Wait, I Got in the Wrong Car (GL) - Chapter 6

Mo Ying’s trending topic lasted only a short while before vanishing without explanation. Like a flower that bloomed briefly but brilliantly, her shadowy figure left a mark impossible to erase.

Youmei Live held an emergency meeting that went on until three in the morning.

During the following days, the mermaid herself ate and drank as usual. The only thing she disliked was the bathtub. It was just large enough for a petite human girl, but far too small for her. Half of her shining golden tail had to dangle outside, swishing back and forth. The cramped space left her unhappy.

It was easy to grow used to luxury, but hard to return to less. Without comparison she could bear it, yet with comparison it became unbearable. The more she thought about the bathtub’s size, the more determined she became to move. She wanted one as big as the one Lou Anran had once taken her to, large enough to roll about like a fish in a tank. No, it had to be even larger, a place where she could splash freely as in the sea.

Mo Ying imagined this sweet future and laughed happily.

Miao Jin heard the constant rush of water in the bathroom. She had no idea how Mo Ying bathed, only that she occupied the bathroom for ages. Every time she left, the ceiling and tiles were soaked, drenching the cosmetics on the vanity. Cleaning up afterward was a nightmare.

Taking a deep breath, Miao Jin knocked on the door. “Mo Ying, hurry out.”

After a pause, Mo Ying strolled out with bare legs. Her ten soft toes left playful little wet prints on the floor. Droplets slid down her slender calves and disappeared into a golden anklet of beads. Each tiny orb glittered under the light.

Like Mo Ying herself, wherever she went, she drew every gaze. She seemed born with a natural aura, a magnetic presence that made her impossible to ignore.

Miao Jin often found herself staring, envious of Mo Ying’s flawless pale skin, her perfect figure, her angelic face, and her effortless talent. It was as though she had been blessed by heaven.

Her gaze, as usual, drifted to the beads. “Mo Ying, what are those beads on your ankle? They don’t look quite the same as the golden pearl you gave me.”

Mo Ying’s calf muscles tensed. She turned away and muttered vaguely, “They are not quite the same.”

Miao Jin had been studying jewelry ever since receiving that golden pearl. Its immense value had shocked her. She had wanted to learn their origins and worth. Leaning closer for a better look, she tried to peer at the anklet. Mo Ying, perhaps on purpose, tucked her leg up to block her view.

“You said you had something to discuss,” Mo Ying reminded her.

Miao Jin blinked, then remembered her purpose. Thinking of their recent streaming income finally brought a smile to her face. She opened a ledger, its earlier pages filled with her expenses and purchases for equipment.

She began calculating aloud. “These past few days the company gave us a featured spot. The traffic in our stream has increased fivefold, and the tips are rushing toward a million. I secretly asked Editor Song about it. He said you already have the popularity of a mid-level or high-level anchor at Youmei. If they nurture you seriously, in less than a month you will be the company’s star.”

Mo Ying tilted her head blankly.

Miao Jin laughed at her silly expression. “You haven’t noticed the increase in fans? The tips keep growing. That Octopus guy still holds first place on the top donor board.”

Mo Ying thought it over. The emotions she received had indeed multiplied. Most were pink ribbons of joy, sweet as cotton candy. Even now her tongue still remembered their taste. Truly, humans were adorable.

Miao Jin sighed at her dreamy look and clicked her tongue. “I worked out the numbers. If we withdrew now, we would have over three million. Is there anything you want to buy, besides food?”

Mo Ying’s eyes lit up. “A fish tank.”

Miao Jin blinked. “A fish tank? You want to raise fish?”

Excited, Mo Ying stood on the sofa and gestured at her body, longer than the sofa itself. “I want to raise a fish this big. Wouldn’t that mean a tank even larger than this? Is that possible?”

Miao Jin gaped, then burst out laughing. “Ha! Mo Ying, you are hilarious. Why raise such a giant fish? To eat it?”

“….”

When she stopped laughing, she noticed Mo Ying shrinking back into the sofa, looking quietly dejected. “Do you really want to raise one?”

Mo Ying hugged her knees, resting her chin on them, and nodded vigorously.

Miao Jin was at a loss. She had never expected Mo Ying to have such a hobby. She could barely support herself, let alone a pet. After thinking for a while, she said, “It’s not impossible. But first you need a home large enough to fit such a tank. This place is just a rental. The first step is owning your own apartment. Then we can check the pet market. If it’s a grass carp or a black carp, the price will already be high if it grows that large. If it’s an ornamental fish from the ocean, it will be even more expensive.”

In short, they needed money.

All Mo Ying wanted was a tank.

Her eyes rolled. “Is three million not enough?”

Miao Jin thought of the city’s housing prices and lied with a shake of her head. “Not enough. But if you sign a contract with Youmei, a year or two of streaming could earn enough to buy a place. Then you could buy the tank you want.”

“Sign a contract?”

Seeing her interest at last, Miao Jin quickly pulled out the prepared contract and explained the favorable terms in detail. At first, Mo Ying listened, but soon her little fish brain grew drowsy and she began to nod off.

Frustrated, Miao Jin shook her awake. “Mo Ying, if you don’t sign now, the company won’t keep investing in us. Without promotion, your fan base won’t grow. Opportunities like this are rare. I fought hard to get these terms for you. Please sign.”

Mo Ying raised her small head. “Three years?” She filled her stomach, why must she sign away three years of labor? The clauses forbid this and forbid that. “I don’t want to sign. For a tank, this is too difficult. I will find my brothers and sisters.”

Miao Jin was stunned, her words dying in her throat. “But you said you don’t know where they are.”

Mo Ying blinked sleepily. “They must think I am at home asleep. When they realize I am missing, they will come for me. I just need to wait.”

She planned it all in her head. Her eldest brother would buy her a tank ten times bigger than Lou Anran’s. Her second brother would make her new clothes. Her third brother would play with her. Her fourth sister would sing with her.

Miao Jin tried one last time. “You really won’t consider signing? If you sign, you will earn money quickly. Your tank would not take long.”

Mo Ying frowned. “But you just said it would take one or two years. That is too long. A tank is so hard to earn here.”

The matter ended there. Mo Ying’s good mood was unaffected. When it was time to stream, she cheerfully turned on the camera and greeted the viewers with a bright smile. “Hello everyone, I am Little Mermaid. What song would you like me to sing?”

“Little Whale Shark.”

“Happy Conch.”

“Deep Sea.”

“Second Brother, Second Brother.”

Her songs always carried a carefree melody. From their titles alone, they seemed pulled from a fairytale. Many mocked her for singing children’s songs.

Yet the more they listened, the more enchanted they became.

The moment she smiled and opened her mouth, whether people had come for her voice or her beauty, they felt struck by her charm. Hearts raced wildly. Shooting stars poured across the screen.

• Ahhh, for the sake of her beauty, I am revived again.
• How does this beauty keep her skin so fair and flawless? I envy her.
• Little Mermaid, do you still remember the old lover who waited for you on the eastern shore?

The comments flew fast, gifts glittered across the screen, dazzling the entire stream.

Mo Ying had no idea of their value. To her, the screen looked like colorful corals, beautiful as her days beneath the sea. Yet because she had just spoken of her siblings, a twinge of melancholy stirred within her.

Fans requested songs from every genre. Many were modern hits she had never heard, yet she sang them without hesitation.

Before long, she hummed a song of her own, one the listeners had never heard. “Sleeping Mermaid.”

Sleep, sleep, my sweet little mermaid.

…

Lou Anran entered the stream just then. The child’s ethereal voice carried a thread of sorrow, her clear eyes shadowed with sadness. Lou Anran’s heart clenched. She wished she could lay the world’s treasures at her feet.

Viewers sensed the Little Mermaid’s mood. They flooded her with gifts and words of comfort. Trolls appeared as well, posting mocking comments. But strangely, the moderators were slow to act. Miao Jin was busy negotiating with the supervisor about the contract.

No one expected Mo Ying’s refusal. The dream plans they had sketched together shattered.

Guardian Angel: Supervisor, give me a little more time. I will persuade her.

Song Shuyi: Did you not say she was naïve? I don’t care if you trick her or coax her, you must get her signature. I vouched for you. We gave you the promotion. Do not embarrass me.

Song Shuyi: If she goes to another platform, the loss will not just be ours. Before this, you were only an accountant, earning a few thousand a month. Do you really want to go back to that?

The words struck Miao Jin hard. She truly could not accept returning to her old life of exhaustion for meager pay. At first, she had treated streaming as a side job. Without Song Shuyi’s push, she might never have dared to resign.

Streaming was her one chance. She had staked everything on it.

Song Shuyi: I am not belittling you. I speak as someone experienced. Opportunities vanish in an instant. Miss it and you regret it forever. If she signs, you will be her closest person, her manager. I will make sure you get a cut of fifteen percent. How does that sound?

Guardian Angel: Thank you, Supervisor Song. I will do everything I can to make her sign.

Meanwhile, Guardian Angel’s inbox overflowed with messages from Octopus, urging her to clear the trolls. She rushed to act.

Across the internet, Octopus stomped his feet as he showered the screen with gifts. “Who dares upset my goddess? Eat my meteor hammer!”

Mo Ying, however, was distracted. She noticed today’s ribbons were not only pink. Grey, blue, red, yellow, and even black floated among them, rich in flavor. After savoring them all, a few rare strands of deep crimson drifted in. She had seen that taste only once before, from Lou Anran.

The memory made her cheeks puff and her brows knit on camera. Under the astonished gazes of viewers, she tapped her forehead like a silly fish. Lou Anran’s chest tightened. She remembered the child, soft and pliant in her arms that night, humming sweetly against her chest. She had to admit she was addicted. The mere thought of that night made her body flush with heat. She fiddled with the beads on her wrist, but the more she touched them the deeper the images pierced her mind. “Little demon.”

Unaware of being watched, Mo Ying sang two more songs. One was the cheerful “Little Whale Shark,” the other a sorrowful “Deep Sea.” She realized she had discovered a new way to vary her taste, avoiding the cloying sweetness.

In her good mood she answered questions. “Thank you for listening. We still have half an hour left. What would you like to ask me?”

Lou Anran’s fingers froze above the keyboard. She typed furiously, but her words were drowned in the flood of messages.

Mo Ying’s eyes landed on the flashiest boxes, which often belonged to Octopus.

• Goddess, ignore the trolls. You are perfect. I will give you children.

Mo Ying scowled. “No.” She would never have children of monkeys. She would give birth to little fish, many, many little fish.

Octopus felt his heart break. Yet even frowning, his goddess looked divine. He spammed gifts until his card balance ran dry, leaving him in despair.

• Little Mermaid, when you sang ‘Sleeping Mermaid,’ it felt like something troubled you. Can we do anything for you?

The user “Love Can Hear” was a long-time silent fan. Whenever he spoke, his words struck deep.

Mo Ying was surprised that anyone could sense her worries through music. This human must truly love song. Her fourth sister always said music could speak.

She thought carefully. “How can I make someone find me first?”

At that moment, Lou Anran instructed Chu Shu to adjust her account so her messages would appear brighter and larger. That way, the child would notice her immediately.

Hearing Mo Ying’s question, Lou Anran’s lips curved. “So this little brat is leaving me a trail of beads, playing hide and seek with me.”

Chu Shu rolled her eyes silently. Perhaps not. Her boss was too self-absorbed. Better not turn it into tragic love.

The chat exploded.

• What! Little Mermaid is in love?
• Who is she trying to reach? I want to be that lucky one!
• My heart is broken.
• Pick me, pick me!
• Darling, wherever you stand, if the one you want ignores you, he must be blind.

The viewers teased endlessly, with many eager to dig into gossip. Everyone wanted to know what kind of person Little Mermaid liked. Was it someone tall or short, slim or heavy, male or female?

Lou Anran chuckled softly. Her little one had good taste, but her own taste was even better. Seeing the child’s streaming time coming to an end, she grew impatient and urged, “Will you hurry? Even monkeys climb trees faster than you.”

Chu Shu was speechless. “Boss, please demonstrate then.”

Mo Ying had never expected the topic of lovers to arise. Unfortunately, she had never thought of such things. “No, no, you are all imagining too much.”

The more she denied it shyly, the less anyone believed her.

The chat drifted further and further from serious advice. True suggestions grew scarce. Since Mo Ying only noticed the flashing fonts, especially those enhanced with gift effects, she missed many comments. Still, some caught her eye, including one from Love Can Hear: “Debut. Join a singing competition and shine brightly on stage.”

Debut?

Competition?

It was not the first time she had heard these words. Last time, Fatty Tang had said she could debut as well. Before she could think more on it, Miao Jin knocked on the door, signaling that streaming time was over.

Mo Ying waved at the camera. “Thank you, everyone. Tomorrow we—”

Suddenly, meteors streaked across her screen. One after another, dazzling showers of golden light swept by, shocking everyone.

Meteor showers were the highest-tier gift in the stream. Without doubt, a wealthy patron had just unleashed ten in a row, overwhelming the channel with an extravagant feast.

Each shower carried dazzling effects, lingering for three minutes. Every line flashed, “You are the brightest star in the world. Wherever you are, I will see you.”

The audience fell silent.

This was blatant seduction by wealth.

Octopus nearly collapsed. He wanted nothing more than to drag this newcomer out and stomp on her. Worse, his wallet had betrayed him at the critical moment.

The humiliation grew worse.

Mo Ying stared wide-eyed at the brilliant meteors. Her eyes sparkled as she whispered sweetly, “Thank you, Wife, for the gift. It is so beautiful.”

A collective groan filled the chat. Hearts shattered.

Lou Anran could not stop her smile from spreading, the delight shining in her eyes. It was as though the child had leaned close to her ear and whispered that same endearment. Watching through a screen was unbearable. She wanted the girl beside her.

All to trick a little beauty, her boss truly had no shame.

Chu Shu spat. “Shameless.”

• Truly impressive. Ten meteor showers for one ‘Wife.’ I am nothing but a sour lemon.
• Changed my name to Husband, thank you.
• Ahhh, does this tycoon need an accessory? Pick me!
• I bought a watch last year.

The lively celebration ended, but Miao Jin’s face turned grim. Many viewers had been urging Mo Ying to debut. If Mo Ying ignored it, fine, but she had actually joined the discussion.

Now, not only fans but also the company knew she was considering a talent show. Miao Jin’s disguise as a close friend was about to crumble.

That day, Miao Jin discovered many viewers labeling Mo Ying as a children’s singer.

She clicked into the thread. Most people praised her. She was beloved by the public, likely due to her beauty, angelic voice, and cuteness. Her song “Little Whale Shark” had already become so popular that children everywhere sang and danced along.

Praise always carried its opposite. Some criticized her for singing childish songs with childish lyrics. They claimed that without her exceptional voice and her face, which they insisted must have been altered by surgery, her stream would never have attracted so many fans.

Miao Jin had to admit some of their words were true. Mo Ying was so beautiful, with a natural gift in singing, yet she chose not to sing pop songs. It was a waste.

Children’s music had a smaller audience than adult music. Once labeled, it would be difficult to change.

As Mo Ying’s future manager, Miao Jin worried endlessly. “Mo Ying, do you want to try some pop songs?”

Mo Ying gave her a strange look. “Why?”

Miao Jin reasoned gently, “Do you not think that singing only those songs is like coaxing children? The adult market is where you should aim.”

Mo Ying’s face was innocent. “But I am coaxing them.”

“….”

Miao Jin stared into her clear green eyes and realized she was not joking. She felt exasperated. “Mo Ying, why are you so stubborn?”

Red ribbons floated from her body, but Mo Ying, already well-fed, was not eager to taste them. “Isn’t the purpose of singing to bring happiness? I can feel everyone is happy.”

Her determined tone made Miao Jin laugh bitterly. “You can feel it? Who do you think you are, a superstar?”

Mo Ying watched as the red ribbons darkened, streaked with black. The words stung. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Miao Jin quickly tried to fix it. “I am sorry. I have been under stress at work. I only meant you could try a different style. You can listen to some pop songs on my computer and see if you like them.”

Mo Ying sampled a few, but her interest quickly faded.

Streaming continued, though she sometimes chatted with viewers afterward about songs. Slowly, she did lean toward more pop. Miao Jin finally eased a little.

“What are you doing?”

“Writing a song.”

Mo Ying’s handwriting looked like crab scrawls at best, like messy scribbles at worst. But her notes were vivid, like little tadpoles leaping across the page. Even Miao Jin, who knew nothing of music, thought it looked impressive.

She watched Mo Ying scribble through several pages, then toss them aside carelessly and start anew. Gathering the discarded sheets, she asked, “Are these useless?”

Without looking up, Mo Ying hummed, scratching out notes, altering them, and frowning in deep thought. Her serious air made Miao Jin sober as well.

She photographed the sheets and sent one with the heaviest edits to Editor Song. “Editor, this is a song Little Mermaid wrote recently. I do not understand music. Please find someone to check if it can be used.”

Mo Ying remained lost in her musical world. She hummed, erased, and revised, until at last she sighed and tapped her head. “I forgot.”

Fish memory lasted only seven seconds. Her human memory perhaps stretched to seven minutes. Still, she comforted herself. Even if I forget, these songs will last me for now.

When Miao Jin saw her dazing off, she handed her a fresh sheet. “Mo Ying, I have never seen you write your own name. Will you write it for me?”

Mo Ying glanced at her, then shook her head firmly. She ran barefoot to the sofa and curled up. “I will not write it.”

This refusal was clear and absolute.

Miao Jin’s smile faltered. Forcing another, she approached with pen and paper, but Mo Ying darted into the bathroom and locked the door.

…

Under the same roof, aside from streaming and the occasional talk, their relationship grew cold.

Even the viewers noticed. Mo Ying’s smile looked forced. Every day the chat reminded her to take care of herself.

Lou Anran reclined in her chair, chin propped as she admired the screen filled with meteor showers. Lately it had become her and Mo Ying’s shared pleasure, watching the child’s eyes sparkle like emeralds at the dazzling lights. They shone so brightly she longed to kiss them.

She noticed Chu Shu sneaking glances her way. Smiling with helpless fondness, she said, “Is it not beautiful? The child loves it. What else can I do?”

Chu Shu wanted to retort. It was not the child who insisted on flaunting wealth, but her boss. Everyone knew a tycoon showered gifts daily to confess to the streamer, confessing with money and more money. Normally stingy with bonuses, her boss spent a fortune without a frown.

Her boss was truly an inhuman species of spender.

Lou Anran murmured to herself, “The child seems less cheerful lately. Her stream’s background looks shabby. Perhaps she is upset because she waits for me and I have not appeared?”

Chu Shu was silent. The little beauty had probably long forgotten her, dreaming instead of debuting. Boss, wake up.

Lou Anran paused. “Have Ni Xinyu approach her.”

Chu Shu was startled, her casual air gone. “Boss, are you serious?”

Lou Anran tapped her chin. “She is mine. Of course I must keep her close. Do you think I jest?”

Chu Shu was speechless. Playing with a lover was one matter. Recruiting her into the company was another. Her boss, usually strict in separating public and private, now sounded utterly shameless.

Lou Anran’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you still standing? This month’s bonus—”

Chu Shu bolted before she finished.

…

That morning, the sun blazed. Returning from the market with bags in hand, Miao Jin noticed a new Cayenne parked outside the community gate. In such a neighborhood, luxury cars were rare. She stared a little longer.

A tall, voluptuous woman stepped out from the shade of a tree. With long legs and graceful steps, she approached. She was a head taller than Miao Jin, her gaze carrying a sense of superiority. The feeling made Miao Jin uncomfortable.

“Hello.”

Instinctively, Miao Jin stepped back and glanced at her own feet in cheap slippers, her toes still stained with market water. “Can I help you?”

The woman pulled a black business card from her low neckline, holding it between manicured red nails. “Allow me to introduce myself. Ni Xinyu, a top agent at Anchen Entertainment.”

Miao Jin’s hands were full of groceries. She could not accept it. Ni Xinyu smiled and tucked the card back smoothly, making the motion look effortless. Miao Jin stared, dumbfounded, before blurting, “So you came for Mo Ying?”

Ni Xinyu snapped her fingers. “Smart. I will not waste words. My boss at Anchen specifically ordered me to take over your friend. I despise underhanded rules, but I work for my boss.”

She spread her hands, then smiled slyly. “I investigated you beforehand. I know Youmei also wants to keep your friend, even offering generous terms. A manager? They may say that, but once the contract is signed, people like you will be discarded.”

Her words stung like a slap. Miao Jin’s cheeks burned.

Ni Xinyu shifted, offering a patch of shade. She spoke frankly. “From a woman’s perspective, let me be fair. A woman’s youth lasts only a few years. Streaming limits her. She is full of potential. If you care for her, you should let go.”

From timid to insulted, Miao Jin finally snapped back, sneering, “Thank you for your advice. But Mo Ying will not accept such rules. Please leave.”

Ni Xinyu nodded knowingly and even stepped back politely. “If that is her choice, then Anchen and my boss will only regret it. She loses not just a lover, but the chance to rise as a star.”

Her civility only made Miao Jin angrier. Every word felt like a mockery.

Straightening her back, she walked away. Behind her, Ni Xinyu’s heels clicked, followed by the slam of a car door. The Cayenne roared past, so close Miao Jin wondered if it meant to hit her.

Just as she relaxed, the car screeched to a stop, reversed swiftly, and halted before her. The window lowered, revealing that infuriating smile again. “I heard Youmei gave you their best contract five days ago. Yet you still have not signed. Perhaps… Mo Ying does not share your opinion? Miss Miao, I believe we will meet again.”

The words lingered like a curse in her ears.