Chapter 31

If the mouth on the chair could talk, it would definitely be cursing. The distance between Shi Jian’s back and itself was truly the furthest distance in the world.

No matter how Shi Jian moved, the mouth on the chair just couldn’t reach her—it was fixed to the backrest and couldn’t move any further.

【A... bait-type beauty?】

【What do you mean? Explain—she’s not luring anyone.】

【She is! Isn’t she baiting the chair with her beautiful back? Look how hard that mouth is working. I’m starting to think the streamer already knew and is just messing with the chair on purpose.】

【Hahaha redefining "bait type."】

【Long-time fan here: I don’t think she knew. (Confidently)】

【I don’t care. Sis, I’m available. Why bait a chair monster when you can bait me? I want to stay in Sis’s fishpond. (Cute.jpg)】

【+1】

【+ ID card.】

Shi Jian really didn’t know. Right now, her whole focus was on showing off her pretty dress. Did you see her dress? Isn’t it pretty?

Of course, some viewers who had followed Shi Jian over gave her gifts.

Saw the dress! It’s gorgeous! Sending gifts so our darling can buy more dresses~

Just watching the chair mouth struggling fruitlessly and the beautiful woman enjoying afternoon tea—this alone was enough entertainment for a whole day.

Fun and eye candy—check and check!

All previous anxiety from the viewers had vanished. Their joy was now completely built on the suffering of the chair’s mouth.

…

Knock knock—

Shi Jian didn’t continue “baiting” the chair’s mouth, because someone knocked on the door. The person seemed to worry she’d be too wary, so they quickly clarified through the door.

“Hello, are you a streamer too?”

“Don’t be scared—we mean no harm. You don’t even need to open the door. I just wanted to let you know: if you see a fancy court-style chair, do not sit on it…”

The voice was soft—a young girl’s. Shi Jian looked through the peephole and saw a sweet-looking girl with curly hair.

Behind her stood a few others who also looked like streamers.

Shi Jian opened the door without hesitation. She didn’t think they were bad people—she could sense it. Besides, there wasn’t anything worth scheming over at this point.

They seemed to know something and had come specifically to warn her.

Shi Jian nodded at them in greeting. “Hello, yes, I’m a streamer. What about the chair? Which one?”

She thought she heard something about a chair.

The curly-haired girl and the others were surprised that Shi Jian opened the door so readily. They were also stunned by her beauty. The girl looked away shyly, then peeked back at Shi Jian before explaining:

“It’s a court-style chair. A streamer living near us got bitten by it—the backrest had a mouth that took a huge chunk out of his shoulder. That thing is cursed. Once it bites down, it won’t let go. In the end, we had to pry him out of its jaws by force.”

Shi Jian was used to being stared at, and she found the curly-haired girl kind of cute—but the story she just heard made her hair stand on end.Chairs can bite people now?

The more Shi Jian thought about it, the more familiar it sounded. A court-style chair...

She shifted her body aside to let the curly-haired girl see into the room. She pointed at the chair she had just been sitting on and asked uncertainly, “Is it that one?”

The curly-haired girl had originally assumed Shi Jian hadn’t sat in the chair yet, or that there wasn’t one in her room at all, seeing her unharmed.

But that chair in front of the table—wasn’t that exactly the same model that bites people?

Shi Jian nodded to confirm, “...I sat in it for quite a while.”

The curly-haired girl hesitated, “Then maybe not all of them have mouths?”

Otherwise, how could they explain why other streamers got bitten and she didn’t?

Surely the chair wasn’t also a face-judger, sparing the beautiful one out of reluctance?

The viewers, who knew the truth, wanted to scream—

No! This one does have a mouth, and it’s desperate to bite those butterfly-shaped shoulder blades! It just never got the chance because the streamer never leaned back!

Shi Jian believed the girl’s guess and was silently grateful for her good luck.

But either way, now that she knew the chair could bite people, Shi Jian was never going to sit in it again.

…

Shi Jian had never planned to avoid interacting with the other streamers. She understood the principle of strength in numbers. Back in Qingshan No. 1 High, she’d only been isolated because the other streamers had ganged up on her—and she’d had Tang Tian for company.

Through their conversation, though, Shi Jian realized that no one had much information.

Aside from the chair that could bite people, all they knew was what happened after they boarded the ship.

They had to find Cinderella, present her with a beautiful gown, and make sure she had an unforgettable night at the ball.

Shi Jian frowned. “But we don’t even know who Cinderella is.”

A boy in the curly-haired girl’s group added, “We asked the staff. They all said there’s no one on board named Cinderella.”

The curly-haired girl joked, “Why do we sound like fairy godmothers or something?”

“Oh right—while we’ve never heard of Cinderella, there is a prince on board. Don’t know when he’ll show up. The staff mentioned him—called him a real hunk, and they sounded super admiring. I wonder if he’s actually that handsome. If he is…”

Shi Jian thought she was just hoping to see a hottie, but then the girl changed direction.

“Then I’ll lean in closer to him. The viewers love that. As long as he’s not a ghost or monster, of course.”

Shi Jian: ? Well, that’s actually a decent idea.

Her teammate looked at the curly-haired girl, who was standing quite close to Shi Jian: Are you aware of what you’re revealing right now?

The streamers chatted and eventually reached a consensus: “Once the prince appears, Cinderella should show up too, right?”

…

At everyone’s invitation, Shi Jian joined them for a stroll around the ship. After the chair incident, she didn’t really feel like staying alone in the room anyway.

The cruise ship was enormous, spanning multiple levels, and lavishly decorated—it definitely lived up to the title of “royal cruise.”During this time, Shi Jian repeatedly saw other streamers asking the staff about Cinderella—some even asked specifically about a stepmother and two stepsisters.

But it didn’t seem like they gained much.

Shi Jian did, however, clearly sense that all the crew members—especially the women—were deeply enamored with the prince.

“I only saw the prince from a distance once, and I was already overwhelmed by his elegance. I just want to know why someone so perfect exists in this world?”

“Although the prince isn’t the king’s only son, he’s the most outstanding one—exceptional looks, charm, talent, wealth, and immense power…”

“The prince is incredibly gentle. Even when dealing with commoners, he’s gentle. Don’t ask me what he looks like—I don’t even dare look directly at him, afraid his radiance might burn me. He’s like a god!”

Shi Jian: ? Is this some kind of fandom super-thread?

Something clicked in Shi Jian’s mind. She pulled the last maid aside and asked, “What do you think of me?”

The maid was a bit surprised but still answered, “Miss, you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

Shi Jian nodded and thanked her, then turned back to tell the curly-haired girl, “Don’t get too close to that prince. There’s a 99% chance he’s not human.”

Though she said “99%,” her tone was completely certain.

Curly-haired girl blinked, confused. “Huh? Why?”

They hadn’t even seen the prince yet.

Shi Jian: Because the maid couldn’t bear to look at the prince but could comfortably assess me; if the prince is a god, I’m just the most beautiful girl.

That says everything. The prince isn’t human!

Shi Jian wasn’t all that curious about Cinderella anymore. She just wanted to see for herself this prince who supposedly might blind people with his looks.

Could he really be that irresistible? She didn’t buy it.

Her competitive streak had been triggered.

Of course, Shi Jian wasn’t going to say it so bluntly. When in doubt—just say it’s intuition.

“So gross. How can someone be so desperate?”

The group chatted and joked along the way. The sea view kept spirits high. But then they came upon a male streamer harassing a female staff member—asking questions while getting handsy.

The curly-haired girl cursed under her breath. The others also frowned in disgust.

No one needed to step in though—some crew members had already noticed and quickly pulled the staff member away to safety.

The male streamer glanced in Shi Jian’s direction, initially without intention—until he recognized her. Then he ground his molars and smirked.

His smile was cold and sinister, eyes locked onto Shi Jian. “So you’re in this instance too, huh? What a coincidence… looks like you’ve run into me again.”

This male streamer was Wang Biao—the one who had lost 300,000 points to her. Ever since that failed gamble, he’d been frustrated as hell, running out of points and forced to grind in another instance to earn more.

Wang Biao couldn’t believe his luck—of all the instances, he happened to run into Shi Jian again. Wasn’t this fate giving him a second chance?

Shi Jian didn’t show the slightest fear. Her tone was calm and breezy: “Thanks for challenging me to that PK. It was a blast. Let’s do it again sometime.”

Wang Biao wasn’t a ghost—just a man. Shi Jian didn’t feel intimidated by people. She’d already guessed who had challenged her during the PK. She hadn’t pissed off many people, just that one guy.

Her words instantly left Wang Biao speechless.Still want to PK Shi Jian? Lose another 300,000 points? You think he’s made of money?

Some viewers in the livestream who had watched the PK between the two began explaining the scene to others.

【I started following Shi Jian because of that PK! She’s absolutely hilarious—pulling all sorts of wild moves, completely burying Wang Biao into the ground.】

Curly-haired girl: Sis is so badass, I love her even more now!

From Shi Jian and Wang Biao’s exchange, everyone could tell there was probably some bad blood between them. But before Curly-hair could ask more, and before Wang Biao could react, the ship suddenly let out a blaring horn.

Everyone instinctively froze and grew highly alert.

After all, based on how instances usually worked, this meant a new development was coming.

Right after the horn, a man’s voice came over the broadcast—standard announcer tone, crisp and articulate.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the ball will soon be held in the third floor hall. All guests are invited to attend. Please be sure to bring your dance partners.”

Thanks to their exploration earlier, Shi Jian remembered they had passed by the third floor—it did indeed have a large open area.

They were currently on the second floor, so it wasn’t far.

As soon as the announcement ended, orchestral music began to play. The opening notes alone made people tense up and their hearts race.

Someone groaned, “Damn it, why’d the music start so suddenly? My head’s pounding from the noise.”

Shi Jian overheard a nearby streamer talking to their companion, “This is the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. It lasts about seven to eight minutes. We better get up there fast, or something bad might happen!”

…

Even without hearing the exact time, most people had already started rushing to the third floor as soon as the broadcast ended. There were only so many staircases, so it quickly became overcrowded with pushing and shoving.

Once the rumor of a time limit spread, everyone became even more frantic to move forward.

Shi Jian and the curly-haired girl’s group got separated in the chaos.

The ship wasn’t only filled with streamers—there were plenty of NPC guests as well. Soon, the entire vessel was filled with the orchestral soundtrack and the pounding of hurried footsteps.

Shi Jian practically got carried upstairs by the crowd. By the time she reached the third floor, the music was still playing, but many had already paired up, standing silently in couples, waiting for the ball to begin.

Wang Biao had already found himself a dance partner.

He had been among the first to rush up, even tripping multiple people along the way just to get ahead.

When he spotted Shi Jian entering from the door, he let out a cold laugh, clearly waiting for a spectacle.

In just a few minutes, everyone had paired up out of fear of the unknown. Finding a partner wasn’t easy.

Wang Biao: Oh, so smug—let’s see how far that arrogance gets you!

Shi Jian’s gaze quickly swept across the hall. Almost everyone had a partner. She needed to find one soon too.

The announcement had emphasized: Please be sure to bring your dance partner.

So Shi Jian cleared her throat and said, “I need a dance partner.”

She didn’t try to sell herself. Didn’t scan the crowd. Just stood in place and stated her need at a normal volume—not loud, not desperate.

Wang Biao snorted. She thinks that’ll work?Yes. Very much yes.

The moment Shi Jian spoke, eligible men seemed to pop up like bamboo shoots after the rain. No one knew where they came from, but they all eagerly approached her.

"This beautiful lady, what do you think of me?"

"May I have the honor of being your dance partner?"

"I'm a court dance instructor—I teach nobles how to waltz, and I have extensive experience..."

Shi Jian was like the moon surrounded by stars, or a butterfly encircled by blossoms.

Not only could she find a partner, she could choose at her leisure!

Shi Jian was like an HR rep: "Alright, let's hear your qualifications."

Wang Biao cracked. His jaw clenched in fury. "Damn it!"

Meanwhile, viewers in Shi Jian’s livestream were practically exploding with joy.

【This scene is so Mary Sue. I’m just a humble peasant, but I love it to death, sobbing right now.】

【I was actually worried she wouldn't find a partner. I worried too much. How could a gorgeous woman like her not find a partner? She gets to pick them!】

【I've got new dream material now. I'm dreaming big from now on.】

...

Shi Jian didn’t take long to decide—she picked the court dance instructor. After all, he was the most professional.

Meanwhile, all sorts of chaos had broken out in the ballroom.

Some were frantically searching for partners and barely managed to pair up at the last second. Others were fighting over the same person. But Shi Jian was the only one completely surrounded and adored.

Then there were those who ditched their original partner at the last moment.

"Wang Biao! How could you do this? We agreed!"

Wang Biao had swapped out his partner just before the symphony ended—for a more attractive female streamer.

The streamer who thought she was safe, waiting for the ball to begin, looked utterly devastated. Her emotions were teetering on the brink.

Wang Biao showed no remorse under her accusations. “Yeah, I agreed. I’m going back on it now.”

The dumped streamer’s eyes filled with hatred. If Wang Biao hadn’t ditched her, she might still have had time to find someone else. But now it was too late—the space was massive, and there were too many people.

The music cut off abruptly.

Which meant her time was up.

“Wang Biao, you’ll die a horrible death!” she screamed, her voice hoarse and tearing through the hall.

Then she—and a few other NPC guests who had also failed to find partners—suddenly began to dance uncontrollably, their movements jerky and unnatural, like they’d triggered some hidden mechanism.

The girl danced straight into the sea. Even as she plummeted, she was still shouting that Wang Biao should die miserably.

Shi Jian: “……”

She didn’t dare look at the ocean.

That was the first streamer to die.

【Wang Biao is trash! They made an agreement—how could he just ditch her like that?!】

【I’m so mad. That guy is scum.】

【Ladies, don’t go into that man’s livestream to scold him. The more you rage, the happier he’ll be. Don’t give trash like him any attention.】Most people were disgusted by Wang Biao’s actions—but, of course, there were some who supported him.

【Survival of the fittest. Weak ones get eaten.】

【There’s no rule against going back on your word. Why so serious?】

Wang Biao didn’t care in the slightest that someone had died because of him. He even dug in his ear with a finger, looking completely indifferent.

Shi Jian didn’t have time to be distracted. The man with the heavy broadcaster's voice came back on the speakers—he was likely the host of the ball.

He wore an enthusiastic smile on his face, but no matter what he said or did, the angle of the smile never changed. It was like a mask, unsettling the longer you looked at it.

"How can you attend a ball without a partner? Of course you must be removed from the cruise..."

"This was just a minor interlude. Now, let the real dancing begin! Ladies and gentlemen, dance your hearts out!"

The ball officially began. Light, cheerful music started playing.

Shi Jian had practiced dance before, and she was especially good at ballroom dancing.

Her partner, the court dance instructor, was also clearly very experienced. As Shi Jian twirled, her shimmering dress slowly unfurled like a blooming flower.

But if failing to match with a dance partner meant being thrown into the ocean, then dancing clearly wasn’t just about dancing.

Shi Jian had been waiting for the strange twist to come—and then it did.

As she danced gracefully, what looked like a smooth, flat floor suddenly sprouted a brazier. Flames roared within it, and Shi Jian could already feel the heat.

!

Why was there a brazier popping up in the middle of a dance?

Shi Jian was quick to notice it. She led her partner around it. But not only her—others on the dance floor also found things appearing beneath their feet.

Not just braziers—there were also rows of nails, and dark, gaping pits. No one knew where the pits led, but Shi Jian was sure she didn’t want to find out.

Braziers, nails, bottomless holes… these things appeared at random.

Everything looked calm on the surface, but the next step could easily send someone straight into danger.

Someone had already failed to dodge—he stepped directly on a row of nails. Even though he was wearing leather shoes, the nails pierced straight through them like they were nothing.

Shi Jian happened to be dancing nearby. She saw blood gushing from inside the man’s shoe, his face contorting in pain, veins bulging on his forehead as he howled.

Shi Jian gasped—her own feet started to ache just from watching.

And even seeing the hazards didn’t mean you could avoid them. The dance floor was packed, and even if someone saw a brazier ahead, they might not have space to dodge.

Wang Biao ran into that exact problem.

He tried to push the people around him out of the way—whether they lived or died was none of his concern, as long as he made it out.

But this time, Wang Biao picked the wrong person. The NPC beside him was a burly man, at least 280 pounds. Wang Biao couldn’t budge him.

As a result, flames leapt up and licked Wang Biao’s leg. The fire spread quickly, climbing up to his thigh. Wang Biao cursed as he patted out the flames and used a healing item.

The music remained bright and cheerful. Men and women in elegant dress spun across the dazzling ballroom floor. But the scene wasn’t warm or romantic—it was terrifying in its contradiction.

The joyful music blended with cries of pain, echoing one after another. The grand, golden ballroom was a mess of chaos and horror.Shi Jian narrowly avoided stepping on black pits and nails several times. She decisively swapped out her rhinestone heels for a pair of Barbie-pink high heels.

On site, all the streamers who had acceleration items used them, and others pulled out various tools. Shi Jian could also accelerate—although the Barbie-pink heels were ugly, they were effective.

Shi Jian’s dance partner was also incredibly competent, with excellent skills.

When the piece finally ended, the ball was over. Everyone was gasping for air, overwhelmed with the feeling of having narrowly survived a catastrophe.

Some were tending to their wounds; others had collapsed on the floor.

Shi Jian mentally reviewed and summarized: although her legs and feet were working overtime, she’d managed to maintain good facial expression control and upper body posture. √

Clap—clap—clap.

“Everyone’s dancing was very beautiful. Quite a performance.”

Three crisp claps suddenly echoed out. Most people turned toward the spiral staircase—the central focal point of the hall.

“Prince!”

“It’s His Highness the Prince!”

Shi Jian heard the commotion beside her. The entire hall erupted. Some girls lifted their faces and clutched their chests, screaming.

Amid the spotlight and the fan-meeting-level screams, a handsome man in a white uniform slowly descended the spiral staircase. He had narrow fox-like eyes, golden pupils, and a gentle smile on his face.

Shi Jian tilted her face up as well, clutching her chest—heart attack incoming: So annoying. He really pulled it off, this smug bastard.

And—why did he get background music (NPCs screaming) and custom lighting?

Shi Jian noticed that the prince’s entrance came with a spotlight different from all their lighting.

He paid extra, didn’t he?!

...

Shi Jian didn’t find the prince particularly handsome. She’d seen plenty of good-looking men in the entertainment industry. In her eyes, this prince was just average—not even as good-looking as the lord of Rose Castle before he fell off.

But that custom spotlight really did make Shi Jian feel jealous, envious, and resentful.

The prince basked in everyone’s adoration for a while, then gently and tenderly addressed the crowd, “Actually, the main purpose of this sea party is to find my true love. I have a pair of glass slippers. The witch who gave them to me said: only my destined one will be able to wear them.”

A servant promptly brought out the pair of glass slippers.

Cinderella’s glass slipper—an iconic scene recreated!

Some streamers whispered among themselves, “Then wouldn’t it be simple? Just wait until someone can wear the slipper, and we’ll have found Cinderella.”

Their mission was to act as Cinderella’s fairy godmother. Up until now, there had been no clues—but this seemed promising.

“I—I’d like to try!”

As soon as the prince finished speaking, a noble lady eagerly volunteered. The prince nodded with a warm smile. “Of course.”

A large group of lovely ladies rushed to line up to try on the slipper, turning it into a frenzy like a flash sale. The first noble lady was eager, but a bit shy.

With the prince’s encouraging gaze, she cautiously placed her fair foot into the glass slipper—

And blood gushed out.The glass slipper looked beautiful and fragile, but it had actually sliced off half of the noble lady’s heel. The severed chunk of heel landed right on the floor.

Shi Jian: ...

In fairy tales, the stepsisters cut their own feet to fit into the shoe. Here, the glass slipper was doing the cutting for them!

Even with that happening, though some girls were frightened, once the prince smiled in their direction, they started clamoring again, “The prince is so handsome, I really want to be his true love.”

The prince wasn’t content with just the noble ladies lining up—he turned toward the streamers and extended an invitation: “Would you like to try?”

Who would go try? What, was their foot just getting in the way of self-harm?

“I’d love to…”

Shi Jian noticed that the curly-haired girl had stepped out. She had a dazed, infatuated smile on her face and was slowly leaving the group—looking exactly like she was heading off to have her foot cut.

Shi Jian grabbed her sharply and whispered, “Snap out of it!”

The curly-haired girl shivered. Her obsessed expression faded into a blank stare. When she realized what she’d nearly done, she was on the verge of tears.

“Oh my god, that scared the hell out of me. I was just thinking, ‘No way I’d go. No matter how handsome he is, I wouldn’t.’ Who’d still want to try the shoe after seeing that? But when he looked at me and smiled, I just lost all awareness.”

The prince had some kind of enchanting ability—making people obsess over him and worship him.

Shi Jian: As expected, it’s not the prince’s looks that threaten me, it’s his supernatural power!

This would totally count as unfair competition in the industry. No wonder he had so many glowing media write-ups. Without those abilities, she could be worshipped like a god too!

Shi Jian was extremely jealous of this kind of unnatural power. It wasn’t even the same starting line—it was like she was on a bicycle and he was flying a fighter jet.

The prince was now staring at Shi Jian. She couldn’t help herself and blurted out, “Was that ability innate, or did you train for it?”

Since she couldn’t strip him of it, Shi Jian’s entire expression said:

Coach, I want to learn this too.

Shi Jian: If she could master it, she’d show that maid she wasn’t lacking godhood because of her looks. With this buff, she could be the god’s ancestor.

The prince: ???