Rebirth of an Anchor Ch. 1

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November 2015, B City, C University's Broadcasting Department classroom.

Xie Anran was stopped by Han Shu.

There was a faint sense of superiority in Han Shu's expression, one that felt painfully familiar to Xie Anran. It was then that he realized—he had really been given another life.

But for a loser like him, always caught up in trouble, what was the point of being reborn?

Both Xie Anran and Han Shu were students in C University's Broadcasting Department. Han Shu was an undergrad, while Xie Anran was in the vocational track. A few professional classes were shared between the undergrads and vocational students, so the two could technically be considered classmates.

In his spare time, Han Shu had applied for a live stream room on "Haiyou Live Platform," becoming a game streamer. In his last life, Xie Anran had been his secret substitute player, using his sharp mid-lane skills to boost Han Shu into superstardom—making him the undisputed "Number One Streamer on Haiyou." His annual commission alone reached tens of millions.

As the name suggested, a "substitute player" was someone who played games on behalf of another. For a streamer, using a stand-in was about the same as a singer lip-syncing. Han Shu was the godlike player everyone worshipped on camera, but behind the scenes, the one fighting blood and sweat in the King's Canyon was Xie Anran.

From the end of 2015 to the end of 2017, in just two years, Han Shu became a celebrity, while Xie Anran remained an unnoticed shut-in.

But even shut-ins could create miracles. Besides being a substitute player, Xie Anran also worked as a sparring partner. And by accident, he ended up playing with Haiyou Livestream's big boss—Sui Yuan. No one would have thought Sui Yuan would grow curious about this little sparring partner and want to meet him in person.

Xie Anran wasn't good at socializing. If it had been anyone else, he would've refused. But Sui Yuan was different—Sui Yuan was the man he had secretly loved since his teenage years. When your crush wanted to be friends with you, even if you were a snail, you'd crawl out of your shell for it.

Yet, after all the effort Xie Anran put into preparing for that long-awaited meeting, what he got instead was a rumor—between Sui Yuan and Han Shu.

Han Shu had actually stolen Xie Anran's identity, claiming that he was the sparring partner. Since Han Shu's gameplay matched perfectly with that of the "mystery sparring player," Sui Yuan didn't suspect a thing. One was the platform's behind-the-scenes boss, the other its star streamer; soon enough, rumors turned into a trending ship, complete with CP fans.

Xie Anran felt bitter to the core. As someone timid and withdrawn, he didn't have the courage to speak up. But Han Shu still wasn't at ease—he replaced Xie Anran, hiring a new substitute player for a high price.

Xie Anran could still remember how calmly Han Shu had explained his actions:

"Sui Yuan might've just wanted to have a meal with the sparring player. It just so happened that the one who met him was me, the one who spent time with him was also me, and that's how things developed. So you see, what happened between Sui Yuan and me has nothing to do with you."

Xie Anran didn't really get that logic. All he knew was that Han Shu was bullying him.

Han Shu looked down at him from above, like pitying an ant. "Anran, think about it—what is there about you that anyone could ever like?"

Xie Anran forced himself to stay calm, swallowing down his hurt and resentment, deciding to just let it go. But Han Shu still wouldn't stop. He exposed the secret Xie Anran had tried so hard to keep hidden.

"Anran, I know you're sick. Sui Yuan would never fall for someone with a mental illness. Now you know my secret, and I know yours. Let's just agree not to interfere in each other's lives."

Xie Anran's illness was simple—dissociative identity disorder, or multiple personality disorder. It was exactly that condition that made him timid, insecure, afraid of being hurt by others—and even more afraid of hurting them.

Only, Han Shu thought he had found a way to control him. He never expected his words would trigger an episode on the spot—
and things spiraled out of control.

Xie Anran's personality switched.
The shut-in turned into an effeminate "pseudo-girl," ran straight to Sui Yuan, yelled at him for being blind, and poured his heart out. Of course, the act only pissed Sui Yuan off, and he snapped back at him.

Realizing he had completely screwed things up, the "pseudo-girl" quickly handed control back to Xie Anran, switching back into shut-in mode.

When Xie Anran came to, seeing the look of disgust on his idol's face, Han Shu's words instantly echoed in his mind: "Think about it—what is there about you that anyone could ever like?"

Xie Anran froze, lost and panicked, and died in a traffic accident right outside Haiyou Tower.

Time rewound to the end of 2015.
In the empty, quiet classroom of C University, Xie Anran and Han Shu stood face-to-face.

In his previous life, it was here that Xie Anran agreed to become Han Shu's substitute player.

But this time, a sudden thought struck him—
and as if possessed, he gave Han Shu an answer that the other could never have predicted—

"I don't want to be a substitute. I want to be a streamer."

Han Shu was stunned. He hadn't expected Xie Anran to turn him down.

C University was a top arts school in the country, and the Broadcasting major especially valued background and "pedigree." Every time an undergrad mentioned a vocational student, they'd always let out a drawn-out "Oh~" before casually adding, "A vocational student, huh~"

So, Han Shu, the undergrad, naturally looked down a little on Xie Anran, the vocational student. Especially since there was a bit of history between them.

Back during the art entrance exam, they had both gone through the same interview session. Han Shu had been confident in his own skills, but he hadn't expected that Xie Anran would outshine him in every aspect. Not only was Xie Anran good-looking, but his voice was also exceptional—whether it was the required recitation or the solo performance portion, he had completely won over the judges.

Later, Xie Anran got first place in the national Broadcasting major exam. Han Shu knew that, by tradition, this person would've been the future "Top Broadcaster" at C University.

All credit goes to the original author
Feel free to pinpoint us if there are any grammar error or typos
Please don't use Guazi's translations to re-translate in other languages

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