I’m so sorry TT I just came back from my vacation and realized I forgot to schedule a chapter for this week.
Qi Feng was woken up by the incessant ringing of his phone. Just as he was about to get up and answer it, the man beside him reached out and circled his waist, voice lazy, “Ignore it, sleep a bit more.”
“It’s Fang Cheng’s call. It’s so early, it must be something work-related.” Qi Feng tried to push the man away but found himself too weak and sore. He said unhappily, “Help me get my phone.”
Pei Yan heard the boy’s low voice, the unwillingness to get out of bed. His sturdy body, which seemed to be unaffected by fatigue, took two long strides to get the ringing phone for Qi Feng, then returned to the bed and hugged the boy’s body to continue sleeping.
With swift steps, full of energy, he showed no signs of fatigue.
Seeing this made Qi Feng even more unhappy. Lying still, he said, “Help me answer it.”
Pei Yan opened his sleepy eyes and was slightly stunned.
Qi Feng would be indifferent to him and would also casually order him around. No one had ever dared to treat him like this in his life. But he only felt…very pleased, wanting to indulge him.
So, Pei Yan lay happily next to Qi Feng, his arm around the boy’s neck and brought the phone to the other ear, and also deliberately kissed him.
Qi Feng gave him a cold glance, answered the phone, “What is it?”
“Xiao Feng, are you up? I have some good news to tell you!” Fang Cheng’s cheerful and loud voice came through the speaker, assaulting Qi Feng’s just-awakened eardrums.
Qi Feng frowned at the noise. Pei Yan very considerately moved the phone away, warning Fang Cheng, “Keep your voice down, you’re hurting his ears.”
The low and hoarse voice carried the huskiness of just waking up, and also exposed their current state of sleeping together.
Qi Feng kicked Pei Yan under the covers and glanced at him coolly. The corners of his lips pressed down, even the mole under them radiated concealed anger.
Pei Yan immediately behaved, gently nuzzling the boy’s shoulder.
“Ah?!” Fang Cheng stammered in astonishment. “I-I… received a notification from Yipin Men’s Wear that they want you to shoot their new collection for next season. That means you haven’t been dropped by Yipin Men’s Wear!”
Qi Feng: “Where? When is the shooting?”
Fang Cheng: “It’s a bit far, we’ll be shooting at the Longhu Nature Scenic Area. They have designed outdoor shoots for sunset and dawn, so we’ll be staying at a hotel overnight. The departure time is one o’clock this afternoon.”
Qi Feng: “Got it.”
After hanging up, Pei Yan’s lips pressed down at the corner. “That bastard Li Junzhuo still dares to use you. I think he’s tired of living.”
Qi Feng asked back, “You’d rather I lose my job?”
“I…”
Pei Yan was at a loss for words.
The more he interacted with Qi Feng, the more he couldn’t help but want to obey him, not even daring to be too assertive when feeling jealous.
“I…I didn’t say I won’t let you go.” Pei Yan leaned close to the boy’s lips, placatingly kissed the small mole under his lips, and said, “I have some things to deal with during the day, I’ll come find you in the afternoon.”
—
Longhu Nature Scenic Area was more than 300 kilometers away from City A, surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery. There was a national-level ecological park and a wildlife protection zone in the area. Because of its proximity to a major city, it had also developed into a famous tourist destination.
Qi Feng arrived at exactly three o’clock in the afternoon, the perfect time to shoot the sunset. The filming crew of Yipin Men’s Wear had already prepared for the outdoor shooting. When they saw Qi Feng arrive, the crew directly did his styling in the temporary studio.
But Qi Feng saw an unexpected person here—Ning Yufei.
From a distance, Ning Yufei watched with envy as a luxury “nanny car” approached. He had also liked this model of car, but he didn’t have enough money to buy it.
He was curious who could be driving such an expensive car. Could it be President Li came personally?!
Just as he was about to put on a smiling face to greet them, he saw Fang Cheng get out of the driver’s seat and hurriedly open the rear door for the owner of the car.
Qi Feng got out of the car, supported by the car door, standing in the afternoon sunlight between the mountains. He had a tall figure and a gentle face, shining brightly and radiantly.
Ning Yufei stopped in his tracks, and his expression turned cold in an instant. But he quickly walked over smiling, asking in surprise, “Xiao Feng, you finally came. Is this… your new car?”
Upon seeing him, Qi Feng subtly furrowed his brows, feeling cautious in his heart. But his expression remained natural as he replied, “Well, you could say that. Yufei-ge, what are you doing here too?”
“Ah, I came to visit your shooting set.” Ning Yufei casually draped his arm over Qi Feng’s shoulder, whispered affectionately in his ear, “Aren’t you worried about being terminated by Yipin? I contacted President Li from Yipin and said some good things about you. It seems to have worked.”
He attributed the success of this shoot to himself.
“Is that so? Thank you.” Qi Feng smiled in response.
Suddenly he saw Ning Yufeng’s assistant holding up a phone filming them the whole time. He asked, “What’s going on?”
Ning Yufei explained with a smile, “I’m live streaming right now, so I thought I’d share some of my traffic with you.”
He turned towards the camera on his phone, giving a cool and radiant smile, and said, “I’m here today to visit Xiao Feng and cheer him on for his shoot. Everyone, please show your support for Xiao Feng.”
In the past, Ning Yufei always ‘helped’ the original owner in this way, so that the original owner would trust and appreciate him more. But every time, the original owner would end up being scolded by people.
Qi Feng’s heart sank as he realized that tens of thousands of people were watching him through Ning Yufei’s live stream. He didn’t say anything, reluctantly smiled at the camera, and cautiously turned away, walking towards the studio.
Ning Yufei’s livestream was full of his diehard fans, who were also the ones who had cursed Qi Feng for leeching off Ning Yufei’s traffic before.
Seeing their beloved gege being so enthusiastic while Qi Feng remained cold and indifferent, the comments section exploded with furious insults towards Qi Feng:
【Our gege is giving him traffic, and he still acts unwilling. What a fake!】
【Taking such a big advantage and still pretending to be noble. His character is mediocre as expected.】
【Gege is so kind, not even getting angry when his friend is leeching off him.】
……
Ning Yufei pretended not to see these comments. He deliberately circled around to the front of Qi Feng’s car, smiling, “Xiao Feng just sat in the car for a few hours to get here, he must be tired. I’ll end today’s live here, everyone remember to support Xiao Feng more!”
【Nooo don’t end the stream! I still want to see gege!】
【It’s all because of Qi Feng. As soon as he shows up, our gege has to end the live stream for him.】
【Is that Qi Feng’s car? So luxurious! Can he afford it?】
【Does he have some kind of background?】
……
Ning Yufei watched as the fans started discussing Qi Feng’s car, then smiled and ended the livestream. The final shot deliberately focused on the car logo.
The shooting team of Yipin Men’s Wear had worked with Qi Feng for a few seasons, and they had gotten along well.
Qi Feng was tall and slender, fair-skinned, with well-defined elegant features. He could carry off almost any style and looked good in every shot. Plus, Qi Feng was usually quiet by nature, a bit shy, looking like a well-behaved boy next door. So, the entire crew liked him very much.
So, when they saw the online abuse against Qi Feng a few days ago, some of the staff even spoke up for him in the comment section.
However, the power of a few individuals’ Weibo accounts is no match for the crazy onslaught of haters on the entire internet. Their comments sank like a pebble into the ocean, insignificant and weightless.
All they could do was hold their frustration inside and silently feel sorry for Qi Feng.
Today, during the shoot, when they saw that the boy was not affected by public opinion at all and stood calmly and handsomely in front of the camera as usual, they breathed a sigh of relief.
This season’s main style for Yipin Men’s Wear was punk. The leather jacket, skinny pants, and studded boots are all in black and cool metallic colors, exuding a heavy, gloomy allure.
At first, many people were worried that Qi Feng, who has always been gentle and restrained, wouldn’t be able to pull off this style.
But as soon as he put it on and stood in front of the cliff before the sunset, he instantly captivated everyone present.
He was very fair. The pure black from head to toe contrasted starkly with his fair complexion and delicate wrists, highlighting his attractive features even more clearly.
Thick and long eyelashes, peach blossom eyes that were hazy and intoxicating, the small mole at the corner of his lips…he was clearly a soft and elegant boy, but at this moment he looked seductive and charming.
The collarbone and wrist bones that were faintly visible under the black leather jacket highlighted the boy’s slender and tough body. The black tight pants outlined his slim waist and slightly lifted buttocks, the combination of sexiness and masculinity presented the beauty of a rebellious and alluring youth.
The photographer had always loved shooting Qi Feng, but today’s Qi Feng had a mesmerizing quality like never before.
He couldn’t even speak, just kept photographing Qi Feng from every angle with his camera. They didn’t even need to direct his poses – the boy standing casually before the vast cliff was a shot they could use directly for promotions.
The surrounding staff whispered among themselves:
“Qi Feng is in such a good state today. We can use any random shot as a poster.”
“He doesn’t smile much but is very expressive, especially his eyes.”
“But there are still people online calling him expressionless and accusing him of copying and pasting expressions. It’s so frustrating.”
“I feel like today he is indeed better than before, he has a bit more charm that I can’t describe, very seductive.”
…..
Fang Cheng couldn’t help but cheer him on, “Xiao Feng, you look so handsome today!”
Qi Feng stood amidst a natural mountain backdrop, his lips slightly pursed as he raised his hand to shield his eyes. Captured by the camera, he appeared both mysterious and captivating.
When he was eight years old, the Qi family was destroyed and he was sent to Yong’an Pleasure House as the son of a criminal official. For a disgraced young master of a scholarly family, his exquisite appearance determined his future status.
The brothel steward taught him to play the qin. Aside from strict requirements on his playing skill, there were also demands on his etiquette and appearance. He had to play most elegantly to please the honored guests.
If his shoulder dropped, his complexion looked bad, or his posture was incorrect while playing, he would be whipped on the back with bamboo strips. After each piece, his clothes would be soaked with blood and tears.
In order to survive, he had to perform, to make himself pleasing to those who watched him. Over time, even when he sat or lay down casually, he exuded a lazy and intoxicating charm.
This was once his survival skill, and it still applied now.
After the punk outfit, he changed into a set of loose casual sportswear, and the shooting background changed from the cliff to a pine forest.
The young man in sportswear, wearing white sneakers, walked briskly among the fallen pine needles blanketing the forest path. Sometimes he playfully kicked the ground, leaned against a century-old tree while looking up at the sky, or turned back to the camera with a faint smile…
The youthful sharpness and freshness of the nineteen-year-old boy were so enchanting in his slightly raised chin and carefree smile. It was a different kind of stunning.
The staff excitedly discussed:
“Xiao Feng is so amazing. He can handle so many different styles of clothing!”
“He was scolded so badly a while ago, but it didn’t affect our brand’s sales, which shows his strength.”
“I dare say that after this issue of the magazine comes out, the market response will be even better!”
“Thank goodness we didn’t terminate his contract.”
……
Ning Yufei knew Qi Feng’s talent and had seen many of his magazine shoots. The terms “wooden face” and “copy-paste expressions” were also his deliberate ways to blacken Qi Feng.
But today, seeing Qi Feng’s threat to him again, his expression grew increasingly gloomy as he watched the boy strolling through the pine forest under the setting sun.
They were never friends, only rivals.
If he didn’t pay attention, Qi Feng could easily surpass him and always remain above him.
When the shooting was about to end, he received a phone call: “Yufei-ge, the license plate number you mentioned really came to our hotel.”
It was Pei Yan’s car. He had deliberately memorized it that day in the underground parking lot.
Pei Yan really came to find Qi Feng, it seemed he had guessed right.
Ning Yufei narrowed his eyes and order in a low voice, “Follow him closely and find out which room he stays in. It would be best to capture a frontal photo of him entering or leaving the hotel. Remember, don’t let him notice you.”
“Yes!”
—
After sunset, the sky gradually darkened, and today’s shooting was successfully completed.
They couldn’t linger in the night forest, so the crew quickly wrapped up and brought Qi Feng back to the hotel in the mountains.
The staff in charge of accommodation escorted him to the hotel and handed him a keycard, “Qi Feng, this is your room key. Your room is 1206, and dinner will be delivered to your room.”
“Tomorrow, we have to wake up at five o’clock to shoot the sunrise scene. So, make sure to rest early tonight.”
Qi Feng accepted the card and very politely thanked them one by one. However, instead of going to that room, he handed the key to Fang Cheng and headed to the top floor, the 18th floor.
This was because he received a message from Pei Yan on his way back to the hotel:
【I’m in room 1809. Come find me after you’re done.】
If he didn’t go find him, the stubborn Pei Yan would surely come knocking on his door like an overgrown puppy that wouldn’t leave him alone.
He exited the elevator and walked down the thickly carpeted hotel corridor, checking the room numbers to look for 1809.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, and looked back alertly.
There was no one in the spacious and bright corridor. It was silent, but he kept feeling like there was a pair of eyes watching him.
Was it his imagination?
Qi Feng continued to walk forward, and when he saw room 1809, he pressed the doorbell.
The heavy room door, as if it had been waiting for him, immediately opened from the inside the moment he pressed it. Pei Yan appeared tall and imposing at the door, saying, “Why are you so late?”
As Pei Yan asked, he grabbed Qi Feng’s hand and pulled him in.
Qi Feng was about to speak, but felt something, and quickly turned his head again, his cold eyes looking at the long and empty corridor.
Pei Yan looked in the direction he was staring at. “What’s wrong?”
Qi Feng’s face was calm, “I keep feeling like someone is following me.”
But the corridor was empty.
Pei Yan pulled him inside by the hand. “Don’t panic, come in first. I’ll send someone to check the surveillance right away.”
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you want to show your support, you can buy me a coffee. It would make my day! For every five coffees I get, I will release a bonus chapter.
