HIM Chapter 36: Young/Beautiful
As soon as the two let go of each other and sat properly, Li Qingyang, sensing they had something to talk about, tactfully slipped away.
The dance studio only had a long bench for resting. Bo Qin stood up to let Chen-jie sit, and he sat cross-legged on the floor across from her.
Their reflections appeared in the mirror.
Chen-jie looked at him and said, "It’s only today that I finally feel like I’m managing a top-tier celebrity."
Bo Qin: “…”
"But it makes sense, you're twenty-five or twenty-six now." Chen-jie continued, "Sometimes I wonder if being a celebrity is too harsh, too cruel for someone like you."
"You’ve done very well, really. You've never made me worry — your private life is clean, you’re serious about work, your skills keep improving, and you have your own vision and control over your projects. You’ve achieved the highest standard an artist can reach."
She smiled, "After all these years, what I’ve sensed most is that you seem to have no interest in romance. Never. That’s honestly not normal."
Bo Qin joked, "Well, I guess I’m normal now."
Chen-jie dragged out her voice: "Yeah, when you finally make a move, it’s a big one."
She asked, “Is it He Xizhou?”
Bo Qin nodded, “Yes.”
Chen-jie went silent for two seconds. “A man, huh…” she said. “Do you really like him?”
Bo Qin looked a little shy but nodded: “Yes, I like… He Xizhou.”
Chen-jie nodded, as if mulling over her words. Then she said, “Xiao Qin, I might not have the right to say this—”
“You do,” Bo Qin said. “Say whatever you want. Don’t hold back.”
She gave him a look, “Well, you never really listen to what you don’t agree with anyway.”
Bo Qin rubbed his nose.
“I just really didn’t want the person you like to be He Xizhou. But the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.” She brushed her hair back and said, “Let me be blunt. I really treat you like a son, and I hate to see you hurt in love. Is this thing with He Xizhou just a fling or are you serious?”
“…We haven’t even defined our relationship yet.” Bo Qin sighed. “We haven’t even started, really.”
Chen-jie: “…” Great, it’s one-sided love.
She complained, “He Xizhou must have his eyes on the top of his head if he can’t see how amazing you are.”
Bo Qin: “…”
She waved her hand tiredly. “Got a cigarette? Give me one.”
Of course there were no cigarettes in the dance studio, and the ones Bo Qin had were confiscated by Chen-jie long ago. He got up, went downstairs, and five minutes later, handed her a pack.
Chen-jie lit one, took a drag, exhaled a plume of smoke, and said, “I always thought you were straight.”
Bo Qin didn’t reply. He just lowered his head and smiled.
“Whatever. I was going to say a lot, but I’m not the one dating him — you are. Do what you want.” She added, “Just protect yourself. Try not to get hurt.”
Bo Qin had booked tickets to Country B a week ago. Since it was a personal trip, he didn’t wear makeup or bring an assistant — just a baseball cap and a tracksuit as he boarded the plane with Luo Ming.
Sixteen hours later, they arrived. Luo Ming was dead tired and passed out in the car on the way to the hotel. Bo Qin, though also exhausted, was still mentally alert. With a lollipop in his mouth, he chatted with the driver.
The driver, a brown-haired, blue-eyed man from Country A, had questionable English pronunciation. After a while of miscommunication, Bo Qin gave up and opened a music app instead. They sang along to songs for the rest of the ride.
At the hotel, Bo Qin figured it was evening back home, so he snapped a photo of the lake outside the window and sent it to He Xizhou.
Later, he met up with friends in Country B and spent one or maybe two days holed up in a music studio. Different languages, but the same music — all routine for him. His usual life was filled with work: shooting, choreography, acting, collaborating with musicians.
But when He Xizhou replied to his message, Bo Qin suddenly felt… something was different.
He had started looking forward to things.
Bo Qin stayed in Country B for a week. Like a lovesick teen, he messaged He Xizhou daily, reporting what he ate and sharing anything unusual he saw. They chatted back and forth for the whole week.
When he finally flew back on an early morning flight, Chen-jie made him sleep a whole afternoon. Later, Tony dragged him out of bed for hair and makeup.
Jet-lagged and exhausted, Bo Qin actually nodded off while Tony was applying toner. In a daze, he was gently slapped awake so his eye makeup could be done.
Tony had done Bo Qin’s makeup for five years and knew his face better than his own. Bo Qin had naturally droopy eyes — looking at people gave off a strangely pitiful aura. Tony’s makeup accentuated this into something alluring. From afar, he looked seductive; up close, the purity in his expression lent an almost chaste beauty.
Tony tilted Bo Qin’s chin and admired his work, silently praising his own skills.
Bo Qin slapped his hand away and popped a mint into his mouth. Xiao Zhu walked in with his outfit for the show — a red silk shirt.
Bo Qin squinted at it. “So flashy?”
Tony tousled his freshly curled black hair. “Today, give me full siren mode, walk out like a living enchantress.”
Bo Qin rolled his eyes without hesitation.
When he finally put on the shirt, he realized he’d underestimated Tony’s boldness. The shirt had no buttons or cuffs — it was just tied at the waist, exposing much of his chest. Tony paired it with a chunky gold chain with red rubies, a matching earring on his right ear, and a bracelet on his right wrist.
While Xiao Zhu helped him put on rings, Bo Qin muttered, “Why does this look like I’m dripping in bling?”
“You don’t get it,” Tony said while kneeling to adjust his black trousers. Then, catching sight of Bo Qin’s pale ankle, he got inspired. “Xiao Zhu, doesn’t this series have a women’s version? Contact the brand — get one sent over.”
Bo Qin raised an eyebrow. “What now?”
“I’m not doing anything.” Tony grinned, teasing his chin. “Today, you’re the enchantress~”
“Get lost,” Bo Qin replied with a straight face.
Tony cuffed his pants just right and added a delicate silver anklet. Then he stood back and circled Bo Qin, nodding in satisfaction.
Bo Qin looked in the mirror, trying to cover his exposed chest to no avail. He stared at his reflection for a moment and said, “Damn. So tacky it’s kinda elegant?”
Tony rolled his eyes. “You straight guys don’t get it. Xiao Zhu, doesn’t he look amazing?”
Xiao Zhu nodded, “You look so good, bro.”
The most seductive beauty is that which doesn’t know it’s seductive. Bo Qin’s natural aloofness was a perfect match for this sultry makeup — a casual kind of allure.
Tony, proud of his creation for the thousandth time, felt like a god.
The show started at 8pm, followed by a banquet. Bo Qin was the brand’s ambassador, so he had to walk the carpet, watch the show, and attend the dinner.
His only comfort? He Xizhou would be there.
He arrived half an hour early to greet the brand's China director and meet the designer — a brown-haired, blue-eyed Frenchman who exclaimed that Bo Qin was his muse and showered him with compliments.
Bo Qin smiled politely through it all, only raising an eyebrow when the designer said “hot” for the third time.
The director, familiar with Bo Qin, chatted casually. Just as Bo Qin was about to leave for the red carpet, the director said, “Mr. He from He Group is also attending tonight. I’ll introduce you when there’s a chance.”
He hesitated to mention that He Xizhou had specifically asked to be seated near Bo Qin. But before he could say more, he noticed the change in Bo Qin’s expression — his usual polite smile softened. The light caught the curve of his brow and the gentle arch of his eye, and the silver earring swayed slightly as Bo Qin said with a smile, “Alright.”
The director caught his breath.
Thirty minutes later, he got the message: He Xizhou had arrived — earlier than expected.
This shocked the director. In past years, they’d always sent invitations, but He Xizhou never came. And this year, not only was he here — he was early.
The black car pulled up. A valet rushed to open the door, and a tall figure stepped out, clad in a custom high-end black suit. No tie. A couple buttons undone. Sleek hair. Sharp brows and eyes. The whole room’s attention shifted.
The director welcomed him with a handshake, leading him inside. As they walked, He Xizhou asked, “When is Bo Qin arriving?”
The director smiled. “You two know each other?”
“We’re friends,” He Xizhou replied.
“Well, excellence attracts excellence,” the director said. “Mr. Bo will be here shortly. Please, come in.”
Inside, the banquet was already buzzing. He Xizhou had to socialize non-stop. After a brief lull, as he adjusted his cufflinks and looked up — he saw Bo Qin.
The room seemed to pause. The clinking glasses and background chatter all faded, replaced by a haunting female voice and music:
“He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds.”
In a haze of glamour, surrounded by adoration and under glittering lights, Bo Qin walked toward him.
In He Xizhou’s world, there was only Bo Qin. He took over every inch of his vision. And as Bo Qin stepped to the music, the lyrics played:
“When I'm no longer young and beautiful,
When I got nothing but my aching soul…”
In that red silk shirt and platinum jewelry, Bo Qin looked like a divine figure. The belt accentuated his slim waist. He was the center of all light, his presence impossible to ignore.
Bo Qin approached, his silver bracelet jingling softly. He extended his hand with a smile.
He Xizhou reached out too, echoing the song silently in his heart: "I will."
Bo Qin said, “Mr. He, long time no see.”
He Xizhou smiled. Looking at this golden boy in the prime of youth, he replied, “Mr. Bo, long time no see.”
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