Chapter 55

Lin Qimian dialed the number without hesitation.

Xu Yueliang picked up, and before she could utter a single word, laughter bubbled up from her end of the line.

Hearing that joyful sound, Lin Qimian felt a warmth bloom in her own chest. Her voice softened even further, nearly matching Xu Yueliang’s playful lilt.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“Hee hee hee, hee hee hee! Doctor Lin, you’re calling me again~~”

“Mm,” Lin Qimian replied. “Am I interrupting your work?”

“No, no, I’m on break right now,” Xu Yueliang mumbled. “The interview won’t start for a bit. I’m cooking noodles—tomato-egg with meat sauce. Doesn’t that sound amazing~~~”

“Delicious,” Lin Qimian said.

“Doctor Lin, are you bored out of your mind at home all by yourself~~”

“. . . Bored,” Lin Qimian admitted.

“I knew it! Calling me up and watching my stream on top of that. But if you’re still not feeling great, you should stay put for the next couple days. Rest up at home.”

The clatter of pots and utensils echoed faintly from the other side, and Lin Qimian smiled as she accepted Teacher Xu’s instructions. “Okay.”

“Hee hee hee~”

Lin Qimian asked, “Where do I find that Little Heart you mentioned?”

“Ah…” Xu Yueliang’s voice turned flustered in an instant. “I-I was just kidding. I don’t actually want your gift…”

“Isn’t it free?” Lin Qimian pressed.

“Oh, right, right!” Xu Yueliang said. “Next time you’re watching a stream, check the bottom right corner for the gift button. Click it, and the Little Heart’s at the end of the row. You earn them based on watch time—the longer you stay, the more you get. But they expire after seven days and vanish automatically.”

“Okay.”

A sharp click signaled Xu Yueliang turning off the stove. “Doctor Lin, you should browse other channels too. Orange has a science section—scroll down from the home page. It’s not the hottest category, but it’s packed with great stuff: natural sciences, society, humanities. I think you’d love it.”

Lin Qimian laughed. “Nah. I just like watching streamers dance.”

“. . .”

Xu Yueliang stammered in a panic, “W-well then, later I’ll recommend a few who are amazing at it. Total pros.”

Lin Qimian couldn’t quite understand it. Whether it was deep-pocketed sponsors or friends in real life, Xu Yueliang always seemed eager to steer her toward other people.

It was as if having someone’s full attention made her uneasy. But sharing that affection across a crowd? That left her content with just a sliver.

After chattering for a few minutes about those other streamers, Xu Yueliang’s noodles were ready. She snapped a photo and sent it over WeChat. The strands gleamed slick and inviting, topped with a vibrant, savory sauce that looked mouthwatering.

Lin Qimian stood. “Guess I’ll whip up some noodles too.”

“Okay, okay! Talk soon~” Xu Yueliang said hastily.

“Mm.” Lin Qimian paused, then added, “Hold on.”

Xu Yueliang, her mouth stuffed with food, mumbled, “Mm?”

“I really like watching your streams,” Lin Qimian said.

She emphasized it, each word deliberate: “Your streams.”

Xu Yueliang went still. Lin Qimian continued, “Eat up. Good luck with tonight’s stream~”

The call ended. Xu Yueliang shoved a massive forkful of noodles into her mouth and chewed with gusto, her stomach and heart alike brimming with cozy warmth.

After finishing her meal, she hopped on video with the Orange reporter for the interview. It kicked off with a routine question: “So many people adore you—what’s that like?”

An easy one to answer, but Xu Yueliang mulled it over for a good long while.

At last, she looked straight into the camera, her expression earnest. “My gut reaction? Panic. I don’t feel like I deserve all that love from so many people. I’m terrified of letting everyone down.

“Honestly, I’d rather skip the sudden spotlight than risk disappointing anyone.”

“But…” She flashed a smile, rallying her energy, and tilted her head with a mischievous grin. “Since you’re all here, I’ll give it everything I’ve got! I’ll keep pushing!”

“I hope you like me one more second… one more minute… one more day!”

That evening’s stream launched right on schedule. Refreshed from her break, Xu Yueliang had switched up her makeup and outfit for a fresh vibe.

The mom fans and girlfriend fans from that morning’s chaos were still hanging around, swarming the chat the moment she went live. They bombarded her with affectionate nicknames, and her new look sparked a frenzy of squeals and compliments.

They gushed from head to toe until Xu Yueliang blushed.

Delighted by their enthusiasm, she stood and spun twice, giving everyone a full view.

“Damn!” Huang Xiaoyi slapped her thigh with a smack and hollered, “Xu Yueliang is too freaking cute!! Who could handle that!!!”

Lin Qimian eyed the peanut that had bounced from the impact. “Can’t handle it already? The stream’s barely been on two minutes.”

“I can’t quite put this feeling into words.” Huang Xiaoyi frowned, mulling it over for a good while. “She’s just… incredibly cute. Super cute. Magically cute…

“You think she’s putting it on, but then her real personality shines through, and it’s a kind of cuteness no one could fake.

“You figure it’s her natural charm, but suddenly she bats her eyelashes at you, gives a little twist of her body, and you’re thinking, oh god, she’s so good at this. She’s doing it on purpose, right? She wants me to fall for her!

“And then… you do.”

Huang Xiaoyi tossed the skewer stick from her barbecue into the trash can and shook her head. “She’s one of a kind, really.”

Lin Qimian’s gaze shifted back to the screen ahead, where Xu Yueliang’s live stream played out on the massive display, every gesture captured in crystal clarity.

“Do you think she’s doing it on purpose with me?” Lin Qimian asked.

“Ah, well…” Huang Xiaoyi thought for a moment. “From what I remember, Moon was pretty natural when she was hanging out with us. Nothing forced or…”

Lin Qimian squeezed the can of Coke in her hand. It crumpled with a crunch.

Huang Xiaoyi hastily reeled it back in. “But I only met her that one time, your first meeting with all four of us there. It’s different, totally different. What matters is how she acts when it’s just the two of you. You haven’t told me anything, so how am I supposed to know?”

That was exactly why she’d come over.

Xu Yueliang had spent two full days looking after Lin Qimian at her place, and Huang Xiaoyi was dying to hear the details.

Lin Qimian wouldn’t spill over the phone, so she’d shown up at the door with snacks and drinks in tow.

No sooner had she stepped inside than the live stream kicked off.

“I’ll tell you… a little,” Lin Qimian said, setting her drink aside and lacing her fingers together. “She fed me my meals, picking the food right onto my spoon.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Whoa~”

Lin Qimian: “She checked if I had a fever by pressing her forehead against mine.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Holy crap.”

Lin Qimian: “My little sister barged in out of nowhere, and she played along perfectly, calling me Lin Mianmian…”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Why do I have to be the dog that goes chasing after a kick?”

Lin Qimian smiled. The two of them settled in like that, watching Xu Yueliang’s stream while dishing about her.

In the live streaming room, Xu Yueliang was beloved by millions, which made Lin Qimian’s private anecdotes feel like some shady, illicit affair.

Lin Qimian recounted it all matter-of-factly, but Huang Xiaoyi hung on every word, electrified.

She was hollering “holy crap” until it lost all meaning, slapping her thigh until it stung.

In her hype, she even leaped from the sofa to the middle of the living room, jabbing a finger at Xu Yueliang on the big screen and hopping in place, rattling off analyses that all screamed the two were smitten.

Lin Qimian rather enjoyed the spectacle. She usually found Xiao Yi a bit much, but right now, it was just good energy.

So the conversation deepened, stretched on, right up until the clock ticked past 11 and Xu Yueliang signed off.

“Oh, right.” Lin Qimian grabbed her phone. “Moon wants Little Hearts.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “What little what now? Lin Qimian, since when do you talk all cutesy????”

“Little Heart.” Lin Qimian tapped the gift icon in the bottom right corner and held it down for a mass send. “That’s what they’re called.”

Huang Xiaoyi eyed the screen. “Gifts, huh…”

Huang Xiaoyi: “How much do those run?”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Are we crashing the police station again tonight?”

Lin Qimian fired off every last heart in her account. “They’re free.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Free?????”

Lin Qimian: “Yep. This is my alt. Moon knows the account.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “You didn’t know each other, and you’re bombing her with gifts till the fraud alert app pings and the cops show up at your door. Now you do know each other, and it’s just freebies?????”

Lin Qimian arched a brow. “She likes them.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Pfft, who likes free crap? Honestly, only you would…”

The words died on her lips as Xu Yueliang beamed at the camera onscreen. “Thanks to Mumu for my 39 Little Hearts—thirty-nine of them! Thank you, Mumu~~~”

Huang Xiaoyi: “……”

Xu Yueliang rose to her feet, took a couple steps back, formed a massive heart with her arms, and blew a kiss toward the screen. “You sent lots of little hearts, I send one big one—we’re even!”

Huang Xiaoyi: “……”

Huang Xiaoyi was utterly baffled. “Hold up—a streamer this huge doesn’t thank free gifts as a rule, right? Not even the cheap ones? With everyone tossing them in, she couldn’t possibly read every name. And she goes all out like this for you? Making hearts one after another—her arms have gotta be dead?????”

The barrage mirrored her bewilderment:

【？？？？】

【？？？？？？？】

【Free hearts and the streamer thanks them????】

【Isn’t this Moon’s first heart today? She sent it to Little Heart???】

【You’re not wrong about that earlier one—we send hearts, the streamer hearts back, what a clever daughter!】

【I suggest this bout of frantic heart-poking calm down; you guys aren’t even checking who sent the heart.】

【Mumu? Is that the Mumu from this morning?】

【So certain accounts get special treatment, huh?】

【Who’s Mumu? Wife, you better explain this clearly!!!】

…

Huang Xiaoyi shot Lin Qimian a twisted glare, while Lin Qimian smirked, looking utterly pleased with herself.

Huang Xiaoyi: “…And you’re still laughing? Look at the mess you’ve made of her.”

Xu Yueliang returned to her computer and spotted the barrage of comments. She waved it off with a smile. “No, no, it’s not like I don’t appreciate free gifts!”

“I am so, so grateful for every single gift everyone sends~~”

“Sometimes there are just too many, and I can’t read them all out~~”

“I love them! I love free Little Hearts! You have to spend time watching streams to earn Little Hearts, so I’m thrilled that you’re willing to use your time to send them to me!”

“No, no, some friends show up a lot, so I’m more familiar with them and spot them easier~~”

“Got it, got it—I’m familiar with everyone, super familiar!”

Xu Yueliang lifted two fingers to pull at her lower eyelids, leaning close to the screen as she started reading out IDs: “One Tail Fish, Lemon Three, Crispy Pork Belly, 4 Jin, Heavy Rain Turns to Snow Then Clears, Today Also Gotta Cheer Up, Moon Mom, OXY, Sleepless for Moon…”

“Aww, you all together smell so good~~”

“Anyone with my name in theirs, I’ll assume you really like me!”

“Changed it just for me, hee hee hee, taking advantage of Moon~~~”

Huang Xiaoyi: “…”

Huang Xiaoyi: “She’s so smart. She really knows how to sweet-talk people.”

Huang Xiaoyi patted around for her phone. “Can I still spam her with Little Hearts right now?”

Lin Qimian reached out and smacked the phone right out of her hand just as she grabbed it.

Xu Yueliang went offline, and Huang Xiaoyi let out a tragic wail.

Lin Qimian’s phone lit up. She snatched it, unlocked the screen, and grinned.

Huang Xiaoyi sniffed out the vibe and crowded in. “Lemme see, lemme see—is it Moon? Is it Moon…?”

Lin Qimian dodged her, peeked first, then relayed the message: “Yeah. Thanks me for watching her stream, thanks me for sending her a heart.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Damn, a couple freebies, and she thanks you twice after going offline.”

Lin Qimian beamed with delight.

Huang Xiaoyi shuffled inward in her slippers. “Lin Qimian, I’m not going home tonight. I’m crashing in your guest room. We’ll watch Moon together tomorrow morning. Vacation’s almost over anyway—this is kinda fun…”

Lin Qimian hauled her back. “No sleeping over.”

Huang Xiaoyi bugged out her eyes. “Have you no heart?! It’s 11! Super dangerous for me to head back now! Your place is huge—what’s the big deal if I crash? You wouldn’t even let me if Xu Yueliang was here???!”

Lin Qimian stood. “No guest room.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Damn! The couch then! Couch okay???”

Lin Qimian: “Can’t have you roughing it.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “You know I’m being put out, and… “

Lin Qimian: “I’ll drive you home.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “…”

Lin Qimian: “Pick you up tomorrow, watch the stream together.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “Hee hee hee, hee hee hee. Guess you do have a heart.”

Lin Qimian grabbed her car keys and drove her home.

The next day, at Huang Xiaoyi’s insistent prodding, she picked her up bright and early.

The two settled in just like yesterday, ready to munch snacks, sip drinks, watch the stream, and chat.

But this time, Huang Xiaoyi had done her homework. Not only had she analyzed Xu Yueliang’s fanbase since she blew up, but she’d also dug into Orange Live’s rules.

“I checked out the gaming section last night,” she said, pulling up her shiny new Orange account. “Watched some nail tutorials this morning too—just to stockpile some Little Hearts. Hee, sending them all to our Little Moon today~~”

Lin Qimian: “…”

Lin Qimian: “Only five.”

Huang Xiaoyi: “So what if it’s five? Five’s all heart, and our Little Moon won’t mind if mine are few. She’s not that shallow kind of streamer…”

Lin Qimian: “…”

Lin Qimian: “Go watch at your place then.”

Huang Xiaoyi jabbed a finger at her. “Hahaha, jealous! Actually jealous of me—love seeing that lively look on your face…”

Lin Qimian tuned her out.

The live stream kicked off right on schedule. Today, Xu Yueliang was decked out in a princess dress covered head to toe in candy decorations. The sheer abundance of frilly, adorable trinkets practically swallowed her up, yet even amid all that cuteness, she still managed to shine brighter than everything else.

Her radiant smile, her sugary-sweet voice, the wide-eyed innocence shining from those big doe eyes—they were undoubtedly her most devastating weapons.

“Aaaahhhh!” Huang Xiaoyi unleashed a piercing shriek. “Moon! Moon! Little Moon!!! Mommy’s precious baby girl!!! You’re cuter than all the stars in the sky!!!!”

Lin Qimian: “…”

Huang Xiaoyi hammered away at her phone like a maniac. “Mommy’s sending you a Little Heart right this second, my treasured Little Heart. Someone else burned through all their daily Little Hearts last night and has zilch left…”

But the instant she hit send, the gift notification—complete with her ID—flashed in the bottom left corner of the screen and vanished.

Gone.

It didn’t even hang around for half a second before it drowned in the raging… ocean of Little Hearts.

So many, so many, so many people were bombarding Xu Yueliang with Little Hearts.

Even the newcomers who’d just discovered Feitian Dance—the fresh alt accounts that had shown up on Orange only yesterday—were hurling them out in explosive barrages, somehow armed with endless supplies.

Huang Xiaoyi glued her eyes to the announcement feed in the bottom left, gulping down saliva over and over as she watched one viewer drop a staggering 4,328 Little Hearts.

Huang Xiaoyi: “…”

She whipped her head around to Lin Qimian. Clearly, even Lin Qimian hadn’t anticipated that her minor stunt from yesterday would snowball into this absolute frenzy today. She stared at the screen with furrowed brows, her expression a tangled mix of emotions.

Huang Xiaoyi lit up with glee. She burst into howling laughter, slapping her thigh. “Lin Qimian, look at you now, hahahaha! I told you this day would come, hahahaha! Go on, fight for them! Throw yours! Look down your nose at me! Hahahaha, got 4,328 Little Hearts on you? Hahahaha!”