This time, Mousha had provided an extensive setup. Both covers featured the “Silent Gaze” pairs, and there were even three sets inside, making a total of five outfits to be photographed.
The photographer for this collaboration was Shui Xin, who was well-known among fans of various CP1Couple Pairing pairings. This was because Shui Xin’s photos of couples often captured a complete atmosphere, with tense expressions and actions that danced vividly in the imagination of the vast online audience.
Under normal circumstances, Gu Qingtong would have been more than willing to take beautiful photos. However, this time her feet were causing her some pain. After the previous building inspection and stage activities, the pain was no longer as bearable as before, and it had started to affect her ability to walk.
She had to hold herself up in front of Yan Chi to prevent her from noticing. When she heard that there were a total of five outfits, her vision darkened, and now she had no idea how long the photo shoot would take.
It wasn’t just Gu Qingtong who was worried; even the magazine’s team was racing against the clock, fearing that they wouldn’t be able to finish photographing the five outfits within the day.
As a result, as soon as Gu Qingtong came out, she was hurriedly taken to do the styling. She even ended up in different fitting and makeup rooms from Yan Chi.
During the styling process, they provided her with extra shoes, finally sparing her from wearing those high heels again. While changing her shoes, Gu Qingtong looked around when she saw no one around. She finally had the chance to take a look and found that she had indeed twisted her ankle earlier. The area around her ankle was red and swollen, thankfully covered by her socks and shoes. Otherwise, it would definitely affect the visual appeal of the finished photos.
Gu Qingtong let out a soft sigh, not knowing why, but it seemed like every time Yan Chi coincidentally encountered her at a vulnerable moment when she was injured. Earlier, she had to remove all the makeup she had put on at her company’s dressing room and apply a completely new makeup look that matched the styling theme.
If it weren’t for the floor-sweeping and platform activities this time, Gu Qingtong probably would have come over like she used to, with a completely natural look, to save some time.
During the makeup application time, Gu Qingtong finally had a moment to check the current trending topics on a certain social media platform. After all, this was Yan Chi’s first event as an offline fan meeting; there was bound to be some buzz.
As expected, the top trending topic on her current social media feed was #YanChiIdealType#. The moment she saw this phrase, the contemplative thoughts that had just subsided within Gu Qingtong surged up again.
Seeing that the stylist helping with her look wasn’t focused on her own phone but rather on her, Gu Qingtong couldn’t resist her intense curiosity. She directly clicked on this trending topic.
Indeed, it was a quite obscure interview, only broadcasted on television and never released online. Even the version trending on social media was recorded by a Yan Chi fan who happened to see it on TV.
This was precisely why only a few people knew about Yan Chi mentioning having an ideal type during the interview. If it wasn’t for this time’s “Truth or Dare” segment on the show hosted by Mousha, it might have remained hidden from public awareness for much longer.
Initially, having an ideal type is nothing equivalent to making an official declaration of love. It’s a perfectly normal thing, and if anyone else said it, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning. But, the crucial thing is that these words came from Yan Chi.
For someone like Yan Chi, who has maintained an almost non-existent rumor mill in her fifteen-year career, her cold and low-key demeanor has been widely observed. People generally assumed that she would remain single, reserving her intense and passionate emotions solely for her performances on the big screen.
In essence, Yan Chi admitting to having an ideal type is like her finally showing a glimpse of her human side. Furthermore, prior to this interview, she had been asked about her personal love life and feelings in various interviews, and she always politely sidestepped those questions.
This difference seemed to be signaling something, and Yan Chi might have more than just an ideal type in mind. As someone who had been secretly following Yan Chi since her debut, Gu Qingtong understood this better than anyone else. Finally, Gu Qingtong took a deep breath and opened the video in silent mode.
In the video, Yan Chi’s clothing immediately caught Gu Qingtong’s attention. It was an all too familiar high-necked sweater, the same one Yan Chi had worn on the day after Gu Qingtong got drunk. To conceal the marks she had left on Yan Chi’s neck…
Thinking about this, Gu Qingtong paused the video and zoomed in, noticing some visible redness in the uncovered areas. In her heart, she confirmed that it was indeed the interview Yan Chi had mentioned that day.
At this point in time, it had only been a short while since she and Yan Chi had confirmed their union. Even though there was this layer of relationship between them, they had only known each other for a few days. If this ideal type was referring to herself, Gu Qingtong would never believe it.
However, the only rule that Yan Chi had mentioned when they agreed to the union was that they couldn’t have emotional entanglements with anyone else. It was highly unlikely that she would agree to a union while idealizing someone else.
She couldn’t come up with any answers at the moment and could only continue playing the video. By this time, Gu Qingtong’s breathing had slowed down, as if she was afraid of missing any details.
The host in the video asked, “Although you, Teacher Yan, are not officially paired in your latest movie “No Wind”, you’ve always considered Ah Jiu, the girl you met in your youth, as your ideal type. I wonder if you have your own ideal type for a partner in real life?”
Yan Chi answered without any hesitation, “Yes.”
This simple, one-word response seemed to have stirred up all of Gu Qingtong’s thoughts. She held her phone, and her grip tightened more and more.
“Did I hurt your scalp?”
The slightly apologetic voice of the stylist behind her startled Gu Qingtong for a moment.
Gu Qingtong suddenly realized that her nervousness and stiffness had been noticed by someone else. Her hand relaxed abruptly, and she pretended as if nothing had happened, saying: “No, it’s alright, don’t worry.”
While saying this, Gu Qingtong’s gaze silently fell on the still-playing video: “It seems like this ideal type is quite specific. Teacher Yan, could you share it with us?”
The familiar woman in the video chuckled but shook her head. “Let’s just say I haven’t completely moved on from ‘No Wind.’ It’s not worth mentioning.”
Even though she had muted the video, Gu Qingtong could almost feel the soft, wind-like words brushing past her ears from the way Yan Chi’s lips moved.
The camera froze on this subtitle, and in the midst of a black screen, Gu Qingtong could only see her own features. She remained stunned for a moment before exiting the video interface.
It seemed like she hadn’t gained any new information. Yan Chi was still as private about her personal life as ever. But that one word, “yes”, was like a seed that had taken root in Gu Qingtong’s heart, slowly sprouting into something more. It grew into something Gu Qingtong dared not think about but couldn’t help but wonder: What did her ideal type look like? Who could it be? Could it possibly be…related to herself?
As she thought about that last question, Gu Qingtong’s heart skipped a beat.
Stop thinking about it! To divert her attention, Gu Qingtong quickly tapped into the comments section, forcing herself to read what others had to say.
Although Yan Chi did admit to having an ideal type in the interview, her subsequent statement, “let’s just say I haven’t moved on from ‘No Wind’ yet,” seemed to provide an explanation. Many people believed that Yan Chi might have been too engrossed in her role in the movie “No Wind,” and, just like her character, she had taken someone she had met in her youth, Ah Jiu, as her ideal type.
[Wow, everyone, go watch ‘No Wind,’ the aesthetics of No Wind and Ah Jiu made me cry.]
[Don’t just mention Teacher Yan, we, the audience, can’t move on either, I was heartbroken when Ah Jiu left.]
Gu Qingtong’s blushing heart began to cool down a bit due to these interpretations. Maybe Yan Chi was truly just immersed in her role, and she had been overthinking things…
Her gaze continued to scroll down, and she came across a comment that had many likes and replies:
[I hope the ‘Silent Gaze’ fans don’t go overboard with this. Those who have seen the movie know that Ah Jiu and Gu Qingtong are completely different, and what she mentioned in the livestream doesn’t match.]
Gu Qingtong had also watched “No Wind,” and Ah Jiu was the gentlest girl she had ever seen.
She never got angry; she always listened with a smile, using her motherly charm to comfort everyone around her. It was precisely because of this that she wouldn’t linger just because No Wind relied on her alone.
This was what Gu Qingtong believed the kind of person Yan Chi, someone so perfect, would be interested in.
It seemed like everything had been explained.
The seed of doubt that had just sprouted was uprooted in an instant, and her dream came crashing down. Gu Qingtong didn’t need to open the replies to that comment; she knew they were probably arguing again.
But at this moment, she felt like something was missing in her heart, and the emptiness made her particularly uncomfortable. She didn’t want to click on anything or see anything anymore.
“Miss Gu, you can close your eyes now, I’ll do your eye makeup for you.”
Following this voice’s instructions, Gu Qingtong, with a hint of melancholy in her eyes, slowly closed them.
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The sadness didn’t last long. Gu Qingtong had a personality that could only focus on one thing at a time, so she quickly shifted her attention back to her injured foot.
‘Wuwu, it hurts so much,’ she thought, but not only could she not say it out loud, she couldn’t even let Yan Chi find out.
For someone like Gu Qingtong, who would exaggerate any red mark on her hand to gain sympathy and attention, the thought of holding back her pain was unbearable. After all, her natural instinct was to make a big fuss and garner sympathy before the marks faded on their own.
“Qingtong, look towards my camera, and get a bit closer to Teacher Yan. Relax a bit, don’t be so stiff,” came the voice of Shui Xin, which brought Gu Qingtong’s thoughts back to the present.
This was Gu Qingtong’s first time working with Shui Xin, a photographer at a different level than she was used to. Even though she had received praise for her looks and performance in the past when shooting for small magazines, working with someone like Shui Xin was a new experience.
However, this time, in front of Yan Chi, Gu Qingtong indeed appeared too reserved.
At this moment, both of them were on the sofa. Yan Chi was wearing a black high-fashion dress, her fingers holding a highball glass, reclining lazily as she gazed at Gu Qingtong with a teasing look in her eyes.
Gu Qingtong, on the other hand, was dressed in a white spaghetti strap dress, leaning closer to Yan Chi. One knee was on the edge of the sofa, and her other foot lightly touched the floor.
This was the last set of outfits they were shooting. The previous four sets had mostly been solo shots, with the closest they got being standing somewhat near each other. However, the five hours of shooting for the previous four sets had left Gu Qingtong nearly exhausted, and her foot on the floor was throbbing with pain.
For this set, which was the main cover shot and extremely important, Shui Xin was using her expertise to create an intimate and tense atmosphere between the two, especially in their physical interactions.
It was precisely because of this movement that Gu Qingtong’s foot, which was supporting her on the floor, was trembling with pain. This made her look unusually cautious and stiff.
“I’m sorry!” Gu Qingtong hurriedly apologized while trying to adjust the pressure point on her foot. However, she inadvertently twisted her injured area again. The pain made her gasp, and her calf trembled. She stumbled in Yan Chi’s direction.
Yan Chi straightened up, her gaze fixed on Gu Qingtong’s ankle. Under the lace-edged sock, a hint of abnormal redness was faintly visible.
“Your foot is injured.”
At this point, Yan Chi’s tone was no longer questioning; it was evident that she had discovered what Gu Qingtong had been hiding. The on-site staff were also surprised, and they all turned their attention to Gu Qingtong, who was now sitting in a disheveled manner on the sofa.
They were unaware of Gu Qingtong’s heroic rescue a moment ago, and naturally, they didn’t know the origin of her injury. Fortunately, the assistant who was present earlier explained to the team that Gu Qingtong’s injury was due to their company’s negligence.
Without waiting for Gu Qingtong to say anything, Yan Chi bent down and, right in front of everyone, grabbed Gu Qingtong’s ankle. She pulled down the lace-edged sock slightly, revealing a swollen and red ankle. It was evident that it had been twisted.
“Are you okay?”
Seeing this, Shui Xin also realized why Gu Qingtong, who usually looked very photogenic, had performed poorly in that previous movement. She put down her camera and asked Gu Qingtong.
Gu Qingtong had just said she was fine when Yan Chi suddenly stared into her eyes and said: “Why didn’t you tell me?”
There was a hint of assertiveness and reproach in her voice, just like the night when Gu Qingtong caught a cold. It was evident that she was a little upset.
“It wasn’t that serious a while ago…I didn’t want to delay the event and the shoot.”
Gu Qingtong had endured this for so long, and she was already in pain. She didn’t want Yan Chi to scold her, which made her feel even more aggrieved. Her eyes drooped as she secretly glanced at Yan Chi, brimming with emotions.
Yan Chi, of course, knew that Gu Qingtong could be stubborn and silly in this way, holding back when she should rely on her.
She looked up at the assistant who had been there earlier and said in the same cold tone, “Does your company have any medication or ice packs? If not, I’ll have my personal assistant go buy them.”
“We have some, I’ll go get them,” the assistant quickly nodded and ran to fetch them.
“It’s just a bit swollen and painful. We only have one more set to shoot. Gu Qingtong knew that the photography team of Shui Xin and Mousha was still waiting for them. She tugged on Yan Chi’s sleeve anxiously and softly urged: “Teacher Yan, this is my first time shooting such an important cover, and it’s with you. Although I appreciate the concern of my seniors, I still hope we can finish quickly, okay?”
Shui Xin also chimed in: “It’s okay, if it’s inconvenient, I can adjust the planned movements. After all, this is the last shot. If we capture a suitable one in one go, we can finish quickly.”
Yan Chi understood that Gu Qingtong’s words were meant to appease her and acknowledged her determination. She finally relented, saying: “…Let’s shoot quickly, and after we’re done, I’ll help you with the treatment.”
The team, encouraged by Yan Chi’s words, picked up the pace. Shui Xin had prepared several options in advance and originally planned to shoot them all before selecting the most perfect one.
But in this situation, they directly chose the set where Gu Qingtong lay on Yan Chi’s legs. Yan Chi’s movements remained unchanged, and Gu Qingtong rested her head gently on Yan Chi’s legs, her soft, ebony hair cascading around her. She tilted her head slightly, her mesmerizing eyes looking up, perfectly captured in Yan Chi’s gaze, causing ripples in the depths of both their eyes.
They were shooting a theme of demons and angels, using a stark black-and-white contrast. Not only Yan Chi but also Gu Qingtong portrayed the allure of the angel convincingly, with her gaze towards Yan Chi filled with innocence and infatuation. It was as if a pure white canvas had been stained with Yan Chi’s colors.
Shui Xin watched the perfectly balanced and charged atmosphere between the two without saying a word. She raised her camera to capture this moment. However, at that very moment, Yan Chi’s hand made a subtle move, her fingertips gently twining around a strand of Gu Qingtong’s hair scattered on her leg. Ebony strands of hair danced around her pale fingertips, creating another striking contrast.
Even Shui Xin couldn’t be certain whether the angel was enticing the demon or if the angel was being led into a fall by the demon. It was almost in the instant the photo was taken that Shui Xin knew this was the main cover. No other photo could better capture the intense darkness in Yan Chi and the pure innocence in Gu Qingtong.
So, after taking the shot, Shui Xin nodded at the two: “It’s perfect. This one will be the main cover; there’s no need for any additional shots. Thank you, Teacher Yan and Qingtong, for your hard work.”
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When the two returned to the rest area after changing clothes, the assistant also arrived, carrying the items that Yan Chi had instructed. Gu Qingtong tried to get up to receive them with a sense of relief but was gently pressed back onto the sofa by Yan Chi: “Let me do it”
Under the curious gazes of the entire team, Gu Qingtong’s face turned red, unable to contend with the situation. Yan Chi disregarded the onlookers’ attention. Whatever Gu Qingtong said seemed like a cover-up now, so she just pursed her lips and remained silent.
“Then, Teacher Yan, please help Miss Gu with the treatment. We’ll leave for the day,” the team members were quite tactful and quickly gathered their equipment and left.
Yan Chi took the items and placed them on a nearby table. She removed her shoes and socks, revealing the swollen area. Even though the entire rest area was empty, she remained silent, seemingly still upset that Gu Qingtong hadn’t spoken up earlier. She used a towel wrapped around ice to apply it to the injured area.
Feeling the icy sensation of the ice, Gu Qingtong couldn’t help but hiss in pain. She finally couldn’t bear it any longer and pleaded: “Yan Chi, please, be gentle….it hurts so much.”
“Now you know it hurts?” Yan Chi replied, her touch becoming gentler. “Tell Sun Xiao not to pick you up. You’ll come to my place tonight.”
Gu Qingtong was taken aback by the suggestion. “…..What?!”
“In your current condition, you can’t even wear those high heels, so how do you plan on getting back?” Yan Chi raised an eyebrow and then removed the towel, taking out a spray for promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling.
“But… tonight is when the variety show airs, and I want to watch it,” Gu Qingtong protested, desperately trying to come up with a reason to refute Yan Chi’s invitation.
After all, apart from that one drunken night, Gu Qingtong had never been to Yan Chi’s apartment, let alone spent the night there…the very thought was too embarrassing.
“Can’t you watch it at my place? You don’t even have to watch; I can help you recall the plot,” Yan Chi replied in her usual calm tone, leaving Gu Qingtong with no way to refuse.
She felt that if she kept resisting, Yan Chi might just help her remember the plot right then and there. As a married wife who had done everything, staying overnight at the other person’s place was perfectly normal…why was she feeling so shy and hesitant?
Gu Qingtong could only persuade herself in her heart, bit by bit, and finally managed to say, “Then…Okay.”
After taking the medicine, Gu Qingtong suddenly realized that she couldn’t even get up from where she was sitting. Her injured foot hung helplessly in the air, and she had no idea how to leave this place.
Yan Chi intentionally remained silent, calmly watching Gu Qingtong as if she couldn’t see her distress.
“I thought you were taking me home, why aren’t you helping me up?….” Gu Qingtong pouted, looking at Yan Chi with a sulky expression. As she spoke, she raised her foot higher, originally intending to kick Yan Chi lightly to get her attention. But somehow, her round, plump toes hooked onto the hem of her pants.
Yan Chi was naturally waiting for Gu Qingtong to ask for a hug, but she didn’t expect Gu Qingtong to be so bold.
The next moment, Yan Chi bent down and lifted Gu Qingtong, who was curled up on the couch, into her arms.
“Hey, this is the company!” Gu Qingtong realized that she was being princess-carried by Yan Chi, and she panicked, squirming in Yan Chi’s arms. She couldn’t believe she had allowed this to happen in the workplace.
“You know this is the company, but you still hooked me? Didn’t you bite my shirt on stage earlier?” Yan Chi looked at Gu Qingtong’s panicked expression, knowing that she had a mischievous heart but lacked the courage. While the kicking incident could be explained as an accident, the shirt-biting incident left no room for excuses. Gu Qingtong felt helpless and could only allow Yan Chi to carry her to the car.
Perhaps because the shoot went on too late, the entire Mousha building was quiet after the photography team left. The only person they encountered was the assistant.
The assistant noticed Gu Qingtong’s bare feet and understood that she couldn’t walk at the moment. She hurriedly nodded and didn’t dare to look any further. Gu Qingtong also felt embarrassed, keeping her head down and curling up in Yan Chi’s embrace.
However, when her gaze didn’t wander anywhere else, it inevitably landed on the deep red lip print still on Yan Chi’s shirt. Gu Qingtong suddenly remembered her earlier intention to bite Yan Chi’s shoulder.
The agonizing fear of being discovered in the company didn’t last long. There was an elevator that led directly to the underground parking lot.
As she looked at the car right in front of her, Gu Qingtong finally breathed a sigh of relief. Relieved, she looked at Yan Chi with a sly glint in her eyes. Suddenly, she had a mischievous idea.
Just as Yan Chi opened the car door and leaned down to place her in the back seat, Gu Qingtong used both hands to hook Yan Chi’s neck. She tilted her neck and bit the very shoulder she had been longing to bite.
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At the same time, two paparazzi from a distance sneaked back to their car, satisfied with the photos they had just taken of Yan Chi princess-carrying Gu Qingtong.
“We finally got a big scoop this time! It’s no wonder it’s the information provided by Sister Bai Jin; we’ve been following them for so long, and we finally got it!”
