Chapter 34

Editor: SleepyMango123

Proofreader: Lore

In late autumn, the temperature became a bit warmer, and the sunshine outside was bright. At noon, after asking for Han Cheng’s opinion, the auntie set lunch outside under a French plane tree.

“I’m going to be photographed for the cover of the magazine in the afternoon. Do you want to go?” Han Cheng picked off a sycamore leaf that fell on his shoulder for Xia Tian and continued, “It was from the magazine yesterday.”

Xia Tian hesitated. Of course he was willing to follow, but his homework had not yet been completed.

According to Han Cheng’s instructions, every day after finishing homework, Xia Tian must check his answers one by one, and then rectify his careless mistakes. He had to sort out the questions that he didn’t understand, read the explanatory answers or ask Han Cheng. After thoroughly understanding the question, he finally had to list the main points related to the problem next to the question that was wrong.

Chinese and English were okay. However for Science homework, he had to spend three times the time and effort compared to the others.

Of course, the effect of such diligence was also significant. Xia Tian’s progress had become more and more obvious. The quantitative change of knowledge accumulation was slowly forming a qualitative change. The only thing that wasn’t going his way was that the questions were now a little harder and there was not much spare time to be had.

Yesterday, he had spent a lot of time with Han Cheng for the interview. If he were to accompany him to the magazine studio today, he would be occupied the whole afternoon and at night since he might eat out with Han Cheng for dinner. It would be late when he came back.

Xia Tian still had yet to finish a comprehensive examination paper and an assignment.

Han Cheng saw Xia Tian’s hesitation and said, “It’s not an important matter. You can just stay at home.”

“No, no.” Xia Tian struggled for a moment before deciding to sleep late at night. He smiled, “I’ll go. I like to see you having your pictures taken.”

Han Cheng raised his eyebrows. “What’s so interesting about taking photos? I thought… Since you participated in the interview, it’s better to have the both of us on the cover together.”

Xia Tian was stunned. His ears turned red, and he lowered his head after taking a bite of the meal and uncomfortably continued slowly, “Do we… still have to kiss?”

Xia Tian rolled happily in his heart, Oh my! Really, do we have to kiss? What a day! Yesterday, we kissed twice and we still have to kiss this afternoon. A total of three times. Not once, not twice, but three times! I hope today’s photographer can take things a bit slower and we can kiss for a longer time. Yesterday, he was over-excited and ended up being in a daze. He had to take the initiative today. He still wanted to…

“No.” Han Cheng glanced at Xia Tian and said lightly, “For a finance magazine, the models on the cover display such affections, do you think it is appropriate?”

Xia Tian, whose face was splashed by Han Cheng pouring cold water, calmed down, rubbed his ears and shook his head and said, “It’s not appropriate.”

“It’s not just for that photo.” Han Cheng said, “Suddenly I remembered that apart from the ID photo of the marriage registration, we also had the photo taken secretly. It seemed that there were no other photos.”

Xia Tian whispered, “When we got married, you said that you didn’t have time to take wedding photos…”

At that point in time, it was Liang Qingfeng who contacted him and relayed that Mr. Han was very busy, everything was to be simple and there was no need to take wedding photos. After that, he asked him for a few of his pictures and said that they would be developed in advance for emergencies.

The one on Han Cheng’s desk was also printed out that way.

When with others, Han Cheng would evasively talk around the complicated relationship between him and Xia Tian. He glanced at the younger man and Xia Tian immediately kept quiet. Han Cheng took a sip of his soup and said, “Do you feel wronged?”

“No, no.” Xia Tian hurriedly shook his head and smiled. “Isn’t this already making up for it?”

Xia Tian meant to relay some things, and he had hoped Han Cheng could understand his underlying intentions.

From the time of marriage to the present, if you miss so many opportunities of holding hands and many kisses, you have to make up, right?

Han Cheng thought about it and nodded. “Okay, I owe you this, I’ll make it up to you one by one.”

Xia Tian couldn’t guess if Han Cheng had understood or not. He was embarrassed to say that he wanted to kiss, so he lowered his head to eat and didn’t mention it again.

After lunch, the two sat on the wicker chairs for a while. From time to time, golden sycamore leaves fell down. Xia Tian returned to his room and took out a book, and sandwiched the few leaves that he had collected in the book.

Han Cheng faintly smiled.

Xia Tian grinned, “What’s the matter? Do you think it is naive?”

“No.” Han Cheng looked at the original French book in Xia Tian’s hand, and said, “When I was in school, I would also put leaves in the book. After that, I didn’t have such interest.”

Xia Tian shook his head hurriedly. “No, no, you’re already very passionate.”

Han Cheng’s lack of passion had already made Xia Tian restless all day long and ultimately made him long for him. If he were more zealous, Xia Tian felt that his heart would not be able to stand it.

“Besides, I did this in front of you. If you were not at home, I would never have thought of collecting specimens.” Xia Tian frankly said, “Sweeping the leaves into a pile, and then lighting a fire might be better.”

Han Cheng laughed, and Xia Tian smiled and said, “If there are sweet potatoes at home, maybe I might even make dinner for myself.”

“I can buy it for you tonight or if you want, we can bake it at home.” With such a small request, Han Cheng was willing to oblige him.

Xia Tian grinned. “Accompanying me to eat sweet potatoes? Let’s see if you’ll actually do it when the time comes.”

Han Cheng chuckled. “You have accompanied me to participate in the interview and take magazine photos. Roasting sweet potatoes with you is nothing compared to that.”

After chatting for a while, Liang Qingfeng called, saying he was ready. Han Cheng and Xia Tian got in the car and went to the agreed place.

“My… my hair is a bit long.” Xia Tian was a bit regretful, “I shouldn’t have been sitting and waiting just now. I should have just gone and tidied up… What about the clothes? They should have them there, right?”

Han Cheng nodded. “Liang Qingfeng should have brought a few sets over. The studio must have also prepared. If none of it works, we still have a set of your clothes in the car.”

Han Cheng looked at Xia Tian’s hair and said, “I think it’s just right… if you really think it’s long, let them help you tidy it up.”

Xia Tian responded, “Okay.”

When the two arrived, everything was ready, and the others were waiting.

When Han Cheng had his solo pictures taken, Xia Tian went to the fitting room to change his clothes. Sure enough, Liang Qingfeng brought a few sets of their clothes. Xia Tian chose the one that looked the most formal and walked out.

The makeup artist styled Xia Tian’s hair by gathering up his bangs, revealing a smooth and full forehead.

It was a pity that Xia Tian’s face was small. When he wore a suit and had his hair together, it made him appear like a teenager.

Fortunately, he was a very, very beautiful boy.

When Han Cheng was still taking solo photos, Xia Tian came from behind while wearing a tie.

Han Cheng watched the dashing young man with a moment of wonder.

“Mr. Han, Mr. Han…” Noticing that Han Cheng’s eyes were distracted, the photographer tried to grab Han Cheng’s attention but he remained motionless. The photographer couldn’t help but to also look over. He smiled understandingly and said, “You can take it together. The solo shots are completed, anyway.”

After taking a few photos of the two standing side by side, the staff brought in a heavy European-style chair signaling for Xia Tian to sit down while Han Cheng stood behind him and continued to take a few more photos.

Immediately after, they moved the chair and set the scene again. The photographer adjusted the angle, and when he was about to start shooting, Han Cheng said, “Wait a minute.”

Everyone looked at Han Cheng, and Han Cheng said, “Xia Tian’s shoelaces are loose.”

Xia Tian looked down, and sure enough… He didn’t pay attention to his hurried change of clothes just now, the lace of his left leather shoe was not properly fastened. After walking around for a long time, it was already loose.

Just as Xia Tian was about to fix his lace, Han Cheng was already a step ahead of him and squatted down.

Xia Tian, “!”

The interviewer, “!”

Everyone in the magazine studio, “!”

Han Cheng’s expression didn’t change as he properly untied the shoelaces and then re-tied them carefully.

The photographer was the first to react after a moment of shock. He seized the opportunity and took a few shots in succession to capture this scene.

In the camera, Xia Tian was slightly surprised, but he didn’t retreat and was looking down at Han Cheng.

Han Cheng was almost half kneeling, indifferent and serious, focusing on arranging the shoelaces for Xia Tian.

***

Xia Tian looked at the picture on his phone which he had requested from the photographer, this unedited shoelace photo. He plunged his head into the pillow, hammered it twice, and yelled in his heart, What to do, I’m falling for Han Cheng harder and harder!

It had been several hours since they returned from the studio, and Xia Tian hadn’t finished a single question.

In the afternoon, after taking that photo, Han Cheng seemed as though nothing had happened and continued to have his pictures taken. Xia Tian didn’t want to be seen as a spoiled bun who had never been in love by others and desperately worked hard to suppress himself. His actions were very natural, but in fact, his heart had been exploding into fireworks.

Xia Tian at first thought that if one day, he could really get what he wanted and cultivate his feelings with Han Cheng, he would be the one who loved Han Cheng more deeply. He felt that Han Cheng would not love him more than himself.

However, since the beginning, Han Cheng had always let Xia Tian feel that his love for him would not lose to Xia Tian’s.

The strong love, like a hurricane, had driven away Xia Tian’s restlessness.

This was Han Cheng’s unique gentleness towards him. He used actions to rescue Xia Tian from the passive state.

There was no need to worry about gains or losses, or be fearful and on the edge.

Looking at the photos on the phone, Xia Tian’s heart gradually softened.

How could this person be so good.