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“Godfather! Godfather!” Zhang Zhe frantically took off his headphones and turned to vigorously shake Sheng Qing, who was engrossed in drawing. “Just one sports car away!”
Zhang Zhe was a singer at Siji Xianyin. Siji Xianyin had four main halls – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter – plus one Training Camp, all being Voice Karaoke Halls on Douzi. All the singers there streamed with animated avatars, most not showing their faces, making them a type of Virtual Streamer.
He had just passed the audition last month and was still in his probation period. His daily routine was: schedule shifts at the Training Camp → sing → end up Hanging on the Tree, then finally call his godfather for rescue.
Sheng Qing was shaken so hard he almost dropped his drawing tablet. He could only take out his phone, enter the hall, and send a sports car to that “X. Zhe”.
“Great! Saved from embarrassment!” After thanking all the “brothers and sisters” in his room, Zhang Zhe jumped off the Mic with relief.
Sheng Qing rolled his eyes so hard they nearly reached the sky.
“You’re getting way too good at this paid-to-work business,” he complained.
Both Sheng Qing and Zhang Zhe were seniors in college with few classes left. Sheng Qing could support himself by taking art commissions, while Zhang Zhe had quit his internship after arguing with his supervisor. They decided to rent an apartment off-campus together to focus on their careers.
Lying back in his chair, Zhang Zhe shook his head dramatically. “You don’t get it. This isn’t about money – it’s about face!”
“I’ve been hanging for weeks now. It’s honestly embarrassing. Every time I call for help, I cringe so hard I could dig a hole with my toes.” He even performed an exaggerated imitation, shuddering. “No wonder people say Voice Hall performers are beggars – cyber panhandling.”
Saving his artwork, Sheng Qing decided to take a break and casually roasted him. “Little Zhe, if you suck, just practice more.”
Zhang Zhe immediately jumped up. “Hey! You’re just being sarcastic!”
“Newbies in the hall have no fans. We rely on random viewers’ small donations. Life is tough!”
“Don’t think Siji Xianyin’s big traffic means anything for us! The traffic all goes to top streamers. For Small Fry like us, there’s really no way!”
Sheng Qing opened his newly-leveled-35 Douzi account. Since Zhang Zhe joined the hall, he’d occasionally visit and sometimes sympathetically donate to those hanging on the tree.
“But paying to work can’t be sustainable,” Sheng Qing said. He had his own income and family support, so money wasn’t an issue, but he didn’t agree with this self-donation method – it was pure mental torture.
“I’m working on it,” Zhang Zhe sighed. “I see others gaining fans by shipping CPs. Do you think I could do that?”
Sheng Qing was speechless.
“Straight guys selling gay vibes? Halfway to the grave!” He grew more displeased. “A straight guy like you stealing our rice bowl!” Our bad reputation comes from straight guys like you!”
“I think you just suck at singing. You’re pure trash, that’s why you keep hanging!”
“If you had any skills, even if you couldn’t reach the top, at least you could pass your shift tasks! Trash Zhe, you’ll still be hanging tomorrow begging your godfather for donations!”
This infuriated Zhang Zhe.
“You stay home all day drawing porn, and you call me trash?”
“If you’re so good, why don’t you take shifts? The few B coins you earn might not even cover your own donations!”
“I’m proud to be straight! You pathetic bottom! Only tough with people you know!”
Sheng Qing didn’t even put away his pens, bubbling with anger as he started fighting with Zhang Zhe.
Finally, the 181cm Sheng Qing was subdued by the 182cm Zhang Zhe in a headlock.
“Trash Zhe!” Sheng Qing cursed quietly.
Feeling better after winning, Zhang Zhe opened Meituan Waimai and ordered food for his “godfather” too.
“Don’t think it’s easy for newcomers to pass shifts unscathed. Even veterans sometimes hang,” Zhang Zhe muttered. “Traffic is so unpredictable. Top streamers easily make millions monthly, while we struggle to earn enough for electricity.”
Sheng Qing didn’t believe it. He saw other hall members taking two or three shifts daily – even if they didn’t earn much, at least they had something. That’s why he thought Zhang Zhe was trash – after a month, not only did he fail to earn back the electricity bill, he lost eight hundred.
Zhang Zhe’s eyes lit up with an idea. “How about we make a bet?”
Sheng Qing: “What bet?”
Zhang Zhe: “You join the hall too. Let’s bet on who can stop hanging first!”
He’d been wanting to drag this lazy, homebound artist out for some exercise.
Sheng Qing wasn’t great at academics but had many other talents – he could sing, dance, write, and draw. He had a beautiful voice and looks too, which was why Zhang Zhe suspected he might be gay since they first met in the dorm.
“What’s in it for me?” Sheng Qing asked, confused.
Zhang Zhe: “If you win, I’ll pretend to be your boyfriend to meet your parents. How about that?”
Sheng Qing’s family was very open-minded. When he discovered his orientation during puberty, his mother introduced him to BL novels, opening a new world for him.
Now, even before graduation, his family was already urging him to find someone, worried he might be secretly taken advantage of.
The pressure was why he moved out to find some peace.
Sheng Qing saw through his scheme – this dog straight guy was totally using him as a traffic password to gain popularity and earn money.
But the idea wasn’t bad – he did need a shield right now.
“Plus, the loser does the other’s laundry for a year!”
Zhang Zhe: …Black-hearted bottom.
“Deal!”
Their planning was beautiful, but joining the hall was the real challenge.
Sheng Qing hadn’t seriously practiced singing in a while. Casual singing in the dorm with Zhang Zhe was fine since there was no risk of losing money for going off-key, but the hall required professionalism.
Fans paid real money – he couldn’t sing poorly.
With his goal achieved, Zhang Zhe went back to scheduling shifts, leaving Sheng Qing scratching his head in frustration.
How did he get roped into this?
Opening his commission list, he silently apologized to his clients – sorry bosses, plans change, need to delay a few days.
After notifying his clients, Sheng Qing thought for a moment and quietly opened a side account to lurk in the audition hall, observing how others sang.
Equipment wasn’t a problem – he could borrow Zhang Zhe’s.
Choosing songs was harder – he didn’t even know what he was good at.
While hesitating, his finger slipped and he exited the audition hall, entering an unfamiliar personal stream.
X. Xiao’s livestream had over three thousand viewers – at least a mid-tier streamer.
This streamer also used an avatar, but the artwork looked expensive with smooth lines. Silver-gray hair with electric highlights moved with his motions, featuring the currently popular “playboy” face type with captivating eyes that even had carefully crafted light reflections.
Instead of the popular animal ears, he had a row of earrings on his small Electric Person ears, wearing a studded jacket that shone brilliantly under the stage lights.
Sheng Qing: So flamboyant.
Now, the pretty Electric Person was singing the hottest track:
“Let’s go! Honestly scared of fence-sitters eating melons Haven’t seen 8 Mile? Want to blow you up This isn’t a game for kids to play Your vision’s just filtered grease …”
Sheng Qing was stunned.
Zhang Zhe also rapped and had performed this song, but in a different style – Sheng Qing always felt like he was arguing with him.
But this Electric Person’s version felt like he was ready to destroy opponents, dominating the stage with full momentum.
“So cool…” He became somewhat mesmerized by this exquisite Electric Person.
Zhang Zhe came over to listen too.
“Brother Xiao really is the strongest newcomer. His singing is fierce,” he commented after the performance.
Sheng Qing: “Brother Xiao?”
Zhang Zhe: “Yeah, though he only joined six months ago, he got signed right after probation. His revenue can already compete for top ten in the hall. He’s this year’s best newcomer – we all call him Brother Xiao.”
Sheng Qing understood.
The original artwork for this Electric Person was clearly expensive. Without excellent revenue, no one would spend like that after just six months.
“Actually, what he’s most famous for is his mouth,” Zhang Zhe mysteriously shared. “He got popular fast but has many haters. His record is cursing at haters live for half an hour straight, until they broke down.”
Sheng Qing: …
That’s insane.
Looking at this peach-blossom-faced Electric Person, Sheng Qing suddenly sensed some murderous aura.
“Zhe, this song sounds great. Can you teach me?”
Zhang Zhe was stunned: “Huh?”