Go Go Squid! (2019) Series Recap, Episodes 21 – 30

The obstacle Han Shangyan has of Tong Nian’s mum comes in. He’s told to keep distance from Tong Nian. Han Shangyan carries through this promise he makes with Tong Nian’s mum with a cold attitude towards Tong Nian and saying things that hurt. It’s not easy for Han Shangyan to keep it up. In the end, keeping distance from Tong Nian becomes something Han Shangyan won’t do when he realises he’s not near courageous enough in love as he should be. Sun Yaya gives Han Shangyan a bit of a helping hand in getting him to realise this. He goes back to being with Tong Nian just as Zuo Zhenghui is wanting to confess his like to Tong Nian.

The struggle Mi Shaofei has with performing better to continue being in the main SP team ends with him going out with an announcement of retirement from professional CTF competition. It’s a brief time of uncertainty for Mi Shaofei until Su Cheng approaches him to offer him her position of Manager of K&K China. It’s not easy at first for Mi Shaofei when the K&K youngsters don’t accept him. However, Mi Shaofei finds the way to have the K&K youngsters see him as their manager when Mi Shaofei demonstrates he can guide them to success with the CTF experience and knowledge he comes with. Mi Shaofei’s abilities is further acknowledged when his first competition as K&K China’s manager is victory.

Episode Summary

These episode summaries will mainly recap the developments around Han Shangyan, Tong Nian and Mi Shaofei.

Episode 21

Han Shangyan’s grandfather is angry at Han Shangyan for playing around with him again. He thought Han Shangyan and Tong Nian were together. They are. However, Hu Yuejiao’s mum is unaware and she tells Han Shangyan’s grandfather that Han Shangyan and Tong Nian have broken up. This fact that is now no longer fact comes from her visit to Tong Nian’s mum during when Tong Nian brought Zuo Zhenghui over to have him see her dad (Episode 20). Hu Yuejiao’s mum mentions having met Zuo Zhenghui and she says he’s polite, hardworking and with a bright future. Hu Yuejiao’s mum says her brother and sister-in-law (Tong Nian’s parents) like Zuo Zhenghui very much.

Han Shangyan’s grandfather has Han Shangyan take him to Tong Nian’s house to visit her mum and dad. Before heading in, Han Shangyan’s grandfather explains his reason for always at odds with him over wanting to find him a wife.

Tong Nian’s mum invites Han Shangyan’s grandfather in. Han Shangyan, however, is asked to stay behind.

Tong Nian’s mum go onto talk about the fields he and Tong Nian pursues. She sees Han Shangyan to be someone who doesn’t understand the field Tong Nian is in. Han Shangyan agrees he doesn’t; however, he has respect for what she does. Tong Nian’s mum move to speaking about Han Shangyan’s work. What Tong Nian’s mum says is a broken record for Han Shangyan.

Tong Nian’s mum doesn’t like the way Han Shangyan handles things or the way he speaks. She gives the example of his behaviour towards Tong Nian at the New Year’s Eve dinner (Episode 7). Tong Nian’s mum asks Han Shangyan to sever contact with Tong Nian.

Tong Nian’s mum asks Han Shangyan to understand her as an elder and of older generation if she has said anything wrong. She asks Han Shangyan if he’ll come inside. Han Shangyan knows not to. He says he won’t. He’ll take a drive around until his grandfather is ready to leave. Before Tong Nian’s mum heads in, she double checks Han Shangyan will do as he has promised her.

Han Shangyan calls Mi Shaofei (from his backup phone) and joins him at a bar to work through his thoughts. Han Shangyan says he’s someone who doesn’t know self-criticism. He seems to only realise now that people remember the ridiculous things others have done. He asks Mi Shaofei if there’s any scoundrel thing he’s done that he’s regretted a lot afterwards. Mi Shaofei says he took money from his mum’s stall and went to the internet café with it.

On the topic of regret, Mi Shaofei regrets letting his emotions bring him to retire from CTF at a time when his capability and skills had been top-notch. Mi Shaofei thinks about Han Shangyan’s retirement from the e-sport. He feels the biggest shame is Han Shangyan retiring when there weren’t many people then that were as good as he was and he had many people supporting him from when he was no one till when he was known as Gun God. He broke many hearts. Mi Shaofei likens his decision back then to taking the road to ruins. Moving to talking about himself, Mi Shaofei wonders if he should’ve returned to Shanghai. He wonders if there was any purpose in doing so. Han Shangyan is furious with hearing Mi Shaofei’s depressing talk, but Mi Shaofei continues with expressing himself to be not suited for competitions.

Han Shangyan worries Tong Nian might still be foolishly waiting around the vicinity outside her house like he saw her do from his car parked out of sight before meeting Mi Shaofei. Han Shangyan returns to find Tong Nian jumping out in front of his car as he takes it up outside her gate. When Han Shangyan ignores her, Tong Nian goes to get Han Shangyan to pay attention to her with playing a trick that scares Han Shangyan. He’s on a slow reverse of his car when he hears Tong Nian scream. Han Shangyan gets out of his car, thinking he’s backed into her. Tong Nian pops out with a playful smile, showing him she was fine. Han Shangyan tells her off for her reckless trick. Tong Nian doesn’t worry about the telling off. She brings herself around to the passenger side and sits in, bringing Han Shangyan to sit in the car with her.

It’s difficult for Han Shangyan to put Tong Nian off with his icy cold responses and leave him. Tong Nian goes from one question to the next: why are you hiding from me? Will you head in? Did something happen at K&K that has made you unhappy? Han Shangyan doesn’t provide much of an answer to these. Tong Nian thinks Han Shangyan’s bad mood is because Zuo Zhenghui is staying at her house. Tong Nian clears up any misunderstandings Han Shangyan might have about Zuo Zhenghui staying at her house and lets him know he and his mum will be leaving tomorrow.

Tong Nian asks about the cat next. Han Shangyan attempts to make Tong Nian dislike him by making the cat a troublesome gift that he gave away to K&K’s housekeeper. The cat, however, has been well-liked by Han Shangyan. He’s prepared for the cat to be well-taken care of by Aunty Zhao (K&K’s housekeeper) next week when he has to go to Norway. The cat is well-behaved, but he makes a lie about the cat having almost bit him that he went to get a shot. Tong Nian worries the cat might be mistreated and asks Han Shangyan to get the cat back so she can help raise it.

Han Shangyan asks Tong Nian to head back into the house. When she doesn’t and asks if he’d like her to make another game for him, Han Shangyan forces Tong Nian to leave. Han Shangyan says he likes being alone in quietness. He’s not in a good mood and doesn’t want to talk. Tong Nian is left surprised and without any choice but get out of the car when Han Shangyan reaches past her to open her door.

Han Shangyan doesn’t change his neutral expression when Tong Nian gives a small smile and waves goodbye. The harsh and cold responses he gave to Tong Nian was difficult.

Episode 22

Tong Nian wasn’t informed Han Shangyan has gone to Norway and she only realises this when she goes to K&K with breakfast for everyone and the youngsters inform her he’s out of the country. Tong Nian wonders why in the last four days it has been hard to contact Han Shangyan. She worries something has happened to him. Sun Yaya says that’s not likely to be the case. With a lot of people attentively watching him, something happening to him would make news. Sun Yaya rejects Tong Nian’s thought that maybe Han Shangyan’s bad mood is because of a photoshoot he has with Mi Shaofei and Ou Qiang. However, she thinks the cat could put Han Shangyan in a bad mood. She reasons it with seeing Han Shangyan as a manly man who might have trouble handling a kitty. Tong Nian cannot understand why Han Shangyan’s phone is turned off when it’s daytime in Norway where it’s work time for him. Tong Nian thinks Han Shangyan must definitely be angry with her.

Han Shangyan is purposefully using his backup phone in Norway. Keeping his promise to Tong Nian’s mum, he’s being cold and only allowing himself to watch Tong Nian quietly in the background. Before Han Shangyan had gone to Norway, he was at Tong Nian’s place on two occasions. The first one was when she messaged him asking him to not be angry anymore over what she thinks is the cat she gave him. Han Shangyan replied with saying he was sleeping, but afterwards he was outside Tong Nian’s place sitting up in a tree outside her room window. The second occasion was before he headed to the airport. Han Shangyan was outside Tong Nian’s house again in a taxi. He left when he saw her coming out of the house.

Han Shangyan is in Norway for his stepmother’s wedding. The first thing Han Shangyan’s stepmother asks about is where the rest of the money for her necklace is before Tong Nian comes into the conversation. Han Shangyan’s stepmother asks if her necklace was given to a young lady. This small bit of information that Han Shangyan’s stepmother gathers was from prodding Wu Bai. She doesn’t get much confirmation from Han Shangyan. Han Shangyan’s stepmother asks Han Shangyan if he got dumped. She says he’s such a cool person. She can’t see why. She offers Han Shangyan the jewellery that his father gave her to be used to propose. Han Shangyan declines the offer, explaining he doesn’t need it. Han Shangyan’s stepmother becomes critical of Han Shangyan’s inability to manage a girlfriend.

Han Shangyan’s stepmother’s words seems to affect Han Shangyan in a way where it seems to bring up Tong Nian’s mum’s disapproval of him into his mind.

Han Shangyan’s stepmother says what she said isn’t completely accurate. She says everyone has a time in their lives when they’re rebellious and she remembers her period of rebelliousness was much worse than his.

After a bit more talking about their mother-son relationship which Han Shangyan says will come to an end after she gets married into another family, Han Shangyan’s stepmother asks Han Shangyan to speak more about Tong Nian. Why did she dump him? Was it because his bad temper came to the surface? Han Shangyan doesn’t answer. He only jokes he won’t be going to her wedding. It will act as jealousy on his dad’s part.

After visiting Nan Wei at K&K headquarters and winning a bet with him to agree to a million dollar budget for K&K China, Han Shangyan returns back to his hotel room. Han Shangyan once more hears his stepmother wanting to know about Tong Nian. She complains of not knowing who her necklace had been given to and what she looks like. Han Shangyan’s stepmother finds a drawing under her door drawn by Han Shangyan. Though the drawing is simple and at primary school level, Han Shangyan’s stepmother says Han Shangyan has great taste when she can tell his girlfriend is a beautiful and happy young lady just from the smile he drew her drawing with.

Han Shangyan’s stepmother slips something of her own under Han Shangyan’s door. Han Shangyan receives an old photo of them both. On the back, she writes she will be his strongest backer, his umbrella on a rainy day and his admirer no matter how many failures he has. She signs off with ‘Love you always, My darling Yan Yan.’

Tong Nian has an unexpected visitor and she has to take care of her for the time being as she has run away from home. Xiao Ai runs away from home over her dad wanting her to give her mum a chance to get closer to her.

Episode 23

Han Shangyan arrives back into the country in time to watch Mi Shaofei compete in the eighth-finals of the regional competitions. SP is up against the TAOTAO team and Mi Shaofei is on top form. He helps the SP team to a win. Han Shangyan is pleased to see Mi Shaofei perform so well. However, he is shocked to hear Mi Shaofei announce the match to be his last professional match.

Han Shangyan is angry at Solo. He asks Solo who it is that allowed Mi Shaofei to retire. He also asks Solo what he promised him. Mi Shaofei retiring comes as a shock to Solo as well. He can only apologise to Han Shangyan towards not managing to take care of Mi Shaofei. Solo allows Han Shangyan to take a swing at him however he likes without him returning a hit.

When Mi Shaofei finds them, he questions the anger Han Shangyan directs at Solo. Han Shangyan asks Mi Shaofei to switch over to his K&K team, but Mi Shaofei explains why he will decline him for the third time.

The next person devastated with Mi Shaofei’s announcement of retirement is Ou Qiang. He asks Mi Shaofei if he’s content with his decision to retire. Mi Shaofei isn’t. However, he must because he isn’t able to compete against younger players who he has trouble matching up to with his skill and abilities.

Ou Qiang surrenders and gives Mi Shaofei a perfect exit. He joins him in a fist bump and a hug.

Walking out of the arena, Sun Yaya tells Mi Shaofei there are a lot of his fans outside. She warns some may be very excitable and might be annoyed he’s retired, but his old fans will support him no matter what. When outside, in front of Mi Shaofei are his calm and understanding fans. They express support, but they do wish for him to continue competing. Mi Shaofei is unable to fulfill their wish. He can only thank them for their support in the past.

Along with Tong Nian and Sun Yaya, Mi Shaofei goes to K&K for that drink with Han Shangyan that Mi Shaofei said he’d contact Han Shangyan to do at the eighth-finals competition. To Tong Nian and Sun Yaya, things between Mi Shaofei and Han Shangyan seem a bit tense and awkward. They worry a fight might break out between them. After a running competition between the two men around the park and them speaking normally to each other, they see the two are fine. Some drinks at a dining establishment, Han Shangyan asks Mi Shaofei what his next plan is. He wonders if he’ll head back home. Mi Shaofei says it’s not so easy to head back home this time round when he said he’d obtain the championship title. He’d be judged and criticised going back home this time round. Han Shangyan offers to let Mi Shaofei stay at his place after Mi Shaofei says he’ll find a hotel room to stay in for the meantime. Mi Shaofei flatly rejects Han Shangyan’s offer. He’s not someone marrying him, so he’s not accepting the offer.

After a drinking round between Han Shangyan and Mi Shaofei, Mi Shaofei is looking uncomfortable as he forces himself to hold in his vomit in Sun Yaya’s presence. He withstands it well enough. Sun Yaya recalls Mi Shaofei’s eighth-finals competition. His announcement of retirement had the same stunning appearance as Han Shangyan’s announcement of retirement ten years ago. She feels Mi Shaofei and Han Shangyan has the best relationship with each other in their group. This observation from Sun Yaya brings Mi Shaofei to speak about his decision he made to retire back then. It was made upon seeing how heartbroken Han Shangyan was. He admits he regrets retiring. His present performance would’ve been better had he kept competing.

Tong Nian is with Han Shangyan and she is trying to work out why Han Shangyan is acting the way he is towards her. She wonders why he couldn’t be reached in Norway, asking whether it was because his phone was broken. She also asks if there was anything he wanted to say. Han Shangyan shakes his head to both questions. When Tong Nian says it’s great seeing how he and Mi Shaofei are today, Han Shangyan returns the conversation back to the previous topic with the goal of changing Tong Nian’s view of him being a reliable guy.

Tong Nian says she knows he went to Norway for work. Han Shangyan challenges her on that.

This lie Han Shangyan makes up has Tong Nian ask what there is about her that isn’t up to standard. Tong Nian not being up to standard isn’t the issue. Han Shangyan says she’s fine. The issue is the lack of understanding she has of him due to their age gap being too great. There’s also the fact that he’s already thirty. He should get married soon. Han Shangyan tells Tong Nian she should see other guys. When Tong Nian says she doesn’t want to see other guys, Han Shangyan finds Tong Nian exasperatingly stubborn with not understanding his meaning behind his words and actions. Tong Nian continues to be stubborn with not wanting to understand. Han Shangyan’s intentionally hurtful words brings a tear to roll down Tong Nian’s cheek. The tear has an effect on Han Shangyan, but he takes any opportunity that comes his way to make Tong Nian have no other thought but give up on him as soon as Tong Nian presents it.

Episode 24

Tong Nian waits by Han Shangyan’s car. She isn’t able to leave Han Shangyan when she’s worried about him and Mi Shaofei because they’ve been drinking a lot. Han Shangyan isn’t pleased Tong Nian is still around. Tong Nian explains it’s unsafe driving after drinking so much. The worry is unnecessary when Han Shangyan has already taken care of who will drive them home. He has called a substitute driver. Tong Nian tears up again when Han Shangyan says it isn’t any of her concern.

After that response from Han Shangyan, Tong Nian doesn’t want to head home in Han Shangyan’s car. Sun Yaya convinces Tong Nian to ride in Han Shangyan’s car with saying that Han Shangyan and Mi Shaofei might encounter trouble if they so happen to fall asleep because of how much they drank. The car ride for Tong Nian is more tears filling up in her eyes. Sun Yaya gives Tong Nian a tissue and helps her get a bit more room away from Han Shangyan who sits on her left. She tells Han Shangyan to not make Tong Nian feel so crowded. Han Shangyan attempts to make room but there isn’t much more room he can give Tong Nian with him, Tong Nian and Mi Shaofei squeezed into the back seats.

They reach Tong Nian and Sun Yaya’s university. Before going on his way, Han Shangyan tells Tong Nian to not have a hard time because of him.

Demo’s mum has been coming to K&K for a few days and is adamant on waiting until Han Shangyan meets with her. With Demo’s education going only as far as vocational high school, Demo’s mum is worried about his future. Like so many outside the CTF circle, Demo’s mum sees Demo to be just playing on the computer and she wants him to head back home with her.

Han Shangyan doesn’t immediately see to a meeting with Demo’s mum to discuss about Demo’s stay at the K&K club. He hasn’t been feeling well following the things that happened at the outing with Mi Shaofei, Tong Nian and Sun Yaya. When he does go to meet Demo’s mum, he changes to a suit combination in the colour of black which has him present himself to Demo’s mum as very professional. Han Shangyan makes the meeting even more professional and formal with bringing their meeting to a classy restaurant.

Demo’s mum has her views, but she seems open to hearing how Han Shangyan can assure her that what Dai Feng (a.k.a Demo) is doing at the club will be good for his future. Han Shangyan starts with saying that he was also a competitor in cyber security competitions. Being in the cyber security community for ten years, he saw it grow to the prosperous environment that it is presently. Han Shangyan corrects Demo’s mum on describing CTF as playing on the computer after she expressed surprise on hearing he played on the computer in his youth. Han Shangyan says the proper term is cyber security competition. Demo’s mum can understand ‘competition’. The other parts she isn’t able to understand. Han Shangyan doesn’t go into explaining what cyber security competition involves. He only lets Demo’s mum know that what they do is their profession and they are a team that is approved by the government.

Han Shangyan expresses his understanding of the concern Demo’s mum has towards Demo being a competitor in the e-sport of cyber security. He lets her know that the China division of the club is under his full control and every K&K member including Demo was personally selected and signed by him. Demo has the ability and talent. His wish for Demo is to not only for him to compete in professional competitions but also for him to stand on the highest podium and hold the national flag whilst the national anthem played. Demo’s mum expresses doubt towards Demo having that talent. She also sees the world championship title to be difficult to obtain because there can only be one world champion. Han Shangyan disagrees. Demo has talent and he points to Demo’s ranking to be in the seventies which is his world ranking. He has great potential even though he’s the youngest. Han Shangyan feels Demo and his team members have the ability to win the world championship title.

Han Shangyan addresses the issue preventing Demo’s mum from agreeing to Demo continuing to be at K&K. She has the desire for Demo to begin working now and earning money. Han Shangyan asks Demo’s mum how much Demo’s gross income would be if he started working now, working for thirty years until he’s fifty. When Demo’s mum says she has no way to calculate this on the whim, Han Shangyan makes a deal with her with that figure in mind. It will be written up in a contract for her to sign if she agrees.

The deal has Demo concerned. He won’t sign a deal that has such great treatment that even their captain (Wu Bai) doesn’t get. Han Shangyan tells Demo that he should put in more effort if he knows he’s being treated differently. Demo’s mum is curious to know why Han Shangyan would make such a deal when he says the club has been making a loss since its establishment two years ago. Han Shangyan speaking about K&K’s financial position was in response to Demo’s mum asking him if he trusts Demo and the others to make lots of money for his K&K club.

With this, Han Shangyan manages to win over Demo’s mum and Demo is able to continue being in the K&K team.

The K&K team have a competition in Beijing. Tong Nian catches up to Han Shangyan at the airport before he leaves for Beijing. She’s unhappy with the envelope of money that Lan Mei accepted from him.

The envelope of money Lan Mei accepted from Han Shangyan wasn’t supposed to be given to Tong Nian. In the meeting Han Shangyan had with Lan Mei and her husband, Han Shangyan asked Lan Mei and her husband to use the money to buy whatever Tong Nian wanted so that she can be a bit happier. The money was the entirety of what’s in Han Shangyan’s savings account. It was supposed to be Lan Mei treating Tong Nian to whatever she wanted without a mention of it being paid using the money he gave in the envelope. However, Lan Mei ended up showing it to Tong Nian when Han Shangyan confused her after she asked him if he usually gave a small amount of breakup money to girlfriends after breaking up and he said Tong Nian was the only girlfriend he has ever had. Lan Mei’s curiosity to work out what actually happened between Han Shangyan and Tong Nian, she asked Tong Nian if she really was the one to say to break up. When Tong Nian kept saying she didn’t want to talk about it, Lan Mei showed the envelope of money and asked if Han Shangyan did something wrong to give her breakup money.

Tong Nian seems to believe there’s another meaning behind Han Shangyan giving the envelope of money when she asks Han Shangyan why he didn’t directly give it to her, but instead he had Lan Mei hide it. Leading Tong Nian away from thinking he still has her in his thoughts, Han Shangyan says Lan Mei misunderstood him. The envelope of money was given to her to have it passed onto her. It is breakup money and she should know about it. Tong Nian is still unconvinced. Han Shangyan ends any more thoughts Tong Nian may have on the reason for why he gave the envelope of money with saying that Lan Mei was possibly wishing to make her happy and this has made her misunderstand his intentions.

Feeling he has cleared up the misunderstanding, Han Shangyan goes to leave, but he’s stopped briefly when Tong Nian says he still thinks positively of him and he still has her support.

Episode 25

Sun Yaya helps Mi Shaofei find the perfect place to rent. Mi Shaofei wants to repay her with a sumptuous meal. Sun Yaya doesn’t need repayment for the help. Instead, she mentions worrying about Tong Nian. Han Shangyan is always hurting her.

Sun Yaya finds an opportunity at the dorm to provoke Han Shangyan. As she helps Tong Nian put away her clothes into her wardrobe, she finds Han Shangyan’s K&K jacket neatly folded in the wardrobe along with other things from Han Shangyan in a bag. When she asks Tong Nian about it and Tong Nian tells her she’s preparing to give the jacket back to Han Shangyan, Sun Yaya asks if she can take a picture of the jacket for memory’s sake. Tong Nian says she can. Han Shangyan’s jacket is taken with Tong Nian’s phone and she posts it on Tong Nian’s feed where Han Shangyan sees the photo with the text, ‘Throw out worthless things. Throw it out. Throw it out.’

Mi Shaofei is someone who is informed of the reason why Han Shangyan has become cold towards Tong Nian. He doesn’t reveal to Tong Nian of the situation Han Shangyan is in with her mum; however, he tries to get her to not feel so sad about her situation with Han Shangyan. He says Han Shangyan is not to be trusted when it comes to what he says. He does like her and he likes her a lot. He backs this up with saying that Han Shangyan is someone who isn’t in contact with many women. The women he keeps in contact with are Aunty Zhao (K&K’s housekeeper) and (he jokes) those little lolita girls on the computer screen, indicating to Tong Nian she is someone he does like.

Mi Shaofei finds opportunities for Tong Nian and Han Shangyan to interact at his housewarming party. Mi Shaofei says the monitor button isn’t working. He gets Tong Nian to head down to let in the person who has come. The person who has come is Han Shangyan. She’s surprised to see him. She struggles to open the door to let him in. Han Shangyan gestures for her to stop and let him open it. The door pushes out instead of pulling in like Tong Nian was trying to do to open it.

Mi Shaofei uses the opportunity that Tong Nian brings when she gets flustered over Xiao Ai asking her if she has thought over her question she asked about considering her dad being her boyfriend. Tong Nian saying she will to go to the supermarket as a way to get away from the topic, Mi Shaofei, along with Sun Yaya’s help, creates a long list of items—items that are in many quantities and heavy to carry. Han Shangyan plays into Mi Shaofei and Sun Yaya’s game when Han Shangyan comments how a small girl isn’t able to carry that many things and Han Shangyan is asked to go along with Tong Nian to the supermarket.

The trip to the supermarket reminds Tong Nian of the last time they went around the supermarket together. It was on New Year’s Day. Han Shangyan remembers the shopping Tong Nian did that day. He brings all the packets of snacks that Tong Nian grabbed that day and puts it in their trolley. The explanation Han Shangyan gives to Tong Nian for remembering all the items she grabbed on New Year’s Day is having good memory.

Mi Shaofei feigns having issues with his wrist from competing in competitions when Han Shangyan says he can’t stay because he has some matters to attend to at K&K. With Mi Shaofei feigning a wrist injury, Han Shangyan helps move the shopping up to the apartment. After all the shopping in the car is moved, Mi Shaofei takes the bags of rice holding the entrance door and quietly disappears to not interrupt Tong Nian and Han Shangyan having a conversation with each other by Han Shangyan’s car.

Han Shangyan has something to give to Tong Nian. They are some more games. These are out-of-print games that Han Shangyan says he bought in passing when he was strolling about. Han Shangyan doesn’t mention that he had bought it specifically and only recently.

Tong Nian tries to get Han Shangyan to stay. Her words seems to speak for herself when she speaks in terms of everyone: everyone doesn’t want to part with him. They don’t want to see him leave. When Han Shangyan doesn’t stay but prepares to leave, Tong Nian says she will head up first. She tries once more to get Han Shangyan to stay: she says for him to come up anytime if he feels like eating. Everyone will be waiting for him.

Sun Yaya is disappointed to hear her efforts have gone to waste when Tong Nian says she and Han Shangyan hadn’t said much and Han Shangyan hadn’t followed her back in. Catching up to Han Shangyan who’s still outside Mi Shaofei’s apartment building and just sitting in his car, Sun Yaya asks Han Shangyan to treat Tong Nian a bit better when Tong Nian treats him so well. She asks Han Shangyan for his phone and shows him the website Tong Nian built for his K&K club.

Han Shangyan browses through the website and sees the work Tong Nian put into it. He seems to see the point Sun Yaya made about him lacking the killer instincts he had when he competed in competitions.

Episode 26

Sun Yaya seems to have managed to get through to Han Shangyan when he shows up at the hospital where Tong Nian is with accompanying Zuo Zhenghui after his mum has had a successful surgery.

Zuo Zhenghui had been hinting to Tong Nian his wish for her to stay with him longer with hoping she’d be able to accompany him in keeping watch of his mum through the night. He then asked if she’d like to grab something to eat before asking if she’d like to grab a drink. Getting a drink was something Tong Nian could agree to do.

Han Shangyan saw Tong Nian and Zuo Zhenghui in their chat around the time when Tong Nian agreed to grab a drink with Zuo Zhenghui. He makes his presence known to them at the time when Zuo Zhenghui appeared to have wanted to confess his like to Tong Nian. Zuo Zhenghui respectfully addresses Han Shangyan as an uncle of Tong Nian’s after he addressed him as a brother, but Tong Nian told him Han Shangyan wasn’t her brother. The address doesn’t impress Han Shangyan and amuses Tong Nian. Han Shangyan directs Tong Nian and Zuo Zhenghui to make a start on heading out to grab something to eat.

Zuo Zhenghui’s gentlemanly gestures and attention towards Tong Nian makes Han Shangyan an invisible extra to Zuo Zhenghui who seems to treat this time they’re grabbing a bite together as a date with Tong Nian. Han Shangyan doesn’t allow Zuo Zhenghui to make him an invisible extra when he takes the seat next to Tong Nian that Zuo Zhenghui went to take. Han Shangyan also takes the cup of water that Zuo Zhenghui pours for himself after pouring one for Tong Nian. Han Shangyan makes Zuo Zhenghui worry about the cost of the bill when he orders from the mains, snacks and dessert menu after Zuo Zhenghui shows himself to know Tong Nian’s favourite food of strawberries with ordering strawberry tarts for Tong Nian and himself and says he will pay for them.

Tong Nian’s discomfort with the awkward atmosphere has her feel the need to come up with a way to end the meal between the three of them. She seems to try to have Han Shangyan leave when she says to Han Shangyan she remembers him saying earlier that he needed to go to K&K. Zuo Zhenghui ends up leaving when Tong Nian picks up Han Shangyan’s gesturing for her to make Zuo Zhenghui leave.

Han Shangyan is not pleased to find Tong Nian’s attempt to have him feel pity for Zuo Zhenghui. She tells him Zuo Zhenghui is from a single parent family where it’s only him and his mum. She finds it amazing that he managed to get direct entry into studying for a PhD. Han Shangyan lets Tong Nian hear his family situation to let her judge whether he’s someone deserving of that pity she’s giving Zuo Zhenghui. He says his parents passed away when he was small and he was raised by his stepmother. He says that when he went to Norway this time round, his stepmother remarried and now there’s only him and his grandfather left in their family. Ten years ago when he came back to China, he lived with Solo in a very poor place with just the four bare walls. They barely established a club and wanted to obtain some achievements, but failed.

Tong Nian finds Han Shangyan pitiful, but she says it’s okay. He’s got K&K and he’s also got her who will always support him. Tong Nian’s serious response makes Han Shangyan amused by how gullible she is. When Tong Nian asks why he’s smiling, Han Shangyan says it’s a forced smile and pretends to cry.

A leisurely stroll on the streets, Han Shangyan asks Tong Nian about the post that Sun Yaya posted on her feed. Han Shangyan wants to know about the words in the post. Tong Nian says she deleted the post when she saw it and didn’t think he read it. She clears up Sun Yaya’s post as being not true. The jacket is very important to her. Han Shangyan uses this moment to clear up things on his side. He tells Tong Nian that it’s been hard for him the past few days. He has said some things he’s regretted. Tong Nian smiles. Han Shangyan is curious to know why she’s smiling. It’s because she’s happy. She’s happy because she now knows he was having a hard time because of her. A tune comes on from a music performer in the vicinity and Han Shangyan brings Tong Nian into a fun dance.

Tong Nian gets an unannounced visit from Xiao Ai again. Xiao Ai is unhappy with her dad agreeing to let her go live with her mum. Solo isn’t able to calm Xiao Ai down when he goes to Xiao Ai who now believes that it wasn’t only her mum who didn’t want her, he also didn’t want her.

Xiao Ai misunderstands her dad. In a talk with Han Shangyan, Solo expresses the reason for wanting Xiao Ai to live with her mum. It’s because he is able to see there are more and more things he can’t do for her because he’s a dad. He gives the example of being able to help apply ointment for Xiao Ai when she was little, but isn’t able to do that now.

Episode 27

Han Shangyan helps Solo and Su Cheng with their situation with Xiao Ai. He has Tong Nian bring Xiao Ai to him so he is able to clear up misunderstandings she has regarding her parents’ past relationship.

Han Shangyan says both Solo and Su Cheng had played professionally in CTF. They knew each other before Solo and Ai Qing knew each other. He, Solo and Su Cheng knew each other before they knew Ai Qing.

Solo hadn’t known Su Cheng had given birth to Xiao Ai until Su Cheng showed up with Xiao Ai needing help raising her. Su Cheng struggled with the money needed for the medical treatment Xiao Ai needed. Though Solo was angry with Su Cheng for having his daughter without his knowledge, he believed Xiao Ai was his daughter without tests to prove she’s his daughter. Around the time they were to compete in the national championship finals, concerned Solo’s relationship with Ai Qing might affect the team, Han Shangyan tried to get Solo to say to Ai Qing Xiao Ai was his. Han Shangyan didn’t want this unexpected issue to bring all their hard work and the years of difficulties they went through to amount to nothing. Han Shangyan argued his view with reminding Solo of the hard work that he went through himself: to get money for their team, he went to countless bosses and withstood their doors closing on his face. He also reminded him that everyone joined the CTF circle because of him.

Hearing the story, Xiao Ai sees her dad had chosen her and had abandoned the Solo team. She understands why Han Shangyan hates her dad so much, expressing seeing her dad as being a good dad, but he isn’t a good team captain.

Su Cheng is given a chance to clear things up when Xiao Ai asks her to have a talk. With Xiao Ai having thoughts of Su Cheng abandoning her, Su Cheng battles Xiao Ai’s constant twisting of her explanations. Xiao Ai asks Su Cheng why she had her if she didn’t love her dad. Su Cheng says she chose to have her because she loved her dad a lot. Having her is like a memory of that. Being a momento angers Xiao Ai. Su Cheng says to Xiao Ai her thought of being able to raise her well by herself back then was a much too simple thought. Xiao Ai hears this as her meaning she didn’t expect her to be a troublesome and unhealthy child and didn’t want to raise her anymore. Wanting Xiao Ai to live a good life was the reason she left her with her dad. She believed her dad would be able to provide for her better. Xiao Ai says Su Cheng ruined her dad’s career. Su Cheng agrees she was selfish and had unexpectedly ruined her dad’s career. She acknowledges bringing harm to them and unexpectedly brought the Solo team to breakup.

Xiao Ai wants to know why she broke up with her dad. Su Cheng explains that she and her dad argued constantly because her dad didn’t give much of his time to her. With the Solo team just starting up, her dad spent all his time thinking about how the Solo team can perform better. Su Cheng admired him but she was also angry at him when she couldn’t even hope to have him do something like go on a walk hand in hand with her.

Misunderstandings cleared up, Xiao Ai no longer hates Su Cheng and accepts her as her mum.

After helping Su Cheng and Solo with Xiao Ai, Han Shangyan stops by his house to pack some of his personal items to bring to K&K. Han Shangyan asks Tong Nian if she wants to go in when he notices her eyes looking at his house. Tong Nian says she won’t go in because she doesn’t want his grandfather to get the wrong idea. She doesn’t want to lie to him. Han Shangyan says she can just not lie if she doesn’t want to lie. Tong Nian heads in.

Han Shangyan’s grandfather tells Tong Nian he’s happy to see her coming in with Han Shangyan. He asks Han Shangyan to bring her upstairs and watch something up there with each other. He doesn’t want them to stay downstairs with him and watch the drama he’s watching.

Tong Nian learns Han Shangyan hadn’t given away the cat she gave him. She learns this after Han Shangyan’s grandfather wonders why the cat food is still in the house when the cat has already been taken to K&K. Tong Nian also learns that Han Shangyan’s recent trip to Norway wasn’t for a blind date but to report work and also to see his stepmother.

Episode 28

Tong Nian hears Han Shangyan’s grandfather is returning to Norway. With the reason of Han Shangyan’s grandfather not able to come back so easily now with him getting on in his age, with also the reason of him not having had the ability to go visit his hometown to see how it has changed, Tong Nian brings her mum to organise a trip for everyone to visit Han Shangyan’s grandfather’s hometown.

For Han Shangyan, the talk with the elders at his grandfather’s hometown is more talk of him being thirty and a need for him to be married and have kids. The elders point out that the youngest in their family who’s younger than Han Shangyan has already gotten married and the others who are already married had kids when they were twenty-five or twenty-six. Han Shangyan manages to excuse himself from the conversation when he says he’ll see if the cook outside needs a hand. Tong Nian also excuses herself with the same reason and follows Han Shangyan.

Han Shangyan and Tong Nian stroll around the village. They come across some elders playing xiangqi (Chinese chess). One of them notices Han Shangyan watching and she asks if he knows how to play. Han Shangyan says he knows a little. One of the players stand up and invites him to play. Han Shangyan accepts. Before a round of playing begins, the elder Han Shangyan plays with says he will allow him to choose anything he wants to eat or drink from his place if he wins. Play begins and Han Shangyan is pretty good at xiangqi. He wins the elder on this round. He wins many more rounds when he manages to wins many more bottles of drinks.

Han Shangyan plays the guitar and sings as he and Tong Nian go on a punting ride. Tong Nian tells Han Shangyan she’s surprised he knows not only how to play xiangqi but also the guitar. Han Shangyan says he had learnt how to play the guitar from one of the substitute players in the Solo team. His home was a town built on water just like the one they punted on now. He recalls spending time catching fish in the river in his hometown. Tong Nian asks how many substitute players the Solo team had and whether they got the chance to compete. Han Shangyan says the Solo team had three substitute players. One had quit so only two substitute players were left in the team. He says the substitute players didn’t have a chance to compete, but they had a plan for the substitute players to better their skills before helping them create their own team. The Solo team broke up before they could do that. Tong Nian asks what happened to the substitute players after the Solo team broke up. Han Shangyan doesn’t know. He hasn’t been in contact with them. Tong Nian feels he must miss them a lot. Han Shangyan doesn’t say he does or doesn’t, but his sad look into the distance seems to say talking about them isn’t without him feeling unaffected.

After the punting ride, Han Shangyan has Tong Nian head back first. He has to return the guitar to the guy he borrowed it from as well as to not have the elders misunderstand things between them. Tong Nian heads back to the elder’s place. Han Shangyan spends a bit more time strolling through the village before heading back to his elders’ place. He finds a toy that resembles Little Squid (the cat Tong Nian gave him) at a stall selling various handmade items. Tong Nian finds this toy in her bag when Han Shangyan has her look for it in her bag some time later after they’ve all returned home.

Episode 29

Before Han Shangyan’s grandfather leaves to return to Norway, he lets Han Shangyan know he has his support no matter what because he is forever his grandson. He also lets Han Shangyan know he recognises the hardships he has gone through to fulfil his dream.

Su Cheng is also heading to Norway. She leaves to work at K&K headquarters, leaving K&K China without a manager. Su Cheng has a candidate in mind who she believes is suitable to replace her. She makes a visit to Mi Shaofei’s place to offer him the position of Manager of K&K China. Mi Shaofei’s first thought on the job offer is feeling it to be out of place because he has only recently retired from being a player for the SP team. Su Cheng feels there is no issues with him heading over to work for K&K when he’s a retired player. He won’t be betraying SP at all. Mi Shaofei says he doesn’t have the strength or ability for CTF anymore. Su Cheng says he is qualified for the position.

Su Cheng adds that he’s someone who also knows how to handle Han Shangyan’s bad temper. This is the most important thing.

After a bit of thinking and with his grandmother supporting him in continuing to stay in Shanghai to keep giving CTF and his dream a chance, Mi Shaofei goes to Han Shangyan to apply for the position of Manager of K&K China. Over a meal together, Mi Shaofei tells Han Shangyan why he’s suitable for the job. He says he has knowledge of the field as he’s kept up with CTF news even after his retirement from CTF. He is a former CTF player in a top performing team where he’s had experience in team matches. He has experience in competing against the K&K team which affords him knowledge of each player’s individual personalities and style of play.

In this time Mi Shaofei outlined his suitability for the position, Han Shangyan has not really been listening. As soon as Mi Shaofei said he wanted to apply for the position of Manager of K&K China, Han Shangyan’s excitement showed as he began sanitising bowls, cups and chopsticks for Mi Shaofei.

Mi Shaofei has Han Shangyan know it was Su Cheng who brought him to look for him to apply for the position. He says Su Cheng says the most important thing that makes him suitable for the job is that he knows him. Han Shangyan is surprised Su Cheng had gone to him to offer the position. Han Shangyan is also amazed. He’s amazed at himself for not thinking of offering the position of Manager of K&K China to Mi Shaofei. Han Shangyan thought Mi Shaofei might not have liked a position such as being a manager of a team because he thought Mi Shaofei liked the feeling of being up on the stage and competing more.

Han Shangyan welcomes Mi Shaofei into the K&K club. The K&K youngsters, however, aren’t as welcoming. With the exception of Demo, the K&K youngsters do not wish to welcome Mi Shaofei and accept him as their new manager. Han Shangyan has to ask Wu Bai to give Mi Shaofei a helping hand to bring the K&K youngsters to accept and respect Mi Shaofei as their new manager.

Episode 30

K&K are up against the CTF team, BUFF, in their upcoming semifinals match in the National Championships. The BUFF team is a top-rated team with a reputation of being a dominator in the CTF e-sport back when the Solo team was still active. The BUFF team was the Solo team’s strongest opponent. The BUFF team’s captain, Bi Dongran a.k.a Buff (Cheng Fang Xu), is someone who has beaten Han Shangyan before. The competition which Buff bet Han Shangyan in is considered a legendary competition. It was a match where Han Shangyan went up on stage after getting an IV drip for his forty-degree fever. The Solo team lost against the BUFF team in that match where Han Shangyan played against expectations and disappointed spectators who travelled far to see him play.

When Mi Shaofei calls a meeting to discuss about K&K’s semifinals round in the National Championships against the BUFF team, the K&K youngsters are disinterested in the run down of the basic facts about the BUFF team. The run down of facts on the BUFF team Mi Shaofei gives is saying it’s the first encounter the K&K team has had with the BUFF team. The BUFF team has been inactive for five years and returned just this year. Bi Dongran a.k.a. Buff is an assist in the team while Mina is the main attacker. In the middle of this rundown, 97 had turned behind him and rolled cans of beer to the others.

Grunt doesn’t feel Mi Shaofei has any useful information for them when he says they already know all the things he has just said. Mi Shaofei shows the K&K youngsters why he is someone they should respect. Mi Shaofei lets the K&K youngsters know of Buff’s weakness. Buff is a player who cannot stand being surpassed. He starts to be in a mess and not know what to do when his many issues are pressed. Being thirty years old this year, Buff is someone who is anxious to win. The strategy Mi Shaofei wants to use is to make Buff feel pressured. Force him and break his last line of defence. An advantage they have is the BUFF team’s old fashioned thoughts and strategies.

Wu Bai asks the K&K youngsters to have a better attitude because Mi Shaofei has all the information on the teams in the country in his head. He is also able to recite ten years of CTF history off by heart.

At the semifinals, the BUFF team gets a good start against the K&K team with 97 failing to defend his service. However, the K&K team’s play is stronger overall. In a competition seeing the best of five rounds, the K&K team wins the first round. The K&K team also win the second round with Wu Bai managing to secure and patch the vulnerability in their service that Buff attempted to exploit. Demo had also managed to exploit and Buff lost the last node. The BUFF team keeps their dream alive when they win the third round after Buff obtains three nodes. However, the K&K team is victorious in this semifinals competition when they take the fourth round through Wu Bai’s victorious one-on-one showdown with Buff.

Mi Shaofei finds Buff congratulating Wu Bai on K&K’s win. He can see the disappointment in the outcome of the semifinals for his team.

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