Part 3
Ning Yunyi spent a long time coaxing the little guy until the cub finally felt secure. After confirming that his father wouldn’t disappear again, the boy began counting on his fingers, still sniffling with red eyes. “Reeeally not going for that long again? Father won’t lie to me?”
Ning Yunyi pinched his little cheek. “I won’t lie. Father loves you so much; I couldn’t bear to be away from you for that long either.” He peppered the boy’s head and face with kisses until the little guy finally giggled through his tears. The boy refused to let go, clinging to Ning Yunyi’s neck like a little koala.
Knowing the boy felt insecure, Ning Yunyi held him close all evening and even slept in the same bed with him that night.
The situation finally eased the next day. Professor Ning and Ning Mother were relieved to see the little guy grinning happily once more; he had finally recovered.
After resting for two days, Ning Yunyi resumed his livestreams. To compensate his fans for the long wait, he held another drawing for ten fans. As before, they would private message him their requested dishes, which would be delivered directly to their homes.
After finishing the cooking and the drawing, a stream of tipping effects suddenly lit up the room. Ning Yunyi didn’t pay it much mind at first, but the tips simply wouldn’t stop.
He looked closer. The account was named [Albin]. Every tip was the most expensive gift available. Although only a short time had passed, the total amount was already staggering, and the account was skyrocketing up the leaderboard. “Albin, if you’re disappointed you weren’t drawn, you can wait for the next time. There’s no need for tips like this.”
To his surprise, Albin immediately sent a golden barrageāa feature on Star Stream that indicated the user was also a signed streamer.
[Albin: Ahhh Brother Zong replied to me specifically! I’m so happy! I’m your true love fan! Brother Zong, I admire you so much. You’re simply the most amazing streamer in my heart. I love the dishes you make so much! Ahhh I’m too excited! Brother Zong, don’t mind what I’m saying, I just want to say how much I worship you! Brother Zong, ignore me, I have money and I’m not short on it. Let me tip you! It’s the only way to express my excitement!]
Ning Yunyi stared at the blindingly bright barrage. He watched the excitement and worship practically oozing from the screen, yet for some reason, it made him feel profoundly uncomfortable.
The fans in the room were also shocked by this “whale.”
[What the hell? Who is this? A signed streamer? A newbie? He’s tipped several hundred thousand star coins already. He’s about to overtake Dean Gu hhh.]
[No worries, there’s still Luke and Young Master An. He can’t reach #1, right?]
[Haha where did this airhead fan come from? He’s so excited he can’t even speak properly. This is weirdly ship-worthy: Airhead Top Fan X Cold Overlord Streamer.]
[Person above, shipping everything will only hurt you.]
[The host has a kid, don’t ship randomly.]
[Heavens, I checked Albin’s homepage. He really is a true love fan. A newcomer in the food section. He’s posted over twenty videos of him following the host’s recipes. Every single one is a dish the host has made. Even though he uses solid nutrients, the results look really faithful. Definitely a true fan.]
Ning Yunyi watched the relentless tipping. Just as he was about to frown and tell him to stopāplanning to return the money via private message laterāanother stream of the most expensive tips began to flash, as if challenging the first.
Clearly, the newcomer was faster. The two accounts began a frantic back-and-forth, turning the livestream room into a constant display of fireworks.
Ning Yunyi’s brow furrowed as he watched the newcomer. He was about to speak again when he realized the account name was [Zong]. He fell silent.
It looked familiar. Was it the same ID as before? Could it be Zong Hao?
As if confirming his suspicion, this [Zong] sent a barrage. It wasn’t golden, but since everyone else was stunned into silence by the two whales, Ning Yunyi saw it immediately.
[Zong: Albin, don’t just shout names randomly. Does he even know you?]
[Zong: The host told you to stop tipping, yet you continue to act on your own. Don’t you think you’re being a nuisance?]
[Albin: Big brother, are you also a fan of Brother Zong? I just worship him so much I want to do something for him. Is that wrong?]
[Zong: …]
The rest of the fans noticed the intentionality behind the newcomer’s words. The host had clearly asked for no tips, yet he continued. This [Zong] had told him not to call him “Brother Zong,” so Albin immediately called both of them “Big Brother.” The “manipulative” vibe was practically suffocating.
[What the hell? I just realizedāis this guy trying to leech off the host’s popularity to get famous?]
[Calling everyone ‘Brother,’ nice (666).]
Sure enough, Albin seemed to ignore the comments about him being a clout-chaser and continued to spam tips… until Ning Yunyi directly blacklisted him.
The crowd felt a sudden wave of refreshment as [Albin] vanished from the room.
However, the other account, [Zong], continued to tip, apparently unfamiliar with how livestream rooms worked. Ning Yunyi felt a headache coming on. “You can stop now. I’ve blacklisted him.”
The tips stopped the instant Ning Yunyi spoke.
[Zong: Good.]
Ning Yunyi: “…”
Zong added another line a moment later, though it was unclear if it was intentional.
[Zong: Go eat now before it gets cold. Eating cold food on an empty stomach is bad for you. I’m going to drink my nutrient solution now.]
Ning Yunyi: Are you sure you aren’t trying to guilt-trip me? Specifically mentioning your nutrient solutionāwhat’s wrong? Is it not delicious? You’ve been drinking it for decades, haven’t you?
Ning Yunyi simply pretended not to see it. He told the audience he was logging off and ended the stream. After exiting, he first returned Albin’s tips via private message. When he opened Zong Hao’s private message to do the same, a message arrived from the other side.
[Zong: You’ve been working like a dog these past few days. Consider this your bonus for the trip.]
[No.1 Knife of the Sect: I didn’t go there because of you.]
[Zong: Can I come over for a meal then?]
[No.1 Knife of the Sect: [Transfer] No.]
Ning Yunyi finished his reply and exited Star Stream to eat. Cold food was indeed less than ideal.
While he was eating, the livestream room remained as rowdy as ever, despite his absence. The chat was moving faster than before.
[Tsk tsk tsk, I can’t even look. He was so cold and serious when talking to Albin, but the second the host spoke, he turned into an obedient puppy and said ‘Good.’ He even called himself ‘Zong.’ Gross hhh.]
[Where are you seeing ‘obedient’? Wasn’t he just being blunt? (scratches head)]
[Person above, you’re too naive. If he were really that cold, would he have immediately dropped a mountain of tips on a brand-new alt the second the host seemed troubled? You think his motives are pure? I don’t believe it for a second.]
[I don’t believe it either hehe.]
[Secretly lurking in the shadows for N days, then dropping tens of thousands of star coins to save the host from a nuisance… the smell of romance is everywhere.]
Zong Hao, who had just logged back in, felt his face go numb at the sight. He stared at the words “secretly,” “crush,” and “romance” for a long time but didn’t reply. Explanations would just look like excuses; he’d just act like he never saw them.
However, his mood improved significantly after logging off. When Ichi walked in, his eyes lit up. “Marshal, is the new account working well? If there’s anything else you don’t know, just ask. I’ve been a regular on every major platform for decadesāI’m an old pro.”
There was no helping it; as a single man with nothing better to do, he’d saved up a massive “wife-fund” that he couldn’t spend, so he spent his time browsing and tipping.
Zong Hao had already put his wristband away, but he took it out again at Ichi’s words. He nodded with feigned indifference. “Alright. Tell me about what’s popular these days.” Aside from hiding his identity and training his mental power or fighting wars, he truly knew nothing about social media.
Zong Hao had Ichi help him register on every platform, though he didn’t verify any of them yet.
As he browsed, a trending topic popped up. He frowned as he read it. “What is this?”
Ichi leaned over. “It’s a hot topic on the Star Network. Look at the title: #Shocking! No.1 Knife of the Sect Adds New AchievementsāTwo Big Shots Throw Down for Him#. It’s about Mr. Zong! Quick, let’s look… huh, [Albin] and [Zong]? That ID looks familiar. Marshal, didn’t you just register on Star Stream as Zong? A coincidence?”
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