A live stream that dramatically transformed a depressed schoolgirl shocked netizens across the count

No one spoke in the courtyard.

The charcoal burned through the middle, and sparks hit the wire mesh and bounced away with a snap.

Su Niannian bent down, picked up the spatula from the stone table, and turned to head straight for the courtyard gate. The spatula scraped across the bluestone slab, making a harsh metallic sound.

"Su Niannian".

Gu Qingshang stepped out from under the eaves into the light, his voice calm and steady.

Su Niannian stopped, her shoulders and back tensing.

"Gu Qingshang, don't tell me to endure it."

"He threatened Xingyu with my parents."

"Those are my parents."

She turned around, her eyes red-rimmed, the veins on the back of her hand gripping the spatula bulging.

"Xiao Yunlong likes mountain roads, right? Fine, I'll wait for him at the Nine Bends. I'll smash his car to pieces for whatever price it's worth."

"I didn't tell you to endure it."

Gu Qingshang pressed down on the wooden handle of the spatula and met her gaze.

"If you smash his car now, he can sue you right away. Xingyu hasn't even gotten out of this situation yet, and you'll end up in the police station first. Is that worth it?"

Su Niannian gritted her teeth, her grip still tight.

Gu Qingshang picked up Ye Xingyu's phone and started screen recording.

"Preserve the evidence first. Don't just take a few screenshots; record the account details, the time, and the entire chat history."

Threatening messages from Ah Biao, photos with the shooting time, trailers from Xingyao Interactive Entertainment, posters with "fixed co-pilot" printed on them, and the penalty clause in the contract all flashed across the screen one by one.

After Gu Qingshang finished recording it once, he saved the file and copied it to his phone.

"Xiao Yunlong used the breach of contract penalty to pressure people, used the whereabouts of Niannian's parents to exert pressure, and even tried to trap Xingyu in his territory by taking advantage of the night competition."

"This has crossed the line into a contract dispute."

She placed her phone in the center of the stone table.

"You can call the police now."

Su Niannian's back molars ached from clenching them.

"So what? Let Xingyu go as usual, get in his car, and let him play with her like a toy in the passenger seat?"

"He's dreaming."

Gu Qingshang pressed the phone down with his palm.

"We must protect the people, but we can't lose the evidence either."

"The threatening information was documented, and the location and time of the photos were verified by lawyers. The event organizers, team qualifications, road closure permits, medical rescue arrangements, vehicle modification registration, and broadcast recordings from previous years were all checked one by one."

"He disguised coercion as voluntary and humiliation as marketing."

"Then tear open the lens and see what he's been doing behind the scenes."

Ye Xingyu sank into the rattan chair, her lips devoid of color.

On the phone screen, Su's father is bent over carrying a basket of vegetables, while Su's mother stands by the roller shutter door wiping the menu board. The photo was taken from across the street, and even their route is clearly marked.

Ye Xingyu swallowed, her throat dry and sore.

"Niannian, I'm sorry."

"Shut up."

Su Niannian turned around, her voice already hoarse.

"It's not your place to say those three words."

She slammed the spatula on the edge of the table and knelt down on one knee in front of Ye Xingyu.

"Those bastards are the ones who did the bad things, and they're the ones who should apologize."

"My parents have run a small restaurant for over 20 years. What kind of scoundrels haven't they encountered—drunk people, debtors who refuse to pay, people who block the door? A few thugs hiding across the street taking pictures can't scare them."

Su Niannian wiped her eyes with her wrist, her voice still stiff.

"Xingyu, you're not a bargaining chip either."

Ye Xingyu grabbed her hand; her palm was cool to the touch.

Shen Qingci sat to the side, took off the sandalwood prayer beads from her wrist, and wrapped them around her wrist again.

"Call your uncle and aunt first."

She looked at Su Niannian.

"Don't turn off the security cameras in the store. Record everything if anyone blocks the door, occupies a table, or stops a delivery truck. Call the police if necessary."

"We'll settle the rest of the score with Xingyu."

Su Niannian grabbed her phone, dialed her father's number, and pressed speakerphone.

The phone rang several times before Mr. Su answered it.

"Niannian? What's wrong calling at this hour?"

Su Niannian held her phone, her lips moving slightly. Ye Xingyu's hands, resting on her knees, clenched tighter and tighter, her skirt bunching up.

"Dad, is anyone watching outside the shop?"

The sound of a vegetable basket falling to the ground came through the receiver.

"Keep an eye on the store?" Su's father's tone turned serious. "Explain yourself clearly."

Su Niannian looked at the secretly taken photo. Her father was bending over carrying vegetables, and her mother was standing next to the roller shutter door wiping the menu board. The date the photo was taken was marked in the lower right corner.

"People from Xingyu Company filmed you and also checked the store's address, supply route, and activity area. They used this to force Xingyu to participate in the Nine Bends Night Race."

There was a pause of a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

When was the photo taken?

"Today, the person taking the photo is right across the street."

The sound of chair legs being dragged echoed through the shop. Su's mother asked something, and Su's father lowered his voice and repeated what had happened.

"Is Xingyu with you?" Su's father asked.

Ye Xingyu raised her head, her lips pressed tightly together.

"exist."

"Put it on speakerphone so she can hear you."

Su Niannian placed her phone on the stone table.

Su's father's voice came through the receiver.

"Xingyu, your uncle is asking you, is anyone blocking your way over there? Has anyone attacked you? Is where you are now safe?"

Ye Xingyu opened her mouth, but after a moment she managed to squeeze out a sound.

"No. I'm at the Bai family courtyard. Sister Qingshang and everyone else are here."

"Then stay in the yard and don't go out alone."

The vegetable basket was moved to the wall, and the plastic basket rattled a few times. Su's father's tone became calm.

"Don't go to the night race. Let the lawyer see all the contracts and penalty clauses first. Money can be earned slowly, but if you get into one of those cars and something happens, there's no going back."

Ye Xingyu lowered her head, her shoulders rising and falling with her breath.

"Uncle, I've dragged you into this."

Don't say things like that.

Su's father raised his voice, and the noise inside the shop stopped.

"You and Niannian grew up eating from the same pot. You used to come to the shop to do your homework after school, and when you got hungry, you would just lift the pot lid and find something to eat. When did you ever tell us about these things?"

"Now that someone is bullying you, are we just going to close the door and pretend we didn't see it?"

Ye Xingyu gripped the hem of her skirt, her throat tightened, and she couldn't utter another word.

Su's mother took the phone.

"Niannian, send me the photos and chat history. Don't delete the original images, and keep all the messages before and after them."

Su Niannian took a breath.

"Mom, they're keeping an eye on the store."

"Let them keep an eye on us."

The cash register drawer was pulled open, and the keys jingled.

"There are four surveillance cameras in the store, one at the front and one at the back. The cashier is connected to the cloud, and there's also a camera at the back door. If someone is occupying a seat without ordering, I ask them to leave; if someone is blocking the door, I call the police."

Su's mother paused for a moment, then turned her attention to Ye Xingyu.

"Xingyu, listen to your aunt. Don't ride in Xiao Yunlong's car, and don't even think about sacrificing yourself for our peace and quiet."

"If the shop loses business for a few days, we'll lose a few dollars. If they take you up the mountain, we'll be guarding this shop in Shanghai, and we won't be able to sleep a wink all night."

Ye Xingyu raised her hand to cover her mouth, tears rolling down to the back of her hand.

Su's mother continued, "When Niannian was little, she would get into fights, and you would carry her schoolbag for her and take the blame for her. After you entered the entertainment industry, you always remembered to send us things for every holiday. You've been calling us 'uncle' and 'aunt' for so many years, we've long considered you our own child."

"When something happens at home, there's no reason to send a child out to take the fall."

Su Niannian turned her face away and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with her wrist.

The sound of the roller shutter rising came from the phone, and the honking of cars on the street poured into the shop. Su's father walked to the door and glanced across the street a few times.

"There's a black car parked outside for about ten minutes, with two people inside. I took pictures of the license plate and the location, and I'll post them in the group later."

"Don't rush back," Su's father said. "I'll go and talk to the neighboring shops and ask them to keep their security cameras on. If someone is blocking the door, the whole street can testify."

Su's mother took over the conversation.

"Niannian, put down the spatula. Xingyu, eat your food, don't sleep alone tonight. Don't silence your phone, call for help if you need anything."

"If those people send you any more messages, don't reply or agree to any conditions. Hand it over to your lawyer."

"Aunt……"

Ye Xingyu lowered her head, her voice muffled in her throat.

"Listen to me," said Su's mother. "After we're done, you and Niannian can come back. I'll save that table by the window for you; I'll make you sweet and sour pork ribs."

Ye Xingyu closed her eyes, tears splashing onto the hem of her skirt.

"it is good."

Su's father chimed in from the side, "Also, don't be afraid of causing us trouble. If there really is trouble, we'll sit down as a family and face it together. Anyone who dares to use you to pressure Niannian, or use us to pressure you, will be held accountable."

Su's mother stopped talking.

"Send the evidence first. You take good care of Xingyu, and we'll guard the shop."

Su Niannian lowered her head and wiped the water off her face.

"understood."

She sent the photos, chat logs, and account information to the family group chat. Su's father replied "Received," and then sent a photo of the black car's license plate, its parking location, and the time the photo was taken.

Su's mother sent another voice message separately.

"Xingyu, let Auntie know you're safe before you go to bed tonight."

Ye Xingyu stared at the voice message, held the phone in both hands, and nodded in response.

The call ended, but the charcoal fire in the yard was still burning.

The water in the pot pushed up the kettle lid, and white steam spread out along the spout.

Chen Lang leaned back in the outermost rattan chair and took the phone from Ye Xingyu.

"Did you hear that? Your aunt and uncle have been doing business for longer than you've been wielding a spatula."

He pulled up a street map near the Su family restaurant, marking the local police station, street surveillance cameras, and two delivery routes.

"The person doesn't need to be taken away. Have Attorney Xu contact the local law firm and explain the situation to the local police. Keep all the daily purchase orders, order records, and negative review records."

"The methods Xiao Yunlong's men can use are nothing more than blocking doors, occupying tables, harassing suppliers, and finding a few accounts to leave negative reviews."

Chen Lang zoomed in on the map and marked the location of the public security camera in front of the restaurant.

"The more you make a fuss, the more evidence you leave behind."