Chapter 674 - 670: Holly

The streamer didn’t have her camera on, but she was using voice chat in the game.

Ethan Sterling listened carefully, trying to discern the voice. He finally confirmed it wasn’t a voice changer—it was the streamer’s real voice.

’Definitely a girl!’

There were only about sixty people in the stream, but the chat was very active, a clear sign they were all dedicated fans.

However, no one was sending any gifts.

Ethan lay on the sofa, watching on his phone for a while. The streamer’s gameplay unfolded right before his eyes. Her skills were genuinely good. Paired with a marksman who had good game sense, the two of them quickly decimated the enemy’s duo lane.

Ethan opened the top-up window and added fifty cents.

Then he opened the gift menu and sent a "Carnival" worth a whopping thirty cents.

A full-screen special effect instantly flashed across the stream page, and the viewers in the chat erupted with cheers.

"Whoa, a Carnival!"

"6666!"

"A whale has arrived! Our Holly is finally making it big!"

Ethan waited for a reaction from the streamer, but she just kept playing as if she hadn’t seen a thing.

Ethan blinked. ’What’s going on?’

He’d sent a Carnival, one of the most expensive gifts on the menu, and there was no reaction at all?

Ethan hesitated, wanting to send another one, but a prompt appeared: "Insufficient diamonds. Click to top up."

Topping up fifty cents was only enough for one.

But the prompt made Ethan a little reluctant. What if he sent two and she didn’t even go to Lorcain U?

Wouldn’t that be sixty cents down the drain?

Ethan shook his head. ’No more gifts. This one was expensive enough. If she’s unmoved by one, two probably won’t make a difference.’

He’d played out a whole dramatic scenario in his head, but it turned out the streamer was just too focused on the game to look at the chat.

As soon as the match ended, Holly immediately noticed that she had received a Carnival!

"Whoa, whoa! Thank you, Ethan, for the Carnival! I’m so sorry, I was too focused just now and didn’t notice. Oh my god, a small-time streamer like me can actually get a Carnival?"

"Hahahahaha, thank you, thank you! You really shouldn’t have, sweetie. Thanks for the support."

"This is the first Carnival I’ve ever received!"

Holly’s reaction was adorable, and she was clearly very excited.

Ethan quickly sat up and typed, "You’re welcome. Can I get a follow back?"

"Of course! Following you back right now!"

’Sure enough, this method is crude, but it’s definitely effective.’

People who stream online, no matter what they’re streaming, are definitely in it to make money.

After she followed him back, Ethan opened up their private messages and tentatively asked, "Hey, streamer, do you go to Lorcain University?"

"Yeah, I do. Fellow student?"

She replied quickly. After seeing her response, Ethan shot up from the sofa. "Yeah! Are you in the Esports Club?"

"Nope."

’Just as I thought. Otherwise, with skills like that, the club president would have told me about her long ago.’

Ethan didn’t rush things. He just made some small talk with her, then went offline after her new match started.

But every day after that, he would drop by Holly’s stream to send her some small gifts and chat for a bit. Back and forth like this, the two gradually became familiar with each other.

A week later, Holly took the initiative and sent him a private message: "Ethan, you should stop sending me gifts. You’ve already sent quite a few this week, and you’re still a student yourself."

Ethan was a little surprised. "Aren’t you streaming to earn some money during winter break?"

"I am, but not many people in my stream send gifts. You’re the only one, and it makes it look like I’m just fleecing you. I feel a little bad."

"You can’t be a streamer if you’re thin-skinned," Ethan said, seizing the opportunity. "How about you treat me to a meal when you get back from your hometown?"

"Huh?" Holly was startled. "A real-life meetup? I’m a little nervous."

"Don’t be nervous. We’ll just go to that Spicewright by Lorcain University North Gate. The police station is right next door, so it’s perfectly safe."

On the other end, Holly couldn’t help but laugh as she read the message. "It won’t come to that. I don’t think you’re a bad guy. Okay, I’ll contact you when I get back. You should add me on WhatsApp."

And just like that, Ethan successfully added Holly on WhatsApp and they arranged to meet in person.

The expedited visa came through quickly. Helen White had also booked first-class plane tickets and a luxury hotel at their destination. On the day of departure, Cecilia Sterling personally drove her brother to the airport.

This was her brother’s first time going abroad. On the way, Cecilia instructed him, "Try not to carry too much cash on you when you’re overseas. Also, try not to be out on the streets after nine at night, and keep a close watch on your bag."

"If you really run into trouble, just give them the money. Don’t fight back. Your safety is what’s most important."

Ethan had been quite excited, but his sister’s words made him nervous. "Is it that chaotic abroad, Sis?"

"Whether it’s chaotic or not depends on your luck, but there are a lot of pickpockets, so it never hurts to be extra careful."

Ethan nodded. "I get it."

When they arrived at the airport, Helen White was already there. The person who had brought her was her father, Henry Bailey, the chairman of White Pharmaceuticals!

His daughter was suddenly going abroad to watch some competition, and with a boy, no less. Henry Bailey was worried and had insisted on coming to meet him in person.

But before he saw Ethan, Henry Bailey spotted Cecilia.

"Miss Sterling?"

The greeting on Helen White’s face froze as she watched her father stride over to Ethan’s sister.

"Director White!"

Cecilia was no stranger to Henry Bailey either. They had met several times, first exchanging business cards at a Jandon Group charity gala.

The two shook hands politely just as Helen White walked up. "Hello, Cecilia! We meet again!"

Helen White’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Cecilia, her gaze filled with admiration. ’Ethan’s sister is so beautiful,’ she thought, ’even more so than the first time I saw her.’

"Hello," Cecilia replied with a smile and a nod.

Then Helen turned to her father and said, "Dad, this is Ethan Sterling."

"Director White, Ethan is my little brother. This should be your first time meeting him." Cecilia then turned to her brother and made the introduction. "This is a friend of mine. Call him Mr. White."

Ethan put on a well-behaved expression. "Hello, Mr. White."

"Hello, hello." Henry Bailey was instantly relieved. Looking at Cecilia, he said, "So my daughter is traveling with Miss Sterling’s brother. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have worried for nothing."

"When it comes to your daughter, a little worry is always warranted," Cecilia said with understanding. "But my brother is a very reliable person. You can rest assured, Director White."

"I am, I am."

Henry Bailey pulled his daughter aside and said in a low voice, "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"Tell you what sooner?" Helen White looked baffled, then realized what he meant and said, exasperated, "How was I supposed to know you know his sister!"

Henry Bailey nodded and then instructed his daughter, "Even though he’s Miss Sterling’s brother, you still have to listen to me. Double-lock your hotel room door, don’t go out after nine, watch your bag, and don’t carry too much cash. Your safety is what’s most important."

"I know, I know! You’ve already said it a dozen times!"