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

Li Jianguo rubbed his rough hands together, staring curiously at the silvery-white sphere that completely defied the laws of physics. Finally, he couldn't help but ask in his thick accent:

"Brother Chen, what kind of high-tech gadget is this?"

"This looks so futuristic! I can't even see a propeller, how can it float so steadily in mid-air?"

Chen Lang, with one hand in his windbreaker pocket, turned around and casually raised his chin towards the camera.

"Oh, this little toy. I have a friend who develops the underlying architecture of drones, and this is the latest test unit that his lab just built."

"They insisted on giving it to me, wanting me to run some data in this extreme wilderness environment to test its wind resistance."

He turned his gaze to Li Jianguo and continued, "By the way, brother, I have to tell you something. This thing is currently being streamed live across the entire internet, with hundreds of thousands of people watching."

"If you feel uncomfortable, we absolutely will not include you, your sister-in-law, and your child in the camera."

The already lively chat room was instantly flooded with comments because of Chen Lang's casual "I have a friend".

[Holy crap?! Xinghai Heavy Industry just released a top-secret magnetic levitation test machine two days ago?!]

[Are you sure you're not mistaken? The official website hasn't even released a high-resolution concept image of this thing! Rumor has it that one unit costs as much as a Ferrari!]

[What the heck! Using top-of-the-line national technology as a selfie stick while traveling in Dali? Brother Lang, you're amazing! I'm bowing down to you!]

Isn't the key point that "has a friend"...? It's chilling to think about.

[Sweating buckets, buddy! What poor student who failed their exams could afford to play with a tech giant's lab machine?! Chen Lang, how many more surprises do you have up your sleeve that I don't know about?!]

Chen Lang didn't even glance at the frantically scrolling comments on the floating ball.

Li Jianguo was taken aback at first, then a simple, honest smile appeared on his face, which was red from the high-altitude ultraviolet rays.

He waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, what's inconvenient about it! It's just being on TV, isn't it?"

He turned and tugged at his wife's sleeve: "Honey, did you hear that? Our whole family is on TV today!"

Wang Mei was amused by her husband and covered her mouth, laughing. A blush crept onto her face, and she waved her hands repeatedly.

"It's okay, it's okay, Brother Chen Lang. As long as netizens don't find our weathered faces too jarring to look at!"

Chen Lang smiled faintly, walked closer to Li Jianguo, and reached into the pocket of his windbreaker to pull out a half-pack of slightly wrinkled blue Liqun cigarettes.

He deftly tapped the bottom of the cigarette pack with his index finger, flicking out a cigarette, which he then handed over: "Hey bro, wanna have one?"

Li Jianguo was flattered and wiped his hands on his trouser leg before accepting the gift with both hands.

Chen Lang casually flicked his thumb, and with a crisp "ding," the eerie blue flame of the metal windproof lighter shot up.

He leaned forward slightly, shielding his eyes from the wind with one hand, and lit the lamp for Li Jianguo.

Li Jianguo took a deep drag, exhaling white smoke with enjoyment, and couldn't help but glance at the enormous machine next to him several times.

With its matte black armored body, double-layered panoramic glass, and six alloy support pillars firmly embedded in the ground, this thing doesn't look like something that should exist in the human world.

He gave Chen Lang a big thumbs up: "Little brother, your car... I've been driving for over twenty years, and the most powerful one I've ever seen is a wide-body mining truck on a construction site."

"Yours is even more impressive than that one! What brand is it? How much does it cost?"

Chen Lang took a drag of his cigarette, exhaling a pale blue cloud of smoke, and casually replied, "It's custom-made, no brand. As for the price... please don't ask, it'll hurt our feelings."

Li Jianguo smacked his lips and wisely refrained from asking any further questions.

He took another drag of his cigarette, turned around, and pointed to the rough, unrecognizable road they had just driven up, which was practically carved out by sheer willpower. His brows furrowed.

"But brother, isn't it strange? I bring my wife and kids to Dali for road trips every year, and I swear on my life, this road never existed before!"

"Look at the branches around here, the broken ends are all fresh, still oozing sap."

"And those old vines over there look like they were just crushed by a giant bulldozer!"

Li Jianguo grew increasingly angry as he spoke, pointing his finger, which was holding a cigarette, into the air:

"This is just some nouveau riche who, relying on his money, drove a heavy tracked machine to carve out this road! This is destroying the natural ecosystem!"

"These rich people really don't respect God. They'll do anything just to see the scenery. It's so immoral!"

Chen Lang flicked the ash from his cigarette at his fingertips and followed the direction Li Jianguo was pointing.

He glanced at the "crime scene" he had created just over ten minutes ago by flooring his 52-ton truck and smashing through the stone wall.

He didn't even blink, his eyes showing no sign of guilt. He even nodded emphatically, his expression extremely serious and earnest.

"Brother, you've hit the nail on the head."

"This kind of nouveau riche behavior—recklessly crashing into and trampling things just to see the scenery—is truly lacking in manners."

"The rich people these days are just bored and have nothing better to do. Their moral standards are too low, and they must be severely condemned."

Seeing how reasonable Chen Lang was, Li Jianguo felt an excitement, as if he had found a kindred spirit. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's right! You, little brother, are the most enlightened college student!"

Chen Lang remained unfazed, exhaling a smoke ring: "Not at all, just basic good deeds, the bottom line that all young people should have."

The chat in the live stream paused for a few seconds, then erupted into laughter.

[Hahaha, holy crap! I've never seen such a shameless person!!]

[You're insulting yourself? That's quite something! A truly immersive double standard! Brother Lang, you're ruthless!]

[Brother Li: This nouveau riche is so immoral! Brother Lang: Yes, yes, absolutely wicked! Hahaha, this is hilarious, you deserve an Oscar!]

[What kind of basic morality is this! You're the one who trampled the road you made, and you're leading the charge in criticizing it? Today I've truly witnessed what a max-level social media thug looks like!]

Not far away, Shen Qingci, who was still holding the bowl of green grapes in her hand, clearly heard the conversation between the two men.

Her clear, cool eyes widened slightly as she looked at Chen Lang's face, which was earnestly condemning the "nouveau riche."

The image of that man, not long ago, driving with one hand on the steering wheel and flooring the accelerator, smashing five-meter-high vines to pieces, kept replaying in my mind.

The girl's originally pale cheeks instantly flushed a bright blush, and even her ears felt slightly hot.

She bit her lower lip hard, trying to suppress the urge to smile, and abruptly turned her head away, silently cursing in her heart: Chen Lang is shameless.

Chen Lang finished his last puff of cigarette.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the sealed cigarette case he carried with him, and his gaze passed over Li Jianguo, landing on the silver-gray Honda sedan next to him, its chassis covered in mud.

"Brother, to be honest," Chen Lang said, "I'm truly impressed that your two-wheel-drive city car can drive so steadily on this muddy road."

"This kind of unpaved road has many bends, steep slopes, and hidden potholes. Being able to drive up here requires a level of steering skill that can't be developed in just one or two years."

Li Jianguo stood there, stunned.

He had assumed that someone driving a multi-million dollar luxury car would look down on this beat-up Honda.

Unexpectedly, the other party not only didn't put on airs, but also saw through his driving skills at a glance.

Li Jianguo subconsciously straightened his back.

A smile spread across his face, which was roughened by the sun.

"And you also have your wife and children with you." Chen Lang's tone was casual, yet it revealed a seriousness.

"This awful road could easily cause a breakdown if you're not careful. To be able to bring the whole family out camping safely without scaring his wife and kids, that's what makes a real family man."

Li Jianguo tried to suppress his smile, but ultimately couldn't.

He let out a rough, proud laugh and strode forward.

Those calloused hands slapped Chen Lang's broad, sturdy shoulders hard: "Brother! You're not only a wild driver, but you also speak your mind! You've hit the nail on the head!"

Chen Lang turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Wang Mei, who was listening quietly to him. His voice lowered by half a degree, becoming gentler: "And sister-in-law, you've raised your two children so well."

He gestured with his chin toward the two children.

"When we were walking through the mud, my first reaction as the older brother was to step aside and protect my younger sister. She didn't cry or fuss when she stepped into a mud puddle."

"This kind of upbringing can't be faked. My sister-in-law is a remarkable mother."

Wang Mei was stunned.

Ordinary housewives who spend their days doing housework rarely hear anyone affirm their value so solemnly.

Her eyes were slightly red, and she awkwardly wiped her hands on her apron.

"No, no, he's very naughty..." she replied in heavily accented Mandarin, her voice trembling.

"You have such a sweet tongue, I'm almost embarrassed..."

Chen Lang then put his arm around Li Jianguo's shoulder.

The two chatted and laughed.

His movements were as natural as if he were an old brother he had known for twenty years.

The barrage of comments on the floating sphere scrolled wildly.

[A social media savage! You're telling me he failed his college entrance exam in Chinese?? No way!]

This isn't some failed student; this is a socially adept genius with a perfect GPA!

[The key is that he wasn't just flattering him; he was telling the truth. He genuinely noticed the calluses on Brother Li's hands and the details about the two children. Sincerity is the ultimate weapon.]

I'm suddenly a little envious of Qingci... Having someone like that by your side is truly reassuring.

Edge of the balcony.

The evening breeze lifted the hem of Shen Qingci's white skirt.

She held the bowl of green grapes without saying a word.

In her memory, the elders at the dinner table would toast each other, but could turn on you in an instant; every compliment always came with a price tag.

"Only those who win a gold medal deserve to be my daughter."

My mother's voice, though thousands of miles away, was so clear it pierced my heart.

But the unassuming Aunt Wang didn't ask about her grades or inquire about her family background.

He only glanced at her before saying she was pretty and well-behaved.

When Chen Lang speaks, his eyes never wander.

He could see the calluses on the hands of the father from the lower class, and he could see the little boy's instinct to shield his sister.

That's all the truth.

Shen Qingci stood still.

My gaze pierced through the twilight and settled on Chen Lang's tall and broad back.

The folding chair blocking the doorway blocked her way back to the carriage. It also forced this noisy, vibrant human world right in front of her.

She held the green grapes, her ten fingers tightening without her noticing.

It gets tighter and tighter.

"Pfft."

Two plump green grapes were crushed in the palm of my hand.

The sweet and fragrant juice dripped down between my fingers, soaking my palms.

It's sticky, but very sweet.