Chapter 19: Photography

The children’s photography studio had a large storefront. Zhu Jia pushed open the glass door and walked in. The entire store was pristine white, with walls adorned with various baby portraits.

The receptionist noticed the young, elegant woman and immediately smiled, greeting her, “Hello, are you interested in learning about baby photography?”

“Yes,” Zhu Jia nodded slightly.

“Please take a seat while I ask our customer manager to come and assist you.” The receptionist led Zhu Jia to a round table, where she placed a cup of warm water on the surface.

Zhu Jia pushed Xiao Wen’s stroller to her side and sat down, taking in her surroundings. The space was spacious and bright, with a pleasant scent of air freshener in the air.

On the side wall, there were two baby photos. One featured a baby swaddled in a “eggshell” pose, looking as if they had just hatched from an egg. The other showed a baby dressed in a tiger costume, obviously a zodiac-themed shoot for a child born in the year of the tiger.

As she looked at Xiao Wen, who had just fallen asleep in his stroller, Zhu Jia couldn’t help but imagine what kind of cute poses she could choose for his photo session.

“Hello.” She looked up to see a professional-looking woman in a suit. The woman glanced at Xiao Wen in his stroller and smiled, “Your baby is so adorable. Would you like to learn more about our baby and family photography?”

Zhu Jia nodded, and the customer manager sat down, pulling out a thick hardcover photo album and handing it to her. “Please take a look at some of our sample photos.”

Zhu Jia flipped through the album. The photos featured a variety of styles, showcasing children of all ages, from newborns to elementary schoolers. Some were individual shots, and others were family portraits.

Zhu Jia focused on the first few pages, which featured newborn babies in various styled shoots.

“You can choose from several different poses for your baby, and if the photos turn out well, you can purchase them as needed,” the customer manager explained with a smile.

After flipping through a few pages, Zhu Jia had an idea. For a baby of Xiao Wen’s age, the shoot would focus on creative poses with props to create themed scenes.

She continued flipping through the album, looking at the family photos. The styles for family photos were more varied, but most featured either the father or mother holding the baby, posing with different expressions and gestures.

After she had flipped through enough, the customer manager said, “You might want to consider our most popular 9998 yuan package, which includes five different styles of photos. You can freely mix and match individual baby photos and family photos. Of course, you can also take more styles and choose your five favorites later.”

“We give you all the raw photos, and 30 of them will be professionally retouched.” The customer manager observed Zhu Jia’s reaction, and seeing no sign of dissatisfaction, she continued, “How old is your baby now?”

Zhu Jia replied, “Just over two months.”

The customer manager pointed to a particular style in the album. “If you want to do a shoot, it’s best to do it soon, as some poses don’t look as good once the baby gets a bit older.”

“You could come for a session this month, another one when the baby turns one, and a third when the baby turns three. This way, you can capture the baby’s growth over time. Would you like to know more? We offer a discount if you book all three shoots at once.”

Zhu Jia was about to decline but, for some inexplicable reason, found herself nodding.

Fifteen minutes later, she left the photography studio with a voucher for three photo sessions in her hand, feeling a strange sensation inside her.

She didn’t know why she had suddenly decided to purchase the three sessions. After all, she could only accompany Xiao Wen for one, maybe two sessions at most. Zhu Jia sighed. Well, she would leave the arrangements to Mo Yichen when the time came.

The customer manager had scheduled her for a session in three days, and after some thought, Zhu Jia figured she should let Mo Yichen know since they would be taking family photos.

But Mo Yichen had been elusive these days, and Zhu Jia could only open WeChat and scroll down until she found his rarely used profile picture.

“Next Wednesday at 10:30 AM, I’m taking Xiao Wen to the photo shoot. If you’re free, you can come along.” Zhu Jia sent him a formal message with the photography studio’s address attached.

She didn’t check her phone again until later that night, just before bed. When she opened WeChat, she saw his brief one-word reply: “Mm.”

Zhu Jia scratched her head, then remembered a particularly fresh-looking set of white shirt family photos she had seen earlier. She sent him another message: “It’d be best if you wear white.”

Zhu Jia waited for a while, but since Mo Yichen didn’t respond, she decided to go to bed.

Soon enough, Wednesday arrived. Zhu Jia wore a silk white shirt paired with a bright yellow knee-length pencil skirt. The skirt was just above the knee, short enough not to hinder her from taking care of the baby.

When she went downstairs for breakfast, she learned that Mo Yichen had already gone to work. He probably wouldn’t come after all, since it was a workday. Zhu Jia shrugged. Regardless of whether he showed up, she was determined to take some family photos with Xiao Wen today—something she had wanted for a long time.

After feeding Xiao Wen, they set off and arrived at “Focus Baby Photography Studio” on time. The customer manager who had greeted her last time was already waiting there.

“Miss Zhu, please.”

Zhu Jia paused, not immediately reacting. Since coming to this world, everyone had referred to her as “Mrs. Mo,” so this was the first time anyone had called her “Miss Zhu.”

She pushed Xiao Wen into the photography studio, and the customer manager led her past the front desk and deeper into the store. The studio was much larger than she had imagined, with makeup rooms, changing rooms, a prop room, and even a photography studio.

Through a glass door, she saw a male photographer with dreadlocks adjusting the lighting.

At that moment, a young female assistant with a delicate appearance walked up to Zhu Jia.

“Miss Zhu, hello. I’ll be in charge of the baby’s shoot today. You can sit here and watch.” The assistant smiled.

“Can’t I go inside?” Zhu Jia bit her lip.

“For the baby’s individual shots, it’s better not to go inside. Our staff will comfort the baby. When we do the family photos, we’ll invite you in.” The implication was that having parents inside could disturb the baby’s emotions, and stability was key during a shoot.

Zhu Jia looked through the glass door. The whole studio was clear, so she could see Xiao Wen’s every move even without entering. “Alright then.” She handed Xiao Wen over to the assistant.

“Miss Zhu, when did your baby last eat?”

“About half an hour ago,” Zhu Jia replied.

The assistant nodded in satisfaction. “You can sit here while I take the baby inside.”

Zhu Jia watched as the assistant carried Xiao Wen into the studio, where she began talking to the male photographer. Today, Zhu Jia had chosen five outfits for Xiao Wen, and the assistant was now changing him into the first one.

The assistant dressed Xiao Wen in a stylish white bathrobe.

Meanwhile, the photographer was setting up a small prop scene: a little round table with a tray holding a teapot and three teacup props.

The assistant gently placed Xiao Wen on a tiny “chair” beside the table. This chair was specially designed for babies who couldn’t sit up on their own, offering support for their necks and spines. Of course, the assistant remained close by to prevent any accidents.

Xiao Wen was put in small sunglasses, and the photographer quickly snapped a shot.

Then the sunglasses were removed, and a white hat matching the bathrobe was put on Xiao Wen, with another quick shot.

They changed props a few times, and the photographer snapped pictures at a rapid pace. When Xiao Wen started getting restless and couldn’t stay still anymore, the scene was completed. The assistant immediately picked Xiao Wen up and comforted him.

Zhu Jia couldn’t help but smile quietly. It seemed that baby photography was no easy task. The key was speed—taking advantage of the baby’s fleeting patience to quickly capture everything before the baby lost interest.

If any step wasn’t done right, the whole shoot would be compromised.

Next, Xiao Wen was prepared for the second outfit: a tight-fitting blue baseball suit with a matching cap.

Zhu Jia couldn’t help but chuckle at how cute Xiao Wen looked

Wearing this outfit, Xiao Wen’s chubby little belly was almost impossible to hide. Since he was in a good mood, the photographer decided to take some pictures of him lying down and playing.

Xiao Wen propped his neck up, wearing a cool hat, slightly tilting his head. The photographer was satisfied and snapped photos rapidly.

“Miss Zhu, would you like to go for makeup first? There are still four more outfits for the baby, and we can finish shooting quickly,” the customer manager asked.

Zhu Jia looked at the photography studio, and Xiao Wen was still in a good mood. She nodded reassuringly, then followed the customer manager to the makeup room.

No heavy makeup was needed; the goal for the parent-child photos was to look warm and natural. Zhu Jia’s skin was in great condition, so the makeup artist only enhanced her complexion slightly.

Zhu Jia, still thinking about Xiao Wen, quickly finished with a light makeup and returned, only to find someone sitting on the sofa where she had been.

Dressed in a white shirt with a slightly open collar and casual black trousers, his bangs slightly drooping, he exuded a laid-back yet aloof vibe. This combination somehow made him seem like an elegant rogue.

He had been watching the studio’s activities, but upon hearing footsteps, he turned to look.

“Mo Yichen, you’re here!” Zhu Jia’s heart surged with excitement, as parent-child photos were best taken with the three of them together.

Mo Yichen glanced at Zhu Jia with a complicated expression. Did she really look forward to seeing him that much? Though he had made time to come today, he hoped she didn’t misunderstand. He was here for Xiao Wen.

Mo Yichen nonchalantly glanced at her. The bright yellow skirt she was wearing accentuated her curves, and her slender white legs looked delicate. With those proportions, he could easily circle them with one hand.

“Mr. Mo, Mrs. Mo, please come in. The baby’s solo shots are finished,” the customer manager walked over and opened the studio door.

The customer manager had just broken a sweat. Only after Mo Yichen arrived did she realize that Miss Zhu was actually the wife of the famous Young Master Mo, and the baby being photographed was their son.

Luckily, she didn’t end up overestimating her position…