Chapter Seventy-Four: A True Explosion of Popularity

No one noticed.

The moment Wang Mo began reciting the first line of “Facing the Sea, with Spring Blossoms,” his entire aura subtly transformed. Gone was his usual demeanor—he now radiated the air of a scholar.

A heart enriched by poetry naturally exudes elegance.

At this moment, Wang Mo’s refined presence was on full display; he spoke with the confidence of a man who knows his own depth. The gentle warmth of the poem, carried by his voice, seemed to flow like a clear spring, reaching into the deepest corners of every listener’s heart.

“From tomorrow on, I will be a happy person.”

“From tomorrow on, I will write to every one of my loved ones.”

“I will tell them about my happiness.”

“I have a house, facing the sea, with spring blossoms.”

Each line appeared plain and unadorned, yet as Wang Mo recited them, almost everyone felt suffused with a gentle, vibrant happiness—an energy both lively and full of hope.

Many viewers found themselves picturing a house by the sea.

Picturesque. Warm. Romantic. Blissful.

They couldn’t help but drift into the poetic world, their hearts set adrift by the mood.

After a long while, the previously calm live stream erupted in excitement.

“What did I just hear?”

“Damn, this poem!”

“It sounds so pure, so comforting.”

“Honestly, I don’t know how to judge poetry, but this just feels good.”

Most viewers, in truth, had little appreciation for poetry; they listened more for the sound than the meaning. Yet, in Xilou’s stream, there were quite a few genuine connoisseurs.

After all, Xilou’s channel was known for its cultural depth.

At this moment, these more literate viewers felt a tingling sensation as they listened to this modern poem.

In a certain dorm room, two literature students exchanged glances, both at a loss for words. One swallowed and finally said, “What do you think of Xilou’s modern poem?”

The other shook his head. “I don’t know, but I’m certain of one thing: I’ll never be able to write something like this in my life.”

The first nodded in agreement. “Me neither. The mastery in this poem is at least two or three stories high. I always thought Xilou was just a well-read streamer, but today I realized he might be a literary genius. That one line alone—‘facing the sea, with spring blossoms’—will stay with me for a lifetime. Impressive! Truly impressive!”

Elsewhere, a literature enthusiast was left dumbfounded. “This poem… it’s kind of amazing…”

He had always considered himself above the crowd. What had first drawn his interest to Xilou was a signature line: “A chest full of culture, a belly full of poetry.” The more he pondered that line, the more it resonated, which is why he started following Xilou.

But after that memorable signature, Xilou’s following days seemed ordinary, with nothing else particularly striking.

This made the enthusiast believe that Xilou’s brilliance was fleeting—a single burst of inspiration, impossible to repeat.

Until today, when he heard Xilou recite this poem, the shock in his heart was reignited.

Of course, what they didn’t know was this: Wang Mo recited this poem not because “Facing the Sea, with Spring Blossoms” was the best or most outstanding among modern poems. In the “100 Modern Poems” he had received, in terms of quality, Haizi’s poem would only rank in the lower half, not even making the top fifty.

He chose this poem because of the warmth, vitality, and happiness it contains, the uplifting and passionate emotions woven into every word—these were enough to comfort the soul.

It was a pity that not long after writing this poem, Haizi ended his life on the tracks, never escaping his own pain.

Yet this poem still offers extraordinary solace to those who came after.

That is Haizi’s most precious legacy.

Now, Wang Mo presented it because he wanted the sincere blessings within to reach those whose lives or emotions had fallen into gloom, whose spirits were low or who were suffering from depression—so that, upon hearing it, even the faintest warmth might reach their hearts.

Even if only one person felt the world’s kindness because of it,

Wang Mo would consider himself successful.

Of course, others could sense Wang Mo’s intentions as well.

Countless people’s minds buzzed: “This streamer Xilou is unbelievable. It was already something to see him expose the fake suicide, but now he’s written such a poem?”

If this poem could help Xilou himself walk out of depression, could it not do the same for others?

In today's world, the mental resilience of young people can hardly compare to what it was ten or twenty years ago.

Almost everywhere, schools often report students dropping out, jumping from buildings, or suffering breakdowns due to depression…

The more people thought, the more their emotions surged.

Some began flooding the chat:

“Xilou’s poem is incredible!”

“Are any middle or high school teachers here? I strongly suggest you share this poem with your students.”

“To the one above, as a high school student myself: thank you for the suggestion!”

“Regardless, this poem is wonderful.”

Some were shocked.

Some were moved.

Some fell deep into thought.

No matter what, the popularity of Xilou’s stream soared once again.

The audience had already nearly reached one hundred thousand. Now, even more people were spreading Xilou’s name to other streams.

In a sales livestream, the chat was full of: “What are you buying here? It’s probably fake anyway. Are you depressed yet? If you are, head to Xilou’s stream for some soul-soothing.”

In a music streamer’s room, the barrage was similar: “Are you really here for the singing? I won’t even call you out on your true motives. Go to Xilou’s stream and let poetry enrich your soul.”

In a dance stream, the comments were even more relentless: “Indulging in physical pleasure will only lead you astray. Only by enriching your mind can you change your life’s trajectory. In Xilou’s stream, a single poem can lift you from despair to the peak of life.”

Streamer: ???

Viewers: ???

What on earth…? Where did this bunch of lunatics come from?

Yet, thanks to their enthusiastic promotion, Xilou’s stream truly went viral.

Soon after, Wang Mo realized his viewer count had surpassed one hundred thousand—well over.

On Douyin, streams with over a hundred thousand viewers could be counted on one hand.

Tonight, Xilou’s stream joined those ranks.

At the same time, Wang Mo felt his heart racing with excitement.

The explosion of popularity brought with it a surge in followers.

Eight hundred thousand.

Nine hundred thousand.

One million.

One million, one hundred thousand.

One million, one hundred fifty-five thousand.

Before the night was over, Wang Mo estimated his followers might surge toward two million.

However, his attention wasn’t on the numbers.

Because as soon as his followers broke a million, he finally heard the system’s voice:

“Congratulations, Host. You have completed the side quest: gain over a million followers on your streaming account within one month.”

“Quest reward: Special Chest *1.”