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Chapter 70 – Vacation
After three or four days of proper rest, Jiang Liusui’s cold gradually subsided. A week later, Viola officially announced Jiang Liusui as the new season’s cosmetics ambassador. The concept short film he had previously shot went live immediately and received countless praises.
Jiang Liusui’s two makeup styles were strikingly different—elegant yet strikingly enchanting. The new season’s Viola makeup showcased an exceptional effect on his face, convincing countless people to willingly make purchases. Several popular shades of the products even sold out almost instantly.
In the pure white snow, Jiang Liusui, dressed in white, opened his eyes and exchanged glances with a snow fox lying beside him.
The CG for this scene was incredibly realistic, with meticulous details down to every strand of the snow fox’s fur. Jiang Liusui’s gaze as he looked at the fox was exceptionally vivid. His makeup was light and translucent, his bright eyes shimmering with clarity.
As the snow fox stood up and disappeared into the pine forest, Jiang Liusui followed its steps.
The camera shifted continuously. The snow fox vanished into the deep green pine forest, and suddenly, snow began to fall all around. Amid the swirling white snow, Jiang Liusui’s figure gradually became indistinct. The screen briefly turned entirely white, and in the next moment, it revealed a snow-covered pine forest after the snowfall.
A figure in pure white emerged from the depths of the pine forest. Wherever he walked, vast stretches of bright red flowers bloomed in the snow, like a winding red river amidst the white expanse.
He left no footprints, only a trail of blooming red flowers as his path. The camera zoomed in from a distance, finally focusing on his heavily made-up, fox-like, captivating eyes.
【Baby, are you a snow spirit or a fox spirit? Whichever it is, you’re here to steal my soul! Wuwuwu!
That final look when you lifted your eyes was totally like a massive mythical creature emerging from the snowy pine forest! Does the entire concept mean he and the snow fox are one?】
【Judging solely by this video, Jiang Liusui’s acting skills are far superior to many popular celebrities. A cosmetics campaign actually achieved the effect of a blockbuster film. I’m so looking forward to ⟪Eternal Bell⟫—will it be released next year?】
【Trust Director Pei. Given Director Pei’s efficiency, as long as it passes the review, it will definitely be released next year!】
【Feels like this cosmetics campaign is going viral! Even friends who usually pay no attention to this kind of content are sharing it. Every makeup tutorial video inspired by it goes viral.】
【Is everyone praising the concept video? No one is praising the photos? Honestly, I’d call this set of photos a divine masterpiece.】
【Me, me! I got hooked because of the photos! When I saw the ads at the mall, I was instantly captivated. Not only did I buy the full set, but I also made sure to check out the model’s name!】
【After watching the ad, all I can say is—He Yujing, you’re truly blessed…】
As the cosmetics campaign went viral, a staff member revealed the situation during the shoot, indicating that despite the final product’s popularity, the filming process was far from smooth.
『 I’m not a fan of anyone in particular—just sharing what I saw
The photographer for Jiang Liusui’s shoot that day was a well-known big-name photographer. A quick search will reveal his name, but let’s call him Z here.
In work or in life, you might encounter people who inexplicably give you a hard time, right? Even if you haven’t offended them and it’s your first meeting, they still find ways to trouble you. Photographer Z kept giving Jiang Liusui a hard time throughout the shoot.
Of course, Z’s professional skills are impeccable, and the final product turned out excellent.
But is it really reasonable to make someone lie in the snow for long stretches of time just to “find their feeling” during the shoot? Jiang Liusui came over to greet Z not far from us, politely smiling as he said hello, but Z completely ignored him, spoke very harshly, and didn’t give him any face, bluntly saying he “couldn’t handle” the shoot.
The current response has already proven whether Jiang Liusui can handle the concept given by Viola. What gives Z the right to be so prejudiced?
Just because Jiang is a newcomer to fashion campaign? But who hasn’t started as a newcomer?
Moreover, Jiang Liusui is truly very professional.
From start to finish, he cooperated fully with the shoot. Wearing such thin clothing in the freezing snow, we could feel the cold just watching from the sidelines, yet he didn’t complain once from beginning to end. I could clearly tell he was freezing and a bit disoriented, but as soon as the shoot started, Jiang Liusui would immediately become extremely focused, throwing himself entirely into his work.
We couldn’t say anything on the side, but we all genuinely admired him.
The most popular photo from this shoot—the one with the cold, sharp gaze—was taken when he was dizzy and lightheaded.
Everyone knows Z is the type with a bit of a perfectionist streak, especially when he doesn’t like the person he’s working with. Often, Z will go out of his way to nitpick, but Jiang Liusui truly managed to give Z nothing to criticize.
Among the younger generation, it’s rare to encounter an actor who is so professional, emotionally intelligent, and excels in every aspect. I have high hopes for Jiang Liusui’s future development.
P.S., Before he left, he even said goodbye to me. I’m just a small staff member, and for a moment, I felt incredibly honored. His personality is truly wonderful. He’s also exceptionally good-looking, even more striking in person than in photos or videos! 』
To prove the truth of their words, the post included a photo from that shoot. Although a bit blurry, it clearly showed Jiang Liusui shooting in the snow.
As soon as this lengthy Weibo post was published, it immediately sparked heated discussions online. Upon hearing that he had been made to lie in the snow for an extended period during the shoot, not only were his fans outraged—storming the photographer’s Weibo to demand answers—but many bystanders were also moved to sympathy:
【I was originally indifferent toward Jiang Liusui, but after reading this, I can’t help but feel for him. I recently encountered someone who unreasonably picked on me at work, and that kind of frustration is hard to put into words. Seeing him complete the shoot so professionally is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
Just as the staff member in this post said, Jiang Liusui seems gentle but has a resilient personality. He used his own skills to silence the critic. Well done!】
The incident blew up immediately, and by the end of the day it had shot up to the top of the trending charts.
Seeing the heat rise, Wang Cen called Jiang Liusui in advance to brief him: “We didn’t buy the trending topic. It’s likely someone is using your situation to target Zhao Duo… But it’s not entirely bad. Public opinion is on your side, and the campaign’s performance has improved significantly. The brand is very pleased. They’ve already shown interest in renewing the contract.”
Before Jiang Liusui could ask for details, Wang Cen had already rattled off all the information, asked after him briefly, and hung up.
Later that day, when Jiang Liusui was on the phone with He Yujing, he subtly asked whether the other had anything to do with the matter.
“No.” He Yujing’s voice came through the phone. “Zhao Duo has offended too many people. It’s normal for someone to hold a grudge against him.”
After saying this, He Yujing added half-jokingly, “But it also proves that Teacher Jiang is currently on the rise. Some people already think they can ride your coattails to settle old scores.”
Jiang Liusui had initially found the situation somewhat abrupt, but he chuckled upon hearing this.
He Yujing suddenly said, “Actually, when I first debuted, some people gave me trouble too.”
“Really?” Jiang Liusui recalled rumors he’d heard years ago. Back then, there were indeed people spreading rumors that He Yujing’s success was entirely due to his family paving the way, but these claims were later thoroughly disproven. Every time He Yujing won an award, fans would drag out these old rumors to mock them mercilessly.
“Because of my family background, no one dared to be too obvious about it, but they still set up obstacles behind the scenes. I was reckless back then and suffered quite a bit. The most frustrating part was not even knowing who to confront about it.” As He Yujing shared his past struggles, seeing Jiang Liusui’s curious expression, he continued, “When you gradually prove yourself with your own abilities, all these people will shut up.”
He Yujing spoke with certainty: “You’ll do even better.”
As if to confirm these words, Jiang Liusui received news that day that ⟪Eternal Bell⟫ had officially wrapped up filming.
The film had finished shooting, but post-production would still take some time. The film was scheduled for release next year.
As the Lunar New Year approached, Jiang Liusui finally got a two-week vacation.
The final leg of ⟪Advent of Dawn⟫’s tour also concluded successfully. He Yujing finished his overseas work and returned to China.
Since learning about He Yujing and Jiang Liusui’s relationship, He Yujing’s mother had watched all of Jiang Liusui’s movies and TV dramas, not even missing the behind-the-scenes footage. ⟪Fantasy Holiday⟫ particularly captured her interest, which she rewatched with great enthusiasm—so much so that she directly chose Lingzhou Island as their vacation destination.
Compared to the freezing capital, the island offered charming scenery and warm weather.
The hotel they were staying at had sent staff to pick them up at the airport. In the car, his mother turned around to ask if they wanted to go anywhere, just as she caught Jiang Liusui taking photos of He Yujing.
He Yujing rested his chin on his hand, glancing out the window with a casual demeanor, yet his words were directed at Jiang Liusui: “Are you done taking pictures?”
Jiang Liusui’s photography skills were about on par with Qin Yi’s—just average. Although he found the scene before him quite picturesque, he could only raise his phone and snap a few quick photos: “Done”
Seeing that Jiang Liusui seemed to have done a decent job this time, He Yujing thought his photography had greatly improved. But after looking at the photos, his vision went dark, and he made a move to pinch his cheek. “How on earth did you manage to take a picture of me like this?”
“What’s wrong? Not handsome?” Jiang Liusui tapped the phone onto his leg and teased, “Hurry up and post it—your friends need to see how good you look.”
Noticing the gazes from the front, Jiang Liusui quickly reined in his playful behavior and smiled obediently.
Their eyes met, and He Yujing’s mother asked with a smile, “Xiao Jiang, is there anywhere you’d like to go? Your uncle has work and will arrive later, so we can go explore a bit first.”
Jiang Liusui immediately replied, “Sure! Anything’s fine with me.”
“Tch,” He Yujing mercilessly exposed him. “Could you show me even half the respect you show my mom?”
“……” Jiang Liusui secretly pinched him, signaling him to shut up.
Thinking they could go to the beach once He Yujing’s father arrived, his mother followed her heart and directed the driver straight to the duty-free shopping center.
On the large screen in the central atrium of the first floor, Viola’s latest cosmetics campaign was playing. He Yujing deliberately stopped to admire the entire ad. “Teacher Jiang is really famous. I can see you everywhere I go.”
To avoid being recognized, both he and Jiang Liusui were bundled up tightly, especially He Yujing, whose striking silver hair was completely hidden under the deep black brim of his hat.
Jiang Liusui was about to trade barbs with him, but He Yujing’s mother was beaming with delight beside them. “Oh my! That’s our Xiao Jiang, he looks so good in these photos!”
Jiang Liusui’s ears grew hot. He Yuing’s mother was still gushing, “Just like a little fox, much prettier than that fake special-effects fox.”
He Yujing saw that his face was red even under the mask and held back a laugh, repeating, “Mhm, our Xiao Jiang is so good-looking.”
He Yujing’s mother smiled and pulled Jiang Liusui along. “I was just thinking of buying some cosmetics. Will you help me pick some out?”
Having Jiang Liusui shoot a commercial was one thing, but he himself knew nothing about makeup. He subconsciously looked to He Yujing for help. The latter understood that his mother was just looking for an excuse to get closer to Jiang Liusui and gestured for him to just follow along.
Once they entered the Viola cosmetics counter, it was clear that He Yujing’s mother didn’t need Jiang Liusui to do anything—she was too busy directing the sales associate on a wild shopping spree. Jiang Liusui seemed to vaguely understand from whom He Yujing had inherited his shopping habits.
Seeing the astonishing amount she was spending at once, the sales associate was all smiles and asked one more question, “Are you a fan of Jiang Liusui?”
He Yujing’s mother looked young, and since she was buying all the products Jiang Liusui endorsed, the associate naturally took her for a fan. Hearing this, his mother responded with a beaming smile, “That’s right.”
Because she had bought too much, she added, “Let’s just leave it here for now. I’ll have someone come pick it up later.” Then she turned and charged towards the next store.
Jiang Liusui knew she didn’t actually need so many cosmetics, and that she was buying them all to support him. He took out his card, about to pay, only to find our He Yujing had already beaten him to it.
Seeing that the bill had been settled, Jiang Liusui whispered, “What are you doing? I should have paid for that.”
He Yujing gave Jiang Liusui a meaningful glance toward his mother’s excited figure ahead. “My mom loves buying bags the most. If you get her one, she’ll be even happier.”
Jiang Liusui got the hint. He and He Yujing shared a knowing high-five and followed after his mother.
That evening, He Yujing’s father arrived on Linzhou Island, and the family gathered at the reserved restaurant for dinner.
In the corner of the private room, the spoils of the day’s shopping were stacked neatly. He Yujing’s mother was beaming, linking arms with Jiang Liusui. “Do you like my new bag?”
He Yujing’s father glanced at it and praised, “Not bad.”
His mother added with a smile, “Xiao Jiang bought it for me.”
He Yujing’s father went along with it, even incorporating her outfit for the day. “Looks great—the color really suits what you’re wearing today.”
The father and son hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Seeing He Yujing’s glaring silver hair, his father gave it a few extra looks. He Yujing deliberately asked, “What do you think of my hair color?”
“Not as good as your original color.”
“I think so too,” He Yujing said, feigning agreement. “I’Il dye it red in a few days, just in time for the New Year.”
He Yujing’s father stopped looking at his troublesome son and turned to smile at Jiang Liusui. “It’s been a while, Xiao Jiang.”
Compared to the dramatic He Yujing, Jiang Liusui seemed exceptionally considerate. He Yujing’s father said, “You should come over and visit more often when you have time. He’s out all day and hardly home—you should come see us more.”
“You’re too kind, Uncle,” Jiang Liusui raised a hand to grab He Yujing’s. “I’lI definitely come with him.”
He Yujing, unusually, didn’t object. In the past, no matter how much his mother or He Linshu asked him to come home, he wouldn’t budge. Seeing this, his father was very pleased, although he only nodded without showing it on his face.
The meal ended in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Back at the hotel, a staff member came to deliver the room keys. He Yujing’s mother asked in a low voice, “Which is the room I specially requested?”
The staff member handed one of the cards to her. She then smilingly passed it to He Yujing. “A’Jing, this one is yours.”
He Yujing met her gaze. He felt her behavior was a bit strange. His mother urged, “Go on, take it.”
Figuring his mom wouldn’t try to harm them, He Yujing took the key card, slung an arm over Jiang Liusui’s shoulder, and said, “Let’s go. We’ll see you in the morning after we wake up.”
Jiang Liusui said, “See you tomorrow, Uncle and Auntie.”
“See you tomorrow.” The smile on his mother’s face deepened, and his father also waved at them.
In the elevator, Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but say, “I feel like your dad has changed a lot.”
Even though he had only met He Yujing’s father twice, this time he felt the man’s attitude towards He Yujing was… increasingly gentle.
“Has he?” He Yujing said, then recalled, “I guess so. When I dyed my hair before, his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.”
In the end, He Yujing was still a little unused to it. “Has he… finally accepted it? Seven years… and he’s finally come to terms with reality.”
It took Jiang Liusui a moment to realize He Yujing was talking about the seven years since his debut. He couldn’t help but look at him with amusement.
He Yujing swiped the card and opened the door. Jiang Liusui took the opportunity to lean forward, draping himself over his back.
Jiang Liusui pressed against his shoulder and rubbed against it contentedly. “I’m so tired. Carry me to the shower.”
He Yujing temporarily ignored the clingy person on his back and took a few steps forward. The room’s lights suddenly turned on, and Jiang Liusui heard him say in surprise, “What the hell…”
Jiang Liusui looked up and was equally stunned.
A small red carpet was laid out in the entryway, and beyond it, the floor was covered with red and pink balloons, with white helium balloons floating on the ceiling.
With Jiang Liusui still hanging on his back, He Yujing struggled to walk forward through the gaps between the balloons.
Halfway through, a balloon suddenly burst with a pop! He Yujing cursed and instinctively dodged to the side, causing Jiang Liusui to lose his balance as well. In the scramble, he clung tightly to him and said, “It’s just one balloon, do you have to be this agile!”
After speaking, Jiang Liusui’s eyes landed on the bed, where a pair of towels had been folded into swans. Surrounding them were layers upon layers of rose petals scattered across the sheets.
He didn’t know if it had been specially requested, but the amount of petals far exceeded what a typical hotel would use for decoration. The bed was almost completely covered in red roses.
Jiang Liusui stared, dumbfounded. “Is someone getting married?”
He glanced at the red carpet that extended into the bedroom and couldn’t help but ask, “Or are they preparing for a coronation here?”
“My mom probably requested it.”
Thinking of his mother’s meaningful smile earlier, and then looking at the surroundings, which were even more extravagant than a typical honeymoon suite, He Yujing guessed his mother wanted to create a romantic atmosphere for him and Jiang Liusui.
He Yujing said with a headache, “Let’s go shower first. We’ll clean up later.”
Afraid of stepping on some random mess along the way, He Yujing simply hoisted Jiang Liusui onto his back. The latter, for some reason, found it hilarious and kept stifling laughs while lying on his back. Finally, Jiang Liusui sighed, “Auntie is really… something else.”
The bathtub was also covered with a layer of rose petals, and scented candles were arranged in the niche directly opposite.
He Yujing had completely lost his temper—he simply filled the tub with water over the petals and even tossed in a bubble bath salt ball.
Jiang Liusui hung on him like a koala, doing nothing himself while commenting from the side, “Quite a fancy bath.”
“It’s alright,” He Yujing tested the temperature with his hand and turned the water down a bit. “Barely worthy of our Teacher Jiang.”
Jiang Liusui got off his back and asked with a smile, “Want to take a bath together?”
The built-in bathtub was piled high with bubbles and rose petals. Jiang Liusui took off his clothes and stepped in first. When He Yujing saw him lift his leg into the tub with his back to him, his slender, smooth back was flawless; the hollow of his spine and the small dimples at his waist were especially pronounced. Below that was the round, snowy white of his rear, and He Yujing’s gaze couldn’t help but linger.
Jiang Liusui didn’t notice the change in the man’s expression behind him. His attention was completely drawn to the champagne and wine glasses placed on the bay window. “They even have wine…”
Well aware of his own alcohol tolerance, Jiang Liusui picked it up, looked at it, and put it back down. In the process, he seemed to have touched some kind of switch. Music suddenly started playing in the bathroom—a contemporary love song that was quite popular these days.
The male singer’s voice was seemingly full of deep emotion, but his enunciation and breathing exuded an inexplicable affectation.
Jiang Liusui froze for a moment. He turned back to discuss the sudden BGM with He Yujing, just in time to see him taking off his clothes and stepping into the tub. His gaze swept over the broad, firm chest and tight waist and abdomen, and he couldn’t help but feel his face heat up.
“What kind of music is this?!” He Yujing suddenly clicked his tongue. “Who picked these songs? Why not play one of mine?”
Jiang Liusui had been a little embarrassed at first, but hearing this, he couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. “Why are you so childish?”
Jiang Liusui was shaking with laughter in the tub. He Yujing watched him and reached out a hand under the water. The bubbles in the tub swirled accordingly.
Jiang Liusui’s expression changed, and he almost wanted to kick him. “Where are you touching me…!”
“Didn’t you want me to help you bathe?” He Yujing’s hand didn’t stop moving as he said unhurriedly, “I’m helping you.”
Jiang Liusui’s ears burned uncontrollably, but upon hearing his words, he stopped struggling and let him do as he pleased.
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