The wig

When he saw Firefly's expression turn serious and her chopsticks stop picking up noodles, Lin Yu knew he had taken the joke too far. She had clearly believed him.

Lin Yu hurried to explain.

"All right, all right, I was teasing you. Hurry up and eat."

Hearing Lin Yu's explanation, Firefly's grave expression eased somewhat, but she still looked a little doubtful.

"Really? I haven't caused you any trouble?"

Lin Yu nodded rapidly, afraid she would not believe him.

"Really! One more mouth to feed hardly counts as trouble. I just wanted to tease you, but I didn't expect you to actually believe it."

Firefly believed his explanation now, but she was still a little angry.

She pouted and said with some annoyance,

"Honestly, Lin Yu, why would you tease me like that? I thought I really had become a burden."

"Sorry, sorry, it was all my fault. I won't tease you again, I swear!"

Lin Yu raised one hand over his head and spoke sincerely.

Firefly let out a breath of relief too, then clenched her hands and said with a serious expression,

"Don't worry. Once I earn money from that livestreaming thing, I'll definitely pay you back. I absolutely won't let you lose out!"

Lin Yu could only smile awkwardly in response. Faced with Firefly's innocent face, he really could not bring himself to discourage her. It was not that he did not believe in her; he simply knew very well that making money as a streamer was not that easy.

If it really were that easy, plenty of people would probably have become streamers by now, but the reality was that only a few succeeded.

Still, the main reason he had suggested Firefly become a streamer was that this was her only legal way to earn money. At any rate, it was the only method Lin Yu could think of.

Another reason was that he had never expected Firefly to earn money for him this way. He only wanted her to find something to do and, along the way, feel a little less guilty.

Still, he was a little worried. Would Firefly be upset if she could not earn any money when the time came?

But he could not tell her that outright now. All he could do was think carefully about how to comfort her when the time came.

To change the subject, Lin Yu hurriedly said,

"All right, let's stop talking about that and eat. It'll get cold."

Only after Lin Yu's reminder did Firefly notice that she had not finished the noodles in her bowl, so she started eating again.

As she ate, she realized she was the only one eating. Lin Yu was not moving his chopsticks at all, so she asked in confusion,

"Lin Yu, aren't you eating?"

Lin Yu shook his head. "Mm, I'm full. You go ahead."

He had bought three servings of noodle cakes, but it looked as though they were only enough for Firefly alone, so he simply decided not to eat.

But Firefly did not seem to agree. She picked up a small clump of noodles and held it to Lin Yu's lips.

"I can't be the only one eating. Have some too, Lin Yu."

Faced with the noodles already at his lips, Lin Yu hurriedly waved his hands to decline, but Firefly was adamant, as though she would not move them away unless he ate.

In the end, Lin Yu could not win against Firefly and gave in, eating the offered noodles with a red face.

He looked at those chopsticks and thought, I actually shared an indirect kiss with Firefly.

Isn't it kind of wrong to take advantage of her like this? But she offered, so... surely I'm not to blame?

He looked at Firefly and found that she was still slurping noodles with those same chopsticks. Overwhelmed with embarrassment, he hurriedly fled the scene.

Biting her chopsticks, Firefly stared in confusion at the fleeing Lin Yu. What's wrong with Lin Yu? Does he not like the food?

After finishing her meal and washing the bowl, Firefly walked into the living room and saw Lin Yu admiring a human head with long black hair in his hands. Terror swept over her. Could Lin Yu be...

Just then, Lin Yu noticed her too and enthusiastically struck up a conversation.

"Firefly, come take a look. What do you think of this?"

As he spoke, Lin Yu shook the mannequin head wearing the wig in his hands, but because the back of the mannequin head faced Firefly, she did not realize it was fake.

With a slight tremor in her voice, she said,

"Lin Yu, if I remember right, murder is a crime punishable by death here, isn't it?"

Lin Yu wondered why she had suddenly asked about something like that, but answered anyway.

"Mm... what's wrong?"

-!

Hearing Lin Yu's answer, the girl first startled, then hesitated for a while, as though making up her mind about something.

"Don't worry, Lin Yu! Although breaking the law is wrong, you did help me, after all. If someone tries to kill you, I'll at least keep you alive!"

"Huh...?"

Her words left him completely baffled. Why did she make it sound as though he really had broken the law?

The serious look on Firefly's face almost made him think he really had done something wrong at some point.

Could it be because of what happened earlier? Sure, I did take advantage of her, but surely that doesn't deserve the death penalty?

His mind raced as he began looking for what was wrong.

When he looked at the wig in his hands, realization struck him. Firefly had probably seen this and misunderstood.

"Firefly, I think you might have gotten the wrong idea."

As he spoke, Lin Yu turned the mannequin head around to face Firefly.

"Huh?"

Firefly froze when she saw it, because it was not what she had imagined. All she saw was a white, featureless thing resembling a human head.

"Lin Yu, what exactly is this...?"

Firefly was utterly bewildered now. This was not what she had imagined!

Lin Yu took the wig off the mannequin head and carefully set it aside, then began explaining.

"This is called a mannequin head. It's a display piece for holding wigs, and of course, it's also a handy thing for practicing haircuts on. It is modeled after a head, after all."

"You mean this thing is fake?!"

"Yeah, it's just made of plastic foam."

Firefly let out a breath of relief. "Phew~ So it's fake. I thought..."

"You thought I'd broken the law, right?"

Hearing that, Firefly hurried to apologize.

"Sorry! I shouldn't have suspected you!"

"All right, all right, it's not your fault-but to think you'd be willing to help me even if I were a bad guy, Firefly. I'm so touched!"

"Ah-! Stop talking!"

Firefly waved her hands wildly, trying to get him to stop, her face flushed.

Lin Yu hastily dodged Firefly's hands, because he knew very well how strong she was. If one of those blows landed, the consequences would be unthinkable!

"Stop, Firefly! I won't say any more!"

"Really?" Firefly stopped moving her hands.

"Really! More genuine than a pearl!" Lin Yu hurriedly said.

"All right, then..."

Firefly sat down beside him without a word. After her repeated embarrassing outbursts just now, she did not know how to face Lin Yu.

Once Firefly stopped, Lin Yu let out a breath of relief too. He had nearly lost his life.

He looked at the silent Firefly beside him and offered some comfort.

"All right, it wasn't your fault. You only meant well."

Lin Yu's reassurance eased much of the earlier awkwardness.

"Mm, I understand."

With the awkwardness gone, Lin Yu finally picked up the wig that had been left to one side.

"Here, want to try it on?" Lin Yu held the wig out to Firefly.

"For me?" Firefly pointed at herself in confusion.

"Mm. When you go somewhere crowded from now on, you won't keep getting stared at if you wear this."

Firefly took the wig and held it in her hands, stroking the strands, unable to describe what she felt.

In the end, all those feelings became just two words: "Thank you."