WBAI Chapter 34

Yu Feng took a shower first. Normally, he was quick in the shower, but today he spent an extra ten minutes under the water. After showering, he went to his study, turned on the computer, and inserted the SD card into the card reader.

《Charm》 has dedicated retouchers, but Yu Feng preferred to edit his photos himself. He rarely let the retouchers handle the initial fine-tuning of the raw images—his retouchers only stepped in for the later artistic adjustments.

Yu Feng liked editing photos at home. Sometimes, when he couldn’t sleep at night, he’d pass the time by retouching images.

He opened the storage card and glanced casually at its contents. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of unfamiliar colors. He focused and realized that several rows of photos weren’t ones he had taken.

Yu Feng stared blankly at the thumbnails of the figures, then clicked on one of the photos.

The moment the photo opened, the person in it instantly filled most of the screen—it was Xie An’yu.

When Jiang Xiaotian had handed him the card, he hadn’t told him there were photos of Xie An’yu on it. But Yu Feng could guess—these were probably taken on the day Xie An’yu went for the audition.

Even in his usual plain clothes, Xie An’yu’s looks were undeniably good. Now, dressed in something with a bit more design, needless to say, the visual impact was even more striking—handsome beyond measure.

Whether it was the photographer’s skill or not, Yu Feng felt that Xie An’yu didn’t photograph particularly well in these shots. Though still good-looking, it was nowhere near half as striking as he was in person.

Yu Feng flipped through the photos one by one. Normally, he never paid much attention to Xie An’yu’s facial features, but now, he found himself staring intently at the young man on the screen, lost in thought.

His phone vibrated on the desk—a WeChat message from Jiang Xiaotian.

Jiang Xiaotian: 【Brother, there are also photos of Xiao Xie’s audition that day on the SD card. I forgot to delete them [embarrassed]】

Yu Feng: 【Saw them】

Jiang Xiaotian: 【That day, I was worried the photographer would misuse Xiao Xie’s photos, so I copied them. I originally wanted to give them to Xiao Xie, but he said he didn’t need them. I forgot the photos were on the card later, and only remembered today when you took the card [facepalm]】

Yu Feng: 【Mm, got it】

Jiang Xiaotian: 【Brother, I think those photos turned out great. Maybe keep them for Xiao Xie? Would be a nice memento】

Yu Feng: 【Mm】

Yu Feng copied Xie An’yu’s photos to his hard drive. In truth, even if Jiang Xiaotian hadn’t said anything, he had no intention of deleting those photos.

***

Before going to bed that night, Xie An’yu took out the business card Jiang Ting had given him. He used his phone to search for the company on the card and was somewhat disbelieving after seeing the results.

It was a major company—a well-known fashion magazine. The publicly available company information alone spanned several pages online.

The company was definitely real, but the person on the business card was another matter. It could be someone impersonating by borrowing the company’s title. In just a few days, two different people had approached him about modeling—Xie An’yu felt the odds of that happening were too low.

Still, whether it was real or not, he had to verify it in person. If it was genuine, it would be another opportunity to earn money.

***

The next day, Xie An’yu contacted Jiang Ting. Overjoyed to hear from him, she arranged a meeting spot immediately, and they met right away.

“What would you like to drink?” Jiang Ting sat down energetically, placing her bag aside.

“No need,” Xie An’yu said.

“Shall we get straight to the point, then?”

“Mm.”

“It was a bit rushed last time, so I didn’t have time to tell you much. Did you look up our company online?”

Xie An’yu nodded.

“Alright, then I won’t go into too much detail about our company’s situation. Here’s the thing—the theme for our magazine’s next issue is ‘Purity‘, but I don’t have a suitable model on hand right now. I think your appearance fits this issue’s theme perfectly.”

Jiang Ting was somewhat desperate and even a bit willing to gamble. Following past conventions, aside from some hugely popular celebrities, their magazine rarely featured inexperienced amateurs for inner-page shoots. But Xie An’yu’s qualities far exceeded her expectations. Rather than settling for professional models who didn’t meet her standards, she preferred to take a chance.

As she spoke, Jiang Ting pulled out the latest issue of 《Charm》 from her bag and flipped to the section she was responsible for: “Take a look—this is the section I’m responsible for.”

《Charm》 has many sections, and while each targets a different audience, all sections must align with the current season’s theme.

Xie An’yu skimmed through the magazine. This was nothing like modeling for online stores—the photo quality was clearly much higher. It wasn’t just about taking simple full-body shots. He hesitated slightly. “I don’t have any experience. I might not be able to achieve the effect shown in these pictures.”

Jiang Ting chuckled. “It’s not as complicated as you think. Most of these photos are taken in a studio, and the photographer will guide you then. Our magazine often shoots celebrities too, and many of them don’t have much experience either.”

“If you’re interested, you can come to our company for a test shoot first,” Jiang Ting said. “I’ll take you to meet our editor-in-chief.”

Although Jiang Ting had absolute authority in her section, using an amateur model on short notice still required approval from her superiors. 《Charm》 held exclusive model auditions every October, and those who passed could become 《Charm》 signed models. Outside of this, editors of each section could also sign models themselves, but only with approval from upper management and a limit of two models per year.

Jiang Ting’s approach to Xie An’yu was impromptu, so the audition process wouldn’t be as strict. As long as the higher-ups gave the green light, it would be fine. As for a long-term contract, that could be discussed later.

“Do I need to prepare anything?” Xie An’yu asked.

“Just bring your resume and ID. The resume should include your personal details, as well as your height, weight, body measurements, head circumference, along with any previous modeling experience,” Jiang Ting said. “If you have any previous work, it would be best to bring the photos along.”

Jiang Ting remembered Jiang Xiaotian mentioning that it had been Xie An’yu’s first time modeling, so she worried he might not have any usable photos on hand. She added, “If you don’t have photos, it’s fine. We can just take you straight to meet our editor-in-chief.”

“So?” Jiang Ting looked at Xie An’yu. “What do you think?”

Xie An’yu certainly wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to earn money—he needed it now. He nodded. “Alright.”

Jiang Ting, feeling thirsty, took a sip from her cup and continued, “Our company is nearby. Can you come to the company with me now? I’d like to have you try on a few outfits to see the effect. Is that okay?”

“Mm.”

***

Upon entering the 《Charm》 company building, Xie An’yu finally confirmed that Jiang Ting wasn’t a scammer.

He hadn’t expected this to actually be real.

Jiang Ting took Xie An’yu to the model fitting room to try on several outfits with exaggerated designs, checking how they looked on him. She already knew Xie An’yu had a good figure, but she still needed to personally assess the versatility of his physique to different clothes—better safe than sorry. If he couldn’t pass her standards, there was no way he’d pass the editor-in-chief’s.

As it turned out, Xie An’yu could clear Jiang Ting’s bar with his eyes closed.

Having evaluated Xie An’yu’s physique, Jiang Ting felt much more at ease now that she she had a solid candidate. She urgently needed someone to fill the position quickly, she hoped Xie An’yu could bring his documents to the company the next day.

Xie An’yu nodded in agreement, and the deal was settled.

Xie An’yu didn’t mention this matter to Yu Feng. Yu Feng rarely inquired about his work, and since they didn’t see each other often, they seldom discussed personal affairs.

Although they lived under the same roof, there was always an unspoken boundary between them—like a low wall. They could catch glimpses of each other across it, but neither would take the initiative to cross that wall.

Xie An’yu sensed that, in some ways, Yu Feng was the same type of person as him. It was just a vague feeling, but he believed Yu Feng also maintained a certain distance from most people around him, just like himself.

Xie An’yu had once thought their relationship had grown closer, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Returning to their daily routines, their interactions remained unchanged—no substantial shift. They didn’t suddenly become completely open with each other.

Xie An’yu thought perhaps he was being too greedy, which led to this sense of disparity. He genuinely enjoyed chatting with Yu Feng, but Yu Feng had his own space and, like Xie An’yu, wasn’t much of a talker.

Xie An’yu never panicked from being alone. The important people in his life had gradually left, and he’d long since made peace with solitude. Yet, Yu Feng’s presence felt incredibly strong to him.

Xie An’yu often didn’t care much about many things—his second uncle seizing the demolition compensation, being treated coldly by his uncle-in-law, or being drugged and beaten by Lu Yang. Others might have been crushed by such experiences, but he felt nothing particularly strongly—neither sadness nor anger.

He was a rather emotionally numb person, a trait he had been forced to develop since childhood—a self-protective mechanism honed over time. The more you care, the easier it is to get hurt, and Xie An’yu knew this well, which was why few people or events could genuinely stir his emotions.

Xie An’yu was indifferent to almost everything—except, it seemed, when it came to Yu Feng.

***

The next morning, Xie An’yu arrived at the 《Charm》 company reception with his documents. He had deliberately put on the new clothes he had bought earlier. Without an employee ID, he couldn’t freely enter and exit the building; he had to explain his purpose to the front desk.

“Hello, I’m here to see Editor Jiang Ting,” Xie An’yu said to the receptionist.

The receptionist politely asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

“I already made an appointment with her—she asked me to come.”

“One moment, I’ll contact her. May I have your surname, please?”

“Xie.”

“Understood, please wait a moment.”

After the receptionist confirmed with Jiang Ting, Xie An’yu was allowed in. Xie An’yu took the elevator up, passing by fashionable and glamorous urban young men and women. The elevator was filled with various perfumes, making him feel a bit dizzy.

The building was enormous, with numerous floors and multiple departments on each level. Xie An’yu reached the floor Jiang Ting had mentioned but soon found himself disoriented, unable to locate the editorial office after searching for a long time.

Jiang Ting called him: “Are you lost?”

“Mm.” Xie An’yu replied, stepping into a quiet corner. No matter where he went, people along the way kept glancing at him.

“Ah, sorry about that. I was busy earlier and forgot to come down to guide you. Where are you now? Stay where you are, and I’ll come find you.”

Xie An’yu looked up. “The sign here says ‘Proofreading Department’.”

“Okay, I know. Just stand there, don’t move, I’ll be right there.”

Jiang Ting arrived in three minutes, smiling as she approached. “I figured you’d get lost. I got lost and went to the wrong department on my first day working here too.”

“Did you bring everything?” Jiang Ting asked.

“Yes.”

“Let’s go, I’ll take you directly to meet the editor-in-chief.”

Jiang Ting led Xie An’yu to the editor-in-chief’s office. Along the way, Xie An’yu continued to draw curious looks from passersby. The editor-in-chief’s assistant had a separate office area just outside the editor-in-chief’s office. Jiang Ting said to the assistant, “I’ve arranged with the Chief to meet a model this morning.”

The assistant glanced at her, made an internal call to the editor-in-chief, and after hanging up, said, “The Chief says you can go in.”

The moment he stepped into the office, Xie An’yu froze. The person behind the desk was someone he recognized—it was the person who had delivered the camera lens to Yu Feng that day.

Irene looked up, meeting Xie An’yu’s gaze. She raised an eyebrow slightly, her eyes glinting with amusement.

“This is the one?” Irene asked Jiang Ting.

“Yes,” Jiang Ting nodded with a smile, placing Xie An’yu’s documents in front of Irene. “These are his basic information.”

Irene leaned back slightly in her chair, observing Xie An’yu as she asked Jiang Ting, “Where did you find this handsome young man?”

Jiang Ting gave an awkward laugh. Though feeling a bit guilty, she stuck to the story she and Jiang Xiaotian had agreed on: “I ran into him while shopping.”

Jiang Ting had already informed Irene about Xie An’yu’s situation beforehand—Irene knew he was an amateur and had little modeling experience. But Irene hadn’t expected the person Jiang Ting was talking about to be Yu Feng’s so-called ‘tenant’.

Irene chuckled but said nothing.

Noticing Irene’s ambiguous reaction, Jiang Ting hesitantly asked, “Chief, do you think he’s suitable?”

“Of course,” Irene nodded. “His qualifications are excellent. Very suitable.”

Jiang Ting was somewhat surprised. “Should we take him to the studio to try on a few outfits for you to see?”

“No need,” Irene replied, sweeping her gaze over Xie An’yu from head to toe. She had seen more models than she’d eaten grains of salt in her life and could gauge Xie An’yu’s proportions at a glance. Even Xie An’yu’s posture alone wasn’t something just anyone could pull off.

Xie An’yu was completely bewildered. He barely registered what Jiang Ting and Irene were discussing, his mind preoccupied with other thoughts.

Yu Feng had previously mentioned that the person who sent him the lens was a colleague. If the person before him was the editor-in-chief, that meant Yu Feng also worked at this company. Recalling Yu Feng’s profession as a photographer, Xie An’yu suddenly had an epiphany.

Irene didn’t bring up the fact that she had seen Xie An’yu at Yu Feng’s place before. The matter of Xie An’yu becoming a temporary model was settled smoothly, leaving Jiang Ting somewhat baffled. She hadn’t expected Irene to agree so readily—she didn’t even glance at Xie An’yu’s resume before nodding in approval.

Although Jiang Ting was confident in Xie An’yu from the start, the process had gone too smoothly, which felt a little bizarre.

The editor-in-chief’s office was located in a separate, spacious area. Xie An’yu walked absentmindedly behind Jiang Ting with his head lowered. They had been walking for a while but still hadn’t reached the elevator when, moments later, he suddenly heard Jiang Ting greet someone: “Good morning, Teacher Yu.”

Xie An’yu lifted his head and, unsurprisingly, locked eyes with Yu Feng.

Yu Feng’s expression shifted slightly, though his surprise wasn’t too obvious.

“Coming to see the editor-in-chief so early in the morning?” Jiang Ting asked with a smile.

Yu Feng hummed in response, his gaze lingering on Xie An’yu. “She said she had something to discuss with me.”

Now he knew exactly what Irene wanted to talk to him about.

Seeing that Yu Feng had been continuously looking at Xie An’yu, Jiang Ting took the initiative to introduce them: “This is the new model I’ve signed. The Chief just gave the green light.”

“Is that so?” Yu Feng smiled. “He’s very handsome.”

Xie An’yu wasn’t sure if Yu Feng was deliberately teasing him in front of others—his smile was the kind where one corner of his lips curled up slightly, giving him an almost mischievous vibe.

[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 34″]
自不必說 (zì bù bì shuō): to not need dwell on (idiom); goes without saying; needless to say; of course; obviously. This idiom strengthens narrative coherence by presupposing a consensus, and is often used to emphasize self-evident facts or logical situations.

風風火火 (fēng fēng huǒ huǒ): rash; vigorous; bustling; energetic; hasty and rash; hustling and bustling; describe someone who is in a hurry or being reckless; fierce and swift; impetuous. Its core meaning encompasses a dual meaning: it can describe a person’s hurried and impulsive behavior, but it can also refer to a spirited and energetic outlook. 風風火火 is a combination of wind and fire, with wind symbolizing speed and fire representing passion. Its core meanings include: to describe a negative state in which an individual behaves rashly or insecurely, and expressing a positive character that is decisive, energetic, and proactive.

規規矩矩 (guī guī ju jǔ): exactitude; good behaviour; behave oneself; remain orderly; well-behaved; describe a person’s upright character and strict observance of etiquette.

知無不言 (zhī wú bù yán): to tell everything that one knows; speak without reserve; be very frank; say all one knows; speak by the card; know everything and say it all.

暈頭轉向 (yūn tóu zhuàn xiàng): to feel dizzy and disoriented; confused and disoriented; lose one’s head/bearings; be muddle-headed; dizzy; confused; disoriented; befuddled; flustered; in a daze; be in a whirl; be in a fog; be all at sea; describes being confused or panic-stricken.
[/dropdown]

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