Chapter 8

Shui Wuyuan V: [You'll find out who I am soon enough. You'll remember me deeply. And in the future, you'll come looking to pick a fight with me.]

[!!!!]

[Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! What kind of arrogant, domineering, suave-and-oily CEO big shot reply is this!!]

[Move aside, let me translate: Immortal Pretty Boy! You have successfully caught my attention!]

[Oh my god, I'm dying laughing. I thought I was about to see the Trash-Talk King bombard some trash again—at the very least, something cold and domineering like "Heh," "Tch," or "Don't come near me." But can someone tell me, is this a clapback or... some other weird kind of statement? Why does this feel so subtle?]

[Subtle +1. This isn't quite like the big shot clapback I imagined. The little celebrities who tried to pick fights with him before never got replies longer than four characters. "Remember me deeply," "come looking for me yourself"—how is that...]

[What's so subtle about it? It's easy to explain! He's obviously "struck by beauty"! Dog-head emoji.]

[Shocking! Could the Immortal Pretty Boy's face even conquer the Trash-Talk King?! Oh my god, the more I think about it, the more possible it seems!]

[Domineering trash-talking CEO king × cool little immortal pretty boy who picks up trash! I'm shipping this CP first! Why does this suddenly feel so damn satisfying? Hahahaha!]

[The person above is dreaming. Boss Water is the eternal King of Singles, no objections accepted!]

In any case, because of the two videos early that morning and Shui Wuyuan's reply, Weibo's trending topics had turned into a chaotic entertainment plaza full of melon-eaters. Everyone was eagerly and frantically hunting for gossip. Since He Qinglan, the Immortal Pretty Boy who picked up trash, was at the center of the discussion, netizens all wanted to uncover more information about him.

So, Bicheng's streamers, who would stop at nothing for hype and traffic, as well as some young people who merely wanted to join in for attention, all grabbed their phones and cameras and rushed toward the Qinglan River like sharks that had smelled blood—

They all knew He Qinglan's approximate location. After all, Zhang Feng and Tiantian had specifically said that morning that the place where he picked up trash was the dirtiest stretch of the entire Qinglan River. Nothing else mattered; as long as they casually filmed a few shots or found an excuse to strike up a conversation with the wildly popular Immortal Pretty Boy, their traffic and follower counts would immediately soar!

These people did not care whether their actions would cause trouble for He Qinglan, nor did they care whether he allowed them to film him. They just charged ahead. At worst, they could say a few nice things or offer an apology afterward.

As long as they got the hype and traffic, they profited!

Thus, the River God, who had been diligently picking up trash, soon discovered that sneaky, peeking figures had begun appearing along the previously quiet riverbank. They all had one thing in common: phones and cameras in their hands, aimed at him.

As time passed, more and more people pointed phones and cameras at him. Several of them even shamelessly trailed after him, practically filming his every step.

They even asked him questions while filming:

"Little brother, why are you picking up trash here? Are you an environmentalist?"

"Immortal Pretty Boy, can you take a picture with me? Afterward, I'll help you pick up trash!"

"Hey, handsome, why are you turning away? I just got my angle and shot right, and tons of people are watching! Come on, bro, say hello to everyone, then give us a '666'!"

As he spoke, the last one—a dark, burly young man with an earring—reached out as if to sling an arm around He Qinglan's neck, putting on the familiar act of two bros getting along. But before his hand could touch its target, his foot inexplicably slipped! With a curse, he fell face-first into the ground, landing in the mud like a dog eating filth.

The new-model phone in his hand flew straight out. After smacking harshly against the ground three times, it went plop...

Straight into the shallow Qinglan River, where the water was still more than deep enough to cover the phone completely.

"My new phone! I only bought it yesterday!!" The dark, burly male streamer immediately howled. Combined with the mud all over him, the sight was truly an assault on the eyes.

The River God, who loved beautiful things, gave him a look of utter disgust before directly turning away, out of sight and out of mind.

The dark, burly male streamer had provided some entertainment for the other streamers nearby. But after enjoying the show, they once again began pestering He Qinglan.

Even the River God, who had absolutely no desire to pay attention to these mortals, furrowed his brow after being pursued and filmed like this.

Inside the fruit canning jar, the Black Carp was already itching to act. As long as its lord gave it a look, it would give every foolish mortal standing there a grand gift package of slipping feet!

However, the River God was still excessively merciful and stopped Black Carp.

He Qinglan looked at the streamers following him and said, "You can film me, but if you're making money through me, you should give something in return."

"I don't need you to pay me. Since you're here, pick up trash with me. One bag of trash per person, then sort and pile it properly at the end. Once you're done, you can take pictures with me. Otherwise..."

The handsome young man on camera did not finish his sentence. Yet merely the faintest smile on his face made the streamers present and the viewers watching the livestreams inexplicably feel a little... intimidated.

"Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility. Right?"

"Otherwise, even the River God can't stand it. He'll get angry."

Author's Note:

He Qinglan: Pick up one bag of trash for every photo, or your phones will be gone.

Black Carp: Hey! Ptooey! Black mud-spitting slip technique!

Shui Wuyuan: Just wait, I'm coming right over! I'll make you remember it deeply♂! Heh!

Chapter 8

The young man's words made everyone present fall silent for a moment, as though they had all been intimidated at once.

But that intimidation was not particularly strong, and it quickly faded. Someone let out a disdainful laugh, while others with sharper instincts did not laugh, though their eyes still held a degree of indifference.

When their traffic was high, they were internet celebrities who could earn tens of thousands a month. No matter how many fans they had, those fans all flattered and praised them. How could people like them pick up trash? It was simply ridiculous.

"Little brother~ How about you take a picture with me first and interact with everyone in my livestream? Then I'll help you pick up trash." Anyway, once the livestream interaction had drawn enough hype, she could just pick up two or three plastic bottles and leave.