Chapter Four – “Trending First, Still on My Lock-Screen”

11:47 p.m.

The livestream had ended thirty-seven minutes ago, but Lin Wan's phone still buzzed like a trapped bee.

The apartment lights were off; the only glow came from her screen, throwing a rectangle of white on the ceiling.

----

1. Hashtag Apocalypse

Lin (collapsed on the sofa, thumb scrolling)

…99-plus WeChat, 50K @ mentions on Weibo. Actual death-by-internet.

Gu (lets himself in, two bags of fried chicken dangling from one wrist)

"Brought wings and Diet Coke. Can either save you or at least give you something to chew while the world burns."

Lin

"

"Feed the gut, then face the apocalypse."

----

2. PR Meltdown

Xiao Wen (FaceTime, background a storage closet lit by ring-light)

"Sis, the platform's on fire. Followers up three mil, haters up two. Brands are throwing money at us for a "strong independent woman" template.

Lin

Send the template. Use the photo of me mid-wing-bite—authenticity points.

----

3. Mom Checks In

Mrs. Su (voice note over mahjong clacks)

"Baby, your aunt says you cried on TV."

Lin

"Eyes leaked. Eyeliner intact."

Mrs. Su

"Cry if you must, just reapply the waterproof."

----

4. The Ex Pops Up

Chen Zhe (text bubble)

"Saw the stream. You okay?"

Lin (types, deletes, finally sends)

"Alive. Mute button engaged."@

Chen Zhe

Lawyer on standby if you need."

Lin

"Need quiet more."

Fried-Chicken Diplomacy

Gu (sets wings on the coffee table, sauce dots his white tee)

Shirt officially collateral damage. You owe me detergent.

Lin

I owe you a washing machine that doesn't judge late-night snacks.

Gu

Machines don't flirt. I do.

----

Internet Detectives

Li Xiang (voice note, breathless)

Thread just dropped—2008 forum screenshots. They're calling it #LittleGirlGate.

Lin

Let them dig; I'm the excavation site.

Li Xiang

Some claim you bullied classmates.

Lin

I bullied math tests, not people.

----

7. Midnight Run Proposal

Su Qing (bangs on door in full Lululemon)

Ten-kilometre run. Clears the algorithm out of your lungs.

Lin

In flip-flops?

Su Qing

Done it before. C'mon.

Gu (grabs hoodie)

I'll guard the door—paparazzi don't need cardio.

----

8. Rooftop Scream Therapy

22nd floor. Wind tastes like rain and fried chicken.

Lin (half-laugh, half-shout)

I DID NOT BULLY ANYONE—I JUST HATE SMILING!

Echo: smiling—iling—

Gu (hands her a Coke)

Carbonation for the soul.

Lin

Soul burps accepted.

----

9. Producer Calls

Producer

Live stream round two? Three million live viewers.

Lin

No filter, no make-up. They get pores or nothing.

Producer

Pores = ratings. See you in five.

----

10. Three-Minute Broadcast

Lin (camera propped on a stack of books, wing sauce on cheek)

Hi, internet. No ring lights, no script—just grease and honesty.

Chat scrolls: QUEEN.

Lin

Queen of cancelling plans.

Gu (leans in with a napkin)

Don't drip on the lens.

Chat: SHIP SHIP SHIP.

----

11. Post-Credits Silence

2:11 a.m. Laptop closed. Apartment finally quiet.

Lin (voice-over soft)

Trending will drop. Umbrella's still by the door. Heart still loud.

She drags "Work Group" out of her chat list, places "Gu Xingye" at the top.

Phone buzzes once.

Gu: Night, Zhaozhao.

Lin: Night.

The fan squeaks, then settles.