This time, the promotional video shoot went very smoothly.
The D.A.Y Art Director watched the footage they had shot that day and kept nodding. He said to Yu Xi, “Look at this. Your eye contact with Yi Chen today.”
He paused at a certain segment, rewound it, played it back, paused again, rewound once more, and watched it repeatedly several times. In an appreciative tone, he said, “Perfect.”
“What method did you two use to build that chemistry yesterday?” The director was very satisfied, his entire face glowing with delight, his golden hair seemingly shimmering with light. “If only this segment could be even better.”
He pulled up another clip. The sun was setting in the west, and the two of them stood on opposite sides of a bustling street, separated by crowds and streams of passing cars. Their gazes locked across the distance, intertwined, but neither stepped forward. At one moment, they turned in unison and walked away in completely opposite directions.
“This segment is great—it’s genuine,” the D.A.Y Art Director said. “But personally, I hope the emotions in your eyes can be even fuller, more story-laden, more sensual. I hope you can bring my vision to life.”
“I want to reshoot this segment to capture that sense of infinite imagination in every single frame—like a story that sparks endless reverie with just one screenshot. No pressure; this take was already good. I just want it to be even more refined.”
The art director patted Yu Xi and Yi Chen on the shoulders. “Keep it up.”
–
“So, how exactly do we capture that sense of infinite imagination?”
In the makeup room, Liu Yun and Guan Zifan fell deep into thought.
Yu Xi and Yi Chen were getting touch-ups. The art director demanded precision, so their makeup needed even finer details.
The photographer hoisted a camera and snapped away furiously beside them, hunting for clips suitable for editing into short videos later.
Xiao Chen was also baffled by the art director’s words. “This director always gives these super abstract suggestions—total fog. But hey, if it weren’t abstract, how could he be the director, right? Hey? Xiao Liu, why have you been so out of it all morning?”
Xiao Liu didn’t react at first, standing there dazed like a wooden post.
Xiao Chen nudged him with an elbow, and only then did Xiao Liu snap out of it. “Huh? What’s up?”
“I said, why have you been so listless all morning?”
Xiao Liu came back to himself and subtly glanced at Yu Xi and Yi Chen before whispering to Xiao Chen, “I’ve witnessed the magic of the world.”
Xiao Chen: “??”
“Any ideas yet?” Guan Zifan asked. “What feeling was the director talking about?”
Yi Chen replied, “I have a rough idea.”
The makeup artist finished the final touches, packed up, and left.
“Why don’t you all step out for a bit?” Yi Chen said. “I need some time alone with Yu Xi to find that feeling.”
“What are you planning to do?” Liu Yun asked.
Guan Zifan also turned to Yu Xi. “What do you say?”
“…” Yu Xi hesitated for a moment, his expression reluctant but resigned. “Let’s go out.”
The others filed out, and Xiao Chen thoughtfully closed the door behind them. The makeup room was left with just Yi Chen and Yu Xi.
In the quiet makeup room, the air conditioner hummed softly.
“What… do you want to do?” Yu Xi’s back tensed, his tone wary.
“You know what kind of ‘feeling’ the director meant; we just couldn’t express it yet.” Yi Chen soothed him. “For the sake of the next shoot, let’s make up for ten minutes. Okay?”
Yu Xi lowered his gaze.
A shadow fell across his peripheral vision, and a faint pomelo mint scent filled the air—Yi Chen had gently wrapped an arm around Yu Xi’s shoulder.
Yu Xi stiffened all over and instinctively tried to pull back, but Yi Chen’s gentle voice came: “Just stay still for a bit. Just a bit.”
The familiar scent enveloped him along with that familiar body heat. Yi Chen carefully encircled Yu Xi, drawing him into his embrace.
—Reluctance to part.
That was the feeling the D.A.Y Art Director wanted, the gaze he hoped to see: reluctance to part.
English lacked as many words as Chinese, so conveying a context often required more explanation. “Reluctance to part” was inherently subjective, and roundabout descriptions only muddled things for both sides.
Lovers could feel reluctance to part, family could, friends could too. The promo video didn’t specify the relationship, but it didn’t matter—they needed to excavate that emotion from the hypothalamus in a fleeting moment.
Contact—physical contact was the simplest, most direct way to stir emotions.
“Hug me,” Yi Chen whispered in Yu Xi’s ear when he didn’t move for a long time.
Yu Xi’s hands stiffened, then he slowly raised them, awkwardly wrapping them around Yi Chen’s waist.
Emotions carried memories.
They had embraced countless times before, quietly resting against each other’s heartbeats, breaths mingling, cheeks pressed to cheeks, sharing each other’s pheromones.
Bit by bit, Yu Xi relaxed, allowing himself to lean into Yi Chen’s warmth, feeling the emotions welling up from deep in his brain.
Yi Chen moved.
He tilted his face slightly. Seeing no reaction from Yu Xi, he grew bolder, his lips inching over until they brushed lightly against Yu Xi’s.
Yu Xi: “!”
Panic.
He noted the first emotion that surged up.
He didn’t pull away. Instead, he opened his eyes and stayed pressed close, immersing himself in the feeling.
His gaze gradually softened, but he wouldn’t say it—couldn’t say it. He couldn’t voice the thoughts swirling in his mind. His rationality screamed to separate, to flee, yet he impulsively, madly clung to the softness of their lips touching.
This intimate contact had once been exclusively his.
Would it belong to someone else in the future…? Had it already been enjoyed by others?
His mind spiraled into uncontrollable thoughts, endless irritation bubbling up inside.
The next second, Yu Xi bit down hard on Yi Chen’s lip.
Yi Chen hissed and drew back sharply. Yu Xi hadn’t held back at all; a faint metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Yet Yi Chen smiled. “Found the feeling?”
Yu Xi memorized the emotions that had surged and stood up, asking somewhat displeased, “Do you do this to find emotions with other partners too?”
“No.” Yi Chen looked at Yu Xi earnestly. “Only with you.”
Yu Xi had to admit that in that moment, his heart skipped a beat.
When Yi Chen spoke seriously, he exuded a solemn charm that effortlessly drew people into his emotions.
“Not in a rush with others—we can take it slow. But with you, I need to get into it faster. Can’t let you outshine me,” Yi Chen added.
Yu Xi: “.”
🙂
Damn it.
What a waste of that fleeting emotion.
–
The second round of shooting wrapped up quickly. The director was extremely pleased with the footage, smiling appreciatively throughout. At the end, he couldn’t resist hugging Yu Xi and Yi Chen. “Oh my god, choosing you two was my lucky break.”
The director headed off excitedly to the editing room, and the D.A.Y promo video shoot officially concluded for the day.
Liu Yun and Guan Zifan were also astonished. The director had demanded such an abstract emotion, yet Yu Xi and Yi Chen had actually pulled it off.
From a viewer’s perspective, the emotions in the second take were indeed richer than the first, carrying more depth and atmosphere.
“What did you do? How did you cultivate that emotion?” On the way back in the car, Liu Yun asked Yi Chen. “Eh, how’d your lip get hurt?”
The lighting during the shoot had hidden it, but now with makeup off and up close, the wound at the corner of his lip was glaringly obvious.
“It’s nothing,” Yi Chen said. “It’s a badge of honor.”
Being bitten meant what? It meant he and Yu Xi had kissed!
Kissing meant what? It meant Yu Xi didn’t reject him!
No rejection meant what? It meant they’d kiss again!!!
They! Would! Kiss! Again!
–
The D.A.Y promo video was in full production. Endorsements involved more than just promo videos and photoshoots—coordination on all fronts. Guan Zifan and Liu Yun had to run to D.A.Y almost daily.
With Guan Zifan busy, Yu Xi didn’t idle either. The new episode of Weekend Go Where was about to air.
This week’s Weekend Go Where was a behind-the-scenes visit to Chase Dream Star.
His phone buzzed with a message.
The director had created a private group chat for the guests to issue tasks.
After all, the theme was “Secret Surprise Visit,” so the fewer people who knew, the better. Contestants couldn’t use phones, the base had no internet, and insiders had signed NDAs. Now, the guests needed to keep things under wraps.
[Director: This week, we’ll pick a time when Chase Dream Star isn’t live-streaming publicly. We’ve coordinated with their chief director. During our live stream, all Chase Dream Star venues will be open to us—no limits on areas or topics, as long as we don’t cross lines.]
[Director: Also, note: Don’t lead contestants into controversial statements or use the live stream to frame or smear anyone.]
Everyone knew who those last two sentences were aimed at.
After the Fu Le false accusation incident, online backlash had intensified, with calls to drop the unethical artist. The director had considered it, but Fu Le had gone live tearfully claiming panic and fear, swaying some opinions. Backed by his sugar daddy, who pulled strings with apologies, Fu Le barely stayed on the show.
Replies trickled in: Received.
Wu Zhiqi noticed someone missing. [Eh, why isn’t Mengmeng in our group?]
[Director: Yimeng took leave this episode—under the weather, resting in the trainee dorms. No issue; we’re just visiting, so we can catch his real self on camera.]
[Fang Peng: Yeah, Yimeng’s always so tense here.]
[Wu Zhiqi: Yay! Hope we have fun this week too!]
The logistics team sent the meetup location, time, sponsored products for the live stream, micro-camera wear and usage instructions. Once Yu Xi got the gist, he turned off his screen.
He was at the hospital, waiting for Luo Qin to dispense his meds.
Luo Qin was a completely different person at work versus off-duty. Gone was the uninhibited playboy from their evening meets; now he was upright and righteous, gold-rimmed glasses lending him an air of trustworthiness.
Luo Qin had a packed schedule that day, so he and Yu Xi didn’t chat much. He dispensed the meds and left, but before Yu Xi exited the exam room, Luo Qin added, “All meds have side effects. They ease pre-heat symptoms but build tolerance, bad for later. Endure if you can. If not, try last night’s method—find a trustworthy Alpha for a kiss to relieve it.”
Yu Xi thanked him expressionlessly and closed the door.
What other Alpha? The only one around him was Yi Chen.
They knew each other, sure, but trustworthy?
As Yu Xi pondered if Yi Chen was trustworthy, a message from Yi Chen popped up.
[Yi Chen: How’s the leg? Still hurt?]
[Yu Xi: It’s fine, no pain.]
[Yi Chen: Good. Forgot to give you the medicated oil earlier—ran into Xiao Chen on the way, had him deliver it. Rub it in before bed tonight.]
[Yu Xi: Thanks.]
[Yi Chen: ?]
