Chapter 23: A Kiss and a Hug
“Holding me is fine, but don’t let your hands wander around. I don’t like being touched by men,” Cheng Fei whispered quietly beside his ear.
“I don’t like touching men either.”
After saying that, Gao Ming laughed at himself.
He laughed at how he had once again lost focus because of appearances. He also laughed at Cheng Fei’s resistance. She was clearly fish meat already lying on the cutting board, yet she still instinctively struggled a little.
Inside the photography studio, the photographer was already prepared, holding a huge camera lens that looked almost like a mortar cannon while adjusting the settings. After the makeup assistant got into position, the photographer’s assistant also arrived.
As expected from the assistant of a top photographer, these looks…
Gao Ming pursed his lips, feeling both helpless and speechless.
“Let’s begin.”
Gao Ming’s thoughts were interrupted. Cheng Fei turned back and shot him a fierce glare.
“Alright, alright. Please come this way, you two.”
The photographer smiled warmly and led them beside a window.
The first pose started with Cheng Fei and Gao Ming looking deeply into each other’s eyes.
One outfit for one location?
Of course not.
After finishing more than ten photos inside the studio, they were dragged around to five different locations. Then Cheng Fei heard there were over fifty artificial scenic spots in total, almost like an entire park, and instantly felt like a country bumpkin again.
“That many?”
The makeup assistant following them nodded.
“Yep. This place is over one square kilometer.”
Wow. You really could not tell from outside.
That was almost as big as a small neighborhood.
“I heard another two hundred acres got approved this year too. They plan to expand again.”
This really was money making even more money endlessly.
Cheng Fei smiled stiffly.
“Well, if business is good, expansion makes sense.”
After speaking, she chewed some beef jerky, drank a sip of water, and stood up. Then she saw Gao Ming waving at her from the artificial beach.
“Please hang in there a little longer. Once we finish shooting, you can rest.”
The photographer called out to them. Gao Ming’s physical condition was good, but Cheng Fei looked a little weak, though nobody really wanted to say anything about it.
“Okay! Next, the groom will carry the bride!”
“......”
Gao Ming smiled and followed the photographer’s instructions.
He bent down, gathered the wedding dress carefully, and held Cheng Fei under her knees.
Being lifted so high by a man over six feet tall almost scared Cheng Fei half to death. And on top of that, her chest was pressing against Gao Ming’s shoulder. She was afraid that if he accidentally touched the wrong spot, she would not be able to stop herself from scratching his face apart.
Click click click.
The familiar sound echoed beside her ears.
These terrible poses had already been repeated dozens of times.
Holding hands. Hugging. Being hugged. Even their lips had nearly touched with zero distance between them.
By now, she was already disgusted enough that she no longer cared.
Finally, this outfit’s photo set ended with the two of them holding lilies together while gazing at each other sweetly and deeply.
The burning summer heat roasted the ground.
After an entire morning, they finally finished this set.
No wonder this place charged high prices. The service really was excellent. Their schedule based on the weather was almost perfectly arranged.
In the afternoon, the quiet and cool pine forest waited for them.
This time, the clothes changed from fancy and modern to a nostalgic style.
Cheng Fei was dressed in a modern-era student outfit, while Gao Ming wore a Zhongshan suit (traditional chinese male attire).
“You’ve both worked hard. Here’s your lunch.”
After they changed clothes, the business manager happily walked over carrying two beautifully packed lunch boxes.
Cheng Fei lowered her head and looked at the packaging with slight surprise.
“Kairong restaurant? You went that far just to order food?”
The manager sighed emotionally.
“In Yunzhou City these days, besides Kairong, what old restaurant still dares confidently guarantee there won’t be any problems?”
Cheng Fei only wanted to say one thing. If there really was such a restaurant, then its owner probably had a very clean conscience.
Five dishes with one serving of rice.
With food from a place like this, both the portion size and the taste naturally could not be criticized.
She had not eaten this flavor in a long time.
For people from Yunzhou, who did not have childhood memories of spending the whole day playing wildly at tourist spots outside the city, then eating delicious food at Kairong Restaurant afterward?
Sadly, time flowed away like water.
After growing up, people gained more experience, but also more responsibilities and restrictions. Time no longer belonged entirely to themselves.
Those carefree and wonderful moments could only be remembered quietly during peaceful times.
The two of them thought of the same thing.
Both stared at the tower printed on the lunch box packaging, then looked up at each other and smiled.
After resting briefly, they continued this ridiculous activity.
The meaning behind this group of photos was actually beautiful.
From meeting each other, to understanding each other. From understanding, to promising themselves to each other.
The earlier poses were fine.
But later, more intimate actions naturally became unavoidable.
Thankfully, it was only physical closeness. There was no mouth-to-mouth kissing.
Cheng Fei thought to herself that even if there were, she probably would not care anymore.
“Good! For the final shot, the bride and groom will share a deep romantic kiss to symbolize their lifelong promise—”
Holy crap!!!
Cheng Fei kept a blank expression while staring sharply at the photographer from the corner of her eye.
The day finally came to an end. Even someone like Gao Ming felt a little tired.
After taking a shower, Cheng Fei no longer had any energy left at all. She threw herself into bed and fell asleep immediately. She had not even finished listening to the thirty-plus voice messages Miao Lei had sent before soft snoring sounds already filled the room.
Gao Ming pursed his lips and looked around.
This was not a hotel after all. After searching around, there did not seem to be any extra blankets or bedding. Looking at the sofa and thinking about the cold countryside night, he became a little worried about his health.
He picked up the phone to call someone, then gave up halfway. Looking at the empty half of the bed Cheng Fei had not occupied yet, he thought the bed was large enough that each person should be able to sleep on their own side… probably.
Gao Ming visually measured the distance one last time, then finally relaxed and took off his clothes before getting into bed.
Dreams are often influenced by reality during the day. Or maybe they are simply the owner’s imagination mixed together.
At this moment, Cheng Fei had returned to being a man in the dream. He had a short buzz cut and wore a Zhongshan suit, holding a black umbrella in his hand.
Facing a group of bandits without fear, he, filled with all kinds of buffs, did not take these people trying to steal innocent women seriously at all.
Swinging the umbrella wildly, he swept away every obstacle on his heroic path.
Afterward, he found a tavern.
After several rounds of drinks and food, the young woman sitting across from him looked even more charming through her drunken eyes.
“Thank you for saving me, my hero. I have nothing to repay you with except… offering myself to you. If you dislike my low status, then at least let me stay by your side as a servant girl.”
Inside, he was already jumping around happily like a monkey, but on the outside he still had to pretend to stay calm and reserved.
“No, I’m not that kind of—”
Just as he politely tried to refuse, the woman loosened her collar, revealing a patch of pale skin.
“Does my hero dislike my body?”
“......”
A mouthful of blood almost got stuck in his throat. He thought to himself that he had never seen someone this… understanding before.
While he was still thinking, the woman suddenly threw herself into his arms. Her soft fingers lightly drew circles over his chest through his clothes as she slowly unbuttoned his Zhongshan suit one button at a time.
She was already throwing herself at him. If he kept holding back, people would either think there was something wrong with him or he would explode from frustration.
With one movement, he pushed her down and looked into those eyes filled with emotion. At that moment, he could no longer hold back.
However, just as the critical moment arrived, everything in front of him suddenly rippled like water. Then the world spun around him.
After finally adjusting again and looking at himself—
Holy crap!
The man with the open collar and evil smile was clearly himself!
And he himself had become the woman throwing herself into someone’s arms!
Shocked, he immediately struggled desperately.
Unfortunately, it was useless. Instead, his struggling only caused his clothes to fall apart, exposing more skin.
“Who exactly are you?!”
“Hehe.”
The “woman” smiled lightly. With prey already right in front of her, she had no interest in answering anymore.
“Ah!”
A tearing pain suddenly struck him, making him scream loudly.
At the same time, the absurd dream finally shattered.
Cheng Fei’s eyes snapped open. She carefully looked around and immediately saw a man staring at her from very close by.
Judging from his bare shoulders, he was probably completely naked… Hmm, those muscles were well-shaped. He definitely looked like someone who had trained for years.
Her gaze slowly moved downward.
Even though they were under the same blanket, four throw pillows separated the two of them in the middle.
Gao Ming!
Cheng Fei swallowed nervously.
Why had she been so sleepy last night? She fell asleep the moment her head touched the bed.
And this guy too, he just got into bed naked beside her. Could he not at least wear pajamas or something?!
Thankfully, those pillows were there. With her terrible sleeping habits, she probably would have rolled over otherwise.
And if that happened…
Better not think about it.
Cheng Fei kept staring, her expression gradually twisting strangely, making Gao Ming feel a little uncomfortable. He waved a hand in front of the almost frozen woman.
“You awake yet?”
Cheng Fei slapped his hand away and quickly hid under the blanket to check herself, making sure that everything earlier had really only been a dream.
The result proved it truly was just an absurd dream.
Good. Good.
Nothing horrifying had actually happened.
“Relax. You slept very properly. You didn’t do anything excessive.”
What nonsense. Wouldn’t she know herself whether she moved or not?
Too lazy to argue with him, Cheng Fei yawned, stretched her legs, and rolled halfway onto her side.
It was only seven-thirty in the morning.
After washing up and eating the breakfast delivered to them, another busy day began.
Thanks to yesterday’s experience, today’s shooting went much more smoothly. It could even be called easy now.
The wild natural grassland style, the elegant European style, and the graceful vintage style were all completed within most of the day.
Now only the final home-style set remained.
Once this was finished, she would finally be free.
Free from forcing herself to act lovey-dovey with another man despite how much it clashed with her instincts.
However…
Ancient people really had summarized many truths over thousands of years.
For example, good fortune often hides disaster beneath it.
And once again, that saying came true for Cheng Fei.
They had already finished the quiet balcony reading scenes and also completed the playful garden scenes.
Now they entered the kitchen.
Rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea. The kitchen carried the foundation of daily life. It was also the place that felt the most alive and full of ordinary family warmth.
Which perfectly matched the meaning behind this outfit set.
As a result, Cheng Fei’s hairstyle became a lazy low ponytail. To create a more relaxed at-home feeling, the makeup assistant even purposely messed up her hair slightly.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she really did look like someone casually staying at home.
The clothes were just normal everyday clothes anyway. Besides spending some extra time on makeup, all she had to do was let people take photos.
Money in the photography business really was easy to earn!
Tsk!
Why had she not thought about entering this industry back then?
Instead, she chose sales work, exhausting herself while nobody appreciated it. People even treated her like a buzzing fly.
Compared to these photographers, she had basically been torturing herself for nothing.
Men fear choosing the wrong career, women fear marrying the wrong man.
The old sayings really were correct.
After silently complaining inside her heart for a while, Cheng Fei picked up an apron and skillfully tied it around herself.
Following the photographer’s instructions, she picked up some apples and pretended to wash them.
“Now the husband will hug the wife from behind.”
Cheng Fei’s eyelids twitched hard.
The apple in her hand slipped and rolled away.
Grinding her teeth, she listened to the footsteps approaching behind her. Just like before, she silently recited calming thoughts in her mind, trying her best to relax herself.
Looking at the slender figure in front of him, Gao Ming’s gaze slowly changed again without him realizing it.
His footsteps became soft and light like flowing water. Even though he was stepping on solid flooring, it strangely felt as soft as walking across grass.