Troublesome – Chapter 54

Saozi

Okay, saozi.

“Am I also welcome at your place?”

In a casual, chatty tone, Jin Shuilan softly tossed out a question. Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips and looked at Jin Shuilan. She saw her with her head down, eating, the whorl on the crown of her head not very distinct. Jin Shuilan had a lot of hair, and its texture was on the coarser side. She still remembered Jin Shuilan once saying that she had gotten big waves, but her hair had returned to being straight within a few days. Right now, her beautiful hair was coiled up, casually secured with a ballpoint pen behind her ear. Wispy bangs hung beside her earlobe, partially obscuring her side profile.

With her, was Jin Shuilan also welcome?

If it were a few days ago, Lu Zhenqiu would have said without hesitation, yes, very welcome. Even now, she still believed that getting to know Jin Shuilan was a very fortunate thing in her life.

But she had placed Jin Shuilan in the position of a friend and had not considered anything else. Lu Zhenqiu held her breath. Jin Shuilan raised her eyes, and their gazes met. Jin Shuilan smiled faintly, “Why so serious? Could it be that you hate me?”

Lu Zhenqiu shook her head: “No.”

This time, the answer was very quick. Jin Shuilan was satisfied with this answer, her expression becoming a bit more cheerful. She didn’t dwell on the previous question and said, “Hurry up and eat, the food is getting cold.”

Lu Zhenqiu hummed in agreement and lowered her head to eat, occasionally lifting her cup to sip some warm water. After Jin Shuilan finished eating, she leaned against Maomao and played a game for a while. When Lu Zhenqiu heard the game’s startup sound effect, she relaxed. Jin Shuilan asked her, “When are you free to play together next time? Bai Mao said she wants to play a couple of rounds with you.”

Teacher Bai? Lu Zhenqiu thought for a moment and said, “When I have time.”

Jin Shuilan nodded: “Alright.”

Listening to the game’s sound effects, Lu Zhenqiu finished her dinner. She also helped Jin Shuilan clean up the meal container. Jin Shuilan was sitting on the sofa holding Maomao, one person and one dog watching the screen intently. As Lu Zhenqiu was about to return to her room, she thought of calling Maomao, but then she saw Jin Shuilan turn her head and say something to Maomao, and Maomao licked Jin Shuilan’s cheek. The atmosphere was very pleasant. If she called Maomao at this moment, she would be suspected of being a ‘bad guy’. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t make a sound and went into her room.

She gently closed the door. Jin Shuilan watched her departing back, then lowered her head to play her game, one hand still stroking Maomao by her side.

Lu Zhenqiu didn’t come out until she finished streaming. It was a while after ten o’clock when she exited the stream room. The avatar of the small group chat was flashing. She clicked on it and saw that Hua Luo had sent several messages in a row.

Hua Luo: 【I regret it, I super regret it, why did I let Teacher Bai start a new novel now!】

Hua Luo: 【This Yu Wen is really a lingering ghost, does she know Teacher Bai doesn’t usually promote her work, so she’s latching onto her to suck her blood?】

Lu Zhenqiu frowned and replied with a question mark in the group. Xiao Yu sighed: 【Finished streaming?】

Lu Zhenqiu: 【What’s wrong with her?】

Xiao Yu: 【Don’t even mention it. Didn’t Teacher Bai start a new novel, with the same theme as Yu Wen? Now, whenever Teacher Bai is mentioned, Yu Wen is sure to follow, it’s become a search term reaction.】

Lu Zhenqiu: 【Why is Yu Wen following Teacher Bai?】

Hua Luo: 【Because many people search for Teacher Bai’s works, creating a search term reaction, the next result is Yu Wen. Qiuqiu, you don’t know, many of those who search for Teacher Bai’s new work are investors, and also some publishers. They look at the popularity of similar recent works for comparison, so Yu Wen can easily become famous by following along.】

Xiao Yu: 【A classic case of bundle marketing. This tactic is too dirty. If I’m not mistaken, they’ll wait until Teacher Bai’s new work receives the most attention, then step back on her to promote Yu Wen. Yu Wen just needs to play the victim to her readers, and she can climb up by stepping on Teacher Bai. At that time, the one receiving the most attention in the same genre will be Yu Wen, and she won’t have to worry about not having popularity or being unable to sell the copyright.】

Hua Luo: 【What the fuck! She dares! If she touches Teacher Bai, I’ll fight her to the death!】

She was extremely angry, and also a bit apologetic, because she had, on a whim, pulled Bai Mao into starting a new novel. If it weren’t for her, Bai Mao wouldn’t have fallen into such a situation. Hua Luo was so anxious her eyes were red-rimmed, and she had even bitten her lip until it broke.

Lu Zhenqiu knew her impetuous nature and comforted her: 【Don’t be anxious yet. Does Teacher Bai know about this?】

Hua Luo felt too guilty today to have the nerve to contact Bai Mao. She typed: 【I don’t know either.】

Xiao Yu: 【First, ask what Teacher Bai thinks. Yu Wen clearly came prepared. Qiuqiu and I are not in the author circle, so our experience is definitely not as much as Teacher Bai’s. You should ask her first.】

Hua Luo frowned, also thinking it made sense. With the attitude of lying flat and accepting a scolding, she messaged Bai Mao.

Bai Mao was sitting in front of her computer looking at the search terms, chatting in a small group. In the small group, they were teasing her: 【Yo, someone’s taken the initiative to stick to you.】

【I heard Yu Wen’s family is quite rich. Bai Mao, you should just give in. Don’t forget us when you’re rich and noble!¹】

Bai Mao replied irritably: 【I’ll leave the opportunity to you all.】

【No way, sister, I get dizzy around money.】

What a sand-sculpture² reason.

Bai Mao laughed, not taking these things to heart at all. The group was chatting happily. Someone lamented: 【Just look, what kind of luck do you and Teacher Jin have? One was recently pushed out of her old company by Tang Yingxia, and the other is now being framed by Yu Wen. Should you two go out and pray next year?】

It really was an unlucky year.

She hadn’t started a new novel in two or three years, and the moment she did, she was faced with this situation. This was something Bai Mao hadn’t expected. She hadn’t messaged Jin Shuilan yet when she saw the message from Hua Luo.

Hua Luo: 【Teacher Bai, there’s something I want to tell you. Please don’t be angry first.】

Such a cautious attitude. Bai Mao could almost hear Hua Luo’s voice in her ear. She sent: 【What is it?】

Hua Luo gripped her phone, her eyes red with anger, and her typing speed increased: 【It’s about your new novel. Have you seen the search terms?】

Bai Mao: 【What’s wrong?】

Hua Luo stared blankly at these three words, not knowing if Bai Mao knew or not. Before she could figure it out, Bai Mao sent a voice message over: “Are you talking about the Yu Wen matter?”

The voice, processed by the phone, was exceptionally clear. Hua Luo also switched to sending a voice message: “Yes, I just saw it. I’m sorry, it was me who asked you to start the novel early.”

Her voice was slightly hoarse, and tinged with a hint of a sob from her anger, though it wasn’t very obvious. Bai Mao heard it and said, “It’s fine.”

After a few seconds, she sent another message: “But it is quite annoying.”

Hearing her goddess say this, Hua Luo was so annoyed she wanted to beat herself to death. She asked Bai Mao, “Then does Teacher Bai have a solution? Or should I go ask Teacher Jin?”

Ask Jin Shuilan?

Asking Jin Shuilan about such a small matter, wouldn’t I be mocked to death by her in the future?

Bai Mao said without even thinking, “No need, I’ll handle it.”

After she finished speaking, she replayed Hua Luo’s voice message and asked another question: “But I’ll need your help, is that okay?”

Hua Luo was puzzled: “Me?”

Bai Mao smiled: “Yes, you. Aren’t we also writing in the same genre?”

Hua Luo nodded: “Okay, as long as it’s something I can help with, I would not shrink from death ten thousand times!”

It’s not necessary to be so serious.

Bai Mao was thoroughly amused by Hua Luo. She sat in front of her computer, her eyes curving into a smile, and was in such a good mood that she didn’t even mind the teasing message Jin Shuilan had sent.

After Hua Luo learned of her plan, she was both apprehensive and excited. Unable to hold it in, she shared with Lu Zhenqiu and Xiao Yu: 【It’s fine now.】

Xiao Yu: 【???】

Lu Zhenqiu: 【It’s resolved?】

Hua Luo: 【Yes, Teacher Bai just told me the solution. As expected of my goddess, she’s so smart!】

Lu Zhenqiu was silent for a few seconds.

This impetuous nature of Hua Luo’s was the same as always, coming and going quickly. But as long as it could be resolved, it was good. Lu Zhenqiu felt relieved. She pushed open her door and saw Jin Shuilan still playing a game outside.

It’s been all evening, is she still playing games? Lu Zhenqiu walked over holding a cup. Maomao wagged its tail and squeezed up beside her. Jin Shuilan looked up: “Finished streaming?”

“Yes.” Lu Zhenqiu sipped some warm water and asked her, “Teacher Jin, are you still playing games?”

“My cousin.” Jin Shuilan explained: “She saw I was online just now this evening and pulled me into playing with her.”

Lu Zhenqiu hummed in agreement and nodded.

Jin Shuilan added, “When we were little, our two families lived together, and I looked after her for a while.”

Lu Zhenqiu smiled, “Then she must be very clingy with you.”

Jin Shuilan nodded: “She’s alright.”

She glanced sideways: “You don’t have anything to do for a moment, right?”

Lu Zhenqiu met her eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I want to go to the restroom, can you help me play for a bit?”

Lu Zhenqiu replied without thinking: “Sure.”

Afterward, when she took the phone, she remembered that Jin Shuilan liked to play jungler, which she wasn’t very good at. Jin Shuilan had already stood up. Lu Zhenqiu looked at the screen; thankfully, she was playing support.

A soft support, a healer.

The marksman was a little braised egg³ that needed protection, both squishy and reckless, very headstrong. The moment it saw the opposing marksman leave their tower, it rushed forward. Lu Zhenqiu followed closely behind, activating interference and healing for it. Seeing she was out of mana, she prepared to return to the fountain, but before she could send a signal, the marksman was taken out by the enemy assassin.

The marksman lay pitifully at the healer’s feet. Lu Zhenqiu felt a little embarrassed. She pressed the recall button. A voice came from the voice chat: “Sis, why aren’t you on mic?”

The voice was very young, like a high school student’s. After Lu Zhenqiu recalled, the person was still talking: “My mom said she’s going to your place for dinner in a while. I want to go too, but I can’t. I’m so mad!”

Lu Zhenqiu typed: 【Not the person themselves.】

As this sentence was sent, Jin Shuilan’s cousin chattered on: “Oh right, a couple of days ago my mom said she was going to introduce you to someone, but Eldest Aunt said you already have someone. When did you start dating?”

Lu Zhenqiu’s hand froze. The healer on the screen stood still. Only after the little girl finished speaking did she see the “Not the person themselves.” message next to her. She was stunned. Not the person themselves? But she was just chatting with her last round? She swiped the screen and saw the time at the top: almost ten-thirty. At this time, at her sister’s house, and not the person themselves…

The little girl silently turned off her voice chat and began to recall if she had said anything impolite just now.

With the voice chat gone, Lu Zhenqiu continued to play the game. After a while, there was a sound from the restroom. The door opened, and she looked over to see Jin Shuilan standing in the doorway.

Jin Shuilan casually fiddled with her bangs, pulled out the ballpoint pen, and her beautiful hair cascaded down, thick and dense. She gathered her hair, her side profile clear and distinct under the light. Her eyelashes were naturally curled. Perhaps due to the lighting, her skin looked even more cool-toned and fair, and even more beautiful.

Lu Zhenqiu looked for a few extra seconds. Jin Shuilan walked to her side and asked, “This round isn’t over yet?”

A faint, cool and clear fragrance wafted over. Lu Zhenqiu came back to her senses: “Not yet.”

Jin Shuilan tilted her head and, in the same position as Lu Zhenqiu holding the phone, tapped out a signal: 【Push fast.】

Someone nearby replied: 【Okay, saozi.⁴】

Lu Zhenqiu’s breath caught. She immediately looked at Jin Shuilan. Before she could even open her mouth to explain, a blush had already visibly crept up her cheeks.

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The author has something to say:

Thirty red envelopes, memeda.

Lu Zhenqiu: I can explain.

Jin Shuilan: It’s better not to explain.

Lu Zhenqiu: …

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