Lots of students poured out of Number 4 High School in the Capital as the final bell rang loudly across the campus. The afternoon sun cast a golden glow on the wide school gate, and laughter filled the air as groups of teenagers walked home together. Some discussed homework. Others talked about games. A few were already planning where to eat.
Lin Chen walked out with his usual group of friends. His schoolbag hung loosely on one shoulder while his eyes remained fixed on his phone screen. His thumbs moved quickly across the display as he battled intensely in his video game, barely paying attention to the world around him.
"Yo, did you guys see the viral livestream of GoddessSubaby?" one of the boys suddenly asked excitedly, waving his phone in the air.
Another immediately turned toward him. "You mean the one where Goddess Su herself appeared?" he replied, almost breathless. "Of course I saw it! Only an alien wouldn't have seen it. It was everywhere. My mom even asked me about it."
Hao Jun, the chubby one among them, fanned himself dramatically. "Fifty million yuan. Fifty million!" he exclaimed, placing his hand on his chest as if he might faint. "In one night! My jaw literally disassembled. I had to pick it up from the floor."
The boys burst into laughter.
"Goddess Su is my goddess," Hao Jun continued dreamily, pressing his palms together as if praying. "She's so unbelievably beautiful. If I could just see her in real life once… even from far away… I could die happily."
"In your dreams," another boy teased, nudging him playfully. "People like us? Meet her? Hao Jun, you watch too many dramas."
"But it's true!" Hao Jun insisted stubbornly. "Did you see her latest photo? The one where she was standing next to that female bodyguard? It's insane! The comments say she's in London right now. London! That's so cool."
They all continued talking over one another, their excitement growing louder. Meanwhile, Lin Chen remained focused on his game, only half-listening.
One of the boys elbowed him. "Hey, Lin Chen. What about you? You've been quiet. What do you think?"
Lin Chen blinked and looked up slowly. "Huh? About what?"
The boys exchanged looks before Hao Jun suddenly squinted at his phone again. "Come to think of it," he muttered suspiciously, zooming in on the livestream replay on Startok, "doesn't GoddessSubaby look like your sister?"
The words made everyone freeze.
"What?"
They immediately gathered around Hao Jun's phone, staring closely at the screen. The Startok clip replay showed GoddessSubaby smiling confidently under bright livestream lights, while the elegant and powerful Goddess Su sent her extravagant gifts.
Lin Chen rolled his eyes at first and snatched the phone away. "Stop joking."
But when he looked closely at the screen, his heart skipped a beat.
The girl on the screen.
That face.
That smile.
That was his sister.
Lin Yue.
His jaw slowly dropped open.
He had never really watched her livestreams before. He only knew she did online content. He only knew about this because people kept mentioning it at school. But he never imagined… never imagined that his sister was that GoddessSubaby.
"It's her, right?" Hao Jun grabbed his collar, shaking him lightly in pure excitement. "Tell me! Does that mean your sister actually knows Goddess Su? Like for real?"
All of them stared at Lin Chen as if he had suddenly grown wings.
Before he could respond, a sleek deep purple Maserati Q4 pulled sharply in front of them, its engine humming like a powerful beast. The sound alone made the boys jump back slightly.
The tinted window slowly rolled down.
Lin Yue tipped her sunglasses down just enough to reveal her smiling eyes. Her lips curved into a playful grin. She looked calm, confident, and dazzling under the afternoon sun.
"Hey boys," she said casually, her tone light but full of charm. "Mind if I borrow him for the rest of today?"
The boys froze.
For a few seconds, no one even blinked.
Then, almost in unison, they nodded like obedient dolls.
Lin Chen stood there, still stunned.
"Alright, brat. Get in," Lin Yue said with a teasing smile.
The passenger door opened automatically.
Lin Chen moved as if in a dream. He walked toward the car, his legs slightly stiff, and got inside. The door closed softly behind him.
The window rolled up, hiding Lin Yue's face once more.
A second later, the engine roared, and the car sped off smoothly, leaving behind a group of boys whose mouths were still hanging open.
Inside the car, Lin Chen looked around slowly. The leather seats were smooth and cool. The dashboard glowed softly with high-tech displays. Everything smelled new and expensive.
"Sis…" he finally said hesitantly. "Where are we going?"
"Home, of course," Lin Yue replied casually.
"But… home is the other direction," he said, glancing outside.
Lin Yue chuckled. "We're picking up Mom and Dad from the train station first."
Their parents had gone to City D to visit a relative who had just given birth, and they were returning today.
"Oh." Lin Chen nodded slowly.
He ran his hand over the seat again and swallowed. "Sis… this is a Maserati, right?"
"Yes."
"How much did you rent it for?" he asked, trying to act calm.
Lin Yue bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "About three hundred thousand yuan for a day."
"WHAT?!" Lin Chen shouted so loudly that she burst into laughter.
His eyes were round like plates.
At the train station, they picked up their parents, who looked surprised to see the expensive car but assumed it was rented.
"Yue'er," her mother said carefully after sitting down. "Doesn't this car cost a lot to rent?"
"Only a little," Lin Yue replied smoothly.
Her father looked out the window. "Where are we going? This isn't the way home."
"You'll see," she said softly.
After driving quietly for a few minutes, Lin Yue took a deep breath.
"Dad. Mom. I quit my job today," she said seriously. "I want to focus on being an influencer."
Silence filled the car.
Her mother turned in shock. "You quit? Yue'er, that job was stable!"
Her father frowned slightly but stayed quiet.
"I know," Lin Yue said gently. "But this is my dream. I want to try."
Her mother began to lecture her with worry in her voice. "The internet world is unstable. What if it doesn't last? What about your future?"
Her father sighed deeply. "If this is truly what you want… then we will support you. But be careful."
Lin Yue's eyes softened. "Thank you, Dad."
Lin Yue's mother nudged him with her elbow, making everyone laugh.
Soon, the car entered Sunset Detour Estate, one of the better luxury neighborhoods in the city. Elegant villas stood in neat rows. Clean roads curved gracefully around landscaped gardens.
They stopped in front of a large villa.
The structure stood proudly behind tall black gates with golden trims. The exterior walls were smooth cream stone, glowing softly under the late afternoon sun. Large arched windows reflected the sky like mirrors. The front yard was wide, with trimmed hedges shaped neatly along a stone pathway. A small fountain sparkled gently at the center, its water flowing peacefully.
Lin Yue pressed a remote. The gates opened slowly.
She drove inside the spacious compound and parked.
Her family stepped out one by one, their eyes wide.
"Yue'er…" her mother whispered nervously. "Why are we here? Are you meeting someone?"
Lin Yue smiled but said nothing. She walked to the front door and tapped her access card against the sensor.
The door unlocked with a soft beep.
She pushed it open and turned to her family. "Come in."
They hesitated, then followed her inside.
The living room was spacious and bright. A crystal chandelier hung elegantly from the high ceiling, casting soft light across the polished marble floor. A curved staircase with smooth wooden railings led to the second floor.
The walls were decorated with simple but classy artwork.
Her parents slowly turned in circles, taking everything in.
"Yue'er…" her father's voice trembled slightly. "What is this?"
Lin Yue took a deep breath.
"Dad. Mom. Lin Chen," she said gently. "This is our house. From now on."
Silence.
Her mother blinked repeatedly as if trying to wake from a dream. "Our… house?"
Lin Yue nodded.
She then explained everything from the livestream, to the gifts, and how she purchased the house.
By the time she finished, her parents looked completely stunned.
"Yue'er… this house… how much?" her father asked weakly.
"4.2 million yuan," she answered honestly.
They gasped.
Her mother gasped loudly. "Yue'er… that's too much. Even if you can afford it, we could have chosen something smaller. You should save your money for business."
Her father nodded seriously.
Lin Yue stepped forward and held their hands warmly. "Dad, Mom… this is the least I can do for you. You worked so hard for us all these years. Please let me do this."
Her voice was soft but firm.
"And I even got 2.7 million yuan brand deal from promoting this place," she added.
"2.7 million?" her mother repeated weakly. "Does this influencing thing really earns that much?"
"Yes," Lin Yue said with a bright smile. "Your daughter is quite famous you know?"
Her parents stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.
"Dad," she continued gently, "didn't you always say you wanted your own construction store? Mom, you dreamed of opening your own restaurant. You don't have to keep working for others anymore. I'll support you."
Her mother's eyes filled with tears. "Our Yue'er has grown up," she whispered emotionally.
Later, they explored every room.
The villa had five bedrooms in total, a master bedroom plus four spacious rooms with personal bathrooms, a grand kitchen, a laundry room and a swimming pool at the balcony.
Lin Chen shouted excitedly when he saw the swimming pool on the balcony. His own bedroom had a private bathroom and even a jacuzzi.
"This is insane!" he yelled happily.
Their mother fell in love with the kitchen, which was wide and bright, filled with modern appliances neatly arranged.
Just when they thought the surprises were over, Lin Yue smiled mysteriously.
"There's one more thing," she said.
She led them outside to the garage and pressed another remote.
The garage door lifted slowly.
Inside sat a brand new Mercedes-Benz and a sleek black Crow power bike.
Lin Chen's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Mom and Dad, the car is yours," Lin Yue said warmly. "Bro, the bike is for you."
Lin Chen jumped and hugged her tightly. "Really?, thank you, sis! Thank you so much!"
Their parents were speechless with happiness.
She watched the warm scene As her parents opened the car, exclaiming at the cool interior while her brother hurriedly took pictures of his new bike.
Lin Yue quietly stepped back and went upstairs to her bedroom.
Her room was calm and beautifully designed. Soft cream walls, a large king-sized bed with white sheets, a cozy reading corner by the window.
She lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling, her heart finally slowing.
After a moment, she stood up and opened the door connected to her room.
It revealed her livestream studio.
Professional ring lights stood tall, ready to brighten her face. A high-resolution camera was mounted on a sturdy tripod. There were microphones, mixers, and soundproof panels along the walls.
A sleek desk held her laptop and streaming setup. Decorative shelves behind the main chair were arranged perfectly for aesthetic background shots.
Everything was ready.
Lin Yue stepped inside slowly.
She looked around at the equipment, at the life she had chosen, at the future she looked forward to building with her own hands.
For the first time, she truly felt that her life had begun.