Chapter Fourteen: Tucked Tail, Acting Like a Dog

【Where are those keyboard warriors? Why aren’t they coming out to stir up trouble? Weren’t some haters just attacking our streamer?】
【Yeah, where are the troublemakers? Honestly, our streamer said it was all about tower defense, and the pace is just unbeatable.】
The fans of the truth-seeker sister wished they could die on the spot out of sheer embarrassment. Their faces felt like they were burning; the humiliation was overwhelming.
【Hmph, what are you so proud of? Our streamer is totally fine. It’s all just a perfect misunderstanding.】
【Right, exactly. Our Fang sister is no murderer. This whole thing was just a staged act between the streamer and the police—a mere script.】
【This is hilarious. You brainless fans, I’m speechless. A streamer acting with the police? You people really have a way with words.
I want to ask you brainless fans: what kind of person is the streamer to be able to get police officers to act alongside her? What a joke...】
Zhang Xiaorui glanced at the chat messages and shook her head helplessly. “Well, I guess that’s it for today’s stream. See you next time.”
【What the heck, streamer? Are you really ending the stream now?】
【Streamer, you can’t stop now! We haven’t had enough of the drama yet!】
【Master Zhang, when will your next stream be?】
“Maybe tomorrow, or the day after. I’m not sure. Alright then, goodbye everyone...”
Without waiting for the viewers’ desperate pleas, Zhang Xiaorui ended the stream immediately.
“Ah, I’m really exhausted!”
She reached for her water cup and took a few sips, then rubbed her stomach with her fair hand. “Still so hungry, what to do? Oh yeah, this master here, well, cough cough, now has some money, you know?
One reading costs three thousand, so three readings make nine thousand. Add the small gifts from viewers... how much was it again?
After the platform takes half, rounding up, let me see how much I can withdraw.”
Zhang Xiaorui beamed, her two little tiger teeth showing, looking utterly adorable—a stark contrast to the fierce ghost-banishing persona she projected in the stream.
At this moment, she seemed like an innocent, lively young girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world.
But that was just the surface. In reality, Zhang Xiaorui—Master Zhang—was cunning and shrewd!

She fiddled with her nearly obsolete phone, her large, dark, expressive eyes fixed on the Douyu backend.
After a long while, the total income stood at 9,999 yuan—just shy of ten thousand by less than a yuan.
“Ugh, damn it! If I had held on a little longer, maybe I could have broken the ten-thousand mark.”
Thinking this, Zhang Xiaorui cursed herself and slapped her own fair cheek sharply.
The crisp slap echoed through the room. Well, as the saying goes:
“Without a ruthless heart, one cannot stand firm. Only those who are ruthless with themselves can achieve great things.” Truly, it’s better to see than to hear, and seeing surpasses hearing.
A system notification popped up: “Dear customer, the amount available for withdrawal is 4,999.5 yuan. Please confirm to proceed.”
Muttering softly but still excited, Zhang Xiaorui pressed confirm and eagerly awaited the funds.
At that moment, her phone—her phone—suddenly went black.
In her excitement, the instant the screen went dark, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat, almost stopping altogether.
What the hell was going on? If nothing else, the phone was probably dead, maybe just out of battery.
She didn’t care about the phone itself; she only cared about her money! “Oh my God! This is a trap, isn’t it? It’s a clear trap! A trap just for me!
I can’t live like this anymore. Life is unbearable. Let me die, master! I miss you.”

...
Somewhere else, an old man dressed like a beggar, reeking of alcohol, lay in a patch of grass.
He crossed his legs and hummed an unknown tune: “Our people, today is truly a joyful day! Our people, yes, today is really joyful.”
The old man held a bottle of Erguotou liquor in one hand and a roast chicken in the other, taking bites of chicken and sips of wine, his mouth dripping with grease.
Suddenly, he sneezed several times and rubbed his itchy ears.
Counting on his fingers, he shook his head and smiled bitterly, “Serves you right... serves you right...”
Zhang Xiaorui got up from the floor, dusted off her pants, and went to look for a charger with her phone in hand.

She figured her ancient phone was probably just out of battery, not broken from overuse.
Yes, it must be the battery. Overusing would cause blackouts, but it wasn’t really broken.
Thinking that, she searched the room and then the yard. After a long search, she found her charger in the doghouse—covered in dog poop.
At that moment, Zhang Xiaorui wished she could slaughter the little flower dog and eat it.
“God! Why won’t you just let me die? I’m done with life. That little brat actually ate my charger—and pooped on it too!”
Her big eyes glared fiercely at the little flower dog, their temple’s canine companion. Zhang Xiaorui had found this dog on a trip down the mountain.
Back then, the little flower was just a pup, nearly starved to death.
She took pity and brought it back to the mountain temple to raise it. The pup’s coat was a patchwork of black, white, and yellow—like a rainbow garment—so she named it Little Flower.
Little Flower looked up at her with innocent, watery eyes, as if to say, “Master, I was just so hungry. I didn’t want to eat that, but I couldn’t find anything else.”
Zhang Xiaorui glared at the skinny, bony pup and thought, “If I got rid of Little Flower, I’d definitely have a full meal.”
At that thought, golden light flashed in her eyes, and a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.
Though just a dog, Little Flower was sensitive. Since the old hall master had died, the young mistress would come wander by the doghouse every day.
Each time, her eyes scanned the little dog from top to bottom. Little Flower would panic, tail tucked, trying to make herself small—no, she was tucking her tail to behave like a dog.