The livestream erupted with laughter.
"Ha ha ha! Tiger bro, why do you look so fierce for no reason?"
"Tiger: So it's my fault for looking intimidating?"
"Has anyone else noticed this guy? He's ugly but really tall… like 1.9 meters, right?"
"Who is this guy?"
Yet, only Tiger understood the overwhelming, primal fear that the man before him—Fu Liangmu—evoked, a fear that pierced deep into his soul. He hastened to explain,
"Well, uh, my name's Tiger, and I'm a fan of Goddess Wanwan!"
"Today, the goddess posted on social media saying she was coming to watch the race. I left a comment…"
"The fan club tracked me down and hoped I could start a livestream to interact with the goddess!"
Su Wanwan, hearing this, peeked from behind Fu Liangmu. She glanced at the phone held high, then at Tiger. Finding her so precisely amidst the sea of people must have taken quite some effort. Besides, she had seen that comment earlier but hadn't given it much thought.
"Hi there," Su Wanwan greeted warmly.
Tiger froze momentarily, then broke into a smile more awkward than sorrowful joy. He extended his hand but, feeling sweat on his palm, nervously wiped it on his pants before offering it again. Still uneasy, he was about to retract it when Su Wanwan grasped it firmly.
"G-goddess… you… hello…"
The towering man, nearly 1.9 meters tall, was rendered speechless. He lowered the phone, angling it perfectly for Su Wanwan to speak to the audience.
"Hello."
"Ahhh! She's alive! The real Wanwan!"
"I've never felt such a bittersweet experience chasing a celebrity!"
Su Wanwan smiled with a hint of embarrassment,
"Sorry, I've been a bit busy with personal matters lately, so I haven't interacted much on Weibo. I'll find time to livestream properly soon. Thank you all for your support."
"Too polite!"
"By the way, who's that guy behind you? A bodyguard?"
"That guy is ugly…"
Fu Liangmu, leveraging his height, clearly read the comments on the screen. His dark eyes flickered with a trace of gloom as he glanced at Su Wanwan's back. In his current state, he had no right to ask her to publicly acknowledge him in front of so many. After all, Su Wanwan had become a fairly popular micro-celebrity online.
Fu Liangmu checked the phone. As expected, news of Su Wanwan's livestream had rapidly soared to the tenth spot on the trending list.
Su Wanwan frowned gently as she read the comments. Her tone was soft yet resolute.
"You must not call him ugly. No one wishes to look like this."
"What kind of mindset is it to call someone ugly…"
"When I was a kid, my mom was boiling water in the kitchen. I was mischievous and knocked over the kettle. The scar on my arm still remains. In summer, I don't even dare wear short sleeves. I'm really self-conscious… I hate hearing people say scars are ugly."
"Sorry, I won't say that again. It was unintentional… really sorry…"
Su Wanwan's smile was warm and forgiving.
"It's okay."
"Also, he's not my bodyguard; he's my husband."
The room fell silent for three seconds. Not only the livestream viewers but also Tiger and Fu Liangmu were stunned into stillness. Fu Liangmu's pupils contracted sharply in shock. He knew the woman before him was defending his dignity in front of everyone. She could have easily ignored the comments, but she chose not to.
Tiger stammered first,
"G-goddess, you're married?"
Su Wanwan nodded candidly,
"Yes, I've been married for over a month."
"Damn… I'm heartbroken…"
"I can't accept this right now."
Fans, both on their phones and computers, sighed in disappointment, their hands hovering over keyboards, unsure what to type. They had assumed someone as exceptional as Su Wanwan would find a rising star, not… this man.
"Though I haven't seen what F looks like, I'm sure he's way more handsome than this guy."
"Alright, alright, let's just wish them well! I trust Wanwan's judgment—she won't be wrong!"
"Exactly, if she chose this man, he must possess some unique qualities beyond appearance. Let's not obsess over looks."
Su Wanwan smiled gently and chatted with them briefly before handing the phone back to Tiger.
Tiger closed the livestream for now and said to Su Wanwan,
"Goddess, where are you sitting? I've got a great spot in the main stand with the best view! You can take my seat!"
"I'm over there too."
"Really?! Then let's go together!"
The three found their seats, which were surprisingly close. As Su Wanwan was about to sit, Tiger took out a wet wipe from his pocket and attentively cleaned the chair for her.
"Please, have a seat."
Pausing, Tiger glanced at Fu Liangmu's sharp gaze and whispered,
"I-I don't mean anything by it, don't misunderstand."
Fu Liangmu responded with a faint "Hmm." He understood well that Su Wanwan had many fans and would inevitably face such moments. He couldn't be petty. Yet his hands clenched tightly, trembling slightly.
"Goddess, wait for me here!" Tiger said before darting off.
He quickly returned, carrying a large bag.
"You can snack on this during the race!"
Su Wanwan blinked in surprise,
"This… is too generous."
"No, no, it's nothing! Fans sent me gifts, so I bought this for you. It's their way of showing support!"
"Thank you all so much!"
Su Wanwan accepted the snacks with a smile. Tiger exhaled softly, his eyes filled with happiness as they remained fixed on her.
Fu Liangmu, caught between them, found Tiger's gaze intrusive. Just as he was about to speak, the loudspeaker blared.
The announcer detailed the event's schedule and participant list. The massive screen flickered, displaying photos and names of several people.
"Contestants who have not yet registered on-site—Zhang Liang, Gan Yao, Xia Kelan, Su Wanwan—please report backstage."
Su Wanwan, hearing her name, continued unpacking snacks without looking up. In such a sprawling city, name confusion was not uncommon.
But then Tiger's astonished voice echoed,
"Goddess! You're competing?!"
"No, I'm not."
"Look at the big screen! That's your photo!"
Su Wanwan looked up in surprise and saw her passport-sized photo displayed on the screen. She was utterly bewildered.
"What is going on…"