Chapter 8

"You mean the person who helped you chase the thief today is named Yu Xia?" Gu Yubai was taken aback and asked, "The Yu as in Yu Feihong?"

"Yes," Chi Ximin said, somewhat surprised, "You know Sister Yu Xia?"

Gu Yubai snapped out of his reverie, turned his head back, and started the car. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I guess you could say we know each other."

Judging from the current online situation, netizens should be considered acquaintances, even if it's just one-sided.

"She helped you chase the thief today?" Gu Yubai asked again, seemingly doubting the veracity of the story.

The young livestreamer he met today looked so thin and weak that she didn't seem like someone who could do this kind of work.

He even suspected it might be a case of name clash, but after hearing Chi Ximin's description, he felt it was definitely the junior anchor, because the junior anchor happened to have that doll hanging on her bag today.

“Yes, he studied Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) and is an eighth-dan,” Chi Ximin said.

Gu Yubai raised an eyebrow; he really hadn't noticed that.

Just like when he accidentally entered that live stream room, he didn't expect that the little streamer's drawing skills would be so good.

Looking at it this way, it seems that the young live streamer brings quite a few surprises.

"Hey, bro. Since you know them, why don't you give the plush toy back to them?" Chi Ximin said, leaning against the back of the car seat.

When Chi Ximin first mentioned the doll, Gu Yubai didn't pay much attention, assuming it was just something she bought out of curiosity or to follow the trend.

But now that he knows this person is Yu Xia, Gu Yubai can understand.

He didn't know about others, but as far as Yu Xia was concerned, she definitely liked him very much.

Thinking of this, Gu Yubai raised an eyebrow, and for some reason, a kind of pleasure appeared on his face that he himself did not notice.

"I'll go ask and see if they still have any," Gu Yubai said calmly, his lips pursed.

"Thank you, brother!"

—

Yu Xia felt that she was having a very unlucky day.

She tossed her bag aside, then clung to her plush toy and collapsed onto the sofa, looking utterly heartbroken.

Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have taken it out today!

She was so regretful that it had turned out like this after only one day; she hadn't even had a chance to warm it up to the touch.

After kicking the air in a fit of impotent rage several times, she suddenly remembered something important in a moment of sadness.

Oh, and there are also photos I sent to my Baidu friends!

Thinking of this, she quickly took out her phone and opened the chat window with Bai.

At this moment, Yu Xia was extremely grateful that she had been too eager to share and had kept the photos; otherwise, she really wouldn't know where to go to cry.

Yu Xia looked at the only remaining photo on her phone, feeling both sad and relieved.

I was looking at the photos when my phone suddenly beeped, followed by a notification on the screen.

【Bai and Bye】: The filming was pretty good.

【Bai and Bye】: Having a nose and eyes.

Yu Xia was immersed in grief at the moment, automatically ignoring the second point, and tearfully shared her sorrow with herself.

【Summer】: Waaaaaah, but it's gone now.

【Summer】: This is the last complete photo.

【Summer】: I took it out today, and it bravely sacrificed itself to protect world peace.

Gu Yubai had just arrived home when the message he sent was replied to instantly by the live streamer. Gu Yubai was taken aback when he saw the string of "woo woo woo woo" at the beginning.

Is she crying?

Is it really that heartbreaking?

It's just a doll.

Is it because I like it too much?

Just as Gu Yubai was pondering what to say, Chi Ximin had already changed into slippers and, as if she were in her own home, casually sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV, and asked, "Brother, where's the game console?"

Gu Yubai was speechless for a moment, then changed his shoes, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, and said, "It's in that white cabinet over there, take it yourself."

“Oh,” came Chi Ximin’s voice from the living room, “Found it.”

Gu Yubai wiped his hands clean, picked up his phone again, and stared at the two messages, unsure of what to reply.

As I was pondering this, I glanced into the living room and saw that Chi Ximin was already sitting cross-legged, playing a game.

"Chi Ximin," Gu Yubai called out to her.

"What?" Chi Ximin replied without turning her head.

"How do you usually comfort people?" Gu Yubai asked.

"What?" Chi Ximin's eyes hadn't left the screen until she finished the game, and only then did she turn her head.

"So, if someone messages you crying, how do you comfort them?" Gu Yubai repeated, this time describing the problem in more detail.

"Cry to me?" Chi Ximin thought for a moment, then waved her hands and said boldly, "Then let's clear out her shopping cart. There's nothing that money can't solve. If there is, then we don't have enough money. We'll have to use a super-double payment method to solve it."

"Vulgar." A few seconds later, Gu Yubai gave this disdainful evaluation.

"Tch," Chi Ximin rolled her eyes, "If you're not willing to spend the money, just say so!"

"Is it about money?" Gu Yubai said, looking at her with a serious expression. "Is this how you treat your friends too? They're heartbroken, and you only care about throwing money at them without considering their feelings?"

Chi Ximin: "..."

I really can't stand how this person can talk so much. He says all the good and bad things by himself, doesn't he?

Chi Ximin conceded defeat: "I think... you're right."

Gu Yubai nodded in agreement.

Just when Chi Ximin thought this was over, she heard Gu Yubai speak again.

So, how do I comfort her?

Chi Ximin: "..."

You can't get through this, can you?

Silently repeat to yourself: He's my brother, he's my brother, I can't get angry, I can't get angry, I can't get angry at my meal ticket.

Chi Ximin took a deep breath, suppressed the urge to complain, and forced out an official smile: "Comforting someone is very simple. There's a universal formula. When the other person says how sad they are, you just say things like pat their head, give them a hug, say it's okay, don't cry, you're great, etc."

Gu Yubai listened to her speak, thought seriously for a few seconds, and then showed a very doubtful expression: "Are you sure this will work?"

“Of course,” Chi Ximin said, feeling disgusted by his questioning of her, “I always comfort my friends this way, and it always works.”

“Using the same template to comfort everyone is too fake and insincere. Everyone’s experience is different,” Gu Yubai said.

Chi Ximin choked, speechless at his words.

So how else can we comfort them? Should we write thousands of short essays and comfort them frame by frame?

That would be a bit too much of a brain drain. Chi Ximin felt that she, being illiterate, couldn't do it. Her limited vocabulary only allowed her to say, "Okay, okay, don't be sad."

Gu Yubai gave him a knowing look that said, "I knew I couldn't trust you," and shook his head knowingly. "I'll do it myself."

......

Chi Ximin had reasonable grounds to suspect that he was deliberately trying to mock her.

Despite rejecting Chi Ximin's universal formula, Gu Yubai decided to comfort his first friend on social media in his own way.

His way of comforting her was simple and direct, consisting of only two words.

【Bai and Bye】: Don't cry.

—

When Yu Xia received this message, a question mark slowly appeared on her face.

?

Is she playing some kind of domineering CEO? It has such an unconventional feel to it.

Before she could even type a gentle reminder to her fellow fan not to speak so greasyly, the fan's next sentence left her speechless.

Upon seeing this message, Yu Xia's pupils dilated suddenly.

The screen, flashing a dazzling white light, displayed a message sent by a fellow fan a few seconds earlier.

【Bai and Bye】：I have.

【Bai and Bye】: I'll send it to you.

Yu Xia: !!!

Forget about being greasy with your speech! Forget about being unconventional! This is clearly a real domineering CEO reincarnated!!!

Yu Xia had never realized that such simple words could bring her such joy!

After a day of extreme highs and lows, from great sorrow to great joy, Yu Xia felt that God was incredibly kind to her.

She excitedly typed the words immediately.

[Summer]: Really?! Ahhhh, thank you so much, sister! You're so kind!

Overwhelmed with joy, Yu Xia suddenly remembered an embarrassing incident.

With her current net worth, it seems... not enough to support her bringing the doll home.

So, Yu Xia typed the words, feeling a little embarrassed.

【Summer】: Sister, I might not be able to pay in full at once. How much are you offering? Can I pay you in installments?

Yu Xia was quite nervous, afraid that the other party would think she was going to renege on her promise. Just as she typed out a long and sincere message, hoping to persuade the other party to keep the doll for her with her utmost sincerity, the other party sent a message.

This news came like a thunderbolt, leaving Yu Xia wondering if she had misread it.

【Bai and Bye】: No need. I'll just give it to you directly; I have extras.

Yu Xia: !!!

Look! Look!

What is friendship?

This is what we call friendship!

Tell me, is there any bond in the world purer and more unbreakable than the bond between two people who share the same burden?!

Of course not!

Yu Xia was as happy as if she had won the lottery, and for a moment she wondered if it was just a hallucination caused by her excessive grief.

Thank goodness it wasn't! I blinked, and it was real!

But Yu Xia didn't want to take advantage of the other party.

【Summer】: Sister, could you give me your payment QR code? I know you mean well, but I still need to pay. However, I'll pay a little later, maybe in about three months. Is that okay? My address is XXXXXX, Yunping District.

There was no further reply from the other end, but Yu Xia didn't pay much attention, assuming that the other party had temporarily gone offline.

Yu Xia, overjoyed to have her lost items back, is now in a wonderful mood. She had just been so grief-stricken that she had no appetite, but now she even feels hungry.

Yu Xia touched her stomach.

Okay, let's go find something to eat now.

—

Gu Yubai frowned as he looked at the address on his phone.

The private address provided by the junior anchor.

That's incredibly careless! They didn't even know who the other person was, and just casually gave their address to someone they met online.

Gu Yubai raised his finger, intending to remind her not to be so careless, but halfway through typing, he felt that his account didn't seem to have the right to speak about others like that, so he deleted the text.

However, he thought it was time to remind people about this on social media.

He sent a message to Fu Ze, asking him for a complete set of doll-themed merchandise.

After sending the message, he remembered that he was out of tea leaves and was about to go out to buy some.

Just as he walked to the shoe cabinet, Chi Ximin immediately asked, "Brother, are you going out?"

"Okay." Gu Yubai changed his shoes.

"Are you going shopping? Why don't you buy some snacks while you're at it?" Chi Ximin had just rummaged through the kitchen and found a bunch of tea leaves, compressed biscuits, and a pile of unpalatable but nutritious fruits that made her lose all appetite.

They are indeed middle-aged and elderly people who have no interest in life.

Chi Ximin pursed her lips and complained inwardly.

Twenty-six-year-old Gu Yubai, completely unaware that his sister had labeled him as middle-aged or elderly, asked, "What do you want?"

"Buy some butter cookies, the kind you saw at my house last time, as well as potato chips, jelly, chocolate, cola, and stuff like that."

"Junk food." Gu Yubai pushed open the door and went out.

"Brother, you must remember to buy it for me! You know what's in your kitchen, it'll starve me to death!" Chi Ximin called out from behind him.

Gu Yubai closed the door, shutting out Chi Ximin's voice behind him.

The tea he wanted to buy was only available in Yunping District, so he had to drive there specifically.

—

Yu Xia walked to the food section and picked out two sandwich breads from the shelf.

She had originally wanted to buy a bottle of yogurt, but then she thought about her current financial situation and realized she wasn't at the level where she could afford both bread and yogurt.

What's more, she was already in debt! For the sake of the baby, she gave up.

Just as she put the yogurt back, picked up the bread, and came out of the food section, she suddenly heard a complaining voice behind her.

"What nonsense! It's so high in sugar, aren't you afraid of getting diabetes from eating it?"

Yu Xia is very sensitive to sound; basically, any pleasant sound that enters her ears can be immediately recognized by her.

That sound...

Yu Xia paused slightly, turned her head, and saw a handsome face that looked somewhat familiar.

It was Gu Yubai, whom I had met briefly this morning.

At that moment, the man was holding a bag of cream biscuits, his handsome nose wrinkled, and his face was full of undisguised disgust.

Humans seem to be unusually sensitive to the gaze of those who are watching them.

Gu Yubai subconsciously turned his head and met Yu Xia's gaze.

"Miss Yu?" Gu Yubai's expression faltered slightly.

Yu Xia gave him a polite smile and greeted him, "What a coincidence, Mr. Gu?"

I think the person in charge today called him President Gu? I think I'm not mistaken.

Gu Yubai was also slightly taken aback. After a few seconds, he suddenly remembered the address that the little anchor had sent earlier, which seemed to be in Yunping District. He didn't expect to run into her like this.

“It is quite a coincidence,” Gu Yubai said.

Hearing him mention sugar content, Yu Xia naturally walked over, glanced at the cream biscuits in his hand, nodded, and said, "This has a high sugar content; it's definitely not good."

As she spoke, she looked up at Gu Yubai, seemingly puzzled, and asked, "Do you like to eat this?"

“No,” Gu Yubai immediately denied, then distanced himself from the matter, and said with disdain, “My sister likes it and insists that I buy it for her. It’s so noisy.”

Gu Yubai, who was used to health, really couldn't understand what was so delicious about these high-sugar cookies; he thought they would make him sick of sugar.

Thinking of this, Gu Yubai frowned again as he looked at the bag of cookies.

Yu Xia nodded knowingly, treating his younger sister like a child. She picked up another brand of cookies from the shelf and suggested, "How about this one? It's high in dietary fiber, low in sugar, and tastes pretty good."

Gu Yubai took the bag of cookies and looked at the ingredient list on the back. It was indeed low in sugar and the ingredients were acceptable to him.

"Thank you, this is definitely much better." Gu Yubai said, putting the bag of cookies that Yu Xia handed him into the cart behind him.

It was only at this moment that Yu Xia noticed that Gu Yubai had also pushed the cart.

But inside this stroller...

She looked down and saw that they were mostly the same old whole grain foods, except for two bags of blue potato chips, which looked like Gu Yubai's last concession, and he had reluctantly put them in.

Yu Xia's eyebrows twitched; he felt a little sorry for his sister.

Gu Yubai put down Yu Xia's bag of cookies and reached out to put the bag of cream cookies back, but Yu Xia stopped him.

"Hey, why don't we just leave this bag behind? It's okay to eat a little bit now and then, just to satisfy a craving." Yu Xia looked at his shopping cart, which had nothing to do with junk food, and did her best to preserve this little bit of happiness for her poor sister.

Hearing Yu Xia say this, Gu Yubai paused in his action of putting it back.

He glanced at Yu Xia.

Alright, since the streamer has said so, let's give our online friends some face.

He nodded finally and put the bag of butter cookies back in the cart.

Seeing his actions, Yu Xia secretly breathed a sigh of relief, instantly feeling that she had done another good deed today.

The two walked towards the cashier.

The air was quiet, and no one spoke.

Normally, Yu Xia would be the one to initiate conversations on the phone, but now there was a slightly awkward atmosphere in the air.

Gu Yubai then tried to strike up a conversation, calling her "Miss Yu".

Upon hearing this, Yu Xia turned around and looked at him.

Yu Xia's eyes were beautiful. The lights from the convenience store overhead cast a shadow on her eyelashes, and her raven-feather-like eyelashes trembled as she looked at him with a hint of doubt, as if waiting for him to say something next.

Gu Yubai wasn't good at making friends, so he took the initiative to speak in order to ease the awkward atmosphere. But after he started speaking, he didn't know what to say, especially with Yu Xia looking at him like that.

Finally, after racking his brains, he managed to squeeze out the second half of the question: "Are you going home later?"

The conversation started very awkwardly.

But Yu Xia didn't seem to mind, nodding and saying, "Okay, I'll go back after I pay the bill."

Gu Yubai said "Oh" to indicate that he understood.

The atmosphere fell silent again.

After a few seconds, Gu Yubai thought for a moment and then spoke again. He used all his knowledge and extremely limited conversational skills to try to make his interaction with this online friend as natural as possible and not seem too awkward.

He put down his things and said seriously, "Well, you can go back now, I'm going back too."