Troublesome – Chapter 18

by Little Panda

Bed Scene

You have a very versatile voice.

After dinner, Lu Zhenqiu started her livestream as usual. Seeing that she was busy, Jin Shuilan offered to take Maomao downstairs for a walk. Lu Zhenqiu was incredibly grateful. “Thank you, Teacher Jin! I’ll make you something delicious tomorrow!”

Her tone and attitude were finally less polite and distant. Jin Shuilan smiled and nodded. “Alright.”

After she spoke, she took Maomao downstairs. Maomao squatted obediently by her leg and didn’t bark or run around in the elevator; it was clearly very well-behaved. In the elevator, they happened to run into another resident from their floor. Recognizing Jin Shuilan, she smiled and greeted her, “Miss Jin, you got a dog?”

Jin Shuilan stroked Maomao’s head and said, “It’s a friend’s dog.”

Seeing how well-behaved Maomao was, the resident couldn’t help but ask, “Can I pet him?”

Jin Shuilan crouched down to meet Maomao’s eyes and said, “You can.”

The resident petted Maomao. His fur was soft, and his expression was docile. He just sat on the floor, panting with his mouth open, not at all scary. In fact, he seemed a bit simple and good-natured. She couldn’t help but praise him, “This dog is so beautiful and smart. Your friend is great at taking care of dogs.”

Although the praise wasn’t directed at her, Jin Shuilan still smiled. “She really is.”

The elevator reached the first floor. Jin Shuilan led Maomao out and strolled twice around the stone path near the residential complex. She had Lu Zhenqiu’s livestream playing on her phone. Someone had requested a game, so Lu Zhenqiu was currently playing with Xiao Yu. She was playing support while Xiao Yu was the marksman. Their coordination was excellent. Jin Shuilan knew that Lu Zhenqiu was a good AD carry, basically capable of carrying the whole team, but she hadn’t expected her to be such a strong support as well—warding, checking bushes, she was very skilled.

She was so engrossed in watching that she stopped walking for a moment. Maomao nudged her feet before sitting down and looking up at her. When Jin Shuilan turned her head, she met Maomao’s shining eyes. She led him to a nearby wooden bench, let him climb up, and had him lie on her lap while she focused on her phone screen. Hearing Lu Zhenqiu’s voice, Maomao let out two barks, as if trying to get the attention of the Lu Zhenqiu on the phone. Jin Shuilan was amused by this and rubbed his big ears.

Maomao quieted down, lying on her lap and watching Lu Zhenqiu’s stream with her.

A strong support and a strong marksman—the outcome was basically guaranteed. While the top lane was still skirmishing back and forth, the bottom lane had already destroyed two towers. Xiao Yu said with a grin, “Qiuqiu, you should switch to streaming games. Be my dedicated support.”

Lu Zhenqiu refused flatly, “No way.”

Compared to gaming, she still preferred singing.

The bullet comments scrolled by quickly, all saying that Lu Zhenqiu’s singing was too good to be wasted in the gaming section. Jin Shuilan glanced at the follower count in the stream room. It had just broken seventy thousand, with more than half of them drawn in during the PK battle. If Lu Zhenqiu were willing to keep doing PKs, she could have broken one hundred thousand long ago. But there was plenty of time; she wasn’t in a hurry.

Just as Lu Zhenqiu won the game, Jin Shuilan casually sent another six Love Warships. The purple special effects bloomed across the screen, making Lu Zhenqiu’s stunned expression exceptionally clear.

“Thank you, 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】, for the Love Warships. Thank you, Boss…”

Lu Zhenqiu recited the thank you with a dry laugh. Her small group chat started dinging. Hua Luo tagged her: 【Is it this Boss? @Zhenqiu】

Xiao Yu: 【Yeah, it is. What, you wanna go for her? @Hua Luo】

Hua Luo: 【If she was into me, I wouldn’t mind! If I were Qiuqiu, I’d just submit!】

Xiao Yu: 【If it were you, you’d probably have already washed up and be waiting for her to get on!】

Hua Luo: 【That’s not out of the question. But isn’t this Boss a pillow princess¹? Does she not know that Qiuqiu is also a pillow princess?!】

Zhenqiu: 【You’re the pillow princess.】

Hua Luo: 【Oh! What? You want to be the top for the Boss?】

This was getting more and more ridiculous.

Lu Zhenqiu was left speechless in front of her screen. She closed the group chat and stared at her computer, having already used up her entire repertoire of thank-you phrases. She suddenly didn’t know what to say, so she could only ask lamely, “Is there a song the Boss would like to hear? You don’t have to use the song request feature; I’ll sing it for you.”

The bullet comments were flying: 【Special privilege, special privilege! Qiuqiu’s special privilege is here!】

On Sanshui, you usually had to spend Fish Coins to request a song. It was rare for a streamer to let a Boss request a song for free. Lu Zhenqiu smiled at the screen. It wasn’t that she was giving special privileges; it was that the Boss had simply given too much…

Tang Yingxia was also watching the screen. Hearing Lu Zhenqiu mention that name again filled her with rage. Not long after she had started her PK with this Boss, the Boss had disappeared. She had only stopped sending warships after seeing that the Boss had left. She had originally planned to have a good talk with Lu Zhenqiu after her stream ended today, but she never expected this person to show up again.

She had just asked Lu Yan to look into who this Boss was. Lu Yan also found it strange; she had never heard of such a person on Sanshui before. How did she suddenly appear out of nowhere? Since Tang Yingxia had asked, she decided to investigate.

Hearing Lu Zhenqiu call her “Boss,” combined with the “special privilege” comments in the chat, Tang Yingxia couldn’t resist sending Lu Zhenqiu a message: 【What time do you finish?】

She had spent a considerable amount in Lu Zhenqiu’s stream room, so of course, she couldn’t be easily blocked. Seeing Tang Yingxia’s message gave Lu Zhenqiu a headache. She never knew before that Tang Yingxia had such potential for pestering.

Her friends all said she had a good personality—gentle and magnanimous. That was why, on many occasions when Xiao Yu and Hua Luo were so angry they were cursing up a storm, she could still maintain a final shred of rationality. For example, with her breakup with Tang Yingxia, she believed she had handled it with the utmost grace. But clearly, Tang Yingxia didn’t see it that way.

Tang Yingxia took her grace as an excuse to be unreasonable.

Lu Zhenqiu was not happy. She pursed her lips, typing a reply while singing: 【Eleven.】

Tang Yingxia: 【Add me on WeChat. I have something to say to you.】

Lu Zhenqiu: 【What is it?】

Tang Yingxia: 【Qiuqiu, we were together for two years. We made it through such a long distance, so why break up now? If you really mind my relationship with Yu Wen, fine, I’ll just drop all those copyrights. I’ll go public right now, okay?】

For the first time, Lu Zhenqiu was completely unfazed by the name “Yu Wen” sent by Tang Yingxia. In fact, Tang Yingxia’s words made her want to laugh in anger.

She typed: 【Tang Yingxia, I want to ask you a question. If you go public, how will you introduce me? As a girlfriend you just met? Or as someone you’ve been with for two years?】

Tang Yingxia’s end went silent for a few seconds before she asked: 【Does that matter? Isn’t the important thing that we’re together?】

Reading that line, Lu Zhenqiu felt an unexpected sting in her nose. She didn’t know if it was out of grievance for her past self or because she had truly been hurt one too many times. She blinked and said to her screen, “One moment, I’m going to get a glass of water.”

After leaving her computer, Lu Zhenqiu sat quietly for a few seconds, then got up and opened her bedroom door. Jin Shuilan had just returned and came face-to-face with her. Lu Zhenqiu quickly adjusted her expression and smiled. “Teacher Jin.”

Jin Shuilan caught a glimpse of the redness in the corner of her eye. Lu Zhenqiu’s skin was fair, so the redness was very noticeable. Her eyes shimmered with a kind of stubborn fragility. Jin Shuilan shook her head, brushing away the stray thought. “Not done yet?”

Lu Zhenqiu smiled. “Still a little while. Teacher Jin, you can close the study door while you work. I’ll keep my voice down.”

“It’s fine,” Jin Shuilan said. “I’m not working tonight.”

Lu Zhenqiu nodded. Seeing the cup in her hand, Jin Shuilan asked, “Getting water?”

“Mhm.” As Lu Zhenqiu spoke, Maomao trotted over. She rubbed Maomao’s head. Jin Shuilan took the cup from her hand, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to her. Lu Zhenqiu bit her lip. “Thank you, Teacher Jin.”

“Don’t be so polite. Go on with your stream. I have something to talk to you about when you’re done.”

She has something to talk to me about?

Her words made Lu Zhenqiu a little anxious. What is it? Did the voice audition I sent to Ji Zibo not pass? Was it inconvenient for her to tell me directly, so she asked Jin Shuilan to relay the message? Or is it something else? Have I caused some trouble for Jin Shuilan while staying here these past few days?

She kept thinking about these things, which managed to dilute the emotions brought on by Tang Yingxia. When the stream ended, she said “see you tomorrow” to her fans, shut down her computer, and went out with Maomao.

If I really did something wrong, Maomao is so cute, I hope Jin Shuilan won’t be angry, for Maomao’s sake.

Jin Shuilan was unaware of her thoughts. She was sitting on the sofa chatting with Ji Zibo about hiring Lu Zhenqiu for the voice acting role, as well as the subsequent promotional plans. Just as they finished, Lu Zhenqiu came out of her room and sat opposite her with Maomao. “Teacher Jin.”

Maomao sat between the two of them, looking from Lu Zhenqiu to Jin Shuilan and back again, appearing endearingly simple-minded. Jin Shuilan asked, “I wanted to see you about the voice acting. Has Zibo contacted you?”

So it really is about that. Did I not pass?

Lu Zhenqiu’s heart began to pound. She shook her head. “Teacher Ji hasn’t contacted me yet.”

Jin Shuilan said, “I see. Then I’ll tell you in advance. Your audition passed.”

Lu Zhenqiu froze. “Huh?”

Jin Shuilan met her sparkling eyes and smiled. “Your audition passed. Are you interested in joining the production team?”

The heavy weight in Lu Zhenqiu’s heart lifted, and her expression relaxed. She nodded. “Yes, I’m interested.”

Seeing her smile, Jin Shuilan’s lips curved up as well.

Lu Zhenqiu said gratefully, “Thank you, Teacher Jin.”

Jin Shuilan said, “It’s because you have the skill. No need to thank me.”

Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips. “I still have to thank you. Without Teacher Jin, I wouldn’t have had such a great opportunity.” She looked around and asked, “Teacher Jin, are you hungry? Shall I make you a late-night snack?”

Jin Shuilan didn’t mind either way. Her mealtimes were irregular anyway, and eating late at night was common for her. Seeing Lu Zhenqiu in such high spirits, she nodded. “Sure.”

Lu Zhenqiu stood up happily, planning to make two simple bowls of Yangchun noodles². Jin Shuilan said, “Don’t go to the trouble. How about instant noodles?”

She pulled open a cabinet. Lu Zhenqiu peeked inside and saw that it was filled with instant noodles of all kinds, including foreign brands. Jin Shuilan asked, “Which one do you want?”

Lu Zhenqiu randomly pointed to one. “That one is fine.”

The two of them sat at the kitchen island with two bowls of instant noodles. After pouring in hot water, while waiting for the noodles to cook, Lu Zhenqiu asked curiously, “Teacher Jin, do you usually just eat instant noodles?”

Jin Shuilan said, “And takeout.”

Lu Zhenqiu nodded and said, “Well, next time, just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you.”

Jin Shuilan looked up at her. “You know how to cook a lot of dishes?”

Lu Zhenqiu said, “I can make most home-style dishes.”

Jin Shuilan: “Did you start learning to cook after you graduated?”

Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head. “I learned when I was very young.”

The light from the kitchen island diffused around Lu Zhenqiu, forming a soft halo. Jin Shuilan asked, “What about your parents?”

Lu Zhenqiu hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up at Jin Shuilan and said, “My parents divorced not long after I was born. I lived with my mom afterward. My mom’s work was quite busy, so I learned a little from a young age.”

She spoke of these things in a very calm tone, but Jin Shuilan’s heart ached listening to her, as if it were being squeezed tightly by a hand, making her breath catch. She nodded. “Once you’re settled, you can have your mother come live with you.”

Lu Zhenqiu smiled and said, “She’s already remarried.”

Jin Shuilan turned her head. Lu Zhenqiu’s expression was gentle, her pupils reflecting the light from the crystal lamp in a beautiful hue. She lowered her eyes slightly, a faint sense of warmth surrounding her. Jin Shuilan hummed in acknowledgment and said, “The noodles are ready. Let’s eat.”

Lu Zhenqiu lifted the lid. The aroma was indeed very fragrant. As she ate, she fiddled with her phone, sending a message to the Boss. Jin Shuilan, sitting opposite her, accidentally glanced at the familiar profile picture and choked on her soup. She took a sip of warm water and said, “Who are you messaging so late at night?”

“That Boss,” Lu Zhenqiu said. “The one who sent a lot of gifts today. I won’t get my share of the gift money until the end of the month. I want to return some of it to her.”

“Don’t,” Jin Shuilan said. Lu Zhenqiu looked up. Jin Shuilan cleared her throat and explained, “You know the platform prohibits private financial transactions between streamers and bosses.”

There was indeed such a rule.

Lu Zhenqiu said, “But I’m returning money…”

“That’s not allowed either,” Jin Shuilan said. “That Boss sent so many gifts, she’s obviously not short on cash. If you return it, what if she gets upset and reports you to the admins? Even if she doesn’t report you, what if someone else finds out and reports you?”

That was also true.

Lu Zhenqiu retracted the message she had just sent.

Jin Shuilan continued, “If you ask me, just accept it for now. It’s not like you stole it or robbed anyone, so what’s there to be afraid of? If a real problem comes up, you can deal with it then.”

Lu Zhenqiu was somewhat convinced by her argument. She nodded. “Then I’ll talk to the Boss about it tomorrow.”

Jin Shuilan lowered her head and continued eating her noodles. Lu Zhenqiu had already finished. Maomao was lying at their feet. As Lu Zhenqiu got up to throw away the trash, Maomao’s tail wagged back and forth, knocking a red folder off the coffee table. Lu Zhenqiu picked it up, and Jin Shuilan’s voice came from behind her. “That folder is for you.”

Lu Zhenqiu turned around. “For me?”

Jin Shuilan said, “Mhm. I listened to your audition tape and felt that you have a very versatile voice. Inside is a scene. I want you to record it so I can hear the effect. If it’s good, I’ll have Zibo help recommend you to other production teams.”

Lu Zhenqiu understood. She asked, “So should I record it and send it directly to Teacher Ji?”

“No need,” Jin Shuilan blurted out, then said with a serious expression, “Just send it to me.”

Lu Zhenqiu said, “Okay.”

She said goodnight to Jin Shuilan, and they both returned to their rooms. Lu Zhenqiu curiously opened the folder. When she saw the contents clearly, her face turned completely red.

It was a scene, alright.

But why was it a bed scene?!

The author has something to say:

Thirty red envelopes, muah muah. This will be going VIP tomorrow, thank you everyone for supporting the official version.

A few ramblings before going VIP. This novel will probably lean towards a slice-of-life style. Qiuqiu and Teacher Jin are just like everyone else, without super amazing professions. Compared to my previous character settings, this one should be more grounded in daily life. I don’t know how everyone feels about it, but this turtle³ is having a lot of fun writing it. Regarding the update schedule, I’ve been doing daily or double updates for almost the whole year and really want to rest a bit at the end of the year. So for this book, although I’ll be resting on weekends, I will definitely add extra chapters on other days. After all, our Qiuqiu and Teacher Jin are so cute, so cute I want to write more about them. Finally, I wish everyone happy reading, mua

Footnotes

枕头公主 | zhěntou gōngzhǔ | “Pillow princess.” A slang term for a receptive or bottom partner in a lesbian relationship.
阳春面 | yángchūn miàn | Yangchun noodles, a simple and classic noodle soup from the Shanghai area, typically consisting of noodles in a light broth.
龟龟 | guīguī | The author’s nickname for themself, lit. “turtle.”

JavaScript is Blocked

Troublesome – Chapter 18

Footnotes

1 Comment