Chapter 33: Live Stream

After confirming with Pao Pao’s customer service that the quantity was correct, mentally preparing herself, and acknowledging that blind boxes were non-refundable and non-exchangeable unless it was the seller’s fault, the customer service representative finally told her, “Alright, no problem. We’ll ship it out as soon as possible.”

Su Shiyi replied, Which courier service?

Customer service: The courier company is assigned randomly. We’re unable to specify a particular one at the moment~

Hah, this is what they call “as soon as possible“? But she was really eager to start unboxing. Waiting for the delivery was simply unbearable.

She then asked which city the shipment would be sent from and sent the customer service a specific airport address, instructing them to ship the blind boxes directly there, where airport staff would receive them.

This request was a bit over the top, leaving the customer service representative confused. They asked which cargo flight she had arranged with, suggesting that for consumer rights protection, it would be best to use their brand’s partnered courier service. If any damage or loss occurred during shipping, they could more easily hold the courier company accountable. Privately arranged freight would be much harder to guarantee.

Su Shiyi replied, Don’t worry, it’s my family’s private jet. There won’t be any issues.”l

Customer service: “……”

It’s normal for the ultra-rich to travel and work on private jets, but arranging an entire flight just to transport blind boxes? Did her jet not require fuel costs?

Fine, money talks. Since she was a VIP customer, the customer service representative couldn’t make the decision alone and had to escalate it. If it were anyone else making such a request, the brand would have outright refused. But this was a client who casually dropped millions in a single order, with a shipping address listed at the renowned Taihe luxury estate. The request was quickly escalated up the chain.

Su Shiyi then repeated the same process with another store, 52, assuring their customer service that she wouldn’t request any returns or exchanges either. Your courier service is too slow. Just send everything to the airport, and I’ll have my private jet transport it.

The rich lady even offered to pay extra for same-day delivery, meaning she could receive her blind boxes by tomorrow.

52’s customer service: “……”

Just like with Pao Pao, they also had to escalate the matter up the chain.

Su Shiyi, too lazy to wait for a response, handed her phone to Lucy and let her handle it. She then comfortably continued watching a variety show on her tablet. After a while, she casually asked, “All settled?”

Lucy replied, “Rest assured, Miss Shiyi, everything is taken care of. You’ll be able to open your blind boxes tonight.”

Nice! Even faster than she had expected!

As for what happened behind the scenes, Su Shiyi couldn’t care less. She simply patted the head of her cat, Milk Candy, and continued watching her show.

Meanwhile, the two customer service representatives, after receiving official company approvals, were still in a daze.

No wonder this customer was so extravagant, spending millions without a second thought… Turns out she was the Su Shiyi, the ultimate rich lady!

While most people pray for luck when unboxing blind boxes, she simply used money to brute-force the odds.

—

Today was Thursday. Gu Chen’s birthday was on Friday, and the amusement park she had booked was set for Saturday. Su Shiyi glanced at her schedule—perfect, her plans for the next two days were all set.

The Gu family was busy with their own affairs, and she was the only one who had returned early. Everyone else would arrive tomorrow. The birthday banquet wouldn’t be held at Taihe but at the grand ballroom of the most luxurious hotel in the capital—another property owned by the Gu family. The invitation list was extensive, including not only the upper-class elite of the capital but also rising stars across various industries with great potential.

Gu Chen had no intention of celebrating his birthday in the traditional sense. To him, it was just another large-scale social event. Afterward, he would have a simple dinner with his family. According to Gu Pan, every member of the Gu family followed the same routine for their birthdays.

After all, even nations must participate in globalization. The Gu family certainly wouldn’t isolate themselves, they needed to maintain active communication with the outside world and keep a firm grasp on the trends shaping the era.

Well, being the center of attention at a banquet wasn’t too bad. But thinking about all the guests, Su Shiyi felt a little sorry for them—how long had it been since the last event, and they already had to bring gifts for the Gu family again?

Although her mother, Li Shuman, was also active in social circles, the Gu family’s status meant they were mostly on the receiving end of gifts. And even then, there was a threshold—most people wouldn’t even get the chance to send one.

Although she had to part ways with the tiger after returning home, the joy of having both cats and dogs around was still incredibly satisfying. Su Shiyi originally thought that Milk Candy would bully the other pets even more, but surprisingly, she became well-behaved.

Well, not exactly. She just stopped bothering the other cats and dogs and instead wore her disdain openly on her face.

Milk Candy: I was meant to become a great tiger. Competing with you little pets for attention would be a disgrace to a cat’s dignity.

Fortunately, Su Shiyi couldn’t read minds and had no idea what Milk Candy was meowing about. But the fact that she had accepted—or rather, allowed—the presence of the other pets in the house was already something worth celebrating.

Take this moment, for example, Su Shiyi sat in front of her phone, propped up on a stand, with a pile of blind boxes next to her. Milk Candy lounged on her lap, while the other cats and dogs lined up, patiently waiting for their turn to get head pats.

After making her roommates jealous in their group chat, Su Shiyi decided to start a live stream. Enjoying the thrill of unboxing alone wasn’t enough—she had to share (read: show off) the experience to maximize her happiness!

She didn’t expect that just by sharing a simple link on Weibo, her live stream room would flood with viewers. The blind box packaging from Paopao and 52 was instantly recognizable, and the excited fans in the chat began spamming messages:

“Rich lady! Rich lady! Are we unboxing blind boxes today?”

“Yes.” Su Shiyi pulled the Avengers series boxes closer. “I bought a whole bunch of them. Let’s open them together. I’ll also record whether we get any hidden editions.”

The chat exploded with hype. Blind box enthusiasts squealed with excitement while others helped explain the concept to those unfamiliar with it.

Kevin and Linda were the moderators, and with the help of a powerful filtering system, the chat remained relatively orderly.

Su Shiyi replied to a few comments: “Yeah, today’s just an unboxing stream. I’m not selling anything, there’s no purchase link. I’ve also turned off the tipping feature, so no need to send gifts. Save your money and buy what you like.”

She opened the Avengers box, revealing twelve smaller boxes inside. Lucy, who had prepared a display case in advance, placed it beside her. Su Shiyi reached for the first box.

“I’ve never played this before, so this is my very first blind box ever. Let’s see what’s inside… Ah! It’s Captain!”

“Look at this adorable little round blue helmet! And he’s in a running pose, always ready for battle. Captain is my favorite!”

Although she didn’t pull a hidden edition, getting her favorite character made her just as happy. Without hesitation, she placed the tiny Captain at the center of the display case.

The chat erupted with excited screams. Some sharp-eyed viewers were already trying to count the number of boxes visible in the corner of the screen.

“How many did she buy? This looks like tens of thousands worth of blind boxes?!”

Su Shiyi continued unboxing. Unsurprisingly, with her utterly average luck, all twelve figures in this set were regular editions. She arranged them neatly in the display case and had Lucy put them aside. The viewers, meanwhile, were wildly speculating.

“She’s definitely opening another box! How many did she buy? Four or five, maybe?”

“Four or five might not be enough to pull a hidden edition,” Su Shiyi said, skillfully slicing open the packaging with a box cutter. “I bought forty-eight boxes of this series. If I don’t get at least two hidden editions, then my luck is really bad.”

Chat: ???

“Come again? How many boxes???”

Even if they assumed she misspoke and meant eighteen boxes, that was already insane. But Su Shiyi, unfazed, repeated herself:

“Yep, forty-eight. Four. Eight. My Mandarin should be clear enough, right?”

【Your Mandarin is fine. It’s my sense of reality that’s broken.】

【My mom just asked why I’m kneeling in front of my phone.】

【Rich lady, please notice me! I don’t want to work hard anymore!!!】

The thrill of blind boxes was like pulling gacha in a game—it was all about the excitement of the unknown. Although opening them one by one was a bit tedious, Su Shiyi refused to let anyone else do it for her. She insisted on unboxing them herself.

She figured this process might be getting boring for viewers since she had already gone through two whole cases without pulling a hidden edition. She assumed most people had left the stream—until she glanced at the viewer count.

Holy crap, it doubled again?!

Her hands were getting sore, so she paused to pet her cat and play with the dogs before asking the chat:

“Aren’t you guys getting bored? You’re just watching me open blind boxes.”

【Not gonna lie, I wish I could experience this kind of ‘boredom’ in real life.】

【So many blind boxes, opening as many as you want—this is pure happiness! (stomps feet)】

A top-tier “scheming dog” (marketing strategist) never misses a chance for promotion. Su Shiyi chuckled, “Does everyone know I’m attending the comic convention?”

【Yes!! We must always stay updated on all news about our wifey!!!】

【Get lost, upstairs! Stop taking advantage of my mommy!】

【Ahhh, will these extra figures from rich mommy be sold at the convention? I’m insanely tempted!】

Skipping past the family roleplay comments, Su Shiyi continued, “Some of them might be listed on a seafood platform later, and the proceeds will be donated to the HMW Foundation. But at the convention, they’ll be free—these, along with the ones I already own, will be packed into lucky bags and randomly distributed at the game booths.”

“As for the convention tickets… why are we being so formal? You might need to reserve a spot in advance, but it’s definitely free. After all, you all call me mommy.”

“As for the exact time… just wait for the announcement on Weibo. My secretary will handle it.”

Since Su Shiyi had no streaming KPIs to meet, her pace was simple—keep opening blind boxes, take breaks when tired, chat with the viewers, and let her six cats and nine dogs make occasional appearances on screen.

Rather than a blind box unboxing stream, it was more like a glimpse into the daily life of a rich woman. Viewers watched her unbox for ten minutes, then take a break. The household staff would bring out pre-washed, sliced fruit, ready-to-drink coconuts, peeled mangosteens, neatly deseeded pomegranates, lobster tails, whole crab meat, and spoonable crab roe…

When a viewer asked what brand of cat food she used—since the cats seemed to love it and they wanted to get some for their own—Su Shiyi checked with Lucy before answering, “It’s not store-bought. A pet nutritionist customizes fresh meals based on each cat and dog’s individual needs. The nutritionist doesn’t mind sharing the recipes, but they might not be suitable for your pets.”

Viewers: ……

Wait, what?! The rich lady’s pets have their own nutritionist?! They thought buying the most expensive pet food was already a luxury, but she had taken it to another level—fully customized, freshly made meals.

They looked at her energetic, sleek-furred pets on screen, then at their own fur babies… and couldn’t help but shed bitter tears.

Baby, it’s your dad/mommy’s fault… I can’t afford to give you a better life TAT.

As expected, Su Shiyi’s luck was average. It took her until the eleventh box to pull the hidden variant of ^[1]“卤蛋局长” (Lǔ dàn júzhǎng) directly translates to “Braised Egg Director” or “Director Braised Egg.” It’s likely referring to Nick Fury from Marvel, … Continue readingDirector Braised Egg. With a 1:144 probability, that was pretty standard.

She was delighted and showed it off in detail to the camera. Then, the drama unfolded—by the time she had opened forty-seven boxes, the hidden Armor variant still hadn’t appeared, but she had pulled another Director Braised Egg.

The chat was full of sympathy for the rich lady. Su Shiyi held the last box in deep thought, watching the scrolling comments suggesting, “Just buy another forty-eight boxes,” and shook her head gravely.

“Buying more would be wasteful. My money doesn’t just fall from the sky—”

“I think it’d be better to just buy out the entire Pao Pao brand and restart the production line. I don’t care, they have to make one more for me.”

Damn. Other people open blind boxes, but you want to dismantle the whole factory?!

【When I heard the first part, I thought she had changed her ways. Then I realized… it was my mindset that was too small.】

【You can always trust Rich Lady Shiyi.】

【Rich Lady: Hah. Who can stop me from getting what I want?】

【Rich Lady ^[2]yyds = “eternal god-tier,” a slang term meaning someone is legendaryyyds Pao Pao better be smart and sneak a hidden variant in for her!】

Meanwhile, the Pao Pao staff watching the livestream: ……

shivering.gif

Fortunately, under Su Shiyi’s “threats and intimidation” (?), the last box was very obedient. On her third draw, she finally got the last hidden edition.

Pao Pao let out a collective sigh of relief, while the netizens who were hoping for more drama felt a bit disappointed.

Since Su Shiyi’s unboxing speed was quite slow, and it was a live broadcast with no option to fast-forward, it took her nearly two hours to finish all forty-eight boxes. She was exhausted, so after saying goodbye to her viewers, she announced that next time she would be unboxing the princess teacup collection from 52House.

The chat was immediately filled with comments like, “52House’s blind boxes better behave too,” and “The teacup collection is already a mature blind box series—it should learn to reveal the hidden edition on its own.” At the same time, fans reluctantly asked, “When’s the next stream?”

Su Shiyi casually replied, “Whenever I’m in a good mood.”

“Thanks for watching, and don’t leave just yet—my assistant will be doing a giveaway soon. We’ll be giving away ten sets of the regular Avengers figures I just unboxed. If you don’t mind, feel free to join.”

【OMG, how could we mind? Su Shiyi is basically a walking blessing dispenser!】

【Mami, hugs! Hehe…】

After leaving the streaming area, Su Shiyi let Lucy take over. Lucy carried a display box containing fourteen figures, humming a tune as she returned to the room.

Later, while scrolling through Weibo in bed, she saw that she was trending again. One trending topic was about her blind box unboxing live stream, and the other was 

#TheExpressionOfTheGuestsOnBackToSeniorYearWhenTheyHeardSuShiyiWasStreaming

It turned out that both Su Shiyi and the guests from Return to Senior Year were live-streaming on Kuaiyin, but their atmospheres and moods couldn’t have been more different. Mischievous—no, enthusiastic—netizens who loved stirring up fun flooded into the other live stream, telling the guests:

“Su Shiyi is over there unboxing blind boxes, eating fruit, reading novels, watching variety shows, playing with her cats and dogs—basically, she’s having a great time! Why are you guys still studying? Take a break already! Even she takes breaks between unboxings!”

—Of course, these were mostly people who either missed claiming their fan badges or got the wrong ones, hopping between different guest streams to stir up trouble.

The guests: ?

President Su, please, have some humanity! They were grinding their studies like their lives depended on it, even drinking water at 3x speed, while their assistants closely monitored each other’s study time. And here she was, living in absolute leisure?

Fine, be leisurely if you want. But why stream it? Wasn’t this just stabbing them right in the heart?

Half the guests couldn’t keep their expressions straight. Despair and suffering were written all over their faces. The four idols present managed to maintain their trained facial composure, but netizens with sharp eyes still zoomed in and captured their microexpressions of numbness.

For once, Su Shiyi felt a rare pang of guilt. She thought about the cruise ships she had docked in various ports and decided to give the guests a few days off. After all, even the audience would get bored watching non-stop studying—it was time for some balance.

She called Kevin. “Coordinate with their managers to adjust their schedules. Let’s arrange a short cruise next week, just a few rounds around the nearby seas, to lighten the mood.”

Mostly, Su Shiyi herself hadn’t been on a cruise yet. These things cost tens of millions of dollars to buy—back when she was just a corporate drone, she wouldn’t even have dared to dream of it. Even a cruise package with a travel agency wasn’t cheap.

Kevin said, “Understood. I’ll plan the route. Do you have a specific destination in mind?”

“No, I just want to have fun at sea. Oh, and make sure it’s in a good fishing area. Bring along a few top-tier seafood chefs specializing in different cuisines.”

“No problem. I’ll confirm the details with you tomorrow.”

Satisfied, Su Shiyi hung up, already imagining the luxurious life awaiting her on the cruise.

—

The next day, in front of the dessert table at a banquet hall, Su Shiyi yawned out of boredom.

Gu Chen’s birthday banquet was extravagant… and painfully dull. The guests were all seasoned socialites, wearing polite smiles and greeting everyone with practiced warmth. At first, Su Shiyi followed Li Shuman around, greeting people and exchanging pleasantries, but after a few minutes, she decided to liberate herself.

Being a wealthy matriarch really wasn’t for everyone. Her biological mom and she had the same-sized brains—so why could her mom remember all these intricate social connections while she couldn’t even process what she was hearing?

The protagonist of the birthday party, Gu Chen, was the center of attention, and so was Gu Pan. The fact that these two had gone from step-siblings to a couple was hardly a secret within their social circle. There were, of course, some gossipers, but since they weren’t biologically related—and Gu Pan had been given a separate household registration—the law had no say in the matter, so all anyone could do was talk.

The guests surrounding him were the most numerous, and aside from business associates, there were also a few individuals with outstanding physiques and beautiful features—in other words, the standard beautiful female and deeply devoted male supporting characters straight out of a romance novel.

Oh, they were reenacting the original plot! Such an exciting push-and-pull romance!

Even though Su Shiyi couldn’t hear anything and didn’t know how to read lips, she could still sense the dramatic tension in the air, which thrilled her. She started munching on sunflower seeds on the spot.

Of course, sunflower seeds weren’t on the menu for Gu Chen’s birthday banquet—she had brought them herself, secretly stashing them in a small pocket of her gown. The pocket was a custom addition by her stylist, who had clearly been reluctant about it.

Well, of course. The stylist’s heart was probably bleeding—this was a haute couture gown worth millions!

Just as she was enjoying her cream-flavored sunflower seeds and the show unfolding before her, someone stopped beside her and, without hesitation, grabbed a handful from her.

Su Shiyi was about to look up to see who was so rude when, in the next second, she met Gu Lang’s half-smiling gaze.

Gu Lang: “Having fun ^[3]eating your melon seeds” (嗑瓜子) is a play on the slang term “吃瓜” (chī guā), which means “eating melons,” or in other words, watching gossip or drama unfold as … Continue readingeating your melon seeds?”

Su Shiyi: …

If there was ever proof that Gu Lang was a true capitalist tycoon, this was it. She hadn’t even done anything wrong, yet she suddenly felt like an employee caught slacking off at work by the big boss.

She forced a smile and replied, “Not really. I was just… taking a break.”

“You’re just watching the show, aren’t you?” Gu Lang glanced in the direction of Gu Chen and Gu Pan. “Nothing new to see here. Doesn’t this kind of thing happen all the time? Come, I’ll introduce you to some people.”

Su Shiyi made a pained expression. Since this was Gu Chen’s birthday, even if people wanted to give gifts, today wouldn’t be the time. Following Gu Lang around to meet people meant she was purely playing the role of a lucky charm, nodding and smiling on cue.

But when Boss Gu Lang gave an order, she had no choice but to obey. Reluctantly, she put away her fragrant sunflower seeds and accompanied him to greet the guests.

Most of them were middle-aged entrepreneurs, which made Su Shiyi realize that rich people, like Gu Lang, really took fitness seriously—at least, those at the very top. Even the men over forty rarely had out-of-shape figures, and as for the women, who valued their appearance even more, they were even more meticulously maintained.

So, if a domineering CEO in real life gave off an off-putting vibe, it was probably because he wasn’t rich enough.

After seeing enough middle-aged successful men, Su Shiyi suddenly spotted a man with a face that screamed “male lead.”

Why? Because the moment she laid eyes on him, a series of romance novel buzzwords popped into her mind—

—He was cold and noble, his sharp features chiseled like a sculpture. His eyes carried a hint of distant aloofness, and he gazed upon the world with an air of superiority, exuding an untouchable aura.

Su Shiyi: …This is definitely the real deal. But wasn’t the male lead of this novel supposed to be Gu Chen?

Lucy whispered an introduction beside her. The man’s name was Zhou Yingzhe, and he was one of the hottest rising stars in the business world of the capital. He came from an ordinary family but had a sharp business acumen, starting his own company while still in university. Now, he had achieved a level of success that even most second-generation heirs could only look up to.

Gu Lang had been one of his earliest investors and strongest supporters—essentially his most important benefactor.

After finishing her introduction, Lucy hesitated before adding, “Mr. Gu Lang might be trying to matchmake you two.”

Su Shiyi: ???

No need for that!

This kind of domineering CEO was absolutely not her type! Zhou Yingzhe had a face that practically guaranteed a dramatic love story, and if she got involved with him, she’d never have a peaceful day again.

See? They had only just exchanged introductions, and she could already feel envious gazes on her.

Looking closer—oh, never mind. Those people weren’t jealous of her, they were jealous that Zhou Yingzhe was talking to her.

That’s fine then.

Still, her instincts told her that this man definitely had some juicy drama going on. If she wanted to avoid being dragged into some ridiculous storyline, she needed to stay as far away from him as possible.

His “main character aura” was too strong—it was impossible for her, a transmigrator, not to notice it.

Then, a thought struck her.

Wait a minute… Could it be that this world had more than just one original novel?