Xu Yuan had already finished his makeup and was leaning back in his chair, pretending to nap. Shen Nanxing couldn’t help but look at him a few more times, feeling a bit puzzled. “Qingyan Jie didn’t mention that Xu Yuan would be here for the magazine shoot.” He secretly watched Xu Yuan’s actions, but to Xiao Li, it seemed like he just wanted to greet his idol, yet couldn’t bear to disturb him. “Since that’s the case, let me help this little fan!”

Xiao Li’s gaze shifted, and the corners of her mouth lifted in a meaningful smile as she loudly called to Shen Nanxing, “Nanxing, sit down first. I’ll call Lulu to do your makeup in a minute.”

Shen Nanxing pulled back his gaze and replied, “Okay, thank you.”

Xu Yuan heard the clear voice and opened his eyes. Following the sound, he saw Shen Nanxing’s figure, a flash of surprise in his eyes. “It’s you! Long time no see.”

Shen Nanxing noticed he was awake. “Teacher^[1]In china, a person doesnt need to graduate a a degree of bachelor in education to be called a teacher, they can call someone teacher because he or she is teaching or tutoring. Xu.”

Xu Yuan was dressed in a black suit today, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Unlike his usual understated and reserved attire, today’s look made him resemble a mature, aloof CEO. He took off his glasses and began playing with them in his hand. “Nanxing, stop calling me Teacher Xu. You can just call me by my name.”

Shen Nanxing paused for a moment but quickly realized it must have been Qingyan Jie who told him his name. He looked at Xu Yuan with curiosity. “Are you here for the magazine shoot too?”

Xu Yuan laughed lightly. “Didn’t Qingyan tell you?”

Shen Nanxing shook his head.

Finally, Xu Yuan explained the situation. This magazine belonged to a luxury brand, and they invited celebrities and models to help promote their products. Xingyu Media, which partnered with the magazine, had a win-win, mutually beneficial relationship. After Qingyan found a substitute, they proposed having Xu Yuan come for the shoot. That’s why both of them were here together.

Shen Nanxing nodded seriously, indicating that he understood.

Xu Yuan looked at his somewhat clueless expression and couldn’t help but think it was cute. He had grown tired of the entertainment industry’s pretensions, and he liked spending time with someone as pure as Shen Nanxing. It was comfortable, without any need for suspicion.

Makeup artist Lulu came over and began applying makeup on Shen Nanxing, admiring his flawless skin. His skin was not only fair but also smooth without any blemishes or acne scars. Lulu silently envied him in her heart.

After finishing his makeup, Shen Nanxing looked at himself in the mirror and felt a bit uneasy. To match the theme of the shoot, the makeup artist had given him a cool, pure, and alluring look. This style enhanced his natural aura, retaining his coolness while adding a subtle touch of gentleness and allure.

Xiao Li, seeing that his makeup was done, handed him a set of clothes. “Nanxing, the changing room is to your left. You can go change now.”

Shen Nanxing took the clothes and turned to head to the changing room.

After changing, Shen Nanxing stepped out and awkwardly adjusted his tie. It had been a while since he wore a suit and tie, so he wasn’t quite used to it. His first outfit was a white suit, designed for him to play the role of a melancholic piano prince.

When he entered the studio, Xu Yuan had just finished a set of photos. Seeing him, his eyes lit up. “Nanxing, this outfit suits you very well.”

“Thank you.”

“OMG, little beauty, come here, we’ve been waiting for you!” Jamie exclaimed, gazing at him with a slightly infatuated expression.

Shen Nanxing walked straight to the piano, pulled out the bench, and sat down.
His fingers lightly touched the keys, casually playing a piece of music, his gaze deep and focused. However, Jamie quickly called out “Stop!” as he seemed dissatisfied. “Shen, you need to convey that melancholic, broken feeling. You were just like a carefree little prince earlier—this isn’t working!”

Shen Nanxing felt a bit weary. He had thought this theme would be simple; just sitting there and playing the piano would be enough. But now he realized he also needed to manage his expression. If he was supposed to be melancholic and broken, why was he made to wear such makeup? How was he supposed to act like this?

Reluctantly, Shen Nanxing played a sadder piece, trying to find the right mood. Halfway through the song, Jamie finally picked up his camera and started taking pictures.

“OK!” Jamie snapped a series of photos, finally calling to stop. Shen Nanxing breathed a sigh of relief.

Next came the second and third sets of photos… Shen Nanxing felt like his face was about to freeze from smiling too much.

Finally, Jamie asked him and Xu Yuan to take a duo shot. Shen Nanxing thought it would be a simple two-person photo, so he didn’t think much of it. He just grabbed the clothes Xiao Li brought for him and went to the changing room.

When he changed, he realized that the shirt he was given had a cut-out back. From the front, it looked like a very ordinary shirt, but from the side and back, it appeared a bit more revealing. Shen Nanxing reluctantly changed into the outfit and walked out.

He found that Xu Yuan had also changed. Xu Yuan was now wearing a black semi-transparent shirt, with his abdominal muscles subtly visible, giving off a sexy yet restrained vibe. Shen Nanxing looked down at his own outfit and finally understood the purpose of his makeup today. They must have been waiting for him to look this way.

Is this still a legitimate magazine shoot?

Jamie looked at their outfits and almost couldn’t stop smiling. “Xu Yuan, remember to wrap your arms around his waist later. Both of you, turn sideways and look at me.”

“Xu Yuan, your gaze should be full of possessiveness and aggression.”

“And Shen, your gaze should show resistance and innocence.”

“Closer, you two! Yes, yes, that’s the feeling—both ambiguous and full of sexual tension.”

“…”

Finally, they finished all the photos. Xu Yuan, ever the gentleman, released Shen Nanxing and draped his coat over his shoulders. “Nanxing, wear this for now. It’s getting a bit cold.”

Shen Nanxing smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you.”

Just as they were finishing, Lin Qingyan arrived, just in time for the end of the shoot. She suggested, “Nanxing, you must be tired. Do you want to have lunch together? I’m really grateful for your help today.”

Shen Nanxing hadn’t eaten much in the morning, and after the long and exhausting shoot, he was already starving, so he agreed. “Qingyan Jie, please wait for me. I’ll go change first.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

After Shen Nanxing left, Xu Yuan watched her thoughtfully. “Didn’t you inform him about the content of the shoot beforehand?”

Lin Qingyan looked at him, puzzled. “Of course I told him. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Xu Yuan recalled Shen Nanxing’s stiff movements during the shoot and frowned. “Did you tell him about the duo cover shoot?”

“Duo cover shoot?” Lin Qingyan looked at him, genuinely unaware, so Xu Yuan explained what had happened.

After hearing this, Lin Qingyan was furious. “Damn it, these idiots dared to deceive me!” She rolled up her sleeves and was about to confront the person in charge.

Xu Yuan quickly stopped her. “Calm down. It’s already happened.”

Lin Qingyan, furious, replied, “How can I calm down? These bastards are clearly just bullying people!”

Originally, it had been agreed that Xu Yuan’s photos would be the main cover of the magazine, and Shen Nanxing was only supposed to take several sets of different style promotional shots. But those idiots probably thought Shen Nanxing had potential, so they had unilaterally changed the cover to a duo one.

At this point, Lin Qingyan began to regret asking Shen Nanxing to help with the shoot, as it had caused him unnecessary trouble. She felt guilty for not taking better care of him.