From a nobody online dating to a top love brain - Chapter 24

Yu Nan wanted to hang up the call, so he coaxed, “Bei Bei, I’m going to hang up now, okay? Let’s chat by text.”

“No! You can’t hang up, I’m mad!” Bei Yuye said.

Doggo raised his hands, feeling sorry for the awkward situation he caused with his loose tongue. He tried to comfort Yu Nan’s online boyfriend: “Brother, I wasn’t talking about you! I meant it’s fine if you meet up with our Nan Nan.”

“Have you had many boyfriends? Are there others who can’t meet up with you?” Bei Yuye asked sharply.

Yu Nan quickly explained, “You’re the only one I’ve been with. I’m just eating right now, don’t be mad.”

“Alright, Nan Nan, enjoy your meal. Can we video call though?”

The sudden change in tone left Doggo and the others dumbfounded. Doggo said nothing more and messaged Kitty: *This guy’s temper is way too good.*

Kitty replied: *If it were me, I’d throw a fit for three days straight after hearing that.*

“I didn’t bring my headphones, and I answered by accident,” Yu Nan explained plainly.

“I’ll speak properly then, I won’t say anything weird,” Bei Yuye responded.

Kitty, eager to hear more of his soft voice, chimed in, “He said he won’t say anything weird, so just chat with him for a while.”

“Yes, yes, chat with me a bit more,” Bei Bei’s soft voice pleaded.

Bei Yuye, who had finished his meal earlier, was still working on a painting. He turned on his camera, this time capturing most of his body in the frame.

Yu Nan propped up his phone and quietly continued eating. With others around, he didn’t know how to talk to him.

“When are you meeting up in person?” someone asked.

Yu Nan casually took a piece of meat and replied, “Let’s not talk about that.”

“Do you have headphones?”

“No, everyone can hear,” Yu Nan answered.

“Oh, how embarrassing,” Bei Yuye said shyly.

Doggo couldn’t hold in his laughter. He leaned closer to Kitty and whispered, “He really found a gem, huh?”

Yu Nan glanced up and warned, “I can hear you.”

“Huh? He didn’t hear that!” Bei Yuye said.

Doggo burst into louder laughter, certain the guy on the phone didn’t hear him. He lowered his voice and asked, “So you’re really into this type?”

Yu Nan raised an eyebrow and responded playfully, “Yeah, I love the soft voice.”

“I love you so much, Nan Nan,” Bei Yuye’s sweet voice came through.

“I love you so much, Nan Nan!” Milk Tea suddenly mimicked, laughing.

Hearing the familiar voice, Bei Yuye clenched his teeth. It was Pei Yunchuan again, always lurking around, even imitating him now.

Seeing that Milk Tea was trying to stand up, Doggo quickly pushed him back into his seat, not wanting him to disrupt Yu Nan’s call with his boyfriend.

“Nan Nan, why is he imitating me? Is he my stand-in or something?” Bei Yuye asked.

Yu Nan stayed silent.

“Nan Nan, say something!”

Yu Nan whispered softly, “Shh, you’re so good, don’t mind him.”

After dinner, as they were walking to the hotel, Kitty kept pestering Yu Nan, “How did you train him so well? Every time I ask something, he stays quiet.”

Yu Nan didn’t respond. Bei Bei was naturally well-tempered—it wasn’t something he trained him to be.

“But that soft-voice of yours is pretty interesting. You must have a lot of fun chatting with him every day,” Doggo added.

“Hehe!” A drunken Pei Yunchuan let out a giggle at just the right moment.

Doggo, carrying the dead weight of Pei Yunchuan, complained, “This guy is so heavy.”

Meanwhile, Yu Nan texted Bei Bei: *I love you so much.*

Bei Bei replied: *Am I soft? They’re calling me ‘the soft one.’*

Bei Yuye didn’t mind others calling him soft—it was meant for Nan Nan to hear, and as long as he liked it, that was enough.

Yu Nan reassured him: *A little soft, but I love you.*

Bei Bei: *Do you think your friends will like me?*

His questions had become more expansive recently, going beyond just talking about his in-game activities to asking about the people around Nan Nan.

Yu Nan: *They like you too.*

Then he changed the topic: *Show me those abs.*

Bei Yuye immediately lifted his shirt to take a photo.

When Yu Nan looked at the picture Bei Bei sent over, something was different. It wasn’t the same as before.

Irritated, he complained to Kitty and the others, “He’s getting bolder. He used to send full-on ab shots, and now he only shows half.”

“What, are the other parts off-limits now? Is he keeping them hidden from you?” Doggo teased, patting his shoulder.

Yu Nan furiously typed: *Are you mad?*

Bei Bei: *No, I’m not.*

He continued: *Then why didn’t you send a full picture this time?*

Bei Yuye’s heart sank—did Nan Nan not realize he was trying to play hard to get?

He had just learned from the internet that when sending photos to your partner, it’s more effective to show just a bit. A hint of abs is more enticing than the full display, so this time, he only revealed half.

Nan Nan: *Why aren’t you saying anything?*

Bei Yuye, being honest, typed back: *I was trying to play hard to get.*

He forwarded a video tutorial he had saved on “little tricks between couples” to Yu Nan, hoping he would learn a few things and surprise him from time to time.

Yu Nan watched the video and suddenly understood. It wasn’t that Bei Bei was naturally open; he had learned this from somewhere. This sudden shift to coyness didn’t suit him.

He sent a message: *Don’t learn that stuff. Be open and honest.*

Bei Bei: *But people say it brings you closer.*

Yu Nan: *We’re already close enough. From now on, all we need is to be shameless together.*

Doggo tossed the passed-out Pei Yunchuan onto the bed. The plan to play games together that night fell through.

As he was leaving, Doggo tossed Yu Nan a pair of headphones and reminded him, “Make sure you don’t hang up on your soft-voiced one when he calls.”

Yu Nan sprawled on the bed, continuing to chat with Bei Bei. Glancing over at Milk Tea, who showed no sign of waking up, he initiated a voice call with Bei Bei.

When Bei Bei picked up, he immediately said, “I have my headphones now.”

“I’m still working on my painting,” Bei Bei replied.

“What does your voice sound like when it’s not soft?” Yu Nan asked.

He had never heard it—ever since their first call, Bei Bei had always used his soft, delicate tone.

“Do you want to hear it? I’m so embarrassed.” Bei Yuye’s soft voice even trembled a little, his heart beating as fast as a drum.

If the senior recognized it, would they meet up in person right away?

Yu Nan turned over, facing away from Milk Tea, and said, “I want to hear it.”

“I love you, Nan Nan.”

A deep, magnetic voice echoed in his ears, with a hint of teasing as it called his name. The sound seemed to scratch an itch all over his body. Rubbing his suddenly sensitive ears, Yu Nan jumped up, “Go back to your soft voice.”

“Huh?”

Bei Yuye responded in his natural voice, which sounded too serious. Yu Nan insisted, “Go back to the soft voice.”

“I’m doing it, I’m doing it!” Bei Yuye squeezed his throat tightly.

The familiar soft voice sounded again, and Yu Nan finally sighed in relief. He tried to explain his feelings to Bei Bei: “Do you understand? That voice—it makes you sound like a real man.”

“But I *am* a real man.”

Bei Bei always used his soft voice, which made it seem unreal, a tone you’d never encounter in real life.

Yu Nan sighed, “Just keep using the soft voice.”

“But I want to be a real, living man.”

“You’re still a man with the soft voice,” Yu Nan replied.

“But not a *real* man.”

Yu Nan asked, “Aren’t you alive and well right now?”

“Yes, I am alive and well.”

“Then you’re a real, living man.”

“But you said I don’t sound like a real man when I’m not soft.”

They went back and forth about this trivial topic until Yu Nan’s eyelids grew heavy. He was barely holding on and wanted to sleep.

Yawning, he lazily said, “I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Nan Nan.”

The voice wasn’t soft. This guy! Annoyed, Yu Nan demanded, “I want to hear the soft voice say goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Nan Nan,” Bei Yuye replied in the soft voice, still puzzled. Was his soft voice really that charming?

Moreover, even with just two sentences in his normal tone, his senior hadn’t recognized him. 

He’d have to keep trying. The road to meeting in person felt both long and short.

Early the next morning, there was a loud knocking on the door.

Yu Nan struggled to get up and open it, rubbing his eyes, barely able to keep them open.

Kitty shoved a dress into his hands and pushed him towards the bathroom. “Go change.”

Obediently, he went to change into the dress, then immediately went back to bed, closing his eyes.

He had stayed up half the night talking with Bei Bei about that silly topic, and now he was exhausted.

“We’re heading to the comic convention! Everyone, get up!”

Kitty’s shout roused Yu Nan again. He groggily went to wash up, and it wasn’t until he saw his reflection after washing his face that he realized he was wearing a dress.

No wonder his legs felt chilly. He had never worn shorts outside, and now he was trying out a lot of new styles. Still, he couldn’t help feeling shy.

Pei Yunchuan had just pulled open the bathroom door when he caught a glimpse of the dress in the corner of his eye. Startled, he quickly apologized, “Sorry!”

The heavy door slam made Yu Nan’s eardrums ache. Pei Yunchuan really didn’t know how to close doors gently.

With a blank expression, he walked out. Pei Yunchuan, still bouncing with excitement, excitedly described to Kitty, “There’s a girl inside!”

Kitty, seeing Yu Nan come out, quickly pulled him to a chair, helped him put on a wig, and swiftly began applying makeup.

“Milk Tea, go change into your dress too,” she ordered.

While Kitty was applying powder to his face, Yu Nan couldn’t help but hold his breath. He had to admit, she had a heavy hand—it felt like he was being repeatedly slapped.

Seeing him frown, Kitty explained, “I tend to use a bit more force to make it blend better. Bear with it.”

Yu Nan asked, “No problem. Milk Tea’s going to go through this too, right?”

“Yep, and so is Doggo,” Kitty replied, continuing her work.

“Everybody, I’ve got my dress on already, and I feel *very* good!” Pei Yunchuan cheerfully hopped out, clearly feeling great about himself.

More knocking came at the door, and Pei Yunchuan went to open it.

Doggo entered with a righteous expression, carrying a dress. He and Kitty hadn’t planned to cosplay for the comic convention, but since Pei Yunchuan had a dress now, she had decided to make him wear one too.

“Put on this golden wig, and you’ll be the most charming little cupcake,” she said, grinning as she carefully helped Yu Yu put on the wig.

Doggo’s facial features were too sharp and masculine, as was Milk Tea’s. No matter how well they were made up or dressed, they still looked like men in drag. On the other hand, Yu Nan had soft features and a small frame. With just a bit of makeup, he could be transformed into someone completely different.