Volume One, Chapter 34: Effort-Shame Syndrome

“She’s so beautiful, so graceful.” Tang Baby looked up, tears shimmering in her eyes, a hint of unwillingness, but more of resignation. Just a single glance was enough to know she had lost completely. “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone so lovely. There’s simply no comparison between her and me.”

“Wait, is she really giving up on herself?”
“I feel like Tang Baby’s world is collapsing.”
“That’s what happens when you make a man your whole world! Stay away from men for your own safety!”
“She looks so pitiful—I’d rather she fed me dog food like yesterday.”
Tang Baby stared at the barrage of comments, her eyes dull. Her lips moved, opening and closing mechanically, like a robot. “I’ve never excelled at anything since I was little, and my luck has always been poor. I once thought meeting my husband was the result of spending all my lifetime’s luck.”

“But…” She glanced down at her fingernails. Her freshly done manicure shone brightly on camera, but only accentuated her pallor. “Heh… heh…”

Qin Yu had already guessed her choice, gazing at Tang Baby’s vivid face with contempt. She equally looked down on all who didn’t respect their own lives.

Death is but an instant. Living is the hardest thing in this world.

Faces flashed before her eyes: Li Yue’er’s, the shriveled ghostly shadow of Yongzi…

Ah! Fate!

“So, you’re going to let them have their way?”

“Damn, the Lady of Mercy?”
“How foolish! Does she really believe she’s making some great sacrifice for love?”
“Terminal love-brain, diagnosis complete.”
“In ancient times, Wang Baochuan dug wild vegetables; now Tang Baby sacrifices herself for love.”
“It’s over—watching this livestream is making me increasingly afraid of men!”

Tang Baby scoffed coldly, retorting, “What else can I do? Do I even have a choice?”

“The more I watch, the angrier I get! Master Danqiu is right in front of you—beg her to save your life!”
“Seriously, what is going on in Tang Baby’s mind?”
“Don’t fret, folks. She’s got love-brain; you don’t.”
“What do you know? Everyone knows I was about to get married. If I suddenly don’t, they’ll only say, ‘See? I told you, how would such a rich, handsome guy ever truly like her? He was just playing around!’”

“Is your life more important, or what others say? Why can’t you see it clearly?”
“But if you’re gone, you lose everything! You’re still young—there are better people ahead. No need to hang yourself from one tree.”
“Sister, your life is yours. Why care what others say? Their mouths aren’t yours—you can’t control them! Take my advice: don’t search for trash in the garbage pile.”

“Everyone, stop persuading her. She’s got a screw loose—dead set on dying.”
The comments were full of advice, but Tang Baby didn’t let a single word in.

Qin Yu’s gaze grew colder, her slim lips parted. Her voice, usually soft and sweet, was now sharp as a knife, slowly peeling away Tang Baby’s mask. “You’re good at pretending.”

Tang Baby froze, a momentary discomfort on her face. “I’m about to die, and you’re still attacking me?”

“You work hard at everything, but always act nonchalant in front of others. You think that if you succeed, people will praise your natural talent, saying you succeed effortlessly; if you fail, they’ll say you didn’t try, so you can just try again next time.”

“Wow, didn’t expect Tang Baby to be a hustler!”
“But hard-working people are truly admirable.”
“Oh no, I think I’m a bit like Tang Baby—I feel dejected and a little ashamed when I fail despite my efforts.”
“Friend above, that’s called effort-shame! You need to fix your thinking! Effort is the process, not the result. Anyone who tries is awesome!”
“Everyone in the livestream is so gentle—feels nicer than my own sister scolding me.”
“Correction, I’m a brother.”

Tang Baby blushed. “Is what I’m doing a crime? Then call the police and arrest me.”

“I don’t like hitting people, but if you were by my side, I couldn’t guarantee it.” Qin Yu’s lips twisted, she pushed her hands forward and leaned back. “Since you want to die, I won’t stop you. Your life’s story ends here—go ahead and make a summary before you die.”

“???”
“What? A death summary?”
“Heavens! There are summaries after class, work summaries after employment, and now a summary before death?”

This comment stood out, catching Qin Yu’s eye instantly. She pouted. “You missed a few—there’s a life review in the underworld, and a ghost-life review before reincarnation.”

Netizens: “……”
Netizens: “Suddenly, I don’t want to die anymore.”

Of course, Tang Baby wouldn’t follow Qin Yu’s advice. “You’ll never understand me. I’ve endured cold shoulders my whole life. For me, having others look at me differently is more important than anything!”

Qin Yu raised her brows, didn’t continue her line of thought, but nodded in respect. “That’s true. Soon, your soul will swap with that woman. You’ll disappear in her place, she’ll live in yours. To outsiders, it’s still your husband and ‘you.’ Not bad.”

Tang Baby couldn’t hold back any longer. Her nose tingled, tears streamed down. After a long pause, she choked out, “Master Danqiu, are your predictions always this accurate?”

As she spoke, she sent a ‘True Love Forever’ gift.

“Master Danqiu, I want to ask for a reading.”

Qin Yu shook her head. “No need—the answer is already in your heart.”

The color drained slowly from Tang Baby’s face. At last, she forced a miserable smile. “Thank you, Master. I understand now.”

Seeing Tang Baby about to log off, Qin Yu felt a tightness in her chest.

She’d tried every provocation. Even a block of wood should react by now.

Indeed, her master was right: metaphysics can’t save someone who’s determined to die.

She looked at Tang Baby, silently adding a thought: especially one with a love-brain dead set on dying.

“If you regret it, you can always come find me.”

“I won’t regret it! He doesn’t love me! But I love him! This is the last thing I can do for him!”

Qin Yu’s face darkened. “What do you love about him? Picking you up from work? Buying you pads during your period? Getting you cold medicine when you’re sick?”

“All those things, you can do with that yellow squirrel app on your phone.”

“You might as well love the food delivery guy more than him.”

“My wife’s about to start her philosophy dump—non-combatants, please clear the area.”
“The streamer’s words hit the nail on the head—I immediately ordered a milk tea and look forward to my delivery guy.”
“Haha, unlike Tang Baby who’s immune to reason, you’re only susceptible to milk tea.”
Tang Baby looked at Qin Yu, suddenly smiling with a hint of pride. “Love makes people crazy! You’ll never underst—”

Before she finished, Qin Yu kicked her from the livestream.

Qin Yu’s face was stormy—she’d held herself back long enough.

“Did Tang Baby just get kicked by the streamer?”
“Looks like it.”
“Spell interrupted, hahaha!”
“No wonder—Master Danqiu, love you even more now!”
“Careful, folks—our streamer is a cultivator. Feelings only slow her fortune-telling.”
“What’s wrong with being a cultivator? Even monks can marry now.”
“Master Danqiu, I won’t pretend anymore—I like you!!!”
“Please take your number—my wife’s admirers line up from the livestream all the way to France.”

Qin Yu was thoroughly exasperated, taking two deep breaths to calm herself. “Everyone in the livestream, please develop a healthy view of love.”

“In the master’s livestream, my heart is cemented shut—feels like all men are bad news.”
“No men in my heart—my sword draws itself.”
“Girl, your username sounds like you trained in Ganlu Temple, haha.”

Qin Yu frowned, clicked open the commenter’s account, and casually played her pinned video. “Mo Yan from Ganlu Temple, you have a romance arc.”