Chapter 201

Chapter 201

The number of comments refreshed and changed constantly. Zhong Ning was also refreshing the page while picking out a few replies she wanted to respond to.

Someone asked if she was from the Celestial Empire, and she said she was.

Another curious person asked what she was trying to relax from, but she skipped that one without answering.

She posted another reply in the comment section, explaining that her future videos would mainly focus on introducing local delicacies. Her academic schedule was tight, so she wouldn’t have much time to travel around. However, if she did go on trips, she would still record long videos like she used to.

Zhong Ning took out her laptop and began slowly transferring her old videos to her new account.

There were a bit too many, so she only brought over the ones she liked and the ones with the highest view counts.

The newly uploaded videos performed very well, and her follower count was already starting to rise steadily. Zhong Ning checked the requirements for applying for a verified creator badge and found that she was still a little short on the follower count. She wasn’t in a rush though. A few days of waiting, and it would naturally increase.

Since she had nothing else to do, Zhong Ning popped into the fan group chat and picked the first person who replied to help draw cards for them.

Just as she was logging in, Bowen’s WeChat profile picture popped up on the screen. Zhong Ning ignored it for the moment and first took a screenshot of the current card inventory, then started the card draw. She skipped through the whole process — sixty draws in total — one gold and one exclusive weapon. She took another screenshot after it ended, logged off, and sent the image to the group. She didn’t bother to check the usual flood of exclamation marks, and instead opened WeChat.

Bowen had also sent a bunch of exclamation marks.

[So the little sheep is that little sheep!]

[Teacher, you’re way too low-key!]

[Aaaaahhh!!!]

Bowen worked at a company as well. After taking photos and videos, she went back to edit them. While doing so, someone on her team suddenly recognized Zhong Ning and asked why she looked so much like a certain influencer on international platforms.

She went to look it up, and sure enough — it was the same person.

Bowen could still remember the complicated yet envious expression on her coworker’s face, paired with a tone full of admiration, saying, “She’s so rich, did you know? Like, so rich. Always staying in luxury hotels, flying first-class every time. Did you see what she’s wearing? Clothes from IIC, dresses from Feili, bags from Huakou, and look at this necklace, this watch, these earrings — they all start in the seven figures…”

“She’s not just pretty, she’s got a great personality and she’s single... Ah!”

“Nüwa, what’s your problem, playing favorites like that!”

Bowen really had no knowledge of luxury goods. When it came to makeup brands and camera equipment, she could talk all day and write a whole thesis. But as for clothes and jewelry, she wasn’t picky — she could wear something for a few dozen yuan, a few hundred, even four figures. But every time she bought something pricey, she’d regret it, thinking she might as well put that money toward a new lens.

After hearing her colleague talk and checking the official websites for prices… who would’ve thought? When she’d asked Zhong Ning to take off her earrings and switch to some tasseled ones, the girl had casually pulled them off and stuffed them into her pocket, like they were just some cheap little trinket.

And the number of fans… it was insane.

The more Bowen looked, the more shocked she felt. It was like popularity just dropped from the sky — this was someone important!

If they handled this collaboration well, it would seriously boost their follower count.

She scrambled to message Zhong Ning, though she still kept the same casual tone as before. She couldn’t suddenly switch to bootlicking just because she found out the other person was rich — that would be way too obvious.

Zhong Ning was a little surprised.

[It’s me.]

[Looks like I’ll be hitching a ride on your popularity to gain some followers.]

Bowen felt a little embarrassed.

[With so many fans, it’s more like me riding your coattails. I can already tell this video’s view count is going to explode!]

[I've already finished editing one photo. Little Sheep-Teacher is naturally stunning, I barely had to retouch anything—just adjusted the lighting a bit.]

She sent over a photo. Zhong Ning opened it. In the picture, a girl dressed in traditional clothing held a branch of peach blossoms, intently studying the calligraphy and paintings on the wall. A short-haired woman in a black shirt wasn't looking at the artwork, but instead silently watched her, as if her gaze held endless affection.

It was an exceptionally beautiful photo. Zhong Ning still remembered when it was taken—Bowen had told her to look at Zai Zai’s earrings, so she had kept her gaze fixed there. She hadn’t expected the final shot to come out with such a mood.

Zhong Ning: [It’s Bowen-Teacher’s photography skills that are outstanding. Truly impressive.]

Bowen: [Hahahaha, now I’m embarrassed from all the praise.]

After a round of mutual compliments, Bowen said she had to get back to video editing.

Zhong Ning exited WeChat again and went back into the fan group to pick another person to help with card draws.

She picked several people this way. Then, out of habit, she glanced at the time—it was a bit past five, nearing six. Xie Shiqing was still in her room, and hadn’t come out the entire afternoon.

Zhong Ning’s brows furrowed slightly. She logged out of her account, put away her phone, and stood up to knock on the bedroom door.

There was no response.

She bent her fingers and knocked a few more times. Knock, knock, knock.

Still no sound.

Zhong Ning hesitated for a moment, then grasped the doorknob and twisted it. Light from the living room poured into the dim room, faintly illuminating a small bulge on the bed.

She raised her hand and felt along the wall for a row of switches, pressing one to turn on a soft ring-shaped light. The warm yellow light was gentle on the eyes, but the person in bed remained completely still.

Zhong Ning walked over. Xie Shiqing was curled up under the blanket, legs drawn together slightly in a fetal position, lying on her side.

A thought suddenly flashed through her mind—people who lack a sense of security often sleep in this position. It was said to be the most common posture for fetuses inside the womb.

She wasn’t sure if there was any scientific basis to that.

She saw that Xie Shiqing’s eyes were tightly shut and assumed she was asleep, so she turned to leave. But then she noticed how red her face was.

Logically, allergic symptoms should’ve been easing by now…

A sudden realization hit Zhong Ning. She bent down and pressed the back of her hand to Xie Shiqing’s forehead—it was burning hot.

She had a fever!?

How could it come on so suddenly!?

Zhong Ning quickly called the hotel front desk and asked them to send up fever medicine and a thermometer. After hanging up, she gently pulled the blanket down a bit, uncovering the woman's mouth and nose, which had been completely covered.

Her knuckles accidentally brushed against the woman's cheek—it was as hot as if she’d been sleeping by a fire all night.

Did she catch a chill last night? Or maybe spent too long under the air conditioning this morning?