Chunan: “…”

He’d forgotten about Xiaohan.

But it didn’t matter. He knew his fans’ temperaments well and never took their words seriously. Standing up, he headed toward the bedroom. “Wait here. I’ll check her computer.”

Xiaohan blinked.

Chunan had been live-streaming?

…Had she caused trouble?

Following him back to the bedroom with a hint of unease, she saw Chunan standing silently in the middle of the room.

Her anxiety spiked instantly. “Daddy, I’m sorry! I really didn’t hear you streaming!”

After all, streaming required a quiet space. The apartment’s soundproofing was decent, and Chunan spoke softly. Xiaohan in the bedroom couldn’t possibly hear the living room.

But that wasn’t Chunan’s concern. “You’ve set up your stuff like this place is your own home?”

His computer was in the living room, so the bedroom desk held only clutter. Yet she’d claimed it entirely, filling every empty spot in his room with her belongings. It looked… utterly chaotic.

His cleanliness obsession flared.

Hearing this, Xiaohan instantly relaxed. “Hah! You’re not mad I interrupted your stream?”

“It’s no big deal,” Chunan sighed, moving to inspect her computer. “But later, you’ll explain with me.”

He didn’t craft personas. He’d just admit what people saw. Since she’d be living here, she’d appear on stream eventually. Better to clarify now.

Besides, he had his own little scheme.

The computer issue was minor—almost nonexistent. Chunan flipped the rear power switch, pressed the power button, and saw the boot screen as expected.

He shot Xiaohan a sideways glance. “Are you blind? The switch wasn’t even on.”

Xiaohan: “…I’ve never turned it off before! How was I supposed to know there’s a switch?”

He’d turned it off while tidying, yet she blamed herself for not opening it?

Chunan: “….”

Should he blame himself instead?

Shaking his head helplessly, he turned toward the living room. “Come out and show your face.”

Xiaohan perked up immediately. “Got it!”

Since learning about his stream, she’d been curious. She’d never survived the grind of building an initial fanbase herself, nor seen Chunan stream live… though she’d watched from home and spammed chat. Sadly, her messages scrolled too fast for him to ever notice.

Back then, she’d always wondered: what did it feel like to be watched by tens of thousands?

Almost like a pop star’s concert, right?

True, literal spotlight—not exaggeration.

Now, becoming the center of it herself, she was thrilled.

As Chunan returned, the waiting livestream chat exploded with activity.

Especially when he brought the girl out.

Outside special streams, his chat rarely buzzed like this. High heat meant high engagement—a welcome sight for Chunan, though… the topic had completely shifted from the game.

“Ahem.” Settling smugly into his chair without offering Xiaohan a seat, Chunan pulled her beside him. He angled the camera for a close-up. “Perfect timing. Everyone, meet my childhood fiancée, Xiaohan.”

Xiaohan: “?”

The chat instantly flooded with question marks.

[Thanks, streamer, for the question mark storm!]

[Where do I get a childhood fiancée like that? I’ll take a dozen, thx]

[Ugh, why can’t I be Brother Chu? If I were him, I’d have such a pretty fiancée too]

[Ugh, why can’t I be the fiancée? If I were her, I’d have such a handsome Brother Chu]

[??? Dude, you’re messed up]

…

Watching the frantic chat, Xiaohan’s composure finally cracked a little. “You… serious?”

“Just kidding,” Chunan said, easing her tension for a second before shattering it. “Actually, she’s my bed warmer.”

“Chunan!” Xiaohan finally snapped. “I’m your dad!”

Chunan shot her a sharp glare. “Huh? Who’s whose dad? Huh?”

He drew out the last word, his tone dangerously low.

Had she forgotten she was living under his roof?

Xiaohan: “….”

After a silent pause, she lacked the guts to push back.

She was relying on him for support, after all.

Chunan spared her public embarrassment. Clearing his throat lightly, he smiled. “Alright, back to business. Xiaohan’s my… childhood friend. She’s having some life issues, so she’ll stay with me awhile.”

[Bro Chu’s OP—taming girls so easily. My role model.]

[Bro Chu’s the first guy I’ve seen describe getting a girlfriend so elegantly.]

[Damn, childhood friends? I’m jealous.]

[Childhood friends AND that pretty? Unfair.]

[Bro Chu, wanna be friends? I just think your personality’s solid—worth knowing.]

…

Hearing this, Xiaohan’s expression softened slightly.

Seeing the screen full of compliments about her lifted her mood further.

Heh. They were praising her looks, but praise was praise!

Since things had turned this way, accepting it wasn’t so bad, right?

She wasn’t that rigid.

“Alright, you can go back to your stuff now.” Having shown her face—and ignoring whether viewers believed his story—Chunan began shooing her away.

But while he wanted to wrap up, the audience refused to let it drop. Chat instantly urged Xiaohan to try the game. Most came for Chunan, but who’d refuse watching a pretty girl play?

Especially one this gorgeous.

Chunan considered it, then looked at Xiaohan. “Wanna give it a shot?”

Riding a high, Xiaohan agreed without hesitation. This was a rare chance to feel like a big streamer with 100k followers!

—at least by today’s standards, 100k marked the threshold for “big streamer.”

Only Chunan, having lived through a past era of internet boom, felt no awe.

Then…

“Are you blind? That clue’s huge—you missed it?”

“You dumb? Compare it to the earlier clues!”

“Don’t you see the three locks on the door? Find the keys first!”

“The map’s right there! It’s marked—just look!”

…

In that moment, Xiaohan wasn’t sure if she felt like a big streamer. But she absolutely felt what Chunan had endured days ago: being coached by chat “generals”—except this time, the coach was Chunan himself.

Finally snapping, she yelled, “Why play such a hard game?! I bet you can’t solve it either! You try!”

“I absolutely can!” Chunan swapped seats instantly. He breezed through to the end, explaining clue-finding methods at every step without a single pause.

Xiaohan stared, dumbfounded. “You read a walkthrough, right?!”

“Yeah. So what?” Chunan nodded firmly. “After days of intense ‘guidance,’ can’t I keep some dignity for the finale?”

Xiaohan: “….”

Even the chat froze.

[Bro Chu’s too blunt.]

[Wild. How’s someone this direct got a childhood friend like her?]

[Even wilder: Bro Chu’s clearly still in charge.]

[Ugh. Even more jealous.]

…