Jiang Ting was seeing such a distinct smile on Xie An’yu’s face for the first time. She had no idea what Yu Feng was chatting with him about, but Xie An’yu’s entire demeanor had clearly relaxed.
The makeup artist was an old acquaintance of Jiang Ting’s. He walked over to her and asked about Xie An’yu in a roundabout way: “Is this model a new recruit of yours?”
Jiang Ting glanced at him and shook her head. “No.”
“A freelance model, then?”
Jiang Ting hummed in agreement. “You could say that.”
“What do you mean, ‘you could say that’…”
“What’s it to you?” Jiang Ting narrowed her eyes at him, seeing right through his intentions. “I haven’t signed him yet, but that could change in the future. Don’t you dare mess around.”
“Now that’s just cynical of you.”
“I know you too well—you’ve taken a fancy to him again, haven’t you?”
The makeup artist chuckled. “So what if I have? Even if I like him, I wouldn’t pull any shady moves. I’d pursue him properly. What kind of person do you take me for?”
“Only because he’s a nobody,” Jiang Ting said bluntly. “If he had any fame, would you still dare to have designs on him?”
“Look, Editor Jiang, you really misunderstand me. I just can’t stand pretentious people. Most of the celebrities and models I’ve worked with are either putting on an act or putting on airs—utterly soulless.”
Jiang Ting scoffed. “How long have you even talked to him? You can see his soul already?”
“It’s called having a good first impression.”
Jiang Ting tilted her chin toward Xie An’yu. “Does he look like the type who’d be easy to pursue? It’s not even clear if he’s into guys like you.”
***
Yu Feng and Xie An’yu continued chatting on the sofa.
“Stay as relaxed as you are now when we start shooting,” Yu Feng told Xie An’yu. “Keep your demeanor loose.”
Xie An’yu nodded and asked earnestly, “Is there anything else I should pay attention to?”
“You don’t need to deliberately focus on anything; just go with the flow.” Yu Feng glanced at him. “I’ve seen your previous photos—you have great presence in front of the camera. Just do what you did before. Also, this is a couples shoot, so there will definitely be some physical contact. Some poses might even be a bit intimate.”
Jiang Ting had shown Xie An’yu the concept plan a week before the shoot, so he was mentally prepared. Still, hearing Yu Feng mention it made his heart skip a beat. “…How intimate?”
“Hard to say. It depends on the chemistry between the two of you later.”
Xie An’yu said, “I doubt there’ll be any chemistry between us… She’s not you.”
Yu Feng chuckled.
Xie An’yu came up with an idea and asked Yu Feng, “Can I imagine her as you later? If I pretend it’s you, I might be able to relax more.”
Yu Feng rejected the idea without hesitation: “No.” After the refusal, a rogue comment slipped out immediately. “Besides chemistry, you and I could also have a physical reaction. Can she do that?”
Xie An’yu was left speechless, his face heating up.
Yu Feng was indeed not a mensao—his self-awareness was spot on. He was openly flirtatious, a mingsao1明騷 (míng sāo): a term used in the online context to describe the public expression of strong desires. The term was contributed by netizens and verified by authoritative books. It was classified as a cultural term and a hot word on the Internet and was officially included in April 2025. A contrast to 悶騷 (mēn sāo) which refers to people who look quiet, cold, or even dull outside, but inside they are volatile, charismatic, hot, and sexy..
Jiang Ting called for Xie An’yu from across the room. He stood up and, before leaving, said to Yu Feng, “Brother, when you start acting like a rogue, no one can defeat you.”
Yu Feng smiled faintly. “I’ll show you more of it later.”
Xie An’yu thought to himself, Later? You’re already doing a pretty impressive job of it right now.
Jiang Ting smiled at Xie An’yu as he approached. “You seem quite close with Teacher Yu, chatting so happily. The brand sent over the accessories—try them on.”
The stylist fastened the necklace from the brand around Xie An’yu’s neck. It was studded with diamonds all around, dazzling under the lights.
“This necklace is way too sparkly,” Jiang Ting couldn’t help but exclaim. “So gorgeous.”
The stylist chuckled. “It’s 2.56 million RMB2T/N: Around 359,500 USD—of course it sparkles.”
Xie An’yu was startled, instantly feeling as if his neck bore the weight of a thousand pounds.
Jiang Ting was equally stunned. “…No wonder they wouldn’t even let us try it on before—just lending it for the day of the shoot.”
The stylist then slipped rings onto Xie An’yu’s index and ring fingers and put a bracelet on his wrist—all part of the same jewelry set. This was Xie An’yu’s first time wearing accessories, and it felt a bit uncomfortable, especially with a two-million-yuan chain hanging around his neck. He didn’t even dare turn his neck too much.
Tang Shu’s outfit created a stark contrast with Xie An’yu’s. She wore a black suit with the jacket open, her upper body wrapped directly in a printed scarf of the same pattern as Xie An’yu’s shirt, serving as her inner layer. While Xie An’yu’s look was casual and slightly flamboyant, hers exuded a more commanding and spirited aura compared to his.
Xie An’yu leaned back against the sofa, one leg slightly bent, the other naturally stretched out, his left arm raised and resting casually on the sofa back. Tang Shu stood behind the sofa, slightly to Xie An’yu’s side and rear, bending forward a little, one hand on the back of the chair, the other hanging near Xie An’yu’s shoulder.
Yu Feng watched the two in the frame from behind the camera and suddenly said, “Tang Shu, grip his neck.”
Tang Shu was taken aback, then laughed. “Even though this issue’s theme is ‘Bondage’, we don’t need to take it to an S.M. level, do we? Teacher Yu, you’ve got quite the taste.”
Her remark drew laughter from everyone.
Xie An’yu was the only one present who didn’t know what S.M. meant, listening blankly to the surrounding chuckles.
Yu Feng said, “I didn’t mean actually choke him. Just spread your fingers and rest them on his neck, lifting the necklace.”
“Like this?” Tang Shu slipped her index and middle fingers through Xie An’yu’s necklace, her five fingers slightly spread as they rested on his neck. Her fingers were long and bony, giving the gesture a distinct feel.
Xie An’yu tensed up instantly, his expression turning somewhat awkward.
Tang Shu glanced down at him, a faint smile playing on her lips. “You can’t get distracted so easily. Can we relax a bit?”
Xie An’yu took a deep breath and let out a sound of agreement.
Tang Shu was in a completely different mode when working—once she entered work mode, her whole demeanor changed: she became quiet and expressionless. As a professional model with both fame and skill, Irene had invited her to shoot the duo spread with Xie An’yu partly to ensure sales and partly to let an experienced professional guide the newcomer, helping Xie An’yu perform at his best.
The overall lighting in the studio was dim, with Xie An’yu’s shirt and Tang Shu’s scarf being the most saturated colors in the environment.
Under Yu Feng’s direction, Xie An’yu and Tang Shu performed many intimate poses. This shoot aimed for a sensual, alluring effect—full of desire and tension.
The theme ‘Bondage’ was chosen by Yu Feng. With Tang Shu’s assertiveness and Xie An’yu’s quiet intensity, the concept suited them perfectly.
The photoshoot lasted until the afternoon. Although it was just for a cover, they went through several outfit changes and took five or six sets of photos. The final cover shot would be selected from all these.
By the time the shoot ended, Xie An’yu felt like a walking corpse—his soul had long since departed.
It’s finally over.
Tang Shu’s assistant brought her a cup of warm water. She took a sip and looked at Xie An’yu with amusement. “Forced to ‘do business’ with me must have been torture for you, huh?”
Xie An’yu didn’t know how to respond.
It wasn’t just torture—it was pure agony.
When Xie An’yu focused on a task, he became intensely absorbed and spoke very little. In this regard, he was quite similar to Tang Shu, which was why they had barely exchanged words during the actual shoot.
Now that he had snapped out of that state, the change was visible in his eyes.
Tang Shu watched him silently.
No wonder Irene said he was perfectly suited for the camera.
At first, seeing how awkward Xie An’yu seemed, she had thought today’s shoot might not go smoothly. But once he got into the zone, he was completely different.
Jiang Ting brought over an iced Americano3冰美式 (bīng Měi shì): Iced Americano.
and handed it to Xie An’yu. “You worked hard, you worked hard.”
Xie An’yu thanked her: “Thank you, Sister Ting. You drink it; I don’t drink coffee. I’ll go change now.”
“Alright. Your bag is with me—don’t forget to take it when you leave.”
“Mm.”
Xie An’yu turned to bid Tang Shu goodbye and headed toward the fitting room. Yu Feng was reviewing the photos on his laptop. As Xie An’yu passed by, he looked up and their eyes met.
“You worked hard,” Yu Feng said.
“You worked hard too, Yu… Teacher.”
“Don’t leave right after changing,” Yu Feng looked at him. “Wait for Teacher Yu to go with you.”
Xie An’yu smiled and murmured in affirmation.
In the fitting room, Xie An’yu changed back into his own clothes, and the stylist collected the outfits he had worn. He went to retrieve his bag from Jiang Ting, but when he reached the break room, he noticed the makeup artist was still inside chatting with Jiang Ting.
“Sister Ting, my bag,” Xie An’yu called from the doorway.
“Ah, here.” Jiang Ting handed him his backpack. “You worked hard today—go home and rest well.”
Xie An’yu slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out. Most of the equipment in the studio had already been packed away, and only a few staff members remained.
“How are you getting back later?”
The makeup artist’s voice came from behind. The moment Xie An’yu heard it, he didn’t want to turn around, but the person circled around to stand in front of him.
Xie An’yu didn’t respond.
The makeup artist continued with his usual approach: “Do you have plans tonight? Can I take you out to dinner?”
“He has plans,” Yu Feng’s voice came from behind Xie An’yu. He tapped Xie An’yu’s backpack. “Let’s go.”
Before the makeup artist could react, Xie An’yu had already turned and left with Yu Feng. Jiang Ting stepped out of the break room, and the makeup artist turned to ask her, “Does that model know Yu Feng?”
“What kind of question is that? Yu Feng spent the whole day photographing him—of course they know each other.”
“That’s not what I meant. I mean… are they close?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did I just get my ‘wall corner’ pried away?”
Jiang Ting couldn’t help but laugh. “Could you tone down that inflated self-awareness of yours?”
***
Yu Feng fastened his seatbelt and glanced at Xie An’yu. “Hungry?”
“A little.”
“I’ll take you out for barbecue.”
Xie An’yu slumped back with a long sigh. “I’ve never felt this exhausted before. I should’ve read the proposal before signing the contract.” He turned to look at Yu Feng. “You just pushed your boyfriend into a pit of fire.”
Yu Feng chuckled. “This style suits you—it’s very sexy. This was my first time shooting you, and it might be the last. I wanted to capture a side of you completely different from your usual self.”
“Then, did you achieve it?”
“If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have called it a wrap.”
Xie An’yu laughed until his shoulders shook.
Suddenly, Xie An’yu remembered something. “Brother, I have a question for you.”
“Go ahead.”
“What does S.M. mean?”
Yu Feng’s hand on the steering wheel paused. He turned to look at him. “…Why are you asking?”
“Everyone laughed when Tang Shu mentioned it.”
If someone else had asked this, Yu Feng might have suspected they were feigning innocence, but Xie An’yu was genuinely pure; he truly didn’t know.
“She just mentioned it in passing, and you remembered it till now?”
He couldn’t help it. The way everyone had laughed so unanimously back then—the scene was etched deeply in Xie An’yu’s mind.
Yu Feng couldn’t answer that question: “Look it up on Baidu yourself.”
Xie An’yu took out his phone and searched on Baidu. He stared at the first search result for a few seconds, then silently pressed the power button to turn off the screen.
“Do you know now?”
Xie An’yu hummed in acknowledgment.
List of Idiom in Chapter 69
風生水起 (fēng shēng shuǐ qǐ): lit. a breeze springs up and creates waves on the water (idiom); fig. to be flourishing; to be blooming; thriving; prosperous; spring up; the wind blows over the water, stirring up ripples. It describes something that is done with vigor and prosperity.
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