Chapter Five: Surveillance (1)

After finishing her conversation with Yunxi Yu, Huaiqing Shen decided to go check on the photo studio. Since the day was still young, they could interview a few more models—after all, the previous magazine covers hadn’t been to her liking.

Most importantly, this meant she could unabashedly admire handsome men!

When Huaiqing Shen arrived at the studio, the staff had already packed up and left since shoots usually took place in the morning. Yunxi Yu hurriedly called everyone back and quickly arranged for new models to be found. In less than an hour, the studio was bustling with energy once more.

Huaiqing Shen sat to the side, satisfied with the scene before her. Yunxi Yu was, as expected, efficient and composed in her leadership.

Since the models hadn’t arrived yet, Huaiqing Shen decided to kill time on her phone. Just as she opened WeChat, a message popped up.

“How’s everything at the magazine?”

It was from Chen Fu.

Raising her brows, Huaiqing Shen’s fingers danced swiftly across the screen. “Not bad,” she replied.

Her message sank like a stone into the sea—no further response came. Chen Fu didn’t reply.

She didn’t dwell on it, scrolling through Weibo and the trending topics, letting time slip by.

“President Shen, the models have arrived.”

Huaiqing Shen put away her phone and followed Yunxi Yu to the dressing room. In just ten minutes, they had seen over a dozen male models, none of whom were suitable.

The two women exchanged helpless glances.

“President Shen, Chief Editor Yu, there’s one last model on his way—he should be here in about ten minutes,” a staff member reported respectfully from the doorway.

Neither of them had much hope for today, but as soon as the last man walked in, they both broke into satisfied smiles.

The man stood at least six foot two, his hair dark and lustrous like polished jade, with soft bangs falling across his forehead. His eyes were as black as onyx, his nose tall and well-shaped, his features as if sculpted by a master’s hand. Most captivating of all was the curve of his lips—always seeming on the verge of a smile, revealing two charming canine teeth when he grinned.

He wore a simple white T-shirt and light blue jeans, the cuffs rolled up to reveal slender ankles, with the most ordinary canvas shoes on his feet.

He looked like he had walked straight out of a campus romance novel—a college boy whose smile could part the darkest clouds and flood the room with sunlight.

“Hello, my name is Yi Chu.”

He looked a little nervous, sheepishly scratching his head, his eyes darting uncertainly.

“I’m sorry, ladies, this is my first time at a model audition. I don’t know many of the rules, so if you have any questions, please ask me directly.”

Huaiqing Shen couldn’t help but laugh at the young man before her. Faced with such a fresh-faced boy, she was determined not to let him off easily—she would tease him thoroughly later. For now, with staff present, she restrained herself.

“Your age, height, weight, measurements, and expected salary,” Yunxi Yu said, glancing at Huaiqing Shen with a slight frown, and fired off the questions at Yi Chu.

Yi Chu paused for a couple of moments, his voice hesitant. “I’m 22, height 187 centimeters, weight 135 pounds. As for my measurements… sorry, I haven’t measured them. About salary, I’m not familiar with the industry, so I’ll leave it up to you.”

Yunxi Yu’s expression turned a little sour, and she was about to press further when Huaiqing Shen patted her hand.

“We’re very satisfied with you. Give your personal details and available times to the assistant later,” Huaiqing Shen said, smiling as she propped her chin in her hand. “But… why do your eyes keep darting around? Are you afraid to look at us? Or do Chief Editor Yu and I not meet your standards?”

Her tone was full of teasing and mischief.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Yi Chu’s gaze became steady, his deep eyes passed over Yunxi Yu before settling on Huaiqing Shen.

Gradually, Huaiqing Shen felt something was off. The stranger’s gaze, at first unfamiliar, grew increasingly intense. Yet, despite her discomfort, she kept her expression unchanged.

Yi Chu seemed bewitched, slowly approaching her.

“Sister Hui Song?”

Huaiqing Shen’s whole body tensed, her pupils contracting sharply. His voice was clear, but in her ears, it sounded like death whispering at her side.

“This is President Shen, Huaiqing Shen,” Yunxi Yu’s eyes were sharp, her tone firm.

“Huaiqing Shen? That can’t be. I wouldn’t mistake that mole,” Yi Chu ignored Yunxi Yu, his finger gently brushing a small mole at the corner of Huaiqing Shen’s eye.

Her expression darkened instantly; she slapped his hand away and stood up from her chair.

“Your behavior is very rude, and you’ve mistaken me for someone else. My name is Huaiqing Shen.”

She turned to leave. As she passed Yunxi Yu, she whispered coldly in her ear, “You handle the rest. Something’s come up at home, so I’ll go first. Remember our agreement.”

Yunxi Yu nodded. She understood human nature well and had noticed something was off with Huaiqing Shen. The problem clearly lay with the name Yi Chu had spoken, but it was none of her concern—she would simply do her job.

Yi Chu, meanwhile, stared after Huaiqing Shen’s receding figure in a daze. He was certain he could not have been mistaken; the mole on her face was his handiwork from childhood. But why would she refuse to acknowledge it?

Distracted, Huaiqing Shen returned home, barely picked at her dinner, and was about to remove her makeup for a shower when she froze in front of her vanity, staring at her reflection.

She didn’t know how much time passed before, suddenly, another figure appeared in the mirror.

Chen Fu stood behind her, his broad palm caressing her cheek. His hand was rough, and the friction against her skin was almost uncomfortable. Just as she tried to break free, his grip tightened.

The main bedroom light was off. In the vast room, only the small lamp on the vanity was lit, illuminating Huaiqing Shen’s face in stark clarity, while Chen Fu remained shrouded in darkness, his expression unreadable.

“What’s wrong?” Huaiqing Shen’s brows knit together, a hint of unease in her voice.

Chen Fu was acting very strangely today.

“Your face is very beautiful,” came the man’s low voice from behind.

Suddenly, Chen Fu bent down, turning her face towards him, pulling them so close they could hear each other’s breathing.

“But is this face really called Huaiqing Shen… or…”

“Or Hui Song?”

Suppressing her anxiety, Huaiqing Shen clenched her hands so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

Chen Fu’s dark eyes were like black holes, utterly devoid of light, frighteningly so—as if a single glance would pull her in.

“Hui Song? Why are you bringing that up, too? Today, the model I interviewed at the magazine also called me by that name. I’d like to know just how much I resemble this Hui Song,” Huaiqing Shen said lightly, meeting his gaze head-on since there was no avoiding it.

“Perhaps you do look alike. I’d like to see for myself just how much this Hui Song resembles my wife,” Chen Fu replied with a half-smile, his hand finally leaving her face but leaving red marks on her fair skin.

“You’re being ridiculous. You hurt me,” Huaiqing Shen feigned annoyance, checking her face in the mirror while stealing a glance at Chen Fu’s expression.