Fame and Fortune, Fame and Fortune

The speakers were two male college students, looking about eighteen or nineteen years old, around Lin Ke's age, radiating a youthful and vibrant aura.

Their eyes were bright, and their hairstyles were fresh and clean. The one on the left wore a simple, clean white T-shirt, while the one on the right still wore a basketball jersey, his short hair flying as he exuded the hearty temperament unique to young people.

Seeing Lin Ke turn around, the student in the white T-shirt said in pleasant surprise, "Teacher Keke, it really is you! I recognized you at a glance!"

The student in the basketball jersey quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, I recognized you instantly too! You look exactly the same as you do in your videos. Nowadays, livestream filters are as thick as the sky, making it impossible to see anyone's original appearance. But Teacher Keke, you're even prettier in person than through a camera lens!"

Lin Ke felt somewhat flattered.

She had never expected that she would one day be addressed as a "teacher," nor did she anticipate that with her modest popularity from simply making short videos, she would be recognized so casually while walking down the street.

Smiling a bit awkwardly, Lin Ke replied, "Yes, I am the streamer CutiePie❤."

"It really is you! Teacher Keke! Oh, god, what kind of good luck do I have today to actually meet the goddess herself? Teacher Keke, can I take a picture with you?

I'm your loyal fan. I've watched every single one of your videos, and what you say is just so right. Regarding many social phenomena, some people simply vent and complain, while others keep their mouths tightly shut, not daring to mention them at all.

Only you have sharp words and unique angles; what you say is exceptionally wonderful and strikes right at the core of people's hearts. I love your videos so much."

College students are inherently radical and prone to youthful indignation; if they cannot draw their swords to help when witnessing injustice on the road, they at least want to let out an angry roar.

Unfortunately, with the wrong methods and improper means, many words cannot be published. Looking at those so-called internet celebrities online who blindly whitewash and pretend peace, they feel a hundred times more resentment in their hearts.

Suddenly running into someone like Lin Ke, who dared to speak and knew how to express it—well, it wasn't really that Lin Ke dared to speak so much as the comment section's interpretation made it seem so.

College students, who had never witnessed the sinister side of human nature, automatically filled in the blanks and projected their own fantasies onto her. Believing that Lin Ke possessed profound thoughts and sharp words, and that she was entirely mocking current affairs, they were completely oblivious to being misled, gladly convincing themselves they were Lin Ke's loyal fans.

"Teacher Keke, can I start a livestream? Can I also record a short video? Although I don't have many followers, meeting a goddess like this is something I desperately want my good bros to know about, or else they won't believe it at all."

Lin Ke was quite pleased.

"Sure, no problem."

She had confidence in her appearance. Although she only wore light makeup when going out today, she had never lost when it came to taking photos with others.

The two male college students raised their phones and stood beside Lin Ke, snapping pictures wildly. They slightly bent their knees to maintain the exact same height as Lin Ke. They also turned on video recording for a short clip, complete with cute stickers, showing the utmost respect.

The commotion here was rather large, attracting some passing pedestrians to stop and watch. After all, being not far from a university campus, many young people were paying attention to the Chrysalis Hundred Butterflies Rising Contest. Seeing this familiar face, many people made the connection.

"Look quickly, that's Keke, the streamer from Chrysalis."

"What streamer? Is she very famous? A celebrity?"

"A rookie streamer, not necessarily super famous. But right now, she's definitely rising like a rocket. If she truly became a celebrity, would it ever be your turn to bump into her on the street?"

"The Hundred Butterflies Rising Contest, heard of it? On that Chrysalis platform, she has already fought her way close to the top 10."

"Top 10? Aren't the top 10 all veteran streamers? Such a young and pretty beauty."

"Youth and beauty are one aspect. On the other hand, she doesn't rely on her looks to make a living, but on her talent."

"Totally. The video style of CutiePie❤ is just wonderful. She's practically the mouthpiece of contemporary college students, I daresay. If she hosted a talk show, she would definitely have fans everywhere and every show would be packed."

The commotion here was quite substantial, attracting a crowd. Passersby chattered excitedly, repeatedly mentioning her name.

At this moment, Lin Ke felt somewhat intoxicated.

Fame and fortune, fame and fortune—surely most people cannot escape these two words.

She was also a mortal; no one dislikes being the center of attention, being sought after, being chased, and being watched.

...

The sun set in the west, and the night grew deeper.

In another corner of the city, Xu Meiqi had been walking down the street for a very, very long time.

Her sky-high heels clicked heavily against the ground, every step landing with immense weight. The sidewalk was not particularly even, and blisters had already formed on her toes and ankles, which then burst into bleeding wounds, yet she did not stop.

She was crying.

Not the kind of loud, wailing cry; when a person is truly in extreme pain, no sound comes out. She just couldn't stop her tears from flowing, ruining the exquisite makeup across her entire face, her heart as tangled as a mess of hemp.

Because this path was one she had chosen herself.

If she were merely an innocent victim, she could thoroughly hate others, curse out loud, and stand on the moral high ground to despise that filthy group of people.

Yet she had known about all of this from the very first day she stepped into this circle.

She knew how tarnished it was here, knew that the so-called unspoken rules had long been brought out into the open, and knew that in order to survive here, things like propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame were all obstacles.

Yet she lingered in this world of glitz and glamour.

Her boyfriend, Zhou Yifan, had given her a false perception, making her feel that the waters here weren't deep enough to necessarily drown everyone.

Having been a streamer at Yellow Lantern for two years, she had never actually experienced the true unspoken rules.

But today, she felt completely despairing.

Why was it that certain people could so effortlessly obliterate everything someone else had, and why was it that certain people could simply stand before you and render you utterly powerless to resist?

Why, in a place so sickening, had she willingly jumped in, only to find herself completely unable to leave?

Zhou Yifan was not far behind Xu Meiqi.

He had been following her, silently, without a sound, accompanying her through these few kilometers of walking.

It was he who had brought Xu Meiqi into this circle.

At a campus event, Xu Meiqi, who was still a student volunteer at the time, instantly caught Zhou Yifan's attention. The untainted clarity about her, untouched by worldly dust, firmly captured his eyes.

She was capable, radiant, innocent, optimistic, willing to endure hardship, uncomplaining... she seemed to possess every wonderful quality in this world, qualities that simply could not exist in the circle he inhabited.

Within just a week of the event, Zhou Yifan had fallen.

Knowing he shouldn't, he still found it hard to suppress his urge to approach Xu Meiqi, and using a few subtle tactics, he became her boyfriend.

Xu Meiqi trusted him implicitly.

She never doubted a single word Zhou Yifan said, nor did she ever delve deeply into Zhou Yifan's family background. She simply accepted Zhou Yifan's invitations naturally after the event, going on spring outings, climbing mountains, and watching movies at the cinema.

Zhou Yifan hadn't even formally confessed his feelings to her.

Yet through just these little bits and pieces, Xu Meiqi had already melted into his arms.

Guilt weighed heavily upon his heart.