Chapter 107 - A LITTLE PEAK INTO LI XU MIN'S LIFE

"XU MIN, look here.  Yes!  That's it.  Then reach out as if you wanted to touch something that you couldn't hold," said a man in his late 20s holding a camera in his hand.

The young man he was talking to did as he was told.  He reached out towards the camera.  He was standing barefooted.  He was wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers.  Some of the buttons of his shirt was open, showing a white expanse of chest.  A wind was blowing coming from a powered fan standing on the side, blowing the young man's shirt.  Because of that, one could see a glimpse of his firm abdomen.

Strands of his black hair were also being blown to the side.  Showing his flawless forehead.  His black eyes were surrounded by long eyelashes.  Those eyes were now filled with deep longing.  As if he really wanted to reach out to something that he couldn't have or even touch.  With that angelic face filled with innocence, it just simply evoked endless distressed from the people watching him.  They couldn't help but want to protect him from any harm.

"Perfect!" exclaimed the photographer.  "We got all the shot we need.  Good job, Xu Min."

Li Xu Min breathed a sigh of relief.  Finally, the photoshoot was over.  He relaxed his body and stepped out of the range of the powered fan.  These photoshoots were seriously tiring and draining.  Who would have thought that someone like him who preferred to stay indoors and just play games or read comics all day would actually end up as a model?

Those classmates of him from grade school all the way to middle school probably wouldn't believe that a person they considered a big nerd would appear in various magazines and commercials.  No, they probably wouldn't think it was him.  After all, during those years, he'd been nothing but a transparent person.  His classmates probably didn't know his name.  He even wondered, at some point, if he truly existed at all.  After all, his parents, the people who should have been first to validate his worth, didn't care one whit about him. 

He only managed to get out of his own shell when he entered high school.  And that's because of the important friends he made.  It started after he played Arcadia and he and those friends established team Celestials.  Since then, the idea of him being just a worthless existence slowly faded away.  That even someone like him could do something right.  That even he could inspire people.

But even so, when he had to work past six in the evening, Li Xu Min began to wonder why was he doing this kind of work he's not fully comfortable with.  Ah right, because the money was good.  Because this money let him be independent.  Which meant he could be far away from his 'good' parents.  

Then it all didn't seem so hard anymore.

"Thank you, Mr. Mu," he said modestly to the photographer.

"I hope next time I could still be your photographer."

Li Xu Min only smiled.  This shoot was for a cover of a famous magazine that catered to young teens.  After his first cover shoot for this magazine a year ago, he had another five covers, including this one.  One more shoot and he'd be done with his contract for this magazine.  

He said goodbye to the photographer and to some of the staffs around.  

When he was about to walk, he accidentally tripped into something.  He thought that he would, one again, plant himself faced first on the floor.  But it didn't happen.  Instead, a strong hand held his arm and pulled him back.  He was about to glance back when that person put a pair of familiar thick glasses on his face.  Then Li Xu Min's surroundings immediately became crystal clear.

The person who put his glasses on him was taller than him by half a head.  So he needed to slightly look up to see their face.  It was a young man the same age as him.  He had a standard buzz cut, thick eyebrows, and strong jaws.  His eyes were deep and seemed like it's hiding myriads of emotions.  But his perpetual scowling face simply negate the beauty of those eyes.

With his countenance and well-developed body, one could easily assume that he was a soldier or something.  And they wouldn't be exactly wrong in way.

Li Xu Min showed a helpless smile when he recognized the person in front of him.  "Ah Hui, why are you here?  Didn't you have training today?"

"It's already finished," Zhong Hui answered while putting a jacket over Li Xu Min's shoulders.  Then he kneeled and put shoes on Li Xu Min's bare feet.  He didn't even seem affected holding another man's feet.  After doing that, he stood up.  "Let's go."

Li Xu Min hadn't had time to react because Zhong Hui already pulled him to his assigned dressing room.

"Hey, who's that?" one of the staffs asked looking at the back of the two.

The other staff she asked looked in the direction she was looking.  "Ah, that's Xu Min's friend.  I've seen him quite a few times during Xu Min's photoshoots."

"He looks kind of scary."

The other staff only laughed.  "He might look intimidating but he's really quite a polite young man."

The two who just entered the dressing room, of course, didn't hear this conversation.

Li Xu Min started to change clothes.  Zhong Hui, on the side, immediately turned back when he saw that.

"Where's my assistant, by the way?" Li Xu Min asked after he finished changing clothes.

"I sent her home.  I told her I'll send you back so there's no need for her to be here."

Li Xu Min felt a bit helpless again when he heard that.  "Ah Hui, you don't have to do this.  I know you've been busy with your training recently."

Instead of answering, Zhong Hui just pulled him to a seat then started silently removing his make-up.  Li Xu Min didn't object because he knew it wouldn't change Zhong Hui's mind.  He'd been like this since they met four years ago, spoiling him and treating him like a younger brother.  Even though they're the same age.  Looking at Zhong Hui's constantly scowling face, no one would think that he was this caring and thoughtful.

It didn't take long for Zhong Hui to finished because the make-up put on Li Xu Min was really light.  Understandable, since even without make-up, Li Xu Min's skin was already as smooth as boiled egg.  

After that, the two went out and started walking towards the building's parking lot.  

When they reached it and was about to head to Zhong Hui's car, a familiar white van suddenly stopped in front of them.  The door of the van slide open and they saw a very beautiful young woman sitting inside.  Her long black hair was like a soft waterfall falling behind her back.  Her pair of black eyes that seemed to naturally hook people were slightly upturned at the end.  Her natural pinkish-red lips were smiling at the two.  

"Ah Min, Ah Hui," Song Liuli greeted the two.

"Li Li, what are you doing here?" Li Xu Min asked a bit confused.

"Don't just stand there, come inside," she said instead.

"I'm taking Min home," Zhong Hui said, looking at Song Liuli as if silently telling her 'Don't disturb us and just go'.

Of course, Song Liuli saw that.  But would she just silently obey?  Of course not.  So she focused her attention on Li Xu Min.  "Let's all eat dinner together."

Li Xu Min became even more confused.  "I thought you and Ah Yu we're planning to go somewhere tonight?"

He remembered that Song Liuli was so happy when she told him about that to the point that she even dragged him to buy new clothes with her.  Even though she would never admit it.  

Song Liuli's beautiful face contorted with displeasure for a moment.  "Don't talk about that Duan Yu bastard.  I don't want to hear his name."

"What happened?" Li Xu Min asked, although he already suspected the answer.

"Duan Yu attended the King's annual party," Zhong Hui was the one who answered, referring to the birthday party event of the King NPC of Arcadia.

Song Liuli's expression became more annoyed when she heard that.

Even Li Xu Min's brows furrowed a bit.  "I thought one of the newer members were supposed to go to that event?" 

Zhong Hui shrugged because he truly didn't know the answer.

"Because that bastard, Duan Yu, received information that all three members of Yunyue would be attending.  That's why he went and took the invitation from the other member," Song Liuli said, gritting her teeth.  

Li Xu Min was slightly surprised to learn that.  Because Yunyue never attended that event with all of its remaining member.  So, did that mean that even YUN went?

Then Song Liuli turned to the two, almost glaring.  "Are you going to dinner with me or not?"

Li Xu Min looked at Song Liuli's expression and sighed.  He turned to Zhong Hui and silently told him that they should just give in and go with her.  Even if Zhong Hui was reluctant, he still nodded.

So the two climbed inside the van.