HIM Chapter 1: Marriage
All the cheers gradually faded into the distance. Bo Qin closed his eyes, feeling the slow descent of the elevator platform. A buzzing rang in his ears from the sudden silence. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, he opened his eyes, greeted by a flurry of colorful confetti. All the backstage staff shouted in unison, "Congratulations on the successful concert!"
Bo Qin smiled, his usual aloof demeanor melting away completely. With makeup still on, his features were sharp and handsome. His black shirt was casually open, revealing a swath of fair, toned chest.
Tony approached to help remove his makeup. As Bo Qin raised his hand to take off his in-ear monitor, he also accepted a wet wipe from his assistant Xiao Zhu. Wiping the sweat from the tip of his nose, he said, "Thanks. Tonight’s afterparty is on me."
His voice was still hoarse from overuse.
Manager Chen handed him a bottle of water, smiling. “That was a perfect performance. Congratulations again. Now you can finally take a break.”
Bo Qin was still coming down from the high of the performance. He nodded absentmindedly, opened the bottle, and tilted his head back. The stage lights glinted off his mist-blue hair, giving him an air of cool detachment.
Tony sat him down and began expertly removing his makeup.
Chen Jie had managed him for six years and understood his temperament. She didn’t press him, just watched as Tony worked. Bo Qin had naturally fair skin, but it was so pale that on camera it could be overexposed. That’s why his foundation always had to be a shade darker to bring out his facial contours.
Leaning back in the chair, Bo Qin still had a lingering adrenaline rush, but two hours of dancing and singing had drained him. The push and pull left him dazed and a little down.
He closed his eyes, letting Tony’s hands work gently over his face, while listening to Chen Jie go over post-concert tasks beside him. His eyes opened only when she mentioned that HESHI Group had sent a congratulatory flower arrangement.
Chen Jie said, “It wasn’t just HESHI. Their subsidiary, Hedong Entertainment, sent one too. I can understand Hedong, but HESHI itself has never had any connection with us. Xiao Hu was surprised when she saw it on the list.”
Bo Qin glanced at himself in the mirror. The outer corners of his eyes were tinged red—unclear if it was residual eye makeup or just exhaustion.
Bo Qin replied, “It’s fine. Just have the studio post a general thank-you on Weibo.”
Chen Jie pressed, “I’m not worried, just wondering—do you have any personal ties with HESHI?”
With his makeup fully removed, Bo Qin’s jade-like face looked less aggressive, visibly tired. He stood, unbuttoned his shirt, and changed into a gray hoodie handed over by Xiao Chen. As he pulled it over his head and donned a black cap, he mumbled, “I didn’t before, but I will soon.”
Chen Jie: “?”
Bo Qin took the jeans he was handed and walked toward the dressing room. “It’s nothing major. It won’t affect anything. I know what I’m doing.”
As he entered, he seemed to remember something and clapped his hands. Everyone in the lounge looked up.
Bo Qin raised his voice, “If you’re too tired and don’t want to attend the afterparty, feel free to head out—grab a red envelope on the way.”
The room erupted in cheers again. Xiao Zhu joked, “What about those of us who do go?”
Bo Qin’s voice came muffled from inside the dressing room, “Everyone gets one. I’m not shortchanging you. You all worked hard.”
As Bo Qin exited through the backstage passage, there was a commotion—his fans were still there, all waving and smiling, cameras snapping.
“Gege! The concert was amazing!”
“You looked the best tonight!”
“Take care of yourself! Your health is most important!”
Bo Qin motioned for the staff in front of him to relax. He stepped onto the stairs, slowly lowered his hands, and the crowd’s cheering quieted with him. Removing his mask, he smiled. “Thank you for loving my stage. I’ll take care of myself—you all should too!”
The fans’ response was loud and unclear. Bo Qin laughed softly, “You should all head home now. I hope you really enjoyed the concert!”
The fans screamed back that they had.
Bo Qin bowed, waved, and accepted letters from the fans as they passed them to him—each one sincerely praising the show. The simplest words felt most heartfelt.
He stepped into his van, the noise outside cut off as the door shut. He rolled down the window and waved. Then came a sudden shout: “Ge, post a selfie later!”
Everyone laughed. Bo Qin chuckled too and nodded slightly. Chen Jie rolled the window back up, and the van drove off slowly.
Xiao Zhu asked where they were headed.
Bo Qin took off his hat and mask, replying, “Lan Shui Bay.”
Zhao Ling glanced over. “Thought you’d go to the studio.”
“I’m exhausted. Going home to shower and crash,” Bo Qin said. “I’m taking a short break—everyone should rest for a bit.”
Lan Shui Bay was a property Bo Qin had bought himself. Not in the city center, but very private. He took a half-hearted shower, didn’t even dry his hair, and collapsed into bed.
Bo Qin woke up at 8 a.m. the next day, completely nude and wrapped in an air-conditioned blanket. The thick blackout curtains kept out the light. He lay bonelessly on the bed, eyes half-closed, groping for his phone.
Sleepiness clung to him like a seductive spirit, tempting him back to the soft bed. Bo Qin yawned, turned on his phone’s data. The bright screen made his eyes water. Just as he saw the time, his phone froze under the flood of new notifications.
Still half-asleep, he dozed off again for half an hour, finally dragging himself up. The lag had cleared. First, he checked WeChat. At the top was his manager Chen Jie. Skimming her messages—mostly reminders to take care of himself—he replied to a couple of close friends, then sent 20 red envelopes in his dancer group chat before switching to Weibo.
His main account took a moment to load. Fans were in a frenzy. The fan club’s super topic was filled with stage photos and videos. The staff had handled all the follow-up work perfectly. Bo Qin reposted the studio’s Weibo and calmly scrolled through the praise and hate.
A message popped up at the top of his screen—from Bo Youzhao.
“2 PM.”
Just four characters, but they carried the same cold pride that ran in the Bo family.
Bo Qin deleted the message without reacting. He got up to take a proper shower this time. As he dried his hair, a fleeting thought crossed his mind about doing skincare—but seeing the pile of products, he gave up. One day off won’t kill me.
His hair had grown to his neck, fluffy and dry after blow-drying. Bo Qin, barefoot, searched for a hair tie. It took effort, but he finally managed a decent-looking bun.
The phone kept ringing. He put it on speaker and tossed it on the bed while heading to the closet.
“Awake?” asked Chen Jie.
He hummed in response, asking what was up.
Inside his wardrobe were only formal outfits for events. Picking up his phone, he walked to the walk-in closet. With the concert done, he couldn’t think of anything urgent that Chen Jie couldn’t handle.
Her voice suddenly faltered. Bo Qin picked out a black T-shirt and blue jeans, and while buckling his belt, said, “Jie?”
“I kept thinking about it,” she said, “and it doesn’t make sense. Why would HESHI send flowers? We’ve never had dealings with them. Are you hiding something?”
Bo Qin paused, then admitted, “Jie, your intuition is terrifying.”
Chen Jie: “So what’s the relationship?”
The belt buckle clicked softly. Bo Qin’s expression stayed neutral. He sat on the sofa in the living room, looking down at an old cigarette pack in the glass coffee table. His finger twitched but he said, “We’re getting married.”
The line went silent.
Bo Qin glanced at the cigarettes but didn’t touch them. He pulled the phone away from his ear slightly.
Three seconds later, Chen Jie shrieked: “SAY THAT AGAIN??”
Bo Qin replied calmly, “I’m marrying HESHI’s CEO.”
Chen Jie: “...What are you saying?”
“I’m serious,” Bo Qin said gently. “Calm down. I’ll explain everything later. From a professional standpoint, this won’t affect my career. Don’t worry too much.”
She must’ve been in shock. Bo Qin waited quietly.
“Bo Qin, do you even know what you’re saying? You’re a top star—don’t you realize this is your peak!” Chen Jie suddenly paused. “No. You wouldn’t do this. You’re too clear-headed. Wait... Are you dating HESHI’s CEO?”
Bo Qin hadn’t even responded when she shouted again, “No way. You’re too busy—you’d have to date a ghost!”
“Calm down,” Bo Qin said, amused. “I know exactly what I’m doing. Since I’m telling you, it means this marriage won’t affect me.”
“Bo Qin… are you seriously not joking?”
Bo Qin chuckled softly. “No, Jie. I’d never joke about this. It’s a family alliance. I can’t escape it. Trust me—I’d never risk my career. I’ll explain everything in a meeting tomorrow.”
He hung up.
Bo Qin leaned back, exhaled, and closed his eyes. Ten minutes later, his phone rang again.
A deep, magnetic male voice came through. Bo Qin’s ears twitched slightly.
“Hello, Mr. Bo. This is He Xizhou.”
The afternoon sun was heavy and hot. Bo Qin instinctively put on a mask and cap. In the underground parking lot, he spotted a luxurious but understated car. A man in a suit stood in front of it, bowing slightly.
“Mr. Bo, please get in.”
Bo Qin took off his mask and cap. A strand of hair fell past his ear as he bent to enter the car. Cool air and a faint scent greeted him, soothing his restless mood. He looked up—and saw him.
The man was strikingly handsome.
Sharp brow ridge, straight nose, thin lips—but his eyes were the best feature. Jet black irises and an elegant arc at the corners. When he looked up, his gaze was cold and distant, exuding an air of untouchability.
His white dress shirt was tailored and spotless, outlining his perfect figure. He met Bo Qin’s gaze and nodded slightly. “Hello, Mr. Bo.”
His voice and presence were as cool as the car’s air.
Even someone like Bo Qin, used to seeing gorgeous people in the industry, had to admit—this man was stunning.
“Hello,” Bo Qin replied, raising a brow and sitting beside him. “Mr. He.”
The car drove smoothly. Neither spoke.
Bo Qin’s casual outfit contrasted with He Xizhou’s crisp formality. He realized he probably should’ve dressed up more.
After all, it’s our engagement banquet, Bo Qin thought, chuckling to himself.
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