IDEI CH43

Qi Yanning sat comfortably with endless patience. After a long while, he watched Ling Cangzhou’s chat box blink continuously, still showing “Typing…”

Finally, just when Qi Yanning thought he was composing a lengthy essay, Ling Cangzhou replied.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: A-Ning, what’s up?

Qi Yanning smiled and replied with unvarnished directness.

[yanN]: Did you inject additional funding into Director Wang’s production last week?

[Red-Eared Puppy]: Yes. I am highly optimistic about Director Wang’s project.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: As a renowned, highly respected director helming a historical costume drama again after so many years, coupled with a massive IP for the original novel—it has talent, it has hype, and the plot is solid with no major pitfalls. I am very confident in this drama’s prospects.

Ling Cangzhou’s messages fired off rapidly, the status at the top of the chat window stubbornly remaining on “Typing…” Yet before his next message could send, he saw Qi Yanning’s reply.

[yanN]: Regardless, thank you, Yuchuan.

[yanN]: Are you free tomorrow evening?

[yanN]: There is a jewelry exhibition at the Art Museum. Would Yuchuan be interested in attending with me?

Ling Cangzhou’s eyes lit up instantly. This was the first time Qi Yanning had actively invited him out!

The previous few times, he had invited Qi Yanning to movies and exhibitions. Because both were swamped with work, they had parted ways immediately afterward to tackle their respective schedules, leaving little room for conversation.

Moreover, Qi Yanning was always intensely focused during movies and exhibitions. At first, he would exchange a few words, but before long, he would be completely drawn into whatever was before him.

His narrow, elegant phoenix eyes would reflect the movie or artwork, his brow furrowing slightly, his entire being absorbed in the film or painting before him.

Even with terrible movies or heavily abstract art, Qi Yanning remained dead serious. From his occasional, fleeting comments, Ling Cangzhou discovered that Qi Yanning truly possessed eyes capable of finding beauty. Even the worst films held traits of beauty in his eyes.

In truth, Ling Cangzhou loved watching Qi Yanning sink into that state. Qi Yanning wasn’t the type of artist swept away by emotion; he always appreciated art from the perspective of an observer—calm, detached, and analytical, never projecting his own feelings into the work.

Consequently, during these moments, Qi Yanning appeared exceedingly aloof and remote. Standing there, he exuded an aura as timeless and settled as the art itself, making Ling Cangzhou completely unable to tear his eyes away.

Whether in the dim theater or a brightly lit exhibition hall, Qi Yanning, standing amidst it all, captivated Ling Cangzhou far more than any art piece.

Ling Cangzhou pressed his lips together.

Yet, as much as he felt he could never get enough of looking at Qi Yanning like this, he still craved more interaction.

He greedily wanted more engagement. He wanted this “work of art”—Qi Yanning, who looked as if he belonged in a museum display—to be touched by even the slightest hint of his own warmth.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ling Cangzhou’s expressionless, slightly aggressive face instantly morphed back into its usual bright, harmless smile.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: What time shall we meet tomorrow? Since A-Ning invited me to the exhibition, let me treat A-Ning to dinner!

After sending that message, his fingertips tapped restlessly against the back of his phone, his eyes glued unblinkingly to the screen.

Because of their busy schedules, it had been a very long time since the two had eaten a meal together.

[yanN]: 3:00 PM. Then I shall graciously accept Yuchuan’s invitation for dinner.

Yes!

Ling Cangzhou pumped a fist in the air.

His eyes sparkled as his fingers flew across the screen.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: Shall I pick A-Ning up at 3:00 PM tomorrow?

Seeing the four messages pop up almost instantly, Qi Yanning let out an amused smile. Boss Ling, just how impatient are you?

He casually replied with a single “Okay.” Setting down his phone, his gaze accidentally met the mirror in his room.

Qi Yanning froze slightly. Looking at his shimmering eyes in the mirror, the gentle amusement in them had deepened considerably.

It seemed that, just like Boss Ling, he was also very much looking forward to tomorrow.

***

The next day was another rest day for TND, but not for An Zai.

He dragged Gong Jiayu out of bed bright and early to practice the girl group dance.

Operating on the principle of “if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me,” Gong Jiayu convinced An Zai to rope in Lou Yuxing and Pang Nong as well.

An Zai thought it over and agreed. Using a mix of whining, wheedling, and signing unequal treaties, he managed to drag Lou Yuxing and Pang Nong into the fold.

Conveniently, the four of them matched the exact number of members in the original group that sang “Cupid,” meaning they didn’t even need to redesign the formations—they could just do a straight cover.

Thus, when Qi Yanning woke up, he heard the commotion coming from the practice room.

Amid the music, the boisterous laughter of Yan Zihao and the others rang out.

Arching an eyebrow, Qi Yanning slid open the practice room door and walked in, finding several TND members gathered there.

At the front, Feng Qingyi was breaking down movements for the dead-inside quartet, while the other four sat on the sidelines, their faces flushed red from laughing so hard.

Even Xiao Yingyi, usually the most composed of the group, wore an uncontrollable grin.

“Ahhhhhhh, this is too hard!!” An Zai struck a cute pose in front of the mirror, then visibly cringed at his own cheesiness, collapsing weakly to the floor.

“I regret everything. If I hadn’t messed with Qi-ge, I wouldn’t have ended up like this today…” An Zai mumbled endlessly.

Qi Yanning let out a soft laugh.

“Qi-ge!!” Hearing the sound, An Zai’s head snapped up, catching sight of Qi Yanning.

“Qi-ge, why are you here?” Gong Jiayu asked.

“Checking to see how your practice is coming along,” Qi Yanning said, glancing over them. “So it’s definitely going to be you four? I’ll head to the company’s styling department to grab some clothes. You can record it today.”

Their faces instantly fell. Why so fast?! They were completely unprepared to record something that was visibly destined to become a dark history dredged up to mock them for years to come!

“Qi-ge, look, about the puffy princess dress…” An Zai stared pleadingly at Qi Yanning, but catching the unreadable look in Qi Yanning’s eyes, he instantly changed his tune. “Puffy princess dresses are the best! I love puffy princess dresses the most!”

He truly knew when to bow and when to stand tall.

Qi Yanning smiled. Motioning for Feng Qingyi to come over, he whispered a few words in his ear, then turned to leave.

“As for the puffy dress, we’ll see what mood I’m in,” Qi Yanning’s gaze swept over the boys, the corner of his lips curling up. “Practice hard.”

Stepping out the door, he heard the practice room instantly devolve into chaos behind him.

Qi Yanning shook his head. Checking the ETA of his ride on his phone, he walked out.

By the time he returned, An Zai and the others had more or less nailed the routine and were taking a break.

“Qi-ge!” Gong Jiayu sprang up from the sofa and bounded over. “Let me see what clothes you brought!”

Qi Yanning let him rummage through the bags.

Pulling the clothes out, Gong Jiayu let out a theatrically massive sigh of relief. “I thought Feng Qingyi was lying when he said you told us to tweak the moves, but it was actually true!”

Qi Yanning nodded. Of course it was true. Joking about making them dance “Cupid” in dresses was one thing, but in reality, for the sake of their image, a video like that would be immediately rejected the moment it reached Qin Haoyu’s desk.

Especially with their comeback looming, their public image could be cute, but it couldn’t be overly comical, lest it clash violently with their upcoming album and create a jarring disconnect for casual audiences. That would be more trouble than it was worth.

Therefore, the styling Qi Yanning designed leaned cute, but wasn’t overly effeminate.

The tops for the four consisted of sky-blue, mint-green, pastel-yellow, and soft-pink short-sleeve shirts featuring adorable animal graphics, paired with bright denim overalls and athletic shorts.

Except for An Zai’s…

Which was a pair of shorts that looked remarkably like a skirt.

It was a light purple, floral-print cotton pair of shorts with such wide, flared legs that it billowed exactly like a skirt hem.

When Gong Jiayu dug out those shorts, he froze for a second. Upon learning they belonged to An Zai, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hehehe.” With a sly grin, he grabbed the shorts and went to find An Zai.

Before long, An Zai shuffled over wearing the shorts, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.

“…I feel a draft.” An Zai’s face scrunched up like a steamed bun, groaning in agony. “It’s so tough being a girl. I never realized wearing a skirt felt this insecure.”

Qi Yanning looked at An Zai, who had suddenly developed profound empathy for the female plight over a single pair of shorts, and offered no comment.

He had the four sit down to do their makeup.

Their makeup coordinated with the colors of their outfits. The eyeshadows featured fresh, vibrant pastels, and the blushes were soft pinks, making them look like plump, juicy fruits ready to burst.

The lip color wasn’t heavy, but a sheer layer of glossy lip glaze made their lips look soft and full.

Their hair was curled into small, bouncy waves piled playfully atop their heads. Lou Yuxing’s long hair was tied into a small, fluffy bun poking out the back of his head.

And that wasn’t all. Qi Yanning pulled out a handful of colorful mini hair clips and pinned them through their hair.

Finally, fruit stickers and Band-Aids with cute patterns were placed across their cheeks.

Watching the spectacle unfold, Yan Zihao was dumbfounded. “Wait, this is way too cute!”

Although Qi Yanning pushed their styling hard toward “cute,” he didn’t let the cuteness devolve into infantile or hyper-feminine territory. Instead, it was a crisp, distinctly boyish charm. The four looked like a series of distinct dolls, making anyone who looked at them smile unconsciously.

“Of course! Qi-ge never misses when he makes a move!” An Zai proclaimed loudly, beaming with pride.

Yan Zihao shot him a look. “Could you… maybe not speak for a while?”

An Zi’ai looked at him in confusion. What kind of weird request was that?

Yan Zihao sighed. An Zai truly knew how to torture them. Yesterday’s extreme old-lady makeover, paired with his smug, triumphant expressions, was enough to make their eyes hurt just looking at him. And today, rocking such an adorable look while speaking in that grating, gong-crashing voice…

An Zai, please spare us! Yan Zihao thought in despair.

Once the four were ready, they informed assistant Tang Xin and headed out together to shoot. Qi Yanning followed them out.

He stood on the sidelines watching for a short while before preparing to leave.

“Qi-ge, why are you leaving? Where are you going?” Gong Jiayu’s sharp eyes caught Qi Yanning’s movement, and he called out loudly.

An Zai’s teasing accusation followed, “Qi-ge, you’re not even staying to watch us finish recording? Do you have another dog waiting for you outside?!”

“Mm…” Qi Yanning pondered for a second, not caring whether An Zai’s group could hear him from that distance, and answered softly, “Yes, a big dog. Very big.”

“…And quite cute, too.”

With a pleased smile curling his lips, he waved a hand at the boys and strolled away with effortless flair.

***

Not far away, Ling Cangzhou was already waiting for him in the car.

“Good afternoon, A-Ning!” Ling Cangzhou was wearing large sunglasses, flashing a bright, eight-tooth grin.

He was driving a black car today. Qi Yanning couldn’t recognize the brand, but judging from the flawless, streamlined chassis and the shimmering, lustrous paint job, he knew it had to be a luxury vehicle.

Stepping inside, the interior was understated but exuded sheer luxury and comfort in every detail.

This was already the fifth different car Ling Cangzhou had driven when taking Qi Yanning out privately. It was only during moments like these that Qi Yanning truly felt Ling Cangzhou’s identity as a second-generation heir and domineering CEO.

…After all, Boss Ling was usually far too down-to-earth. His phone was packed with endless dog sticker memes, he always spoke to Qi Yanning softly without ever exerting an ounce of oppressive presence, acting more like a bright, cheerful college student.

Seeing Qi Yanning buckled in, Ling Cangzhou swung the steering wheel and pulled out.

“Your outfit looks great today,” Qi Yanning said, casting a glance at Ling Cangzhou.

“I tried on several outfits before leaving the house. I knew A-Ning would think it looks good,” Ling Cangzhou sat up a bit straighter, practically glowing with pride.

He had started trying on clothes at 1:00 PM, practically turning his wardrobe inside out. Even his butler, whom he had dragged in as a consultant, was exhausted.

“What exactly are you looking for, sir?” the butler had asked.

“I need an outfit that isn’t flashy but isn’t too plain, not too formal but not too casual, preferably with some design flair to highlight my physique, and it must match this pair of cufflinks!” Ling Cangzhou rattled off a rapid-fire list of demands.

Saying this, he retrieved a pair of individually wrapped cufflinks from the deepest corner of his cufflink box, taking them out with utmost care.

…They were the obsidian cufflinks Qi Yanning had gifted him.

Taking a deep breath and rubbing the throbbing veins at his temples, the butler had helped him search.

Yet Ling Cangzhou remained dissatisfied, only making a rushed decision right before leaving—settling on the very first outfit he had tried on.

A light gray-khaki casual suit paired with a white inner tank top, looking young and energetic.

Hearing his response, Qi Yanning’s lips curved. This was exactly what he liked so much about Ling Cangzhou: incredibly straightforward and sincere.

As he drove, Ling Cangzhou kept the conversation flowing. “How does A-Ning feel about Huaiyang cuisine? A childhood friend of mine opened a private Huaiyang restaurant. Would A-Ning like to give it a try?”

“Sure.” Qi Yanning wasn’t overly picky about food; he simply ate a few more bites if it was delicious, and put his chopsticks down early if it wasn’t.

“Then I’ll ask my friend to save a table for us,” Ling Cangzhou smiled. “His private kitchen is really popular. Maybe I should message him right now? A-Ning, could you help me out?”

He gestured for Qi Yanning to unlock his phone.

Qi Yanning didn’t move, merely casting him a sidelong, half-smiling glance.

Ling Cangzhou touched his nose awkwardly, shooting Qi Yanning a pleading, puppy-dog look before finally pulling over to the side of the road to fire off a quick message to his friend himself.

Afterward, he smoothly introduced a new topic, as if nothing had just happened.

Qi Yanning gave him a look and let the matter slide as well.

Internally, however, he was thoroughly amused. Some of Ling Cangzhou’s little tricks were genuinely entertaining. Just now, for example, was a test of the boundaries between them.

The fascinating thing about Ling Cangzhou was that, unlike most people who chose to invade another’s territory to test the waters, he coaxed the other person into invading his territory. Thus, even his probing felt vulnerable and full of goodwill, easily drawing one into his domain and effortlessly pulling them closer into intimacy.

Boss Ling’s sneaky little tests reminded Qi Yanning of a scruffy stray puppy he had once encountered in the imperial palace.

At the time, Chief Grand Eunuch Ling still possessed a sliver of kindness. Seeing the pitiful dog, he fed it a few times. After that, the dog latched onto him. Not only did it eagerly lead him to its favorite sleeping spots, but it would also fetch twigs and pebbles it thought he’d like as gifts. Every time he saw the dog’s large, damp eyes, his heart would soften unconsciously, allowing the distance between them to close through the dog’s inch-by-inch probing.

…Thinking about it now, Boss Ling’s tactics weren’t far off from that stray dog’s.

Qi Yanning looked at Ling Cangzhou, inevitably meeting his slightly confused yet endlessly gentle gaze.

“A-Ning?” Ling Cangzhou asked, puzzled.

“…Nothing, let’s go.” Qi Yanning’s eyes flickered, shaking his head.

***

At the jewelry exhibition, Ling Cangzhou’s performance surprised Qi Yanning even further.

“…Did Boss Ling secretly study up on jewelry?” When Ling Cangzhou eloquently broke down the design elements and history of yet another piece before them, Qi Yanning turned his head and asked softly.

“I just did a little light reading on today’s exhibits yesterday,” Ling Cangzhou smiled modestly.

Qi Yanning understood instantly. Boss Ling’s “light reading” clearly meant memorizing everything back to front.

He had originally planned to hire a docent to guide them, but it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.

Qi Yanning cast a soft glance at Ling Cangzhou. “Then I’ll have to trouble Yuchuan to continue guiding me.”

“My absolute pleasure!” Ling Cangzhou’s smile deepened. Placing a protective hand behind Qi Yanning’s waist, he guided him toward the next exhibit with his other hand.

Yesterday, the moment he learned Qi Yanning invited him to the exhibition, he had someone fetch the complete catalog and background information for the event.

Then, after finishing his work, the young Boss Ling stayed up late into the night studying the materials.

During previous exhibitions, he hadn’t prepared properly, forcing them to have a docent trail them the entire time.

A-Ning’s eyes had either been glued to the exhibits, or politely meeting the docent’s gaze while they explained the pieces.

…He rarely looked at him. Not wanting to interrupt Qi Yanning’s appreciation of the art, Ling Cangzhou had no choice but to follow closely behind them, like a silent, haunting spirit.

What a joke! At this exhibition, if he let someone else intrude on their private world of two again, he would be an absolute idiot!

Late last night, the moment young Boss Ling pictured Qi Yanning looking directly at him while he explained the pieces, he was filled with heroic determination and memorized the entire exhibition catalog.

Sure enough, it paid off today.

Boss Ling cast a subtly triumphant glance at a nearby docent. When Qi Yanning looked his way, he instantly reverted to his gentle, radiant demeanor and continued his presentation.