Call me brother
"How about coming to Xinghua?"
The midday sun lazily streamed into the living room. Yu Sheng, like a contented cat, leaned back on the sofa, her fingertips lightly stroking her recently full belly. The two of them had stayed up too late the night before and slept until late morning.
This afternoon, Lu Chenyang will be doing a live stream. "Shattered Light" will be released in about a month, and we'll be doing a small pre-release live stream before starting the roadshow in each first- and second-tier city.
"Hey." Yu Sheng threw a cushion at Lu Chenyang, who was adjusting his phone stand, in an annoyed tone. "I'm talking to you."
Lu Chenyang turned around, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but he closed them helplessly. He silently picked up the cushion from the floor and walked to the sofa to put it down. He bent down and covered Yu Sheng's exposed belly with a blanket. "Young Master, I will consider it, okay?" As he spoke, he habitually ruffled Yu Sheng's soft hair with his palm.
"Stop rubbing my hair, I just finished styling it!" Yu Sheng waved his hand away without hesitation, quickly looked at her phone screen to check her hair, and then quickly smoothed out the messy strands with her fingertips.
Lu Chenyang brushed a strand of hair from his lips and asked, "Didn't you turn down Director Wu's live stream invitation? Why are you getting your hair and makeup done?"
"The board meeting at Shuno this afternoon is to discuss overseas expansion. I have to go back to the hotel soon." Yu Sheng finally put down her phone with satisfaction and nodded to herself.
"Dressed up for a board meeting, I'd think you were going to a beauty pageant." Lu Chenyang felt a little uncomfortable. "Who's worth dressing up like this for?"
Yu Sheng looked at Lu Chenyang with amusement and teased, "Oh, Officer Lu is jealous?" He smiled smugly, and only after seeing Lu Chenyang's face gradually darken did he slowly explain, "No one is worth dressing up for. It's just that I haven't shown my face in a long time, so I have to appear in the best condition. Besides, the board meeting will upload photos online this time. I have to save face, you know."
Lu Chenyang's tense jawline relaxed slightly. He snorted and turned to walk into the walk-in closet. A moment later, he pulled out a thick overcoat. "Wear this. It's getting colder today."
“OK!” Yu Sheng made a move to get up, but Lu Chenyang pressed her back down onto the sofa.
"Don't move." Lu Chenyang knelt down on one knee and held Yu Sheng's injured leg in his hands. "I'll change the elastic bandage for you. We'll be walking a lot today, and I'm afraid your leg will hurt."
Yu Sheng looked down at Lu Chenyang, who was kneeling in front of her. The more she looked at him, the more he resembled an obedient dog. But when she thought of the sense of urgency she felt when she was outmaneuvered last night, she realized that he was not a good dog either.
But he couldn't help but reach out and stroke Lu Chenyang's hair, just like an owner stroking a puppy's fur, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, "So good."
Lu Chenyang was only slightly startled before his body relaxed again, focusing on the movements in his hands, though a hot blush quietly spread across his ears.
He didn't dislike this feeling; in fact, he kind of liked it. He cleared his throat to hide his thoughts and emotional fluctuations. "The live stream is about to start, so I can't take you. Call me when it's over, and I'll pick you up."
"Okay, I'll have Lao Hao pick me up, that retired armored vehicle driver."
"Yes, I can rest assured with him around."
Just before leaving, Lu Chenyang stopped Yu Sheng and tucked a pair of elbow crutches into his arms. "You drank yesterday, and your legs haven't recovered yet. Use these today to relieve some of the pressure on your legs."
"No!" Yu Sheng refused decisively, his eyes glaring at the crutch, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, his face radiating disgust. How could the handsome and dashing Second Young Master Yu, dressed in his finest attire, be using crutches? It would ruin his image!
"You have to have it whether you want it or not." Lu Chenyang rarely took a firm stance against Yu Sheng, not giving an inch. "Listen to me, you must use it."
Yu Sheng stared at Lu Chenyang without speaking, and the two remained locked in this stalemate for over a minute. Suddenly, a sly glint flashed in Yu Sheng's eyes, revealing her mischievous little tiger tooth. "Officer Lu, say something nice, and I'll listen to you, okay?"
"W-what, something nice to say?" Lu Chenyang was a little confused by his sudden change.
"For example..." Yu Sheng deliberately dragged out the last syllable to whet his appetite, leaning close to Lu Chenyang's ear, his warm breath intentionally brushing against the other's soft and sensitive earlobe, his voice low and soft, "...call me 'brother'?"
Brother?! Lu Chenyang's ears turned bright red in an instant, but he quickly calmed down. He smiled and remembered that Yu Sheng had made the same request when they were on the set of "Shattered Light". He didn't expect that this person would still remember it. How persistent he was in using this title.
Seeing Yu Sheng's expectant yet smug eyes, a sense of indulgence welled up inside him. Since he liked it so much, he might as well grant his wish; after all, Yu Sheng was a few years older than him.
“…Brother,” Lu Chenyang’s voice was deep and clear, carrying a gentleness he himself didn’t realize, “Be a good boy, okay? I don’t want your legs to hurt.” As soon as he said it, he didn’t find the term of address difficult to utter; instead, it had a strange intimacy that made his heart flutter slightly. …It was quite interesting; he liked it.
The person who called him "brother" was fine, but the one being called "brother" acted like a cat that had been tamed, its tail practically wagging in the air. Having his desire for control temporarily satisfied, Yu Sheng, successfully pleased, took the elbow from Lu Chenyang's hand.
Just as she was about to step out the door, Lu Chenyang grabbed her arm.
"Wait a minute." Lu Chenyang pulled him, cupped his face, and kissed him on the lips. "I'll come pick you up when it's over."
"oh."
The kiss felt so natural, as if they had done it every day without fail. Even after Lu Chenyang saw her out the door, Yu Sheng still felt a tingling sensation on her lips.
Lu Chenyang lived on the sixteenth floor. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room offered a wide view, clearly showing the entrance to the residential complex. After Yu Sheng left, he leaned against the window, his gaze fixed on the ground below. The car that was picking her up had arrived. Seven or eight minutes later, Yu Sheng's figure came into view.
But! Where is that pair of elbow crutches? Yu Sheng's hands were empty; the elbow crutches that had been given to him before he left were nowhere to be found!
Without a second thought, Lu Chenyang pushed open the door and, sure enough, found the lonely, utterly despised elbow crutches in the stairwell.
Whether it was anger at being tricked or helplessness and heartache at Yu Sheng's lack of care for him, Lu Chenyang felt very uncomfortable and suppressed his anger.
He didn't pick up Yu Sheng in the afternoon, not because he didn't want to, but because Yu Sheng didn't let him. She said she wanted to get together with Lan Zhong and a few other friends.
Lu Chenyang, who was already feeling uneasy, became even more upset. Fortunately, Yu Sheng promised not to drink and to come home for dinner that night, which calmed Lu Chenyang down a bit.
However, Officer Lu, still furious, decided to stand firm: he wouldn't cook for the young master tonight!
So, when the second young master Yu got home, dinner consisted of a table full of top-notch Japanese food, from the same restaurant that Yu Sheng had booked for him when he was treating the crew. This was one of the few takeout options that Yu Sheng could accept, because raw and cold food doesn't undergo the Maillard reaction, and takeout food is less likely to spoil.
Of course, Officer Lu ordered the takeout.
Completely oblivious to the mixed look of dissatisfaction and helplessness directed at him from across the table, Young Master Yu sat down and began to eat heartily. "Officer Lu, don't you dislike raw or cold food? Did you order this especially for me?"
He swallowed a large, sweet Arctic surf clam, squinting his eyes contentedly like a lazy big cat basking in the sun.
Lu Chenyang sighed silently, "Yes, this is for you. Eat more."
He sat down opposite her, resignedly peeling the sweet shrimp one by one. Watching Yu Sheng eat with her eyes crinkling and her cheeks puffing out, the little flame in his heart had long since been extinguished silently. Instead, a little self-doubt arose. It was really unlike him to be upset over such a small thing.
After dinner, as usual, Lu Chenyang applied ice and massaged Yu Sheng, and changed her elastic bandages. Practice makes perfect, and his movements were already comparable to those of a professional caregiver.
“Ah Sheng,” he said softly as he carefully wrapped the bandage, “I’m flying to Shanghai with the film crew for a promotional tour the day after tomorrow, then Hangzhou, Chongqing… and the last stop is Beijing. It’ll probably be more than half a month before I can come back.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Sheng, who had been lazily sprawled on the bed, sat up, her face showing obvious disappointment.
“Old Wu originally invited me to come too…” He looked up, his beautiful eyes filled with reluctance, the corners of his eyes drooping slightly, “but there’s a lot piling up at the hotel, and my leg injury has delayed me for too long. And I also have to work on Yan’s script draft…”
“I know, Asheng.” Lu Chenyang interrupted him, gently tucking a stray hair behind his ear with his fingertips, his fingertips caressing the soft earlobe as if to soothe him. “While I’m not here, you have to take your medicine on time, change your bandages yourself, massage your legs yourself… and, absolutely no drinking!” He paused, softened his tone, and added, “Got it, brother?”
"Okay!" Yu Sheng answered crisply. However, only after answering did he belatedly realize something was wrong. He was too susceptible to this; that clear, wine-like voice, paired with the word "brother," was like a killer move. He simply couldn't refuse—how pathetic!
*
The first stop of the roadshow in Shanghai was a university. Although the team had anticipated the popularity of Lu Chenyang and other key members of the team and reserved a considerable space, they still far underestimated the overwhelming response from the audience.
Even someone as tall as Lu Chenyang felt the air was thin at that moment. Unfortunately, to avoid a stampede, the team urgently negotiated with the school and temporarily moved the event to the school's largest open-air stadium, also adding extra security personnel.
Moving the venue at the last minute was a hassle. By the time Wu Luoyu finally picked up the microphone, it was already dark, and a chilly autumn wind was blowing. But when Lu Chenyang began his self-introduction, a wave of high-pitched screams erupted from the audience. This was in an open-air stadium; if it were indoors, the main creators had no doubt that the roof might have been blown off.
After the director's opening remarks and introductions of the main cast, a large white loudspeaker, a common sight on the street, suddenly blared from the crowd. Several girls shouted in unison, their voices cutting through the noise: "Brother Chenyang! Why isn't Yu Meiren here?!" Immediately, similar shouts echoed from all sides.
Seeing the audience's enthusiasm, Wu Luoyu wasn't about to let the conversation fizzle out. He replied with a smile, "Yu Sheng is in Beijing and simply couldn't get away. But don't be disappointed, he specially recorded a video for everyone!"
A video? Lu Chenyang was slightly surprised; how come he didn't know about this?
The huge screen behind him lit up, and Yu Sheng's handsome, almost bewitching face appeared before everyone's eyes.
The stadium's large screen would stretch people's images horizontally, but Yu Sheng on the screen, even with the distortion, remained beautiful from every angle. Lu Chenyang's gaze was involuntarily drawn to her.
"Hello, hello friends in Shanghai, I'm Yu Sheng, and I have a cameo role as Gao Qiu in 'Shattered Light.' I'm so sorry I couldn't be here in person to meet you all this time..."
The Yu Sheng who appears before the audience and fans is always the noble, elegant, and radiant Second Young Master Yu. However, only Lu Chenyang knows how many unknown, vibrant sides are hidden beneath this perfect exterior. She can be like a cat, lying on her back after a meal, waiting to be served; she can act cute and pitiful in front of him to gain sympathy; she can throw tantrums, act wildly and shamelessly; and she can be shy and nervous when she is moved, her ears turning red... All of these things belong only to him, Lu Chenyang.
An indescribable sense of satisfaction filled and swelled in my chest, overflowing.
He was fascinated by this feeling. No matter how radiant and unrestrained Yu Sheng was on the outside, the most authentic and private Yu Sheng, who had shed all pretense, was someone only he had seen. No one else could see or be seen her.
"...So, I hope everyone will support 'Shattered Light.' This is the first movie I've ever made that ruined my image with a cameo role. I'll be heartbroken if you don't come see it..."
Lu Chenyang stared at the screen, the smile on his lips never fading. His gaze was fixed on the pair of bright, sparkling eyes on the screen... Suddenly, those eyes shifted slightly, no longer looking directly at the camera, but landing on him.
Even though he knew it was just a pre-recorded video, a strong intuition gripped Lu Chenyang: Yu Sheng was watching him.
Sure enough, Yu Sheng on the screen smiled, revealing her signature little tiger tooth. Her smile was a little mischievous, but also carried an indescribable intimacy. She said clearly, "...Officer Lu, I'll be waiting for you in Beijing."
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