41: Pretend

At 7:30 PM on December 5th, the “Wen Yus Girlfriend” live stream room was no longer as deserted as it usually was.

Since passing the last assessment and receiving some traffic support from the Guild, the usual online viewership had stabilized at around 15 people.

As tonight was an important Hall Battle day, the wealthy patrons (Big Brothers) privately maintained by the streamers all showed up, and the number of online viewers in the room soared, reaching 30 people.

The speed of the bullet comments scrolling across the public screen also significantly increased, making the atmosphere exceptionally lively.

There were eight microphone slots in total, and they were all occupied: Sister Yao Yao, Zhi Xia, Minnie, July, Du Du, Sweet Girl, Jia Jia, and Xiao Meng.

The mic order was determined by the Revenue Target each person had to complete tonight, from highest to lowest. Sister Yao Yao firmly held the first mic slot with a staggering 5,000 Revenue Target, clearly displaying the demeanor of the “Number One Sister.”

The opposing room, “Xing Yu Xin Yuan,” was also a Sister Room within the Guild, with its strength hovering around 150,000 sound waves.

Zhi Xia considered that their room had just gone through an assessment and that the Big Brothers also needed a buffer, so she didn't set the targets too high.

Besides her and Minnie each carrying a 2,000 Revenue Target to support the event, the other sisters had 1,000 yuan targets. Coupled with Sister Yao Yao's 5,000, the total was exactly equal to the opposing side.

Which side would ultimately win depended entirely on which side's Big Brothers were more willing to spend impulsively—since both rooms belonged to the same Guild, winning or losing didn't really matter.

The atmosphere in the room was heated. The Girls on the mic were laughing and joking with each other while busy interacting with their Big Brothers on the public screen.

Sister Yao Yao seemed exceptionally active today, completely focused on “exulting triumphantly.” She was laughing, teasing one person, flirting with another, and radiating a full aura while sitting in the first mic slot.

Seeing her shake off her slump from the past few days, Zhi Xia smiled and asked, “Yao Yao, looking at your energy today, you're absolutely beaming. It seems you're not worried about today's target at all? Why are you so arrogant?”

Sister Yao Yao subconsciously glanced at her phone's WeChat.

Today, Brother Ye had been unusually enthusiastic toward her since the morning, constantly sending sticky, affectionate messages, just like a couple in the throes of new love, which gave her immense confidence.

She snorted, her tone smug: “Of course! My Big Brother said he guarantees I'll pass today! He told me to put my heart at ease!”

Minnie immediately scoffed, “Oh wow, so confident? Zhi Xia, listen up, our Number One Sister has spoken! Hurry up and add more to her target! Otherwise, when her Big Brother arrives, he might complain that we set the target too low, making him look bad!”

Sister Yao Yao was now full of confidence and showed no weakness: “Heh heh! Add it then! Am I afraid of you?”

Sweet Girl, sitting in the back row, couldn't stand listening anymore.

Seeing the sister who used to be a “Little Trash” with her, seeking mutual warmth, suddenly stand up and act so arrogantly, she felt a bubbling jealousy, which was even worse than losing money:

“Zhi Xia! Hurry! Raise it to 8,000! Let's see if she can still be so wild!”

Sister Yao Yao sneered: “Little Trash, shut your mic! None of your Big Brothers are even talking down there, yet you dare to bluster here? When my Big Brother arrives later, believe it or not, I'll make him penalize you!”

Sweet Girl was hit where it hurt and was grinding her teeth in anger. However, in the voice chat room, where “Votes” equaled truth, lacking Votes meant lacking rights. She had no choice but to continue using provocation:

“You're only tough with your mouth! Do you dare accept 8,000? Tell Zhi Xia to change your target right now!”

Sister Yao Yao was bursting with confidence, recalling Brother Ye's WeChat message, “I definitely won't disappoint you,” and she blurted out:

“Add it then! 8,000 it is! Today is my birthday! My Big Brother said he's giving me a big gift as a birthday present!”

Sweet Girl immediately exposed her lie: “You shameless liar! You clearly just had your birthday last month, and now it's your birthday again? Do you age 12 years in one year? Old Hag?”

Sister Yao Yao was about to retort, but Zhi Xia, who had thought she was just Showing Off, suddenly sensed something different and quickly interrupted:

“Wait! Yao Yao, how much is Brother Ye planning to send you exactly? Can he really spend over 8,000? Ten thousand?”

Sister Yao Yao paused slightly and quickly calculated in her mind.

Since he said he wouldn't disappoint her, he had to at least let her earn back that 5,000 yuan, right?

So... he'd have to spend at least 12,000, wouldn't he?

She figured ten thousand should be fine, so she nodded: “Mmm... roughly, about ten thousand should be no problem.”

“Wow!”

“Seriously?”

“Sister Yao Yao is Awesome!”

“Is Brother Ye that generous?”

The other streamers on the mic, who had been busy privately chatting with their Big Brothers on WeChat and trying to solicit Votes, were instantly shocked. They opened their mics, their tones filled with envy.

Tourists waiting to watch the show on the public screen also started cheering, sending bullet comments like “666,” “Yao Yao is acting so convincingly,” and “Which Brother Ye? Haven't seen him before.”

Sister Yao Yao was enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention and was about to Humblebrag a bit more when she suddenly received a private message from Zhi Xia on WeChat.

Zhi Xia: [Yao Yao, are you sure Brother Ye can spend that much? Is he reliable?]

Sister Yao Yao replied: [Mmm, 90% certainty.]

Zhi Xia: [Alright, when the PK starts later, don't jump off the mic when others do. You stay up there with the score to support the scene; it looks better.]

Sister Yao Yao: [OK OK~]

Zhi Xia: [But tell Brother Ye not to spend all the Votes right away. The opposing side is a Sister Room in our own Guild, after all. If the gap is too wide at the start, the Big Brothers on the other side might feel they can't catch up and stop following, which would affect our sisters' ability to earn money.]

Sister Yao Yao was stunned: [Huh? I can't control when he spends it. Wouldn't dropping it all at once be more impressive?]

Zhi Xia: [Just Flirt with him! You have him wrapped around your finger; you can't handle this small matter? Just tell him it's for the long-term development of the room, and ask him to cooperate with the rhythm.]

Sister Yao Yao scratched her head, feeling a little nervous.

She had him wrapped around nothing! She had clearly just stumbled upon his strange preferences and logic.

But the Boast was made, so she could only grit her teeth and agree: [Okay, I'll talk to him.]

----

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Jiang Ye was comfortably lying inside a high-end spa club called “Bi Bo Xuan.”

The air was filled with soothing essential oil aromatherapy, the lighting was soft, and gentle background music was playing.

A Technician who looked to be in her early twenties just walked in carrying a tool tray.

“Good evening, sir. I am Technician 66, Xiao Yu. It's a pleasure to serve you.”

True to her name, her voice was soft, her features delicate, and her long hair was tied back. She wore the club's standard Chinese-style uniform, showcasing her graceful and attractive figure.

Jiang Ye appraised the Girl in front of him, whom he estimated was definitely rated over 80 points, and his mood brightened considerably.

Now *this* is enjoyment!

What the hell was that lousy private cinema? Not even a dog would go there!

He watched the Girl walk around making preparations and casually asked her for a Hair Tie, but noticed that the system mission progress hadn't changed, causing a slight disappointment.

It seemed that although Xiao Yu was pretty, she was still a little short of the 85-point “Goddess” standard.

But it didn't matter. 1,598 yuan for 90 minutes of relaxing service and a feast for the eyes—it was worth it!

I've been fighting for so many years, can't a Man enjoy himself a little?

The service began, starting with relaxation for the shoulders, neck, and back.

Xiao Yu knelt beside Jiang Ye, her fingertips carrying warm essential oil, gliding across his back, precisely pressing the sore muscle knots.

Her technique was very professional: sometimes using her knuckles to press, sometimes using her palm to rub. When she occasionally needed to exert force, she skillfully leveraged her body weight. The soft sensation transmitted intermittently through the thin massage towel was perfectly balanced, keeping him guessing.

“Brother, what kind of work do you do? You have a very good demeanor.”

Xiao Yu chatted softly while massaging, which was standard procedure for high-end services, intended to relax the client's mind.

Jiang Ye closed his eyes and enjoyed it, casually telling the truth: “Me? I'm a Takeout Delivery Person.”

Xiao Yu immediately chuckled softly, her hands not stopping: “Brother, you're quite the joker. You don't look like a Takeout Delivery Person at all.”

“Oh? How can you tell? Is it because I ordered the 1,598 package?”

“Not really... We've had Delivery Person Brothers come for relaxation services before, but the feeling they give off is different from yours. Whether they feel pained when spending money, or if they possess that calm confidence—we interact with many people, so we can sense it.”

Jiang Ye felt comfortable inside after the two small compliments, chuckled, and didn't continue the topic.

After finishing the back, it was time for the front.

Xiao Yu helped him adjust his posture and began massaging his arms and legs.

Jiang Ye wasn't idle either, occasionally “accidentally” stretching out a finger to lightly brush her nearby wrist, or when she bent down, pretending to adjust his posture and reaching out to graze her Stocking-clad thigh beneath the hem of her uniform skirt.

Regarding these subtle “little movements,” Xiao Yu either gently avoided them by adjusting a towel or an essential oil bottle, or she simply blushed slightly and gave him a reproachful look.

She maintained a safe distance without embarrassing the client; the balance was perfectly managed.