Chapter 409 - 262: Bro, You Smell So Good

Chapter 409: Chapter 262: Bro, You Smell So Good

Only then did Lin Chu realize that at some point, a crowd had gathered behind him. There were customers from the barbecue stall, the owner who had offered him a cigarette earlier, and the chubby proprietress...

An intense heat burned in all of their eyes.

They must have heard everything that just happened.

To be honest, the scene was actually a little intimidating.

Of course, no one was bold enough to do anything rash.

The sound of an approaching siren could be heard...

A patrol car was driving over.

The owner jolted back to his senses. With an endearingly goofy smile, he waved his hands. "Hey, don’t just crowd around here! Are you all so busy watching the famous streamer that you’re going to let your food get cold?"

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Lin Chu furrowed his brow slightly and tapped his forehead, lost in thought.

The comments in the livestream chat continued to scroll by.

"Holy shit! You need to run!"

"Flaunting your wealth in public like that? Are you fucking asking for trouble?"

"Careful, or they’ll string you up on a lamppost."

"Rob him!"

"Rob him!"

"The streamer’s rich, but he’s too naive."

"It’s not scarcity that causes problems, but inequality."

"You give Brother Qin a million, what are other people supposed to think?"

"You’re putting Brother Qin in a bad spot, too."

"Idiot!"

"Kidnap him! One score and you’re rich!"

"North Sea isn’t too far from the border, right? Bros, let’s find some guys and pull a fucking job!"

The tone of the live chat had suddenly shifted, veering in a new direction.

Although there were still calm, objective comments and people defending him, the audience was now divided. The cheerful, harmonious atmosphere was gone.

Lin Chu could feel a wave of hostility.

But he quickly shook his head and smiled.

’People are a varied and complex bunch.’

’It’s nothing new.’

This was the very point of his trip. It wasn’t about seeing beautiful sights or eating delicious food, but about his own interactions with the world.

To see the world.

To see all living things.

And then, to see yourself.

"Alright, alright, everyone calm down. The comment section isn’t a no-man’s-land, and the internet isn’t lawless. Saying things like that is pretty hurtful."

"I guarantee if I were standing in front of you, you wouldn’t dare say a thing. But online, you feel free to curse me out."

"But hey, if you want to curse, go ahead. If it helps you vent some negative emotions, I guess I’m contributing to social stability."

"So, how about we leave it at that? Mods, no need to ban anyone."

"Life is full of suffering. May the Buddha be merciful."

Lin Chu smoothed things over with a few lighthearted words.

’The vast majority of people are still good.’

’As for the "bad guys," there was no need to create an unnecessary confrontation. It’s not like I make a living as a streamer—I’m just doing this for fun. But as a "public figure," I inevitably have to bear this cost.’

He had already considered all of this when he first started streaming.

’Anyone, whether they’re a big shot or a nobody, will inevitably receive a mix of praise and slander.’

’I have to stay level-headed.’

’How could everyone possibly like you?’

’What are you, a hundred-dollar bill?’

At that moment, hearing Lin Chu’s words, a wave of supportive comments began to pop up in the chat.

Lin Chu’s speech had won the approval of many.

Impartial.

Objective and fair.

Very well-said.

"That idiot from before is really something else. What kind of moron says shit like that? Some jokes just aren’t okay to make!"

"Brother Chu has a pretty good temper."

"Hey, that son of a bitch who sent that comment, come on out! Forget him, you can deal with me."

"Uh, friendly reminder, one of LC Group’s business divisions is security."

"Holy shit! It’s true!"

"Remember that one guy whose brother went missing in Southeast Asia? Brother Chu made one phone call and got him rescued in a few hours. Think about that kind of power. Really think about it. And you want to kidnap him?"

"Hahahaha... I shall henceforth honor him with the title, Godfather."

Qin Weiliang stared at the recent comments, momentarily too stunned to speak.

Lin Chu had the resilience to take it all in stride.

But he, on the other hand, was genuinely a little terrified.

At first, the joking comments were fine; they were just memes.

But the later messages were truly frightening.

However, after hearing Lin Chu speak, the atmosphere in the stream calmed down. Seeing the current comments, he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief.

As the stream continued, people started to arrive at the barbecue stall, all of them locals, naturally.

There were a dozen or so men and women.

Unlike the online world, the offline atmosphere was truly cheerful and harmonious.

"Alright, that’s it for the stream today. I’m going to have a few drinks, eat some skewers. Goodnight, everyone."

Lin Chu ended the stream and returned to the real world beyond the internet cable.

His gaze swept across the crowd. "Come on, let’s all have a drink together. Meeting like this is fate."

Everyone smiled and raised their glasses.

They all drank up.

Someone suggested starting a group chat so they could talk whenever, lurk, or even just steal reaction gifs.

Several people chimed in, and so, they created a new group right then and there.

"Brother Chu, how many days are you staying in North Sea?"

"You’re our guest. We have to show you proper hospitality."

A boisterous young man with a buzz cut, who was quick to warm up to strangers, asked with a grin.

Lin Chu glanced at him, took a drag from his cigarette with a smile, and exhaled a plume of smoke. "Not sure. We’ll see. What’s fun to do around here?"

They all started chiming in with suggestions.

North Sea was a coastal city, so the main attractions were the sea and the beaches.

But none of that held much appeal for Lin Chu. He’d had his fill of it over the past few days.

’Tonight, I’m just a passerby.’

’I’ll wander around a bit more tomorrow. If nothing special catches my eye, I’ll probably get going.’

Countless beautiful sights and even more unknowns lay ahead.

The group of people...

...chatted.

...ate.

...drank.

Happy times always fly by.

As time passed, more and more people, having heard he was here, showed up at the barbecue stall.

The three tables around them were all full.

It had turned into a spontaneous party.

Although none of them knew each other before, they had all gathered here with Lin Chu as the common link.

"Brother Chu, you’re not upset, are you?"

A fair-skinned young man with a lanky build, dressed head to toe in streetwear, walked over to Lin Chu with a glass in hand and asked with a broad smile.

He looked to be in his early twenties, a cheerful, sunny guy with an exceptionally bright smile that even held a hint of... delicateness.

Lin Chu waved his hand with a smile. "What would I have to be upset about?"

"The comments from before. Sigh, that’s just how the internet is—a toxic mess. Don’t take it to heart. We’re all here offline, eating skewers and drinking. Isn’t this great?"

"I... My name is Zhou Xiao. It’s nice to meet you, and welcome to North Sea."

He extended his hand with a smile.

Lin Chu shook his hand and gave a slight nod.

But at that moment, looking at his clear, bright eyes and handsome face, Lin Chu suddenly felt that something was inexplicably... off.

’Something feels wrong.’

’The vibe is wrong, too.’

’This kid... he’s so meticulously dressed, and his way of speaking isn’t just polite or mild, it’s... you could even call it... tender!’

As he got closer, Lin Chu also caught a whiff of cologne. He couldn’t tell what brand it was, since he didn’t know much about that stuff.

But it was fragrant.

Lin Chu: ...

’Bro, you smell... really good?’

The possibility popped into Lin Chu’s mind, and he genuinely panicked for a second, his asshole clenching tight.

’Bro—no, wait, little bro, you... ’

’Don’t you even think about hitting on me!’

His eyes darted around the crowd. He immediately wanted to find a pretty girl to use as a shield.

He hadn’t had any thought of doing so until now.

But now, he was forced into it.

After all, Zhou Xiao hadn’t said anything out of line. On the contrary, he was very mild-mannered, probably the most polite person in the whole crowd.

’But with this kind of thing, you have to nip it in the bud. Absolutely not.’

’Don’t even think about it.’

’Not even for a second.’

Though he was screaming internally, Lin Chu just smiled, casually raised his glass, and clinked it lightly against Zhou Xiao’s. He took a small sip, then observed his surroundings discreetly.

Soon, his eyes locked onto a target.

—At the table to his left, there was a cute girl in denim overalls. She had an adorable baby face, long hair down to her shoulders, and exquisite makeup. She was shaking dice with the girl next to her, and her laugh was bright and cheerful.

’She’s the one.’

Zhou Xiao followed Lin Chu’s gaze to the girl. He pursed his lips slightly, a smile flickering in his narrow phoenix eyes.

"Brother Chu, do you like to go clubbing? I’ve booked a table. Want to go hang out for a bit later?"

he asked with a soft laugh.

Lin Chu: ...

Uh.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’He’s trying this routine on me?’

’The nerve!’

"Clubbing’s boring. I don’t feel like it. We have so many people here and the vibe is great, why would we need to go to a club?"

"You hang out here for a bit. I’m going to go hit on that pretty girl over there and invite her over for drinks and dice."

Lin Chu said with a boisterous laugh, patting Zhou Xiao on the shoulder. He then used the momentum to stand up and walk toward the girl.

"Hey there..."

When he reached her, Lin Chu said hello and sat down next to her.

’I really wasn’t planning on picking up any girls tonight.’

’You’re forcing my hand!’

...

...