Just when Sanzi was about to give up, Yogurt suddenly sent him ten Carnival gifts.
Sanzi jumped up in excitement. “F*ck!”
He leaned toward the screen and shouted happily, “Thank you, Yogurt Sis!”
At that moment, he saw Ji Zhaoxi suddenly stand up with a delighted look on her face. Frowning, he opened her microphone.
Ji Zhaoxi was overjoyed. “Thank you, Yogurt Sis!”
Although she was merely trying to treat them equally, she was still extremely happy.
The moment Sanzi heard Ji Zhaoxi’s voice, his expression darkened.
Ji Zhaoxi, on the other hand, was much happier. Sitting back down, she smiled and said, “Even if I get punished, I’m still happy.”
She had thought Yogurt had really been stolen away by Sanzi.
Sanzi sat in his chair, his face grim and silent.
Was she messing with him?
He’d worn fishnet stockings, black stockings, and all kinds of uniforms for her. He’d knelt down and posed, taken photos while stripping off his clothes—yet she had sent him gifts and still wanted to send some to Ji Zhaoxi?
Would Ji Zhaoxi take all those pictures for her? Would Ji Zhaoxi coax her like a dog every day and flirt with her?
Looking at Sanzi’s expression from across the table, Ji Zhaoxi couldn’t help saying, “What’s he so angry about? I’m not even angry yet.”
Just then, a bearded-face effect suddenly appeared across the public screen.
Ji Zhaoxi frowned and stared at the screen.
[L sent 1 Big Beard]
[L sent 99 Big Beards]
[L sent 99 Big Beards]
…
No one knew how many batches of ninety-nine he had sent. His score instantly surpassed that of the coser.
With a giant beard covering her chin, Ji Zhaoxi stared at the screen in silence.
She tried to dodge it, but the next second, the black beard stuck itself right back onto her face.
Ji Zhaoxi pretended not to notice and looked at the public screen. “We’re in first place now. I’ve already decided who I’m going to punish.”
[@L, are you out of your mind? We’re making clips! Can you stop sending these ugly effects?]
[Don’t give him any attention. Sis, send more gifts and cover up that beard!]
There was only one minute left in the PK match. Everyone was doing their best to solicit votes, their expressions growing more animated by the second.
Ji Zhaoxi had already reached her goal for the day, so she simply sat there and chatted with her fans.
“Baby, what should I do if I can’t focus on studying?” Ji Zhaoxi read aloud from the public chat, frowning. “Is it because you’re resisting it, or are you simply having trouble concentrating?”
Back when she couldn’t focus on her studies in high school, her mom would scold her, and then her dad would comfort her afterward. After going back and forth like that, she would somehow manage to get into the mood to study…
With fifteen seconds left in the PK match, everyone was getting ready to make a last-second comeback. Then a flashy username began sending gifts again.
[L sent 99 Zhu Bajie headpieces]
No one could keep track of how many batches of ninety-nine-plus gifts he sent. The public screen was flooded with Zhu Bajie headpieces.
Ji Zhaoxi continued pretending not to see them, allowing the Zhu Bajie headpiece and pig’s nose to cover her face.
“Thank you, Sister Qinqin, for the Carnival.”
“Thank you, Cindy, for the sports car.”
Outside the screen, Lu Huainan was leaning against his bed. The room was dark, lit only by the glow of his phone. His eyes lowered as he watched the person on the livestream.
She was ignoring him again.
It was always like this. When she felt like talking to him, she would say a word or two. When she didn’t, she would pretend not to see him, whether online or in real life.
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi wearing the pig’s headpiece, he felt more and more that the effect suited her perfectly.
She could wear that pig’s headpiece for the rest of her life.
The PK match ended.
Ji Zhaoxi came in first, Lin Zhehan second, the coser third, and Sanzi fourth.
Ji Zhaoxi simply punished the coser by making her follow the account. Lin Zhehan stood to the side, looking as if he intended to punish Sanzi to death once it was his turn.
Ji Zhaoxi hoped Lin Zhehan wouldn’t go easy on Sanzi.
Sanzi let out a cold laugh. Punish him or don’t—he could take it.
He scrolled through Ji Zhaoxi’s following list. He remembered that L was one of Ji Zhaoxi’s haters. Perhaps he could start with him.
After all, they had someone they both hated, didn’t they?
Once Ji Zhaoxi had finished her punishment, she exited the PK match. She wasn’t particularly interested in the punishments men came up with for one another.
“Does everyone still want to hear me sing? I still have songs I haven’t sung yet.” She looked at the comments on the public screen.
[What?!]
[Stop singing. It’s late at night—don’t disturb the neighbors!]
[What’s wrong with singing quietly? Are the walls in your house made of paper? How could singing softly disturb anyone? If you keep discouraging her, I’m really going to get angry.]
Ji Zhaoxi hurriedly tried to mediate. “All right, all right, I won’t sing. Don’t fight, everyone.”
Her fans were so energetic.
As soon as Ji Zhaoxi ended the livestream, the recording team uploaded the footage to AC Station. The clip editors had already started working, but they left out the part where Ji Zhaoxi sang.
The graduate dormitory was very quiet. Since Lu Huainan had a single room, there was even less conversation than usual.
Moonlight streamed through the window and spilled directly onto the bed. Lu Huainan sat propped up against the headboard, lowering his eyes as he edited a video of Ji Zhaoxi singing on his computer.
She rarely sang. He could combine the clips from the few times she had sung into one video.
Beside him, his phone continued playing the livestream recording. Ji Zhaoxi’s voice came from the phone over and over—occasionally off-key, but clearly earnest.
Meanwhile, Ji Zhaoxi stood on the dormitory balcony, hanging up the clothes she had just washed.
Moonlight washed over the balcony. A gentle breeze drifted past, carrying the faint scent of laundry detergent through the air.
Humming a song, Ji Zhaoxi hung up the last piece of clothing.
“Why didn’t everyone compliment me?” she suddenly realized.
Usually, everyone praised her, but hardly anyone had complimented her singing today.
Did no one like listening to her?
Ji Zhaoxi suddenly began to doubt herself a little.
With the holiday break approaching, the students in the lab were getting busier and busier. They were also working harder, hoping their supervisor wouldn’t cut into their vacation.
When their supervisor arrived, he was particularly surprised.
“Huh? Why is everyone getting into the groove so quickly today?”
“Junior, when you adjust it next time…” Her senior stood beside Ji Zhaoxi, guiding her through the process step by step. Ji Zhaoxi listened attentively.
The supervisor nodded in satisfaction.
This was what he liked about Ji Zhaoxi. She was always willing to ask questions.
As soon as it was time for a break, the students in the lab began subtly hinting at their supervisor.
“I haven’t seen my parents in ages. I absolutely have to spend some quality time with them during this vacation,” one of the senior students suddenly said.
Their supervisor drank his tea, pretending not to hear.
Ji Zhaoxi immediately followed suit. She cleared her throat. “I miss my parents too. I also want to see my grandma and grandpa. The old folks must be missing me.”
The senior student looked expectantly at the female senior. She was silent for a moment.
Did she have to say something too?
Seeing the expectant looks from everyone else, she gritted her teeth. “I miss my parents too.”
Their supervisor remained silent. No one knew whether he had heard them or not. He simply continued drinking his tea.
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from the back of the laboratory, the sound spreading to every corner of the room.
“Does everyone want to hear me sing? Last time was an accident. I promise I’ll do better this time.”
Before long, a song came from somewhere in the lab. The singing was still a little off-key, but anyone could tell she was giving it her all.
Lu Huainan froze. He scrambled back to where he had been sitting, his face flushing bright red as he hurriedly muted his phone.
“Sorry. I don’t know why my phone suddenly rang.”
The laboratory immediately fell silent. The others secretly glanced at Ji Zhaoxi—it was obvious whose voice had just come through.
Ji Zhaoxi’s face burned with anger. Was Lu Huainan a pervert or something?!
Lu Huainan met Ji Zhaoxi’s gaze and was just about to apologize when she immediately turned her head away.
The others watched the expressions on their faces. Even the advisor said nothing, his gaze shifting back and forth between them.
Clutching his phone tightly, Lu Huainan stared helplessly at Ji Zhaoxi’s back. He really hadn’t meant to do it. If he sent her a bunch of Carnivals, would she forgive him?
The senior fellow beside him muttered to someone, “Last time, Junior Brother even said he didn’t watch livestreams—that they were mindless nonsense.”
He said that, but who knew? Maybe Lu Huainan secretly sent his junior sister gifts just to get her attention.
