Chapter 40 How could someone suddenly decide to become...?
Ji Sicheng pursed his lips and looked at Ji Zhiqi.
He valued efficiency and didn't want to waste time on meaningless things. After a few seconds of contemplation, though he was shy to speak, he still said frankly, "Yan Yan is your own son, and Zi Shen has known you for a longer time. If I were the one fighting, would you come to my aid?"
Ji Zhi Qiu was taken aback. "Why do you think that?"
"I just..." Ji Sicheng's voice grew softer and softer, his ears turned redder and redder, and his eyes held a longing that even he himself was unaware of.
A longing for love and family affection.
Ji Zhi Qiu's heart is incredibly soft.
Little villain, admit it! You really like me, you really love me, and you really want me to be your dad!
Ji Zhi Qiu took a deep breath, her eyes filled with love: "Lift your head and look at my face. What can you see?"
Ji Sicheng stared at him for at least ten seconds, then said, "Wry smile."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "." Luckily, I love you.
He coughed lightly to compose himself. "Of course I'll help you. We're family, the strongest alliance in the world, with the strongest emotional bond. Each of you is the same to me. You don't need to wear a pumpkin head like a younger brother, nor do you need to fight like an older brother to test my reaction. I'll always be here, just like when you're playing games here, every time I turn around I'm quietly gazing at you."
Ji Sicheng looked puzzled. "Not necessarily. You seemed to have a lot of fun the last few times. Every time I looked for you, you were surrounded by kids."
"..." Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but complain, "Can't you focus on the important points?"
"Okay." Ji Sicheng tugged at the hem of his clothes, this time it wasn't just his ears that were red.
Ji Zhi Qiu then realized that Ji Si Cheng interrupted him every time because he was embarrassed, not because he didn't understand what he was saying.
It was rare to see such an adorable side to this little genius, so Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but reach out and pinch his cheek. "Si Cheng, do you believe in your father?"
Ji Sicheng glanced at him and nodded slightly.
"Then you shouldn't have any worries or concerns, just be yourself."
Ji Sicheng paused for a moment: "If I study so hard that I forget the time and don't eat, if I write formulas all over a wall or if I don't leave the house for three days, will you still love me?"
“I will, but I will also scold you if you do not do well,” Ji Zhi Qiu said softly.
Ji Sicheng felt that this answer was very realistic and in line with common sense, so he asked again, "If I weren't smart, would you still like me?"
Ji Zhi Qiu sighed inwardly and couldn't help but flick his forehead. "I've noticed that you're really obsessed with having a smart brain. So what if you're a little genius? Look at me, I'm doing just fine. Ordinary people also have their own wisdom and talents in life."
Ji Sicheng thought about it seriously for a while and felt that it made a lot of sense: "Okay, even so, I'm still very smart."
Hearing such a Versailles declaration, Ji Zhi Qiu was too lazy to reply, and just hummed twice: "Alright, go have fun, your good friend has been glancing this way several times."
"What am I saying..." Ji Sicheng suddenly remembered something halfway through his sentence. He didn't care about anything else and turned around to run back. "Have you guys forgotten the rules again?!"
Ji Sicheng longed for the innocence of his peers but couldn't accept their naivety, so he designed several educational games for them. They were very fun, but the rules were too complicated, and he had to watch over them to make sure they didn't make mistakes.
Ji Sicheng has mild obsessive-compulsive disorder, and he absolutely cannot allow such a thing to happen, so he leads everyone to play from beginning to end.
Time passed by, and most of the parents had arrived. As it was time to leave, one of the little boys tugged at his sleeve and asked, "Sicheng, did I do well today?"
Ji Sicheng objectively commented, "Although he made a few minor mistakes, he did better than everyone else."
The little boy pursed his lips and said somewhat reservedly, "Then can you grant me a request?"
Ji Sicheng crossed his arms, his expression exactly the same as the grade head's. "You tell me first, and I'll think about it."
“My dad is super serious and never plays games with me. I’m a little scared, but your dad…” The little boy’s eyes lit up. “He plays games with us. I really like him. It’s like playing house. Can we switch roles?”
Ji Sicheng was surprised that his father could be swapped, and he didn't answer for a moment.
The little boy tugged at his clothes in a pleading manner, weakly pleading, "Just one day."
Ji Sicheng subconsciously looked for Ji Zhiqi's figure. There were too many parents here, and Ji Zhiqi, concerned about her reputation, did not play with the children. Instead, she sat under a tree, dozing off, her head almost sinking to the ground.
He lacked any of the seriousness and maturity a father should have.
Ji Sicheng looked away, then looked into the little boy's eyes and said, slowly and deliberately, "That's my dad. I won't switch places with you."
Not even for one day.
...
Ji Zhi Qiu led the children home and immediately started a live stream.
When he received the call, all the family members in the live broadcast room were there. He only had time to briefly explain the reason in a few words before leaving in a hurry. He knew that the family members in the live broadcast room must be very anxious.
Ji Zhiqi put her hands on her hips and imitated the voice vividly, "It takes two to tango. So what if my child hits or curses at others? Can't you adults just let him have his way?"
He got angrier and angrier as he spoke. "The homeroom teacher is there, and the two kids are watching with longing eyes. There might be other subject teachers coming back too. I want to set a good example for my son. I've been holding back for a long time, and I'm just trying to keep my mouth shut. I'm so frustrated! When have I, the evil orange-headed guy, ever been so wronged?"
The family members in the live broadcast room offered their comfort.
[Got it. The evil orange-headed guy hasn't acted like a human in a while, and suddenly it feels a little strange.]
[Got it, you want to have a fight with her in the office? Back off, back off, back off.]
[Got it. If she were in the live stream, you'd want to drag him onto the microphone and argue with him.]
I understand. You think you have a particularly good image in your son's eyes.
Ji Zhi Qiu ignored the harsh comments, feeling incredibly beautiful, but she couldn't tell her family directly. She could only wink and hint, "You don't know, I behaved exceptionally well today, like the kind of universally acknowledged great father figure. I can't go into the details, but the three of them love me so much, they love me to death, you understand?"
His fans in the live stream didn't let him off the hook either.
[What?! A crooked mouth and squinting eyes, and he suffered a stroke at such a young age?!]
[You, a supposedly great father figure? Do you even know how to write the word "great"?]
[I can't take it anymore, someone slap him! He's practically having seizures.]
Ji Zhi Qiu initially thought it was a heartwarming reply, and even leaned closer, but after reading the content, he fell into an eerie silence.
The live stream has always been like this. As Ji Zhi Qiu and his family engage in their love-hate relationship, the number of online viewers and fans continues to rise. Even without the absence of other major streamers, his popularity is now on track to make it onto the homepage's recommended list.
Among the long list of online users, there is an inconspicuous ID, which belongs to a newly registered user. The avatar and name are default to the system.
Qingning, the top influencer in the beauty category, was watching a live stream when his hand, hanging by his side, unconsciously clenched into a fist, his sense of crisis growing stronger.
"Is this the streamer who raises babies, the evil... Pumpkin Head?"
"..." Qingyuan smiled apologetically: "It's called Evil Orange Head, but the two names are quite similar, so it doesn't matter what it's called."
Qingning then asked, "Could you find the replay of his live stream that day? Besides saying he wanted to have exclusive access to the viewership, did he say anything else?"
“I’ve checked it repeatedly,” Qingyuan assured him. “He didn’t show any hostility or provocation towards you, Brother Ning. He was just…”
Qingyuan racked her brains trying to find a less offensive word, but Qingning saw through it at a glance and snorted coldly, "I know what he means. Even if I don't invite him, he won't look down on me."
"A nobody streamer, who just got the title of Rising Star Streamer, really thinks the whole platform can't tolerate him? Who do you think I am? How dare he look down on me!"
Qingyuan tried to mediate, saying, "He didn't mean to look down on Brother Ning. It's just that he has a strange perspective on things. He's simply happy about it."
Qingning: "..." Isn't this just deliberate provocation?
He vaguely sensed something and looked Qingyuan up and down. "What's wrong with you? Why are you always saying good things about him?"
Qingyuan was stunned. "How is this possible? I caused him trouble before, and this kid actually used me to attack the Guidance Bureau! It disgusted me so much that I couldn't eat all day. I'd rather go eat shit than speak up for him!!"
Qingning couldn't comment on this, so she changed the subject and directed her anger at him: "This is also your fault. Why did you go looking for trouble with him? Now everyone online is saying that I'm secretly married and have a child. Contacting the streamer who raises children was just a way to hype up this. Otherwise, I have no grudge against him, so why didn't I invite him?"
"I originally wanted to let things settle down and try to make contact again after the rumors subsided. Now, almost everyone knows that a small streamer provoked me and even got so many benefits. How am I supposed to establish my authority now? How am I supposed to survive on this platform!"
At this time, Qingning was particularly sensitive. As soon as someone showed the slightest opposition, he would immediately escalate it to the point that everyone wanted to challenge him and take away his position as the number one.
The pain of this situation was unbearable, but he was the one who started it all, so he could only swallow his bitterness. "It was my oversight. I did this for... Brother Ning, why was Cat invited even though she wasn't selected?"
Qingning's expression froze for a second, and she said vaguely, "I didn't intend to invite him. That evil grapefruit-headed guy didn't come, so there was an empty spot, and I just gave it to him."
"..." is the evil orange head.
Love isn't so easily fooled. He had heard some rumors before, and pressed him for details, "What about the other people who weren't invited? I heard he was invited as a family member. Whose family member?"
Now that things have come to this point, Qingning couldn't hide it anymore. "Maomao is with Dadong. Aren't you quite familiar with them? Didn't you know?"
"..."
Qingyuan stood there, stunned, staring blankly ahead. In that instant, all the sounds and colors in the world seemed to be stripped away and disintegrated, gradually fading away from him.
After a full half minute, he slowly blinked, but his mind was still floating in the air, and his voice trembled: "He's with Da Dong, when did that happen?"
"It seems to have been a few days before the gathering." Qingning avoided Qingyuan's gaze and waved her hand. "That's their private matter, I don't know either."
"But I went to cause trouble for the evil orange head because the cat cried to me, saying he was very sad that he wasn't selected and felt that someone else had taken his spot..."
Even the most oblivious person will eventually realize what's happening.
The cat's aloofness wasn't because he didn't provide enough security, nor because he didn't pursue him hard enough. Rather, he was simply being used as a tool. Because he failed to complete his task and was deemed "not handy enough," the cat abandoned him without hesitation and moved on to someone else's embrace.
Sweet memories from the past surfaced in his mind, but they were not precious recollections; instead, they were a sharp blade piercing him.
No wonder everyone's been talking strangely to him lately; he's just a clown.
Before her heart shattered, Qingyuan grasped at the last straw. "Brother Ning, you told me I'm your best brother, and you know I like Maomao, but why didn't you refuse to let Maomao attend the gathering as Da Dong's family member? Don't you know how embarrassing that made me feel?"
Qingning was embarrassed by the question. Although he tried his best to hide it, he could not hide the disdain in his eyes. After a full half minute, he finally adjusted his expression, pretended to be a caring older brother, and gently patted Qingyuan's shoulder.
"It's not worth getting upset over someone like that. There are so many streamers in the beauty section. Find someone you like and I'll help you get their contact information."
Qingyuan didn't answer; she just stared at him intently, stubbornly wanting an answer.
Qingning was too lazy to play along with his brotherly love act anymore, and she was also getting impatient with his nagging. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "Alright, let's talk about serious matters. We can't just let this little streamer off so easily. Go and contact someone for me. She'll definitely hate him even more and want to tear him apart with her own hands!"
****
As night deepened, Ji Zhi Qiu waited five minutes after ending his broadcast before Yu Nian went online.
[Yu Nian: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.]
[Grow another leaf: No, you're ten minutes early.]
[Yu Nian: Shall we log in now?]
[Let another leaf grow: Okay.]
[Yu Nian: Do you want to start a live stream? Don't worry about me, I'm fine with it.]
That's what he said, but after spending these days together, Ji Zhi Qiu could tell that Yu Nian was a person with a strong sense of boundaries and didn't want to reveal too much of his privacy. He genuinely considered Yu Nian a friend, so he didn't want to be greedy for that little bit of time and broadcast their game live.
After logging on, Ji Zhi Qiu turned on her microphone and said, "Today's live stream is long enough, and I'm a bit tired. Besides, I'm not a game streamer, so if the quality of my stream is too low, it won't satisfy everyone."
He paused for a moment, then quickly explained, "I didn't mean to look down on you. You're a beginner, so it's normal that you don't understand some things. I just mean that live streaming needs to be entertaining, and I'm afraid I won't do it well."
[Yu Nian: I know.]
Yu Nian never played games with him, and seeing those two words made Ji Zhi Qiu instantly feel safe.
As planned, the two of them continued to familiarize themselves with the game and dungeons, and during their break, they deliberately found a place to enjoy the scenery.
"The game is of extremely high quality, and the scenery is incredibly realistic. I discovered it while I was wandering around, and it's my treasure trove of viewpoints!"
Ji Zhi Qiu's tone was not without pride, "It's just that this map only has two or three dungeon locations, and there are relatively few people when the dungeons are not open."
[Yu Nian: Fewer people are better.]
No sooner had they finished speaking than a third person appeared beside them, standing there blankly, as if they had lost connection.
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't pay any attention, but unexpectedly the other party typed directly in the public chat.
[Romance: I have something to tell you.]
Ji Zhi Qiu paused for a few seconds before realizing that the bright purple outfit looked strangely familiar. She belatedly said, "Oh, it's you. Turn on your mic."
The relationship was approved. "Are you still streaming?"
"No," Ji Zhi Qiu said with a smile, "Don't worry, I won't steal your job."
"I didn't do a live stream either."
"What do you want to say to me?"
After a three-minute silence, Ji Zhi Qiu felt so awkward that his scalp tingled. He tentatively asked, "Did you disconnect?"
"No," came the voice quickly from the receiver.
"What kind of words need to be conceived for so long?"
"Who's next to you? Is it convenient for you to listen?"
"It's convenient. My friend doesn't use a microphone, but he types very fast. If you want to pick a fight, we can definitely verbally abuse you until you're speechless!"
"You've misunderstood." Qingyuan paused before speaking with difficulty, "You're very popular in the pet-raising section right now. Do you know that there was a very popular streamer before you?"
Ji Zhi Qiu thought for a moment, "I've heard of her. She was also a rising star anchor of the year, but when I searched, I found that she had already left the internet."
"She'll be back soon," Qingyuan earnestly advised. "Do you realize you've been blocking someone's way and are resented by many people? Be more discreet in the future."
"Haven't she already quit the internet? How am I blocking her way?"
"Someone asked me to contact her, specifically to bring her back to deal with you. This is called using someone else to do your dirty work. You evil orange-headed guy, you'd better be careful, or you won't even know how you died later."
Ji Zhi Qiu said nonchalantly, "We'll deal with whatever comes our way. There will always be some idiots who will come looking for trouble. Didn't you challenge me to a duel before?"
Qingyuan inevitably thought of the cat and related matters again, his heart clenched as he fell into memories. After a while, he realized something was wrong, "You called me an idiot?!"
Ji Zhi Qiu was amused. "How come your reaction time is so slow?"
He thought his love interest would continue arguing with him, but unexpectedly, he blurted out, "Your voice is quite nice. It's a youthful voice that everyone likes. You could also develop it into a wifely voice. If you just sell it a little, a lot of people will send you gifts."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
Are you alright? Are you alright? You need to be mindful of the situation when you speak!
He sensed that Qingyuan had probably been severely beaten, her brain was shattered, and she couldn't organize her thoughts to have a normal conversation, so he said, "Whatever your purpose, I'm very grateful that you told me this."
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't confront him, which made Qing Yuan feel even worse, and her conscience ached. "I was foolish and was taken advantage of before, which is why I came to cause you trouble. How about this, you name your terms, and I'll compensate you."
Ji Zhi Qiu's eyes immediately lit up, "Then call the Guidance Bureau with me again."
"..." Qingyuan could no longer tolerate it. "Are you even human? I wanted to make it up to you, but not to be insulted by you!"
Ji Zhi Qiu shrugged: "Alright then, I'll let you know when I think of something."
Since everyone was an adult, the conversation should have ended there. Ji Zhi Qiu didn't pay any more attention to Qing Yuan, but Qing Yuan followed them like a shadow.
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't interfere and continued to teach Yu Nian some skills according to the plan, guiding him to explore the personal panel.
The player didn't know what they were doing; they just felt confused and empty inside, and didn't want to be alone, even in the game.
He drifted off into thought for a while, but the continuous conversation brought him back to reality.
"Yes, that's it. You're quick to learn."
"You don't need to thank me, I did all this willingly."
"I enjoy playing games with you; it's too boring playing alone."
Ji Zhi Qiu inexplicably adopted the style of a preschool teacher, her voice so gentle it could melt hearts. Qing Yuan vaguely thought: This is definitely a wife's voice. If she could be a little more coquettish, she would be everyone's dream lover.
His gaze also fell on the screen, fixed intently on the two game characters in front of him.
This is just a game, everything is virtual, but the two people in front of them are standing close together, shoulder to shoulder, in an incredibly intimate posture, and they are frantically expressing their love, constantly sending emojis back and forth, with all sorts of hearts filling the screen.
I just broke up with my boyfriend and became completely withdrawn.
Ji Zhi Qiu had no idea what he was thinking. She was worried sick about Yu Nian. "There are all sorts of hand gestures here. Don't send any provocative ones. Be careful that the other side doesn't lose their temper and issues a kill order. Then you'll not only lose your equipment, but you also won't be able to play the game properly!"
[Yu Nian: Is there something wrong with my control panel? Why is one gesture not responding?]
Ji Zhi Qiu was taken aback. "It might be a bug. Which gesture?"
[The rest of the year: Holding hands.]
"Holding hands requires a Daoist couple relationship to use. I heard that once the intimacy level reaches a certain level, you can unlock kissing and dual cultivation. However, this game is supposed to be 'green' (i.e., legal), so it might just be a gimmick."
The conversation was perfectly normal, but the heartbroken person could only pick up on a few keywords.
Holding hands wasn't enough; they also wanted to kiss and engage in dual cultivation!
He was completely enveloped by the unique atmosphere of love, and his past with the cat floated into his mind. They had almost become a couple, just like the two people in front of him, and built a small courtyard of their own to spend the rest of their lives together.
"This is wonderful..."
Ji Zhi Qiu glanced at the flashy purple sweet potato in the game and suddenly felt a little jealous, wanting to get rid of this shabby monk-style outfit.
“Let’s change into some new outfits too, the original skin is too ugly.” Ji Zhi Qiu opened the shop and said generously, “Just pick one, I’ll buy it for you, as a thank you for the Meteor Shower before.”
The two of them browsed and discussed the items together, and even came across pet outfits. Ji Zhi Qiu exclaimed in surprise, "This is incredible! The planners are obsessed with making money. They even have outfits for pets. This set would actually look pretty good on a dog."
Qingyuan regained her senses and accurately captured the key words.
What kind of dog is he? Is he a single dog?
His IQ completely dropped, and he blurted out as if possessed, "Is it for me to wear? I don't like blue, I want purple."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
I called the police! How could someone want to be his dog just because of a disagreement?!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com