Chapter Forty: Eat, You Bastard? Do You Even Deserve It?

Overnight, “Simp Disco” exploded in popularity as expected. It was perfectly normal for platforms like DouYin and B-Site to be overrun by it. The song’s success was so overwhelming that even people of status and influence, after listening to it, couldn’t help but publicly criticize the phenomenon of simping in today’s society.

Many celebrities took to social media to denounce the simps around them; some even confessed that before they were famous, they had demeaned themselves as simps for others—though, of course, they left the details unsaid.

Bai Qingming was once again the talk of the town. As he feasted on his newfound fame, quite a few others profited by posting videos of his performances.

One such person was a content creator named Chen Yu.

He was the same individual who, after receiving a forwarded livestream of Bai Qingming singing “Song of the Single Dog” from a roommate, felt so moved that he uploaded the clip online. Since then, Chen Yu seemed to have found his golden ticket. Every time Bai Qingming started a livestream, Chen Yu was the first to clip and upload the most entertaining moments to short video platforms like DouYin and B-Site.

By now, his followers across all the major short video sites had surpassed a million, and his total video views had long since crossed ten million. Tens of thousands supported him with donations, bringing in a handsome income.

Once a penniless student with no girlfriend, Chen Yu had achieved financial independence during college thanks to this, and even managed to win the heart of a young, newly arrived teacher as his girlfriend.

He’d given up gaming; now, he spent all his time glued to Bai Qingming’s livestreams.

Naturally, this time Chen Yu was again the first to upload the new video.

"Darling, you’re so fast!" his teacher-girlfriend gasped in admiration by his side. "You’re the quickest guy I’ve ever seen."

...

Zhang Tian was a beleaguered office worker.

Although he wasn’t in the habit of watching livestreams, he enjoyed scrolling through short videos in the office restroom during overtime.

And, of course, Zhang Tian was a devoted fan of Chen Yu. He’d unfollowed after watching the video of Bai Qingming performing “Song of the Single Dog,” but the very next day, he’d found himself following again.

Now, just after finishing overtime, Zhang Tian opened his goddess’s social feed.

She’d posted:
“I’m craving duck neck, but alas, every shop is closed at night. So sad.”
Along with a selfie.

Seeing her say she wanted duck neck late at night, Zhang Tian felt a surge of energy. There was a shop right downstairs from his place that stayed open late. Though his own apartment was more than ten kilometers from hers, and with no rides available he’d have to go by bicycle, he thought—if he brought her some, surely she’d be touched.

With that, he quickly liked her post.

Two hours later, Zhang Tian arrived below her apartment, duck neck in hand, and messaged her.

"Are you there?"
"I saw your post about wanting duck neck."
"If it’s convenient, could you come downstairs and get it?"
"I brought it for you."

After sending the messages, Zhang Tian waited eagerly, picturing the look of delight that would light up her face when she saw him.

But half an hour passed with no response.

He opened her feed again, looked at her photo; the background confirmed she was home and the lights were on. Most telling of all, she’d posted another update during this time.

Now he was conflicted. Perhaps she was busy. He hesitated, not wanting to annoy her with more messages, but after much deliberation, he carefully sent another.

"Are you there?"
"In the shower, didn’t see your messages."

Thank goodness, at last a reply.

Relief washed away his earlier impatience. Zhang Tian repeated what he’d said before.

"Oh my, you live so far away—did you really come all this way just for me?" she replied, surprised.

"No, no, don’t get the wrong idea. I was just passing by," he hurried to reassure her, not wanting her to feel guilty.

She fell silent again.

At that moment, Zhang Tian received a notification from the short video app: Chen Yu had just uploaded a new video.

Figuring that his goddess was probably drying her hair and too busy to reply, he clicked in to pass the time.

"I wonder what song the ‘Godfather of Singles’ is performing this time?" he muttered to himself.

A moment later, Bai Qingming’s voice filled the air:

"Since I was five, I’ve understood—people are divided into ranks..."

...

"If you want to hear me sing, I’ll sing; if you want to see me dance, I’ll sway for you."

"Even if you want me to act like a dog, I’ll bark for you—woof woof woof."

As he listened, Zhang Tian was struck dumb.

For some reason, he suddenly remembered everything he’d ever done for his goddess. The person in the song seemed to be him.

Out of nowhere, Zhang Tian felt like a fool.

An abrupt sense of futility washed over him, and all he’d done for her seemed meaningless.

...

"Zhang Tian."

Just then, his goddess’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

She had come downstairs. Her cheeks were flushed, as if she’d just finished some vigorous activity, and she was breathing heavily. Zhang Tian also noticed that her knees were a little scraped.

The moment she appeared, all those messy thoughts vanished as if they’d never been. Zhang Tian felt happy again.

"How much for the duck neck? I’ll transfer it to you."

"There’s no need, it’s on me."

He waved her off. "What happened to your knees? Did you rush and fall down the stairs? I’m so sorry, it’s my fault."

"It’s nothing, not your fault. Oh, and please don’t message me so late at night in the future—my boyfriend might get the wrong idea."

His goddess replied coolly.

"You have a boyfriend?" Zhang Tian was stunned.

"Yes, we’ve been living together for several days now."

With that, she turned and walked away.

In that instant, the lyrics he’d just heard replayed in Zhang Tian’s mind.

And just at that moment, Zhang Tian heard her, now quite a distance away, talking on the phone. It sounded like a man, and because she had the speaker on, he could hear every word.

The voice on the phone: "Babe, aren’t you back yet? Who’s that idiot calling you at this hour?"

His goddess: "Just some loser. Didn’t you say you wanted duck neck? I posted about it and he brought it right over."

The man: "Forget the duck neck, what a pain. You totally killed the mood just as I got here."

His goddess: "Don’t be mad, I’ll make it up to you when I get back, okay? I’ll give you that..."

At this, Zhang Tian’s mind went blank, a buzzing filling his ears.

A wave of humiliation crashed over him.

In that moment, everything became clear.

To hell with being a simp!

"Wait!"

Just as his goddess was about to go upstairs, Zhang Tian strode after her.

She stopped and turned, annoyance written all over her face, expecting more groveling words.

Instead, Zhang Tian snatched the duck neck from her hands, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it hard.

"Eat, my ass! You think you deserve it?"

"Bah!"