"Bella, Miss Ji's dress is a little messy at the hem. Go fix it," the photographer called out, popping his head out.
Just as Bella was about to head over, Jiang Yanchen leaned down himself. He earnestly smoothed out the layers of tulle, then carefully draped them against the side of Ji Zhaoxi's legs.
The set fell dead silent. Everyone watched the scene in absolute shock.
Blushing furiously under everyone's gaze, Ji Zhaoxi whispered, "Jiang Yanchen, you don't have to."
Jiang Yanchen looked at her in confusion. "The hem was messy."
Ji Zhaoxi helplessly covered her face. This was so not just about a messy hem.
For the rest of the shoot, Jiang Yanchen acted like Ji Zhaoxi's personal assistant, staying by her side like a shadow.
The staff also went from initial shock to getting completely used to it, even starting to boss Jiang Yanchen around.
"Mr. Jiang, could you please fix Miss Ji's hem? It's messy again."
"Mr. Jiang, please adjust Miss Ji's loose hair."
"Mr. Jiang..."
Ji Zhaoxi grew more and more excited as the shoot went on. The people here were truly professional, and she learned a lot.
No wonder so many celebrities were willing to pay out of pocket just to shoot commercials for luxury brands; it really was different from ordinary commercials.
They shot until midnight before wrapping up.
The Leviathan staff also felt great about this shoot. Firstly, Ji Zhaoxi was incredibly cooperative, doing as many takes as they asked. Secondly, Jiang Yanchen was bizarrely cooperative as well, giving them a lot of face.
The very day the commercial wrapped, the director started bombarding the two of them with messages.
The show was about to end, and these two still hadn't come back!
So the next day, the manager drove them to the airport.
On the way to the airport, Ji Zhaoxi asked softly, "Jiang Yanchen, what kind of things do you like?"
She didn't have much to offer Jiang Yanchen, so she could only give him some gifts.
Buying gifts for men was too hard.
The manager in the front seat immediately perked up his ears.
Jiang Yanchen knew exactly what she was trying to do the moment he heard it. He leaned back lazily in his seat, looking out the window. "I don't like anything."
Ji Zhaoxi let out a troubled sigh.
Then what should she give him? Luxury goods? As long as it was expensive, it should be fine, even though Jiang Yanchen probably didn't need it.
"Even if you give me something, I won't accept it," Jiang Yanchen spoke up.
Ji Zhaoxi thought seriously for a moment, looked at him, and tentatively asked, "Then how about I treat you to a meal?"
Jiang Yanchen fell silent for a moment. "If it's because of the commercial, don't bother treating me. I'm not lacking a meal."
Ji Zhaoxi humbly asked for guidance, "Then what are you lacking? I'll see if I can find it to give to you."
The manager in the front couldn't help but laugh out loud. Feeling a sinister glare from behind, he immediately shut his mouth.
Jiang Yanchen coughed lightly. "Did you have fun these past few days?"
"Yeah, I did! Thank you so much, Jiang Yanchen." Ji Zhaoxi's eyes sparkled.
Jiang Yanchen lowered his head, unconsciously rubbing his ear. "As long as you had fun. We can go out and play again next time."
He didn't dare look at Ji Zhaoxi beside him, even though he knew she was looking at him.
A day later, the two finally returned to the village. The director looked at them with tears welling in his eyes.
These two were finally back. Without them, the bullet comments had significantly decreased.
"You must be tired from the journey," Ye Mubai smiled, pouring glasses of water for both of them.
"Super tired." Ji Zhaoxi sprawled listlessly over the table.
Shen Huaiqiu smiled. "With you guys gone, the house has been a lot quieter lately."
Just as he was about to help Ji Zhaoxi carry her suitcase upstairs, Jiang Yanchen nodded at him. "It's fine, I'll do it."
Jiang Yanchen conveniently took the coat from Ji Zhaoxi's hands as well and carried it up. The others were slightly taken aback.
Ji Zhaoxi didn't react much, as if she was used to it.
Xie Siheng sipped his tea and raised an eyebrow.
After a few days away, it looked like these two had gotten quite a bit closer.
In the afternoon, they followed the old man from next door to go fishing.
A few cats squatted beside them, their eyes full of longing.
Ji Zhaoxi happened to catch two small fish. She smiled and called out behind her, "Come here, baby."
Jiang Yanchen had just finished changing his fishing rod and was walking toward her. Both of them froze.
Jiang Yanchen looked at her in disbelief, his face flushing bright red.
Why was she suddenly calling him so intimately?
Meeting Jiang Yanchen's gaze, Ji Zhaoxi's face instantly turned red, and she hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no, I was calling the cat."
The cat behind her immediately darted out, even kicking Jiang Yanchen on its way, and bolted straight toward Ji Zhaoxi like a little cannonball.
Ji Zhaoxi awkwardly placed the fish on the grass. The kitty rubbed against Ji Zhaoxi, purring loudly.
Jiang Yanchen sat back in his seat, his face still a bit red. He said stubbornly, "I didn't think you were calling me."
His voice even carried a faint hint of resentment.
[I'm dying of laughter, did anyone else see Jiang Yanchen's eyes widen in shock just now?]
[Did Jiang Yanchen really think Ji Zhaoxi was calling him baby?]
[Just do it for me, can you two please kiss?]
[Does anyone have the picture of Jiang Yanchen fixing Ji Zhaoxi's dress from before? DM me please!]
[Sent it to the person above. That's the legendary photo for our ship, please save it well!]
A group of kids seemed to have just returned from school, their laughter echoing along the way. They stood on the field ridges and shouted toward the river.
"Sister Zhaoxi, come play with us!"
"Sister Zhaoxi!"
"We have a lot of scary things!"
Intrigued by the things in their hands, Ji Zhaoxi put down her fishing rod and walked over.
As soon as she approached, the kids surrounded her, chattering away.
"Sister Zhaoxi, look, aren't I scary!" A little girl was wearing a demon mask.
"Sister Zhaoxi, mine is a ghost, it's even scarier."
"Oh, go away, don't crowd Sister Zhaoxi. Sister Zhaoxi, look at mine..."
Once the kids started talking, they couldn't stop. It wasn't until the elders at home called their names that they reluctantly left.
Ji Zhaoxi even received two gifts: a pig mask and a white ghost cape that only showed two eyes.
Just then, Ji Zhaoxi turned her head and saw Jiang Yanchen going home to fetch more bait. Her eyes lit up.
She quickly threw on the ghost cape and hid behind a tree.
Not far away, Ye Mubai saw the ghost behind the tree and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Who is Zhaoxi planning to scare?"
Xie Siheng took a look and smiled. "Who else could she be scaring?"
They were like two elementary schoolers.
Jiang Yanchen came out with the bait and paused when he saw a corner of white sticking out from behind the tree not far away.
He coughed lightly and looked away.
Hiding behind the tree, Ji Zhaoxi was dying of anxiety. Why was Jiang Yanchen walking so slowly?
She felt a bit nervous. Suddenly, she felt something tugging at her ghost cape.
Turning her head, she saw a little orange tabby biting down hard on the corner of her cape, its mouth moving constantly, using its whole body's strength.
Ji Zhaoxi: ...
Whatever, scaring Jiang Yanchen was more important.
Jiang Yanchen looked down to adjust his bait and continued walking toward her.
Ji Zhaoxi crouched behind the tree, holding her breath. Listening to Jiang Yanchen's approaching footsteps, her palms began to sweat.
"Three, two, one..."
The very moment Jiang Yanchen's figure appeared, a white ghost suddenly jumped out.
"I'm a ghost!"
Having lost its toy, a little orange cat suddenly darted right past Ji Zhaoxi's feet. Terrified of stepping on it, Ji Zhaoxi scrambled to dodge it, but instantly lost her balance and pitched straight toward the ground.
The anticipated pain never arrived. Instead, she was met with an embrace enveloped in a familiar scent.
Jiang Yanchen firmly caught her by the waist. The sheer momentum sent Ji Zhaoxi crashing directly into his chest, her ears filling entirely with the sound of his heartbeat.
A low, muffled chuckle came from above her head.
"Do little ghosts fall over, too?"
Sunlight filtered through the dense, overlapping leaves, scattering dappled gold across the ground. The air was thick with the scent of sun-baked grass and leaves, while the tireless cicadas chirped endlessly in the trees.
Ji Zhaoxi didn't dare to look up. She could feel her face burning all the way to the tips of her ears.
Even though there was a breeze blowing, she felt terribly short of breath. It was as if every single breath she took was completely infused with his scent.
