Chapter 123: Zhou Xiaochong

“With respect, dear Sister Shen, Xiaoyan comes at your summons.”

Tianxin Pavilion, back courtyard.

Chen Xiaoyan had just descended the mountain when she received a Thousand Mile Voice Transmission from Shen Qingqing, telling her to stop by Tianxin Pavilion.

What a coincidence, she was planning to go anyway.

“Giggle, you’re still as mischievous as ever, little one.”

Chen Xiaoyan’s gentlemanly bow had Shen Qingqing laughing gracefully.

“Sister Shen, did you call me here for something?”

“I saw you wanted to talk to me in the plaza, but it was too crowded and inconvenient, so I called you here.”

At this, Chen Xiaoyan suddenly had a lot of grievances to air.

“Sister Shen is the best, you always know when I feel wronged.”

Seeing her delicate, pitiful appearance, Shen Qingqing’s heart skipped a beat.

Every time this girl made that face, she’d lose something for sure.

[Chen Xiaoyan’s Tears (Trap)]

[Attack: 0, Defense: 0]

[Activating this card will randomly draw one item from the opponent.]

“You feel wronged? What happened?”

“Sister Shen, why is it that second and third place in the sect competition both get a spirit fruit that adds 200 spiritual energy, but I, the first place, only got a useless title?”

“This isn’t fair.”

Shen Qingqing was speechless and confused as well.

“The top disciple of Tianxiang Sect should be influenced by the sect’s luck; it shouldn’t be useless at all. Xiaoyan, are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure! Last time I went to Jinyang County, didn’t I also get the top disciple title? I checked it then—absolutely no effect at all.”

Hearing this, Shen Qingqing burst out laughing.

“Silly girl, that was a temporary title. This time is an official appointment; of course it’s different.”

“Huh?”

Chen Xiaoyan was a bit dazed.

What?

Temporary titles have no attribute bonuses, only the official ones do?

She hurriedly opened her inventory to check the details of the top disciple title.

Title: [Tianxiang Top Disciple]

Reputation +10,000.

Daily cultivation with Fragrance Intent Art rewards are doubled.

Can assign random sect daily quests to Tianxiang players.

Ten thousand reputation, double spiritual energy gain from daily cultivation—those she could understand, but what was this last part?

Assigning quests to players?

Doesn’t that make me an NPC?

“Sister Shen, I can give daily sect quests to new disciples?”

Shen Qingqing nodded.

“I specifically added that for you. From now on, their daily tasks are in your hands.”

She did it just for her?

Wow, Sister, you’re such a great person.

As if she wasn’t busy enough already, and now this thoughtful extra task.

Uuuh, I’m so touched.

Chen Xiaoyan didn’t look too happy—another burden added to her already busy life.

Anyone would find it hard to be cheerful.

Still, there was one more thing.

“Sister Shen, now that I’m in charge of new disciples’ daily tasks, what will you be doing?”

Is she preparing me for sect affairs in advance, so I’ll be ready for the future?

“I’ll be tending flowers, cultivating, researching peach trees every day—not enough time for much else.”

So, she just doesn’t have the time, so she’s leaving the task distribution to me, and that’s it.

Hearing that—

In that brief instant, Chen Xiaoyan’s heart felt like a mirror dropped to the floor—shattered.

Imagination is rich, reality is harsh.

Enough talk, this poor workhorse has to go cultivate.

Back at her little courtyard, Chen Xiaoyan immediately began cultivating the Fragrance Intent Art.

Two hours later.

She gained twenty spiritual energy.

At this rate, even if she did nothing else, she’d earn six hundred spiritual energy a month.

In five months, she’d be able to advance to the Enlightened Spirit Realm.

And that’s without doing anything else—under normal circumstances, she’d probably break through in two or three months.

She opened her Friend List.

Chongchong’s ID was still gray—not online.

Who knows what she was up to.

***

Heavenly Abundance City, a residential community.

In a pink, girlish bedroom—

A petite girl curled up in bed, wrapped herself into a ball with her blanket.

In the quiet room, the sound of a girl softly sobbing echoed.

“Stupid Xiaoyan, damn Xiaoyan…”

Zhou Xiaochong kept pounding her pillow under the covers.

She treated it completely as if it were someone.

Only after ten minutes, utterly exhausted, did she stop.

Zhou Xiaochong crawled out of the blanket, her bangs damp with sweat and stuck to her forehead, giving her a strange beauty.

Her eyes were red, baby-fat cheeks streaked with tear marks.

She wasn’t angry about what Chen Xiaoyan said—it was old, painful memories that came to mind.

The reactions between the two of them were so similar, as if they’d traveled back to a few months ago.

Afraid of repeating the past, she logged off immediately.

Thinking about it now, she really shouldn’t have.

Sister Xiaoyan was different from those people—she cared about her.

Throwing a tantrum like a child—what if Sister Xiaoyan is mad at me?

Better log in and see.

If I’m not there, what if some vixen steals Sister Xiaoyan away?

Hmph, I have to stick close by to feel at ease.

Zhou Xiaochong put on her helmet, just about to log in.

Her phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.

“Little Bunny, open the door, open the door, if you don’t, I won’t open it…”

A super cute children’s song.

Zhou Xiaochong checked her phone—it was a call from an unknown number.

A stranger?

She hung up immediately.

As a popular internet celebrity, she received countless prank calls daily. If not for missing something important, she would have set all calls to reject long ago.

She locked the screen, lay back down, and tried to enter the game.

But the call came again.

Now she was annoyed.

Into the blacklist with you—let’s see how you call now.

But right after, another unfamiliar number called.

Helpless, Zhou Xiaochong answered to see which jerk it was.

“Hello, who is this?”

Her tone was anything but polite.

“Xiaochong, why didn’t you answer my calls?”

The familiar voice made Zhou Xiaochong freeze, mumbling, “Xiao… Xiaoying?”

“It’s me.”

Lin Xiaoying—one of Zhou Xiaochong’s best friends, also her coworker.

They both worked at a streaming platform: Heavenly Abundance Nation.

“Oh, it’s you. What do you want?”

Zhou Xiaochong forced her trembling voice back to normal.

“Your phone wouldn’t go through. The President asked me to check when you’ll start streaming again.”

“I don’t want to stream right now.”

“Huh? Why not? You know how many fans you’ll lose if you don’t stream for months?”

“Please don’t say such caring things. Anyway, in your eyes I’m just a freak. I’m going to play games now.”

“Goodbye.”

With those last two words, all strength left Zhou Xiaochong and she collapsed on the bed.

Staring at the ceiling, she recalled bits and pieces from before.

Streaming together, teaming up for PKs, traveling together—so many memories.

But all of that was just fleeting smoke now.

After two years together, she thought their feelings were deep—so she confessed.

But fate played a huge joke on her.

Her best friend ended up falling for a male streamer on Heavenly Abundance Nation.

Zhou Xiaochong would never forget that day, after she confessed.

The shock—and disgust—in Lin Xiaoying’s eyes.

That look hurt so much, and made her realize she’d utterly failed.

Since that day, she never streamed again.

Not because she was afraid, but because she was afraid fans would bring up Lin Xiaoying.

Because as the most famous BFF duo in Heavenly Abundance Nation—

Lin Xiaoying also had millions of loyal fans.

Many were both of their fans.

But then, a few days later, there was an internal rumor on Heavenly Abundance Nation—

That Moe God Pet was into girls.

This exploded among Heavenly Abundance’s users.

Half of Moe God Pet’s fans had watched her and Lin Xiaoying together, so they weren’t very opposed.

Instead, they encouraged her to be brave.

But Zhou Xiaochong was too popular in Heavenly Abundance—almost everyone watching streams knew her.

With fame comes jealousy.

Suddenly, half the Heavenly Abundance streaming platform was overrun by hired trolls, all slandering Moe God Pet.

Her fans were numerous, but without her leading them, they were just scattered sand.

Comments like, “Your Pet Master has abandoned you, why are you still loyal,” or “Moe God Pet is a bad influence, should be banned,” and so on.

Zhou Xiaochong only learned about the online storm weeks later.

During this time, after Lin Xiaoying’s rejection, she sank into utter despair.

Go online?

Don’t joke—she barely even ate.

When she finally heard about the online drama, Zhou Xiaochong suspected Lin Xiaoying had betrayed her, stealing her fans to become the King of Tianfu.

That instant, her heart hurt so much she couldn’t breathe.

Two years of friendship—betrayed for a little gain, stabbed in the back.

She didn’t know why she’d fallen for such a woman.

She must’ve been blind back then.

Forget it, no point thinking about it.

What good would it do?

Just more pain.

Better to log in and see Sister Xiaoyan.

The past is the past, people have to move forward.

“Ding dong~ Master, that person messaged again~”

Her phone’s message elf reminded her.

Zhou Xiaochong fumbled for her phone for a long while before she found it.

Unlocking the screen, she checked her messages.

(From unknown number: Xiaochong, you’re still mad at me, aren’t you?)

She snorted coldly at the message.

What, you betrayed me, and I’m not supposed to be mad?

Why hadn’t she noticed how thick-skinned Lin Xiaoying was before?

Before Zhou Xiaochong could put down her phone, another message came in.

(From unknown number: I think we need to talk.)

(Reply to unknown number: Lin Xiaoying, there’s nothing to talk about between us.)

(Unknown number: Xiaochong, why do you think I see you as a freak?)

Zhou Xiaochong didn’t reply.

Lin Xiaoying waited a few minutes, then sent another message.

(Unknown number: Let’s meet up and talk. No matter what happens, I’ll support you. Just to put a period on the past.)

This hit Zhou Xiaochong’s heart like a hammer.

Clearly a betrayer, someone who stabbed her best friend in the back.

How could she say something like that?

(Reply to unknown number: Fine.)

Zhou Xiaochong quietly took off her helmet, got out of bed, opened the curtains, and gazed at the skyscrapers outside.

She didn’t even know how many days it had been since she’d gone outside.

She’d just been dazed at home for months.

Opening her phone, she read Lin Xiaoying’s message again.

Her heart was in turmoil.

Hesitating whether to see her—the sister she once loved most, but who hurt her the most.

(Unknown number: I’m already downstairs.)

Already here?

Zhou Xiaochong froze, walked to the balcony, and looked down.

A blue Maserati was parked outside the complex.

“Beep beep.”

Lin Xiaoying seemed to see her too and honked.

Frightened, Zhou Xiaochong darted back inside.

She was still wearing her Hello Kitty pajamas, and her hair was a mess.

But what surprised her more—

Just a few minutes?

She must have been at the complex gate before she called.

Zhou Xiaochong didn’t think more about it.

Since she’d come, she couldn’t avoid her—otherwise she’d think she was afraid.

So, she went to wash up and put on makeup.

“Eh?”

Looking in the mirror, Zhou Xiaochong let out a surprised sound.

Her face looked different.

By rights, after so long with no care or maintenance, her skin should look terrible.

But the face in the mirror was even more perfect than after her usual streaming makeup.

Pale and rosy, not a single blemish.

“What’s going on?”

Zhou Xiaochong was stunned.

Can you believe it?

After months of no care, her skin was better than ever.

Her bust had even grown several sizes.

What kind of supernatural event is this?

Do I have a second personality that takes care of me when I don’t know it?

Zhou Xiaochong shook her head hard, banishing the ridiculous thought.

She took off her pajamas and went to shower.

She found, to her surprise, that the black mole under her arm had vanished.

She checked carefully in the mirror for a long time but couldn’t find it.

Now Zhou Xiaochong was truly dumbfounded.

Where’s my mole?

That huge black mole—where did it go?

In panic, she checked her face in the mirror, afraid she’d turned into someone else.

Fortunately, though her skin was much fairer, it was still her.

(Unknown number: Xiaochong, stop dawdling, I really need the bathroom.)

(Unknown number: Aaaah! Shorty, are you messing with me on purpose? Leaving me out here is fun for you?)

Zhou Xiaochong never took her phone to the bathroom, so she had no idea Lin Xiaoying was wailing in the messages.

Back in the bathroom.

Zhou Xiaochong was admiring herself in the mirror, examining her figure.

Her face wasn’t just paler—no, her whole body was paler.

Her bust had grown a bit.

And she’d actually grown three centimeters taller from her original 159cm.

Hehe~

Never thought I, Zhou Xiaochong, could escape the 150cm curse.

If anyone calls me shorty again, I’ll beat them up.

Fair skin, mole vanished.

No way this is just from skin care.

If care was this effective, there’d be no ugly people in the world.

As they say, fair skin hides three flaws.

This was more like a novel’s rebirth cleansing.

“Ding dong, ding dong.”

At that moment, the doorbell rang non-stop.

“Who is it?”

Zhou Xiaochong put on her clothes and peered through the peephole—it was Lin Xiaoying.

She was leaning on the door, pressing the bell repeatedly.

“Shorty, open the door, hurry!”

“I can’t hold it, hurry up!”

Lin Xiaoying’s voice was anxious, clearly in distress.

Zhou Xiaochong opened the door to find Lin Xiaoying standing there with her legs clamped, face turning blue, holding onto the doorframe, trembling all over.

Seeing the door open, Lin Xiaoying didn’t care for anything else and shoved Zhou Xiaochong aside.

She rushed into the bathroom like she owned the place.

After the sound of flushing, Lin Xiaoying came out looking utterly relieved.

Seeing the freshly showered Zhou Xiaochong, she was annoyed.

“What’s with you? A two-hour shower? Do you know these two—”

Lin Xiaoying hadn’t finished before she noticed something different about Zhou Xiaochong today.

She stared, covering her mouth in shock, and looked her over again and again.

“When did you get plastic surgery?”

She grabbed Zhou Xiaochong’s hands, inspecting them closely, getting more and more shocked.

“Are we that close? Don’t paw at me.”

Zhou Xiaochong coldly threw off her hands.

“Still mad, huh?”

Lin Xiaoying smiled awkwardly and sat on the sofa.

Seemed like she wasn’t planning to leave.

Zhou Xiaochong sat nearby, face cold.

“Say what you came to say. If it’s about me streaming again, forget it, I’m busy.”

“Busy being a homebody playing games?”

“If I want to.”

Lin Xiaoying looked at her tsundere little face and burst out laughing.

“Haha, you’re as cute as ever, never changed a bit.”

Zhou Xiaochong glared, and growled, “Lin! Xiao! Ying!”

“If you have something to say, spit it out. If not, leave.”

“Alright, let’s talk business.”

Lin Xiaoying’s tone suddenly grew serious, staring at Zhou Xiaochong, “Xiaochong, have you told anyone else about your orientation?”

“What, want to humiliate me again?”

Zhou Xiaochong’s cold smile held deep resentment, making Lin Xiaoying confused.

“What do you mean, humiliate you again? When have I ever humiliated you?”

Zhou Xiaochong shot her a contemptuous look.

Still pretending at this point?

“Heh, some things don’t need to be said out loud.”

“Zhou Xiaochong!!!”

Lin Xiaoying pounced like a tiger, pinning Zhou Xiaochong to the sofa, baring her teeth, “Call me heartless if you want, but don’t pin a crime on me I didn’t commit. I didn’t do it, end of story.”

Zhou Xiaochong didn’t back down, meeting her gaze.

“Didn’t do it? My dear best friend, do you know I only told you I don’t like men?”

“Besides you, who else spread the news?”

“Now you act innocent with me? Laughable.”

Lin Xiaoying’s angry face froze, pupils contracting as she slumped back onto the couch.

“How could it be?”

She began to doubt herself, then looked sharply at Zhou Xiaochong, “You’re lying, aren’t you? You have other close friends.”

A few months ago, when she saw those rumors online, she was shocked too—thought maybe Zhou Xiaochong’s other friends had spread it.

She had been very worried, afraid Zhou Xiaochong might do something stupid.

But her phone, her social media—all contact lost.

Came knocking at her apartment—no one home.

She’d thought Zhou Xiaochong left Heavenly Abundance City.

Only today, after the President contacted her with strict orders to get Zhou Xiaochong streaming again, did she realize—

She hadn’t left the city at all.

So she tried calling.

“What do I gain by lying to you? If you don’t believe me, forget it. I don’t want to explain.”

To Zhou Xiaochong, Lin Xiaoying’s every action was just an act.

No one knew her better.

She hadn’t told a second soul.

“Xiaochong, I really didn’t. You have to believe me.”

Lin Xiaoying clutched her hand, desperate.

Zhou Xiaochong shook her off, walked to the door, and opened it.

“Enough, Lin Xiaoying, go home. I’ve got things to do.”

“Xiaochong, I really didn’t—”

“Go, or I’ll call the police.”

Zhou Xiaochong shouted harshly.

Lin Xiaoying bit her lip, reluctantly got up, and left.

Bang! The door slammed shut.

Lin Xiaoying stood outside, staring at the closed door, her mind blank.

I really didn’t say anything—why does she think I did?

What’s going on?

Did her other friends frame me?

No, she said she only told me, never anyone else.

But I never told anyone!!!

How did the news get out?

Lin Xiaoying felt like her head was about to explode.

When she snapped out of it, she was already in her car.

Leaning against the soft seat, she thought for a long time, running through all the possibilities.

From what she knew of her over the past two years, Zhou Xiaochong wouldn’t deliberately torture her like this.

That left only one possibility.

The problem was on her side.

Lin Xiaoying was sure she didn’t tell anyone—where did the leak happen?

Half an hour.

An hour.

Three hours.

Now it was already four or five in the afternoon.

She’d been sitting in her car in the complex for five or six hours.

Lin Xiaoying exhaled heavily, pulled out her phone, found a number, and called.

He Fangzhi, please let it not be you.

***

Lin Xiaoying’s car stayed in the parking lot for a long time without leaving.

Zhou Xiaochong didn’t log into the game either, just watched the whole time.

It’d been several hours with no movement—could something have happened?

She immediately called the property manager and asked them to check.

Just after hanging up—

The Maserati started and sped away from the complex.

Zhou Xiaochong let out a sigh of relief, went back to bed, put on her helmet, and logged into the game.

As soon as she came online, a private message popped up.

[Chen Xiaoyan: Who’s this little cutie logging on?]

Seeing the message, Chongchong smiled, delighted.

Looks like Sister Xiaoyan isn’t mad.

[Chongchong: Hmph ╯^╰]

[Chen Xiaoyan: It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have doubted little cutie’s looks.]

[Chongchong: Wow, Sister Xiaoyan, you really know how to hit where it hurts. I’d forgotten, but now I remember—me! Chong! Chong! Is! Angry!]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Usually, people who keep saying they’re angry aren’t really angry.]

[Chongchong: I mean it, no joke.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Sure, sure.]

[Chongchong: Ugh, stupid Sister Xiaoyan, I’m going to bite you to death!]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Come on, bite anywhere you like.]

“Pfft.”

Chongchong’s head felt like it exploded, smoke coming out of her ears.

“This… this…”

She was too embarrassed to speak.

She didn’t expect Sister Xiaoyan to flirt like that—what a surprise.

[Chongchong: Invite me, I’ll be right there. Wash your neck and wait for me!]

At this moment, Chen Xiaoyan was leading the Xueyan Pavilion players through a dungeon.

When they finished, she invited that girl to the party.

Chongchong quickly teleported to Jinyang County, rushing straight to the Abyss Gorge dungeon entrance.

“Yo, here already?”

Chen Xiaoyan waved and greeted the girl walking toward her.

Chongchong bared her teeth like a fierce puppy, glaring at her fiercely.

Like she’d bite her to death any second.

“Chongchong-sama!”

“Welcome, Chongchong-sama!”

“To be carried by the two big shots of Tianxiang—I’m so happy!”

“Wuwuwu, Chongchong-sama, look at me!”

Seeing all the Xueyan Pavilion players gather around, Chongchong couldn’t stay mad, once again getting lost in the praise.

Still, she glared at Chen Xiaoyan, letting her off this time.