Chapter 2

This meal was impossible to stomach any longer.

After Lin Qimian sipped a few cups of tea, Huang Xiaoyi’s trembling finally stopped. Her mood settled, and after the three of them spent a while cursing out the scumbag across the table, the dinner wrapped up.

They stepped out of the restaurant, and Huang Xiaoyi climbed into Lin Qimian’s car.

The car headed toward Huang Xiaoyi’s home, the air conditioning humming comfortably while a faint woody fragrance lingered in the cabin.

Lin Qimian wasn’t one for small talk unless it was necessary. After a long stretch of silence, Huang Xiaoyi finally broke it.

“Qimian, I’m sorry. I never thought it’d turn out like this.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Qimian turned the wheel with a gentle hand. “Assholes are everywhere. We just happened to run into one today.”

Huang Xiaoyi grumbled a few more curses at Cheng Feng, then her gaze flickered restlessly, as if she wanted to look at Lin Qimian but didn’t quite dare.

Lin Qimian shot her a sidelong glance. “What do you want to say?”

“It’s just… you know…” Huang Xiaoyi hesitated, fumbling for words. “You never get involved in stuff like this, but you got so mad today. Is it because that idiot brought up… Xu Yueliang…”

Xu Yueliang.

Lin Qimian’s fingertip tapped lightly on the steering wheel.

“Could be,” she said.

Huang Xiaoyi leaned forward, peering at her face. “I had no idea Moon was a streamer now—and a popular one at that. I haven’t seen her since Middle School… You two still in touch?”

Lin Qimian shook her head. “No.”

Her expression barely shifted, and Huang Xiaoyi visibly relaxed, her words tumbling out more freely. “Moon always seemed so shy back in Middle School, but now she’s a total social butterfly. Her dancing’s amazing, and she’s only gotten prettier. She was cute even then, really—just never knew how to dress, with that bowl cut and those big glasses…”

“Xiao Yi.” Lin Qimian cut her off. “You working tomorrow?”

Huang Xiaoyi nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then do me a favor and pass a message to Zhao Beibei.”

“Huh?”

“You’re an outstanding girl. Someone as confident as Huang Xiaoyi is always measuring herself against you. So stop digging for boyfriends in the trash heap.”

Huang Xiaoyi burst into laughter, her attention successfully diverted. The rest of the drive passed in lively chatter, but the conversation never circled back to Xu Yueliang.

They didn’t live far apart. After dropping Huang Xiaoyi at her place, Lin Qimian pulled out her phone and slipped back into Xu Yueliang’s live streaming room.

Xu Yueliang wasn’t dancing at the moment. She was chatting animatedly with her viewers.

Lin Qimian couldn’t check the scrolling comments while driving, so all she caught were Xu Yueliang’s bright, cheerful replies.

“Yeah, I’ve been dancing on the hour lately. Can’t help it—I can’t dance nonstop forever.”

“You all swarm in when I do, even the super mods.”

“I’ve never gotten dinged before. I’m super well-behaved, never break the rules. Big Bro super mod knows it. Please don’t hit me with a penalty flag!”

“Ah, thanks Sheep Sheep! Thanks for the Rocket, Sheep Sheep! You’re the best! Moon’s treating herself to an extra chicken leg tonight! Call you brother? Nah, you’re definitely younger than me…”

Lin Qimian glanced at the screen. The Rocket gift icon in the bottom left corner pulsed relentlessly.

The viewer called Sheep Sheep was showering the stream with gifts, one after another, and Xu Yueliang kept up a stream of thanks in return. Sheep Sheep was angling for her to call him “brother,” and though she played at refusing for a good while, she’d already slipped in several coy “brothers” along the way.

Her voice was clear and sweet, laced with just enough coquettish charm to melt anyone who heard it.

Lin Qimian exhaled sharply and pressed down on the accelerator.

She pulled into her neighborhood’s parking garage, muted her phone, pocketed it, and stepped out.

Her high heels echoed sharply through the empty space with every step.

It wasn’t until she reached the elevator that it hit her: she’d forgotten her bag.

The bag held her elevator card—something she never overlooked.

Huang Xiaoyi was right. She wasn’t quite herself today.

Uncharacteristically sticking her nose into someone else’s drama. Uncharacteristically dodging the subject, her thoughts all jumbled.

An uncharacteristic flare of irritation bubbling up from deep inside, igniting at the thought of certain details about Xu Yueliang.

Lin Qimian hurried back to the car. She didn’t grab the bag—instead, she slammed the door shut, sealing herself inside the confined space.

On the screen, Xu Yueliang’s face glowed brighter as Sheep Sheep kept the gifts pouring in, her ritual of thanks still going strong.

Lin Qimian tapped open the gift menu. A single Rocket cost a thousand points—about a hundred yuan. For a hundred bucks, Xu Yueliang would say your name, beaming with that sweet smile as she thanked you.

Cheng Feng had blown a fortune on a female streamer like that. Lin Qimian had cited it as proof of Zhao Beibei’s lousy taste in men.

Now, she had half a mind to toss herself in the dumpster.

A colorful barrage message drifted across the screen, underscoring the sender’s VIP status: 【If you don’t listen to big brother anymore, next time I’ll make you call me daddy, okay?】

Xu Yueliang’s smile faltered for a split second. She shifted slightly in her seat, her gaze dropping as she straightened the plush toys on her desk. “We still need 120 meal cards to finish tonight’s fan task…”

Lin Qimian split her screen, navigated to her personal center, recharged her account, and completed the payment in one fluid motion.

Returning to the gifting page in the live streaming room, she hesitated for a second between the rocket and the meal card before selecting the latter.

A single meal card cost just sixty points—six yuan RMB.

Streamers of Xu Yueliang’s caliber wouldn’t usually thank such a low-tier gift, but she had specifically mentioned needing meal cards.

Lin Qimian’s newly registered username popped up on the bottom-left gift leaderboard: 【z92565611 gifted “Little Moon” a Meal Card x1】

Xu Yueliang’s eyes suddenly widened as if she’d spotted something incredible. She raised both hands, cupping them toward the screen in rapid succession. “Thank you z92565611 for the meal card! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you z92565611 for the meal card!!!”

Lin Qimian: “…”

Xu Yueliang: “11 is a brand-new user—thank you so much for giving your very first meal card to me! Thank you, thank you!!!”

She looked on the verge of tears, deeply touched. Her two fluffy white paws, clad in cat-claw gloves, waved frantically in front of the camera like a goofy beckoning cat.

Lin Qimian kept her finger pressed on the gift button, staring blankly for a moment.

The flicker of anger in her chest inexplicably faded, quenched like embers under a pattering drizzle.

Xu Yueliang was still chattering away. “Ah, thank you 11 for the meal card—thank you, thank you! You don’t have to do it all by yourself. I have other fans too. Thank you, 11, I…”

Her gaze flicked sideways, and Lin Qimian followed it. There was her gift notification, updating rapidly.

【z92565611 gifted “Little Moon” a Meal Card x37】

【z92565611 gifted “Little Moon” a Meal Card x38】

【z92565611 gifted “Little Moon” a Meal Card x39】

x40, x41, x42, x43…

Lin Qimian paused, lifting her finger from the button.

The counter halted, and Xu Yueliang let out a relieved breath. “Thank you 11 for the 44 meal cards…”

Lin Qimian: “…”

Not the luckiest number.

Undeterred by the awkward tally, Xu Yueliang beamed sweetly at the camera, her eyes sparkling. “So, 11, what do you want me to do?”

Could 44 meal cards really buy a request? Lin Qimian glanced at the barrage, where viewers were already chiming in with suggestions on her behalf.

【Call daddy!】

【Handstand hair wash! Handstand hair wash!】

【Trains are going platform-wide—streamer, fire off a train!】

【Wifey, wifey, does finishing the fan task mean you’ll do anything?】

Lin Qimian narrowed her eyes and swiped right to the fan task page.

These were platform-assigned challenges for streamers—completing each tier unlocked traffic-boosting rewards.

Xu Yueliang still needed 55 meal cards. This time, Lin Qimian didn’t hesitate. She found the bulk gifting option and sent all 55 at once.

The page lit up with the announcement, and Xu Yueliang clapped a hand over her mouth in shock before erupting into a frenzy of thanks.

Without waiting for Lin Qimian to say a word, she scooted her chair back so her full body filled the frame. “I’ll perform the Crab Dance I just learned—for you, 11!”

True to its name, the Crab Dance was uncannily crab-like.

Dressed in her sexy cat-maid outfit, Xu Yueliang executed the absurd viral dance with perfect mimicry—her movements spot-on, her expression hilariously vacant.

Lin Qimian burst out laughing.

It was the first genuine smile she’d cracked all evening.

Most of the barrage exploded with laughter, but a few dissenting voices soured the mood—demanding weird nicknames, calling it boring, dropping crude jokes, or slamming Orange Live as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

【This Dance District’s rising otaku goddess? Your “goddess” is a total airhead!!!】

Lin Qimian’s fingers twitched. Before Xu Yueliang could finish dancing, smooth her hair, and sit back down, she sent over a twenty-thousand-point Luxury Yacht.

The massive gift’s effects dominated the entire screen—a yacht sailed by, trailing a spectacular burst of fireworks.

Xu Yueliang leaned toward her computer, the camera capturing only from her chin downward: delicate pale skin and cascading strands of hair, swirling like tendrils of white mist.

Lin Qimian blinked.

Xu Yueliang’s face filled the camera once more, radiating her usual bubbly cheer, her adorable smile as unshakable as ever—as if the flood of nasty comments simply didn’t exist in her world.

What caught her eye was her brand-new fan. Beaming with joy and gratitude, she cupped her cheeks. “11, you’re too sweet to me! Are you even an adult? If you’re still in school, please don’t blow so much money…”

【I’m an adult.】Lin Qimian replied.

Her message appeared in a soft pink hue, a gentle contrast amid the chaotic storm of white text scrolling across the screen.

Xu Yueliang’s grin stretched even wider. “Then, to thank you, I’ll give you an early preview of tonight’s late-night show. You haven’t seen me dance yet, right? That Crab Dance doesn’t count—I’m a real sexy streamer!”