Under the girl's utterly bewildered gaze, Lin Xia collected his 500 yuan, then stood up and left with an air of effortless cool.
As for what was inside the box?
He didn't want to know, nor did he need to know.
That was the client's privacy and had nothing to do with him anymore.
Once Lin Xia left the girl's apartment, the live chat erupted with comments.
The viewers were still trying to process what had just happened.
"Wait, I thought the small Luban lock was supposed to be amazing? What just happened?"
"How did it just go 'click' and open? Weren't there over a hundred mechanisms? Did I blink and miss it?"
"Holy crap, less than three seconds and 500 bucks in his pocket. This makes me want to learn lockpicking."
"Don't. I'm a professional locksmith, and most locksmiths genuinely can't open a small Luban lock."
"Yikes! So that means the streamer's lockpicking skills are actually terrifying?"
"I don't understand it, but I'm thoroughly impressed."
"…"
Watching his viewers buzzing with curiosity like a bunch of inquisitive kids, Lin Xia explained as he exited the residential area, "Actually, the small Luban lock isn't as troublesome as you think."
"Theoretically, there are only two ways to open this type of lock. One is with the original key. The other is to slowly work through the hundred-plus steps."
"But there's actually a third method…"
As Lin Xia spoke, his viewers pricked up their ears, afraid to miss a single detail.
The viewer who'd claimed to be a locksmith even pulled out a treasured notebook, ready to take notes. This was a secret trick even his master didn't know—he had to record it properly and study it.
Then, everyone heard Lin Xia say:
"Actually, the third method isn't that technical. I just happened to have seen this type of small Luban lock before. One look, and I knew how the hundred-plus mechanisms were designed. So, I just opened it directly."
"After all, as you all know, for a locksmith who happens to be familiar with the lock's model… a lock holds no secrets!"
A lock holds no secrets!
That final line sent a shiver down the spines of everyone in the live stream.
"Holy crap! Why do I suddenly feel so pumped up?"
"Damn, what a flex! I give you full marks, and I'm not worried about you getting a big head!"
"Let's be real, the line's a bit cringy, but the streamer is legit amazing."
"Streamer 666! So strong! It's true, even the most ordinary professions have their absolute legends!"
"Forget the rest, just being able to memorize over a hundred steps is insane. I still can't remember all 26 letters of the alphabet."
"…"
Ignoring the ongoing chat, Lin Xia cycled home and said, "Any other viewers needing locks opened, feel free to contact me anytime. As long as it's not a very troublesome lock, I can open it. Standard rate is 200. But for difficult ones like the small Luban lock, well, that'll cost extra."
Globally, forgetting your keys probably happens to many people every day.
But for a specific individual in a specific area of a specific city? The odds seem much lower.
So, Lin Xia didn't receive any new lockpicking jobs after that.
Coupled with the fact that this was just a side hustle for him, there was no need to set up a dedicated phone line or shop.
"It's already afternoon. Looks like no more jobs today. We'll end the stream here for now." Just as Lin Xia was about to shut down the broadcast and rest, his phone suddenly rang with an unknown number.
Lin Xia's eyes lit up. "Huh? A new job coming in?"
With that, he answered the call.
But the next second, his expression shifted dramatically, gradually stiffening into something unreadable.
The live audience, witnessing this change, burned with curiosity.
"What's going on? The streamer's expression doesn't look right."
"I thought it was a new job? What kind of lock is it this time?"
"Say something, streamer! Don't look like you just ate something awful."
"Nonsense, he looks more like he found 500 bucks but then immediately lost it."
"…"
A few minutes later, Lin Xia hung up and announced to the stream with resignation:
"Brothers, seems I've landed in some trouble. The police 'uncle' wants me to go down for a cup of tea."
Pfft—
HAHAHA!
The live stream instantly exploded with laughter.
He got arrested from picking a lock??
That's just too ridiculous!!
---
Local Police Station
Lin Xia was assisting the police officer with the statement.
"Name!"
"Lin Xia!"
"Registration ID number."
"I don't have one…"
"You don't have one? Then how dare you go around picking locks for people? And charging money?"
Lin Xia: …
He was only doing it for a day as a side gig! How was he supposed to know someone would report him?
Recalling the chain of events, Lin Xia felt wronged. After he'd left, some 'helpful' viewer had edited the clip and posted it online. Perhaps that viewer had mastered the art of clickbait headlines, because the video went viral instantly, racking up millions of views in a short time.
Subsequently, a civic-minded citizen had dialed the tip-off line, reporting that Lin Xia was picking locks without being registered. This citizen was probably just guessing, but somehow, they'd guessed right.
And that led to the current situation.
Fortunately, Lin Xia had the entire live stream recording. The situation wasn't too serious. He just needed to get registered properly now.
"Alright, have your guardian come down to act as a witness and sign the forms. Then you can go."
"Ah? I need a guardian to sign? But… my parents left me when I was very young."
The officer fell silent for a moment. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a guardian. The locksmith who taught you can come instead."
Lin Xia also fell silent. Where was he supposed to find a locksmith master?
After a moment, he ventured timidly, "Would someone from my company work?"
The officer, mistakenly thinking Lin Xia's locksmith master had also passed away, felt a pang of sympathy. This young man really had it tough. "Yes, someone from your company will do."
Roughly half an hour later, a strikingly attractive woman hurried in from outside.
"Officer, hello. Sorry for the trouble…"
"It's fine. Just sign here, and you can leave."
"Alright!"
The woman swiftly signed her name, shot a fierce glare at Lin Xia, and then led him out.
But at that moment, among the viewers still howling with laughter in the live stream, a particularly clever one sensed something amiss.
"Huh? That woman… she looks familiar."
"Isn't that, you know, who? The agent from that entertainment company."
"Oh, right, right, right! I remember now. Sky Beyond Entertainment."
"What's going on? Is the streamer employed at Sky Beyond Entertainment?"
"Impossible, right? Have you ever seen someone employed there spending all their time doing side hustles?"
"That's true. Then what's the explanation?"
"Maybe it's his former company?"
"Brothers, let's consider this… is it possible the streamer is actually a signed artist under Sky Beyond Entertainment?"
Yiiikes—
As that last comment scrolled past, the entire live stream fell into an eerie silence.
This streamer… is a celebrity?
You've got to be kidding me!!
…
…