The familiar hum of Glory buzzed in Ye Xiu's ears as he made a final series of deft keystrokes, guiding his character through a seamless victory. The game had been a close one, but his instincts had kicked in at just the right moment. He leaned back in his chair, satisfied yet emotionally drained, the glow of the monitor casting a soft light over his tired face.
It was late now, the café had started to empty out, and the usual clamour had faded into a gentle murmur. He stretched his arms above his head, glancing out the window at the darkening streets. Another night of gaming had come and gone, and soon, it would be time to head back to his apartment, to the quiet solitude that had become his norm.
Just as he began to power down his computer, a familiar voice broke through the silence.
"You're leaving already?"
Ye Xiu turned to see Su Mucheng standing by his side, a soft smile playing on her lips. She had her usual cheerful expression, but there was something else in her eyes—an undercurrent of curiosity, maybe even nostalgia. Without waiting for an invitation, she pulled out the chair next to him and plopped down, resting her chin on her hands.
"I figured you'd still be playing for another hour or two," she teased lightly.
Ye Xiu chuckled. "Not tonight. It's been a long day."
She nodded, looking around the emptying café before turning her gaze back to him. "You know, it's weird seeing you again after all these years. It feels like a lifetime ago when we were all part of the team." Her voice softened as she added, "Do you ever hear from anyone? From the old crew?"
Ye Xiu's fingers tightened slightly around the mouse, though his expression remained calm. He should have known this conversation would come sooner or later, but still, the question hit harder than he expected. For a moment, he didn't respond, his mind suddenly awash with memories.
Su Mucheng continued her tone light but with a hint of wistfulness. "I've thought about them a lot lately. Liu Hao, Han Wenqing, and the others... We were such a great team, weren't we? The best. We had this amazing chemistry like we could read each other's moves before we even made them."
Ye Xiu's chest tightened. The names she mentioned stirred something deep within him, and before he could stop it, the memories came rushing back.
*Flashback: Four Years Ago*
Laughter filled the training room as Liu Hao cracked another joke, his usual chatter lighting up the space. Han Wenqing stood nearby, arms crossed and rolling his eyes, but even he couldn't help but smirk at Hao's relentless energy. Ye Xiu sat in the corner, his usual quiet smile on his face as he watched his teammates banter. The camaraderie was thick, the kind of bond that was built on countless battles fought side by side.
They were a family in every sense of the word. Every win was celebrated with enthusiasm, and every loss was taken in stride, knowing they'd come back stronger the next time. They trusted each other implicitly, a trust that came from years of fighting together in the virtual world, where strategy and instinct often blurred the line between victory and defeat.
"Come on, Ye Xiu!" Hao called out, waving a hand. "Don't just sit there. We need to go over the new strategy before the next match!"
Ye Xiu chuckled and shook his head. "I'm coming, I'm coming."
Those days had been filled with late nights, countless hours of practice, and the unspoken understanding that they were building something great. Together, they had achieved the impossible, winning championships and earning the respect of everyone in the Glory community. The sense of unity, the shared goal of victory—it had been enough to make everything else fade away.
But then… everything had changed.
*End of Flashback*
Ye Xiu blinked, his focus returning to the present. Su Mucheng was still watching him, her eyes soft with nostalgia, clearly waiting for an answer. But the warmth of those memories now felt cold, distant. The team had been something special, yes—but it hadn't lasted.
He forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I haven't been in contact with anyone since I left," he said simply. "After I walked away from the game, I kind of… lost touch with them all."
Su Mucheng tilted her head slightly, frowning. "No one? Not even Hao? You two were practically inseparable."
Ye Xiu shrugged, keeping his tone casual. "It's been a long time. People move on."
What he didn't say—what he couldn't say—was how the bonds they had once shared had fractured long before he had left. The pressure of the game, the internal conflicts, the secrets that had begun to surface… it had all become too much. One by one, the team had started to fall apart, and by the time Ye Xiu had realized it, it had been too late to fix things.
But he wasn't about to burden Su Mucheng with the details. She didn't need to know about the arguments, the betrayals, or the cold silence that had eventually replaced their once-easy camaraderie. She deserved to remember the good times, not the bitter end.
"Really?" Su Mucheng asked, her brow furrowing. "I thought maybe you'd at least keep in touch with Wenqing. He always seemed so level-headed."
Ye Xiu shook his head, his smile fading. "We all went our separate ways. That's just how it goes sometimes."
There was a brief silence, and Ye Xiu could tell Su Mucheng wanted to ask more, to dig deeper into the reasons behind his departure, but she held back. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, her eyes clouded with thoughts of the past.
"We really were something, though," she murmured after a moment. "Those days… I'll never forget them."
Ye Xiu smiled faintly, but the weight of her words lingered in the air. He wouldn't forget either—how could he? Those were the best and worst years of his life, a time when everything seemed possible until it wasn't.
"You're right," he said quietly. "We were something."
For a few more moments, they sat in silence, the memories of their shared history settling between them like an unspoken understanding. Neither of them had all the answers, and perhaps they never would. But for now, at least, they had this moment—a brief reunion in a quiet café, where the echoes of the past could be both cherished and mourned.
Su Mucheng finally stood, stretching her arms above her head with a soft sigh. "I should probably get back to work," she said, her smile returning, though it seemed a bit forced this time. "But hey, don't be a stranger, okay? It's good to have you around again."
Ye Xiu nodded, watching as she walked away, her bright energy slowly fading into the background. Once she was gone, he sat back in his chair, staring at the empty screen in front of him.
The past was a heavy thing to carry. But for now, he would keep moving forward, one step at a time. Alone.