CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 103: BREAKING EVEN

She never would have dreamed that Xia Liang would resort to such tactics. She didn’t think he was really joking. After all, it seemed like this was just his temperament from the start.

Suddenly, Su Yi began to panic, her voice holding a hint of a sob.

"I’m sorry... I’m sorry, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have played a trick on you. I know I was wrong, I just wanted to play a prank."

Only then did the surrounding crowd react.

"So, it was just a joke?"

"But why does this young woman look so panicked?"

"Right? She’s just a kid, isn’t she? There’s no need to be so serious."

"Yeah, the young man should know when to let things go. She’s just a girl, after all."

It wasn’t just the people there; those in the livestream chat felt the same way.

"Isn’t that going too far? Su Sannian was just trying to tell a joke."

"This guy is so petty."

"Exactly. Besides, Su Sannian isn’t even fighting with him."

"Tsk... I can’t believe a guy like that has so much money."

Facing the widespread condemnation, Xia Liang swept a cold, disdainful gaze over them.

"Heh? ’Know when to let things go,’ you say? ’She’s just a kid,’ is it? You’re not the ones being humiliated, yet you open your mouths and tell someone else to just forgive and forget. How can you be so shameless?"

Xia Liang’s sarcastic tirade instantly made many people in the crowd uncomfortable.

"What’s with your tone?"

"He’s just being petty. And he calls himself a man?"

"A man should be magnanimous. Look at him. He’ll never amount to anything."

"A person who can’t even take a joke is no fun at all."

"Pfft... HAHAHA! I can’t take it anymore."

Hearing all the mockery, Xia Liang couldn’t help but burst out laughing as he pointed at the group.

"You keep telling me to ’be a man’ and ’be magnanimous,’ right? Fine. When Su Yi was playing her prank on me just now, didn’t you all falsely accuse me?"

He looked teasingly at the crowd.

"If you wrong someone, you apologize! Aren’t you all men? Then step up and apologize to me! Don’t you love talking about being magnanimous? Then step up! A real man takes responsibility for his actions. Come on, apologize in front of everyone!"

Xia Liang’s words stunned everyone present, and their faces flushed with anger and embarrassment. They had just been running their mouths, but to actually apologize in front of so many people? They couldn’t swallow their pride. For a moment, they all just stood there, seething and unsure what to do.

Seeing this, the disdain on Xia Liang’s face deepened.

"What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Where’s that ’manly responsibility’ you were talking about? Where’s your magnanimity? Hah! You’re not even as good as a woman. At least Su Yi had the guts to apologize."

"You..."

"You... You’re being unreasonable!"

Humiliated, many in the crowd shot him angry looks before storming away.

Only then did Xia Liang turn his gaze back to Su Yi.

She stood with her head down, looking utterly miserable.

In her livestream, even the bootlickers were rendered speechless by Xia Liang’s takedown. The viewers who felt something was off from the beginning finally started speaking up.

"Go, Bro Xia Liang! You’re right!"

"Don’t just tell people to be magnanimous and forgive. Do you have any idea what they just went through?"

"Exactly! They have no consideration for his feelings. Just think how awkward that was for Bro Xia Liang."

"Seeing him shut down those hypocrites was so satisfying! Su Sannian has a good attitude about her mistake, so I’m sending a rocket."

"+1..."

Instantly, gifts began to fly across Su Yi’s livestream, bringing with them a surge in her popularity. She was completely oblivious to this, her heart filled with endless regret.

Xia Liang looked at her and switched into lecture mode.

"I don’t mind a joke, but you have to choose your target. We’ve only met twice. Do you really think a prank like that is appropriate?"

Faced with his question, Su Yi kept her head bowed as tears welled up in her eyes.

"It’s not."

Xia Liang could see that this 22-year-old girl wasn’t bad at heart. She was just as immature as her appearance suggested. If she kept this up, who knew what kind of trouble she might stir up in the future.

His lecture continued as new viewers poured into the livestream.

"What’s going on here?"

"Yeah, I’m new. Can someone explain?"

"Is the anchor getting scolded?"

"I’ve never seen such a weird way to livestream before."

Finally, after a full five minutes, Xia Liang decided to let her off the hook. He pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Alright, stop crying. Wipe your tears."

"Oh."

Su Yi obediently took the tissue and wiped her eyes.

"Let’s go eat," Xia Liang said, striding forward.

"Oh."

Actually, Su Yi wanted to leave. She’d never been reprimanded like this in her entire life. But looking at Xia Liang’s fierce expression, she didn’t dare. She could only brace herself and follow.

The viewers in the livestream felt their hearts ache seeing Su Yi in this state.

"Hugs for Sannian."

"Sannian’s crying, my heart breaks for her."

"Eh, even though what Bro Xia said was right, wasn’t that a little too harsh?"

"+1..."

Walking behind Xia Liang, Su Yi saw the comforting comments and started to feel a bit better. When she saw someone defending him, she couldn’t help but start explaining in a small voice.

"No, that’s not it. Actually, Brother Xia Liang is right. I was being inconsiderate. I always feel like people should just let me have my way. They only tolerate it because I’m a girl, so I shouldn’t have pushed my luck."

Although Su Yi spoke softly, Xia Liang heard her clearly.

Hmm, this one is teachable, he thought, quite satisfied. He didn’t dislike Su Yi; he just found her overly familiar behavior a bit off-putting. What kind of relationship did they have to be telling jokes like that? Still, it seemed she was pretty decent after all.

He suddenly stopped walking.

Behind him, Su Yi was still looking at her phone, responding to the stream comments.

"He’s doing this for my own good. I really was... OUCH!"

Not watching where she was going, Su Yi bumped right into Xia Liang’s back.

"Can’t you watch where you’re going?"

Looking at Xia Liang’s expression, Su Yi instinctively shrank back.

"I... I was wrong."

Hearing this, Xia Liang broke into a smile.

"Haha, alright, no more messing around."

He patted Su Yi on the head.

"You pranked me, I pranked you. Now we’re even."

"Huh?"

Su Yi froze, looking at him in disbelief.

"Did you just say... you were pranking me?"

"Yep," Xia Liang nodded earnestly. "What, you’re allowed to pull a stunt like that, but I’m not?"

Hearing this, Su Yi was at a loss for words.

"You..."