Chapter 12: Livestream Banned

Yu Ling excitedly hugged Chu Ming. "Thank you!"

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, Chu Ming remained dazed, her body stiff and motionless. After hesitating for a long time and mentally filtering through all the questions she wanted to ask, she finally spoke cautiously: "Sis... are you alright?"

Yu Ling regained her composure, gave a light cough, pulled away, and sat back down.

"It's nothing."

Yu Ling forced herself to stay calm, pretending that nothing had happened to mask the awkwardness of the moment.

"Xiao Ming, I have a task for you."

Seeing that they were almost at Springview Garden, Yu Ling couldn't afford to worry about awkwardness anymore. She grabbed Chu Ming’s hand and looked at her earnestly.

"Wh-what is it?" Still struggling to process the situation, Chu Ming looked at Yu Ling with a hint of alarm and stuttered her reply.

*Has she really been possessed?*

*Or is she cursed?*

That was what was currently running through Chu Ming's mind.

Yu Ling offered a shy smile. "It’s not a big task. I just need you to hold my phone and start a livestream in a moment."

"Oh... oh, a livestream? Sure."

Before she had time to think, Chu Ming agreed automatically.

Yu Ling silently covered her ears and leaned back, trying to distance herself.

"What? A livestream!"

Another earth-shattering shout erupted. Had Yu Ling not been quick enough to grab her, Chu Ming would surely have stood up, hit the roof of the car, and suffered another blow to her head.

She already had a large bump; if she hit it again... Yu Ling sighed helplessly. She really couldn't bear to see her head go through another ordeal.

"Sis, why do you want to livestream?" Chu Ming asked, looking at her with confusion. "Your relationship has never been made public. If you livestream now, even if you’re the victim catching them in the act, your reputation will definitely be affected."

"Not to mention how harsh this industry is toward female celebrities; even if you are the victim, some brainless people will still rally to defend the man. There was a female celebrity before who was clearly cheated on, yet the comment section was still filled with vile remarks."

Chu Ming wore a serious expression; she didn't approve of what Yu Ling was doing. She understood all too well the malice this world held toward women. She was a regular observer of internet drama, and whenever such things were exposed, there were always those who would victim-blame the woman first. Their most common refrain was: "It takes two to clap," "You can't sleep in the same bed if you aren't the same kind of person," "Who knows what you did..."

There were many such comments.

Chu Ming tried to persuade her again: "Sis, will you reconsider? The risk of a livestream is too high. You might end up damaging yourself more than the enemy. You..."

"No more," Yu Ling interrupted her calmly. "Just do as I say."

Seeing her so resolute, Chu Ming found it hard to argue further. She knew that once Yu Ling made up her mind, not even ten horses could pull her back—she was as stubborn as a mule.

So, she could only say softly, "Alright."

Yu Ling said nothing more.

How could she not know that the tide of public opinion on the internet changed in an instant, manipulated by invisible hands behind the scenes?

But...

Yu Ling smiled bitterly. Had she not been the one manipulated, step by step, toward the abyss of no return?

Now that she was the meat on the chopping block, if she still didn't recognize the gravity of the situation, any effort would be in vain.

If she wanted to fight back, she had to burn her bridges and go all out; only then could she hope for a miraculous victory.

With her mind made up, Yu Ling stopped struggling with her doubts.

Upon arriving at Springview Garden, Yu Ling led Xiao Zhang and Chu Ming into the residential complex with ease.

"You two should put on masks."

Xiao Zhang and Chu Ming were ordinary people, and keeping their faces hidden was a way to protect them.

Yu Ling took two masks from her bag and handed them over. Only after they put them on did she start the Weibo livestream.

When she first started, only a few people were watching, but soon fans began to spread the word, and they flooded into her channel.

The comment section refreshed rapidly, and Yu Ling picked a few to answer.

"Why the sudden livestream today?"

Yu Ling looked into the camera, squeezing out a smile that looked worse than crying, and explained, "I’m livestreaming today because there’s something I want to tell you all."

She was naturally beautiful and stood out in any crowd; she had been scouted as a student while handing out flyers as a part-time job. Now, with her eyes lowered and her face pale, she looked particularly pitiful and worthy of sympathy.

The comment section was filled with concern, asking if something had happened. Yu Ling didn't answer directly, instead walking into the elevator and keeping them in suspense.

"You'll know in a moment. Don't worry."

Xiao Zhang and Chu Ming exchanged a glance; Chu Ming shook her head at him.

When she stopped in front of the door and took out her key, the comment section exploded, and quite a few people began making bold guesses.

[What is Yu Ling doing? Playing mystery in broad daylight. She better have a real reason; don't waste my time.]

[Holding a phone, opening a door... is Yu Ling trying to catch someone cheating?]

[Is it the catching-an-adulterer scenario I’m thinking of?]

[Ugly people love making scenes. Can Yu Ling just get lost? Has she fallen so far that she has to use these tactics to get attention?]

...

Yu Ling scanned the comments and happened to catch this one.

She leaned into the screen and asked, "Ugly people love making scenes? Do you think I'm ugly?"

Her face was flawless from every angle; she feared no unflattering camera lens.

The person tried to retort, but their comment was quickly buried by the fans in the chat.

Yu Ling ignored them and turned her attention to the comments that were actually supporting her.

[Is Yu Ling about to livestream catching them in the act? Is it happening? This is my favorite kind of drama.]

[Yu Ling, hurry up and open the door! Those two dogs are probably in the middle of it right now. If you go in now, you'll see a live show.]

[In a corner no one noticed, the paparazzi followed them up too. They're hiding by the elevator right now.]

Yu Ling glanced toward the elevator and caught a glimpse of colorful clothing.

*Good,* she thought. *The only thing I was worried about was that they wouldn't show up.*

She had already spoken to the security guard at the gate, telling him those two were her friends, which was the only reason they had been allowed in.

Yu Ling handed the phone to Chu Ming and turned the key.

The moment the door opened, a seductive female voice drifted out, mingled with the heavy, raspy breaths of a man. One could tell exactly what they were doing.

Yu Ling walked in, and Chu Ming followed closely, holding the phone steady.

Closer, almost there...

Yu Ling didn't hesitate for a second; she pushed the ajar door wide open—

A sea of white came into view—what a massive bed!

Yu Ling snatched the phone back from Chu Ming, pointed the camera at the two people on the bed, and said loudly, "Everyone, watch closely. I’ve come here today to catch them in the act."

That shout startled the two, who were completely lost in their own world. They scrambled to separate, and Mu Chenbei hurriedly searched for the quilt.

But the sharp-eyed Xiao Zhang had already pulled the quilt onto the floor. They even saw...

Such a shocking scene left everyone in the livestream stunned.

Lin Mianmian’s face was exposed to the air; she shrieked and lowered her head, trying to hide her face with her hands and hair.

"Ah!"

The comment section was filled with identical expressions of disbelief, but soon, Yu Ling realized...

Her livestream had been banned.