Chapter 29: Distracted
At 3 p.m., Luo Jing started his live stream on time, following the steps the staff had taught him.
A large number of eagerly waiting netizens instantly flooded the live stream room.
The screen froze for a moment, then the boy’s face appeared.
“Has it started?”
Because they were worried he wouldn’t be able to hold his phone comfortably, the staff had prepared a stand for him. So, to see the screen, Luo Jing leaned in close to the phone.
He looked at the area where the comments usually appeared.
[Oh my god… his skin is so good.]
[Opening the stream and getting a beauty crit!]
[OMG, he’s even better-looking than in the video yesterday!]
[Ahhh, so cute! Luo Luo, what’s your name?]
Luo Jing found this comment amusing and instinctively replied, “Don’t you already know my name?”
[Ahhh, yes, yes! You’re the cutest child in the world!]
“Oh, it’s started.” Reacting, he quickly moved back and sat back on the sofa.
—The live stream was taking place in his living room.
The environment was warm and bright, and Luo Jing was wearing a simple T-shirt, making him look very clean and fresh.
Facing so many people for the first time, especially without being able to see them, he wasn’t quite used to it.
“Hello, everyone,” he sat up straight, a hint of nervousness appearing on his face.
Then what? What should he do next?
Luo Jing nervously fidgeted with the fabric of his pants and decided to use the most traditional greeting: “…Have you all eaten?”
[Hahahahahahahaha]
[Baby, it’s not mealtime.]
[I’m dying of laughter, so cute.]
[He’s just a child, so polite.]
“Right, I forgot,” Luo Jing said embarrassedly. “Then you can think about what to have for dinner now.”
[Are you hungry, hahaha?]
[Don’t be nervous, uncles and aunties don’t bite. Jie jie jie]
[Translator’s note: “Jie jie jie” is a mischievous or villain-style laugh.]
[Who are you calling uncles and aunties? I’m your sister!]
“Okay… sister,” Luo Jing muttered, leaning closer to the screen. “This is my first time doing this. I think I placed the phone too far, I can’t see your comments clearly.”
[I was prepared to coax the young master, but I ended up being coaxed by him.]
[Baby, with your looks, you should be in debt and working in the entertainment industry, how did you end up having others work for you? [Tears]]
Gradually getting used to it, Luo Jing took the phone stand from the coffee table, placed it closer to himself where he could see the comments clearly, and adjusted it.
The comments were coming in fast. There were already tens of thousands of people in the live stream room. He read them one by one, forgetting he was live streaming, and was silent for a while.
Has a Girlfriend: [What are you doing?]
As he was reading, a notification suddenly popped up, startling Luo Jing.
He froze for a moment upon seeing the note, then instantly felt guilty after remembering who it was.
[What did Luo Luo see? hhh, his expression suddenly changed.]
[Me when I’m caught playing with my phone in class.]
[Me when I forget something my mom told me to do.]
He hesitated, looking at the message, but before he could open it, Plastic Bag suddenly barked.
Luo Jing looked over and saw Plastic Bag skillfully coming down the stairs. Seeing Luo Jing, it jumped onto the sofa.
Luo Jing patted Plastic Bag’s head, finally remembering he was still live streaming, so he turned the camera towards Plastic Bag and started introducing it to everyone: “This is my dog.”
With his face out of the frame, Luo Jing felt much more comfortable.
He was naturally extroverted and enjoyed chatting with others, so he started talking to the commenters.
“What’s its name? It’s called Plastic Bag.”
“Yes, the plastic bag you use to carry things.”
“I don’t know what breed it is.”
“It probably won’t grow any bigger. I’ve had it for half a year, and it seems to have only gotten fatter.”
Luo Jing looked at the comments and answered them one by one.
[So cute, like a good child diligently answering the teacher’s questions.]
[Baby, how old are you? Are you in high school yet?]
[The puppy is so cute, where did you buy it?]
[Although I know Luo Luo is richer than me, I still want to send him gifts…]
[Why is there no donation option? Can’t I even give you some money to buy candy? QAQ]
[The puppy is cute, but I want to see you more!]
“I’ll be starting high school after the holidays,” Luo Jing replied, secretly grabbing his tablet from the side, trying to sneak in some multitasking.
On the screen, the message from “Has a Girlfriend” was hanging there, unanswered.
Luo Jing tried to pretend he didn’t see it, but he hesitated whether to reply.
Finally, he switched to his alternate account, hoping to avoid the problem.
But there was a lonely “Morning” from the other person hanging in the chat window.
Luo Jing: “…”
He turned off the tablet.
“I didn’t buy Plastic Bag, I found it.” Seeing many people interested in Plastic Bag, Luo Jing held out his hand to it. “Shake.”
After almost half a year of training, Plastic Bag had successfully learned many simple commands, including shaking hands and sitting. Hearing the familiar command, it immediately placed its paw in its owner’s hand.
[Such a smart puppy.]
[Why can’t I find such a cute dog even though I’m always on the streets? [Tears]]
[I often see a little stray dog near my house recently, and I’m tempted to take it in. What should I do after I find it?]
“What’s the procedure after finding a stray? Back then, my brother and I…”
He paused suspiciously.
Then he continued casually, “After I found it, I took it to the vet for a checkup. It was injured at the time.”
[Brother? Is it the brother from yesterday?]
Luo Jing continued to film Plastic Bag playing with a ball, pretending he didn’t see the comment.
While playing with the dog, Luo Jing suddenly remembered the most important part of this live stream.
It was for publicity!
Remembering this, he quickly turned the camera back to himself: “Right, I almost forgot, I want to recommend Sister Xiao Qing’s new drama to everyone.”
[So sudden, scared me.]
[Haha, such an abrupt topic change.]
[Finally filming yourself, baby -3-]
[What drama? Is it “Words Between the Lines”?]
[Sister Xiao Qing is Fang Qing? Such a cute nickname, I don’t know who to envy more…]
[Ahhh, a dream collaboration! I’m here after hearing my goddess’s name!]
“Yes, it’s ‘Words Between the Lines’,” Luo Jing said, starting his sincere and dedicated promotion. He mentioned several plot points he particularly liked, then praised everything from the costumes and props to the music and director.
“Everyone must watch it! It’s really good,” Luo Jing said earnestly.
Driven by his competitive spirit, he added quietly, “I think it’s the best drama this summer.”
[OMG, I can’t tell if he’s doing this because the company asked him to or if he genuinely loves the drama.]
[Drama fan here, he’s definitely watched it (and “Words Between the Lines” is really good, please watch it)]
[hhh, his tone is so sincere, I’ll watch it tonight.]
Netizens were captivated by his words. Fans of the drama who had watched it also started commenting, and the live stream chat was filled with discussions about “Words Between the Lines,” successfully generating a wave of buzz for the drama.
Luo Jing chatted with the commenters with satisfaction.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the tablet on the sofa light up, indicating a new message. He instinctively glanced at it.
H: [Why didn’t you send a message today?]
Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar nickname, Luo Jing realized he was logged into his alternate account on the tablet.
The subtle, slightly uncomfortable and angry feeling from last night, which had lingered until now, resurfaced.
He took a deep breath and decided to get things straight.
L: [Good morning 0v0]
…He hated his instinctive use of emoticons.
L, seriously: [Xiao Jing said you have a girlfriend yesterday. Have I been bothering you all this time? QAQ]
H: [Who said that?]
L, angrily: [He said your friend told him. QVQ]
Luo Jing continued typing: If that’s the case, then let’s not chat anymore.
Before clicking “Send,” his finger paused.
He suddenly hesitated.
But realizing how wrong his hesitation was, Luo Jing mentally scolded himself and was about to click send…
H: [It’s you.]
Luo Jing: …
Luo Jing: !
Seeing those two words, his brain short-circuited, and he almost dropped the tablet.
[Report: The streamer is slacking off in public.]
[What is Luo Luo looking at? His ears are so red.]
[Is he chatting with a girl?]
Luo Jing, however, was no longer paying attention to the live stream.
When did “they” get together?
How come he didn’t know?
Wasn’t the current plot still at the stage where his “second sister” was pursuing him?
Steadying himself, he typed nervously: [But you haven’t agreed to be with me yet. QVQ]
H: [We added each other with the intention of dating from the beginning.]
H: [It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to accept someone else’s introduction in this situation.]
Luo Jing froze upon seeing these two sentences, then an overwhelming sense of guilt washed over him.
Huai Dan was so serious.
Brother Huai was so good to him, and he had been lying to him all this time.
He was truly a terrible person.
…But if that was the case, his brother wouldn’t date anyone else.
Luo Jing stared at the screen, his thoughts wandering aimlessly, until Plastic Bag’s bark and a thud brought him back to reality.
Plastic Bag, bored and alone, was running around on the carpet when it accidentally knocked over Luo Jing’s phone stand, and the phone fell onto the carpet.
The phone was fine, but Luo Jing suddenly remembered he was still live streaming and quickly picked it up.
[Luo Luo, you finally remembered us. I’m old now.]
[Streamer suspected of acting like a diva [doge]]
[Who are you chatting with? You’re so focused.]
“Sorry, I forgot I was live streaming,” Luo Jing said apologetically.
[Are you in a relationship?]
A comment flashed past, quickly and inconspicuously due to its short length, but Luo Jing still saw it.
“No,” Luo Jing immediately defended himself. “I definitely won’t have puppy love…”
Has a Girlfriend: [Still angry?]
In the live stream room, everyone watched as Luo Jing froze mid-sentence, staring at the screen.
[Hey, why is he always getting distracted?]
[Luo Luo, I’m worried about you.]
