TRMLCM Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Brother An

Chapter 27: Brother An

At half past eleven, Shen Chang’an ended his livestream as usual.

After washing up, Cheng Yi lay in bed, scrolling through Yin Fu, watching fan-made videos featuring interesting moments from Shen Chang’an’s livestreams.

This fan must have dug up Shen Chang’an’s old videos from before he became popular. Back then, his livestreams had very few viewers, and he often lost when competing in PK matches with even small streamers.

In the Yin Fu livestreaming world, more famous and well-known streamers tend to be more protective of their image, while lesser-known streamers need to attract viewers through bizarre and often distasteful pranks and punishments.

When Shen Chang’an first started livestreaming, he unfortunately encountered many low-quality streamers, and the punishments he had to endure were all kinds of strange things.

Drawing a huge turtle on his face with a marker, applying exaggerated blush and bright red lipstick, eating raw mustard…

In front of the cold livestream camera, refusing meant “not being able to take a joke,” and malicious gazes and comments poured in.

This particular video showed a comparison of Shen Chang’an in two different periods. Before he became popular, he wore a plain white shirt, his delicate face was untouched by makeup, and he seemed quiet and introverted, not used to speaking much. Because he was unfamiliar with the livestreaming environment, he fell into countless traps, enduring almost all of the punishments mentioned above.

But now, with the support of so many fans, especially with Cy in his livestream, he smiled more. He gradually understood this chaotic world and learned to ask for clarification in advance, avoiding unfavorable PK rewards. Now, he looks the same before and after each livestream – clean and tidy.

Shen Chang’an’s appearance barely changed between the two livestreaming periods. If there was any difference, it was that the Shen Chang’an from before often lowered his eyes and avoided looking at the camera, while the Shen Chang’an from later had become accustomed to the camera, straightened his back, and when his clear, cold eyes looked directly at the lens, the bright lights illuminated his face, making him look even more radiant.

Watching Shen Chang’an lose PK matches and being made fun of in the earlier period, Cheng Yi couldn’t help but feel angry. But when he saw the later Shen Chang’an appearing in the livestream wearing various high-quality clothes and smiling, his heart softened. Looking at those clear, serene eyes, his emotions seemed to calm down as well.

Cheng Yi opened the comments section and saw that many fans were touched by the video, leaving their thoughts in the comments.

“That’s not his dark history, it’s the road he took to get here.”

“Love Mu An, Mu An is the best!”

“I have a really deep impression of that time. I started following him when his livestream only had a hundred people. Back then, he was called Sān shuǐ yī mù, and he was really sincere. I used to come home late from work and complain about how tired I was in his livestream, and even though I didn’t send him any gifts, he would hold his guitar and sing to comfort me. Later, he slowly became popular and started doing PK matches. I would send him a vote whenever I could. Most of the time, he was still that clear, cold, white moonlight in my memory. My favorite thing was when he held his guitar and sang. I hope Mu An becomes more and more popular in the future, we’ll all be here with him.”

“Mu An looks so much happier now.”

“I used to be a fan of the voice chat rooms, but the person I liked got exposed, so I accidentally became a fan of Mu An. Now I’m shipping him and Cy, they’re so sweet!!!”

“Hmph, isn’t he just using selling romance to get you to spend money on him? You guys are so stupid, happily letting yourselves be fleeced.”

“@Miss Qiao, you hater, get lost. You’re still here watching videos related to Mu An so late, you’re so dedicated.”

“Dedicated? I just don’t like this person, I’m just telling the truth. Go ask Yin Fu’s data why they keep recommending this person’s videos to me, you’re the one with a brain problem, go get it checked out at the hospital.”

“You’re the one with the problem, can’t you click ‘reduce recommendations’ and ‘block this type of video’? You’re so dumb? Looks like you’re beyond saving.”

…

[AnAn: I’m ready]

Cheng Yi saw the message and immediately called. It was picked up right away.

Cheng Yi hadn’t spoken in a while, and his voice was still a little hoarse. “AnAn.”

He called Shen Chang’an’s name, and after a soft response from the other end, he didn’t say anything else. The two sides of the phone fell silent, as if the previous sound had been Shen Chang’an’s illusion.

Shen Chang’an leaned against the headboard, listening to the quiet phone. He lowered his eyes slightly, gently pursed his lips, and hesitantly asked, “…What did you mean by what you said in the livestream today?”

Cheng Yi got up and leaned against the headboard, listening to the words in his ear. Then, he chuckled softly and asked back, “What do I mean… can’t you tell?”

His voice was less sharp and more lazy and magnetic than it was during the day. Shen Chang’an’s ear, which was pressed tightly against the phone, started to turn red and hot again.

He gripped the phone tightly, his voice trembling, his tone full of insecurity. He said, “…No, I can’t tell.”

Before Cheng Yi could say anything, Shen Chang’an suddenly softened his voice, his tone rising at the end, as if he were pleading. “Can Brother Yi tell me?”

Cheng Yi narrowed his eyes. His heart was clearly hooked by the tone and he was moved, but he refused to follow Shen Chang’an’s wishes and take the initiative. Instead, he coughed lightly and asked in a flat tone, “Are you in City C?”

He saw it in Shen Chang’an’s account profile.

Shen Chang’an was silent for a moment. The frequency of his heartbeats, which had been inexplicably gripped, slowly returned to calm. He suddenly released his grip on the phone, lowered his eyes, and suppressed the expectation in his eyes.

Shen Chang’an’s voice was very calm. “Yes, I’m from City C. What about Brother Yi? Where are you from?”

Cheng Yi: “Me? City S.”

Cheng Yi recalled the few geographical facts left in his brain, but couldn’t figure it out. He turned on the speakerphone and opened the map to search.

Cheng Yi said casually, “It’s okay, it’s not too far. It’s only a little over an hour by plane.”

Shen Chang’an’s heart inexplicably ached. He echoed, “Indeed, the transportation is very convenient.”

Of course he knew that the distance between City S and City C was nothing. He had returned to City C from City S three months ago.

Suppressing the ache in his heart, Shen Chang’an raised his head slightly and smiled at the person on the other end of the phone. “Brother Yi, I always call you ‘Brother’, but I don’t even know how old you are.”

Cheng Yi: “I’m… 26 years old.”

Shen Chang’an frowned slightly. The way Cheng Yi’s white-haired friend looked that day made him feel very young, like he hadn’t even grown out of his rebellious phase yet.

Was Cheng Yi that much older than his friend?

But this wasn’t anything important. Shen Chang’an laughed. When his eyebrows and eyes curved, the mole under his eye was especially dazzling. With a sly look in his eyes, he asked with a smile, “Is that so?”

Cheng Yi felt inexplicably guilty, wanting to sound tough, but even his tone was somewhat lacking. “…Of course.”

Shen Chang’an said in a seemingly troubled tone, “I see, but I’m already 28, I’m two years older than you.”

He paused and asked, “Cheng Yi, shouldn’t you be calling me ‘Brother’?”

Cheng Yi: “…”

Cheng Yi opened his mouth, just about to say something, when he heard Shen Chang’an say another sentence.

Shen Chang’an looked slyly into the void, pretending to be nonchalant as he said, “Oh well, actually I don’t really care about this. It’s just a form of address. If you don’t want to, then forget it.”

Forget it?

Forget what?

Surely not that their relationship hadn’t even started yet?

Cheng Yi’s originally narrow eyes suddenly widened, his heart racing, his brain spinning wildly.

His face flushed slightly, and he spoke somewhat hesitantly, but his tone was unusually firm. “…Brother… Brother An, from now on, you’re my brother.”

The voice came through the earpiece, and Shen Chang’an’s pupils constricted. His heartbeat grew more and more obvious, the “thump-thump” sound amplifying infinitely in the silent night, striking his eardrums and his flustered heart.

He just wanted to joke around with Cheng Yi.

Shen Chang’an really didn’t care who called whom “Brother.” Even if Cheng Yi was much younger than him, he would be willing to call Cheng Yi “Brother Yi,” but what he didn’t expect was…

The proud little kitten had lowered its high head and chosen to humble itself in front of him.

Shen Chang’an’s throat was inexplicably dry, and he couldn’t speak.

Cheng Yi was really embarrassed. With his status in City S, he rarely called anyone “Brother” except for his own older brother.

But now he not only called him that, but the other person wasn’t responding.

A hint of annoyance flashed in Cheng Yi’s eyes, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of regret. He blinked his eyes uneasily, and asked hesitantly in a somewhat dry tone, “AnAn… don’t you like it?”

His cautious voice seemed to have opened some kind of switch. Shen Chang’an took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and suppressed the shock in his eyes. Even though his throat was terribly dry, he still said softly, “No, I like it very much.”

He said it very slowly, his voice sounding very gentle, as if he were coaxing a kitten that was about to get angry.

Cheng Yi’s mood improved again, and his narrow eyes were full of joy. With the experience of the first time, he called out with unusual ease this time, “Brother An…”

After calling out, he leaned on his side and fell onto the bed, wishing he could roll around immediately, but he was afraid that the sound would reach the other side and affect his image in Shen Chang’an’s heart, so he stopped himself and pricked up his ears like a cat, listening quietly to the reaction on the other side.

Shen Chang’an’s clear and gentle voice was still mixed with tiny electric currents, all transmitted through the earpiece.

It sounded a little fuzzy, but it was unusually clear.

“Then… is it okay if I call you ‘Brother’ too?”