Photographs

"Xingchen, eat slowly, it's all yours, no one is taking it from you."

In the morning, at the dinner table, Qi Yuji looked at his brother, who was devouring his food, and reminded him of his heartache.

"It's okay," Qi Xingchen said, stuffing two Qi Yuji shrimp dumplings into one mouthful, gushing, "It's delicious!"

Qi Yunxiao couldn't stand it, frowned and whispered, "Xingchen, you don't have to eat hard if you can't eat, it's okay."

"Who says I can't eat? I can eat a lot!" Qi Xingchen was eating happily with chopsticks after chopsticks, and it really didn't look like he was trying to force himself to eat.

Qi Yunxiao and Qi Xiaoming glanced at each other, both with confused looks on their faces.

--For the second day in a row, their little Xingchen baby was alive and well, eating everything, even the food cooked by Qi Yuji.

Is little Xingchen possessed by something?

Or was he completely poisoned by his sister?

But, other than that, he's otherwise pretty normal. He even looks more likeable because he smiles all day long.

It's really strange.

While his brother and father could not figure out the reason, Qi Xingchen himself knew it very well.

--He's Bai Ye's special attention yeah.

The word "special" is in "special attention".

Rounding up, he was for Bai Ye ...... is special.

After breakfast, Qi Xingchen took a 20-minute walk and finally collected himself, and was driven by Old Qin to Noah's Entertainment.

Remembering the first day he came to Noah, he looked at the pictures of the artists of the same company on the wall of honor, feeling particularly dreamy and unreal.

And now his picture is posted among them.

Qi Xingchen opened his palm and measured the distance between him and Bai Ye with his fingers.

One palm, two palms, three palms ...... He's in the fourth row from the bottom, Bai Ye at the top.

They were three palms apart.

He'll work his way up.

He wants to be closer to Bai Ye.

"Xingchen," An Ran called from the end of the corridor on her tiptoes, clutching a thick pile of materials, "Come on, get into the conference room."

"Okay." Qi Xingchen responded, glancing at Bai Ye's picture again.

Entering the conference room, besides An Ran, there were two other employees present. An Ran introduced them one by one, "Xingchen, this is the publicity agent, and this is the business."

The publicity agent is responsible for public relations and publicity planning; the business agent is responsible for commercials, branding, endorsements, etc.; and An Ran is the executive agent, responsible for bringing Qi Xingchen to announcements and negotiating for film, TV, drama and variety show resources.

From the Buick commercial vehicle to the current luxury RV, from the An Ran Old Qin duo to the current five-person team, it's safe to say that by this very second, Qi Xingchen's team is finally complete.

An Ran pours Qi Xingchen a glass of water; although she is now the leader of the team, she still retains the habit of taking care of Qi Xingchen.

Other people don't feel comfortable taking care of her.

She took out the program that had been discussed over the past two days, and picked out the brief part to talk about. Qi Xingchen listened and said, "I don't need to set up a persona, I'll face my fans with whatever face I want to be."

An Ran : "...... Okay, listen to you. Then you take these two books."

Benji?

Qi Xingchen takes the dossier bag that An Ran pushes over to him.

Unwrapped, inside are two scripts.

"A second male in a starring drama and a first male in a web series," An Ran paused, "I sifted through four offers. The plot and team are good, so go back and take a look ...... Or if you're energetic, the two dramas' entry times are a month apart, so you can prepare for them at the same time."

Showbiz is a bowl of youthful rice, and except for a few evergreen actors, actors who take advantage of the heat to quickly cash in on the traffic abound.

Qi Xingchen, however, said, "I won't roll a movie, and I don't have the capital to roll a movie, so I'll let you know which one to pick after I watch it."

"OK."

.

After getting off the bus with the script, Qi Xingchen was dragged directly to the Liang family's horse-racing track by Liang Jing, who had no time to spare.

The Liang family's Happy Valley and the Liang family's golf course were adjacent to each other, both in the outskirts of H City, and it was about a fifty-minute drive away. Not long after the car was driven out, Qi Xingchen fell asleep without realizing it, until he heard someone softly shouting in his ear, "Xingchen, wake up."

"...... Hmm." He rubbed his eyes and straightened up as something slipped on him.

Looking down, it was a jacket. He leaned over and picked it up, "Sorry for the mess."

"It's okay," Liang Jing said, "it was meant for you."

Liang Jing took the lead in getting out of the car. Qi Xingchen saw him heading towards the passenger side, and hurriedly pulled open the car door and jumped down.

He wasn't in the habit of waiting for someone to open the door for him.

Liang Jing stayed in place for two seconds, turned around and pressed open the trunk, taking out two sets of clothes, two pairs of riding boots and a helmet, "It came out temporarily from the hospital, I didn't have time to carefully pick the style, don't you mind."

Qi Xingchen didn't know anything about horseback riding, and if Liang Jing hadn't told him, he would have worn his own clothes.

"Of course I don't mind, thank you," he looked around, "is there a place to change?"

"There are dressing rooms in the stable, follow me."

The Liang family's horse farm adopted a membership system and was mainly open to the upper class members of society, but at this moment, not a single person or horse could be seen on the lawn. Qi Xingchen and Liang Jing walked inside side by side, and when they reached the gate, the stable keeper drove a patrol car and stopped in front of the two of them, "Young master, Qi Ershao."

"Well," Liang Jing nodded, "the cease and desist notice was announced, right?"

"It has been done as you ordered."

"Okay, get the trainer to bring the horses in."

Horses were in the trucks behind them, and the administrators did what they were told. Qi Xingchen wondered, "Why are we closed today?"

"...... Because you're here, you're a public figure, it's not good for you to be photographed and passed on," Liang Jing said helplessly, "Idiot."

Qi Xingchen : "...... Oh, thanks."

After the change of clothes, Qi Xingchen started to be silly again.

"Huh, this outfit fits my figure."

"We grew up together, I know what size clothes and shoes you wore in every period," Liang Jing tapped him on the helmet, "Alright, warm up."

Qi Xingchen was so bashful that he shut his mouth and listened to Liang Jing's precautions as he stretched his muscles. For example, what to do if a horse gets scared and suddenly goes crazy, what position to take to protect yourself if you fall off the horse's back, and so on.

He took careful note of it and then got to the practice step.

In the past few days, Qi Jiaze's breeder had already equipped the horse with a full set of saddle, reins and stirrups, and the paw had also been re-broke. Looking at the sweat-blooded horse with a brighter coat than when Qi Jiaze had just delivered it, Qi Xingchen had no reason to be excited and turned his head, "It's been too long since I've ridden it, and I've kind of forgotten how to mount it."

He couldn't say he didn't know the mounting position, he could only use forgetting as an excuse.

"Easy," Liang Jing cried, looking at Qi Xingchen's eager expression, "Here, reach out and put your hand on the side of its neck."

Qi Xingchen put his hand on the side of the horse's neck, as Liang Jing said.

"Feel its temperature and pulse?"

Qi Xingchen's eyes widened slightly, "Uh-huh."

"It's a living being, your friend," Liang Jing laid his hand over the back of his hand, "Feel its emotions carefully."

The back of his hand was warm to the touch, and Qi Xingchen's small arm stiffened, not moving as he drew back his hand.

Liang Jing paused and continued, "If he shows irritability, you need to immediately check his physical condition as well as his feeding, he may be sick or have eaten food that is not in line with his usual diet. Now that it's more gentle, you can try to bond with it."

"Okay, how?"

"Let's make it ...... first."

Liang Jing patiently guided and Qi Xingchen carefully learned. Before we knew it, an hour had passed and the horse and Qi Xingchen had become much more familiar with each other.

"Here's how you can try to get on the horse," Liang Jing said, "Stand next to the horse's left shoulder and grab the reins and mane ...... Right, hold the stirrup with your right hand and lift your left foot ......"

Seeing Qi Xingchen's hesitation, Liang Jing subconsciously tried to give him a hand and stepped forward.

Just as he was about to touch the other's body, Qi Xingchen "swished" and rolled onto his horse. His movements were so smooth and effortless that it was as if he was hiding from a flooding beast.

Liang Jing's eyes are getting darker and darker.

Learning how to mount a horse makes riding much easier. Liang Jing holds the reins and guides the horse forward slowly, letting Qi Xingchen get used to the bumpy feeling of the horse and showing him how to use the reins and his body to control the direction and speed.

Qi Xingchen tries one by one, and when he finally learns a bit more, he exclaims, "I want to try it myself."

Liang Jing let go of his hand as he was told.

Qi Xingchen clamped his legs around the horse's belly, and the horse hissed and galloped forward at a fast pace.

Liang Jing's hands were empty, and when he let go of the reins, he let go of something important.

.

As it's not a good idea to ride for too long on a horse for the first time, Liang Jing mounts his own horse and follows him for a couple of fast laps. The two of them then slowed down and paced towards the locker room in the light of the setting sun.

"How was it? Did you have fun today?" Liang Jing asked.

"Happy!" Qi Xingchen, who hadn't had this much hearty fun in a long time, smiled and nodded.

"The run is closed to the public for a few days, so you can come by anytime. Call me before you come and I'll arrange to work with you."

"...... No, no, no!" Qi Xingchen doesn't have the heart to keep troubling people, so he quickly refused, "I've had enough fun for once, and I'm going back to work part-time on the show the day after tomorrow."

Liang Jing froze, "I heard from Yuji-san that your vacation this time is almost ten days, why are you leaving so early?"

Originally Qi Xingchen did plan to stay for the full vacation before going back, but ......

Only he misses Bai Ye, more than a little.

"My friend is alone in S City," Qi Xingchen's voice turned lower, "I'm afraid he'll be bored, so I'll go back to keep him company."

How good a friend, can make little Xingchen so remembered ...... Liang Jing nodded and did not say anything.

Soon after arriving at the door of the locker room, Qi Xingchen took out his cell phone and adjusted the angle to take a half-body selfie.

Changing back into his own clothes and taking Liang Jing's ride home, Qi Xingchen first went to the bathroom to take a shower, and when he came out without wiping his hair, he pulled out his cell phone and flipped his fingers up and down.

Xingchen: [I'm going home]

He had originally typed "!" at the end of the sentence. , which was then deleted so that the tone of the statement seemed more like a notice than a rush to find someone to report on.

Bo: [Uh, what did the company say?

Xingchen: [Says his next job is mainly acting, no variety show first]

Bo: [The company is doing the right thing, you need to get a good work now to stabilize your popularity]

Popularity without works is too weak, and fans can easily run away. Qi Xingchen knew this and continued typing: [So An Ran got me two scripts]

Bo: [movie or TV series]

Bo: [what type]

Xingchen : [Drama. A reality-based web drama, male lead. The other one is an urban workplace drama, male number two.

Bai Ye was probably thinking, after a while he replied: [Which one do you prefer?

Qi Xingchen opened his mouth to tell the other party what he thought, but suddenly remembered something before he spoke: [I haven't thought about it, anyway, there's no rush to reply. When I go back the day after tomorrow, you can help me analyze it, okay?

This gave him an excuse to find Bai Ye, and he couldn't help but praise himself severely: Qi Xingchen, Qi Xingchen, you are really a little witty!

Unfortunately, Bai Ye saw right through his little mind.

If we need his help to analyze which scripts to choose, then what's the point of having an agency team? For nothing?

But Bai Ye didn't poke holes in it and replied indulgently, "Okay, let's work on it together".

Xingchen: [heh heh heh]

Xingchen: "Then it's a deal!

Bo: [Uh, it's a deal. How are you going to get back the day after tomorrow?

Xingchen: [Airplane. Uncle Qin has something to do at home. He'll meet me in his nanny van two days later.

In fact, he had given Old Qin a nine-day vacation, and he was sorry to interrupt Old Qin's vacation when he had to make an early return trip at the last minute.

Bo: [Be safe]

Xingchen: [relieved]

Qi Xingchen 兀自 laughed for a while, then typed: [By the way, I'm going to learn horseback riding in the afternoon!

Bo: [Learned?

Xingchen: [almost]

Xingchen: "Let me show you.

Select the one taken in front of the locker room to send.

A second later, Bai Ye's smiling face appeared on the screen.

Bai Ye subconsciously clicked and zoomed in. The little fan was wearing a light green narrow-sleeved top, black pants, and mid-calf riding boots, outlining both legs long and straight.

The fall-proof helmet appeared to make her face smaller and more delicate, her head slightly tilted, her eyes curved, her smile bright and warm in the red evening sun.

Looking at the youngster, Bai Ye's eyes unconsciously became soft. He then moved his eyes downward, wanting to observe the physical condition of the sweat-blooded horse.

Instead, in the bottom left corner of the photo, I saw a face of another man.

The man had a handsome face, wore thin-rimmed gold-rimmed glasses, and was staring at the little fan with a focused gaze. If he remembered correctly, it should be the little fan's bamboo horse.

Some time ago, when he S. City had looked for a small fan, the two of them had hit it off.

The man had his arm around the little fan's shoulders at the time, moving so naturally as if he'd done it a thousand times before.

At the bottom of his heart rises an indescribable feeling, Bai Ye The smile at the corner of his lips instantly faded.

A few moments later he said, [What time do you land the day after tomorrow, I'll pick you up].