Chapter 6: A Little Couple — Jiang Yan Picked up a Bra Strap, “What is this…”
The sun was perfect on the day of the shoot, the breeze gentle and not drying. The hem of a floral dress lifted under the shade of a tree. Jiang Yunian lowered his head to adjust his wig, waiting for the photographer who was long overdue.
He Qing jogged over, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. A camera hung around his neck, and he carried three cups of milk tea in his hand, tiny beads of condensation gathering on the plastic bags.
Hao Meng beamed. “Late again?”
He didn’t argue. He consciously offered one of the cups—a subtle gesture of ingratiation, begging for forgiveness. Hao Meng bit her straw and hummed, letting him off the hook.
“Art Department, He Qing,” she pointed and introduced. “This is Jiang Yunian, our great beauty.”
Their eyes met, both hesitating for a split second. He Qing recovered quickly and handed over another cup smoothly. “Do you drink Mango Pomelo Sago?”
He Qing had excellent features, with a hint of coolness between his brows. Jiang Yunian found him familiar, yet couldn’t place him among anyone he knew from before.
“Thank you.” His voice wasn’t loud, somewhat androgynous.
Hearing this voice, He Qing couldn’t help but glance at him again, his expression a bit odd.
“Alright, everyone’s here. Let’s get to work.” Hao Meng began issuing orders.
The shooting process was longer than expected. Jiang Yunian had no experience; his movements were stiff, and he didn’t know where to put his hands. Hao Meng demonstrated a few poses, but with little success.
“Relax.” He Qing’s voice came from behind the camera. “Imagine you are waiting for someone.”
Jiang Yunian unconsciously followed his lead, gradually getting into the zone. By the time he changed into the second dress, he could face the lens naturally. He Qing half-knelt on the grass, snapping photos diligently, the shutter sound mixing with the chirping of insects and birds.
“Nice performance.” When Hao Meng saw the finished photos, her eyes lit up, and she gave him a high-five.
Jiang Yunian scratched his wig and let out a sigh of relief.
Just as they were about to wrap up, He Qing looked into the distance and frowned slightly. A red McLaren was driving toward them. Soon, the supercar braked hard on the tree-lined avenue, drifting to a cool stop.
Zhou Shu slammed the car door, his Vacheron Constantin watch sweeping past the handle. Turning around, he saw He Qing standing between two “social butterflies,” and his tongue pressed against his cheek.
“Your job is quite interesting,” Zhou Shu approached with one hand in his pocket, his leather shoes crushing the yellow-green fallen leaves. “Shooting women by day, accompanying men by night. Your schedule is fuller than the President’s.”
He Qing’s frown deepened. Standing behind him, Jiang Yunian clearly saw the impatience on his face.
“What are you doing here again?” He Qing squeezed the words through his teeth.
“Doing what?” Zhou Shu suddenly reached out and tugged at his camera strap, lowering his voice. “Obviously… to catch an adulterer.”
The strap was yanked suddenly, causing He Qing to stumble forward, nearly falling into his arms. He reached back to pull away, warning him in a low voice to let go.
Seeing the situation turn bad, Hao Meng finished the last sip of her milk tea and waved her hand, signaling Jiang Yunian to step back.
Zhou Shu found it boring, so he let go. He turned to look at the two “social butterflies,” skipped over Hao Meng, and walked straight toward Jiang Yunian.
Jiang Yunian looked at him in confusion. The tall shadow completely enveloped him, carrying an invisible sense of oppression.
The other party looked him up and down, nodding his chin as if appraising a satisfying piece of merchandise. It made him feel uncomfortable all over, nervously pinching his skirt.
“Looks quite energetic.” Zhou Shu’s gaze landed on his exposed neck, thoughtful. “No wonder…”
Hm?
“Don’t go crazy here.” He Qing suddenly inserted himself between the two, then said to Hao Meng that he was leaving first.
Hao Meng spread her hands—suit yourself.
He dragged Zhou Shu away, but the man stood immovable as a mountain. He Qing endured it for a moment, then softened his voice: “Didn’t you say go home? Let’s go.”
Like an NPC triggered by a keyword, the tension in Zhou Shu’s face collapsed instantly. Ignoring whether anyone was around, he wantonly wrapped his arm around He Qing’s waist to lead him into the car. “Baby, you’re finally willing to go home with me.”
He Qing couldn’t stand his loose mouth. “Shut up. I meant go back to my home.”
“Doesn’t matter. Your home is my home.”
The car door closed, and Jiang Yunian seemed to hear the crisp click of the seatbelt buckle.
Hao Meng shrugged, accustomed to the scene. “Just little tricks between couples.”
The sports car didn’t start immediately. The passenger window was left open a crack, barely half a palm’s width. Through it, one could vaguely see He Qing being pressed hard against the seat back, a black head of hair looming over him.
Jiang Yunian swallowed. “Are they really…?”
“What else?” Hao Meng touched up her lipstick. “Young Master Zhou cycles through dozens of sports cars in his garage just to pick someone up from class.”
She leaned in closer to whisper, “I heard last month someone sent He Qing milk tea, and the next day that milk tea shop was acquired. Guess who did it?”
The answer was self-evident.
Jiang Yunian was astonished. Thinking of the entangled figures in the car, his chest felt inexplicably hot.
I didn’t expect He Qing to be gay, and his boyfriend is so rich.
Hao Meng laughed at his honest, unworldly look and couldn’t help teasing him. “Also, the one who sent milk tea was a handsome little guy. Guess what? Later, that person just vanished from school. His boyfriend is a huge vinegar jar. Don’t let him find out you’re a guy, or else…”
Understood. I understand.
Seeing Zhou Shu’s domineering appearance just now, he clearly wasn’t someone to be messed with. Jiang Yunian just wanted to earn some extra money, not risk the rest of his life.
Jiang Yunian shrank his neck, deciding to protect his little secret identity well.
After a tiring day, it was already past dinner time when he got home. The kitchen light was on, and there was food kept warm in the pot.
Jiang Yan was curled up in the corner of the sofa watching TV. The male and female leads in the idol drama had reached a melodramatic, inseparable parting scene. The lines were so cheesy it was unbearable, but he didn’t even lift his eyelids, completely engrossed.
He didn’t even hear the greeting.
It’s the age of longing for love; watching too much might rot the brain. Jiang Yunian pondered as he walked, thinking he needed to find a way to distract him.
As he passed the sofa, the scent of cheap perfume on him made Jiang Yan feel extremely uncomfortable.
“What smell is that?”
Jiang Yunian froze. He had already removed his makeup before coming back; it was likely the perfume rubbed off from Hao Meng.
“A classmate sprayed some perfume.”
Jiang Yan frowned. “Smells bad.”
“It smells quite nice.” Jiang Yunian sniffed; there was a faint jasmine scent on his clothes.
Jiang Yan’s expression sank. “Go shower.”
It seemed he really couldn’t stand the smell; the rejection was written all over his face.
“Oh.”
Jiang Yunian sheepishly moved further away and went into his room. He had worn the breast forms today, and they had left red marks on his chest, which was very uncomfortable. He rubbed the area carefully, then went into the living room bathroom without tidying up much.
Ten minutes or so later, the water in the bathroom stopped. Jiang Yunian came out wearing pajamas, the collar loose and revealing a large expanse of skin, blindingly white under the light.
He had applied medicine to the indented marks. The fabric rubbing against them was itchy, so he simply left two extra buttons undone to let it breathe.
But unexpectedly, that white chest with its reddish tint fell into Jiang Yan’s eyes, nearly making him lose control.
The TV images flashed by like a revolving lantern; he couldn’t take in anything. His eyes were left only with that fatal scenery.
Sometimes, he really suspected Jiang Yunian was a fox spirit in disguise, specialized in teasing men.
Yet this certain someone was seductive without even knowing it.
Jiang Yunian sensed something was off and looked toward the sofa. Jiang Yan maintained the same posture as when he entered, deep in the dog-blood plot, unable to extricate himself.
Jiang Yunian shook his head and went back to his room to get his dirty clothes. He had washed in a hurry just now and forgot to bring the dress out with him.
Behind him, a naked gaze stuck to his back, like vines crawling out of the mud, inch by inch climbing up the delicate flower stamen.
Jiang Yunian scrubbed the dress gently at the sink. The removed breast forms were still soaking in the water, flesh-colored straps scattered by the basin’s edge.
Half an hour later, he wrung out the dress, bra, and stockings, put them in the basin, and covered them with a shirt on top, planning to dry them on the small balcony in his room.
“What is this?”
As he passed through the living room, Jiang Yan suddenly spoke up. Jiang Yunian’s heart skipped a beat as he watched helplessly while Jiang Yan pinched a bra strap exposed at the edge.
“Uh, this…” Jiang Yunian scrambled to pull it from his hand and stuff it back under the clothes. “It’s a shoelace! Right, a shoelace.”
“Shoelace?” His reaction was huge, causing Jiang Yan to glance into the basin a few more times. “Doesn’t look like one.”
“Mn, you saw wrong. I-I’m going to hang the laundry.”
Jiang Yunian’s heart beat fast. He picked up the basin and hurried into the bedroom, not forgetting to close the door.
Jiang Yan let out a laugh through his nose.
What kind of shameful clothes can’t be dried on the balcony but must be dried in the room?
His Ge is really full of surprises.
Then, thinking of something, his expression changed. He took out his phone and sent a text message.
[Investigate what he did today.]
Later that evening, Jiang Yunian knocked on the master bedroom door with a cup of honey water.
“Come in.”
Pushing the door open, Jiang Yan had his back to the door. He had taken off his shirt, revealing a well-defined back and waist.
Jiang Yunian accidentally stared in a daze. Although he had seen it countless times while applying medicine, back then he was injured; there was none of the aesthetic beauty present now.
Jiang Yan turned his head, openly displaying his eight-pack abs, his expression calm. “Something the matter?”
“Mn.” Jiang Yunian closed his eyes briefly, resisting the urge to look around randomly. He placed the honey water on the bedside table, then took out an old mobile phone from his pocket.
“This is for you.” Jiang Yunian’s voice was gentle, filled with concern. “The card is already installed, and my number is saved in it.”
After discovering Jiang Yan was missing that day, Jiang Yunian realized there was no way to contact each other. If Jiang Yan disappeared inexplicably again one day, he might not be lucky enough to save him a second time. For safety’s sake, he dug out the phone he used in high school and bought him a new SIM card on the way home, so it would be convenient to contact him if anything happened.
Jiang Yan glanced at the yellowed phone case. It was a no-name brand he couldn’t identify. It took several minutes just to turn on.
Jiang Yunian taught him how to use WeChat and pinned his own number to the top.
Perhaps because the presence of the eight-pack abs below was too strong, or perhaps something else, Jiang Yunian couldn’t concentrate during the operation, always stealing glances with a look of envy.
After finally teaching him, Jiang Yunian told him to put the phone away. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a brown scar on his arm. As if possessed, he reached out. When he touched that scar, the muscles in the arm suddenly tensed.
“Does it still hurt?”
Not just the arm—there were scars of varying sizes on his waist, abdomen, and legs. Some deep, some shallow; it was heart-wrenching to look at.
Jiang Yunian couldn’t help but recall that night at the hospital. The doctor told him Jiang Yan likely had been in a car accident and hit his head. The injuries on his body were superficial; they looked severe but weren’t critical. Even so, seeing this body covered in cuts and bruises, he had been stunned for a long time. It felt as if the wounds weren’t on Jiang Yan, but slashed across his own heart, each one shocking to the sight.
“Much better.”
Jiang Yan pinched that arm. “It’s just trouble when showering; can’t exert force in some places.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yunian spoke without thinking: “I’ll help you.”
Jiang Yan’s expression froze for a second, his gaze lowering. “What?”
Help him… shower?
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