Chapter 23

Tang Tianman spent twenty minutes throwing on some makeup. She gave up worrying about the chill in the air and slipped into a little skirt instead.

As she sat in front of the mirror, her hands flying across her face, Li Tong cracked her eyes open. Still groggy, she mumbled, “What are you up to? Got a hot guy in class today?”

Tang Tianman scoffed. “Tch.”

Li Tong grabbed her glasses and slipped them on, blinking into a bit more awareness. “Oh, right. Hot girl in class today?”

“If they call roll, answer for me,” Tang Tianman said.

Li Tong fell silent.

Five minutes later, she added, “Nope. Not doing it.”

No problem. Tang Tianman was in high spirits and saw the bright side of everything. “The old Ancient Chinese prof already called on me last time. He probably won’t this time.”

“But if he does, that’ll make three strikes for you,” Li Tong pointed out.

“Aw, come on. What are the odds?” Tang Tianman replied.

Li Tong just sighed.

As they finished getting ready to head downstairs, Tang Tianman suddenly remembered the breakfast Zheng Xiyu had brought her. She hadn’t had a chance to eat it.

Her makeup was all done now, and Xiyu still hadn’t shown up. It would be a pain to eat and mess it up.

So she turned her concern to her downcast roommate. “Tongzi, there’s breakfast on the table. It’s still warm—eat it while it’s hot.”

“Where’d that come from?” Li Tong asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Tang Tianman grinned and shouldered her bag, pulling the door open. “Not telling.”

The dorm fell quiet again. Li Tong let out a sigh.

Ruan Ruan pulled back her bed curtain, her voice weak and listless. “You knew the answer. What’s the point of asking?”

Li Tong shrugged. “I was half-asleep at first. Once I woke up, I already turned her down.”

Ruan Ruan pouted. “Jiang Xue’s class is right next door today. If she still ignores me, I won’t answer roll for Tangdou either.”

“You think she cares?” Li Tong asked.

“Doesn’t matter if she does or not,” Ruan Ruan said. “As long as we feel better.”

Tang Tianman had no idea how her beaming excitement made others envious. She trotted down the stairs, pausing at the dorm matron’s window to wave cheerfully. “Morning, Auntie!”

The matron cracked her seeds and eyed her. “That happy? You’re definitely not heading to class.”

Tang Tianman just giggled.

They’d agreed to meet at the school gate. Once Tang Tianman had dolled herself up, she looked almost too stunning.

She dashed over, drawing plenty of stares along the way. A couple of classmates she knew even grabbed her for a quick chat.

By the time she reached the gate, Zheng Xiyu was already waiting, just as expected.

The difference from their meeting twenty minutes earlier? She had a pretty big backpack slung over her shoulders.

Big, that was, relative to Tang Tianman. Xiyu couldn’t carry a normal-sized bag without it looking like she’d bought kids’ clothes by mistake.

The bag clashed a bit with her outfit, but Xiyu looked incredible today. Her box braids were mixed with colorful hair ties, paired with an oversized jacket exploding in clashing colors, solid-color joggers that tapered at the ankles, long socks in the same palette as her top, and chunky dad sneakers.

Plenty of people were checking her out. Tang Tianman slowed her steps as she approached, masking the bounce in her legs but failing to hide the grin splitting her face.

A huge smile lit her up as she tilted her head back. “You look like you’re repping some sport brand at Paris Fashion Week.”

“They said it’s runway style,” Xiyu replied.

“Who’s ‘they’?”

Xiyu tugged at her clothes. “The shop staff.”

Tang Tianman paused. “You bought this new?”

Xiyu smiled, a touch shy. “Yeah, yesterday.”

Damn. Tang Tianman stood there stunned for a good while.

Someone going all out to dress up just for a date with her? Tang Tianman had only ever experienced that from the dressing-up side before.

Whenever she showed up head-to-toe perfect for a meetup with family or friends, they’d shower her with compliments, ruffling her hair and pinching her cheeks, setting a joyful tone from the start.

Today, Tang Tianman finally got why she was so damn likable.

Ah, girls were just too adorable!!!

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Xiyu. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Xiyu suddenly lifted her head.

Well, not exactly lifting it—just stopped looking down.

“Shall we head out?” she asked Tang Tianman.

“Mm-hmm.” Tang Tianman pulled out her phone to call a ride.

“Let’s take the bus. This line’s quick.” Xiyu pinched a fold of fabric on Tang Tianman’s shoulder and steered her toward the bus stop. “Not too crowded at this hour.”

“Sure.” Tang Tianman didn’t mind. She hurried to keep pace right behind Xiyu.

The bus was nearly empty, freshly repainted and spacious with bright lights. They picked the comfiest seats, and everything felt perfectly serendipitous.

Tang Tianman fished her camera from her bag. “Lean toward the window. Let me snap a pic.”

Xiyu obliged, striking a pose.

Click. Tang Tianman checked the playback, astonished. “Does the bus make for such great shots? Never crossed my mind before.”

“You gotta pick the right bus. Old ones are no good,” Xiyu said. “Route and timing matter. Too many people, and it’s ruined.”

“You…” Tang Tianman trailed off.

Xiyu grinned. “I’ve scouted it.”

Tang Tianman was so touched she wanted to grab her and plant a few kisses.

In that moment, a fierce urge hit her: even if things blew up between them, she’d stay in touch for work. Pay her to model—pay her a ton!

Wait, “blew up”? Tang Tianman chuckled nervously, directing Xiyu for two more shots before settling back beside her.

Xiyu grabbed the bag she’d set aside earlier, pulling out a water bottle. She twisted off the cap and handed it over.

Tang Tianman took a couple sips. Then Xiyu produced two candies: one fluffy marshmallow, one hard fruit drop. Nice variety.

Tang Tianman smiled. “What’s else in the bag?”

Xiyu turned to her. “What do you want?”

“Anything I want, you got?”

Xiyu chuckled. “Try me.”

Tang Tianman pressed her lips together and chugged a big swig of water.

She’d taken the fruit one, but as Xiyu went to pocket the marshmallow, Tang Tianman caught her hand and snagged that too.

Xiyu’s fingers brushed her palm. She didn’t reclaim the candy—instead, she took the wrapper.

The fruit drop in Tang Tianman’s mouth was sickeningly sweet.

By the time they reached Memorial Park, the sun had fully risen.

The clouds were still thick, scattering the light into dramatic shapes. The central lake’s little island was blanketed in ginkgo trees, their leaves a dazzling patchwork of gold in the dappled sunlight.

“So beautiful,” Tang Tianman sighed, staring at the island.

“Mm.” Xiyu turned her head, gazing at her. “So beautiful.”

“Stand here quick. Island as backdrop for a couple shots.” Tang Tianman tugged her sleeve, pulling her onto a rock by the lake.

The rock was a bit high. Once Xiyu climbed up, Tang Tianman couldn’t frame her face right.

So Xiyu crouched down. Tang Tianman burst out laughing. “What’re you saying with that?”

“Just what it looks like.” Xiyu urged her on. “Shoot already.”

Tang Tianman grinned. “Cool expression now, cool dog vibe—music up~~~”

Xiyu cracked, ducking her head with laughter.

Besides Tang Tianman’s shutter click, two more snapped nearby.

Xiyu whipped her head around. An old man in a photographer’s vest was hoisting a telephoto lens, aimed right at her face.

Xiyu threw up a hand to block it and stood.

Tang Tianman noticed too but said nothing. She hurried over, looped her arm through Xiyu’s, and tugged her onward.

“He’s still shooting,” Xiyu said.

“Old pro freelancing shots. Can’t be helped,” Tang Tianman replied. “Wanna bolt?”

Xiyu shrugged. “Sure. You up for running?”

Tang Tianman laughed in exasperation. “If I can’t keep up, you gonna carry me?”

Xiyu’s gaze flickered. “Wouldn’t be the worst.”

“Sorry, pass.” Tang Tianman evened the score, beaming as she bounced ahead. “Race ya! Go!”

Xiyu watched her back, smiling for a good long moment.

She gave Tang Tianman a full arched bridge’s lead—nearly to the island—before breaking into a jog.

The island was carpeted in thick fallen leaves, damp and muddy. Tang Tianman stepped in one, splattering her socks with flecks of dirt. She didn’t care, glancing back to see Xiyu closing in fast. She bolted ahead again.

Straight into the thickest clump of trees, leaves densest overhead.

She whipped around with her camera—and a body filled her view. Click. Blurry mess.

Xiyu’s palm rested lightly on her back, breath steady and deep. “Caught you.”

Tang Tianman’s view was entirely filled by Xiyu’s chest—yellows and purples blurring into a daze.

The sunlight blazed brighter, just as Xiyu had predicted. It was shaping up to be a perfect clear day.

When someone wanted to go on a date with you that badly, even the heavens pitched in. In this golden, radiant world, every breath tasted sweet.

Xiyu asked, “Can I try your camera?”

“Sure.” Tang Tianman nodded and unslung the strap, handing it over.

It looked tiny in Xiyu’s grip.

“I’ll show you,” Tang Tianman said on tiptoe. “This is the viewfinder, this the shutter. Look through the viewfinder, half-press till it beeps, then full press. Focus shows green…”

Xiyu wasn’t really listening. She just watched Tang Tianman’s head intently.

Tang Tianman’s long hair hung loose today, cascading in layer upon layer of water-rippled curls that made her look even more like a delicate doll.

The golden-brown sweep of her eyeliner tails and the dirty orange of her lipstick matched the brilliant golden backdrop of autumn perfectly. Zheng Xiyu had actually seen the ginkgo trees here yesterday, but only now did she truly appreciate how a beautiful scene needed a beautiful person to bring it vividly to life, making it truly breathtaking.

After Tang Tianman pointed at the camera and explained, she looked up and asked, “Got it?”

“Got it,” Zheng Xiyu replied, stepping back. Through the viewfinder, she saw Tang Tianman’s face, and her finger trembled on the shutter.

“A bit closer with the lens, a bit closer… there, got it,” Tang Tianman prompted.

Zheng Xiyu’s brain couldn’t process so much at once. She’d handled her teammate’s DSLR before and knew the basics, but none of those cameras had ever framed someone so stunning.

In the distorted world of the lens, the cluttered background blurred into pretty bokeh lights, while Tang Tianman remained perfectly sharp in every gesture, every smile—like she was leaping off a 4K screen at 120 frames per second.

Zheng Xiyu pressed the shutter. “Smile for me.”

When Tang Tianman smiled, her lips curved into a perfect heart shape, sweet as honey.

Zheng Xiyu’s heart clicked right along with the shutter.

In that moment, she suddenly realized that Tang Tianman’s fondness for her probably stemmed entirely from that photoshoot at the training grounds, where the camera had focused intently on her, beautifying every detail.

But strip away the mirror images, the artistic ideals of beauty, the superficial glamour, and they still had a long road ahead.

No rush. They couldn’t rush. The more precious something was, the more it deserved to be cherished.

But someone was even more impatient than she was.

The Old Man couldn’t keep up with their pace, but he made up for it with sharp eyes and relentless persistence.

Zheng Xiyu had barely snapped a few shots when the Old Man appeared right in front of them. Without a word, he hoisted his massive camera and fired off two quick bursts at her, then two more at Tang Tianman.

Zheng Xiyu lowered her camera and took a couple of steps toward him.

The Old Man retreated two steps, but his eyes stayed glued behind the viewfinder, unyielding.

“Hello,” Zheng Xiyu said. “Please stop taking our pictures.”

The Old Man lowered his camera and chuckled. “You girls are so pretty. Young ladies like you are just gorgeous.”

“But we don’t want to be photographed,” Zheng Xiyu said firmly. “We’re here to enjoy ourselves, not to be bothered.”

“Oh, oh.” The smile faded from the Old Man’s face, and he shuffled aside, looking utterly aggrieved.

Zheng Xiyu waved Tang Tianman over, signaling her to move away.

Tang Tianman eyed the Old Man warily. He plopped down on a nearby bench with his camera in his lap, stealing glances at them. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away, pretending to admire the scenery.

Tang Tianman sidled up to Zheng Xiyu and hugged her arm, leaning in to whisper.

Zheng Xiyu bent down and offered her ear.

“Doesn’t he remind you of Su Daqiang?” Tang Tianman said with a grin.

Zheng Xiyu laughed too. “He does, a little.”

“He’s not that bad, actually. He listens when you tell him.”

“Yeah, but I was worried you’d be upset.”

Tang Tianman opened her mouth to say more, but the Old Man suddenly jumped to his feet and called out, “Hey, young ladies…”

They both turned.

“You two out here together—don’t you want a photo? Look at you standing side by side, so… so harmonious! It’d be a shame not to capture it. Time is money, after all—one inch of time worth one inch of gold, and you can’t buy back a single moment. This moment’s priceless! I’ll take the shots and send them to you. I won’t share without your permission. Come on, just a couple— you’re too photogenic!”

Tang Tianman said, “I actually think he has a point.”

Zheng Xiyu nodded. “He does.”

“Mostly, I’m just flattered.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty embarrassing.”

Tang Tianman was still clinging to her arm. “How about we let him take a couple?”

“Sure, a couple,” Zheng Xiyu agreed.

The Old Man zeroed in on their consent like a hawk and immediately raised his camera. “Alright, here we go!”

Tang Tianman straightened up, and Zheng Xiyu adjusted her posture.

“Hey, hey, hey—Tall One, bend down a bit like before, yeah, that’s it. Little One, scoot closer to her, perfect. Now, some interaction— Tall One, look at her, not at me. Little One, smile… yeah, smile all shy and bashful. Great, so sweet! Let’s switch it up— Tall One, put your arm around Little One’s waist…”

Tang Tianman murmured, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Zheng Xiyu whispered back, “Bet he shot wedding photos before retiring.”

“Hey, hey, hey!!! Tall One, scoop Little One up—princess carry! You can manage it, right? We’ll spin around. Imagine how cute that’ll look! Quick, there’s wind, leaves are falling—hurry, lift her!!!”