Chapter Twenty-One: The Little Companions Take Action

"Is Xiao Qiao going to sing too? Brother, what's going on?"
"Wow, is Nian Nu Jiao about to go crazy?"
"I'm losing my mind, this is madness."
"Mulan is joining the army, this summer is wild."
"Wait, Brother, what does 'the future is full of too many unknowns' mean? Please explain, don't scare me."
"Yeah, I have a bad feeling, is something about to happen?"
"Why do I feel like Nian Nu Jiao is going to leave the show? Please don't let it be true, I can't bear it."
"To the one above, I hate you. Why did you have to say it? I've been avoiding thinking about it, you jerk."
"..."
All sorts of comments and messages crowded beneath Nian Nu Jiao's latest post, page after page.

In the end, Winter Goes to Huangshan even called Su Tong to ask what was happening.
"Winter, it's nothing major, really. I'll tell you so you know: Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao are going to sing a duet tonight, and after that, she won't appear in the show anymore. She's worked hard this past year, always streaming until she falls asleep, and she's still so young..." It was already nine o'clock at night. Su Tong took the call outside his room, while Xiao Yu and Xiao Xiao were still practicing the song he just taught them inside.
"And Da Qiao?" Winter Goes to Huangshan sounded a bit sad. Su Tong was already holding his own, and would only become more popular; the Qiao sisters could truly step back now.
Su Tong smiled gently, "Da Qiao will still sing occasionally. She loves singing. Also, after tomorrow night's stream, Nian Nu Jiao will take a break for a while. That's all I'll say for now. If anything new happens, I'll post it online."
"I understand. Don't worry, Brother, just focus on preparing. We've been Nian Nu Jiao's managers for so long, but haven't really fulfilled our duties. Tonight and tomorrow, leave it to us." After chatting for a while, Winter Goes to Huangshan hung up.

She immediately contacted Nian Nu Jiao's other managers and diehard guardians, forming a discussion group of over a dozen people.
"I just spoke with Brother, something really happened," Winter Goes to Huangshan said in the group.
"What happened, Winter? Don't scare me," wailed Smoky Trails, adding a terrified emoji.
"Winter, clarify, what did Brother say?" asked A Glance Topples a City, anxious.
Winter typed heavily, "Tomorrow night is Xiao Qiao's last stream."
What?
Everyone was stunned, cold sweat breaking out.
"What happened to Xiao Qiao?" Mars Pioneer was shocked.
"Is Xiao Qiao sick? Is it serious?" Di Long exclaimed.
"Winter, explain quickly, you're killing us with suspense."
"..."
Everyone was as anxious as ants on a hot pan, flooding the chat box with messages.

Seeing their reactions, Winter Goes to Huangshan realized she’d misled everyone and hurried to clarify, "Don't jump to conclusions, Xiao Qiao is fine."
Everyone wanted to throttle her—how could she type so slowly, causing such panic?

"Hurry, say it!"
"Just tell us everything at once, stop with one line at a time. You nearly killed me with anxiety, now you're making me angry."
"..."
Everyone lashed out at Winter Goes to Huangshan.
"Brother said Xiao Qiao is too young, and the streaming hours are so long. She's worked hard for a year... I can't bear it either. Brother wants her to finish tomorrow night's show and then enjoy her childhood," Winter Goes to Huangshan said.
Everyone nodded in agreement. From now on, they’d just check in on the girl occasionally; making her sit at the computer for hours each time was too much.

"Brother didn't tell me specifics, but I have a feeling—the sky is about to change," Winter Goes to Huangshan suddenly said. "I'm sure you all sense it, too. Tomorrow night might be Nian Nu Jiao's last evening on CoolCool. We can't let Nian Nu Jiao leave with regrets. Our group should have reached hundreds of thousands—because we failed to act, after a year the fanbase is only about five thousand. I'm so ashamed. Let's move! Nian Nu Jiao is the best, let's go!"
"Call to arms, rally everyone in the fan groups."
"Take action—go to the forums, go to the boards, wherever it helps. Tomorrow night at eight, an unforgettable farewell."
"..."
The managers and guardians sprang into action, mobilizing fans to promote tomorrow night's show.
If the platform wouldn't promote them, they would do it themselves.

Nian Nu Jiao had several fan groups of two thousand each, where chat floods were the norm, conversations quickly pushed off the main page.
Almost simultaneously, as fans chatted, they found themselves muted—messages couldn't be sent.
"Tomorrow night at eight, an unforgettable farewell—Xiao Qiao's farewell stream."
"Friends, let's act! Those other streamers with nothing to say or sing have hundreds of thousands of fans; why does our talented Nian Nu Jiao only have tens of thousands? I announce: tonight and tomorrow, the forums and boards will be Nian Nu Jiao's domain."
All the fan groups received this message and declaration; the group announcements changed as well.
"Exactly, Nian Nu Jiao is amazing—why so few fans?"
"Word is the platform never promoted her, that's probably it."
"That's ridiculous—does CoolCool have no shame? Maybe Brother didn't play by the rules, so they've been neglected?"
"Xiao Qiao, our adorable angel, her last show? We must support! I'll bring all my buddies tomorrow, everyone I play soccer and games with, all of them."
"..."
When the mute was lifted, a barrage of messages fired like machine guns.
This day and night were anything but calm; any board or forum related to the show—even some of the busiest—were infiltrated by Nian Nu Jiao's fans.

"July twentieth, eight o'clock in the evening, CoolCool Streaming Platform Room 1016, an unforgettable farewell—Xiao Qiao's farewell stream."
Such posts were everywhere, overwhelming the internet.

On the afternoon of the twentieth, at CoolCool headquarters.
"Ha ha, everyone, let's pause—I have good news to announce. We've finalized a contract with a streamer boasting five to six hundred thousand fans. Starting next month, he'll be broadcasting on our CoolCool platform." In the business department, a middle-aged man stood at the center, announcing the joyous news to his colleagues.
"Wow, manager, that's incredible! You managed to recruit such a big name."

"Heh, no wonder you're the manager. When you step in, nothing's impossible."
"..."
Everyone flattered him shamelessly; the manager basked in their praise, grinning ear to ear.

Suddenly, a discordant voice spoke up.
"Manager, I've discovered an impressive streamer on our platform. Would you like to take a look?" A fresh intern timidly addressed the manager.
The manager smiled and walked over.
"Who is this? I don't recognize the name." He looked at the intern's computer, confused.
Yet as he continued watching, his smile faded. He even put on headphones, focusing intently.
Unnoticed, time slipped into the end of the workday.
"This person is on a cabbage contract? Hmm? The contract expires today. Who’s their handler in the responsibility department? Before everyone leaves, call her over—I need to ask." The manager removed his headphones, ears aching, realizing he'd spent two hours glued to the screen.

Tong Xin was packing up to leave when a young man rushed into their office.
"Who’s Nian Nu Jiao’s handler?" he called to everyone.
Tong Xin raised her hand, indicating it was her.
She followed him to the business manager’s office.

CoolCool’s business department wielded great power; even their department manager could be berated by a junior from business without protest, or risk losing their job.
"What? He asked for a silver contract, and you gave him a cabbage one?" After a brief chat, the business manager sprang up, almost faint from rage.
Tong Xin had been quite pleased, saying Su Tong was a toad lusting after swan meat, manipulating data in the last days to trick the platform, hoping for a silver contract, but the manager’s reaction startled her.
Did she do something wrong?
"Are you blind?" The manager clutched his liver in pain. "Even if he manipulated the numbers, it was real money—he brought us revenue. Did we lose anything? Tell me, on this cabbage contract, how many times did you recommend him over the year?"
Tong Xin was dumbfounded. The business department was seasoned in situations she had never faced; their demeanor intimidated her.
"Speak up, how many times? Do you remember?" The manager asked, barely containing his anger.
"Once... a short text promo," Tong Xin replied quietly, face pale and anxious.
The manager seemed drained, slumping in his chair, muttering, "Once, once, barely a mosquito's leg..."
After a long silence, he leapt up, voice almost a roar: "Did he kill your family or something? Not just his recent streams—looking back, even then, one promo? Do you have a knife? Please, kill me."
Tong Xin nearly collapsed, her face even paler.
The manager’s expression was twisted; after finishing, he fell back into his chair, waved her off, and said weakly, "Go. Contact him, tell him not to leave. If he stays, you stay. Watch his stream tonight—I advise you to see it."