ABSML Chapter 45: Outstanding Citizen

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ANNOUNCEMENT

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• Chapter 38-50
• Chapter 51-60
• Chapter 61-70

After finishing the song, the host noticed Lin Chiang’s expression and decided not to tease him further. Instead, he smiled and watched the two leave the stage.

Chen Zhan quickly regained his composure.

Once the bride and groom had made their rounds offering toasts, the wedding was nearly over.

Yin Ronglan greeted Yang Tianxia briefly and left with Chen Zhan ahead of the others.

Before leaving, Chen Zhan casually waved toward Lin Chiang’s table. Without waiting for any reactions, he turned and left.

Lin’s father commented, “He’s quite interesting and full of energy.”

Lin Chiang sneered and decided it was time to get his family a pair of reading glasses.

Since Chen Zhan had drunk some alcohol at the wedding banquet, his face was slightly flushed, and he carried a faint scent of liquor.

Sharing a car, the atmosphere gradually heated up.

Chen Zhan rolled up his sleeves slightly, revealing his wrist. While driving, Yin Ronglan caught a glimpse and was suddenly reminded of the scene he had witnessed at the hot spring… The fair skin, the delicate collarbones.

It was a fleeting moment, an accidental glimpse—because he had quickly shifted his attention to the notebook in his hands. Looking back now, he felt as if he had foolishly missed something, though he couldn’t quite explain why.

Chen Zhan, for the most part, was preoccupied with thoughts of making money and didn’t notice the subtle changes in the gaze beside him.

Chen Zhan’s “Confession” was finished.

The sales of his protective talismans had also started to decline.

His income was clearly slipping out of control.

Yin Ronglan, who had unconsciously been paying attention to his expressions, could easily deduce what he was thinking. He said matter-of-factly, “Business has its highs and lows.”

Chen Zhan pondered for a moment and then opened his phone to check recent private messages.

It’s said that all online influencers are connected in some way.

During this period, many people had invited him to collaborate on videos.

After careful selection, he found one with a good reputation. The account, Secret Interviews, specialized in interviewing trending figures and summarizing their paths to success.

With toxic “chicken soup for the soul” content flooding the internet, this type of practical, positive storytelling was well received by a certain audience.

At a red light, Chen Zhan shared his idea.

Yin Ronglan nodded. “Maintaining exposure in a different way is a good move.”

After returning home, Chen Zhan contacted Secret Interviews. The person handling the collaboration was a woman, who sounded pleasantly surprised and let him pick the time.

Chen Zhan thought for a moment and said, “Tomorrow works.”

The other party was very proactive. Early the next morning, they arrived at his door.

The visitor extended a hand. “I’ve long admired your work. My surname is Zhang. I’m very excited to interview you.”

Chen Zhan addressed her as Teacher Zhang.

She briefly introduced her style. “We have two formats: one is a live broadcast, and the other is a pre-recorded short video. Live streaming is usually better, but since it’s longer, it can lose viewers over time.”

Chen Zhan opted for the live broadcast. Short videos often required staged scenes, whereas live streams felt more authentic.

Zhang started the stream, greeting the audience as usual before turning the camera to Chen Zhan and playfully announcing, “Today’s theme is ‘The Road to Success’!”

Instantly, the first virtual gift appeared on the screen. Zhang directed the camera toward Chen Zhan.

The interview was mostly a back-and-forth conversation, and Chen Zhan paid little attention to the comments. After giving a brief introduction, they started moving outdoors.

He knew exactly how to maintain his public persona. Carrying a thick stack of documents, he took them to the library instead of reading at home.

As they walked on the snow-covered streets, their steps made soft crunching sounds.

Zhang asked, “What do you think is the secret to success?”

Chen Zhan stopped in his tracks and said meaningfully, “Opportunities favor those who are prepared.”

   [Detective King: That answer… is so unoriginal.]

   [Maria’s Hair: I don’t know why, but when he said that, I got chills.]

The library was still a seven-to-eight-minute walk away. To keep the audience engaged, Zhang grinned, “Can you give the livestream viewers a small treat? Maybe narrate a past experience in the style of Confession?”

This suggestion hit the viewers' sweet spot, and virtual gifts flooded in.

After a moment of thought, Chen Zhan began:

“This story takes place not long after I started tailing Jiang Ying…”

…They both loved outdoor sports.

At that time, the woman had yet to gain fame and didn’t need to be overly cautious.

While Lin Chiang was buying something, I pretended to fall into the water. The artificial lake wasn’t very deep, and there weren’t many people around. She jumped in without hesitation and pulled me to shore.

As she swam toward me like a mermaid, I feigned unconsciousness.

After several failed attempts at CPR, she hesitated—just as I had hoped—on whether to proceed with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

I was overjoyed.

But at that moment, Lin Chiang arrived, rushing over in a panic. “I’ll do it!” he said.

It was like a bolt from the blue. Unable to control myself, I shoved him aside and snarled, “First come, first served! Get in line!”

Zhang seemed momentarily stunned by the absurd story. Chen Zhan coughed lightly and looked ahead. “We’re here.”

   [Longing for You: At least finish the story! You think I need those measly views?!]

The chat was filled with protests, but Chen Zhan ignored them. Maintaining his “academic” persona, he entered the library and found a well-lit spot to sit down.

The room was very quiet, so Teacher Zhang stood at the doorway, keeping some distance as he filmed Chen Zhan’s live broadcast.

Chen Zhan was focused, his head lowered as he carefully studied the documents he had brought along.

After taking off his bulky winter coat, he was left wearing only a light brown sweater, which made him look as if he were glowing under the sunlight.

【Long Xiangsi: Oh my god! I'm in love!】

【Ghost Xiao Qi: I haven’t even finished my homework, yet here I am watching someone else study in a livestream.】

【Dragon Scale Legend: OMG! I’m at this library too!】

Since Chen Zhan remained engrossed in his studies, Teacher Zhang didn’t want to disturb him and instead wandered around, giving the audience a tour of the newly expanded library.

About half an hour later, when Chen Zhan rubbed his temples to ease his eye strain, Teacher Zhang quickly waved, signaling that they could leave.

Chen Zhan stood up, and as he walked out, Teacher Zhang let out a sigh of relief and said, “Looks like scheduled study time is your secret to success.”

Chen Zhan shook his head. “It’s the same as always—opportunities are for those who are prepared.”

The weather wasn’t great today, gloomy and overcast, and with lunchtime approaching, Chen Zhan mentioned a nearby restaurant that was quite good.

Although Teacher Zhang would have preferred to capture footage of him cooking, he didn’t push the request and simply nodded.

As they passed through an alleyway, Chen Zhan’s pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze locking onto a passerby on the opposite side of the street.

Sometimes, the connection between people is eerily accurate.

The man lifted his head, and in the split second their eyes met, a flicker of panic flashed across his face before he turned and bolted.

Chen Zhan instantly tossed his folder and thermos into the air. Teacher Zhang barely managed to catch them, nearly losing his footing. By the time he looked up again, Chen Zhan had already sprinted over ten meters away.

The camera jolted violently, and both the livestream host and audience were left bewildered.

The sudden chase startled pedestrians, who quickly stepped aside.

Thanks to his recent training, Chen Zhan’s stamina had improved. He pursued the man to an intersection, yanking back the middle-aged suspect who had attempted to dart through a red light. Twisting the man's arm forcefully, he pressed him against a street pole, preventing any further struggle.

Curious onlookers gathered, watching the scene unfold.

Chen Zhan turned to a young man who had raised his phone to film and said, “Call the police.”

The man hesitated, not fully understanding the situation, but quickly dialed 110.

Meanwhile, Teacher Zhang, who had been left behind, was still trying to process what had happened. As he hurried to catch up, the folder in his arms slipped, scattering several sheets of paper onto the ground.

He quickly bent down to gather them—only to freeze in place.

These weren’t study materials.

Instead, they were police-issued wanted posters from previous years, with reward amounts prominently displayed.

After a brief moment of silence, the livestream chat exploded:

【Maria’s Hair: Damn! "Opportunities are for those who are prepared" indeed!】

【Long Xiangsi: This is terrifying.】

【Little Cabbage: Am I the only one who noticed that the lowest reward is still 100,000?!】

【Dragon Scale Legend: No way someone just casually earns 100,000 while walking down the street. What if it’s just a misunderstanding? A wild goose chase is still possible!】

Reality is often stranger than fiction.

By the time Teacher Zhang pieced things together and tracked Chen Zhan down at a nearby police station, she had no choice but to ignore the frantic demands of her audience and end the livestream, as filming was not allowed there.

A senior officer patted Chen Zhan on the shoulder. “Not bad, kid. You have sharp eyes.”

Chen Zhan replied, “It’s just a citizen’s duty.”

That brief exchange was enough to confirm that they had caught the right person.

Even after leaving the police station, Teacher Zhang still found the situation surreal. She stiffly restarted the livestream, and an overwhelming number of viewers flooded in.

“We had a bit of an unexpected incident just now,” she said, swallowing hard before turning to Chen Zhan. “Do you have anything you’d like to say about it?”

“It was just a coincidence,” Chen Zhan responded calmly. “I hope everyone focuses on their studies and work rather than gambling on a one-in-a-million chance. If you ever encounter a suspect, please call the police immediately and ensure your own safety first.”

“…”

Teacher Zhang didn’t even need to look at the chat—she could tell what the audience was thinking just by looking at his expression.

From what she could observe, he was being completely sincere. Yet, given what had just transpired, she felt like there was something caught in her throat.

There was nothing to say—no words could suffice.

The majority of viewers seemed to share her sentiment, with the chat filled mostly with ellipses and emojis.

And so, the interview ended in silence.

By the time everything settled down, the sky had darkened. After saying goodbye, Chen Zhan headed toward his apartment. On the way, he stopped by a pharmacy to buy two packs of pain relief patches and a bottle of medicinal liquor for bruises.

At his building entrance, he spotted Yin Ronglan leaning against his car.

Chen Zhan was slightly surprised and walked over. “Why are you here so late?”

Yin Ronglan glanced at him, his gaze settling on the plastic bag of medicine. “I came to see the outstanding citizen, Mr. Chen.”

Chen Zhan calmly explained, “It was just an accident.”

Earlier, while browsing online for information, he had come across some news articles in pop-up ads. On a whim, he downloaded a few wanted posters.

Yin Ronglan sighed softly, relieved that Chen Zhan was unharmed. Then, he smirked. “Do you know what’s trending on the hot search right now?”

Chen Zhan’s expression stiffened slightly before he firmly replied, “I don’t want to know.”

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