210 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System

Chapter 210: Setting Off Back to Su City Early in the morning, Lu Ran woke up to find her adorable daughter staring at her with big, watery eyes, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating. Su Qi, wearing her bunny pajamas and making this gesture, was just too cute. Lu Ran couldn't resist planting a kiss on Su Qi’s forehead. “What’s up, my little Su Qi?” Lu Ran asked softly, running her fingers through Su Qi’s hair, noting that her daughter’s hair had grown longer in the past few days. She decided to tie it into a ponytail later. “Mom, it’s about, um, that company,” Su Qi stammered, struggling to explain to her mother that the company given to her had been donated away early that morning. “Hmm, what happened to the company?” Lu Ran inquired, knowing her daughter had always been under her watchful eye. The company didn’t have any employees, so how could there be any issues? “I, um, donated it,” Su Qi whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. Lu Ran was momentarily stunned—what did she mean by donated? But she didn’t get too worked up over it. After all, the company was just a plaything for Su Qi. She’d said yesterday it was up to her daughter’s discretion to deal with it. Even if all the money was gone, it was no big deal. However, it was still necessary to ask some questions to clarify, so she asked, “What happened?” Su Qi couldn’t possibly admit that she had donated the company to save someone, as that wouldn’t align with reality. However, she knew the money was indeed donated to a disaster-stricken area by the system. After thinking for a moment, Su Qi said, “Mom, last night there was a flood in Henan. As you know, I’m the group admin, and among the group members, there are definitely some in Henan. They’ve purchased my games and even tipped me before.” Hearing this, Lu Ran felt a bit angry, not because of the company being donated but because Su Qi’s sympathy seemed to be overflowing. One couldn’t possibly help everyone they thought was pitiful or they’d run out of money quickly. Seeing her mother’s slightly angry expression, Su Qi knew what her mom was thinking. Her mind worked frantically, and she decided to shift the blame to her dad, saying, “Mom, Dad always taught me: if someone treats you with the utmost respect, you should repay them in kind. I really don’t have the ability or connections to run a company. Instead of letting it slowly go bankrupt in my hands, Mom, I think this was the best outcome!” Lu Ran was amazed by her daughter's serious expression while saying this. She found it incredible that her daughter, who would feel distressed over spending a hundred yuan on food, could calmly donate a company valued at two million yuan. However, she had to admit Su Qi's earlier words were quite sincere, making Lu Ran feel that her daughter had truly matured, and at least wasn't the kind of selfish person she disliked. The following day, on DouDou and various short video platforms, reports were similar. Numerous e-commerce companies had donated funds to assist Henan during the night, including major donations from platforms like Pinduoduo and Bowl Group. The most talked-about, however, was Hongxing Erke’s unexpected low-key donation of fifty million yuan, especially since they weren't profitable. During a live broadcast on DouDou, countless netizens were eagerly snapping up their products, and the owner was urging sensible consumption. Wang Dahua, observing Hongxing Erke’s overwhelming live broadcast, flashed a mischievous smile amidst her heavy makeup. After pulling an all-nighter investigating thanks to her husband’s past mishaps, Wang Dahua was extra cautious. In her investigation, she unexpectedly discovered that Su Qi was, without a doubt, a "second-generation official," which explained why her husband couldn’t compete. Further probing into Su Qi’s background, Wang Dahua unexpectedly learned Su Qi owned a small game development studio, with the buyer’s signature as ‘Lu Ran.’ Wang Dahua began investigating Lu Ran and found she was Su Qi's close relative, not holding a steady job. Her assistant also informed her that the number two on the Bilibili tipping leaderboard was indeed Lu Ran. Imagine a woman with no official job who bought a company worth two million yuan for her daughter and made a one-million-yuan reward—where did that money come from? It must be from a man! As someone who had been in the society long enough, Wang Dahua knew civil servants had good benefits. However, salaries were a weakness, rarely exceeding twenty thousand a month. Saving up three million would usually take a lifetime. Lu Ran being able to come up with so much money suggested there was more. Wouldn’t that imply Su Qi’s father might be involved in embezzlement? However, her assistant soon revealed some amusing news: Su Qi sold the company and donated the proceeds to Henan. Wang Dahua felt that Su Qi’s move was like handing over a sharp blade. She knew Su Qi was in the business of creating adult games for a foreign market. She previously intended to exploit this, but was told by her assistant that the overseas legalities didn’t restrict such endeavors, and domestically, her father’s protection meant it wouldn’t work. But now it’s different. If Hongxing Erke became famous for its bankruptcy-aided donation, why couldn’t “Su Qi, the one who sold the studio to make donations,” gain fame? Moreover, just the night before the heavy rains in Henan, Su Qi was trending due to a popular sword dance video from "Joyous Heroes." With such a person and such events, fame was inevitable. When Su Qi’s fame surged, just like Hongxing Erke’s items, her games would be snapped up—and what is Su Qi selling? Adult games! By the time of the court hearing, releasing some news to attract local journalists' attention, Wang Dahua was eager to see how young Su Qi would explain in front of everyone how her games earned money, and more importantly, how her father would explain the three million issue. After discussing the plan with her assistant, Wang Dahua quickly put it into action. She spent a million on DouDou to buy various recommendation spots, ensuring that different influencers and celebrities would promote it, and soon Su Qi made it to the trending lists. Beautiful, sweet-voiced, kind-hearted, cute, and talented in dance—such a girl would leave anyone enchanted. Su Qi’s popularity continued to surge throughout the day, and game sales on international websites surpassed thirty thousand. By the following morning, a bombshell announcement appeared on the DouDou platform. "Our little fairy will be attending the court hearing at 9 AM tomorrow." This news dropped like a stone on water, causing ripples everywhere. Su Qi sensed a whiff of conspiracy, and so did Lu Ran. They both felt there was a hidden manipulator orchestrating everything. Thus, on Tuesday morning, Zhang Ru, Lu Ran, and Su Qi set off back to Su City, preparing for the tough battle awaited them. * * * (Note: If you can't find a book by title, try searching by author. Maybe the name has changed!)