Chapter 8: The Game

“…Right here, this patch of grass—it’s a holy spot for check-ins and photos. Don’t believe me? Let me adjust the angle. Thank you, baby, for the ten Carnivals. When will Xiao Lu create a fan group? Xiao Lu plans to wait until reaching 100,000 followers before starting one. There aren’t many viewers in the livestream, so I can remember every little treasure’s profile picture and name. I’ll open one when I can’t keep up anymore…”

Shen Simo sat at her computer desk, her face sallow and lips pale, forcing herself to stay alert. She kept glancing at the digital clock beside the screen—just one more hour. If she could hold on for another hour, she could log off and rest.

Her energy had already been drained earlier that afternoon dealing with Lu HuaiChuan and Lu HuaiLin.

Even though she had taken a short nap before the livestream, the moment she saw Lu HuaiLin enter the stream after going live, Shen Simo felt like a battery at 30% health, instantly dropping into low-power mode. Yet when she saw him competing with the private account for the Top Supporter spot, she was so thrilled she wanted to scream.

“Really, there’s no need to keep gifting—I can’t keep up anymore. I appreciate everyone’s kindness. Let’s save the reciting the dishes for right before I log off.”

[Xiao Sen (Moderator) of Lu’s Treasures: For the new viewers in the livestream, let me explain~ Reciting the dishes is a regular segment of Lu Lu’s streams. Before logging off, she’ll read out the names of all the little treasures who sent gifts during the stream.]

[Xiao Sen (Moderator) of Lu’s Treasures: If you haven’t followed yet, give Xiao Lu a follow~]

Shen Simo couldn’t hold back any longer. She muted her mic, threw herself onto the bed, curled into a ball, and burst into uncontrollable laughter until her cheeks ached. The Xiao Sen who constantly begged for follows in the comments with cute emojis was actually Lu HuaiChuan’s younger brother.

Effortlessly handling both brothers at once—that luxury penthouse in Shanghai was practically within reach!

Now, every time she saw Xiao Sen’s comments, she couldn’t help but imagine a 185cm muscular man cooing “Xiao Lu” in a high-pitched voice. Immediately after, Lu HuaiChuan’s face would flash in her mind, followed by the memory of him tilting his head up to gaze at her with starry eyes from below—enough to make her heart itch.

Shen Simo roughly tugged at her hair and muttered to herself, “Calm down, calm down. Obsessing over men is the beginning of a career decline. You’ve already been fooled once—haven’t you learned your lesson?”

She returned to her seat in front of the screen, put on her headset, and had just cast a skill at a jungle monster when the creature raised its cleaver and charged at her. Right at the most intense moment, her phone rang.

Shen Simo clicked her tongue in annoyance and glanced at the caller ID. Without a second thought, she hung up. But less than five seconds later, Lu HuaiChuan called again.

“Hello, Lu HuaiChuan, what’s up?”

“Are you busy, Si Si?”

“No, not busy. I accidentally hung up earlier,” she said while aggressively tapping her keyboard.

“Do you have time tomorrow? Xiao Duan is away on a business trip to negotiate with the gallery, and I’ve run out of my most-used color mixing oil. The studio doesn’t have any backups… Could we… go to the art supply store together?”

Shen Simo barely processed what Lu HuaiChuan was saying. She absentmindedly hummed in agreement, brushing off the man on the other end of the line. It wasn’t until after she logged off and saw the location and meeting time he had sent that she paused in confusion.

[Let’s meet here tomorrow at 3 p.m.]

Shen Simo followed the navigation to a quiet alley hidden in the bustling city center. Holding a parasol, she continued inward along the one-way street, where rows of old-fashioned standalone villas stood neatly on either side. The walls and roofs were covered with meticulously trimmed ivy, adding a refreshing touch to the scorching summer.

From a distance, she spotted Lu Huaichuan’s figure. He was waiting in the shade of a parasol tree, peering toward the street entrance. The moment he saw Shen Simo, he waved and immediately wheeled his chair toward her.

Surprisingly, he had abandoned his usual dull and plain attire, opting instead for a youthful sleeveless tank top that revealed unexpectedly well-built arm muscles. Shen Simo had never imagined that someone could simultaneously embody both frailty and robustness.

“The art supply store is just two streets ahead. There are ice cooling patches and a mini fan in the back pocket of the wheelchair. Hand me your bag—I’ll carry it,” Lu Huaichuan said with his usual cheerful smile.

“Let me push the wheelchair,” Shen Simo replied, closing her parasol and stepping behind him. “Are you preparing for another exhibition, Teacher Lu?”

“Yeah, in a few months. I still have a lot of drafts to finish,” he sighed. “Xiao Duan is away on a business trip, so everything’s a bit inconvenient.”

“How long will she be gone? Do you need me to come help?”

“But your work…” Lu Huaichuan turned to look at her, his eyes brimming with anticipation. “I can manage alone—it’ll just take a bit longer. No big deal.”

Shen Simo had only meant to be polite, but now she was cornered. Unable to refuse, she steeled herself and said, “I can spare two or three hours a day. But I’ll need a small favor in return.”

The man raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

Leaning down to meet his gaze, she said, “Come with me to your new exhibition and take a few photos for me.”

Just then, a humid breeze swept past, sending strands of Shen Simo’s hair fluttering between them. Lu Huaichuan gently tucked them behind her ear. “That’s all? You could ask for something more.”

“Something more… like posting those photos on my social media so everyone knows I have a painter friend. How’s that?”

“Don’t you want the painter himself in the pictures?” His fingers lingered in her hair, his gaze filled with reluctance.

“That would just cause trouble for you.”

More importantly, it would cause trouble for *her*. She absolutely couldn’t allow any trace of a man in her social media posts.

They stopped in front of an inconspicuous storefront—the art supply shop was even less noticeable than the small grocery next to it. Shen Simo lifted the wheelchair over the threshold, only to find the interior even more cramped. All kinds of art supplies were chaotically yet systematically stacked on shelves, leaving less than a meter of space for customers to pass through.

“Oh, Teacher Lu! Long time no see!” A woman who looked to be nearly fifty stood up and greeted Lu Huaichuan warmly, handing each of them a cup of hot water. “My daughter was just talking about you the other day, saying how much she missed you since you hadn’t visited in so long.”

“I stocked up on too many supplies last time—just ran out now,” he replied, accepting the paper cup and glancing around. “Is your daughter not minding the shop today?”

“She can’t sit still indoors, went out to buy milk tea. She should be back in a few minutes.” The auntie glanced at Shen Simo and asked quietly, “Is this your new girlfriend? So beautiful, what a perfect match.”

Lu HuaiChuan pretended to complain, “Auntie, this is my friend, a top model.”

“Mhm, friends.” Shen Simo nodded with her chin slightly tucked in.

“Same thinner and paints as usual? I’ll get them from the storeroom, just a moment.”

As the shop owner lifted the curtain and went into the back room, Shen Simo leaned forward on her wheelchair armrests with a mischievous grin. “New girlfriend?”

“Yeah, auntie previously—”

Before Lu HuaiChuan could finish, a sweet female voice interrupted.

“Ah! Teacher Lu, you’re here! I haven’t seen you in so long. You promised to paint me before—you haven’t forgotten, have you?”