Before meeting the system, Chunan had indeed planned to stream honestly—more precisely, he hadn’t entertained other thoughts until that system dangled Xiaohan-related side quests before him.

But now, just thinking about the cumulative rewards from those dozen tasks—the three million-plus sitting in his bank account—he simply couldn’t stay as indifferent as before.

Who wouldn’t want more money if they could get it?

So he set his sights on Xiaohan.

Xiaohan aimed to become a popular idol. Here, idol debuts worked differently than in his past life—a detail he’d never mentioned about streaming before.

This world’s live-streaming industry emerged early precisely because it was born for the entertainment circle. Unlike his previous world’s tangled web of hidden rules, this industry had no rigid hierarchies. While some still entered through art schools, most grassroots idols naturally debuted after building fanbases via streaming.

Simply put: streaming here was the entertainment industry’s training ground.

Talented streamers who honed their skills often outshone art school graduates. Whether streamers or idols, building that first wave of fans was tough. Entering the industry with an existing fanbase? Far easier than starting from zero.

Chunan actually liked these cleaner entertainment rules—fewer scandals, fewer under-the-table dealings. Though admittedly… things felt a bit bland compared to his last life.

But none of that mattered to him now.

His plan was clear: use his current resources to propel Xiaohan to stardom.

He’d always despised streamers who relied on cheap tricks like sex appeal to gain followers. Never imagined he’d become one himself.

*Tch. Life’s unpredictable.*

Anyway, that side quest was optional. He’d push Xiaohan as high as possible—extra tasks meant free rewards. Once she plateaued, he’d tuck her away and return to honest streaming.

Yeah. Deep down, he was still a genuine streamer.

Just doing what he must to survive.

Now it all depended on Xiaohan’s talent.

He couldn’t push her too obviously—risking his core audience’s disappointment. Slow and steady was key. Like today: feigning annoyance while dragging her on stream satisfied her fans *and* convinced others he wasn’t favoring her.

*Guess this is "building a persona."*

*Sigh… I’ve become such a scheming old dog.*

Of course, he’d never tell Xiaohan any of this. With her inability to keep secrets, her raw authenticity worked best. Her earlier rant in the chat had even given him the perfect excuse to bring her out.

…Okay, half of it was just petty annoyance.

Xiaohan had no clue about Chunan’s scheming. Dragged toward the living room, she squirmed and yelled, "Let go! I mean it! I’ll really get mad! Chunan! Bullying me just because I’m weaker now?!"

Chunan stayed silent, hauling her forward.

Finally, she snapped: "I called you one name and you pull this?! Such a petty grudge—you’ll never find a wife like this!"

"Hmph." Chunan shot her a sidelong glance. "Didn’t you want to game? Go ahead. I’m giving you the controller."

He shoved the gear into her arms, then plopped into his chair facing the camera. "You wanted to see her play? Here she is."

Chat exploded instantly—

…

Xiaohan narrowed her eyes at Chunan, verifying his stillness before putting on her glasses. "Fine, I’ll play. But I’m not using your character—I’m making a new one."

"Whatever." Chunan scrolled through the frantic chat, spotted Xiaohan’s earlier message, and silently promoted her to moderator.

Keen-eyed viewers noticed the new moderator’s nickname. Recalling Chunan’s introduction yesterday, guesses flew:

…

Unaware of the chat chaos, Xiaohan focused entirely on the game. She created a new account, gleefully designing a busty avatar in a lingerie-style starter outfit that left little to the imagination.

After meticulous tweaks, she nodded in satisfaction. Though the game screen blocked her view, she grinned proudly at Chunan’s direction: "Well? Check out my masterpiece! Big boobs, no ambition! The modern-day Xi Shi!"

Chunan covered his eyes. "…It’s *‘no great ambition despite big boobs.’*"

He already regretted pushing her into the spotlight.

*Forgot about her cultural black hole persona. She failed Chinese class every semester back in school.*

Xiaohan waved it off. "Same difference!"

Chunan: "…"

*Not even close.*

"Whatever. Not arguing with you." Xiaohan pouted, diving into the game. "Watch me slaughter that guy!"

She faced the two-meter-tall muscle giant.

Chunan shrugged. "Showtime."

Xiaohan smirked, charged with her longsword, and met the steel giant head-on.

Then—*squelch*—her blade plunged straight into the giant’s groin with brutal precision. The monster shuddered violently as a critical hit flashed overhead: **-999999**.

The crowd watched, stunned, as the giant collapsed, clutching his groin.

Blood dripped from Xiaohan’s sword. She stepped back triumphantly, raising her blade: "See that?! One-shot kill!"

Chunan: "…"

***Damn. She’s vicious.***