Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dimensional Strike

Yu Tang had no awareness of what she’d just done. After resting sufficiently, she simply turned her head and went back up to perform her talents once more. This time, she was followed by a little tagalong—Shen Tianshi, who rushed over with an electric guitar in hand. Standing in the center, he shouted, “Let lightning shatter the darkness!”

Without hesitation, Yu Tang gave him a knock on the forehead. “Idiot, can you be quiet? Mind your image, will you?!”

Shen Tianshi rubbed the spot where he’d been struck, looking aggrieved. “Oh…”

Watching their interaction, Lu Zhiming felt an inexplicable stir within. Pressing his lips together, he finally mustered up the courage to take the first step. “I… can I join you?”

For Lu Zhiming—who suffered from social anxiety—it was no small feat to say such words of his own accord.

Behind the camera, Bai Yang couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. Seriously, Yu Tang, do you have to bring everyone along? Are you trying to ruin them?

Lu Zhiming was seen by the outside world as aloof and socially anxious. Bai Yang simply couldn’t imagine him singing and dancing to such mainstream tunes.

Unlike Bai Yang, the assistant director was nearly moved to tears as he watched Yu Tang. Oh, he was a fan of Lu Zhiming! Their Zhiming had never been fond of going out since he was little. Who would have thought he’d take such a step forward today?

Thank you, Yu Tang, thank you so, so much! Yu Tang is truly a good person; he’d be a fan for life.

Many fans watching the live comments were also deeply touched.

“Oh my god, Lu Zhiming actually took the initiative to ask! Who even remembers he has social anxiety?”

“Is our Brother Lu being influenced by little Yu Tang?”

“Brother Lu is finally fighting for his own camera time. The child has finally grown up.”

Elsewhere, Zhou Ziheng was shopping at the mall with Xiao Yufei. They only had ten coins, but in the mall, those ten coins still held some value. The two of them made out quite well.

Since arriving, their suitcases had been confiscated by the production team, so they had been wearing the same clothes for two days. This time, Zhou Ziheng bought quite a few items for himself. Both hands were full, and he even had to free one hand to help Xiao Yufei carry her things, just to emphasize his gentle and warm persona.

Because they bought so much, by the time they left the mall, Zhou Ziheng had only one coin left, and Xiao Yufei had none.

Even with empty pockets, Xiao Yufei felt hungry the moment they stepped outside, her eyes fixed on that last coin in Zhou Ziheng’s hand.

“Mr. Zhou, are you hungry?” Xiao Yufei sidled up to Zhou Ziheng, sounding casual.

Zhou Ziheng could tell she was eyeing his last coin. He wanted to say he wasn’t hungry, but just then, his stomach growled.

So he could only purse his lips and admit, “I’m hungry.”

Xiao Yufei immediately broke into a wide smile. “Let’s go to the food court and get something, then! I’m hungry too.”

Zhou Ziheng replied unwillingly, “Mm.”

“Why does Zhou Ziheng look so reluctant?”

“I can’t! The two of them only have Zhou Ziheng’s one coin left. No wonder he’s not happy.”

“This is too funny. It’s like Xiao Yufei was just waiting for him to agree.”

“Hey, do you think they’ll run into Yu Tang?”

“If they do, isn’t that just a dimensionality reduction strike? Yu Tang has probably gained enough coins for financial freedom by now!”

Zhou Ziheng and Xiao Yufei headed toward the food court. Along the way, they really did hear a familiar voice.

“They’re here, they’re here! They’ve run into each other!”

“Wait, but doesn’t something seem off? Isn’t Yu Tang not pushing the boundaries today?”

Some viewers in the live chat were puzzled, their memories still lingering on Yu Tang’s flirtatious antics.

“She stopped a while ago. When Lu Zhiming joined, she stopped. She’s actually really nice.”

At that moment, Yu Tang was performing the signature smile of Kim Seon-ho right in front of the camera.

“Yu Tang is so sweet! Mommy loves you!”

Zhou Ziheng, as he drew closer, stopped instinctively upon hearing this. Wait, who are they talking about? Yu Tang?

Are you saying that the one surrounded by layers of people, as if she were a top celebrity out on the street, is actually Yu Tang?

Zhou Ziheng approached suspiciously. Just as he spotted Yu Tang, she happened to be winking.

He found himself standing right in front of her. Seeing her wink at him, Zhou Ziheng froze momentarily. His expression darkened immediately.

Was she trying to make him lose composure on camera with her little act? Yu Tang was truly cunning.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he saw Yu Tang roll her eyes with the very eye she’d just winked with, looking as if she’d had a stroke.

Then the background music began to play.

“A girl like this~ has no schemes~ always smiling, a bit mischievous, prone to tears~
In front of strangers, a kitten, with friends, a seasoned driver~”

If you listened closely, you could even hear Shen Tianshi’s voice in the song.

Zhou Ziheng’s lips twitched in disbelief and silent exasperation. If he didn’t know the performances were assigned randomly, he might have suspected Yu Tang could read his mind…

“I can’t with this. I’m dying of laughter.”

“Was Yu Tang rolling her eyes at Zhou Ziheng?”

“Probably not, just a coincidence.”

When the song ended, Yu Tang took Shen Tianshi and the ornamental Lu Zhiming by the hand, and the three of them took a bow. In no time, Yu Tang’s previously empty bowl was overflowing with coins once again.

“Holy crap!” Xiao Yufei’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

Zhou Ziheng’s lips twitched; so this was where they were making a living.

Xiao Yufei tugged at Zhou Ziheng’s arm. “Why don’t we give it a try, too? Looks like you can really make money. I’m out of cash anyway.”

Zhou Ziheng wanted to refuse outright, but remembering the cameras, he changed to a gentle, tactful rejection. “No need, you go ahead. I have something else to do.”

Of course, Xiao Yufei saw right through Zhou Ziheng’s intentions. She rolled her eyes. Hypocrite.

“To be fair, Sister Xiao’s temper is refreshingly real. Even in front of Mr. Zhou, she’s not holding back on the eye rolls.”

“Hilarious, but she’s right. They’re out of money. There’s a way to earn, but he wants to act all above it? Look at Yu Tang, raking it in, while he’s standing there doing nothing.”

“Don’t you find street performing embarrassing, though?”

“So you’re saying getting a big payday just by moving your lips is shameful?”

“Then what about people like me, working myself to death for a measly salary—does that make me diligent?”

Yu Tang divided the coins in the bowl evenly with Shen Tianshi and Lu Zhiming. Seeing Xiao Yufei approach, she tossed her two coins as well.

Only Zhou Ziheng remained, standing at a distance like an outsider, clutching his lone coin so tightly that even the chocolate inside was beginning to melt from his grip—and he hadn’t even noticed.

Coincidentally, just as Xiao Yufei was about to join Yu Tang and the others, Bai Yang appeared with a megaphone and called out.