Upon hearing Xu Gui's words, Fu Xia couldn't help but give her a resentful look—tell me, whose fault is this?
Of course, she hadn't gone to steal anything last night; she'd just been hopping around in the melon patch all night, running from one place to another.
There was no way around it; there were just too many melons, one after another being unearthed. She couldn't possibly eat them all, so by the time she came to her senses, it was already dawn. She hurriedly went to sleep, only managing to get an hour or two of sleep.
Fu Xia looked Xu Gui up and down, surprised, "You seem to have slept very well last night."
Xu Gui proudly replied, "Of course! My sleep quality has always been excellent!"—As a mild internet addict, she knew that many people nowadays had sleep problems, but she was different; she slept well anytime, anywhere.
Therefore, Xu Gui was very proud of this.
Upon hearing her words, Fu Xia couldn't help but twitch her lips slightly, and retorted, "You dropped so many bombshells last night, and you just went to sleep like that?" Was
this due to carelessness, or did she simply not take it to heart? Fu Xia felt that if it were Xu Gui, it would definitely be the latter.
The two arrived at the hotel's first-floor restaurant, where many of the show's guests and staff were already eating. Upon seeing Xu Gui and her group enter, the previously lively restaurant suddenly fell silent.
At that moment, even Fu Xia, who wasn't particularly sensitive to stares, could feel countless complex gazes sweeping over them the instant they entered.
Fu Xia: "Hiss..."
She pulled Xu Gui through the crowd, and amidst the gloomy and subtle glances of others, found a booth further inside and sat down. After sitting down, Fu Xia let out a breath and said to Xu Gui, "You're really famous now."
Last night, Xu Gui had become famous overnight. The trending topics she dominated were still hanging on the trending list, attracting countless netizens who were new to the internet and unaware of what had happened to go and admire her, leaving behind footprints of admiration.
Fu Xia felt that after this incident, no one would dare to provoke Xu Gui like this anymore. After all, three reckless individuals had already shown them the consequences of offending Xu Gui.
Well, it certainly wouldn't end well.
The two chatted while scanning a QR code to order breakfast. At this moment, the restaurant suddenly fell silent again. Fu Xia looked up and saw Qiu Nai, one of the main characters she had been gossiping about last night, walking into the restaurant.
Compared to usual, he looked rather haggard and tired, with thick dark circles and bags under his eyes, clearly indicating he hadn't slept all night.
When he entered the restaurant, the gazes of those near and far fell upon him with a sinister intensity—though, while described as sinister, they were far more blatant than the looks they'd given Xu Gui, inevitably tinged with schadenfreude.
Feeling these looks, some gloating, others filled with malice, Qiu Nai gritted his teeth, ultimately deciding not to retaliate, and quietly found a seat to order breakfast.
Fu Xia leaned close to Xu Gui and whispered, "I didn't expect that after what happened, Qiu Nai still hadn't dropped the show…and even showed up in the restaurant at this hour."
She gossiped with Xu Gui: "Tang Xu was taken back by the Tang family last night and withdrew from the show's filming. As for your agent, he just left our hotel last night and someone broke his leg. He was taken straight to the hospital by ambulance... I heard the person who broke his leg was his brother-in-law."
Xu Gui looked at her in surprise and asked, "How do you know so much?"
"So what?" Fu Xia said nonchalantly, "When you have money and connections, even if you don't want to know this gossip, plenty of people will chase after you and tell you it."
Xu Gui understood.
Fu Xia muttered, "I heard that Tang Baozhu immediately took the person to get a paternity test. Let me tell you, people who don't know Tang Baozhu's mother might think she's love-struck, but once you get to know her, you'll find that Ms. Tang is truly a remarkable person!"
She clearly admired and praised Tang Miaoxin, saying, "My dad said, 'I'm not afraid of rich kids enjoying life, I'm afraid of rich kids who are blind and don't understand!'"
Tang Miaoxin, though her eyes weren't very bright, was certainly clear-headed. Although she was captivated by Lin Hai's good looks, she knew best who was truly good to her. If it had been someone else who was blind and didn't understand, Lin Hai's plan to exploit his family might have succeeded.
"I heard that last night, when Ms. Tang found out that Lin Hai had been in contact with Tang Xu's biological mother all these years, she went to the hospital that very night for a full-body checkup, afraid of catching a disease. This really angered Lin Hai so much that he fainted!"
Fu Xia was incredibly enthusiastic when she talked about gossip. Her previously tired face suddenly looked radiant. Even when their breakfast was served, she kept sharing what she knew with Xu Gui.
Clearly, her information network was incredibly extensive; she even knew about such private matters as the Tang family.
Intrigued by her words, Xu Gui also became curious about the storm she had stirred up last night. She took out her phone and opened Weibo, but as soon as she opened it, the app froze; the screen went completely black.
Xu Gui: "..."
She patted her phone—in her memory, whenever electronic products, whether phones or computers, patted them was the first method of troubleshooting.
Seeing her actions, Fu Xia couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Xu Gui's attention was still on her phone. She said, "Oh, my phone seems to be broken. The screen went black, and it crashed as soon as I opened Weibo."
Her phone, a three-year-old domestic model costing just over three thousand yuan, was still quite smooth to use, but today it crashed as soon as she opened Weibo. Could it be because it's been used for too long?
Hearing her words, Fu Xia laughed and said, "Is it possible that you have too many messages on Weibo, which is why it crashes as soon as you open it?"
Xu Gui: ?!
She had never considered this possibility.
At this moment, her phone finally lit up again. Xu Gui unlocked it with her fingerprint, and this time, she successfully opened Weibo. As soon as Weibo opened, she was attracted by the bright red notifications on the screen.
Clearly, Fu Xia was right; her Weibo had indeed crashed due to overloading of messages.
She glanced at it and noticed that not only was her inbox overflowing, but her follower count was also completely full, all glowing red. She glanced at it, not paying much attention at first, but just as she was about to look away, she suddenly seemed to notice something and abruptly turned her head back.
"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands..." She counted her followers, her eyes widening in surprise. "Eight million seven hundred thousand followers?!"
That was her follower count? If she remembered correctly, she only had a little over seven hundred thousand followers yesterday. She'd only slept, and it had increased tenfold?
Seeing the bewildered expression on her face, Fu Xia chuckled softly. Finally, she felt like Xu Gui was her peer—before, although she had thought Xu Gui was her age, Xu Gui's fortune-telling ability had always made her feel that he was unfathomable and unapproachable.
But now, Xu Gui's expression made her feel that he was just an ordinary person, not so unapproachable after all.
"You've become an overnight sensation last night," she told Xu Gui. "You have no idea how lively the internet was last night."
Indeed, it wasn't just Weibo that was buzzing, but the entire internet, especially after Xu Gui's broadcast ended. The gossip about Tang, Qiu, and Rong spread like wildfire among netizens who were present, attracting even more onlookers. The atmosphere online was incredibly heated.
Xu Gui, the one who caused all this commotion, had gone to bed early last night, completely uninvolved, and unaware that she had become an overnight sensation.
Xu Gui: "So, I'm... famous?" Fu Xia
nodded vigorously: "That's right, you're famous!" And incredibly famous.
Xu Gui's eyes crinkled with delight: "Is this what they call 'after the worst comes the best'?" She felt quite pleased with herself.
*
The two chatted gossiping for a while, finished breakfast, and got up to go out.
Unfortunately, as they went out, they ran into Qiu Nai, who had just finished breakfast and was also heading out. Upon seeing Xu Gui, Qiu Nai gave them a real-life demonstration of what "pupil shock" meant, even taking several steps back.
Xu Gui: ???
When Qiu Nai came to his senses and realized his reaction, his face turned pale and then red. He seemed a little angry, but after a few seconds, he simply turned and walked away.
Fu Xia secretly chuckled a few times.
However, when she started filming, her laughter vanished. She forgot that she had also been the butt of jokes yesterday, one of the gossips circulating online.
Fu Xia's expression immediately fell.
Xu Gui, having finished breakfast and changed his clothes, was also ready to start filming and continue his live stream.
When the camera panned over, although he didn't have dark circles under his eyes, he looked somewhat tired. This time, Xu Gui didn't ask him why he was sleepy, because she already knew why he looked so tired.
Yesterday, Xu Gui's ranking in the live stream was 23rd out of 30 guests—after the second round of eliminations began, their previous rankings were no longer valid, and everything started from scratch.
Xu Gui's ranking had been consistently low since the beginning. After all, 500 viewers per session, even if only 10 people a day, only amounted to 5,000 yuan. She usually only had seven or eight guests a day at most, earning only 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, naturally falling behind the other guests who were all showing off their talents.
However, Xu Gui wasn't in a hurry about her ranking. According to her, the advantage was in her hands, so there was no need to rush.
And as it turned out, the advantage was indeed in her hands. Before last night, her ranking was outside the top 25, occasionally fluctuating upwards, but after last night, her ranking jumped directly to 18th, surpassing eight people.
This was all thanks to Ms. Tang Baozhu, who spent a lot of money last night. She directly gave Xu Gui 2 million yuan. Although live stream donations don't account for a large percentage, 2 million yuan, even if it only represents 20%, is still 400,000 yuan, naturally allowing her to surpass many others.
Yesterday's events brought Xu Gui even more benefits. Her Weibo followers surpassed eight million, and her viewership on the Hunan TV live streaming platform exceeded ten million. So, when she started her live stream today, the number of viewers skyrocketed at an alarming rate.
Within half an hour, her live stream had already surpassed three million viewers.
Xu Gui wasn't entirely aware of this, as her live stream wasn't under her control but rather manipulated by the production team's backstage. As long as the camera was on, the live stream would start.
When she arrived under the overpass, she first glanced at the old man's stall location. The tables and chairs were still there, but he hadn't set up his stall yet.
As for Xu Gui's stall location, it was a familiar place with familiar people—it was still Old Wu and his group of fishermen. However, today was a little different. Besides Old Wu and his group, there was a group of young people.
These young people stood respectfully before Old Wu and his group, seemingly engaged in profound academic research.
"…Anyone who didn't know better would think we're here to set up a book corner." A soft voice came from beside Xu Gui.
Xu Gui turned her head and saw a young man. When he saw Xu Gui looking at him, he immediately grinned at her, showing off his bright white teeth—his teeth might not have been that white, but his dark skin made them appear exceptionally white.
"Master, I'm your fan," he said cheerfully, "I'm here to have my fortune told!"
Xu Gui nodded, "Okay."
After she arrived, she set up her stall and let the young man sit down.
The young man didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he glanced at the camera in the cameraman's hand and whispered to Xu Gui, "Master, could you not film me while I'm having my fortune told?" He had already tried to avoid the camera earlier.
Xu Gui glanced at him and signaled to the cameraman. The cameraman gave her an OK sign and pointed the camera at Xu Gui. Xu Gui also removed her microphone, so that although the live stream captured her, the conversation between Xu Gui and the customer would not be heard.
Seeing this, the young man relaxed and sat down directly in front of Xu Gui. Once seated, he quickly scanned the money on his phone and paid Xu Gui without hesitation.
After paying, he told Xu Gui about his troubles: "Master, I've always had a problem that no one knows. A few years ago, I won the lottery—20 million!"
He spoke the last sentence very softly, close to Xu Gui, so only they could hear him.
While speaking, he observed Xu Gui's expression. Seeing that Xu Gui's face remained unchanged and calm, he breathed a sigh of relief: he knew the master wasn't an ordinary person and wouldn't be swayed by such a small sum.
Now, he continued without any restraint.
He said, "I haven't told anyone about winning the lottery, not even my family. What I tell them now is that I'm still working, diligently toiling away at the company, but actually, I stay home every day playing video games."
As he said this, the young man's expression turned somewhat ashamed.
"My parents are farmers, both in their fifties and sixties. At that age, they're still working in the fields. Actually, after I won the lottery, I should have told them and brought them to the city to enjoy a better life, but I didn't dare!"
the young man confessed. "A family in my area won the lottery, but the news accidentally got out, and that very night, the whole family was murdered. The killer even killed their cat; it was horrific."
This case was considered a tragedy in their area, and it's still occasionally mentioned.
The young man grew up hearing this story and learned one thing from a young age: don't flaunt your wealth. So, after winning the lottery, he didn't dare tell anyone. He secretly redeemed the ticket, quit his job without telling anyone he knew, and started staying home playing video games. He
even told his colleagues he was sick when he quit, which gave him a convenient excuse for staying home and playing games.
To this day, apart from himself and the person who redeemed the lottery ticket for him, no one else knows that he won the lottery. In the past few years, the young man has lived a decadent yet happy life. At the same time, he also feels very guilty. After all, he is already so rich, but he did not tell his parents about it, leaving them to work hard in the countryside.
The young man sighed, "It's not that I haven't thought about telling them, but my parents' generation, especially my dad, is really vain. They want to tell the whole world about anything they have, just to satisfy their vanity. How could I dare tell them under these circumstances?"
He had kept it a secret for so many years, and now his parents were getting older, his father's health wasn't good. He wanted to use the money to support them, but he was afraid of getting into trouble.
"Master, what should I do?" the young man asked Xu Gui for advice. "Should I tell my parents about this?"
Xu Gui looked at him and said, "Indeed, you can't tell your parents. It's fortunate you didn't tell them before, otherwise, you might really be in serious trouble..."
The young man's parents were indeed a little vain, just as he had described. So even though he repeatedly told them to keep a low profile, they still couldn't resist leaking some information to relatives.
And in this world, there are many people with strong jealousy who harbor boundless malice. You can't imagine the worst things others are capable of.
The young man listened, a chill running down his spine, a sense of lingering fear washing over him.
"...I...I've actually been thinking about whether or not to tell my parents," he said.
He was, after all, just an ordinary person. Even if he kept it from his parents for a while, he was constantly tormented by guilt, and he couldn't bear to see them working so hard because they had no money. So, one day, he would inevitably tell them.
And that would be the beginning of disaster... But now, things were different.
Hearing Xu Gui's words, the young man hardened his heart, deciding that no matter what happened in the future, he would keep his lottery win a secret. He truly cherished his nickname.
Seeing the young man's dejected expression, Xu Gui suddenly said, "Didn't you have a friend who's making a game and really needs investment?"
The young man looked up at her, surprised, and said excitedly, "Master, you even know that? I do have a friend who's been trying to get investment. He's my college classmate; we were roommates in college, and we've kept in touch since graduation..."
He'd graduated eight or nine years ago, but their contact had remained close; they'd often meet up for meals, which was enough to show how good their relationship was.
"A few days ago, when we were having barbecue, he seemed to mention that his game needed investment," the young man recalled. "But what does that have to do with me?"
Xu Gui said, "Didn't you ever think about investing in him?"
The young man was taken aback.
Xu Gui said, "Your friend is your benefactor. If you invest in his game, he'll give you a return in two years... and the amount he invests in you will be much more than you imagine."
"At that time, you still won't have to work, you can still play games at home, and you won't have to worry about running out of money, or others coveting your wealth."
The young man asked, "...Really? What if I invest and don't get a return?"
Xu Gui replied, "That depends on whether you believe my prediction."
The young man pondered. He hadn't thought much of his friend's mention of investing before. Partly because his friend had only mentioned it casually without elaboration, and partly because although he was wealthy, he didn't feel the responsibility of being rich. After all, aside from not working, his daily life was essentially the same as before; he wasn't a materialistic person.
Now, Xu Gui's words had opened up a whole new world for him.
Xu Gui said, "You can keep enough for two years of living expenses, and invest the rest in your friend's game. That way, even though you've spent the money, you can get it back, and you can tell your parents directly without hiding it from them anymore."
"After two years, when your friend's game succeeds and starts giving you dividends, you won't have to worry about running out of money, nor will you have to worry about others eyeing your fortune."
The young man began to think deeply.
If what Xu Gui said was true, then what she said was indeed the best solution. Money, if kept in hand, attracts unwanted attention, but once spent, it's gone.
However, who could guarantee that what Xu Gui said would actually come true? If it didn't, wouldn't his money be completely lost?
Xu Gui glanced to the side and said, "Alright, I've said what I needed to say. You can go now."
The young man looked up blankly, "Huh? Oh!"
He quickly stood up, and saw Xu Gui also stand up. He said somewhat apologetically, "Master, you don't need to see me off."
Xu Gui looked at him suspiciously, walked past him, and went to meet the staff of [Miaoyu] who were carrying things over.
The young man, seeing this, was speechless. He ran off awkwardly, but after stepping off the overpass, he slowly stopped and turned to look at Xu Gui.
At that moment, Xu Gui's words kept echoing in his mind. He was actually unsure of what to do, but after a few seconds, he gritted his teeth and decided to do as Xu Gui said.
This money was a windfall from the lottery. Losing it meant he wasn't destined for it. After all, if he kept the money, even knowing something bad would happen, he might impulsively tell his parents about it one day.
The young man made his decision and immediately picked up his phone to contact his friend.
And it was this decision he made today that, two years later, gave the market a game that would never fade, and also saved him from the disappointment of having his game's success stolen, giving him a successful gamer and a self-made millionaire who, despite seemingly doing nothing, gradually became wealthy.
When the young man grew old, his descendants asked him about the secret to his success, and he would sigh and say, "First, you need good luck; second, you need good luck; and finally, you need good luck to meet a shrewd and insightful person!"
The young man's descendants: ? So it was all about luck?!
*
The young man left quietly. Xu Gui watched as the people from [Miaoyu] set up the aquarium and added an oxygenator. This time, the fish in the aquarium weren't the betta fish from yesterday, but another type of ornamental fish, like a small goldfish.
This small goldfish had a plump body, a tail like seaweed, and beautiful colors. From the gills to the tail, the color gradually transitioned from gold to red, especially the tail, which was extremely bright. When it swam in the aquarium, it was like a vibrant oil painting.
Xu Gui glanced at it and her gaze immediately settled on it. She couldn't help but ask the staff member, "What's this fish called?"
The staff member proudly replied, "It's a goldfish bred by our [Wonderful Fish], called Sunset."
Xu Gui carefully examined the fish and thought the name was indeed fitting. The fish's color was just like the fiery red sunset on the summer sky.
"I'll leave today's promotion to you." The staff member smiled and handed Xu Gui a brochure about the "Sunset Fish."
Besides the fish, the staff member also brought over the little turtle from yesterday. It was in a small fish tank with small artificial rocks and aquatic plants, which Xu Gui could place on her fortune-telling table. The staff member
said, "Our boss said that this turtle has a spiritual quality in your hands. If you'd like, we'll give it to you. This bag contains its turtle food. You can feed it when it's hungry... This turtle food contains fish and shrimp meat, which is very nutritious. If you have time, you can also feed it some meat. That's enough."
Xu Gui was surprised, leaned closer to the fish tank to examine it closely, and looked up to ask, "Are you really giving it to me?"
The staff member nodded.
Xu Gui: "Okay, please thank your boss for me."
The staff member agreed, and as they were about to leave, Xu Gui glanced at them, somewhat guiltily asking, "Yesterday, I tried my best to promote your company..."
So, even if the promotion wasn't effective, she couldn't take back the advertising fee—anyway, she had already quickly transferred the money to the dean, and there was no way to get it back.
Hearing this, the staff member gave her a strange look, and Xu Gui asked warily, "Was the promotion very bad?"
"No, not really." The staff member's expression was subtle, "It was just a little too good. Yesterday, our company's 'fighting fish' sold out completely, but..."
He looked at Xu Gui, somewhat exasperated, and said, "Many customers asked us if it's true that our fighting fish smell like dogs."
The staff member in charge of online and offline sales could only look on with a puzzled expression.
Xu Gui: ?
Xu Gui was also full of question marks—she had no idea that the rumors about [Miaoyu]'s fish-dog-like mannerisms originated from her.