This time, they were heading to a branch office of Leji Entertainment. The headquarters was much farther away. Since Mu Yao was only shooting a photobook, there was no need to make a big fuss. The branch studio was more than enough, and they wouldn’t have to worry about waiting in line.
The butler stepped on the gas. They arrived after a twenty-minute drive, even faster than Mu Yao had expected.
“Yao-Yao, will anyone be here to greet you?” Nangong Ruihui asked casually.
“There probably will be in the future…”
Mu Yao felt a little bitter inside. He hadn’t reached the point where he needed to keep a mask and sunglasses on hand every time he went out.
His predecessor, Elder Sister Lan Xi, had reached that point already. Even when she slipped out quietly, she’d still be followed and photographed, then become the headline of the entertainment news the next day.
Long Xueer had been capable of that three years ago, too. But her influence and reach had been far inferior to those of the idol singer Lan Xi.
Being secretly photographed wasn’t a good thing, of course. Still, it had long since become a test of how popular an entertainer truly was.
Mu Yao wanted to become better. He wanted to become Elder Sister. He wanted to surpass Lan Xi’s achievements.
He hoped that one day, Nangong Ruihui would be proud of him and believe that no one could rival him.
After all, Nangong Ruihui had never looked down on him for coming from a fallen family. After all, Nangong Ruihui only treated him—the one “girl”—with genuine attention.
He ought to repay that kindness.
Relying on others to enjoy the fruits of their labor was shameful. A sense of danger lurking in the shadows had never been absent.
“Yao-Yao, we’re here. What are you thinking about so intently~?”
Nangong Ruihui was the very picture of a gentleman. She got out of the car herself and opened the door for Mu Yao, sparing the butler the trouble.
The butler was rather surprised. It was the first time he’d seen Young Master Ruihui take such an interest in a girl.
Still, he said nothing. Some matters simply weren’t his place to question.
Mu Yao was very beautiful. If Nangong Ruihui had been a boy, the butler could’ve understood it.
Unfortunately, she was a girl.
“I was thinking about you.”
“C-Cut it out!”
That killing blow struck Nangong Ruihui right in the heart.
It wouldn’t have mattered much under normal circumstances, but saying it in front of the butler was far too embarrassing!
“You can’t take it? Shouldn’t you be happy that I said that?” Mu Yao stuck out his little pink tongue at Nangong Ruihui after getting out of the car.
He mainly didn’t want the butler to get suspicious. The butler knew his true gender. If he went and reported it to his father, things would become troublesome, even if that possibility was very small.
The butler still didn’t say anything. He merely fought back a laugh.
He took them for two girls flirting and fooling around. He didn’t believe there was anything romantic between them.
Only after the butler’s limousine had driven away did Nangong Ruihui finally let out a sigh of relief.
Mu Yao had almost scared her to death. If he’d said anything more suggestive, it wouldn’t have been so easy to explain away.
Nangong Yao had said that a same-sex engagement would be annulled.
Fortunately, the butler didn’t know who Mu Yao was. Otherwise, even meeting Mu Yao in secret would’ve become a problem.
…
“Hello, Long Xueer. Please come in with me~”
As soon as they entered, a woman dressed like an assistant led Mu Yao inside. She stopped Nangong Ruihui and gave her an unfriendly glance.
Nangong Ruihui understood. Leji Entertainment wasn’t targeting her specifically. No entertainment company would allow a contracted artist to get too close to someone of the opposite sex.
If she were dressed as a girl, she could’ve walked in without a problem.
It didn’t matter. The studio was only a few dozen meters away.
Nangong Ruihui found a stool and sat down like she owned the place, watching the studio from afar.
Mu Yao had been taken away to change and put on makeup.
Nangong Ruihui was still looking forward to it. She wanted to see what kind of brand-new feeling Mu Yao would bring after transforming beneath an idol’s halo.
“Ruihui—”
While Nangong Ruihui was lost in thought, Mu Yao had already changed clothes and finished his makeup.
He came out and blew her a kiss.
Nangong Ruihui nearly lost her balance on the three-legged stool.
Mu Yao really knew how to deal magic damage. He’d hit her dead-on.
The studio was as simple as its overall surroundings. Aside from the camera on its tripod, reflectors, and backdrop cloth, there was almost nothing else.
It looked extremely perfunctory. It didn’t resemble Leji Entertainment, a company with money to burn. Even a branch office shouldn’t have been this bare-bones.
But the truth was that Leji Entertainment wasn’t being stingy with Long Xueer.
It was Long Xueer’s delicate style, aimed at young boys and girls, that made the shoot look so simple.
With only light makeup and a polished background, there was no need for additional post-production.
The right amount of highlights was enough to bring out Mu Yao’s innocent charm. Adding more would only be gilding the lily and wasting everyone’s effort.
Mu Yao had to change into four outfits in total, each matching one of the themes: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Removing and reapplying makeup took time, but Nangong Ruihui didn’t mind. Rather than waiting for Mu Yao, she was there to enjoy a leisurely day with her.
Click, click, click—
After flashes filled the room, Mu Yao’s photographs appeared on the large screen above the studio’s right side.
Nangong Ruihui examined them one by one with great care. She didn’t want to miss a single beautiful moment of Mu Yao.
…
After a whole morning of work, they finally finished.
Throughout the shoot, Mu Yao had kept sneaking glances at Nangong Ruihui. He felt more at ease knowing she was sitting there.
“Long Xueer, have there been any changes to your bank account?” the female assistant asked with a smile. “If the payment details are correct, this paycheck will be transferred to your card within an hour. It’s calculated at 4,500 yuan per hour.”
“No changes…”
Mu Yao was rather surprised. Companies usually held back salaries for a day or two.
This time, they were surprisingly quick.
It was still a cut from what he used to earn. In the past, a single hour of photobook work had been paid in the tens of thousands.
But the idol revival plan had only just begun, so it was understandable.
Mu Yao was delighted. His and his little sister’s living expenses were settled now.
He could also move forward with his plan to nurse Nangong Ruihui’s health back to normal.
So their first stop would be taking her to replenish her nutrition and eat lots and lots of meat.
“Eh—? Yao-Yao, did you come to the wrong place? You know I don’t like meat…”
The barbecue restaurant was packed and lively.
Its exterior was noisy and bustling, full of down-to-earth charm. Inside, however, it had a distinctive retro atmosphere.
Black-and-red brick-patterned wallpaper covered the walls. Antique chandelier lamps, designed to resemble candleholders, hung in alternating groups of four and six around a large central fixture.
The restaurant mainly used distressed two-person tables with seats facing each other. They were perfect for dining as a pair, since the two people could glance at each other while eating.
Nangong Ruihui stood at the entrance, holding Mu Yao’s hand and looking helpless.
Having lunch here might be paradise for Mu Yao, but it was definitely hell for her.
When had Mu Yao become so thoughtless…?
“Physical weakness and anemia caused by insufficient meat intake.”
The school doctor’s words rang faintly in Mu Yao’s ears like an alarm bell.
He felt they couldn’t wait any longer. Nangong Ruihui didn’t understand her own body, but he did.
“Ruihui, who told you a barbecue restaurant only serves barbecue? I’ll eat the meat, and you can eat the vegetables. Teehee~”
Mu Yao casually made up an excuse and dragged Nangong Ruihui inside without giving her a chance to refuse.
“Fine, then. I’ve never been to a place like this…”
This was well beyond Nangong Ruihui’s area of knowledge.
She didn’t like meat, so naturally, she’d never visited a barbecue restaurant.
But Mu Yao was clearly excited. She couldn’t bring herself to ruin his mood. At most, she’d eat less later.
Of course, Mu Yao had no intention of letting Nangong Ruihui eat only vegetables.
Once they were inside, he’d find a way to pry open her mouth and make her eat, just as he had when he fed her apple slices last time.
“Yao-Yao, I… I’m scared…”
Nangong Ruihui tightened her grip on Mu Yao’s hand. The dazzling variety of meat all around them made her feel uncomfortable.
Mu Yao gritted his teeth. When he remembered that this was for Nangong Ruihui’s own good, he refused to take her away.
Instead, he turned around and pulled the girl who looked like a frightened little wife into his arms.
“How about now~?”
