Running away from the Love-Brain

Girlfriend

Before Chi Buyu put on her red dress, Cui Xijin first donned the redesigned black qipao.

The shooting location had few people present; Chen Wenran had come over from the south to help with the lighting, while Ran Yan served as the shooting guide for Cui Xijin, who was unaccustomed to the camera. Chi Buyu, wearing a mango-yellow baseball cap, anxiously ran around the set like SpongeBob chasing jellyfish.

Cui Xijin wore tiny pearl earrings, and her hair was styled into two buns at the back, as she awkwardly adjusted her skirt while posing dramatically, trying to keep a smile in front of the intimidating black camera lens she had previously avoided.

She felt like a tree with branches open wide, being dressed up for a Children's Day celebration.

With her chin raised, she complied with the new photographer Chi Buyu's desired poses, maintaining a smile. She couldn't help but think—why had she agreed to this boring task?

She wondered if she had refused to shoot, would Chi Buyu have cried?

But she knew Chi Buyu was laughing now.

Half her face was hidden behind the camera, while the other half was laughing so hard it seemed lost.

So, she thought, fine, at least let Chi Buyu laugh a little longer.

Chen Wenran was working hard to adjust the lighting, looking around at the sparse scene with just the four of them.

Then she glanced at the photographer Chi Shui, who was grinning widely, and at the seemingly impatient yet sweetly devoted model Cui Muhuo, and sighed,

"I feel like we're just playing house."

Ran Yan was sitting behind the monitor, casually crossing her legs, elegantly nibbling on chocolate with liquor inside, "Your Cui Xijin said she wouldn't shoot if there were more than five people."

"What? My Cui Xijin?" Chen Wenran exclaimed loudly, pointing at the photographer Chi Buyu, "Isn't this all her fault?"

Cui Xijin shot a cold glance at the monitor and warned,

"On set, please don't shout."

Chen Wenran, feeling aggrieved, held up the lighting board, "Shui Shui, your Cui Xijin just scolded me."

The photographer and on-set coordinator Chi Buyu chuckled behind the camera. After laughing for a while, she lowered her camera, blinked one eye playfully, and smugly raised her chin, saying,

"Ah~"

Then, feeling a bit awkward, she softly added, "Got it, Chen Wenran, please don't talk too much."

Chen Wenran was somewhat dissatisfied.

She wanted to say more.

Cui Xijin, feeling a bit impatient, urged, "Let's finish this quickly; stop with the nonsense."

Chen Wenran scoffed, still unwilling to back down, muttering to Chi Buyu, "Your Cui Xijin is really hard to deal with."

Chi Buyu chuckled crookedly.

Cui Xijin pressed her to hurry, "Chi Buyu, speed it up."

Chi Buyu immediately shut her mouth and stopped laughing.

She squinted her eyes again and looked through the viewfinder at Cui Xijin, snapping several photos in quick succession. Simultaneously, Ran Yan, who was watching the monitor, noticed—

Cui Xijin stood in front of the white backdrop, looking perfectly normal, but her neck had turned slightly red.

During their lunch break, she quietly whispered to Ran Yan, "I've noticed that when my Cui Xijin is shy, her neck gets red."