Chapter 42: The Young Master of the An Family
An Er Shao (Second Young Master An) was troubled these past two days, because his older brother, An Jing, had returned.
This big star, who always appeared gentle, refined, and elegant on screen, upon returning home, immediately rolled up his sleeves and chased his younger brother around the house with a slipper, beating him.
“An Yu, you damn brat, dare to come back? Weren’t you going to race? Weren’t you going to win the championship? Weren’t you supposed to be so amazing? Why don’t you just stay abroad forever and spare me the sight of you!”
“Stand still! Don’t run!”
“Big brother, I was wrong, I really was wrong! Please go easy on me, don’t hit my face!”
Compared to his life, face didn’t matter. An Yu pleaded and begged, almost kneeling down, before An Jing finally put down the slipper, giving his hapless younger brother a kick on the butt before putting the slipper back on.
An Yu yelped in pain, rubbing his bottom, but dared not say another word, only silently muttering to himself, who would have thought that the idol who was courteous and refined in front of fans, acting like a noble young master, was actually a laid-back slob at home?
He grumbled resentfully, “This is outright fraud!”
An Jing narrowed his long, sharp eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them. “What did you say?”
“No… I said Big Brother, you’re so handsome! You’re my idol, you’re the person I admire most in the world!”
An Yu touched his conscience, silently feeling sorry for the fans who were kept in the dark. You guys don’t know what your idol is really like!
Violent and unreasonable!
Suppressing him purely through force and power!
“That’s better.” An Jing sat on the sofa, elegantly crossing his legs, glancing at An Yu who was standing stiffly beside him. He let him stand there, took an apple from the fruit bowl, and nonchalantly began to eat it.
As a top-tier celebrity, An Jing’s appearance and figure were naturally impeccable.
He took after his father, with deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and sharply defined features; handsome and spirited. He also had a great physique, broad shoulders and long legs. Even when simply sitting and saying nothing, he exuded an imposing aura.
An Yu feared his older brother the most, as well as his older brother’s friend, Gu Fei. Thankfully, his older brother was usually busy and often away from home, otherwise, this unrestrained wild horse on the prairie would become a docile little white rabbit eating grass.
“What are you still standing there for? Do you need me to ask you to sit down?”
“Oh…” The unrestrained wild horse drooped his eyes, looking like a wilted little wildflower, dejectedly sitting in the corner of the sofa.
“Big brother, you’re back.” An Nanyi just came in from outside, running to sit beside An Jing with surprise, immediately noticing what had just happened. He asked with concern, “Big brother, did you scold second brother again?”
Actually, he was mostly gloating, but he hid it well. An Yu had graduated from university two years ago, but he was still idle and irresponsible. He looked down on his second brother from the bottom of his heart.
“If your second brother were half as sensible and obedient as you, Big Brother would be laughing in his dreams.” An Jing ruffled An Nanyi’s head, his smile warm and kind. “Is school starting again? In the blink of an eye, our Nan Nan is already a sophomore.”
“Yeah, I went shopping with my classmates just now.”
Just then, the driver came in from outside carrying several shopping bags. An Nanyi took one and handed it to An Jing, saying with a sweet smile, “Big brother, I saw a tie that would look great on you, so I bought it for you.”
“Nan Nan is thoughtful, you know how to show filial piety to your brother. Unlike some people, who only know how to make me angry.”
An Jing’s words were pointed. He glanced coldly at An Yu, who was sitting in the corner, then affectionately ruffled An Nanyi’s head. “Nan Nan, do you have enough money? If not, ask Big Brother.”
An Nanyi said thoughtfully, “Enough. Mom and Dad give me more allowance than I can spend each month, and Big Brother works hard to earn money too.”
An Nanyi is the youngest child in the family, sweet-mouthed and obedient. Everyone in the family dotes on him, and An Yu also loves his younger brother, so he didn’t think much of it, only complaining:
“Big Brother, you’re so biased!”
“I understand now. What Mom told me when I was little was true. I was picked up from a trash can, not a biological child, so no one loves me…” He said, wiping his nonexistent tears in a dramatic way.
“…” An Jing secretly gnashed his teeth. “I wish you weren’t my biological child, so I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
An Yu: “An Jing, you’re so heartless! How can you say such a thing? All these years of brotherly love were wasted!”
An Jing: “Get lost!”
The two brothers were hurting each other, neither noticing that An Nanyi’s expression changed slightly beside them, his lips pressed tightly together, though he quickly recovered his usual smile.
“Big brother, actually, it’s good that the second brother has something he likes to do. I think racing is cool.”
“Nan Nan understands me! Big brother, listen to him!”
“Can cool feed you? There was news recently about a racer who had an accident during a race and died.” An Jing frowned, looking at An Yu. His cold tone held a hint of helplessness. “Even if you set up a street stall or sweep the streets, I’d think you were more promising.”
An Yu was speechless. He also knew that his parents and older brother opposed his racing because they worried about his safety. He drooped his eyes and said listlessly, “Brother, I’m not arguing with you. I’ll go back to my room.”
“An Yu, you better think carefully about this.”
“Big brother, calm down. Second brother will understand your good intentions.” An Nanyi persuasively interjected, placing a hand on An Jing’s shoulder and gently massaging it. “Big brother, you must be tired from your trip. Let me give you a massage.”
An Jing comfortably closed his eyes. He was usually very busy, either rushing to appointments or traveling all over the country for work. He also opened his own studio and had to manage its affairs, making him even busier.
“Nan Nan, you’re so easy to get along with. Your second brother is so tall but not as sensible as you.”
An Nanyi smiled. “Big brother, actually, there’s something I want to tell you. I signed up for the auditions of Tomorrow’s Star.”
“Huh?” An Jing immediately opened his eyes, his sharp brows slightly furrowed. He was the producer of Tomorrow’s Star and naturally understood the nature of the show. “Your major isn’t performing arts. Why would you suddenly want to participate in this singing and dancing show?”
A complex emotion flashed in An Nanyi’s eyes, then he said with a smile, “I just want to try something new, maybe break through my limitations. Plus, I’ve been learning singing and dancing, and I’m quite interested in this kind of show.”
“Big brother, didn’t you also study performing arts in college? But you’re very successful in both acting and music now. I also want to become someone like you in the future.”
“Big brother, you’ve always been my idol.”
His words were half-true, half-false. An Nanyi did admire his older brother, An Jing, a household-name superstar. Many of his classmates liked An Jing, and he would proudly tell them, “An Jing is my brother, my real brother.”
Every time, he would receive a mix of envious and jealous glances. In the eyes of his classmates, his family was rich, he had such a successful older brother, and his parents and brother loved him—he was the pampered young master.
Wherever he went, An Nanyi stood out. He was used to being the center of attention.
Therefore… the status of the An family’s young master could only be his.
No one could take it away!
An Jing, of course, didn’t know what his younger brother was thinking. He didn’t quite understand, so he sat up straight, looking at An Nanyi seriously, his long eyes deep, his serious gaze appraising. “Have you really thought this through?”
The other nodded seriously.
“Have you told Mom and Dad?”
“Not yet. Mom and Dad always support my decisions, as long as Big Brother agrees.” An Nanyi smiled innocently, playfully tugging at An Jing’s sleeve.
“Big brother, don’t worry, I’m not doing this because of you, and I won’t use my relationship with you to get special treatment. I will rely on my own abilities to gain everyone’s recognition!”
“You’re still as clingy as when you were little.” An Jing lightly flicked his younger brother’s forehead, helplessly compromising. “Alright, as long as you’re happy. But Big Brother is telling you beforehand, I treat all contestants equally.”
“I know, Big Brother is the most impartial! I’ll do my best and not embarrass you!”
An Jing smiled, but there wasn’t much mirth in his eyes. He still didn’t understand why An Nanyi made this decision; he’d never heard him express any interest in this show before.
As the older brother, An Jing worried most about his second brother, An Yu, because that kid was the most troublesome. But at the same time, he also had the best relationship with An Yu… though An Yu often got beaten up.
As for his obedient younger brother, An Nanyi, An Jing naturally cared for and loved him, but he always felt something was missing; this younger brother’s personality was different from the rest of the family.
Although An Nanyi had been obedient since childhood, he was also competitive, always striving for first place in everything. When he was little, he even tore up his exam papers in a fit of rage because he didn’t get the top score.
He enjoyed being at the top, the envy, admiration, and attention that came with it.
An Jing didn’t agree with this.
“Right, Big brother,” An Nanyi remembered something. “A high school classmate of mine also signed up for the auditions.”
An Jing wasn’t interested. He casually said, “Oh? Is that so?”
“His surname is Lin, Lin Qingyan. He and I were good friends in high school, but his family doesn’t seem to be well-off…” An Nanyi sighed softly, continuing,
“Once, my wallet went missing, and it was found in his backpack. Sigh… he could have just asked me to borrow money, but I understand. He certainly didn’t do it intentionally.”
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