Falling Into Your Smile: The Path Forward.

The next morning, Tong Yao woke up with a renewed sense of determination. Telling Lu Sicheng had been the hardest part, and now that she had his support, she felt ready to face the next challenge: telling the team.

She and Lu Sicheng arrived at the ZGDX headquarters together, their hands tightly clasped as they walked through the familiar corridors. The building was buzzing with the usual pre-match energy, the team preparing for their upcoming game against one of their biggest rivals, YQCB. Tong Yao felt a pang of guilt—she had always been the one to rally the team, to keep their spirits high—but now she had to drop a bombshell that could change everything.

They found the team gathered in the conference room, reviewing strategies with Xiao Rui, their coach. The room was filled with the usual banter, the kind of easy camaraderie that only came from months of working together as a unit. But as soon as Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng walked in, the chatter died down, and all eyes turned to them.

"Cheng Ge, Smiling," Xiao Rui greeted them, looking up from his notes. "You're just in time. We were about to go over our strategy for the early game—"

"Actually, Xiao Rui, we need to talk," Lu Sicheng interrupted, his tone serious. He glanced at Tong Yao, giving her a subtle nod of encouragement.

The room went silent, the tension palpable as everyone turned to Tong Yao, waiting for her to speak.

Tong Yao swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their expectations. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I have something important to tell you all," she began, her voice wavering slightly. "I... I'm pregnant."

For a moment, the room was deathly quiet. Tong Yao could see the shock and confusion in her teammates' faces, their expressions ranging from disbelief to concern. Xiao Rui was the first to react, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Pregnant?" he echoed, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

Tong Yao nodded, feeling a wave of vulnerability wash over her. She had always prided herself on being strong, on not letting anything get in the way of her career. But now, she was faced with a situation that was completely out of her control.

"I know this is unexpected," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "And I'm sorry if this complicates things for the team. But I want you all to know that I'm committed to staying with ZGDX. I'll do whatever it takes to balance my responsibilities as a player and as a mother."

There was a long pause as the team absorbed the news. Finally, Xiao Rui spoke, his voice thoughtful. "This is definitely unexpected," he said slowly. "But it's not the end of the world. We'll figure out a way to make it work."

His words were met with nods of agreement from the rest of the team. Lao K, who was usually the most stoic, gave Tong Yao a small, encouraging smile. "We're a team," he said simply. "We'll get through this together."

Xiao Pang, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "Does this mean we're going to have a little Cheng Ge running around the headquarters?" he asked, a teasing grin spreading across his face.

The tension in the room broke, and the team burst into laughter. Tong Yao felt a wave of relief wash over her. This was her family—the people who had supported her through thick and thin. And now, they were rallying around her in one of the most difficult moments of her life.

"Maybe," Lu Sicheng replied, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "But don't expect him to go easy on you."

The mood lightened considerably after that, and the conversation shifted to how they would adjust to Tong Yao's new reality. Xiao Rui suggested a more flexible practice schedule, one that would allow Tong Yao to rest when needed. Lao Mao offered to take on more of the in-game shot-calling to ease her workload. Even Xiao Pang, despite his usual goofiness, promised to be more focused during scrims so that they could make the most of their practice time.

Tong Yao was touched by their support, but she also knew that this was just the beginning. There would be challenges ahead—both on and off the Rift—but she was ready to face them head-on, with her team by her side.

As they left the conference room, Lu Sicheng wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "You did great," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Tong Yao leaned into him, feeling a sense of peace she hadn't felt in days. "Thanks," she whispered. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Lu Sicheng didn't reply, but the warmth in his gaze said it all. They were in this together, and no matter what happened, they would face it as a team.