Troublesome – Chapter 14

Keep It Steady

How the hell am I supposed to keep it steady? 【Bullet Comments Included】

The sunlight was bright, refracting through the window into the room. A few rays landed on Lu Zhenqiu’s shoulder. She wore a light blue knit sweater, the kind that looked exceptionally warm at a glance. Her hair was tied up in a bun, with a few airy bangs hanging before her eyes. The light from her computer monitor illuminated her bangs, dyeing them a beautiful color. Lu Zhenqiu’s eyes were slightly lowered. She had just put on some light makeup; her eyelashes were long, curly, and dense, looking very natural. Jin Shuilan couldn’t tell if Lu Zhenqiu was wearing cosmetic contacts¹, as the color of her irises was slightly different from usual, making her eyes look brighter and more alert. Her skin was fair, and her makeup was so light it was almost unnoticeable. Some fans in the live stream chat were also asking: 【Qiuqiu isn’t wearing makeup?】

【Are there really streamers who go live without makeup these days? I love it, I love it!】

【Qiuqiu’s skin is so good!】

【The streamer’s name is Zhenqiu? It’s quite an elegant name.】

【Welcome to our Qiuqiu’s stream! All you brothers and sisters who like her can follow!】

The long-time fans were hyping up the room, but most of the viewers were users who had jumped over from Lu Yan’s stream. Lu Yan was also quite pretty, but she preferred heavy makeup, a completely opposite style and temperament from Lu Zhenqiu. In her own stream, Lu Yan was saying, “Thank you, Second Brother, for the airplane, mua! Anyone else out there to save Xiao Lu! Xiao Lu is about to lose!”

The PK had just begun, and fans from both streams were hopping back and forth. Lu Zhenqiu’s old fans didn’t know about the past conflict between Lu Yan and Lu Zhenqiu and thought it was just a random pairing. On a new platform, a veteran streamer with over a million fans like Lu Yan seemed like a good person. They threw some gifts to both sides and even thanked Lu Yan.

Lu Yan was inwardly ecstatic.

In truth, she didn’t have much of an opinion on Lu Zhenqiu herself. It was just, who asked her to be Xiao Yu’s friend? Thinking of Xiao Yu, Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed. She looked at Lu Zhenqiu on the screen and said, “So, what should we do for these ten minutes?”

The PK lasted for ten minutes, during which they would decide on an activity like singing, dancing, or something else. Since Lu Zhenqiu was new to this platform and not very familiar with it, she said, “Anything is fine.”

“Is that so,” Lu Yan’s mind stirred. “How about deep squats, then?”

Ten minutes of deep squats was quite a challenge. Lu Yan was in a great mood as she watched the PK ranking, seeing that she was already completely crushing Lu Zhenqiu. Lu Zhenqiu’s fans were also sending gifts. When they heard Lu Yan suggest deep squats, they sent worried comments: 【Qiuqiu just got over a cold, can she handle the squats?】

【Sisters! It’s a PK! Let’s get the gifts rolling!】

Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay.”

Just as she finished speaking, her screen flashed, and a large, purple ship drifted past. This wasn’t Lu Zhenqiu’s first time on the Sanshui Platform; she had spent a long time in Xiao Yu’s stream, so she knew the prices of the various gifts. When she saw the purple ship float across her screen, Lu Zhenqiu froze.

Her fans froze too.

【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 sent 【Zhenqiu】 a Love Warship.

【F#CK!!!!!!!】

【Where did this rich woman come from?】

【Two thousand for one! A normal warship is five hundred, a Love Warship is two thousand! Rich woman, please take me in!】

As soon as this warship was sent, the PK ranking instantly flipped. Lu Zhenqiu was now slightly ahead of Lu Yan. Lu Yan’s eyes turned red with anger, but she kept a smile on her face. “A Love Warship, I’m so envious. Xiao Lu wants one too. Xiao Lu has never even seen a Love Warship before.”

As she spoke, she blinked at the screen, looking pitiful. Her stream had many of her long-time fans who couldn’t bear to see her aggrieved. Besides, her opponent was just a new streamer. How embarrassing would it be if she was beaten!

Her old fans got together and spontaneously started smashing gifts. The PK ranking began to change again. Lu Zhenqiu’s stream was still focused on the rich fan, guessing which of her old fans had a new account. But when they clicked on the profile, they discovered it had been registered several years ago, so it wasn’t a new account.

【@Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu, sister, are you a new fan?】

【@Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu, sister, you’re awesome! We can’t lose either! Let’s go, go, go!】

Lu Zhenqiu’s fanbase wasn’t very large, and the gifts she received were few. Just as she was about to be overtaken by Lu Yan’s gift ranking, her screen was once again covered in a layer of purple.

【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 sent 【Zhenqiu】 a Love Warship.

【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 sent 【Zhenqiu】 a Love Warship X2.

【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 sent 【Zhenqiu】 a Love Warship X3.

…

【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 sent 【Zhenqiu】 a Love Warship X10.

The Love Warship was the most expensive gift on the streaming platform, and it was rarely sent. Because of this, it had special effects and was displayed at the very top of the platform’s page. Most importantly, after a Love Warship was sent, for one minute, viewers in the stream could claim a small free gift from Sanshui. This small gift could be used for voting in PKs and for prize draws, so no one ever missed the chance to claim it for free. After five warships, the popularity of Lu Zhenqiu’s stream instantly shot up by over three hundred thousand, and more and more viewers began to pour in.

【Wow! A new streamer! She’s so pretty!】

【What’s the story with this streamer? Ten Love Warships? Rich woman, hold me!】

Why was everyone calling her a rich woman? Because the account’s profile showed that it was female.

Lu Yan was fuming. She frowned, staring in disbelief at the notifications flashing across her screen. Normally, if she acted cute and coquettish, she could also get a few Love Warships. On her birthday, her gift earnings had topped a million, so her fans were definitely not lacking in money. But that was the result of several years of accumulation. Lu Zhenqiu had just arrived today, and she was trying to crush her?

She gritted her teeth and said with a sweet smile, “What beautiful warships… I want one…”

After speaking, she got up, walked over to her chair, and pulled it away. She had been the one to suggest squats during the PK. If she didn’t follow through, and some troublemaker reported her to an admin, she would be fined.

Lu Yan began to do squats with an aggrieved expression, all the while cursing herself for being an idiot. Of all things, why did she have to suggest squats? Her face flushed with anger. Her fans thought she was just flushed from the exercise. Hearing her soft, coquettish complaints and seeing the situation on the other side, they immediately started to fight back.

After her screen was covered in a layer of purple, Lu Zhenqiu sent a message to Xiao Yu: 【What are you doing?】

Xiao Yu didn’t reply.

Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips. Seeing that account send another Love Warship, she couldn’t help but spam Xiao Yu with several more messages. A few seconds later, the reply came: ??? What’s wrong what’s wrong??? Are you losing? My mom just called, I just hung up!

Huh? So, this account isn’t Xiao Yu’s?

Lu Zhenqiu sent a screenshot of the ID to Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu: 【F#ck, where did you find this rich woman?】

Lu Zhenqiu: …

She had thought it was Xiao Yu, worried she would lose the PK to Lu Yan, who had sent the gifts. So it wasn’t? Then who was it? It was rare for any of Lu Zhenqiu’s fans to splurge on gifts like this. She was a little bewildered.

The stream’s popularity climbed again, breaking five hundred thousand.

Lu Zhenqiu received a flood of private messages, including one from a platform administrator: 【Qiuqiu, you can give 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 a moderator position.】

There were two types of moderators. One type was assigned by the platform, like the one currently chatting with Lu Zhenqiu, responsible for the normal operation of her stream and immediately muting any trolls. The other type could be obtained by spending a certain amount of money—usually, a moderator position cost two thousand. That 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 had just dropped twenty thousand, so she definitely deserved one.

Lu Zhenqiu followed the admin’s advice and clicked on the ID. She still felt that something was a bit off. She gave 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 a moderator’s vest², and the user’s name in the chat immediately changed color.

At that moment, Xiao Yu also entered the stream. As a streamer herself, her entrance effect was different from others. Some Sanshui fans recognized her and greeted her. Xiao Yu posted: 【Here to support my sister. Everyone who likes Qiuqiu, please give her a follow. Our Qiuqiu is beautiful, kind-hearted, and has a sweet voice. You’re welcome to come listen to her sing anytime.】

After that, she sent a few warships.

The fans became more active.

【So she’s Xiao Yu’s friend.】

【What a pretty new streamer, followed.】

【A friend of Xiao Yu is a friend of mine.】

【I’ll just go ahead and call her wife!】

【Susu susu】has been muted by the moderator for three days.

The stream stuttered for three seconds, followed by a string of question marks.

【????】

【????? Why the mute?】

Lu Zhenqiu was also a bit confused. Why the mute? Just as she was about to send a private message to 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】, she saw 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 post in the chat: 【Sorry, my hand slipped. Muted the wrong person.】

Then, 【Susu susu】 was unmuted.

【Ah, this…】

【I think I get it now.】

【Well damn! This is a wife fan³!】

【Don’t just call her wife anymore, you hear? Be careful the rich woman-jiejie mutes you!】

【Rich woman x New streamer? My good sisters, I’m shipping it!】

Lu Zhenqiu was speechless. Watching the topic in the live chat jump around wildly, after five minutes, the fans’ emotions gradually stabilized. She also began to answer their questions, “My streaming schedule? Usually from 4 PM to 10 PM. Singing? I’ll have to wait a bit. I’ll sing a song for you after the PK ends.”

On the other side of the PK, Lu Yan was panting from the deep squats. At first, she had tried to shout for more gifts while doing them, but in the last two minutes, she could barely catch her breath. Lu Zhenqiu glanced at the time. There were two minutes left. She knew that, generally, they could stop with two minutes left in a PK, but this time she pretended not to see. She continued to smile and reply to her fans’ questions. In her own stream, Lu Yan’s breathing was uneven and her face looked terrible. She glanced at the time; she should be able to rest, but since Lu Zhenqiu hadn’t said to stop, she had to keep going until the end.

Lu Zhenqiu was doing it on purpose!

Lu Yan gritted her teeth, counting down the seconds in her head. She only stood up at the very last second of the PK time. Her face was covered in sweat, but she was still smiling. “You all are so mean, you actually stopped giving Xiao Lu gifts. Xiao Lu is about to die from exhaustion.”

After she said that, she used her phone to text Yu Wen: 【Wenwen, save me!】

【Wenwen, I’m in a PK with Lu Zhenqiu and I’m about to lose. Save me.】

The fans in her stream felt sorry for her and sent some more gifts, but it was the afternoon, and the big spenders in Lu Yan’s stream hadn’t logged on yet. So, in the first round, Lu Yan lost.

She put on a ‘willing to bet and accept the loss’ expression. “I didn’t expect newcomers to be so formidable these days. I lost, I lost.”

Lu Zhenqiu’s stream had broken seven hundred thousand in popularity and had already made it onto the new streamer recommendation list. More and more people were coming in. Lu Zhenqiu said, “Maybe I just got lucky today.”

Lu Yan smiled, “So, how does Qiuqiu want to punish me?”

The bullet comments instantly filled with demands for her to dance. Lu Zhenqiu thought for two seconds, then exported an image from her photo album and sent it to Lu Yan. “No need for dancing, you must be tired from all those squats. Just change your background.”

There’s such a good deal?

She’s not taking the opportunity to torture me, just making me change my background? When Lu Yan saw the new background Lu Zhenqiu had sent, she gritted her teeth. On the entire image, only a patch for her face had been cut out, so that when it was on screen, her face would be perfectly exposed. The rest of the background was completely filled with a single sentence.

I am a pig!

Gritting her teeth, she switched to it. Her face emerged from the cutout, complemented by a screen full of “I am a pig.” The fans in her stream were shaking with laughter. Many had already taken screenshots and posted them to the Sanshui forums and submitted them to the Sanshui Stream’s Funniest Moments compilations. Lu Yan had always maintained the persona of a delicate little fairy. Now, seeing her chat fill with comments like: 【Not gonna lie, it’s a pretty good fit.】

You’re the f#cking one that fits with a pig!!

Her body was trembling with rage. After Lu Zhenqiu said, “Well then, goodbye,” Lu Yan immediately said, “Wait!”

Lu Yan glanced at an ID that had just entered the room. She said, “Let’s go for another round, shall we? Let’s make the stakes bigger. Whoever loses has to use this background for the rest of their stream today. How about it?”

Yu Wen was here. Was she still afraid of losing?

The stream’s chat was rubbing their hands in anticipation: 【This is interesting! Go big!】

【Quick, quick, call for backup⁴, call for backup!】

Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips. She didn’t really want to continue with a second round, but the new fans were extremely excited: 【What are you thinking? Just accept!】

【Accept it! I want to see round two!】

【Streamer, hurry and accept, we’ll send you gifts.】

Lu Zhenqiu lowered her eyes, thinking for a few seconds. She wanted to calm everyone down, but before she could say anything, her stream was filled with a sea of purple. Then, 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 posted: 【Accept.】

Before anyone could react, 【Dream Lover Yi Zhenqiu】 posted again: 【I’m staying in this stream for the rest of the day. For every PK lost, I’ll drop an 8888 red envelope in the stream.】

Lu Zhenqiu was dumbfounded.

How the hell am I supposed to keep it steady?

---

The author has something to say:

Thirty red envelopes, muah~

Lu Zhenqiu: How am I supposed to keep this steady [稳 | wěn]?

Jin Shuilan: Isn’t this a matter of kissing [吻 | wěn] however you want?

Lu Zhenqiu: …

This book features Qiuqiu as a streamer, so some chapters will have bullet comments. I will indicate this in the title. Darlings who don’t like bullet comments can skip them.

---

---