The First Livestream, Part 1

The sun was already high in the sky, and the clock on the wall showed it was half past ten. Having stayed up late last night, Zhao Pei lazily stretched and finally dragged herself out of bed.

She moved languidly, changing clothes, brushing her teeth, and washing her face—all done with an unhurried rhythm. Finally, she tied her hair into a casual ponytail, picked up her phone, and, out of habit, ordered her favourite braised pork rice from Zhou Ji’s Bistro. Then she collapsed onto the sofa, scrolling on her phone while waiting for what was arguably her first meal of the day.

“Ah… what a wonderful and cozy Sunday!” Zhao Pei couldn’t help but sigh contentedly. Nothing beats lounging at home, doing nothing but scrolling on your phone when you’re off work!

At the moment, she was watching a livestream.

In recent years, as livestreaming has grown increasingly popular, numerous platforms have sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. But Zhao Pei’s favourite was Jiang Jin, an established platform she’d been watching for years.

Jiang Jin is one of the pioneers of the live-streaming industry. It had gathered many top-tier streamers and attracted massive traffic, which in turn brought in countless newcomers, creating a positive feedback loop.

According to Zhao Pei, it is impossible to change platforms. The people here are good-looking, have great voices, and are all so talented. I just love it here~

Jiang Jin’s interface was divided into several sections: Hot Picks, Gifting Leaderboard, Gaming Zone, Music & Singing, Shopping Streams, and more. In one corner, there was a smaller section called the “Newcomer Zone.”

True to its name, the Newcomer Zone was designed to support new streamers. However, since these streamers were often still finding their footing, the entertainment value was sometimes lacking, which meant less traffic.

Still, there were viewers who enjoyed being early fans, discovering hidden gems, and supporting potential stars. Zhao Pei was one of them.

She’d once been among the first hundred followers of a now-famous streamer. When that streamer became a top-tier celebrity, Zhao Pei always felt a sense of pride, like she had a keen eye for talent and a role in their success.

“Let’s see whose profile catches my eye today~” Zhao Pei rubbed her chin, chuckling like an emperor choosing a concubine, and opened the Newcomer Zone.

“Newbie Alert! Please Support!”
“Pretty Streamer, Chatting Live~ Meow~”
“Battle Royale! Come Join Da Ji in the Canyon~”
“Exploring the Most Popular Cat Café in City C.”

The titles were as varied as their corresponding thumbnails—some showed real people, some had anime-style avatars, and others featured game screens. But the selection felt somewhat repetitive and uninspired.

Just as Zhao Pei was scratching her head, feeling uninspired, a particularly unique thumbnail caught her attention.

It featured a plain black background adorned with mysterious golden runes. The stark contrast of black and gold made it stand out from the colourful thumbnails around it, instantly drawing her eye.

But what really piqued her interest was the title: “Fortune-Telling & Spirit-Summoning Livestream.”

Fortune-telling? Understandable. Spirit-summoning? Sure, she’d heard of that too. But combining it with “livestream”? It felt oddly out of place. When did activities like these—often viewed as dubious—start being broadcast live?

Zhao Pei couldn’t help but smirk. Despite her scepticism, her curiosity was piqued. She tapped the thumbnail and entered the livestream.

A notification popped up on the screen: “Welcome [StrawberryCreamPuff] to the stream.”

At the moment, there were about 70 viewers in the stream, and the popularity score—a metric influenced by factors like viewer count, interactions, and gifts—was just over 100.

As Zhao Pei entered, two comments slid across the screen:
“Hey, streamer, why aren’t you talking? Isn’t this supposed to be about fortune-telling and spirit-summoning?”
“I know this is all fake, probably scripted, but I’m curious! Can you start already?”

However, these comments didn’t hold Zhao Pei’s attention for long. Her gaze was immediately captured by the streamer, whose username was Yanlan Yunxiu.

It wasn’t a conventional kind of allure, as the streamer wasn’t even showing her full face. Instead, she wore a silver filigree enamel mask so exquisitely crafted it resembled a work of art.

The mask covered most of her face, leaving only her serene, beautiful eyes and delicate petal-like lips visible. Her long, lustrous black hair cascaded like silk, framing her graceful demeanor. She exuded an air of mystique, her presence as elegant as it was ethereal—a perfect balance of fragility and unattainable poise.

Although Zhao Pei couldn’t see the streamer’s full face, her internal radar for beauty was already sounding the alarm. This streamer has to be stunning. No doubt about it!

For a moment, Zhao Pei found herself mesmerized.

At that moment, as if sensing Zhao Pei’s gaze, Yanlan Yunxiu raised her eyes and looked directly into the camera. It felt like their eyes met through the screen, and Zhao Pei’s heart skipped a beat.

Her first thought? Wow, her eyes are breathtaking!

They were incredibly clear and bright, with just the right balance between the whites and irises. Her black pupils gleamed like gems against the snowy whites, while faint silver sparkles seemed to dance around the edges, reminiscent of a starry night sky.

Zhao Pei couldn’t help but wonder whether these were her natural eyes or enhanced by contact lenses. If they were lenses, she needed to know where to buy them!

Before she could type her question, the streamer suddenly spoke.

“Since fate has brought us together, let us begin.”

Her voice was soft yet clear, like a melody echoing in a tranquil valley. It was the kind of voice that made people instinctively pause and listen.

As her words settled, several comments appeared on the screen:
“Finally! The streamer speaks! Let’s see what this is all about!”
“Hey, Miss Streamer, are you wearing contacts? Could you share the link?”
“Alright, let’s get this show on the road. Bring it on!”
“OMG, her voice is amazing. Forget fortune-telling; you should join the singing streams!”

Reading these, Yanlan Yunxiu remained unperturbed. She could guess what the viewers were thinking—that this was all scripted, staged for entertainment.

Without addressing the scepticism, she calmly responded to the question about her eyes: “I am not wearing contact lenses, so I’m unable to share a link.”

Her voice was soft yet resonant, like the sound of a distant flute. It was so soothing that Zhao Pei couldn’t help but pause to listen.

In the following minutes, Yun Xiu outlined the rules: She would only tell the past, not the future, and she would summon only departed souls, not wandering spirits.

The audience was intrigued but sceptical. Many assumed it was all an act. When Yun Xiu announced a lottery to choose a participant, the chat buzzed with excitement. Zhao Pei clicked the entry button out of curiosity.

Moments later, her username, [Strawberry Cream Puff], appeared as the winner.

Zhao Pei was stunned. How could it be me? Where’s the actor who’s supposed to win and cooperate with the performance?

Unbothered by Zhao Pei’s shock, Yun Xiu continued, “Whether you want a fortune-telling or a soul-summoning, we’ll need to video call. If you’re willing, please accept the request.”

Hesitant but intrigued, Zhao Pei accepted. The live stream screen split into two, revealing Zhao Pei on one side and Yun Xiu on the other.

The chat exploded:
“Wow! The actress is gorgeous—totally my type!”
“Hey, do you have a boyfriend? If not, consider me!”

Flustered, Zhao Pei quickly clarified, “I’m not an actress!”

She turned to Yun Xiu and asked, “Do you charge for these services?”

Yun Xiu’s expression remained calm. “The price is up to you. Pay what you think it’s worth after the session.”

“What if I think it’s worth nothing?” Zhao Pei challenged.

“Then pay nothing,” Yun Xiu replied without a trace of annoyance.

Impressed by her composure, Zhao Pei asked, “Can I choose the soul-summoning service?”

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Zhao Pei decided to test this enigmatic streamer.

(End of Chapter)