made even the darkest moments seem a little lighter. Seeing her again after all these years brought back memories he had tried to bury, but also a strange sense of comfort.
And now, she was back in his life, running the very café where he had unknowingly spent so much of his time. It was almost too much of a coincidence.
Ye Xiu smirked to himself, fingers hovering over the keyboard once more. "Guess life just got a little more interesting," he muttered under his breath.
As the game loaded, he couldn't help but wonder: had their paths crossed again for a reason? Or was it just another twist of fate?
Only time will tell.