Yan Qing, being a decent person, found it hard not to imagine what might have happened between him and Wen Jueli last night when he saw him shirtless in broad daylight.
As the soft sunlight gently enveloped Wen Jueli’s half-naked body, his skin exhibited a porcelain-like pale complexion, which was not out of place and perfectly suited his air of cool detachment.
Their gazes briefly met in the air before parting.
Yan Qing’s heart skipped a beat.
It was early in the morning, and he was brainstorming in his mind. Just then, Wen Jueli half-bent down, picked up clothes from his suitcase, and with a low, husky voice, said, “I’m changing my clothes.”
“Oh, I see,” said Yan Qing, silently dismissing the absurd thoughts that had crossed his mind. He hadn’t been drinking, so why would he entertain such a crazy idea of undressing someone?
Realizing that his sprawling sleep position had taken up the entire bed, Yan Qing struggled to get up slowly.
“What time is it now?” he asked.
Wen Jueli, already dressed, maintained a dignified posture and looked quite handsome. He glanced at the vintage clock ticking away on the wall and replied, “Quarter past seven.”
It was getting late.
Yan Qing’s hair was tousled, and he rested his palm on the back of his neck. “Well, I guess I should get up too.”
After a moment, he stood barefoot on the cool floor, which helped him wake up a bit. Hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t help but confirm, “I didn’t do anything bad last night, did I?”
Wen Jueli glanced at him sideways and asked, “Why do you ask?”
Yan Qing adjusted the rolled-up sleeve due to his sleep position, his collarbone faintly visible. Without paying much attention, he replied casually, “Well, it’s because of my bad sleeping habits. Before falling asleep last night, I had to restrain myself from tossing and turning. I also kept a distance from you. Who knows, I might have unconsciously acted wild in my sleep.”
In a novel, this situation could turn into quite an interesting story. What if he scared Wen Jueli away with his wild actions during the night?
Fortunately, Wen Jueli provided a straightforward answer, “No.”
“That’s a relief,” sighed Yan Qing, feeling relieved. He hadn’t realized that Wen Jueli’s gaze towards him had become somewhat puzzled.
Both of them harbored secrets while the live broadcast room had already sprung to life.
【Help! When will Mr. Wen remove the towel?】
【Just entered the live broadcast room. Is there something inappropriate for kids to see? Why can’t I see anyone in the frame?】
【”Bad things”? Do we need to be members to see that?】
【We’re all adults here. Show us something!】
Wen Jueli tossed the incense he had used the night before into the trash bin and said, “I’ll go out first.”
Yan Qing lazily yawned and replied, “Sure.”
Looking at Wen Jueli from behind, he had a tall and well-proportioned figure with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Even wearing the simplest short-sleeved shirt, he exuded a different kind of luxury. This was something Yan Qing had personally confirmed.
He cleared his dry throat and shifted his gaze away from Wen Jueli’s physique with well-defined muscle lines.
After changing clothes and completing his morning routine, Yan Qing put on his microphone and prepared to leave the room. He unexpectedly noticed that the four cameras in the corners of the room were still covered with towels. Since it was no longer bedtime, he decided to uncover them.
Out of habit, as he removed the first towel, he softly said, “Good morning.”
Due to just waking up, Yan Qing’s tone was gentle and lacked any aggressiveness. Coupled with his exquisite doll-like face, it sent shivers down the spines of the viewers in the live stream room.
The sudden close-up on his face in the camera caught the audience by surprise, delivering an aesthetic blow.
【Mom, I saw it! I saw it! I saw a handsome guy!】
【Baby, good morning!! It’s almost afternoon now, though.】
【What were Yan Qing and Mr. Wen talking about just now?】
【Oh my goodness, he just woke up, and his natural look is this stunning? It’s like he doesn’t need makeup.】
【To the person upstairs, didn’t you know? Yan Qing has been going makeup-free since he appeared on the show. I feel like makeup doesn’t suit him; he’s naturally beautiful!】
【Sorry, I bow down to his looks. I can’t believe how good-looking Yan Qing is. With that flamboyant and wildcat-like face, why does he look so adorable and innocent when doing things?】
【This outfit looks a bit big, aren’t you afraid of a wardrobe malfunction?】
When Yan Qing first started dating Wen Jueli, he was still relatively unknown. Back then, nobody had seen him in person, and when people saw his promotional photos on Weibo, they were quick to mock him as a poor-quality catfish or a heavily photoshopped illusion. After all, how could someone really look this good without Photoshop?
So, everyone was convinced that he must look average at best.
But as it often happens, the doubters ended up eating their words.
Regardless of his performance on the show, many people who initially criticized his looks became his fans, and there was a surge of makeup tutorials inspired by his appearance.
His good looks were undeniable, and he had turned into a bona fide handsome man.
By this time, most people were up and about. When Yan Qing adjusted the oversized collar with a paperclip, he ran into Xia Xingchen and Sang Ning, who were taking turns going to the bathroom to brush their teeth.
Others were also waking up and getting ready in the living room.
They gathered on time at eight o’clock. Gu Siwei, holding a map he got from the hotel reception, said, “Let’s go have breakfast first. After that, we’ll visit Swan Lake Square and St. Peter’s Church in the Youai District.”
They had already discussed this last night. To save on expenses, they decided to have breakfast together at a café across the street from the bus stop.
A sandwich, coffee, and a small dessert only cost a little over five pounds. Those who wanted to save more could just order a coffee, like Wen Jueli did.
During the day, most customers at the café preferred to sit on the terrace. A few tables and chairs were set up by the roadside, along with a large sun umbrella, providing a wide view of the scenery. Sitting in a chair, leaning back, with a newspaper and a sip of coffee, it was another beautiful day.
While England was known for its gloomy weather, today’s weather was unexpectedly bright.
The sun was shining, creating a clear divide between the road and the street, and the European-style houses seemed to be coated in a layer of golden light, looking exceptionally charming and unique.
On the table, some of the guests were still chatting and admiring the beauty of the city.
However, Yan Qing kept glancing at Wen Jueli after he ordered an espresso, which made Wen Jueli turn his head and ask, “Is there something on your mind?”
Yan Qing hesitated for a moment before expressing his concern, “You haven’t eaten anything since we got off the plane, just that cup of coffee. Are you really not hungry?”
Wen Jueli replied in a cool tone, “Maintaining a certain level of hunger in the morning can help keep one alert.”
“Then, aren’t we going to buy you some clothes later?”
Wait, was it because of that?
Wen Jueli intentionally ate less so that he could afford to buy him some clothes. Yan Qing was touched; he hadn’t misjudged him.
However, he felt a bit guilty mentioning this. If he had paid more attention to the guest manual provided by Kan Hai and hadn’t been so forgetful, he wouldn’t have ended up in this situation, making a spectacle for the whole country to see.
When the waiter brought their sandwiches, Yan Qing spontaneously broke his in half and offered it to him.
Wen Jueli looked at the extra piece of sandwich in his field of vision and blinked, then raised his gaze to see Yan Qing looking at him affectionately, like a little fox.
He replied, “I’m not hungry right now.”
Yan Qing persisted, “What if you get hungry later? We’re in an unfamiliar place, and we don’t know if we’ll find a cheap restaurant for lunch.”
Wen Jueli suggested, “We could buy some bread at a supermarket.”
Yan Qing pressed on, “Based on my experience, supermarkets near tourist attractions usually have high prices.”
This piqued the interest of those nearby. Sang Ning asked curiously, “Yan Qing, have you been here before?”
Not really, but Yan Qing had played a business simulator game when he was younger, and he had ingrained a cunning merchant attribute into his DNA. Large chain supermarkets were rarely found near tourist attractions, usually smaller local shops that overcharged unsuspecting tourists. But he couldn’t reveal this, so Yan Qing reminisced about his childhood, saying, “I went there when I was a kid. My dad got ripped off four pounds just for a soda.”
Gu Siwei agreed, “Supermarkets near tourist spots do tend to be more expensive.”
At this, Wen Jueli’s expression relaxed a bit.
Yan Qing stretched out his hand, looking hopeful as he asked, “Come on, have some. How about I feed you?”
Being fed by a handsome man, what a rare treat!
However, Wen Jueli didn’t seem to appreciate the offer. He hesitated for a moment, then took the bread himself without letting Yan Qing feed him.
Well, if that’s how it is, then so be it. Yan Qing may not have had the chance to feed his husband, but he continued to bask contentedly in the sun, completely unaware of the slight blush at the tips of Wen Jueli’s black hair.
While tearing the bread, a few crumbs fell, attracting a flock of pigeons that landed and began pecking at the crumbs, making cooing sounds.
Yan Qing noticed and took a small piece of bread, tossing it to the pigeons.
As a travel show, the tasks assigned to the guests were quite simple: visit the tourist spots listed in the travel guide, take photos, and check them off the list. So Yan Qing brought a Polaroid camera just in case, and he was glad he did because it had come in handy.
The locations provided by the production team were all off the beaten path, and the group had to figure out how to get to each destination, which added an extra layer of adventure to their trip.
After finishing his meal, Yan Qing played around with the Polaroid camera hanging from his neck. He inserted the film and called everyone over for the first group photo. He shouted the show’s slogan, “528 Love, Travel with You Along the Way!”
*Click*
The others were quite satisfied with the first group photo, but not Yan Qing.
He raised the photo to the sunlight and noticed that Wen Jueli in the corner of the frame wasn’t smiling much. Even the usually polite and reserved character had a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth, but Wen Jueli looked unnaturally stiff, staring directly at the camera.
Curious, Yan Qing leaned in closer and asked bluntly, “You don’t like taking photos, do you?”
Wen Jueli paused for a moment and nodded, “No, not really.”
Yan Qing rubbed his chin, not entirely surprised. There weren’t many photos at home, and the few that existed were mostly pictures of him and his father during his graduation.
In that case, Yan Qing’s curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, “But you seem so natural and composed when you’re acting.”
Wen Jueli responded, “That’s work.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Qing couldn’t help but admire him with great respect. “How Dedicated.”
After breakfast, the travel group was ready to hit the road. However, a small mishap occurred. Yan Qing, who had a knack for socializing, asked the café owner for directions to Swan Lake Square. It was only then that they discovered there were two Swan Lakes in the city, one in the city center and another in the outskirts, requiring a half-hour train ride to reach.
Quick-witted as Yan Qing was, he consulted with the director and realized they had been mistaken. They needed to go to the Swan Lake Square located in the outskirts, not the one in the city center.
Fortunately, they hadn’t headed to the city center directly. So, they had to adjust their itinerary on the fly. They decided to visit St. Peter’s Cathedral in the morning and go to Swan Lake Square in the afternoon.
St. Peter’s Cathedral was a historic and towering church situated in the heart of the city. According to the locals, this church was built in the 18th century and had withstood the test of time. It remained remarkably well-preserved and served as a prominent landmark in the area.
There was also an interesting story associated with this church. It was said to have been donated by the happiest and wealthiest couple in town. This couple had lived their entire lives in perfect harmony and bliss, and as a result, locals believed that getting married in the presence of this church would surely receive blessings from the heavens.
The friendly local who gave them directions added with a warm smile, “If you’re lucky, you might even catch a wedding ceremony there now. Haha, I mean, you can watch from the sidelines.”
Yan Qing asked, “Really?”
The local replied enthusiastically, “Of course! Almost a hundred couples tie the knot there every year. Friend, I can tell you’re still young and probably haven’t had a wedding of your own, have you?”
Based on Yan Qing’s knowledge, he indeed had never had a wedding, and he silently rejoiced that he hadn’t. After all, forgetting such a sacred and significant event like a wedding would be too frustrating.
With an affirmative answer, the local patted Yan Qing’s shoulder with a sycophantic grin, quickly took out his phone, and handed it to him, asking, “So, would you like to get married in the presence of the cathedral as a witness?”
Yan Qing was taken aback for a moment, and before he could react, the middle-aged man with red skin and white hair took out a photo of his daughter.
“My daughter is very beautiful. She’s twenty-two years old, just graduated from college, and currently working at…”
The girl in the photo was indeed beautiful with blonde hair and dark eyes. However, Yan Qing blushed and interrupted softly, “I’m sorry, but I already have a partner. Even though we haven’t had a wedding, we love each other very much.”
The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then understood and burst into laughter, “I’m so silly, I didn’t realize! Handsome young man from the East, I wish you and your partner a lifetime of happiness and love.”
After getting directions from the man, Yan Qing returned to the group and recounted the story the man had shared, omitting the incident with Wen Jueli.
Upon hearing this, everyone got excited and started wondering if they would indeed witness a wedding at St. Peter’s Cathedral. Only Wen Jueli continued to gaze steadily at Yan Qing, his eyes showing complex emotions, deep in thought.
It was clear that Wen Jueli had overheard Yan Qing’s conversation with the man. However, he couldn’t quite figure it out. Was everything Yan Qing displayed in front of the camera real? Or was it like him, just part of the contract to maintain an image?
“We love each other very much,” Yan Qing had said.
