Chapter Text
It was nearing 9 PM, and Xie Lian was settling into his usual corner of the internet, ready to stream for his viewers. His dimly lit room was cozy, with soft fairy lights glowing behind him, their warm hues adding to the intimate atmosphere he was known for. A plush blanket was draped over the back of his chair, and a potted plant peeked into view at the edge of the frame—a perfect backdrop for a night of cozy gaming.
He checked his setup one last time, adjusting his headset and making sure his little white flower logo was visible in the bottom left corner of the screen. After a sip of tea to steady his nerves, Xie Lian started his stream.
The familiar wave of notifications flooded in almost immediately:
“WhiteFlower is LIVE!”
“Hello, Flower!”
“Good evening, Xie-ge!”
“What game today? Show us your farm!”
Xie Lian smiled warmly at the influx of comments, his soft features lighting up. “Hello, everyone! Good evening! How has your day been?” His voice was calm and soothing, like a gentle breeze after a long, hot day.
He waited for responses as he booted up My Cozy Ranch. “I thought we’d try something new tonight,” he explained, glancing at the chat. “And—I know you’ll ask—yes, I’ve already named the farm ‘Heavenly Delights’ because… what else would I name it, right?”
The chat exploded with gentle teasing.
“Typical Flower, always wholesome.”
“Just name one farm after something edgy!”
“We love you this way, though!”
As Xie Lian began planting rows of vegetables, his usual smile remained plastered on his face, but in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if tonight would feel slightly empty. Despite his big audience, his streams often felt a little brighter when CrimsonRain showed up.
He scrolled absently through the stream’s notifications for a second, pausing when he saw a familiar name pop up:
CrimsonRain donated $500: “Good evening, WhiteFlower. Have you eaten tonight? If not, I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”
Xie Lian’s eyes widened briefly before his expression sank into the faintest blush. He immediately tried to calm it before the camera caught too much of his flustered state.
“Ah, CrimsonRain,” he greeted, his fingers hovering nervously over his keyboard. His voice softened, warm and shy as he adjusted in his chair. “Uh, thank you—again, for your generosity. That’s far too much, really. But… yes. I’ve eaten.” He smiled faintly, his hands trembling ever so slightly as he planted virtual carrots.
“What about you? Have you eaten yet?” Xie Lian asked, glancing nervously at his chat even though he knew CrimsonRain was never replying there. “You really don’t have to donate so much, but I’m grateful you’re here tonight. Thank you.”
The chat, of course, erupted.
“GUYS IT’S CRIMSONRAIN AGAIN!!!”
“XIE-GE, YOU’RE BLUSHING.”
“The ship is sailing, guys—CrimsonFlower confirmed?”
“CrimsonRain is whipped for him.”
Xie Lian took another sip of his tea, glancing at the chat nervously as he softly muttered, “You’re all terrible,” earning a flood of laughing emotes.
Meanwhile, in a room far less warm and cozy, Hua Cheng—better known online as GhostKing—leaned back in his sleek gaming chair, the cool blue glow from his gaming monitors casting shadows on his sharp features. His stream had wrapped up hours ago, another night of headshots, daring escapes, and his notorious shirt unbuttoned just enough to keep his fans guessing.
But now… now he was watching Xie Lian stream.
His eyes softened slightly as he rested his chin on his hand, another window open to the donation screen. His lips tilted into a satisfied smirk as his latest five-hundred-dollar donation had managed to turn the always-poised Xie Lian into a blushing, stammering mess.
Hua Cheng could hear Xie Lian asking if he’d eaten yet, and something warm bubbled in his chest. It wasn’t that Hua Cheng needed to be noticed in return—it was enough just to hear Xie Lian’s soft voice answering his own question, his cheeks glowing under dim fairy lights.
He leaned toward the screen, his fingers tapping at the keyboard before inputting another donation.
Back on Xie Lian’s stream, the notification sound chimed again, setting off another wave in the chat.
CrimsonRain donated $250: “I’ve eaten, thank you, Your Highness. How was your day?”
Xie Lian couldn’t suppress his blush this time. His fingers froze briefly over his keyboard before he forced them to start clicking again.
“My… day?” he repeated shyly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “It was good. A little busy, but streaming always makes it better. I hope you had a good day, too.”
As Xie Lian’s soft words filled the air, the chat went wild once again.
“HE CALLED YOU ‘YOUR HIGHNESS’… THIS GUY.”
“CrimsonRain adopting pet names now, huh?”
“Can’t believe WhiteFlower is living my dream of being pampered by a hot millionaire. Can I sign up somewhere??”
Xie Lian tried to focus on the game, moving his little farmer avatar around his growing plot of corn where a virtual chicken was now wandering happily. But the truth was, he couldn’t stop thinking about CrimsonRain and the consistent, warm presence the man brought to his streams.
Whoever he was, he always asked him how he was, teased him sweetly, and never once asked for more than a genuine answer in return.
Still blushing faintly, Xie Lian shook his head and smiled down at the screen. “Thank you again, CrimsonRain,” he said softly, his heart fluttering despite his best efforts to tamp it down. “You’re too kind. I’m glad you had a nice day.”
Unbeknownst to him, across the city, a certain streamer leaned back in his chair, his lips quirking into a smug grin as he typed another message.