Among them, the only person missing was the wealthy older sister. Yaxi felt relieved, knowing that there was no chance of misunderstanding from her side. She adjusted the camera angle, smoothing her expression as she spoke in a measured tone:
"Everyone got it wrong. The person who came looking for me earlier really is my nephew—but despite being the same age as me, we're from different generations."
"As for the picture on the wall—" she paused briefly, exhaling softly before continuing, "That's someone I once had feelings for."
Her thoughts drifted back to Zhou Tao's advice: "First, try treating Chen Ling as a friend instead of an object of infatuation. If he still turns out to be the perfect companion, then consider taking things further." She added aloud, almost as if reminding herself, "Right now, we're just friends."
The chat erupted into another frenzy. In those ten minutes, viewers had spun enough stories to fill eight lifetimes. But truthfully, Yaxi found it kind of fun. She remembered her first live stream, when only a single viewer tuned in. Back then, the number "2" next to the viewer count mocked her loneliness, accompanied by two tiny avatars laughing at her plight. Now, though, the display read 20,000—extra zero transforming her solitude into connection.
After streaming for another half-hour, Yaxi tidied up her desk and prepared to sleep. She turned off the lights and closed her eyes, only to be jolted awake by her phone vibrating. It was 1 a.m. — who could possibly be calling? She grabbed her phone and sat bolt upright. The call was coming through the live-stream platform—a feature reserved exclusively for fans with a closeness score over 5,000 and who contributed at least 75% of the streamer's total income. The caller ID read: Did Guan Dance Today?
Yaxi's heart sank like a stone into an endless void. Becoming a streamer had been accidental, and she'd navigated this world entirely alone without guidance or support. The wealthy older sister had been her lifeline, helping her survive the toughest times. But precisely because of that kindness, the question of who she truly was loomed large. The internet was a murky place where masks hid faces, making trust precarious. Getting closer felt risky, yet keeping distance invited regret.
The phone vibrated persistently for three minutes before falling silent. Yaxi took a deep breath. If Guan called back, she resolved to answer. The air felt heavy. A minute later, the phone buzzed again. Steeling herself, she pressed the accept button.
"Yaxi?" The voice on the other end was unmistakably female—bright and cheerful, but not quite what Yaxi had imagined.
"Hey! Yaxi, thank you so much for picking up—it's so late; sorry to bother you!"
Yaxi hesitated, her nerves prickling. "No, it's me who should thank you, Guan."
"Oh… uh…" The background noise was overwhelming—a mix of music and chatter drowning out coherent speech. After a moment, the din faded, replaced by an echoing voice suggesting she'd moved into a stairwell.
"So, here's the thing—it's kind of funny timing, but I'll be staying in City B long-term. Haha, maybe you'd want to meet up sometime?"
Yaxi's pulse quickened. Sure, casual talk of dates between girls wasn't unusual, but she and Guan weren't close enough for such familiarity. Plus, her voice carried a tomboyish edge that unsettled Yaxi. Shaking her head to dispel the thought, she tried to focus.
Before she could respond, someone interrupted on Guan's end. Laughing warmly, Guan corrected herself, "Sorry if that sounded weird. I just meant meeting face-to-face, nothing more. Are you free around Christmas?"
Why did everyone keep bringing up Christmas lately? Yaxi hesitated briefly before responding with forced enthusiasm, mimicking Guan's upbeat tone. "Sure, I'd love to meet up!"
"That's great! Yaxi, let's… um… stay in touch…" The call ended abruptly with a muffled grunt from Guan.
Yaxi stared into the darkness, her heart pounding unevenly. Guan was energetic and kind—a type of friend Yaxi hadn't encountered in her otherwise barren life. To Yaxi, she was almost like an idol. Without Guan as a reference point, Yaxi's limited imagination couldn't envision a future beyond the present struggles—mud, illness, enemies lurking everywhere.
Just one meeting, she encouraged herself.
It was noon again, and Lu Ziyang slouched irritably beside Xu Xiaoyi, enduring her hundredth rant about how her father tormented her. Since that night… he'd only exchanged messages with Yaxi on WeChat.
During class, he sprawled lazily across his desk, hiding behind his textbook. His gaze wandered across the room until it landed on Yaxi's profile—delicate and focused, her hand moving steadily as she took meticulous notes.
At lunch break, he stretched and yawned, feigning a trip to the restroom. As he passed behind her row, his height gave him a clear view of the colorful notebook spread open before her. It was already her second notebook in less than a month—likely dedicated to Chen Ling. Just thinking about it killed any desire to follow through with his bathroom excuse.
Who would've guessed Lu Ziyang, once fearless and impulsive, would become so timid? He'd even dared to pluck hairs from his grandfather and father's heads, earning nothing more than a slap on the backside. Yet now, faced with Yaxi, all he felt was fear. Fear that her coldness stemmed from his eagerness or clumsiness. Fear that if she discovered his feelings, she'd discard him as useless. Fear that his attempts to please her only pushed her further away.
She was too smart for him to ever understand. And besides, his track record was far from clean. He'd called her sick, called her worthless. Now, he finally realized—it was he who was sick, he who was worthless.
He crouched on the flower bed, chewing absently on a blade of grass while crushing ants beneath his fingers.
"Lu Ziyang," Xu Xiaoyi sobbed, "are you done messing around?"
"What?" He glanced at her, the grass falling from his lips.
"You promised to chase after me, to stick by my side. But after a few days, you lost interest. What's the meaning of this?" Her tearful eyes bore into him.
Lu Ziyang snapped. Running a hand through his hair, he growled, "What's the big deal? Do I have to keep babying you forever? Does everyone need to cater to your spoiled princess act? Screw this—I'm done!" He stood abruptly, brushing off his pants, and started walking away.
Behind him, Xu Xiaoyi chuckled bitterly. "With that attitude, Yaxi would have to be blind to like you."
Lu Ziyang froze. How had Yaxi's name entered their conversation? More importantly, how did Xu Xiaoyi know what Yaxi liked—or disliked? Had they spoken often?
"What do you mean?" he demanded sharply.
"We've known each other for years. Have you ever shown this kind of patience before? Don't be stupid, Lu Ziyang. If it were Chen Ling, he'd figure everything out just from hearing a few complaints about my dad."
"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point! What does Chen Ling have to do with this? Stop acting like he's the center of the universe just because you like him!" Lu Ziyang shouted, completely disoriented.
Xu Xiaoyi wiped her tears and stepped closer. "Have you ever considered why you've managed to entertain me lately? Because the person guiding you knows me well. Weeks ago, I was too confused to realize it, but now? Can't you guess it's Yaxi? Don't let her manipulate you until she's drained every last bit of value!"
Lu Ziyang seized on the key detail. "She knows you well?"
"Yes—because you used to talk about her constantly and even pointed her out to us," Xu Xiaoyi said with a sardonic smile. "I caught her delivering a love letter to Chen Ling. For seven months, she sent milk to him under my name. We're friends—or rather, we were. That position you hold now? It used to belong to her. Back then, I pitied her loneliness, her lack of family. Now, I'm almost in the same boat. I know Yaxi better than you do. She's not as innocent as you think."
Milk. Friends. Loneliness. No family. Lu Ziyang's mind reeled, anger surging. "Friends? What kind of friend caters to a spoiled brat like you? She's nothing more than your servant. Better off alone!"
"Lu Ziyang," Xu Xiaoyi called out, softening her tone, "you're always so volatile. Compare yourself to Chen Ling. Do you honestly think Yaxi would fall for someone like you? I admit, I made things hard for her, but I also helped her sometimes."
"Tell me what Yaxi wants from me, and I'll help you. In return, you find Chen Ling for me. Deal?" She sniffled, tears threatening to spill again.
This time, Lu Ziyang wasn't fooled. "You call that help? Delivering milk in freezing winters, waking up early to avoid notice, carrying two meals in crowded cafeterias. Yaxi worries about food and clothes, and you dump trivial complaints on her. You're humiliating her!"
After his tirade, he softened slightly. After all, Xu Xiaoyi was his childhood friend. Kicking a pebble on the ground, he proposed, "But your last suggestion isn't bad. I'll help you find Chen Ling if you help me win over Yaxi. Sound fair?"