On the way back, Yi Zichu continued filling Bai Youwei in on the rules of the livestream world.

For instance: attractive people gained followers more easily. So almost everyone she passed on the street was at least somewhat decent-looking.

For instance: people with special talents gained followers more easily, because showcasing skills was more engaging than watching someone’s everyday routine.

And then there were the things people did to stand out: some went the provocative route, some staged elaborate pranks, some committed murder sprees for views. Others built personas as brilliant detectives and accompanied the police on criminal investigations.

Whatever drew eyes, people did it.

“Are there police here?” Bai Youwei asked.

“Yes.” Yi Zichu nodded. “If you’re arrested, you face one to seven days of detention — locked in a sealed space, unable to use points, without water or food. So six or seven days of detention is basically a death sentence.”

Bai Youwei turned this over thoughtfully. “So those who package themselves as serial killers reap high rewards — but also face high risks.”

Yi Zichu nodded. “That’s exactly right.”

He glanced at Bai Youwei and continued, “Besides police, there are also doctors, drivers, electricians, sanitation workers, and so on — but they’re all essentially props. Some streamers take on these jobs for content, too. There’s one doctor on the annual rankings who covers rare and difficult conditions every day and livestreams surgeries… But the wages work out to nothing of value, because we can only acquire supplies through the points store.”

Bai Youwei mused, “High-end occupations like that aren’t available to just anyone, I’d imagine…”

Yi Zichu smiled. “True.”

Walking and talking, they made their way back to the welfare home before they realized it.

Ning Yao was on the activity yard, hanging blankets and bed sheets to dry. Diandian stood nearby helping. Youyou carried a watering can, tending to their small vegetable garden.

Only five-year-old Jiujiu sat on a stool, her face the picture of misery, eyes glistening with tears.

Yi Zichu walked over and hugged the little girl. “What’s wrong?”

Before Jiujiu could answer, the small boy beside her cut in with a grin: “Jiujiu wet the bed again!”

The tears Jiujiu had been holding in spilled over. She wailed, “You wet the bed last time too!”

Diandian’s face went red. He blurted defensively, “But you’ve wet the bed twice this week! Twice!” He held up two fingers emphatically to make his point.

“It’s alright, Jiujiu.” Ning Yao finished hanging the laundry and came over to soothe her. “Zichu-gege used to wet the bed when he was your age too.”

The little girl looked up at Yi Zichu through tear-filled eyes. “Really? Zichu-gege wet the bed too?”

“I think so…” Yi Zichu laughed a little sheepishly. “I can’t really remember…”

“He did!” Ning Yao said it even louder, with absolute certainty. “Everyone wets the bed when they’re small. Diandian, from now on you are not allowed to make fun of Jiujiu for it!”

She turned to Yi Zichu and Bai Youwei. “How did it go? Everything okay?”

Yi Zichu: “Yeah. I took her to the service station and she collected the newcomer gift package. Anyway, we have the space — she can stay here for now.”

Ning Yao raised no objection. There was an empty bed and bedding already available, no cost involved. As long as Bai Youwei didn’t expect them to provide food and water, that was fine — they were barely managing to feed the little ones as it was. There was simply no capacity to cover her expenses on top of everything else.

Just then, the welfare home’s iron gates creaked open with a grinding wail.

Everyone turned to look. Two men walked in — one tall, one short — with rough, unpleasant faces that promised trouble.

Yi Zichu frowned. “Who are you?”

The two men ignored him entirely, not sparing the children a second glance.

The tall one checked a photograph in his hand, then let his gaze settle on Jiujiu. He pointed. “That’s the one. Take her.”

The short one immediately moved to grab her!

Everyone was too stunned to react. Yi Zichu was the quickest — he stepped in front of the man and demanded sharply, “On what grounds are you taking her?!”

“On what grounds?” The tall man gave a contemptuous smirk. “On the grounds that her father gambled his way into debt and used her as payment!”

—