Chapter 59: The Stream Gains Popularity

Most viewers didn't follow Irene directly. They were still skeptical, thinking she had just gotten lucky with one guess, and maybe it was scripted. They suspected she would just sell courses in the future. However, a new comment tilted the balance in Irene's favor. 【"We agreed you'd come on five minutes later! Now you've stolen my lines and script, what am I supposed to do! @burgerlover!"】 【BlackCat: This is too obvious. Now I believe the host isn't using a script.】 【T-Rex097: Are you taking us for fools?】 【sleepy: Uh, is this part of the host's plan too?】 Irene didn’t mind the discussion in the chat. The more they talked, the higher the stream’s engagement, and more people were joining. 【NineHomes: Hey everyone, I just joined. What's going on?】 【EightYearsOld: I just got here too. Can someone explain?】 Irene checked her phone, seeing her stream's popularity had jumped from a small feature to the big trending section at number thirty-three. Though still behind the top ten streams, it was a remarkable feat for a newbie streamer less than fifteen minutes into her session. The stream manager noticed these impressive numbers right away. At first, he thought it was a major streamer using a secondary account, but a closer look made him slap his desk in excitement. "Great!" The manager sensed this stream had the potential to blow up. He immediately called his team to investigate Irene's account, prepare a contract, and plan to observe a few more days before making a final decision. Unaware of the platform's interest, Irene clicked on the next connection. The right side of the screen lit up, first showing an enlarged palm. As the hand moved away, a clearer image of a young boy appeared. 【T-Rex097: Why is there a kid?】 【BlackCat: Little buddy, how old are you? Are you in trouble?】 Seeing the comments, the boy, in a childish voice, said, "I’m seven years old. I want to ask the big sister how to fight back against my classmates who bully me." Irene quickly blurred the boy's face, earning praise from the viewers. 【NineHomes: Big thumbs up for the host!】 【EightYearsOld: I was about to leave, but seeing how respectful the host is, I’ll stay in this stream all morning!】 【Fishy: Just an act.】 【BlackCat: Better than you, a keyboard warrior wasting away in front of a screen.】 【HappyFamily: Stop fighting. Host, ask what happened?】 【GodfatherMom: Yes, little guy, tell your parents and teachers when you’re bullied. Don’t fight back alone!】 The boy sniffled, looking at the comments with red eyes, "Thank you, uncles and aunties. My dad works out of town, it’s just me and mom at home. I told my mom, she told the school, but after the teacher scolded them, they bullied me even more!" The boy lifted his shirt, revealing a belly covered in bruises. Tears welled up in his eyes, "This is where they kicked me." 【T-Rex097: Even if it’s kids, that’s too much!】 【HappyFamily: Call the police! The parents need to be warned!】 Irene frowned, sensing it wasn’t so simple. The bruises looked like they were from kicks, with even shoe prints visible. But if it was kids, they couldn’t kick that high, and the shoe prints should be vertical, not horizontal on his belly. Clearly, an older person, at least sixteen, had kicked him. Feeling uneasy, Irene ended the connection, saying, "To protect the child's privacy, I’ll contact him privately." 【GodSeeker: Pretending again? What are we supposed to watch now?】 【BlackCat: Disgusting. Why force a child to show private matters for a show?】 【T-Rex097: Ignore him. Just an internet loser looking for attention.】 【HappyFamily: Stop fighting. The poor guy's pitiful enough without adding to it.】 【AmbiguousNotes: Haha, you sure know how to say it.】 Irene messaged the boy’s account privately. “Little guy, what’s going on exactly? Do you have any other injuries?” After a long pause, the boy called her back on video. This time, Irene didn't hide her face. The boy stared at her in awe, "Big sister, you're so pretty!" He continued, "A classmate wants my pocket money, but I won’t give it to him. So, he brought others to beat me up and even took my clothes off." The boy spoke angrily. Irene’s eyes darkened, "Took your clothes off?" The boy nodded, clenching his fists, "Yes! They even touched my underwear!" Irene smiled comfortingly, "Listen, you should tell your mom about this. Let me guess, you didn’t tell her because you didn’t want her to worry." The boy covered his mouth, his eyes wide, "Pretty sister, how did you know!" “Sweetheart, who are you talking to?” A gentle female voice sounded, "Are you playing with mommy’s phone again?" Irene spoke up, "Hello, ma’am. I’m a detective streamer." The woman paused, "Sorry, my child must have clicked by mistake." She was about to hang up. Irene quickly said, "Please wait. Your child accidentally connected, but I have something important to tell you." The woman’s tone turned wary, "What could be so important." Irene explained, "Your child might be facing some trouble at school." She then told the boy, "Sweetie, you should let your mom know. If you don’t tell her now and she finds out later, she might blame herself. Don’t burden yourself too much." The woman’s expression changed, looking at her son anxiously, "What happened!" Irene suggested, "I recommend taking your son to the bathroom right away. Hopefully, nothing worse has happened. If it has, don’t let him bathe." The boy, embarrassed, said, "Mom, I don’t want to go to the bathroom with you." The woman, both anxious and angry, swatted his bottom, "Get in there now!"