Chapter 41: An Explanation
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Xia Xin believed that no matter what, she needed to explain the situation to Bobo’s owner and resolve the issue. So, she dialed Jing Mo’s phone number.
“Hello,” Jing Mo’s voice was lazy, and there were sounds of destruction from Bobo in the background.
“Mr. Jing…” Xia Xin awkwardly began, feeling like she had done something wrong.
Jing MO responded calmly, his expression unchanged as he looked at Bobo, who was causing a ruckus.
Xia Xin gathered her courage and briefly recounted the incident with the baked buns to Jing MO, “I’m sorry for causing misunderstandings among internet users. But I will do my best to cooperate and resolve the issue.”
Jing MO remained composed, maintaining his gaze on Bobo. He asked, “So, what’s your solution?”
Xia Xin cautiously proposed, “This incident will undoubtedly have an impact on you and Bobo. Therefore, I won’t accept payment for walking Bobo for the next few days. The solution I can think of for now is to temporarily stop walking Bobo, reducing our joint appearances. At the same time, I’ll post a video clarifying that Bobo isn’t my dog. Once some time passes and the hype dies down, people will probably forget what Bobo looks like.”
Jing MO nodded slightly, though there was a fleeting sense of unexplainable disappointment in his heart.
Fortunately, Bobo didn’t understand the human language very well; otherwise, if it knew Xia Xin wouldn’t be walking it anymore, it would probably cause an even bigger scene.
On the same day, Xia Xin released a video explaining that the dog was one she was walking part-time for someone else. This clarification should help internet users understand that the dog belonged to Jing MO if they found out in the future.
The comments from netizens were quite cooperative, and the storm seemed to temporarily calm down.
With the Bun Boy incident settled, Xia Xin had only a few days of leisure before more problems arose.
The number of visitors at the Capital Zoo was increasing, and to protect the animals, each enclosure had limited the number of visitors. The panda exhibit, in particular, would sell out almost immediately upon ticket availability, making it even harder to get than concert tickets.
Whether it was Xia Xin’s imagination or a woman’s intuition, she felt that many visitors weren’t there to see the pandas but to see her. It wasn’t just the panda exhibit; other areas where Xia Xin usually helped out were also overcrowded, and she could often spot familiar faces among the front-row crowd.
However, Xia Xin didn’t think about these people as obsessive fans. She sensed that their gazes upon her were akin to assessing a commodity, filled with scrutiny, valuation, and greed for money. It didn’t seem like the gaze of obsessed fans, but it still made Xia Xin quite uncomfortable.
It wasn’t until someone handed Xia Xin various business cards when she finished work that she realized those individuals were talent agents from agencies that nurtured online celebrities.
Due to Xia Xin’s growing online presence, her independently operated amateur account naturally attracted the attention of talent agencies.
But in this life, Xia Xin only wanted to be an ordinary person, to lead a simple and unremarkable life. So she declined all offers, except for one agent who had connections with Zhao Nan, and she agreed to have a meal with them.
During dinner, the influencer talent agent Zhou Tian handed Xia Xin a business card and started introducing the agency, discussing the value of Xia Xin’s account. The dinner started to feel more like an interview, causing Xia Xin to lose her appetite.
Zhou Tian saw Xia Xin was even more vibrant and lively in person than she appeared in her videos. He was convinced that he had discovered a potential star; Xia Xin would undoubtedly be a dark horse overtaking others on the track of streaming platforms.
Speaking in an encouraging tone, Zhou Tian expressed the agency’s intention to collaborate with Xia Xin. He even showed Xia Xin the account of the owner of the baked bun stall.
Xia Xin was surprised to find that the shop owner’s account had gained tens of thousands of followers, and there were numerous videos of people queuing up to buy baked buns.
The once unremarkable baked bun stall that never had queues had now become a trendy spot and was even ranked second on the list of “Must-Try Baked Buns in the Capital”. All of this was thanks to the dividends from Xia Xin’s account.
Xia Xin fell silent, not expecting to have such influence one day.
Although the income from being an online celebrity was substantial and tempting, Xia Xin still preferred her work at the zoo, where she could interact with animals genuinely. It felt more valuable to her than mechanically earning money..