“That, that’s different, okay?”
Yike’s face showed an awkward expression.
“At the time, I had a mission. Think about it, a weak woman like me, wanting to stay safely in the boys’ dormitory, I had to disguise myself. What other choice did I have?”
“So, Yike, your goal was to get close to me?”
Liuli actually felt a bit unhappy. After all, when you know that the people around you are approaching you with a certain purpose, you would also be unhappy.
“Not entirely. At that time, the elders of the clan only had a vague suspicion, so they sent me to investigate and see what was behind the aura of the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox.”
“So, did you achieve your goal?”
“Strictly speaking, no. After all, I stayed by your side for so long, Liuli, and never confirmed whether this trace was real or fake. Because of that, I was also punished by the elders.”
“From what you’re saying, Yike, it sounds like you want an explanation from me?”
“I wouldn’t dare to think that…”
Yike’s voice carried a hint of grievance.
To be honest, as a streamer, Yike’s pitiful expression was truly pitiable.
Liuli felt she might actually be about to feel sympathy.
“The elders asked me to find a way to get along well with you, Liuli, but how should I put it? Given our relationship, there’s no need for that, right?”
The fawning expression on Yike’s face was practically tangible, which amused Liuli.
Back in university, Yike always wore that expression whenever she needed a favor.
“Is the relationship-building also because I’m a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox?”
“That’s how it is for those elders, but for me, it’s different. We had such a good relationship during university. Just because you came to Saint Laia, we can’t just cut that off, right?”
Liuli had to admit that Yike’s words had indeed struck a vulnerable chord.
She really did cherish the friendship she once had with Yike.
Even though she had met many new friends at Saint Laia, her old friends were still among the most important.
“So, Yike, did you really come to see me today just because my birthday is coming up?”
“Of course. I never forget a friend’s birthday.”
Yike showed a proud expression, then turned to look at Serveyia with grievance, as if remembering something.
“If it weren’t for someone’s interference, I would have come to see you long ago, Liuli.”
Liuli looked at Serveyia with some confusion. She hadn’t known about any of this.
She was curious whether it was just Yike’s side of the story or if Serveyia had withheld information from her.
“Isn’t that only natural? Before I knew what you were thinking, there’s no way I would let you get close to Little Fox.”
How to put it? Liuli could understand Yike’s actions, but still, wasn’t that just a little too much?
“What choice do I have? I can’t disobey the elders’ orders. If you’re really angry, go find the elders. What’s the use of venting at me?”
Yike’s face showed a helpless expression, as if she truly had no other option.
“Serveyia, you can’t possibly not understand. Those of us in these positions are often not in control of our own choices. Take yourself, for example—can you honestly guarantee that when you first chose to serve the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox, there wasn’t any resentment in your heart?”
Liuli looked at Serveyia curiously. She was actually a bit curious about the answer to that question.
“If it were back then, Yike, you could certainly blame me. But now it’s different. Now the person standing by Little Fox’s side is me. To put it bluntly, history is written by the victors. If you had been more decisive back then, maybe you would be the one by Little Fox’s side now.”
How to put it? Even Liuli found that remark extremely cutting. As expected, Yike’s expression instantly froze.
Then she turned her head away with a bit of displeasure, and even came over to Liuli’s side, grabbing her arm.
“Speaking of which, Liuli, isn’t Serveyia the kind of rich woman you once talked about? How does it feel to be kept by a rich woman? But now, Little Fox, you could also be called a rich woman. So, when you become a rich woman yourself, do you ever get the urge to keep someone?”
“No. Don’t you know my personality, Yike? How could someone like me ever keep anyone?”
“Eh? Really not? Let me tell you a secret, Liuli. The feeling of keeping someone is really great. It’s a completely different experience.”
“Does that mean you have experience, Yike?”
“Hehe. After being a streamer for so long, sometimes I inevitably want to let off some steam. When that happens, I love to go online and find small streamers with very few fans. With just a few gifts, I can hear their words of gratitude. Although it’s still different from real keeping, the happiness I gain is basically the same.”
“Hmm, has anyone ever told you you’re too much, Yike?”
“How can that be too much? I send gifts, I get the corresponding emotional value. That sounds like a win-win situation, doesn’t it?”
“Is that so?”
Liuli wasn’t sure. After all, she didn’t know much about the streamer ecosystem.
She knew that the lives of low-level streamers were tough, but she didn’t know exactly how tough.
If it was really as Yike said, then perhaps her actions could be understood.
“Of course. Yike, you’re also a little rich woman now, with your own little treasury to manage. Seriously, Little Fox, you should try it too. This feeling is really different.”
“Me? I’ll pass…”
Even though what Yike said sounded good, Liuli instinctively glanced at Serveyia.
With Serveyia’s possessiveness, if she really dared to do that, she would probably suffer even more terrible consequences.
“Oh? Looks like Liuli is still henpecked, hehe~”
Yike’s expression now really did look like a sly little fox. But “henpecked”?
Liuli looked at Serveyia, as if to confirm her attitude.
She felt that Serveyia probably wouldn’t like that term.
“Yike, don’t you think you’re talking too much?”
“What? Is our Lady Head Maid unhappy and wants to lay hands on me?”
“There’s no need for that. Yike, you just need to know that Little Fox’s visitation rights are in my hands. If I want, you might never see her again.”
“Serveyia, aren’t you afraid Liuli will be angry?”
“Little Fox, Yike says you’ll be angry. Will you really be angry?”
Uh, Liuli hadn’t expected Serveyia to throw that dangerous question back at her.
Although she had repeatedly said she wanted to cherish her friendship with Yike, the embarrassing truth was that if Yike hadn’t come to see her today, she might not have remembered this friend at all.
Moreover, a more realistic point was that she had always been lazy.
Things like whom she would meet, where to visit—she left all that entirely to Serveyia. She didn’t care at all.
And considering her lazy nature, perhaps deep down she actually wanted Serveyia to reject all those invitations.
“I think I probably won’t be angry. After all, I leave all these matters to Serveyia…”
This argument between Serveyia and Yike undoubtedly forced her to choose between the two of them.
For her, taking sides was not an option. Since she had to choose, she was definitely closer to Serveyia.
“Liuli, in your heart, is our sworn brotherhood worth less than a woman? Have you forgotten how we used to—”
“By the way, Yike, are you still a streamer now?”
“Kind of, why?”
Liuli didn’t dare let Yike continue. If she really said something terrible, Liuli couldn’t guarantee how Serveyia would punish her.
“I have a friend who wants to sell goods online. I thought of you, so I wanted to ask if you could help…”
“But Liuli, you just rejected me.”
“Well, um…”
Yike wasn’t wrong. She had just chosen between Serveyia and Yike, and now she was asking Yike for help. That really did seem a bit, well, too much.
“Never mind. We’re sworn brothers, after all. What do you need to sell?”
Yike waved her hand, generously not letting her continue to feel embarrassed.
“It’s this.” Liuli took the small box that Yiselinzhuo had given her from the table, opened it, and showed it to Yike. “This thing is said to be a specialty of the Blue Dragon Clan.”
“I’ve seen this before. But I remember it sells quite well, doesn’t it?”
“Well, yes, but actually, because of the impact of various modern technological products, sales haven’t been very good.”
“Alright. The problem is not hard to solve. The key is whether they have the determination.”
“What determination?”
“The determination to keep up with the times. Liuli, you’ve probably seen a lot—many traditional crafts, in order to be passed down, often adopt modifications that young people like. Similarly, if this thing wants to sell well, it has to abandon unnecessary modesty and focus entirely on selling.”
“More specifically?”
“That depends on how far the other party is willing to go. It’s not very useful for us to talk here. Who asked you for help, Liuli? If possible, can you give me a way to contact them?”
Liuli looked at Serveyia uncertainly, wanting to get an answer from her.
“I’m just saying, Liuli, you’re way too henpecked. Do you even need to ask Serveyia about something like this? If so, Serveyia is really going to have you wrapped around her finger.”