Clearly Yi Wen Bu Zhi didn’t trust him.

Wen Ruyu accepted the 200,000 yuan transfer from Yi Wen Bu Zhi. With a light swipe he exited the chat with Yi Wen Bu Zhi.

The phone returned to the main message page.

Several red dots blinked on the main page—mostly replies from that group of fish, most offering only perfunctory responses.

Some had dropped off the map entirely, not even bothering with a punctuation mark.

Because transfers were involved, each person had given different amounts; he couldn’t just send a mass “we’re breaking up” and be done.

Wen Ruyu forced himself to go through them one by one in the order of the contact notes.

He started with the contact labeled “Number 1.”

Number 1 seemed to be a company executive—always speaking in an imperious tone, an arrogance that was hard to describe. Even his transfers carried an air of condescension. All told, he’d sent the original host a little over ten thousand.

Wen Ruyu checked the transfer record, returned the entirety of that ten thousand, then typed a single line.

[May Wealth Bloom: We’re breaking up.]

The other party didn’t reply—either too busy to check their phone, or simply indifferent to the message.

Wen Ruyu didn’t care. He took a screenshot and saved it to the album, then opened the next chat.

Number 2 was a female college student who liked Yang Ruiqing’s looks; her attitude was better than most. Because she was a student, she didn’t have much money—only about five thousand had been taken.

The original host didn’t care whether the target was male or female; as long as money could be had, he treated them all the same.

Wen Ruyu transferred the money back, sent the breakup line, saved the screenshot. The motions were practiced, without any emotion or regret.

He repeated this down the list.

Only a small portion didn’t reply and hadn’t accepted the transfer; most had accepted, but didn’t send any response.

They apparently didn’t care about the breakup at all.

Perhaps in their eyes it had never been a relationship. From start to finish it had been only the original host lavishing attention; they replied only when in a good mood. Their transfers were like alms, little more than showing off.

Like teasing a dog seeking the crowd’s favor.

Except for... Number 3.

Number 3 genuinely seemed to like the original host. They hadn’t only given money—there was obvious concern for the host.

[Number 3: Why aren’t you replying?]
[Number 3: Did something happen?]
[Number 3: Is the money not enough?]
[Number 3: Take back what you gave me first.]
[Number 3: Don’t ignore me, I’m really worried about you.]
[Number 3: Did something happen to you? Tell me, okay? I’ll definitely help.]
[Number 3: I don’t get paid until next month; how much do you still need? I’ll borrow it.]
[Number 3: What’s wrong with you?]

Number 3’s chat list was dozens of messages, densely filling the screen.

Because the original host hadn’t replied earlier, Number 3 truly seemed anxious—sending a message every few minutes with a tone of urgency and worry.

But they had never called.

The entire conversation was text messages.

Wen Ruyu lowered his eyes in silence, his finger pausing. He felt an oddness he couldn’t explain.

If someone were really worried, wouldn’t they call to check? Even without the original host’s phone number, they could at least make a voice call.

But Number 3 had never placed a single voice call.

Still, to say they weren’t worried seemed wrong: their words were full of concern, and they’d given all their money.

He swallowed the uneasy feeling and opened Number 3’s transfer records. After checking each transaction one by one, he returned every penny the original host had taken.

[May Wealth Bloom: Transfer 32,231.23 yuan.]

Before Wen Ruyu could say anything about breaking up, the other side’s messages came through—so fast it seemed they were glued to their phone, waiting for his reply.

[Number 3: ?]
[Number 3: What’s wrong? What happened? Why did you return my money?]
[Number 3: What I gave you was mine; you don’t have to return it. I gave it to you willingly.]

Before Wen Ruyu had even finished reading, a system notification showed the returned transfer.

[Number 3: Transfer returned.]

Money being returned wasn’t acceptable. Without hesitation Wen Ruyu reinitiated the transfer—this time attaching the breakup line.

[May Wealth Bloom: Transfer 32,231.23 yuan.]
[May Wealth Bloom: We’re breaking up.]

Number 3 still didn’t accept the transfer and even returned it again. Messages popped up one after another; the urgency and hurt in the tone spilled from the screen, as if Wen Ruyu’s words had wounded them to the core. Their language had sunk to abject humility.

[Number 3: Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I make you angry?]
[Number 3: Tell me what I did wrong and I’ll fix it. Please don’t break up with me.]
[Number 3: Is it because my pay is too little? I got another part-time job; I’ll use that salary for you.]
[Number 3: If that’s still not enough, I’ll find another job; I’ll earn a lot of money for you. Please don’t break up with me.]

Wen Ruyu read the supplicating words without a trace of movement in his eyes. He typed a polite refusal.

[May Wealth Bloom: No, you’re very good.]
[May Wealth Bloom: It’s me who’s not worthy of you.]
[May Wealth Bloom: Transfer 32,231.23 yuan.]

He didn’t want to be entangled with anyone, especially someone who appeared “deeply in love.” People like that, when denied, easily went to extremes.

To his surprise, this time Number 3 still did not accept.

[Number 3: Transfer returned.]
[Number 3: I don’t despise you.]

Wen Ruyu: “...”

He rubbed his brow weakly and attempted the transfer again, this time with a firmer tone.

[May Wealth Bloom: Transfer 32,231.23 yuan.]
[May Wealth Bloom: I don’t want to slow you down.]
[May Wealth Bloom: Take it.]

Number 3 didn’t accept immediately, but neither did they return it. After about ten seconds of silence, they sent a tentative, anxious message.

[Number 3: Why?]
[Number 3: Did you... fall in love with someone else?]

Wen Ruyu had grown tired of this. He typed the most outlandish excuse to sever any hope of clinginess.

[May Wealth Bloom: I’m being kept by someone.]

That line worked instantly.

Number 3 was silent for a full half minute before firing two question-mark replies, the tone flat with disbelief, almost absurd bewilderment.

[Number 3: ...?]
[Number 3: Huh?]

Wen Ruyu ignored their shock and added a more “plausible” detail, intending to close whatever loophole remained.

[May Wealth Bloom: He won’t allow me to see two people at once.]
[May Wealth Bloom: So let’s break up.]

...

A college boy sat in his dorm chair, staring at his phone. His handsome, clean-cut face scrunched up, brows knotted tightly. Three words seemed to blaze across his mind—

—are you ridiculous?

This kid had to be nuts.

He was the contact labeled Number 3.

He was also Yang Ruiqing’s roommate.

He was also Yang Ruiqing’s brother.

Some time ago he’d been scrolling videos when he stumbled across someone stealing Yang Ruiqing’s photos to run a scam.

He’d been furious.

How dare someone steal his brother’s photos and do that disgusting thing? If he didn’t make sure that person paid, he’d never forgive himself.

So he deliberately registered a small account and pretended to be a gullible mark attracted by “May Wealth Bloom,” letting himself be baited and transferring money bit by bit.

He saved all the chat records and transfer history.

He even pretended to be a working man so the scammer would relax and take even more.

Once he had enough evidence, he planned to call the police and have the scammer arrested for photo theft and fraud.

He never expected the person to return all the money.

Conscience suddenly struck?

Wei Jiayu wasn’t ready to give up. Even if this person’s conscience had suddenly awakened, the fact of stealing his brother’s photos and scamming people remained.

They should pay for it.

Hence the previous pleading messages to not be broken up with.

But his next reply left him stunned.

What the hell was this?

Who did they think they were kidding?

What did they mean “being kept”?

A scammer being kept? By whom?

He stared at the screen, his mouth twitching between anger and laughter. The whole thing was absurd.

He suppressed the urge to retort and typed, probing and unwilling to let it go.

[Number 3: Who is that person...?]

The reply came so fast Wei Jiayu nearly lost his grip on his phone.

[May Wealth Bloom: I’m the other woman; it’s not convenient to disclose.]

Wei Jiayu: ...?

What the—?

The other woman?

This person must be a drama queen.

Stealing photos and scamming was bad enough; now they were playing the mistress card?

Wei Jiayu’s mind spin further into ridiculousness. A more nauseating thought crossed his mind.

Could it be that this scammer was using his brother Yang Ruiqing’s photos to be kept?

If that were true, it would be utterly disgusting—an insult on top of insult.

He immediately sent a question mark.

[Number 3: ?]

Instead of a reply, the message failed to send and an exclamation mark appeared, followed by a system notification.

［May Wealth Bloom has enabled friend verification. You are not yet friends. Please send a friend request; after verification you can chat.］

Wei Jiayu: ????

He’d been deleted?

How dare they delete him?

Wei Jiayu laughed at his own anger, but the problem remained: the money had been returned; though the transfer records existed, there was no net fraud amount—making it hard to file a case.

Looks like he’d have to lurk the streamer’s live room.

When the time came, he would expose that person live.

Chapter 17

Comments