Wen Siheng thought for a moment and asked curiously, “Become a person like me? But why does A’Shao want to be like me? A’Shao is so excellent, A’Shao is enough just being himself.”

Wen Shaozhuo unconsciously pinched the corner of his clothes.

He thought, Brother A’Heng’s filter for him was really heavy; in the whole world, only Brother A’Heng would see him and think of him this way. But how was he going to tell Brother A’Heng about this?

After thinking for a long time, Wen Shaozhuo didn’t know how to explain this to Brother A’Heng. He couldn’t say it. He was silent for a while, then tentatively and carefully shook Brother A’Heng’s arm, calling out softly, “…Brother A’Heng~”

As soon as the words fell, Wen Shaozhuo’s face turned beet red. He hadn’t acted spoiled in a long time; this trick never worked at home.

But Brother A’Heng cooperated perfectly. He widened his eyes, made an exaggerated expression of being struck in the heart by an arrow, and immediately agreed: “Okay! No problem, A’Shao has the final say! Whatever hairstyle A’Shao wants to have, he can have!”

Wen Shaozhuo was overjoyed.

He started trying to tie his hair up at the back of his head. But his hair was still short, and he had never tied it up before. The first time he tried to make a small bun, he fumbled for ten minutes and still couldn’t get it right. In the end, it was Brother A’Heng who took the rubber band from his hand, helped him tidy his hair, and then tied the small bun for him.

He also tried to learn how Brother A’Heng lived and worked.

Brother A’Heng specifically chose a job that started in the evening. That way, during the day, he could accompany him to school. Just like the first time they went, Brother A’Heng attended his classes, while he secretly went to audit classes at the art academy. He learned from Brother A’Heng, who would summarize and teach him the day’s lessons every day after school, and tried to summarize the lessons he audited to teach his brother.

After class, he would go to work at the shop with Brother A’Heng.

That’s right, the shop.

Brother A’Heng found a job as a clerk at a strawberry hot pot restaurant. Because he had no experience and was still young, the manager only let him be responsible for the cashier work at the front desk.facebook+2​

The cashier work was very easy, and there wasn’t much he needed help with, so Brother A’Heng set up an empty space behind the front desk for him to draw.

His brother selected a few pictures from his portfolio and posted them online, saying he had started pricing and taking orders. Wen Shaozhuo didn’t know which platform his drawings were uploaded to; he didn’t dare to look. He was afraid that someone would like him, and also afraid that no one would like him. He just buried his head in getting familiar with drawing on a tablet, trying hard to bring his digital drawing skills up to the level of his hand-drawing skills.

A week passed like this. No orders came for him. Although Wen Shaozhuo didn’t say anything, he was inevitably down.

Sure enough… Brother A’Heng’s praise for him was all due to a brotherly filter. With his terrible art style, no one would be willing to spend money to commission him. But besides this terrible drawing skill, what else could he do? If he couldn’t even get commission orders, was he going to let his brother bear the pressure of a three-thousand-yuan monthly salary alone?

…For this salary, Brother A’Heng didn’t even get to rest on weekends!

Maybe… he should also apply to be a clerk at the shop? Although… although… although he… he wasn’t that daring… daring to talk to customers, but… but… but… but to lighten Brother A’Heng’s burden, he… he… could… could…

“A’Shao!!”

In the empty strawberry hot pot restaurant, Brother A’Heng’s voice suddenly rang out joyfully. The staff and the manager were all attracted by the sound, but Brother A’Heng paid them no mind and very happily showed him his phone.

Brother A’Heng looked even more excited than he was: “A’Shao, look!! A customer came! Someone wants to commission three drawings from you!!”

Wen Shaozhuo was so scared he shot up from his chair!

He widened his eyes and covered his mouth in disbelief: “Three?! F-from me?!”

He immediately panicked, avoiding the gazes of the staff and manager, pulling Brother A’Heng and begging in a low voice: “This… Brother A’Heng, but this is the first order I’ve received, how can the boss order three at once? Is he not afraid I won’t draw well? Can we… can we ask the boss to order one by one?”

But Brother A’Heng smiled and comforted him: “If you ask me, this clearly shows the boss has good taste, picking such an excellent artist like A’Shao. Now A’Shao is just starting out, and the price isn’t high, but later on, A’Shao’s drawings definitely won’t be affordable at ordinary prices. Thinking about it this way, the boss is making a profit!”

“Besides, A’Shao can totally produce them one by one. Wait for the boss to approve one before drawing the next… Anyway, I’ll handle the communication with the boss, A’Shao just needs to draw with peace of mind!”

Wen Shaozhuo was suddenly pushed onto the stage like this.

Ten minutes ago, he was practicing on his tablet, feeling that his touch and experience seemed to be at about ninety percent. But as soon as the order came and the news was out, Wen Shaozhuo held the stylus and felt his mind go blank! What inspiration? Touch? All gone!

Wen Shaozhuo held the pen with a blank mind for a week. Let alone the commission, he couldn’t even draw practice pieces!

Tonight, seeing no customers in the shop, he sat in an empty seat in the corner against the wall. This place couldn’t be seen directly from either the front desk or the entrance. He held the pen motionless for a full three hours, finally breaking down and holding his head in his hands.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind: running out of talent, breaching the contract, embarrassing his brother, realizing he couldn’t even do this one small thing like drawing well…

His brother had left home to work for his sake, and now he had enjoyed half a month of life away from home relying on the money Brother A’Heng had saved over the years… How could it be that he couldn’t even contribute a little bit?!

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from the side. It was his brother’s footsteps. The tears that had instinctively gathered in Wen Shaozhuo’s eyes were scared back, wanting to retreat. But the more anxious he was, the faster the tears fell.

When Brother A’Heng turned the corner and came to him with a plate of small strawberry cakes, the large tears accumulated in his eyes fell uncontrollably, patter patter.

Brother A’Heng was startled: “A’Shao?!”

Wen Shaozhuo hurriedly wiped away his tears, stammering: “No, brother, I… I’m fine, I was just…”

He explained in a flurry. Brother A’Heng seemed to see his pressure and didn’t ask about the progress of the drawings. He just placed the cake on his table and smiled, instructing him: “It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw it, A’Shao don’t put too much pressure on yourself, brother’s salary is enough for us to continue living outside!”

Wen Shaozhuo wanted to comfort himself like this too. But how could he let his brother…

Wen Shaozhuo’s head was cupped by his brother.

Wen Shaozhuo was stunned. He suddenly realized that his brother’s cheeks were abnormally red for some reason. And the hands cupping his face were burning hot, not a normal temperature. Wen Shaozhuo reacted slowly for two seconds, then suddenly stood up and placed his palm on his brother’s forehead.

Wen Shaozhuo’s eyes widened: “Brother… you have a fever!”

Wen Siheng blinked slowly, his gaze confused and dazed: “Me? …But, I don’t feel uncomfortable anywhere… cough, cough cough.”

Before he finished speaking, his brother started coughing dryly.

Wen Shaozhuo hesitated. He didn’t know what was the right thing to do at this time. If it were according to the rules when he was in school, if he had a fever, he should continue going to school. But… it must be very uncomfortable, right? In his memory, being sick meant being unhappy and physically uncomfortable… Brother must be the same.

Wen Shaozhuo held his brother’s hand and said softly: “Brother, you have a fever. Let’s ask for leave today and not work, okay? Let’s go back and rest first, and come out when you’re better.”

Wen Siheng shook his head vigorously and said, “No need to ask for leave, I don’t feel bad right now… cough cough… it won’t affect work!”

Wen Shaozhuo was extremely puzzled. He remembered that when he was in school, he always wanted a break, but his parents wouldn’t let him. How come Brother A’Heng was the opposite?

He tried to persuade Brother A’Heng, but no matter what he said, Brother A’Heng was resolutely unwilling to take a break. Their voices were kept low, but the prolonged whispered argument still attracted the employees nearby.

An employee listened for a bit and understood what was happening, joining him in persuading Brother A’Heng: “It’s okay to take a day off, Little Heng. The salary deduction is only one hundred, not much.”

Hearing this, Brother A’Heng jumped up anxiously: “Oh! I said no need to ask for leave, I’m fine! I can definitely get the full attendance bonus this month! Cough, cough cough cough…”

His brother coughed anxiously, even coughing up a few tears in the corners of his eyes. He looked very aggrieved and pitiful, as if he didn’t want to argue with them, and angrily turned his head to go back to sit at the front desk.

Wen Shaozhuo stood there in a daze, failing to hold his brother back. Just at that moment, he suddenly realized something—his brother’s salary was exactly three thousand. If money was deducted for taking leave, as soon as it was deducted, his brother’s salary wouldn’t be three thousand anymore! And this shop didn’t rest on weekends; in a month of thirty days, he had to work full thirty days…

?!

Brother… was he holding on and refusing to take leave for their three thousand living expenses?

Wen Shaozhuo lowered his head blankly, his gaze falling on the drawing drafts he hadn’t touched for a week. If… if he could draw these three pictures, would his brother not have to hold on so hard? Did he really not need to draw a perfect draft to give to the boss? Did he really just need to meet the boss’s requirements so the boss would be satisfied enough to accept the draft and pay, and that would be enough?

The thick barrier blocking his pen tip suddenly vanished without a trace at this moment. Wen Shaozhuo instinctively picked up the tablet pen, relying on experience and muscle memory to quickly lay down colors on the tablet.

Another three hours passed in the blink of an eye, and three paintings directly corresponding to the commission themes were completed just like that.

Wen Shaozhuo didn’t know how effective these paintings were. He could never see the quality of his own work. But he didn’t care about that at all right now. He hurriedly hugged the tablet and ran to the front desk, only to see his brother’s face as red as a boiled shrimp, listlessly resting his forehead on his hand, eyes closed in rest.

His heart aching, he half-squatted and gently shook his brother’s shoulder, whispering: “Brother A’Heng, Brother A’Heng!”

Brother A’Heng opened his tired eyes, his gaze staring blankly into the void for a moment before finally focusing on him. Brother A’Heng’s voice was very hoarse: “…A’Shao?”

Wen Shaozhuo knew he shouldn’t show any uncertain expressions now. He nervously hugged the tablet and used his most certain tone to whisper: “Brother, I finished my drawings! With the commission fee, you can rest assured and take leave!”

Wen Shaozhuo didn’t know how much his drawings were worth. But he knew he had to coax Brother A’Heng home now to take a good few days off to rest… Oh right, and take out some of the money to take his brother to see a doctor!

He held Brother A’Heng’s hand tightly with one hand, trying hard to recall how Brother A’Heng usually coaxed him, doing his best to imitate his brother.

Softly, with a trembling voice: “Brother A’Heng, don’t worry. We… we will definitely earn that three thousand yuan this month! Look, Brother, A’Shao can earn money too!”