Chapter 136: Chrysanthemums Wither, and Sorrow Scatters Across the Ground...

"I am willing to trust you," Bai Qingming said with a look of sincerity.

My, what a sweet tongue he has. It was as if he had coated it in honey. For the first time—wait, no, it should be the second—Dai Xiaomei felt that peculiar, uncomfortable sensation of being trusted by someone.

As the saying goes, women are the most vengeful creatures in the world. For an entire day, Dai Xiaomei acted perfectly normal, but that did not mean she was letting things slide. Given Bai Qingming’s outstanding performance, she rewarded him at dinner with a bowl of "Super Devil Spicy Fire Noodles," a dish rumored to be unsuitable for anyone under eighteen. Although he sensed something was off and set his chopsticks down after only a single bite, what was destined to happen would eventually arrive; if retribution hadn't come yet, the time simply wasn't right.

The next day, when he went to the restroom, a certain flower-shaped part of his anatomy gave a very honest account of the situation. To put it bluntly: it was burning and painful. He limped as he walked, as if he had been struck by a "thousand-year kill" maneuver, only to have a handful of chili powder sprinkled on the wound afterward—it was even more exhilarating than that.

Watching the "dog man" emerge from the bathroom with a pained expression, the "old woman" secretly wore the smile of a victor. As expected, even the toughest of tough guys couldn't withstand the devastation wrought upon his backside. This method of killing without a trace was truly satisfying.

Dai Xiaomei had initially considered filming Bai Qingming in his "sore-bottom" state and posting it to Douyin, just to let his followers see the other side of their spiritual leader. But after a moment’s thought, she decided the dog man had already received his due punishment, so she let it go.

With that in mind, Dai Xiaomei pressed the TV remote, wanting to watch some Korean dramas. Coincidentally, the channel landed on a music station where Jay Chou’s "Chrysanthemum Terrace" was playing. Dai Xiaomei couldn't help but give a mental thumbs-up to modern smart appliances; these days, even an LCD television was easier on the eyes than a man.

"Chrysanthemum petals wither, sorrow covers the ground..."

As the mournful lyrics began, Bai Qingming frowned, just about to say something. However, the moment he subconsciously sat down on the sofa, he shot up as if he had been electrocuted. "Shot up" might not be accurate—he *sprung* up.

"What's wrong?" the old woman asked, knowing full well the reason.

"It's nothing. Just been sitting too long, wanted to stand for a bit," Bai Qingming said blandly, though the mask of agony on his face betrayed him. Of course, he couldn't have guessed in a million years that he was in this state simply because of one loose-lipped comment.

***

Bai Qingming could never have imagined that a woman could be petty to such an extent. Just then, his phone rang on the coffee table. The caller ID showed "Old Wang."

After connecting, a familiar voice boomed through. "Little brother, want to go crash a banquet with your big brother?"

...

Hearing that there was a banquet to crash, he didn't ask further questions. Bai Qingming tidied himself up and headed out. About fifteen minutes later, the two met up. It had been quite a while, and Old Wang seemed to have gained weight, looking even greasier than before.

When Bai Qingming arrived at the meeting point, Old Wang was leaning against a large tree, holding his phone in his right hand and live-streaming.

"Brothers, a mysterious guest has arrived today! Let’s warm up the chat, and those of you with a bit of spare cash, feel free to send some gifts. Subscribe now to live to ninety-nine!"

Having been streaming for several months, and utilizing the opportunities to co-stream with Bai Qingming alongside his own unorthodox style, Old Wang’s channel had surpassed a million followers. He was no longer a rookie streamer; his opening lines flowed with practiced ease. Soon, the atmosphere in the chat was ignited.

"Yo, the Little Prince of Banquet Crashing is live!"
"Where are we crashing today, Brother Wang? Did you bring the plastic bags?"
"I don't watch other streamers, I just love watching Brother Wang crash banquets—it's so stress-relieving!"
"The number one banquet-crasher on the net belongs to Brother Wang!"
"Brother Wang, are you taking apprentices? I want to crash with you."
"Excuse me, where did you buy your trousers?"

The viewers in the chat were incredibly active, and gifts poured in. Seeing the viewership count steadily rising, Old Wang was extremely satisfied. His stream title read: "Holding the sun and moon, picking the stars—call me the number one banquet crasher!"

From the beginning, when he knew nothing and streamed utter nonsense, one accidental broadcast had led Old Wang to gradually discover his own path to success. That’s right—it was live-streaming banquet crashing. To be precise, it was "mooching" off banquets.

The origin of this story went back a month. Old Wang received notice that Liu Ergou, a childhood friend from his hometown village, was getting married. He rushed back to contribute his gift money. At the request of his viewers, Old Wang turned on his stream during the banquet. After that experience, Old Wang understood: this was what the viewers loved to see. From that day on, he embarked on a path of no return.

***

At first, Old Wang only dared to crash banquets of people he knew. Once the gift money was paid, he could eat freely. It was fine in the beginning, but over time, the viewers developed "visual fatigue" and complained it wasn't exciting enough. Combined with the fact that his banquet-crashing skills were becoming increasingly adept, Old Wang pondered and hatched a bold idea.

He began scouting for banquets held by strangers, then snuck in without paying a cent. Not only would he eat, he would pack leftovers to take home. Once the difficulty increased, the impact of the live stream changed instantly. After all, crashing a banquet is different from just attending one. In this scenario, the crasher must possess superb technique, strong psychological fortitude, and a face as thick as a city wall.

To prepare for his stream, Old Wang went into seclusion for half a month to hone his skills. Upon emerging, his first battle was a triumph. He didn't just eat his fill; he returned home laden with bags. Unsurprisingly, Old Wang became a legend in one battle, and the viewers were thoroughly entertained.

The popularity of his future streams continued to rise, and within half a month, Old Wang was recognized across the internet as the "Little Prince of Banquet Crashing." After he blew up, a wave of banquet-crashing trends swept through the streaming world. However, no matter how many people tried to imitate him, no one could ever surpass him.

The reasons could be summarized in three points: Steady, Accurate, and Ruthless.

"Steady": This guy had an incredibly thick face. Whether he knew the people or not, whether it was a wedding or a funeral, he dared to crash it, all while acting as if it were perfectly natural. He had nearly been caught many times, but he always managed to smooth things over. He remained as calm as if Mount Tai were collapsing before him; anyone who saw him would assume he was a relative or friend of the host, never suspecting a thing.

"Accurate": A high-end hunter has sharp intuition. Before every banquet, Old Wang could instantly distinguish the identities of the guests at each table. For instance, he knew where the host’s relatives sat and where the long-lost classmates were seated. As long as he found the right place to sit, he could rest easy, minimizing the risk of exposure.

"Ruthless": To put it bluntly, this guy was barely human. When crashing banquets in the countryside, he never sat at the tables with children, the elderly, or widows; he specifically targeted tables full of middle-aged aunties. Everyone knows that at village banquets, the aunties are the most formidable combatants. The moment a dish hit the table, it would be wiped clean in the blink of an eye. Yet, under such conditions, Brother Wang would not only eat his fill but also stuff the plastic bags in his pockets, snatching food right out of the aunties' hands—he specifically went for "hard" dishes like pork knuckles. He was simply a beast.

Since his debut, Old Wang had experienced 182 battles, large and small, and had never once failed. His status as the Little Prince of Banquet Crashing remained unrivaled!