Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Hot Search Dominated by Doctor Wen

Putting the fading voices behind her, Wen Ying decided to check out the old market nearby.

But then... "Host, you should check the trending topics..."

’Of all the hosts it had guided, this one seemed to be the only one who disliked going online so much!’

’She always needed a reminder from a system that came from a super-advanced dimension.’

Wen Ying found the system’s voice a little amusing; for some reason, she could detect a hint of grievance in its tone.

"Alright, alright. I’m logging in right now."

She opened Weibo. The account wasn’t her own, but the one belonging to this body’s original owner.

The first thing she saw were rows upon rows of notifications, a bright red "99+" icon.

The sight seemed to bore straight into her eyes.

Before she even got to the trending topics, Wen Ying saw her follower count. 890,000??

’Am I seeing things?!’

"See? Now you know how great this system is, don’t you, Host? This system is always looking out for you."

"You’re the best, the absolute greatest!"

Wen Ying agreed with utmost sincerity. ’With this many followers, at least several hundred thousand should convert into reputation value!’

’Forget praise, she’d even kowtow to the system for this! (Just kidding~)’

She opened the trending topics list, where a glaring red "Explosive" tag caught her eye.

#PyramidSchemeBustedByPolice#

#PoliceRescueTraffickingVictim#

#MajorInternationalFraudRingBusted#

#AnAmazingPsychologist#

#IsPsychologistWenYingJustPuttingOnAShow#

#PsychologyOrSuperstition#

It was an absurd number of topics. It seemed anything even remotely related to Wen Ying that got decent engagement could make it onto the trending list.

Wen Ying clicked on each topic, confirming they were all related to her.

Meanwhile, her follower count was still shooting up.

In the video of her rescue, Chacha’s face was blurred, but Wen Ying knew Wang Sicong had already met her.

As for whether the two would continue their "fated" connection, that remained to be seen.

After all, the person who would later make Wang Sicong feel like he’d met his soulmate wasn’t Chacha. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Zhang Xiaohua had been rescued and reunited with her family, but she was suffering from severe depression and had lost the will to live. She had been admitted to a hospital. Meanwhile, the authorities had sent units from another province to surround Zhu’s village.

As for Yecai from the Neon Country and his collaborator, Taotao, they were both taken down in one fell swoop. Coincidentally, at the moment they were busted, the two were in the middle of planning their next scheme. Catching the one from the Neon Country would have been difficult otherwise—it was a case of killing two birds with one stone.

Of course, the video featuring these two wasn’t blurred, and Wang Sicong suffered another devastating blow.

This was on full display in the comment sections of the trending posts.

[Anyone know if Richie Bro is reading the comments? This is great news for everyone, but for some reason, I can’t help but think of him...]

[Same here, I’m from Doctor Wen’s stream too! Richie Bro really stirred up a hornet’s nest! He took down two organizations and a scammer all on his own!]

[Poor Richie Bro. Will he ever have the guts to date online again? BAHAHAHAHAHA!]

[Can you guys stop laughing? I’m miserable enough as it is. Can’t you show a little sympathy?]

[Richie Bro’s here? HOLY SHIT! It really is his account!]

[Richie Bro, did you meet Chacha? Is she gorgeous? Is she your soulmate?]

[She’s definitely gorgeous, but things are complicated right now. We’ll just be friends for now.]

[*Drools* Is it the kind of friendship that involves bank transfers? I can be that friend too, Richie Bro!]

The comments section was bustling with activity. Some people were asking who this Doctor Wen was.

Why was she so incredible?

Whenever they spotted such a newcomer, the self-proclaimed "veterans" would enthusiastically point them in the right direction.

They told them to go and be baptized by Doctor Wen’s profound psychological insights.

"System, how much reputation value do I have now?"

Wen Ying asked, her eyes fixed on the trending topics.

[Host: Wen Ying]

[Reputation Value: 409,688]

[Choose: Lottery Draw, Redeem, or Unlock Shelves?]

Wen Ying immediately changed the subject. "Is your system some kind of East-meets-West fusion? You’ve even expanded your business overseas?"

"But of course! In this world, there’s nothing... Wait, stop. That’s a secret. I can’t tell you!"

"I’m about done looking at the trending topics. I’m going to head out for a walk on the Ancient Street now. Any other suggestions, System?"

"Host! Look at your private messages! There are over a thousand of them! Are you not going to open them???"

Its tone was filled with the tragic sorrow one feels for a completely hopeless case.

Hearing the system’s tone, Wen Ying just shook her head, feigning ignorance. "I have trypophobia. Seeing that many messages will trigger an attack."

"..."

"Once I’m rich, I’ll hire an assistant. I’ll have them read the messages to me then."

"It’s a deal. Host, you should get going to the Ancient Street."

’The system’s attitude is strange,’ Wen Ying thought. ’Is there some kind of secret hidden in those private messages?’

’At the very least, it must be a mission, right?’

But the thought of over a thousand private messages truly gave her a headache.

’As for the assistant... that’s a problem for another day.’

A gentle breeze blew, carrying a light drizzle. The air was filled with an earthy, rustic scent.

Holding an umbrella, Wen Ying wore a dress with a cinched waist. She had casually twisted her long hair into a bun, securing it with a ballpoint pen.

On her feet, she wore a pair of low-heeled black leather shoes.

As she walked through the narrow alley, she inexplicably brought to mind the image of a girl in a rainy lane, melancholic and graceful as a lilac blossom.

As she passed Uncle Zhang’s general store, he called out, "Little Ying, where are you off to?"

"I’m going to take a look around the Ancient Street."

"It must be boring for a young woman like you to be cooped up in the shop all day. This rain won’t get any heavier, so a trip to the Ancient Street is a nice idea. If you see anything you like, you can ask Boss Qin over there to appraise it for you. He’s a good friend of mine! Just tell him Uncle Zhang sent you."

Xiangcheng’s Ancient Street was lined with shops selling antiques, calligraphy, paintings, and all sorts of handicrafts.

It was considered the oldest street in Xiangcheng. Having seen Wen Ying’s skill at talisman painting, Uncle Zhang figured she might be going to the Ancient Street to look for talismans or other protective charms, which was why he offered her the advice.

Although Wen Ying was a local, she looked like a recent graduate who was used to big-city life. She had the unmistakable air of a city girl. If he didn’t give her a heads-up, she’d likely get swindled.

After about a twenty-minute walk, Wen Ying saw the entrance to the Ancient Street.

On a vintage-style archway, three large words were written in flamboyant calligraphy: Xiangcheng Ancient Street.

"Host, why don’t we start a livestream?"

"Young lady, care to have your fortune told? I can read your prospects for love or for money!"

Just as the system’s voice sounded in her mind, another voice called out from nearby the entrance.

’What a coincidence.’

"Start the stream."