Chapter 12

"Don't...want...to...get...hurt?"

Yu Xia's expression twitched slightly as she looked at those four words.

This fellow fan seems to be an overly honest person. It's obvious that she hasn't spent much time surfing the internet. Even the words she speaks are so simple and unadorned, with a human-computer feel to them, like the way her elders talk.

Yu Xia found it rather interesting; she hadn't seen such a genuinely outgoing person in a long time. Just like the first time she saw his profile, he was very simple and genuine, and quite fun.

【Summer】: Okay.

【Summer】: Thank you. Please be careful in your daily life and don't get hurt.

Yu Xia almost laughed after sending that message; it was such an official human-machine dialogue.

To Yu Xia's surprise, the other party actually replied, and the reply was in his usual style, consisting of only one word.

【Bai and Bye】: Hmm.

Yu Xia smiled, feeling that her assessment of Bai was quite accurate.

Just as she put down her phone, the other party unexpectedly sent another message.

This was somewhat unexpected for Yu Xia.

【Bai and Bai】: Can you send me the drawing you just made so I can use it as my profile picture?

Um? ? ?

Use it as a profile picture?

Yu Xia was a little embarrassed, not because she was unwilling, but because the painting wasn't of her original character, but based on a real person. She painted it during the live stream only because it was just her and Bai, a viewer, and she intended to share it privately as a friend.

But the internet is so vast, if someone uses it as their profile picture and it gets seen on social media, and that person doesn't like it, then there could be big trouble.

This Baidu user doesn't use the internet much and might not understand much; they simply thought the drawing was beautiful and wanted to use it as their profile picture without thinking too much about it.

But Yu Xia knew this, and she had to avoid this risk. What if one day Tong Dan got into a dispute with someone? It was just for fun and there was no malice involved. If the two of them were unhappy, that wouldn't be good.

However, Yu Xia also didn't want to disappoint her fellow fans. After all, they had finally managed to get online, and she couldn't bear to let them leave empty-handed with such a small request.

Let's encourage this fellow supporter to have more hope for the internet.

【Summer】: Sister, it may take you two days. I'll go ask the original person who created this painting if he's willing, and then I'll get back to you, okay?

There was no reply from the other end.

Yu Xia was afraid he would be upset, so she sent him another message to comfort him.

[Summer]: If he doesn't agree, can I draw another one for you as your profile picture? You can customize the settings yourself!

Gu Yubai was a little surprised when he received the first message.

Ask the original person depicted in this painting if they would be willing to accept this?

Isn't the original figure in this painting himself? Of course he'd be willing to use himself as his portrait, do we need to ask again?

Just as Gu Yubai was pondering this question, the second message from the live streamer popped up again.

Disagree? Why would he disagree?

But if the young streamer is willing to draw him another one, he would be very happy to do so, since the young streamer's drawings are quite beautiful.

However, since the young streamer asked, she must have her reasons.

Gu Yubai didn't understand, but he respected it.

In order to keep up with the junior anchor, he even imitated the junior anchor's catchphrases in a humorous way.

【Bai and Bye】: Okay, sister.

—

The next day, Yu Xia woke up troubled by this matter.

She did have her previous chat history with Fu Ze in her private messages, but apart from work collaborations, she and Fu Ze hadn't really talked much. She didn't know how to bring it up to ask him right now.

"Hello, I'm Summer. I had a very pleasant experience working with you before. May I ask if..."

Ugh, this is too official and formal, it's so fake, delete it, delete it.

"Hello, I met your boss when I visited your company last time. I thought he was very handsome, so I drew a portrait of him. Could I have a copy of his portrait?"

Ugh, what the hell is this? It sounds like some weird, infatuated person. Delete it, delete it.

Yu Xia typed and deleted repeatedly, going back and forth several times, cutting and rewriting until finally typing out a version. Without thinking twice, she gritted her teeth and pressed the send button.

[Summer]: Hello, this is Summer. Last time I visited your studio, I happened to meet your boss and thought his image was very good, so I painted a picture of him. My friend wants to use this picture as his profile picture, so I wanted to ask you if you could help me ask Mr. Gu if he would mind if someone used this picture as their profile picture.

After sending the message, Yu Xia looked at it over and over again several times. Feeling that what she said was probably correct, she decisively turned off her phone, threw it onto the sofa, and then picked up a broom to start sweeping the floor.

Hmm... When people are waiting for news they don't know, they often pretend to be very busy to cover up their nervousness.

After Yu Xia swept, mopped, and hung up clothes, doing everything she could, an hour and a half had passed.

With nowhere to hide, Yu Xia nervously grabbed her phone from the crevice of the sofa and nervously tapped the little red dot on the screen.

A message from Fu Ze, sent half an hour ago, was displayed on the screen.

[Fu]: Sure, but you'll need to add our boss's contact information and speak to him yourself.

Next, Fu Ze sent me his contact information.

Yu Xia was a little stunned.

Huh? I have to add the boss's contact information myself?

Is it really that grand?

She thought that such a small matter could be resolved simply by Fu Ze asking, but she didn't expect that such a big boss would be so down-to-earth and actually want her to come and talk to him herself.

Although Yu Xia was surprised, she still replied that it was okay.

【Summer】: Okay, thank you.

Fu Ze replied quickly this time, and even reminded her that she could add him now.

[付]: It's okay.

[Fu]: If it's okay, you can add him now; he happens to be free right now.

Yu Xia: "..."

【Summer】: Okay.

Yu Xia copied the number, then opened WeChat, clicked the plus sign in the upper right corner, added a friend, entered the number, and sent a friend request.

"Hello, I am Summer, Yu Xia."

The friend request was accepted instantly, a speed that shocked Yu Xia.

You do have free time.

They didn't even give her time to prepare a draft.

Fine, I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for it.

【Summer】: Hello, I'm Yu Xia, and I'd like to talk to you about painting.

【Bai】：Yes, I know.

This netizen, Boss Gu, had a name quite similar to hers, both starting with "Bai," which almost made her mistake him for her own fan. However, she remained rational and clear-headed, putting the thought out of her mind and starting to talk to him about serious matters.

[Summer]: I'm sure Director Fu has already told you the gist of the situation. Here's the thing: you have a very good image, so I painted a picture of you. My friend wants to use this picture as their profile picture. I was wondering if you would be willing.

There was no immediate reply. Just as Yu Xia was wondering if the other party was going to refuse, and was about to say something to persuade her fellow fan to stay, a message came in, but it seemed to be a bit off-topic...

[Bai]: Your friend?

Yu Xia didn't understand why he asked this, as it didn't seem to be the point, but she still replied.

【Summer】: Yes, my friend.

Yu Xia is still fighting for opportunities to share the burden with her.

[Summer]: I assure you that my friend simply likes this painting and will absolutely not use it for any commercial purposes, nor will it infringe on your portrait rights and interests. Is that alright with you?

[Summer]: If you have any further concerns, please feel free to bring them up, and we can discuss them together. If you are unwilling, my friend and I will absolutely respect your decision, and we hope you will consider it.

Yu Xia felt a little uneasy after sending the message. Judging from the current situation, she felt that the chances of this Boss Gu agreeing were not very high.

Yu Xia held her phone and prayed for her fellow sufferers.

The next second, the phone rang.

Yu Xia quickly picked it up and took a look.

It only has three short words.

【Bai】：I am willing.

Um? ? ! ! ? ?

Yu Xia's eyes widened in surprise. Was she seeing things?

Is he willing?

Although it sounds strange, he agreed!

Is it that easy? Haha, good people are indeed rewarded; she deserves what honest people like her deserve.

That's good, fellow fans won't be disappointed.

Yu Xia was overjoyed and replied to Boss Gu with great excitement.

[Summer]: Thank you!

[Summer]: Wishing you booming business and abundant wealth!

[Bai]: Thank you. I hope you do too.

[Summer]: Yes, thank you. (clasped hands in a fist salute)

—

On the other side.

Fu Ze looked at Gu Yubai, who was smiling at his phone, and felt a strange chill run down his spine.

I don't know what's wrong with Gu Yubai today. When I asked Gu Yubai about the painting this morning, I thought that given his personality, it would just be a matter of nodding or shaking his head. But unexpectedly, after listening, this guy strangely asked me what Yu Xia said.

Then he showed him his chat history with Yu Xia, thinking that would be the end of it, but something even more unexpected happened.

After reading the chat history, Gu Yubai surprisingly asked him to send his contact information so that Yu Xia could come and talk to him herself. He also specifically emphasized that Yu Xia should not know his intentions and that Fu Ze should speak to her directly.

That's how Fu Ze came up with that comment above.

Then Fu Ze watched helplessly as Gu Yubai sat in his office chair, took out his phone and waited after he sent the message. When he didn't receive the message for a long time, Gu Yubai asked Fu Ze to go over and urge him to remind Yu Xia that she could add him now.

Fu Ze: "..."

So, Fu Ze reluctantly added the second clause.

What happened next was even stranger.

He actually saw Gu Yubai, who never wastes time on his phone, spending a full half hour chatting in the office?!

We weren't doing anything else! Just chatting!!!

Good heavens, this must be a hallucination.

At that moment, Fu Ze wondered if he was still asleep or dreaming. Even if you beat him to death, he never imagined that one day he would see such a greasy smile on Gu Yubai's face.

Fu Ze shuddered as he looked at Gu Yubai's smile.

Ugh, it was so disgusting it gave him goosebumps.

Just as Fu Ze was wondering if Gu Yubai was possessed by something, Gu Yubai suddenly looked up from his phone.

Then Fu Ze saw Gu Yubai frown, his smile vanishing as if by magic, replaced by his usual calm voice, tinged with undisguised disdain:

Why are you still here?

Fu Ze: "..."