Su Xue focused on the game. Her Jinx respawned in the fountain with a score of 0/5/1. I really need to do something! I’m like one of those hot tub streamers I hate so much! The other lanes are doing okay! We can still win this. All I need to do is focus! Really focus! She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, and then she caught a glance of her second monitor. The message was still up there. Damnit! She turned her second monitor off and focused on the game in front of her.

「Think guys, think! Why else would xuexue be so distracted these days!」

「it’s cause she’s fallen in love!」

「but dude, we all know xuexue. She never leaves the house! all she does is stream all day every day! It’s not like she ever goes outside to meet guys!」

「i mean… she is isnt getting any younger… aren’t most women her age married and raising children???? and like, she isnt ugly? i dunno… seems like theyred be plenty dudes looking to knock her up and tie her down for life」

「mhm! Mhm! Yeah! No one wants to be single forever!」

「forreal? You guys actually think she found a boyfriend or something!?」

「who do you guys think the boyfriend is? Like you guys said earlier, she’s pretty much at home every day. There aren’t that many guys in her life, right? 」

「hahahah, maybe it’s that barista at her local coffee shop, or maybe the guy who bags her groceries at the supermarket! Oohh, maybe she likes them older! Like the silver fox types. Old, widowed, and hot as hell! Who know? She could’ve met one downtown and soothed his lonely heart!」

「nonono! You’ve got it all wrong. Xuexue has been ordering delivery a lot lately! My money’s on the delivery boy!」

「my moneys still on lil bro… and the bed there in the back of her cam is THE BED!!!!」

「what!? No way! IIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLL」

「IS THAT EVEN LEGAL!? YOU CRADLE SNATCHER! 」

「ayaiyaiyai…. So this is what you kids call brother sister love these days…?」

「Got us some Alabama love story developing right here!!!!!」

Jinx fired a rocket at the Red Nexus! The energy within exploded up into the air! It morphed into a Victory emblem for Su Xue’s team. She clenched her fist and mumble-shouted, “Yes!” She then turned her second monitor back on and read through the stream chat she’d missed. W-what!? Every next line that popped up was worse than the previous one. W-what are they thinking!? She shook her head and yelped, “Shut up you idiots! I’m not dating Lin Feng! Oh my god! I look away for one second and you guys go off making these crazy accusations! I’m not dating Lin Feng nor am I dating the delivery boy! I’m not dating anyone!”

「hahahahhaha sure you keep saying that. we defitivenely believe you!」

「Lawl. Then explain why you suck this hard! Thought you wanted to show us quality gameplay...」

「We’re just worried about you, Su Xue. You’re our love and our life!」

「ya distracted as fuk! TELL US WHY!!!!!」

「GAWDDDDDD YOU SUUUUUUCK! wat lucky boi who get you harharharharhahra」

「were just a lil worried about our favourite streamer! Don’t blame us!」

Su Xue read through the chat and shook her head, smiling. Idiots. They say all these obscene and stupid things, but then they also say all these nice things! They genuinely care about me! And they’re right. I’ve been really out of it ever since that whole Huya thing. I should tell them… She pursed her lips and then said, “You guys don’t have to worry, I’m fine, really! I’ve just been thinking about my future as a streamer recently. How do I say it? Something big came up, and I’m not sure if I want to go for it or not. That’s why I’ve been so out of it. I’m just thinking about what I should do…”

「what!? Your future!? YOU LEAVING US!?!??!?!」

「something big!? Is that the thing you were talking about las time!? with the whole huya big news thing?」

「Tell us the details if you can! If it’s important, the more people you talk to, the better!」

「Will this affect us???????」

「Something big as in switching platforms? I heard a lot of streamers have been leaving Huya lately... Are they treating you badly or something?」

「don’t worry, xue xue! If you’re planning to leave, just let us know! We’ll follow you over! You don’t have to worry about losing popularity! No matter where you’re streaming, we’ll still give you our full support!」

「yep yep! Don’t panic! We’ll support any decision you make!」

「We’re here for you, not for the platform!!!!」

「we’re with you forever!」

「Never Gonna Give You Up!」

「Never Gonna Let You Down!」

Su Xue smiled brighter and brighter. You idiots! I’m not going to leave Huya! But I love you all! You’re like family to me! I’m so happy that all of you are here to watch me! All my work over the past few months has paid off so much! She breathed in deeply and then said, “Thanks, guys. I mean it, thanks! Without all of you, I could’ve never gotten this far! Don’t worry, whatever I decide, it’s what I believe is best for all of us. And when I do decide, you guys will be the first to know!”

「What ya guys think? We give her a pass for sucking donkey ass today?」

「Yupyupyupyup! ~~~~~~ no mass unfollow today!」

「LOVE YOU SU XUE! NEVER CHANGE!」

「were waiting for the good news!!!!! let us know when you know asap plsplsplsplsplspsl!!!」

✹

It was Wednesday afternoon. Lin Feng was still in class when Su Xue left the apartment to meet up with Zuo You at a small coffee shop downtown. There were a few businessmen having lunch and a barista hovering around them, smiling. Su Xue pushed the door to the establishment open, causing everyone inside to turn their attention to her. Some only briefly, while other glances lingered. Su Xue nodded at the barista and then looked to a table next to the window. She’s got a new badass red hairstyle! She smiled and waved.

“Hi! You’re finally here!” Zuo You exclaimed. She waited for Su Xue to walk over and then said, “Lookin’ good! All the guys over there are checking you out! Want one or want me to beat them up?”

Su Xue’s face went red. She quickly sat down across from Zuo You and whisper-shouted, “Don’t do that! You know I hate it when you do that!”

Zuo You shrugged and said, “Just saying you look really hot in that midi skirt. They were all staring at your ass for a reason. How high do those boots go anyway? All the way up to your knees? Ah, whatever, they look good.” She briefly hesitated but then added, “And expensive. Guess the streaming business is really good for your wallet...” She shook her head and smiled. Then she nodded at Su Xue and added, “I’m really liking your new hairstyle too! Shoulder length really works for you! It really makes your face pop! You’re looking so much better and also more confident than a few months ago! It’s like you stopped trying to hide!”

Su Xue bit on her lips and then mumbled, “Thank you.” She glanced around the coffee shop. Smooth jazz music played in the background, the businessmen were passing around some documents and the barista was walking over towards them.

“Can I get you two anything?” the barista asked.

“Coffee. Black please,” Zuo You said, smiling.

Su Xue turned to look at the barista and asked, “Could I have some tea? Thanks.” She then looked back at Zuo You, waiting for the barista to leave, and then said, “Still don’t look as good as you… Did you dye your hair a new shade of red? And that white blouse with that super short skirt and those stilettos just looks so good on you! I don’t like how it looks on most people… I even tried it myself! But it looked terrible! And then I see you wearing it and it looks so good! I’m always super jealous when I see that!”

“Aww, I’m sure it doesn’t look terrible on you!” Zuo You replied. She then asked, “So what was so urgent that we had to meet right away? I cancelled a date for you!”

Su Xue shook her head and giggled. She said, “You have a new date every day! Anyway, yeah, so the other day this admin from HuyaTV messaged me. I told you about it, remember?” She briefly waited for Zuo You to nod and then continued, “Well, he first told me how impressed he was with how quickly I grew my channel and that Huya is very happy to have me on their platform. Then he went on to say that he wanted to ‘strengthen our relationship’. He wouldn’t say exactly what it meant in detail, but the big picture is that HuyaTV is looking for three female streamers to represent their platform. I’d be one of them. He promised me my own recording studio, more promotions for my material and more opportunities to expand.”

Zuo You’s eyes grew wider with every promise Su Xue mentioned. When Su Xue finished, she yelped, “Oh my god! Su Xue! That’s amazing!”

Su Xue slowly nodded and said, “Yeah, I think so too. It’s just that I would have to move to Guangzhou for—”

“What!? You’re moving to Guangzhou!?” Zuo You exclaimed.

“If I accept the offer, yeah,” Su Xue replied.

Zuo You looked at her friend. You made it! I didn’t believe in you, but the kid was right! You’d make it big! And look at you now, they’re offering you everything you could ever want! What is there to think about!? She licked her lips and said, “This is good news! Why are you sounding so unhappy...?”

Su Xue grimaced and replied, “It is a really good offer. And I heard from Ol’ Black–he’s got some friends high up at Huya–that this is a big initiative by HuyaTV to compete against the newer up and coming streaming platforms. Apparently there are some others with girls stealing all the business. So Huya is spending a ton on this. They really need this to succeed, so they’re going all out.”

Zuo You knitted her brows. She doesn’t look all that happy… She moved her lips around for a bit and finally said, “This is a really big deal for you! But don’t let money decide. They’ll probably make you stay in Guangzhou. Are you okay with leaving everything you’ve built up here behind? I know most of your stuff is online, but you’ve also got your friends here. And Guangzhou is far away. Too far to meet up for some coffee...”

Su Xue bit on her lips. She slowly nodded and said, “Yeah. That’s the thing. You, Lin Feng… My other friends… My whole life is here in Shanghai. But you’re probably right. I also think they’re gonna ask me to stay in Guangzhou. I’m almost sure of it! I’m just not sure if that’s what I want. It’s like… The deal is too good to turn down on one side, but on the other I don’t really want to leave my friends behind…”