A pained cry echoed in her ears as her vision began to sway. She thought she could smell something burning... and then came another impact.
Her vision blurred. Several minutes passed before it slowly started to clear up again.
'It feels like I was just in a dream...'
'So that's what really happened?'
'Then Chen Chen was the victim all along?'
'So the whole accident was because of a drunk driver!?'
'I'm sorry, Chen Chen. I owe you an apology.'
The livestream's bullet comments were soon flooded with apologies to Chen Chen.
Within just a few short minutes, the negative backlash Chen Chen had been suffering began to fade away.
Chen Chen himself was stunned. The events from that day had actually been recreated, exactly as they happened.
The truth was finally out!
Xiao Jing was covering her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably. She had just witnessed her grandmother's final moments from her point of view, and this strange perception made her feel as if she had lost her grandmother all over again.
Without another word, she left the livestream.
The people who had been so loudly demanding compensation from Chen Chen had vanished at some point.
"Thank you, Host. I finally don't have to carry that burden anymore. Thank you!"
The grown man was crying his eyes out, red and swollen. He was finally free from the days of being a public pariah.
Su Nian sighed. "When you have a chance, you should go to the hospital for a check-up."
She didn't have the heart to tell him directly that she saw a large shadow on his lungs. His life was likely nearing its end.
Chen Chen's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't dwell on it.
"Thank you, Host. I'll go tomorrow."
He gave Su Nian another deep, solemn bow before leaving the livestream.
Meanwhile, a huge crowd of people flooded into the livestream of Zhao, the "mountain village singer."
Zhao was shocked. He was a content creator with only a little over seven thousand followers. Why were so many people suddenly here?
"Welcome, Xixi, to the stream."
"Welcome, Little Days."
"Welcome, Serena."
As more and more people arrived, Zhao grew increasingly excited. He felt like his big break was here. Immense wealth was right around the corner. He was thrilled!
"Hello, my friends! What song would you like to hear today?"
But to his surprise, bullet comments started to pop up on the stream.
'The driver from the fatal bus crash a few days ago... he's your younger brother, right?'
He had already seen the news about his brother driving off a cliff a few days ago.
To be honest, he wasn't close to his brother at all, but he knew how to spin a tall tale.
Convinced that a few well-chosen words could make him fabulously wealthy, he began to speak with conviction.
"Sigh, my poor brother... I never thought something like this would happen. He was such a good person!"
"How could that animal do this to him? An entire bus full of people... If I were related to that monster, I think I'd rather be dead!"
"My poor, dear brother!"
He put on a show of mourning, even managing to squeeze out a few tears.
'Get rich, get rich! I can definitely use this chance to get rich!'
He was lost in his wonderful fantasy, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smirk without him even realizing it.
'Look at that disgusting expression. I really want to beat the crap out of him!'
'Alright, guys, let's get him. I did my research this time. He wasn't close to the driver at all. In fact, after the accident, he was the one making the most noise, and he was the first one to start slandering Chen Chen with a bunch of lies!'
'Either way, you're going to answer for my mom's death.'
'Yeah, that's right! I'm not after money, but there has to be some justice!'
In an instant, the tide of the comments turned, and now they were all aimed at him.
Zhao panicked and immediately ended the stream.
But this crowd wasn't about to let him off the hook.
Were they doing it for their relatives?
In reality, all they wanted was money, but they hid it behind pretty words.
And the final outcome of the incident was Chen Chen's medical exam. He was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer.
He had less than half a year left.
He was stunned. 'Why me? Why this ending?' But after everything he had been through recently, his mindset had become much calmer.
That same day, he posted the news of his lung cancer diagnosis on his social media account.
After the last incident, he had gained a number of followers, most of whom had followed him out of guilt.
And now, he had posted this.
The power of the internet is immense. Within just a few minutes...
#TheWorldOwesChenChenAnApology!
#SorryChenChen!
Details from Su Nian's livestream that day also leaked, though no one had been able to get a screen recording.
Netizens marveled at how strange and unpredictable the world could be, and they finally learned the truth of what had happened.
Several trending topics began to dominate the social media platform. Chen Chen didn't ask for donations, but he was able to earn some advertising revenue thanks to his new followers.
His condition was irreversible, but he used the last of his time to travel to all the places he had ever wanted to see.
Back in the present, Su Nian didn't mention any of this. After a short break, she resumed her livestream.
"Today's second giveaway is live!"
With the usual speed, the result was announced in just a second.
[Congratulations to An Muhua for winning the giveaway.]
Su Nian sent a video call invitation.
A very melancholic-looking man appeared on screen, a cigarette between his fingers.
He clearly knew the rules, as he immediately sent Su Nian a "Carnival" gift.
He wore an expensive, well-tailored suit, and the background behind him only served to emphasize his immense wealth.
'Whoa, whoa! Is this a legendary domineering CEO?!'
'He's handsome and rich! Mr. CEO, look at me!'
'Me too! I don't mind sharing...'
'LMAO, their comment got censored! What kind of thirsty stuff did they post?!'
'He's the spitting image of a domineering CEO from my dreams!'
Seeing the bullet comments flooding the screen and Su Nian's impassive face, An Muhua extinguished his cigarette. Even without the wisps of smoke, he still looked utterly melancholic and distressed.
Su Nian asked, "What is it you wish to know?"
An Muhua sighed but said nothing. After a moment, he sighed again.
'What's with this guy? Did the CEO not hear her?'
'Yeah, what the hell is he doing?!'
'My wild guess: he's heartbroken, stuck in an arranged marriage, or his business is in trouble.'
Su Nian, who wasn't particularly patient, impatiently flicked a small ornament on her desk.
"So, what is it?"
An Muhua slowly lowered his head and let out another long sigh.
Su Nian: "..."
'I'm starting to lose my patience...'
Just as Su Nian's temper was about to flare, An Muhua finally spoke.
"My wife... she's been a little strange recently..."
"Be more specific. Strange in what way?"
An Muhua paused again. Su Nian's patience was nearly exhausted.
He heaved yet another sigh, then began to speak as if it were a long and difficult story.
"My wife... she's recently started growing a beard..."
He unconsciously ran a hand through his own hair, his expression pained as he continued.
"Her beard... it's almost twice as long as my hair!"