Chang Haoqing thought to himself that these two must really be a match made in heaven. How else could their choice in tokens of affection be so… consistent?
Li Yuan, who was standing right next to Chang Haoqing, had been engrossed in looking at Chi Feiran’s schedule. Hearing someone speaking next to him, he subconsciously responded, “What?”
Chang Haoqing: “…”
Chang Haoqing felt that he had been mumbling very quietly. Who would have thought that Li Yuan’s ears were that sharp? But without missing a beat, he said, “I was just saying how big and green that emerald is, it’s practically bursting with life! Look at how it shines!”
Li Yuan nodded, casually chatting with him, “Brother Chang, do you like emeralds too?”
Chang Haoqing smiled, “I like anything expensive.”
Hearing this, Li Yuan exchanged a knowing look with him, both sharing a hint of envy towards the wealthy.
After the shoot, there was an interview session where Chi Feiran and Rong Jin were asked about their fashion philosophies. This segment was mainly for the fans, as long as they didn’t say anything controversial like expressing a love for fur, it was a pretty easy task.
“V,” a timeless and leading fashion magazine, was always ahead of the curve in its business practices. The interviews were available as online videos, and the magazine had a digital edition as well.
The new issue of “V” wouldn’t be out until early March, but the promotional work began right after the shoot.
So, very quickly, the vast number of netizens learned that after the “brother outfits,” the two had shot a magazine together, and sneak peeks were revealed!
In the teaser photos, neither of them faced the camera directly. Instead, they stood slightly turned towards each other, looking at each other. Due to their height difference, one was slightly looking down while the other was slightly looking up, their gazes seemingly intertwined at the center of the image.
“Oh my god! Mommy! How can these two be so good-looking? How can they be so ahhhhh!”
“Damn! Look at their eyes! This is clearly heading towards something!”
“I’m not falling for it! You just want to trick me into buying the magazine! Fine, I’ll buy it, okay!”
“Light up a cigarette, they’re not just trying to get us to buy the magazine, they want to lure us into the cinema too. Men, huh!”
“Brotherly love has defeated me…”
These were standard reactions, but then something unconventional happened. A comment on “V”‘s official Weibo suddenly surged to the top, overtaking all others to become the hottest comment. The number of likes and replies skyrocketed like a rocket, making it stand out like a glowing firefly in the dark, earning admiration from everyone who saw it.
The top comment included a photo with the caption: “Our wedding photo… everyone, compare it…”
People clicked on the image and compared the wedding photo with the teaser photo… No words were necessary, after seeing it, they went back and liked it fervently!
“The photographer must have done this on purpose! Give them a bonus!”
“Damn, I was just going to buy one, but now I’m planning to buy out the store!”
Rong Jin, secretly scrolling through Weibo, was utterly satisfied and almost wanted to send money to the person who posted the top comment!
“Damn! The video interview is out! Everyone, go watch it!”
Once the video was released, the official agenda became crystal clear. Look at how one looks at the other when speaking!
“What is this?! Tell me! If this isn’t love, then what is?!”
“Relax, everyone. The official line will tell us this is the love of friendship! The love of brothers!”
“Hahaha, yeah right, brotherly love my ass!”
This joke hadn’t lost its charm yet, and everyone still laughed about it. Only Rong Jin, when he saw it, was muttering curses in his heart.
What Rong Jin didn’t expect was to be stabbed in the back at a crucial moment.
This stab came from the “Xia Gu” production team. At the end of February, on the day of the Lantern Festival, “Xia Gu” released its first trailer!
A wuxia film with an investment of five to six hundred million yuan, not even going the fantasy wuxia route. Many people had initially claimed that either the money was all taken by the big names like Rong Jin and director Jin, or it was money laundering, otherwise, why would it need so much money!
When the character stills were released, many of those critics quieted down, because the costumes and props were truly top-notch.
But not everyone was silenced.
However, when the first trailer came out, those critics finally shut up. At most, they could only sourly comment that it better not be just the trailer that’s good.
Nowadays, many movies boast of being a “visual feast” in their press releases, but what truly constitutes a visual feast?
Many people, after watching the “Xia Gu” trailer, felt that they finally had an answer. The beautiful landscapes in the brief shots made people want to screenshot them as keepsakes. Just the visuals alone were worth the ticket price, and then there was the fact that Rong Jin was the lead actor!
With magnificent mountains and rivers, riding freely through the martial world, the long-missed atmosphere of wuxia came flooding back. Chivalry, vengeance, battles, all conveyed in just a few minutes of trailer, seemed to ignite a long-forgotten passion.
Just as the feeling of exhilaration and heroism reached its peak, the trailer suddenly calmed.
Under ancient green trees, a young man smiled faintly and called out, “Senior brother.”
With subtitles imbued with ancient charm, his name appeared on the screen—Chu Bai, played by Chi Feiran.
This was the most vividly colored scene in the entire trailer, yet it seemed shrouded in a veil, beautiful but slightly out of place.
Just as this feeling began to surface, a pair of eyes suddenly opened in the trailer, all the brightness vanished, returning to reality, clearly reminding the viewer that this was all a dream.
As Chu Chen awakened from the dream, his long sword was tightly gripped in his hand, bringing him back to a world of passionate grudges and martial arts.
The trailer ended, but the fans’ excitement was far from over!
“No wonder there’s so much interaction, it turns out to be because…”
“Junior disciple and senior brother!!! This is such a treat!!!”
“I knew there was something going on here! Look! Brotherhood! Senior and junior disciple bond! Tsk tsk!”
Rong Jin: “…”
Rong Jin felt that the “brotherhood” joke was never going to end…
Chi Feiran, who was beside Rong Jin, was brushing their two cats. For Ragdolls, which are long-haired cats, maintaining their fluffy, beautiful coats required regular grooming. Frequent baths were not advisable as they could damage their delicate skin, so daily brushing was essential to reduce the amount of loose fur the cats ingested while grooming themselves, promoting their health.
Chi Feiran had an array of combs of various sizes next to him. He patiently used each one according to its function. Caesar and Oreo, the two cats, lay sprawled comfortably beside him, purring contentedly.
Although he was grooming the cats, Chi Feiran’s attention wasn’t entirely on them. After all, while cats were important, his boyfriend was also very important!
So, when Chi Feiran noticed Rong Jin seemed a bit down, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Rong Jin silently turned his phone to show him. Chi Feiran leaned over to take a look and then said, “…”
Chi Feiran wanted to laugh, “So that’s it…”
Rong Jin sighed deeply, “I think my mindset is collapsing…”
Though he said this, his eyes were fixed on Chi Feiran, clearly expecting his boyfriend to save his collapsing mindset.
Chi Feiran couldn’t help but laugh. He moved Caesar, who was lying on his lap, aside, then leaned over and hugged Rong Jin’s neck, kissing him deeply.
After all, in stories, a true love’s kiss could cure everything!
Naturally, Rong Jin was cured. He held his boyfriend’s waist, internally mocking, “To hell with brotherhood, let’s see you show brotherhood this affectionate!”
…
E&E’s autumn/winter showcase was held on the last day of February. Unlike the elegantly luxurious setting of the show, the backstage was chaotic and busy, with various urgent shouts echoing now and then.
Since Chi Feiran was the opening act, he was surrounded by a crowd of people, all checking if there was anything that needed adjusting on his outfit.
Showcase outfits weren’t designed for practicality; they were meant to dazzle in that moment of appearance. Many components were temporarily glued or pinned on, so it was crucial to check everything before the show to avoid any mishaps on the runway.
The makeup artist squeezed in, gluing rhinestones to Chi Feiran’s left ear with special adhesive while shouting, “Bring me the number one foundation! This sweetie is too pink!”
Chi Feiran: “…”
What does “too pink” mean???
The makeup artist then applied foundation to his ear and added some to his cheeks, muttering, “Though the rosy glow is beautiful, today we need the icy snow prince look…”
Saying this, he used concealer to tone down Chi Feiran’s overly rosy lip color.
The opening music started playing, and someone nearby shouted, “Opening! Get in position!”
The crowd dispersed, and Chi Feiran walked to the waiting area. The entire sequence had been rehearsed multiple times, so when the familiar drumbeat sounded, Chi Feiran stepped out.
The E&E autumn/winter show was set with a white base, decorated with a plethora of natural crystals and artificial gems to create an atmosphere of ice and luxury.
The runway wasn’t elevated but traversed the entire viewing area, allowing the audience to see the design details of the models’ outfits up close.
The show finally started, with unique music that had a sacred, almost religious vibe, yet with distinct rhythmic drums. The surrounding lights dimmed, leaving only the runway brilliantly illuminated.
The runway was sprinkled with glitter. Chi Feiran, dressed in pure white, appeared, stepping in rhythm, as if walking on stars. The hem of his trench coat fluttered behind him. His expression was cold, his fair skin almost snow-white against his black hair and eyes.
Anyone could immediately tell that he was today’s showstopper, the ice and snow prince.
Rong Jin, sitting in the front row, couldn’t take his eyes off Chi Feiran as he walked closer step by step.
Chi Feiran stopped not far from Rong Jin, chin slightly raised, his gaze coldly sweeping over the faces of the people, a perfect and aloof pose.
Rong Jin clearly heard people around him gasping, but he saw Chi Feiran already turning away, leaving only a distant back view.
Whispers rose around, all discussing Chi Feiran, and a sense of pride welled up in Rong Jin’s heart.
That was his little prince.
As for the other models, Rong Jin didn’t even notice their performance; he only wanted to see Chi Feiran.
A show only lasted ten to fifteen minutes, but to Rong Jin, it felt like an eternity.
Finally, the moment came.
Chi Feiran appeared again, this time with a crown glittering atop his black hair, a gem-studded sword at his waist, and a white cloak spread behind him, adorned with pearls, diamonds, and mother-of-pearl, making the whole look as magnificent as a fairy tale.
Chi Feiran walked step by step towards Rong Jin. When Rong Jin thought he would stop as before, posing coldly and then turning away, Chi Feiran stood firm before him, drawing the sword from his waist.
The sword, inlaid with various gems, was held by Chi Feiran. He raised it, the blade gently touching Rong Jin’s shoulder in a gesture of knightly accolade.
Chi Feiran’s previously cold expression melted, revealing a hint of warmth.
Like a demanding monarch finally showing some kindness to his beloved knight.
In this moment, you and I share the glory.
