The Child Still Needs a Name

"All set." Nie Chang pushed the notebook back to Su Yan and slid to the side.

"Thank you!" Su Yan really wanted to give him a kiss as a reward but he didn't dare to after what had happened just now so he settled for a bright smile.

Nie Chang tussled his hair in response and watched as Su Yan pulled the notebook closer.

Naturally, Su Yan didn't want to wait any longer. He clicked on the button to create a new novel and wriggled his fingers. Ah, he would really do it now! His first new story after all these months and even one in a different genre. He really was excited to see what the readers would think. Would there be some people among them who had read his fanfictions, too?

He wanted to fill out the form to set up his novel but instantly paused.

Shit!

He had written the story since the Lovely Writing System wanted him to but had never thought about anything else. What the fuck should he call his short story?!

He instinctively turned around to Nie Chang and scrunched up his face. "Ah Chang! It's bullying me again! The system never reminded me that I'd need a title!"

Nie Chang gave a cough. You've written so many stories already but you couldn't remember that on your own? "Darling, I have full confidence in your ability to come up with the most brilliant title."

Su Yan pursed his lips. So he couldn't expect any help with that. He gave a sigh and started to ponder. All of his fanfictions had gotten a title that was tied to the protagonist. Finding such a title was easy.

What was the profession of the protagonist? Was he a cultivator, a mage or an alchemist? That should definitely be mentioned in the title! And maybe the protagonist had a special heritage? Like he could be a demon or a god or maybe someone who transmigrated from another world. That should be part of the title, too.

Last but not least there should be an attribute to tell the readers a bit more about what kind of protagonist they could expect and, well, make the novel seem more awesome. In fact, the attribute was really important. The weightier it sounded the better the novel would seem.

Most people would rather click on 'Supreme Demonic Cultivator' than on something that was just titled 'Demonic Cultivator'. It just sounded that much more fun.

But what should he do about this short story? The protagonist was Yun Bei Fen who also was a cultivator. He even happened to be the favorite disciple of an Elder of his sect but that wouldn't work for a title, would it? Especially since it would somehow have to reflect that this was a romantic story. 'Cutest Favorite Disciple' certainly wasn't something anyone would pick up.

Or was it? Su Yan pursed his lips and considered the title for a moment. This wasn't a xianxia story but a bl story. He couldn't forget that. People probably read something like that only for the romance. So maybe that name was actually alright?

He turned to face Nie Chang again. Mn, he had already said he had read some books of that genre so he should know if the title was alright or not.

Nie Chang raised his brows. "Yes?"

"Do you think 'Cutest Favorite Disciple' is a good title for a bl story?"

Nie Chang took the empty dishes and carried them over to the dishwasher while contemplating his answer. He hadn't read Su Yan's story yet but since he had talked about it every now and then he had a vague impression of what the story was about.

"Well, I think it's alright if it's a story about two people who are in a Master-Disciple relationship."

"Huh?" Su Yan frowned.

"It's a romance story, isn't it? With a title such as this, I'd expect it to be a relationship that centers around one person being the other person's favorite disciple."

Su Yan shuddered. Oh god! Just thinking about Yun Bei Fen who looked like him and the kind of old man he had imagined his master to be … There was no way in hell he'd call the story that!

"Then … if it was something with fellow disciple?"

"Sounds more logical at least."

Su Yan furrowed his brows. "What do you mean 'at least'?"

Nie Chang grimaced. Damn. Had he said something wrong again? "I guess it depends on what else would be in the title but that sounds like it'd be a mouthful. Or did you want to go for 'Cutest Fellow Disciple'?"

Su Yan looked away. He definitely wouldn't admit to it. Honestly, he just had no idea how to name it! He stood up and sat down on Nie Chang's lap again, burrowing into his arms. "Ah Chang, don't you feel like this is very much like naming a child? We can't burden it with a stupid name!"

Nie Chang gave another cough. "Uh … We definitely can't." But how come they were talking about children now?

"So you have to help me!"

Nie Chang felt that this logic was somehow flawed but he also didn't have any argument against it. And if his darling wanted his help, then who was he to reject him?

"Maybe you could think about what the main point is?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"I mean what's their relationship? Or what's the thing that makes them get closer in the end? What is it that attracts them about each other?"

Su Yan looked up at his boyfriend and blinked. It seemed … being in love for a long time and knowing it was worth it. He never would have thought about something like that but Nie Chang could say it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He had instantly come up with that idea.

Su Yan placed his cheek against Nie Chang's chest again. What was it that made those two get closer to each other? Yun Bei Fen obviously idolized Mei Chao Bing. He looked up to him and wanted to be like him. If it was just him, then their relationship could have started a lot sooner. So, the crucial point actually lay with Mei Chao Bing. So, what was he thinking?

He hadn't really written much about it in the story but had at least hinted that he, too, had had good feelings for Yun Bei Fen prior to their friendship. The thing that made him have good feelings had been that Yun Bei Fen seemed more genuine than the others. And that was the result of Yun Bei Fen trying to be like him.

So in the end, he himself had been the one to inspire this kind of personality that then attracted him. But he probably never knew about it. So how had he noticed? It could only be something Yun Bei Fen had done or shown outwardly since Mei Chao Bing couldn't know what he thought.

Su Yan tried to think of something but since the story was so short there wasn't any scene he could refer to for a title. He furrowed his brow. Maybe he was thinking too literally? Yun Bei Fen's sincerity … What was it to Mei Chao Bing?

Something like his hope. Something he actually needed to continue with his existence. Something that would give him a new reason to live when everything seemed desolate. Yun Bei Fen, to him, he was something beautiful that he would cherish more than anything else.

It was … like a ray of light that managed to illuminate the darkness that had surrounded him.