The Top Star Fell for Me at First Sight After I Transmigrated as a Dog-Like Streamer - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Wow, a Merman

Xu Huiying was busy sharing the good news in the family group chat, where everyone was gossiping fervently. By the time she returned to the dining room, the table was already laden with dishes. She scanned the home-cooked meal—each dish looking and smelling perfect—and her eyes lit up. She quickly whipped out her phone to record a video, her voice dripping with boastful pride.

“Having dinner at Congyue’s place. Look at this: sautéed romaine, blanched abalone with broccoli, steamed yellow croaker, squid with green peppers, matsutake and old duck soup… Oh my, my future daughter-in-law—”

“Mom, are you hungry?” Yu Congyue rushed out of the kitchen carrying the soup, his movements much sharper than usual, successfully cutting off the second half of her sentence.

Luckily, Bai Xun didn’t hear it clearly.

He stepped out carrying the final dish and sat down with a slight air of formal restraint, looking at Xu Huiying apologetically. “I prepared this a bit hurriedly; I hope it suits your taste…”

“Oh, how could it not be delicious? It’s much better than a certain someone who doesn’t know how to do anything.”

Xu Huiying sighed with satisfaction as she ate, not missing the chance to tease her son.

Yu Congyue buried his head in his bowl, pretending not to understand exactly who his mother was referring to.

Seeing that they truly enjoyed the food, the tension in Bai Xun’s heart finally began to ebb away. The atmosphere was harmonious; there was no interrogation as he had feared, nor was there any coldness toward his modest background. Instead, it was filled with the warmth of a normal family—casual table talk and a sense of belonging he had never truly experienced but had always secretly craved.

After dinner, Yu Congyue was sent to clear the dishes, leaving Bai Xun with the task of seeing Xu Huiying out.

In front of the garage, she took Bai Xun’s hand and patted his head gently, much like one would do to their own child. Her tone was so warm it made one’s heart soften.

“Xiao Xun, this visit was too sudden, and I didn’t have time to prepare a proper gift.”

She took a heavy red envelope from the driver and tucked it into Bai Xun’s arms before he could argue. “Congyue is a bit of a blockhead; I’ll have to ask you to be patient with him.”

“No, Auntie, I can’t take this…”

Bai Xun instinctively tried to push it back, but the driver politely blocked him, shaking his head with a look of slight apology.

Before leaving, Xu Huiying smiled at him through the car window, waving warmly as the car slowly pulled out of the garage.

Bai Xun stood by the gate watching her leave, clutching the “burning” red envelope, his heart a swirl of complex emotions.

“What’s wrong? Why didn’t you put on a jacket?”

After finishing the dishes and wiping the table, Yu Congyue noticed Bai Xun was gone. He followed him out and found him standing at the gate in the wind, looking a bit dazed. He followed Bai Xun’s gaze to the bulging red envelope and understood immediately.

He walked over, naturally resting a light hand on Bai Xun’s shoulder. His tone was easy: “It seems my mom really likes you… I only ever see red envelopes like that during the New Year.”

Bai Xun looked down, his fingers nervously pinching the seal. He loved money—that was an instinct developed through years of struggling and self-reliance in the UK—but holding this envelope, which clearly contained a significant amount, left him feeling more anxious than happy.

“Maybe you can help me return it? I really don’t feel right about this…”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Yu Congyue chuckled. “She likes you this much already; if I interfere, there’s no telling what kind of mess I’d be in. Just keep it. This is her only way of expressing affection.”

He paused, glancing at the delicate gold patterns on the envelope, his smile deepening. “That’s a custom edition. It’s made of 99.9% pure gold.”

Bai Xun sucked in a sharp breath.

Logic battled with his love for money in his head. Finally, he found a compromise: keep it for now and find a way to return the favor at their next meeting.

This decision made him feel a bit lighter. The exhaustion of the day’s move finally hit him like a retreating tide. After returning to his room and taking a hot shower, his steps felt much springier.

Still, a trace of unease remained. He scanned the room before crouching down and stuffing the red envelope into the deepest corner of the wardrobe drawer by the door.

Just as he closed the drawer, there was a soft knock.

“Hiding treasure?”

Yu Congyue poked his head in, seeing Bai Xun half-kneeling on the carpet with a look of satisfied relief.

“Well, you could call it that…” Bai Xun muttered, plonking down on the carpet. “If this weren’t your house, I’d have to sleep while hugging it.”

The two looked at each other and couldn’t help but burst into laughter simultaneously.

“Alright, alright. Thank you, Teacher Bai, for your trust in my home security.” Yu Congyue shook his head, his eyes hiding an irrepressible fondness. “It’s late. Get some rest, and don’t stay up all night editing videos.”

“I’ll sleep right after I finish the teaser!”

The thought of his “street stall” video pushing him to 450,000 followers excited him. The breakdown caused by the sasaeng harassment had mostly faded.

Bai Xun had his own reasons for releasing a teaser this time instead of a full video. His cooperation with TaoMai was progressing smoothly. He had just cleared the review for the footage he shot at their headquarters, though the script still needed polishing. Since the sponsor was willing to provide creative input, he had no reason to refuse. Moreover, due to the recent harassment, they had agreed to schedule the shoot for next Tuesday.

This week-long delay wasn’t a bad thing. On one hand, Didi’s review series was in its second episode and gaining massive momentum; with the company’s focus on Didi, Bai Xun could use this time to gather evidence for TaoMai’s legal team. On the other hand, while his previous “occupations” were somewhat related to his original major in directing, the upcoming role provided by TaoMai was a perfect match for his professional background—something the audience didn’t know yet.

He planned to release a teaser to test the waters. By gauging the sentiment in the comments, he could avoid potential trouble. Even if there was skepticism, he was confident his professional skills would turn things around. After all, a sense of contrast is often the best fuel for viral content.

With that in mind, he spliced the footage using techniques he had learned from his studio editors, creating a teaser with a “variety show” feel. After watching it back several times, he scheduled the post with satisfaction.

Bai Xun stretched and lay back on the bed, savoring the comfort of the new mattress while staring at the ceiling. He thought of his old apartment in the UK. The soft, unsupportive mattress always gave him backaches, and during winters when bills weren’t included, he never dared to leave the heater on for long, shivering through the nights with a hot water bottle. Even after transmigrating, it was only recently that he could afford a decent mattress, but the lingering smell of mold and the noise from the nearby night stalls had always given him headaches.

Now, he was lying on a temperature-controlled bed with the perfect amount of support. The linens smelled faintly of sunlight, the air was filled with calming chamomile, and the rhythmic sound of waves outside was the best white noise imaginable.

As he began to doubt the reality of it all, his phone vibrated.

[Yu-ge 1127]: Asleep?

[AA Fortune (Bai Xun)]: Just about to. What’s up, Ge?

[Yu-ge 1127]: If you aren’t used to the mattress, let me know. There are spares we can swap.

[AA Fortune (Bai Xun)]: It’s already perfect! Ge, I really don’t know how to thank you.

[Yu-ge 1127]: That’s good. Get some rest. Goodnight.

[AA Fortune (Bai Xun)]: You too! Goodnight!

Bai Xun stuffed the phone under his pillow and rolled over, unable to stop a small laugh. For the first time since transmigrating, he truly felt that… maybe this world wasn’t so bad to him.

He had started with nothing but a knack for saving money and a bit of luck. But now, it seemed someone was willing to let him eat his fill without worry, offer him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and even meticulously prepare for his arrival. This “pie falling from the sky” feeling was dangerous, but it was incredibly hard to resist.

The waves beat a rhythm against the window as he fell into a deep sleep.

…

The next morning, he woke up naturally to total darkness. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before remembering the blackout curtains were drawn tight. He checked his phone: 6:00 AM. He felt remarkably refreshed.

While washing up, he quickly decided on the breakfast menu. He moved quietly past the room next door and headed down to the kitchen, finding the ingredients with practiced ease. He fried eggs and quickly tossed a cold side dish.

After setting the breakfast on the table, he peeked at the closed bedroom door upstairs and decided to step out for some sea air before reheating the soup. He opened the back door and took a walk on the beach, his mood light.

But when he returned to the living room, his eyes were inevitably drawn to the massive fish tank.

And it seemed there was… something extra inside.

Bai Xun squinted, making out something massive and graceful hanging among the corals, drifting lightly with the current.

It looked like a fish tail.

Strange, were there fish in the tank yesterday? I couldn’t have missed something that big.

Suspended among the corals, blue-purple scales shimmered with a faint light under the living room lamps. The tail fin was large and beautiful, floating softly.

In the next second, the “big fish” in the tank slowly rolled over, revealing a clear human upper body. Black hair billowed in the water, the lines of his back were well-proportioned, and his chest rose and fell with his breath.

Bai Xun was certain now. This wasn’t a fish.

It was Yu Congyue.