Chapter 17: The Seventeenth Day of Entering the Novel — Live Broadcast in Progress… (1)

The flowers, plants, and trees in the winter park had already withered, and only a few yellow leaves hung sparsely on the bare tree branches. The only greenery left was the towering pine and cypress trees.

Today, the wind wasn’t strong. Compared to the usual days, it was a perfect day for an outing.

Yun Shuning sat on a bench in the park, lost in thought as she gazed at the lake that had already frozen over in the distance. The morning exercise time had passed, and there weren’t many people in the park.

These days, her nerves had been tightly wound, worried that her lies might be exposed, or that she might end up dying in the psychiatric hospital. Even when she stayed in the apartment, her mind couldn’t help but wander: what if someone discovered that she was lying? What should she do?

So, she had to push herself, trying her best to make herself appear more like the person in the lie, without a moment’s relaxation.

However, after yesterday’s performance in front of He Chen and Yu Cheng, she finally felt that she could relax a little. These two people were the ones who had caused the original owner to enter the psychiatric hospital, and as long as she made them believe that there was a reason for her actions, her life would become much more stable from now on.

She also finally had the time, energy, and reason to go out and clear her mind.

It had been more than a month since she arrived here, and she hadn’t even looked at the scenery around her. Pretending to be immersed in her emotions every day was a huge drain on her.

It consumed both her body and her mind.

Occasionally, one or two nameless small birds would fly across the surface of the lake. The vast blue sky and the frozen lake complemented each other, creating a scene that made people want to stop and reflect.

Yun Shuning took in the surroundings, and the atmosphere around her gradually became calm and tranquil.

In a place where she couldn’t see, a figure stood behind her, eyes full of interest.

Was she the reason that He Chen and Yu Cheng, who were like fire and water, could coexist peacefully?

She was just a woman. What kind of magic power did she have?

Su Muqing watched her slender figure and the lingering sorrow that seemed to hang around her. A flicker of interest passed through his eyes.

Yun Shuning was particularly sensitive to people’s gaze, so when a certain gaze lingered on her for a long time, she immediately sensed it. Without a trace, she changed the relaxed expression on her face to one of loneliness and nostalgia. Her aura also quietly shifted.

In that instant, many thoughts flashed through her mind—was it He Chen or Yu Cheng?

It shouldn’t be them. After yesterday’s performance, they should no longer be paying much attention to her.

So, who else would be so focused on her?

“Excuse me, may I sit here?” A bright and clear male voice suddenly rang out not far from her.

She kept her expression as it was, pretending to be slightly surprised, and turned her head toward the direction of the voice.

It was a fresh and handsome young man, with slightly curly hair that made him look more approachable. His smile was warm and friendly, and she could vaguely see his slightly prominent tiger teeth.

But Yun Shuning immediately sensed something wasn’t quite right. She had studied people’s expressions when she worked as an actress, and while this person seemed friendly, his smile appeared too bright and perfect, like a mask.

Suddenly, a name popped into her head. Could it be him? It was too much of a coincidence, right?

She quickly went over her thoughts in her mind, which only took a second or two in reality. She calmly glanced at him, her eyes not filled with the awe and excitement that other girls would have when meeting him, and she simply said, “Go ahead.”

Her tone now was very close to the one she used during her live broadcasts—soft, with a hint of etherealness, in the empty park.

Su Muqing paused, his smile freezing on his face. His eyes filled with surprise—this voice?

Yun Shuning was Bimo?

No matter the situation, he always aimed to maximize his benefits. When it came to Lin Wan and Bimo, he made his decision in an instant.

He pushed aside the impact of Lin Wan’s words from yesterday and quickly adjusted his demeanor, making himself appear as a fan meeting his idol.

“Excuse me—are you the streamer Bimo?” His voice trembled slightly with disbelief, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at her. “I’m your fan, a loyal one!!!”

Yun Shuning was stunned. She was recognized just by saying two words?

She lowered her eyes, her long lashes concealing the thoughts in her mind. From Su Muqing’s angle, all he could see was her almost colorless lips.

“Did I disturb you?” He awkwardly waved his hand, his tone no longer lighthearted, but filled with regret and apology. “Sorry, I just like you so much. I’ve watched your live broadcast countless times. I can even recite everything you said…”

“No,” Yun Shuning listened to his words and avoided his gaze. She looked at the lake and softly spoke, her voice drifting and calm. “I just don’t really like interacting with others.”

Now, she was sure of his identity—another male supporting character from the novel—Su Muqing.

His appearance, the disguise on his face, and his green tea-like way of speaking, each detail matched the description of the character in the book.

He was the last person she wanted to encounter in the novel, no exceptions. A person with a performance-based personality, always appearing friendly and kind, even to those he disliked. He could act like a close friend to anyone, no matter how much he actually hated them.

In reality, he would be smiling while stabbing you in the back.

Facing such an actor, she had to stay calm and not make a single mistake.

No matter what she thought in her heart, nothing showed on her face.

“I was being too familiar,” Su Muqing’s eyes lit up when he heard her voice, and he smiled brightly at her. “As long as you don’t mind me.”

Before she could respond, he exaggeratedly expressed his admiration: “Since the day I heard your live broadcast, I suddenly understood what divine music is…”

Yun Shuning listened to his ceaseless flattery, a trace of doubt flashing in her mind—was something off about this script?

Did he really like her live broadcasts and her so much? She wasn’t convinced.

In the original story, Su Muqing was the behind-the-scenes mastermind who nearly caused the death of the main couple with his schemes. To get what he wanted, he would stop at nothing.

Could he really like her just because of one live broadcast?

Impossible.

His acting was indeed as good as described in the book. If she hadn’t been prepared, she might have believed his words.

It was just a battle of acting skills, and she didn’t believe she could lose.

“Thank you for your support,” she turned her head, looked at him seriously, and her eyes, once hollow, now held a hint of life. “But I’m sorry, I may not be able to respond.”

“No, meeting you and hearing your voice is my honor,” Su Muqing took a few steps closer to her, maintaining a safe but not distant distance. He looked at her with sincere and passionate eyes. “You don’t have to respond to anything. I’m just a fan. To see you and hear your voice is the greatest reward for me.”

Perhaps his gaze was too intense, Yun Shuning lightly averted her eyes, her voice carrying a trace of unshakable weariness and sorrow. “Although I don’t know what’s so special about me that you like so much, thank you. I hope you’ll always be happy.”

“Are you going through something unhappy?” Su Muqing noticed her current appearance, his brow furrowing slightly. His voice became heavier, “If you don’t mind, you can tell me. I’m a very good listener.”

“No, I’m fine.” She stood up, a distant smile in her eyes, as if reminiscing about something. Her voice held a faint determination and nostalgia. “I will always be fine.”

“Bimo!” Su Muqing looked at her as she prepared to leave, and hurriedly spoke up. “Can I still watch your live broadcast?”

Yun Shuning paused, as if pondering something. After a moment, she sighed and spoke, “Maybe.”

Walking was an art in itself. When wearing a qipao, one should walk gracefully and seductively; in a long dress, one should walk elegantly. When happy, one walks briskly, and when sad, one’s steps are heavy.

Even in the deep winter, the clothes she wore weren’t very thick. From behind, her silhouette looked thin and lonely, walking with light steps yet carrying an inexplicable sadness.

Su Muqing watched her retreating figure and silently pressed the pause button on his voice recorder.

He hadn’t been this curious about someone in a long time. He was eager to know what had happened to her.

And her voice—truly, it made him want to possess it, no matter the cost.

If only this voice… could belong to him alone.

After returning to her apartment, Yun Shuning let out a deep breath.

It seemed she wasn’t suited for going out to clear her mind. For the next few days, she would stay at home.

As for Su Muqing, as long as she stayed inside, they probably wouldn’t have a chance to meet.

It was just as well. She also needed to prepare for her upcoming live broadcast.

It had already been almost a month since her first live broadcast. When she had canceled her streaming account, many people were waiting for her, and others criticized her, saying it was all for the traffic.

But as time passed, those people had dwindled. Now, only a few people still checked in at the forum looking for her.

Now, it could be said that both the red and black flames had extinguished.

But she had already firmly imprinted the name “Bimo” and her voice into their minds, just waiting to meet again and reignite those impressions.

If she had appeared again shortly after her last broadcast, many would have felt deceived. Those who already disliked her would make even more noise.

So, the timing was just right.

Yun Shuning looked at the live broadcast software on her phone, her gaze passing over the last app she used for her broadcast. Since she needed to appear with a new identity, the platform had to change as well.

She looked at the several live broadcast apps on her phone, her eyes stopping at a corner—Li Yu Live.

This platform had been one of the first big names when the live streaming industry was just beginning. However, as the top streamers had been poached by other platforms, it had gradually declined, with less and less traffic.

But it had one advantage: the platform did not force streamers to sign contracts, which was very appealing to her.

After signing a contract, she would get more recommendations from the platform, but she would lose a lot of freedom.

She chose to be a streamer because she didn’t want too many restrictions, and Li Yu Live suited her needs perfectly.

Moreover, the platform’s traffic wasn’t large, which fit with her current goal of staying under the radar.

But choosing this platform meant she might have to stay quiet for a while before being discovered.

There’s always a trade-off.

Yun Shuning glanced at the paper where she had written “Bimo Paper Ink” and took out a pen to cross out “Ink” and change it.

She carefully studied the new name “Shuyan” and finally crossed out the “Paper,” replacing it with “Book.”

“Shuyan,” she murmured softly, sounding very pleased with the change.

The next morning, after preparing everything, Yun Shuning sat back at her familiar desk and began her new live broadcast.

The title of the stream was still simple—”Calligraphy Beginner’s Practice.”

After starting the broadcast, she threw herself into it as she always did, occasionally speaking about things related to calligraphy.

An hour later, she put down her brush and picked up her phone, glancing at the two or three viewers in her stream, not surprised at all.

If she had started this type of stable live broadcast from the beginning, the result would have been just like this.

A simple learning stream had small traffic, and since her broadcast was about something seemingly boring like practicing writing, the traffic was even smaller.

All she could do now was wait—wait for those searching for Bimo to find her.

If no one found her after a long time, she would have to take action herself, but that would bring significant risks.

Only when her balance was dangerously low would she do that.

As they say, a penny can defeat a hero.

After closing the livestream, she sighed. Right now, all she hoped for was that her fans could be a bit more supportive.

On the other side, her so-called loyal fan was chatting and laughing with Lin Wan.

“Sorry, Mu Qing.” Lin Wan respectfully handed a cup of tea to Su Muqing. “I really bothered you yesterday.”

She lifted her head, her eyes full of apology. “I even made you, someone who doesn’t drink, have so much. I’m really sorry.”

“Senior, you really underestimate me.” Because he had gotten good sleep these past two days, he looked particularly energetic. “It was just two cups, I could’ve handled more.”

“I didn’t mean it like that…” Lin Wan smiled helplessly. Meeting his gaze, which seemed to understand everything and tolerate anything, she awkwardly shifted her eyes away.

“Anyway, thank you so much for keeping me company yesterday.” She took a deep breath, showing a vibrant smile. “I’ll treat you to breakfast today. Just tell me what you want to eat.”

“I’ll pay!” She said it with a strong, resolute tone.

“Well, then I won’t hold back.” Su Muqing raised an eyebrow and thoughtfully changed the topic. “Crystal shrimp dumplings, red bean cake, taro steamed ribs…”

Hearing him order, Lin Wan’s smile widened, and she pretended to be angry, saying, “This is supposed to be me treating you, but you’re only ordering what I like?”

“What, do you think I only need you to like these things?” He looked at her with a doting expression. “I like them too.”

“Forget it, I can’t argue with you.” Lin Wan stuck out her tongue. “Let’s just eat already.”

“Will your boyfriend not be upset if I eat with you?” Su Muqing looked at her eating seriously, casually asking. “And about yesterday…”

“Don’t worry, I already told He Chen I’m having breakfast with you.” Lin Wan lifted her head and interrupted him, “So, stop overthinking it. It’s just a meal, relax and eat.”

Of course, she would tell He Chen. Sometimes, maintaining a relationship requires external stimulation.

She needed He Chen to understand that she was no longer the Lin Wan from two years ago, the one who only cared about him.

Now, she had many options, whenever she wanted.

Moreover, she was just having breakfast with a junior; compared to her two years of romantic history, what did this even count as?

Su Muqing observed the faint expression of someone who had everything under control on her face, and a slight interest flickered in his eyes.

He often knew that Lin Wan was not as simple as she appeared, but it was exactly this side of her that intrigued him, making him want to delve deeper.

After all, he wasn’t exactly a saint either.

After breakfast, Lin Wan smiled and declined his company, then got into the car that He Chen had sent to pick her up.

“Just use people and toss them aside, huh?” Su Muqing looked at her retreating figure, speaking with implied meaning.

“Mr. Su.” Seeing Su Muqing had finished breakfast with Lin Wan, Secretary Li, who had been waiting nearby, quickly approached. “Mr. Xu just called. The streamer you wanted to find has started her livestream.”

One thing every secretary could do was to speculate on their boss’s mood. Secretary Li had been with him for over two months and believed he had a good grasp of Su Muqing’s personality.

Mr. Su took Lin Wan very seriously. Even when the company was having meetings, if Miss Lin called, he would immediately drop everything to find her.

Now, everyone in the company knew that Mr. Su had someone he deeply cared about, though that person seemed to only treat him as a friend.

Although he thought Lin Wan was clearly toying with their boss, as a secretary, it was not his place to comment.

So when Xu Zheng called, he took the liberty of intercepting the call, giving Lin Wan a quiet and undisturbed breakfast time.

Upon hearing this, Su Muqing abruptly stopped in his tracks, his voice low and serious. “What did you say?”

At that moment, he looked unfamiliar to Secretary Li, causing him to pause for a moment.

“Forget it.” But in an instant, Su Muqing adjusted himself, fast enough to make Secretary Li wonder if he had imagined the previous moment.

“Give me the livestream room and the streamer’s name.”

“The streamer’s name is Shu Yan, but…” Seeing Su Muqing’s current expression, Secretary Li suddenly regretted his earlier decision. “The livestream has already ended. It finished while you were having breakfast with Miss Lin.”

Su Muqing gave him an expressionless look, struggling to suppress the anger rising within him. “Next time, no matter what I’m doing or who I’m with, you must inform me immediately about Shu Yan’s livestream.”

“Do you understand?”

When he darkened his face, the childish and sunny aura he usually exuded vanished, replaced with a fierce and intimidating expression that made it hard for anyone to look directly at him.

Secretary Li felt the pressure of his presence, his mind momentarily blank. Without thinking, he asked, “Even when you’re with Miss Lin?”

“Secretary Li, don’t you think you need to go back and study some literature?” Su Muqing turned his head and gave him a quick once-over, returning to his familiar sunny and cheerful persona. “You’re not having memory issues at such a young age, are you?”

“Yes, Mr. Su, I understand.” Secretary Li straightened up, his voice serious. As a secretary, such a mistake could not be taken lightly. “Next time, no matter what happens, I’ll report everything about Shu Yan to you, without delay.”

“I trust you.” Su Muqing gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.

He observed Secretary Li’s curiosity, which was still barely contained, and with a somewhat mysterious air, said, “Do you know why I’m so concerned about her?”

“No, I don’t,” Secretary Li shook his head calmly, though his ears were alert.

“Because I’m her fan,” Su Muqing said without any attempt to hide his feelings. “Go listen to her stream, you should have the room and name by now. Follow her, I promise you’ll fall in love with her.”

His enthusiastic recommendation seemed to have the essence of a die-hard fan.

Secretary Li felt pressured to comply. “Don’t worry, I’ll follow her right away.”

It’s just a streamer, right? Is she exceptionally good-looking, or does she have a stunning figure? How could she make Su Muqing… so obsessed?

As he watched Su Muqing’s back, Secretary Li skeptically opened his phone, preparing to investigate who this Shu Yan really was.

Meanwhile, Yun Shuning had no idea that in Secretary Li’s mind, she had already become the new type of enchanting fox spirit, one who could captivate their CEO’s soul without even showing her face.

After the livestream, she lazily laid in bed, basking in the sunlight. Finally, she had some time to relax, so she was going to enjoy life to the fullest.

Though she still couldn’t eat whatever she wanted or play without worry, she was content.

This calm and peaceful life had always been her dream. Without the male and female leads, without the plot, she probably would have been very happy in this world… right?

She checked her bank card balance—sure enough, no matter where you are, you can’t be happy without money.

Well, she thought, she’d better focus on managing her expenses and find a way to last longer.

The next day, just like yesterday, she logged into her streamer account and started today’s livestream.

Maybe because she knew the audience wouldn’t be many, she seemed a bit more relaxed today.

“It’s really hard.” She sighed lightly as she once again made a mistake in writing the character ‘na’.

Her voice didn’t carry any frustration or anger, as if she was simply stating a fact, soft and gentle.

After saying this, she dipped her brush in ink and continued practicing.

She was so focused on practicing calligraphy that she didn’t realize a new viewer had entered her stream.

By the time she spoke her first words, the gifts started pouring in like they were free.

Dozens of yachts and rockets were sent in turn, pushing her small stream straight to the top of the gift leaderboard.

Though Jinli Live was slowly declining, the homepage traffic was still not to be underestimated.

More and more people flooded into her livestream.

“Seriously, are streamers really burning so much money now? It’s just a calligraphy stream, this must have cost thousands, is it really necessary?”

“Jinli Live really is going downhill. A few hundred viewers can get to the homepage now, it’s a disgrace to all the other top streamers.”

“I thought it was something interesting when I saw it on the homepage, but it’s just writing practice, how boring, I’m out.”

“Even though this stream is boring, I have to admit, the streamer’s hands are really beautiful.”

“You believe in beauty filters? They can make a pig look like a beauty.”

“Did you forget about the Luo incident?”

“But now I can clearly see the lines on the streamer’s hands. How could a beauty filter make that kind of effect?”

“This must be a paid commenter. Don’t waste your time talking to them.”

…

Gradually, the comments became cruder and more vulgar, with many people attacking the streamer’s family without any consideration.

Su Muqing watched as the comments filled with mockery and insults, and the smile that had been on his face vanished without a trace. His fingers clicked on the gifts, sending out dozens of yachts, pushing all the comments down.

He silently noted the IDs of those who were particularly filthy-mouthed, preparing to let them know that bad things can come from their mouths.

Li Wei, an avid livestream fan, usually enjoyed adult content, but she was open-minded and had accounts on every major streaming platform.

This morning, she had no classes, so after finishing breakfast brought by her roommate, she checked out the forum on the Shibo app to see when the calligraphy streamer, Bi Mo, would be back, then decided to switch to Jinli Live to change her mood.

Recently, whenever she logged into Shibo, she thought of Bi Mo. The more she thought about her, the more she craved to hear her voice again.

She had already saved a recording of Bi Mo’s first livestream and listened to it multiple times.

As a university student, she, like most of her peers, struggled with insomnia and hair loss. But after following the advice on a forum to listen to her favorite streamer’s voice at night, her insomnia had improved significantly.

However, after listening for so long, it seemed her nerves had built a tolerance, and the audio’s effects were gradually diminishing. She was eager to find the streamer again and hear her voice once more.

Having good sleep really was a blessing.

“Even just a single sentence would be good,” she muttered while flipping through the rooms on the homepage, her voice tinged with longing.

“Eh, there’s a calligraphy streamer here too?” After her experiences with calligraphy, she subconsciously clicks on every calligraphy stream she sees.

This time was no different.

She mechanically clicked on it, having been disappointed countless times before, so she had no hope this time.

Surprises often come when you least expect them.

“This hand!!!” Her voice trembled uncontrollably. “Miao Miao, I think I found Bimo.”

“!!!!” Her roommate, Miao Miao, jumped up from her lower bunk, her eyes sparkling. “Really?”

Like Li Wei, she had become a fan of Bimo from her first live broadcast. Over time, she had listened to Bimo’s voice to fall asleep every night, and would sign in at the forum daily—she could be called a die-hard fan.

“Look at these hands…” Li Wei dreamily handed her phone over. “This can’t be a dream, right?”

“Ahhh—” The shrill sound startled her, making her shudder. “It really isn’t a dream.”

“It’s really Bimo.” Miao Miao excitedly wanted to burst into song right then and there. “I’ve seen these hands countless times. If you asked me to draw them, I could! This is absolutely Bimo.”

“And this ink stone, this table—everything, no matter how you look at it, is Bimo!” She grew more excited, her voice rising. “And the streamer’s name is Shuyan. It’s clearly a name Bimo would choose—Bimo Shuyan, it’s so symmetrical!”

“Then what’s up with all these random comments?” After the excitement subsided, she finally had the energy to look at the barrage. Seeing the mess of comments, her brows furrowed.

“Wei Wei, take my phone and post something on the forum. I’ll support our Bimo.” She handed the phone over with grand determination.

She came from a good family, and her allowance was tens of thousands a month, enough to make her say this with confidence.

“Okay, I’ll leave it to you.” Li Wei’s face darkened as she looked at the terrible comments. “I’m going to call all Bimo’s fans over.”

As she opened the forum, she didn’t forget to tell Miao Miao, “You better not forget to record the screen. Whether I sleep well tonight depends on you.”

“Good thing you reminded me. I’ll start recording now.”

Thread starter: I found Bimo, and this time it’s real!!!

This post immediately got the attention of all the lurkers in the forum. Some of them had given up on checking in every day but still took a daily stroll around the forum.

Fans who had followed Bimo because of her beautiful voice and hands had long since given up on the routine, but those who still fell asleep to her voice were still around.

And there were definitely a lot of them. The speed at which this thread grew told that much. In just three minutes, hundreds of posts were made.

Post #1: Really? Don’t lie to me, I can’t take any more disappointment.

Post #2: Is this real? I don’t believe it unless you let me check.

Post #3: I searched the livestream, but I didn’t see Bimo anywhere.

Post #4: As expected, this thread starter is just trying to gain views.

…

Post #20: Wait, I just edited my content, and I didn’t expect you guys to post this fast. Bimo is now on Jinli livestream, and her name changed to Shuyan. If you don’t believe it, go see for yourselves.

Post #21: Gotcha, thread starter, I believe you now. Please don’t lie to me, we Chinese don’t lie to each other.

Post #22: I have the Jinli livestream app. Let me go check for my fellow fans.

…

Post #66: I’m back, it’s really Bimo, it’s really her!!! Everyone, go support her, Bimo is being mistreated.

In just ten minutes, Shuyan’s livestream room saw an explosion of traffic, and gifts were flooding in without any hesitation.

“Little Red Flower sent a yacht.”

“Coca-Cola, how could it not be on ice? Here’s a super rocket.”

“Starry Sky sent a princess castle.”

…

“Finally, I’ve been waiting for you, I’m so glad I didn’t give up.”

“Streamer, as long as you keep streaming, I have no more wishes.”

“Shushu, I know you’re just Shushu, so don’t run away, we were really waiting.”

“Yes, we just happened to be browsing Jinli livestream, and we clicked into this room by chance, discovering this treasure of a streamer. Who cares about Bimo and ink? We didn’t know anything.”

“Exactly, our Shushu is so amazing, has nothing to do with anyone else.”

The original viewers in the room looked at their theatrical performance, completely baffled.

They thought this was just a paid streamer since the gift rankings had only one name. But now, it seemed like this was just another streamer from a different platform moving over.

Some people realized they might have misunderstood the streamer and left quietly, while others stubbornly believed that these were all paid fans and kept spreading their opinions in the chat.

“Now the streamer knows to spend more money on paid fans. All these accounts are low-level, the money spent still isn’t enough.”

“These streamers only know how to throw money around and push down the real treasures. It’s just bad money driving out good money.”

“???”

“Some people in the barrage are crazy, who are the paid fans? I’m going to call you paid fans!”

“Some people are really frogs in a well, sitting in the well and looking at the sky. Our Shushu doesn’t need to buy paid fans. As long she speaks, I’d give my life for her!”

“Hahaha, life for literature, my sister is amazing, if the streamer just speaks, I’ll act like I’ve teared up.”

While the barrage was in full chaos, the streamer in the frame gently put down her brush and started tidying up her desk.

Then, on camera, she picked up her phone, which was placed to the side, and began looking at the livestream chat.

“Why are there so many people here?” Her voice sounded a bit confused.

The moment she spoke, the barrage fell silent. Whether they were mocking her or defending her, everyone froze in place.

“Streamer, you finally spoke, my dream has returned.”

“Ahhh, Shushu, if I marry you, will I be able to hear your voice every day?”

“Shushu, the flowers have withered from waiting, but we finally found you.”

The barrage and gifts flew in so fast that Yun Shuning couldn’t even read what was being said.

She knew her first-time viewers might find her, and she knew they would be excited when they did.

But she didn’t expect them to find her so quickly and be this excited.

No matter how you looked at it, her voice remained calm and gentle, even with the hint of confusion—nothing felt out of place.

“Thank you for your love.” She looked at her phone, her voice soft and graceful. “But you don’t have to send so many gifts, it’s too much.”

The phone she was using was connected to the livestream backstage. She checked it and saw that in the hour of her broadcast, she had received nearly sixty thousand in gifts. Even if she only got half, that was already thirty thousand in earnings.

This was just one day. If every day were like this, she wouldn’t have to worry about her livelihood.

Even though it was a lot of money, it hadn’t clouded her judgment. The viewers were sending so many gifts because they were happy to find her, pouring all their anticipation and excitement into the livestream.

Moreover, many of these gifts were probably unaffordable for some viewers. A few times was okay, but if it happened too often, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

She also needed to be wary of people trying to control her with gifts, though she wouldn’t accept it. Refusing someone at the top of the gift leaderboard could cause some conflict.

Another thing was that she didn’t want her livestream to become a burden on anyone. If some young, impressionable viewers were affected by her streams, she would feel bad.

Steady progress was the right approach.

Thinking of this, she adjusted her tone, adding a note of firmness and seriousness: “I’m happy to share my practice life with everyone, but the gifts you’re sending have exceeded my expectations.”

She paused before speaking with some regret: “For those viewers who feel the gifts today have exceeded their expectations, you can contact the room admin, and after verification, I’ll return the portion I received.”

“Shushu, we don’t need money, don’t just think about us. We’re sending gifts because we’re happy.”

“The streamer’s voice has accompanied me for so long. I really feel bad if I don’t send a gift.”

“Shushu, you have no idea how important your voice is to me. How can any gift compare to your presence?”

“Shushu, you’re really a rare good-hearted streamer. The gift is something I want to send myself, so don’t worry about it.”

The audience kept saying these things as they continued to send gifts frantically.

Yun Shuning looked at the constantly scrolling gifts and sighed helplessly. She really looked like one of those streamers who specialized in scamming money.

She was saying, “Don’t send gifts, don’t send gifts,” while watching the audience go wild sending gifts.

“I remember that on the Jinli Live platform, there should be a limit to how much each person can send in gifts,” she said with a blink, speaking thoughtfully.

“No, there really isn’t.”

“Shushu, don’t let them trick you. There’s really no such limit here.”

“No, Shushu, it’s just the price of a cup of milk tea. I can still afford it.”

…

This feature wasn’t hidden deeply. After a few clicks in the backend, Yun Shuning found it.

“You’re right. I think the price of a cup of milk tea is enough,” she said, looking at the words prompting her to enter a gift limit amount, speaking slowly.

It seemed that once she understood that this matter was already set in stone, the tone of the live stream’s bullet comments started to shift.

“I like to add a lot of toppings to my milk tea, like taro balls, pearls, coconut jelly, and taro paste. A cup costs at least thirty.”

“My milk tea always has a milk cap and cheese. A cup costs at least forty.”

“A single cup of milk tea isn’t enough for me. I drink at least three cups a day, that’s one hundred and twenty.”

“You’re all so outdated. I make my own milk tea at home. The milk has to be organic milk flown in from the Hulunbuir grasslands, and the tea is top-tier Da Hong Pao. A cup costs at least eight hundred!”

The newly joined audience looked in agony: “Stop the competition, please! If you keep this up, I won’t be able to afford milk tea anymore.”

Yun Shuning watched as they talked about the increasingly extravagant milk teas. Unfazed, she typed in the number 20 as the limit.