Chapter 21: You Must Be a Sprite

The atmosphere grew quiet for a moment.

Zhou Yujie stood there, elegant and poised, dressed in a simple white dress. Her dark eyes were as bright as the stars, with a shimmer that seemed to hold the light of the galaxy. The contours of her face were near perfect, making her look truly beautiful.

"Hey, didn't you say you were going to stay home for a week to spend time with your family? Why are you back so soon? Is something the matter?" Su Chen asked, a bit puzzled.

"I was bored at home, so I came back! Is that not allowed?" Zhou Yujie feigned a casual, relaxed tone, then immediately followed up, "How have you been lately?"

Su Chen looked at the beautiful, proud girl in front of him with a smile and replied softly, "I'm doing great. My appetite is good, and I've been sleeping well."

Though, truth be told, his waist was a little sore from fighting the good fight all night.

Seeing that Su Chen's expression didn't look forced, Zhou Yujie couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "That’s good to hear. I was worried that the netizens had scolded you into a shell and that you’d started questioning the meaning of life!"

Su Chen let out a hearty laugh. "You underestimate me. This little bit of wind and rain is nothing; it’s not enough to make me question anything."

"You're amazing!" Zhou Yujie gave him a thumbs-up, then asked with some hesitation, "Did you do all of that just to help that poor mother and daughter?"

Su Chen paused for a second, then looked at her calmly and chuckled, "You really trust me that much? You don't have a single doubt?"

"Isn't that a silly question?" Zhou Yujie rolled her eyes in a charming way. "You're my friend. If I don't believe you, who else am I supposed to believe—some strangers?"

"Fair enough, fair enough. I didn't make a mistake in calling you a friend!" Su Chen said with a look of genuine emotion. "I'm so moved, I really am. I have to give you a hug!"

Seeing this, Zhou Yujie jumped back, feigning annoyance. "Cut it out! If you want to take advantage of me, just say so!"

Su Chen’s eyes lit up immediately, and he pressed, "So, if I just say it, can I take advantage of you?"

"As if! If you said it, I'd have time to prepare for it!" Zhou Yujie retorted with a huff.

Su Chen: "..."

Although their relationship had only grown closer recently, Su Chen always felt as though they were old friends of many years. There was no need to force a conversation; they could joke around, she could easily sense his moods, and she offered him absolute, unwavering trust. It was just a very comfortable and natural dynamic.

After the joking subsided, Zhou Yujie asked softly with a hint of worry, "So, what are you planning to do next? You can't continue as a streamer in your current situation, right?"

Su Chen didn't seem to mind. "I'll take a break for now. After some time passes, we'll just let the truth of the matter accidentally slip out, won't we?"

"If that's the case, why not just have the mother come out and clarify it now?" Zhou Yujie frowned, confused. "Wouldn't it be more convincing if the person involved explained it herself?"

Su Chen smiled and explained patiently, "If she comes out to explain while the incident is still hot, it will only invite criticism. After all, she is the beneficiary of this situation."

"Moreover, if I or Zhu Fei come out to clarify, it would feel a bit like we’re mocking the public while feeling smug about it. Although I acted out of good intentions, and Zhu Fei was forced into a corner because she wanted to save her daughter, those who donated money will inevitably feel uncomfortable and unhappy."

"But if we wait a while, until the matter has settled and no one is talking about it anymore, and then let the truth come out 'by accident,' the public's reaction will be quite different. By then, the entire event will be analyzed as a whole, rather than the public feeling like they’ve been played..."

Zhou Yujie listened, stunned, and felt a touch of shock. One had to remember that Su Chen was only her age, yet he could see through human nature so clearly and manipulate public opinion with such ease—it was truly remarkable.

"You're actually quite terrifying," Zhou Yujie said, looking at him with sudden caution. "I hope I don't end up being sold by you while I'm still happily counting the money for you!"

Su Chen laughed out loud. "Of course not! What are you thinking? I could never!"

"Pfft, stop talking nonsense!"

Zhou Yujie’s earlobes turned slightly pink, and she abruptly changed the subject. "Have you had dinner yet? Do you want to eat together?"

"Not yet! I was just about to go," Su Chen said with a shake of his head. "What do you want to eat? My treat."

Zhou Yujie thought for a moment and said, "How about braised chicken..."

"Say 'chicken,' but don't say the 'b' word—let's keep things civil!" Su Chen couldn't resist. He had to make the joke; it was too unrefined otherwise.

"Are you sick in the head?" Zhou Yujie snapped, embarrassed and angry. "Are we going to eat or not?"

*(Gained 99 points of irritation from Zhou Yujie)*

Su Chen immediately showed her the video regarding braised chicken, which thoroughly killed any desire she had to eat it.

"Then... what about Qingyuan free-range chicken... huh?" Zhou Yujie instinctively changed her choice of words.

"Sure, let's go! Let's get some chicken!" Su Chen agreed with a laugh.

Just as they arrived downstairs to eat, Su Chen could clearly feel the strange looks and whispers from the people around them. At first, he was worried that Zhou Yujie might be affected, but to his surprise, she didn't care at all. She ignored the stares, remaining calm and composed, chatting and laughing as usual. This made Su Chen look at the girl with new, even greater respect.

They were happily chatting and eating when a pretty, delicate-looking woman walked over from nearby.

"Su Chen, you're eating here too?"

Su Chen looked up to see his high school classmate, Wang Xiaoya. Because they lived in the same residential complex, it wasn't unusual to run into each other at the local restaurants.

Su Chen raised an eyebrow and asked with a fake smile, "Oh, it's you, old classmate. What’s wrong? Are you out of money and looking to borrow some again? The kind that you pay back double?"

*(Gained 699 points of irritation from Wang Xiaoya)*

Wang Xiaoya snorted in displeasure. "You're already a social pariah, treated like a rat crossing the street—what are you being so smug about?"

Su Chen chuckled, countering calmly, "Are you the reincarnation of a peppermint cooling oil? You're so fond of pouring cold water on people."

"I'm just showing some concern, after all, we were classmates once," Wang Xiaoya said with a cynical smile. "But I doubt you'll be able to be a streamer anymore. Oh, what a shame."

Thinking of this, Wang Xiaoya felt a surge of satisfaction. Ever since Su Chen had tricked her out of twelve thousand, she had been looking for a chance to get even. She had searched for a long time, and now that she’d finally caught him in this situation, she wasn't about to let the opportunity go.

"Do me a favor and stop smiling," Su Chen said, waving a hand with a smile. "Other people look good when they smile, but you’re different—you look hilarious when you smile."

Wang Xiaoya: "..."

*(Gained 999 points of irritation from Wang Xiaoya)*

Seeing this girl foolishly provoking Su Chen, Zhou Yujie watched from the side, amused and not intervening. She had seen Su Chen’s streams; his wit and reflexes were sharp as a blade. She wasn't worried about him at all—she was just enjoying the show.

However, realizing that Su Chen was impossible to rattle, Wang Xiaoya tried to find a breakthrough through Zhou Yujie.

"Hey, beautiful, do you not know what happened to him recently? How can you dare to be so close to him? He’s done things so excessive, even malicious... the whole internet is cursing him right now..."

Zhou Yujie nodded with a smile and replied, "If what you just said is correct, then that must be true!"

Wang Xiaoya: "???"

Wang Xiaoya was caught off guard and said urgently, "You need to be careful of his true colors; don't be deceived by him. You can go on Douyin to understand the whole story. It’s trending right now..."

Zhou Yujie said in a gentle, understanding voice, "Take your time. I know you're very anxious, but please, calm down first."

At this point, Wang Xiaoya finally realized something was off. After a moment of silence, she still wouldn't give up, muttering, "Really, I'm doing this for your own good. You have to believe me, I'm just afraid you're being deceived by a scumbag..."

Zhou Yujie looked at Wang Xiaoya with a smile and nodded slowly, "I know your intentions are good, but you really should stop!"

Wang Xiaoya: "..."