When Gong Yue called to say he had arrived at the underground parking lot, Ye Shanshan was playing cards with Xu Luoyang in Zheng Dong’s office. The loser had to stick a white strip on their face—evidently, Xu Luoyang’s face was already covered in white strips.
Xu Luoyang had originally come to discuss an endorsement with Zheng Dong, but halfway through their conversation, Zheng Dong went to a meeting. Since Ye Shanshan was still around, Xu Luoyang, undeterred, taught Ye Shanshan a new card game. After several intense rounds, Xu Luoyang once again lost completely.
“Brother, give me five minutes!”
Ye Shanshan hung up the phone and quickly sat next to Xu Luoyang, taking out his phone, “Come on, let’s capture this wonderful moment with a photo!”
Ye Shanshan had a white strip stuck under each eye, resembling wide noodle tears. The two of them posed together and took a stylish selfie. Then Ye Shanshan sent a copy of the photo to Xu Luoyang, and both posted it on Weibo.
Xu Luoyang’s caption read, “To maintain our friendship, I must get stronger!” It was very motivational and positive.
When Xu Luoyang finished posting and looked at Ye Shanshan’s Weibo, he saw the caption was, “Masked Rider, attack!”
Xu Luoyang was speechless. He was about to ask Ye Shanshan if he wanted to stay strangers for a hundred years, but Ye Shanshan was not only quick at typing but also quick at running. Using the excuse that Gong Yue was waiting for him downstairs, he had already reached the door. He stopped cheerfully and waved back at Xu Luoyang,
“Goodbye, Masked Rider!” His tone was smug and provoking.
Almost simultaneously, fans on both sides were laughing hysterically at the two Weibo posts.
“——The act I was supposed to play along with you guys in, I kept laughing!”
“——Luoyang and Shanshan, you should debut as a duo. I’ve even thought of a name for you: the Hilarious Duo, very flashy and eye-catching!”
“——Shanshan’s card skills, honed over three thousand years in the ancient castle, are no joke! Poor Luoyang!”
“——Luoyang, you look so handsome, even through the mask I could barely see your good looks!”
“——Please keep up this posting frequency, don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop! I said it three times! Yes, I’m talking to you, Lord Ye !”
In the underground parking lot, as soon as Ye Shanshan exited the elevator, he spotted a Range Rover parked not far away. Recognizing the family car instantly, Ye Shanshan quickly walked over and opened the back door to get in. “Ge, you changed cars today?”
“Yeah.” Gong Yue closed his files, his gaze falling on the area under Ye Shanshan’s eyes. He reached out and gently wiped the glue residue there.
Ye Shanshan then realized that he hadn’t completely cleaned off the white glue after pulling off the paper strips. Feeling a bit itchy, he leaned closer and closed his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering.
“Ge, wipe it off, it’s itchy.”
After Gong Yue carefully cleaned the area, he left a light kiss on the slightly reddened skin. “All done.”
Satisfied, Ye Shanshan sat up straight. After nearly a minute, he suddenly sighed deeply.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sigh, I just feel like I’m always bearing a wisdom beyond my years. It’s a bit tiring.” Playing cards and feeling unbeatable was exhausting.
“……”
Feeling a bit tired, Ye Shanshan spent half the journey brooding before he finally snapped out of it. His topics jumped around,
“Ge, Julia said she wants to give me that opening outfit. When it arrives, I’ll wear it just for you.”
Something seemed to come to Ye Shanshan’s mind, and his gaze shifted away from Gong Yue, his eyes appearing watery.
Pleased by the words “just for you,” Gong Yue rubbed his reddened earlobe and responded, “Alright.”
The warm, ticklish sensation on his earlobe seemed to trigger something, and Ye Shanshan’s mind was instantly flooded with countless new scenes.
He picked up a glass of water and took a sip.
——Drink some proper water to calm his restless heart.
※※※
On the morning of the 29th, Ye Shanshan went to the Juno photo studio with Zheng Dong.
Today, he needed to shoot the promotional posters. The contract for the previous spokesperson of the “Poppy” series had expired, and the posters in the store needed to be replaced urgently. This was why Zheng Dong was surprised to learn that Juno had waited so long for Ye Shanshan.
The studio was orderly, with the crew setting up the scene, busy but not chaotic. After Ye Shanshan arrived, he was taken to the makeup room. His general look had already been decided, so now they just needed to bring the set look to life.
As requested, Ye Shanshan’s hair was streaked with a few strands of dark blue, and the loose strands of hair on his forehead naturally hung down, partially obscuring his eyes.
The makeup artist, with short brown hair, followed the predetermined makeup design. She instructed her assistant to open the large makeup case, laying out the necessary items. Using various brushes of different sizes, she quickly applied the foundation and meticulously outlined his eyebrows and eye makeup.
When the makeup artist stepped back, even Zheng Dong, who had been watching closely, was momentarily stunned.
Ye Shanshan usually wore light makeup due to his naturally good looks. The most intense makeup he had worn was for a runway show, but that was to match the “Ice Kingdom” theme, resulting in an overall white and exaggerated look.
But this time was different. The makeup was done by Juno’s senior makeup artist, and Ye Shanshan’s current look had been decided after scrapping over a dozen designs.
Thus, Ye Shanshan’s already stunning face now made people instinctively hold their breath.
Standing up, Ye Shanshan leaned forward to look at himself in the mirror, pushing aside his bangs. Suddenly, he spoke to the makeup artist in English, “Excuse me, can you add a mole here?” He placed his fair fingertip below the corner of his eye.
The makeup artist examined his current look and, holding a try-and-see attitude, picked up a brush and placed a beauty mark where Ye Shanshan had indicated. Before Ye Shanshan could see the effect, the makeup artist waved her hand, as if struck by an idea, and quickly wiped off the mole with a cotton swab, insisting, “Let’s do it again.”
Next, the makeup artist retrieved several boxes of special materials from the bottom of the makeup case, mixing a small amount of high-purity, high-intensity pomegranate red. With a brush dipped in this mixture, she carefully placed a cinnabar mole just below the corner of Ye Shanshan’s eye.
When she stood back up, the transformation in Ye Shanshan was evident.
Normally, Ye Shanshan exuded a transparent and pleasing appearance, reminiscent of delicate glass. However, with the addition of the mole, his entire face seemed lit up like dancing flames, each glance now carrying a different charm. He exuded a seductive and enchanting aura.
Approaching the makeup table, Ye Shanshan looked into the mirror and noticed that the cinnabar mole appeared as if it had naturally grown there, with no hint that it was applied. At that moment, he heard the snap of multiple camera shutters.
Turning towards the sound, he saw the makeup artist holding a phone, excitement evident in her eyes. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect work!”
Leaning in to view the captured photos, Ye Shanshan realized that, without being overly self-congratulatory, they were indeed exceptionally beautiful!
Under the bright lights of the makeup table, within the gilded frame of the mirror, a man in a thin white shirt slightly leaned towards his reflection. Due to his posture, the contours of his shoulder blades were visible. The real person and the mirror image complemented each other perfectly, even in profile, stunningly beautiful.
Saving a copy for himself, Ye Shanshan quickly sent a photo to Guo Yue. He imagined the scene where his majesty would be stunned by the image, feeling immensely delighted!
After thanking the photographer, Ye Shanshan changed into a lightweight white shirt and headed towards the director’s area.
Juno’s resident director, of Spanish descent, was named Balmon. In his fifties, he had been responsible for shooting Juno’s posters and commercials for nearly twenty years, each piece gaining global popularity and acclaim.
It was he who insisted on having Ye Shanshan as the new spokesperson for the “Poppy” series, despite the extremely tight schedule. He had delayed negotiations and persistently extended invitations to collaborate with Ye Shanshan.
After a few instructions, following Balmon’s directions, Ye Shanshan casually rolled up his shirt sleeves at the elbow, standing motionless under the camera lens to allow for optimal angles and adjustments in lighting.
Balmon first noticed Ye Shanshan in the “Deer” advertisement, particularly impressed by the final tear that left a lasting impression. When looking for a new spokesperson, he immediately recalled this image, hence his strong invitation to Ye Shanshan.
Clearly, Ye Shanshan did not disappoint under the lens. In fact, he exceeded expectations entirely.
“The director of ‘Deer’ didn’t fully unveil this person’s beauty.”
“Ye,” hearing the director’s voice, Ye Shanshan turned his head slightly, a questioning expression on his face. He listened as the director described in a gentle voice,
“Ye, it’s midnight now. You’ve just undergone the baptism of Qing Valley, casually wearing a shirt on your body. You’re a bit excited, yet tired. Sitting on a velvet sofa, you hear someone calling your name. You turn your head to look, can you do that?”
Ye Shanshan carefully pondered these words and nodded, “Yes.”
Balmon stood behind the camera, looking through the viewfinder, and called for the shoot to begin.
Then, a poppy flower bloomed before him in the midnight.
In front of the camera, Ye Shanshan slowly opened his eyes, appearing somewhat tired. His eyes didn’t fully open, displaying a hint of laziness. The traditional and formal white shirt seemed casually draped over his body, with only two buttons fastened. The open collar exposed a large expanse of skin, creating a conflicting beauty of both recklessness and tradition.
He relaxed into the sofa, stretching his body and limbs, neck tilted slightly up, jaw lifted a bit. His indifferent gaze showed impatience, lingering desire, and weariness, blending these emotions together. His entire demeanor exuded an intoxicating allure, inviting viewers to continuously explore.
The cinnabar mole beneath his eye added a special touch, enhancing his captivating and intense beauty like a poppy.
The photography studio was profoundly silent, punctuated only by the click of the shutter and Balmon’s exclamations and sighs.
Over the next hour of shooting, Ye Shanshan continuously changed positions at will. Balmon instructed him to imagine the state after making love and to express it directly.
Thus, Ye Shanshan sat, lay at an angle, and even towards the end, boldly unbuttoned the last two buttons of his shirt, revealing his chest and slender waist.
Finally, Balmon handed Ye Shanshan a silver lighter with a tear-shaped turquoise inset and gave him a slender cigarette, saying, “Ye, light it up.”
Ye Shanshan didn’t speak. He simply held the cigarette between his teeth, spun the lighter between his fingers in a circle, gripped it, and pressed his thumb. With a “click,” a warm yellow flame appeared.
He brought the cigarette close to his mouth, the tobacco ignited, glowing in golden-red hues, emitting wisps of smoke that rose slowly. His low-waisted pants revealed his waist completely, the open shirt appearing disheveled, carrying a strand of unrestrained passion and audacity.
“Ye.”
He heard the call, glanced sideways, then disinterestedly looked away, squinting slightly as he focused on the lighter. The cinnabar mole amidst the swirling smoke captivated the soul.
— A beauty of extreme allure, not frivolous, even cold and indifferent, yet enticing like a forbidden fruit, sweet and irresistible.
1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️”
