AFM Ch 12

Jing Mian was stunned, his fingers gripping the camera stiffened. His heart started racing inexplicably.

…How did their eyes meet so suddenly?

Jing Mian lowered the DSLR camera, his Adam’s apple moved a little, barely holding back the urge to run away.

Fortunately, he was now wearing his husband’s coat.

Jing Mian silently pulled it tighter around himself.

The host, holding the microphone,  announced that the event was reaching its climax. It was time for the gift-giving. But, with Ren Congmian on stage, the student’s enthusiasm remained high. The stadium was as lively as ever.

However, when it came time for Ren Xingwan to pick up the microphone, Jing Mian focused his camera. But, the frame suddenly froze.

Because Jing Mian noticed something.

Mr. Ren’s gaze… was on him.

Ren Xingwan’s deep, magnetic voice came through the mic. It was calm and steady. “Thank you for your hard work, the student behind the camera lens.”

Jing Mian realized Ren Xingwan was talking about him.

Somewhat surprised, he slowly lowered his DSLR.

The entire stadium fell silent.

“Bring him backstage later,” Ren Congmian said with no expression. “Give out the gifts for him.”

The host was stunned but quickly smiled and said: “Of course. Mr. Ren is so thoughtful, taking care of our volunteer students. After this student takes pictures, they can go backstage for a signed, limited-edition photo.”

“Now, moving on…”

Behind him, the crowd’s noise roared like waves, making Jing Mian’s area feel eerily quiet. Song Yuhang, looking astonished, finally said: “Wow, what a charm! With the chaos going on, he still noticed us over here.”

He then asked Jing Mian: “Do you think Ren Congmian’s signed photo could sell for a thousand on a resale site?”

Jing Mian: “…”

After a long silence, Jing Mian stiffly took half a step back, finally regaining his voice. “I… might have something to do later. Yuhang, you go back to the dorm first. I’ll head back a bit later.”

“You have something to do?” Song Yuhang was confused. “Won’t the shoot end soon? Where are you going so late?”

Jing Mian awkwardly said, “I must return the camera to the publicity department. They need to edit the photos tonight, so I’m afraid they’re on a tight schedule.”

Even though it was a lie he made up in the chaos of his thoughts, it sounded surprisingly logical. Song Yuhang believed it, nodded and said: “Okay, I’ll head to the supermarket for some coffee. Don’t be out too late.”

Jing Mian nodded.

Soon, the organizers took over the event. Ren Congmian turned to leave with the host, heading backstage.

At that moment, the host suddenly turned around and waved in Jing Mian’s direction. “Hey fellow student, come over here!”

Jing Mian: “…”

Feeling oddly heavy, Jing Mian quietly packed up his camera. He didn’t say a word, appearing calm on the outside. But his steps were mismatched.

As if remembering something, Song Yuhang suddenly shouted at Jing Mian, “Mian Mian, you didn’t have dinner yet, right? Dad will go to the cafeteria and bring you some fried noodles back.”

Jing Mian: “……”

Jing Mian stiffly waved his hand, signaling that it wasn’t necessary.

That nickname was all too common in their generation. After four years of dorm life, Jing Mian had never taken advantage of others. But not everyone could reject the happiness of being called “Dad”.

But Jing Mian wasn’t sure if Mr. Ren, who was two generations older than him, would understand that.

It might even lead to a misunderstanding.

Hopefully, Mr. Ren didn’t hear it.

He Zhiyang stood frozen, watching Jing Mian leave. His brow furrowed with doubt.

Just now, he wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not. When his gaze crossed with that unfamiliar movie star, He Zhiyang felt… an indescribable, boundless coldness.

It made his back tense, his throat tighten.

It was as if a cold-hearted hunter was asserting dominance.

An unspoken hostility, with no discernible reason behind it.

***

Aside from the physical exam, this was Jing Mian’s first time in the school’s stadium backstage.

The open space and rooms inside were neat and upscale. With offices, dressing rooms, a school clinic, and a VIP room—all fully equipped. Perhaps due to Ren Congmian’s arrival, everything was cleaned and decorated. Compared to the last visit, the place looked completely transformed.

Jing Mian thought that perhaps Mr. Ren would want to have a talk with him.

Not out of jealousy or envy, that would obviously be absurd. It was because the earlier scene could easily be misunderstood. As his legally registered “husband,” Mr. Ren might want to remind him about future rules.

Jing Mian, feeling a bit melancholy, thought that it made sense.

After reaching the VIP reception room, the host nodded slightly, and then left. Jing Mian stopped as well.

There were other people in the room.

A man in a business suit appeared to be waiting for them, holding a measuring tape. As soon as Jing Mian entered, the man stood up.

He greeted Ren Xingwan first: “Mr. Ren.”

Ren Xingwan nodded and sat down on a nearby sofa, picking up a half-read paper document. The man lowered his gaze, silently continuing his task.

Jing Mian: “?”

The man beside him smiled and explained, “I’m the tailor in charge of measuring you for your upcoming engagement and wedding events.”

Jing Mian finally understood.

So, this was the reason they called him backstage?

Silently relieved, Jing Mian placed the heavy camera on a small table and asked: “Do I need to take off my coat?”

The man replied, “It would be best to”

Jing Mian complied. He removed his coat. It revealed a sweatshirt over his shirt. After hesitating for a moment, he took off the sweatshirt as well.

Fortunately, the temperature indoors was quite warm with the air conditioning, so Jing Mian didn’t feel cold even with only a shirt on.

The tailor was very professional, guiding Jing Mian to extend his arms and lift them. All with swift and precise movements.

Jing Mian couldn’t help but ask: “Are all the suits custom-made?”

The man smiled. “Not necessarily. But, we use handmade Italian fabrics. Our suits are usually custom-made.  While we may not be as famous as those luxury brands, our boss is quite renowned; it’s usually difficult to make an appointment with him.”

Jing Mian thought to himself.

In other words, Ren Xingwan not only managed to get an appointment but also had the tailor come to the school specifically to take his measurements.

Such influence and status were almost frightening upon deeper thought.

The man continued, “The boss is abroad for the next few days, so I’m here in his place as his apprentice. But don’t worry, I’ve worked on many high-quality suits. I assure you that the suit for your engagement party will meet your expectations.”

Jing Mian nodded. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “It must be a great chance to apprentice at such a famous place. You must be very skilled yourself.”

The tailor was taken aback. “You’re too kind, Mr. Jing.”

The tailor wrapped the measuring tape around the shirt, silently noting the measurements. He couldn’t help but compliment, “Mr. Jing, you’re slim, but not overly so. An ideal frame for suits. It’ll look great.”

Jing Mian replied: “Thank you for your help.”

The tailor smiled, “It’s my pleasure.”

As they chatted, Jing Mian didn’t notice that, at some point, Ren Xingwan had put down the document he was reading and was now watching them.

Jing Mian asked, “Has Mr. Ren always had his suits custom made at this store?”

The tailor replied: “Pretty much. Most of Mr. Ren’s suits are made by the boss. Since he’s a regular customer, the process is very smooth.”

Jing Mian thought for a moment and said, “Then after I marry Mr. Ren, I suppose I’ll become a regular customer too.”

The tailor chuckled, “That’s right.”

Jing Mian quietly calculated the time and was a bit surprised. “Will the suit be ready before the engagement party?”

“Yes, very quickly,” the tailor said. “If you’re curious, you can add me on WeChat. We can update you on the progress anytime…”

“Are the measurements done?”

This question came from the man sitting silently on the sofa not far away.

It interrupted the conversation. The short, cold sentence made the atmosphere tense.

Although there was no obvious change in tone, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.

The tailor immediately fell silent.

The tailor put away the measuring tape and said, “The measurements are complete, Mr. Ren.”

Jing Mian was a bit surprised because he sensed displeasure in Mr. Ren’s tone. 

He realized that, while Mr. Ren worked on his documents, Jing Mian had chatted too much with the tailor, perhaps disturbing him. 

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Jing Mian wasn’t sure how to ease the awkwardness.

The tailor bid farewell and left, leaving only Jing Mian and Mr. Ren in the room. The relief Jing Mian had felt earlier now began to fade as the tension slowly crept back in.

However, Mr. Ren seemed to take a phone call. Some time later, there was a knock at the door. 

Jing Mian was surprised to see a familiar face—Yu Nian. Yu Nian carried a fairly large, bright, and ornate box, which he placed on the desk. He leaned over and carefully opened it, revealing a set of dishes.

Jing Mian realized it was a meal container. Even though he had seen plenty of meal boxes before, this was the first time he’d seen one so delicate and beautiful. The food was still hot, and the aroma was tantalizing.

“Mr. Jing, this is from a famous local restaurant. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I brought a little of everything for you to try,” Yu Nian said. 

Perhaps because Mr. Ren was present, or due to past experiences, Yu Nian used a more formal tone rather than directly addressing Jing Mian by his name.

Jing Mian was stunned and forgot how to react.

Was this… prepared for him?

Noticing Jing Mian’s surprise, Mr. Ren glanced over and asked: “Didn’t you skip dinner?”

That was true. But if Mr. Ren knew this, it meant he had overheard everything that Song Yuhang had said earlier.

While Jing Mian felt grateful, his emotions were complicated. Nonetheless, he obediently sat down, took the small bowl of rice handed to him. He politely picked up the chopsticks. “Um… thank you.”

With the insulated meal box keeping everything warm, the food tasted as fresh as if it had just been served. It must have been delivered with no delay. Since Mr. Ren had already eaten, Jing Mian relaxed a bit.

He quietly tried a piece of crispy ribs and a spoonful of warm soup, feeling both his body and mind being comforted.

After finishing his meal, Jing Mian stood up, noticing that Mr. Ren had already put away his documents. They left the school together.

It was late at night, and the excitement on campus had faded. Some students had returned to their dorms. Others were heading to the convenience store for snacks. The weather had turned chilly as autumn deepened, and few people lingered outside.

As Jing Mian stepped out of the building, he felt a cold breeze seep through, prompting him to put on his coat. But before he could do so, Mr. Ren took the coat from him. Jing Mian paused, the large coat was draped over his shoulders. He heard Mr. Ren’s calm voice, “Put your arms through.”

Jing Mian swallowed and obediently followed the instructions. One arm… then the other.

He had barely finished putting on the coat when he realized that Mr. Ren’s large hand was holding the edge of it near the buttons. Mr. Ren didn’t let go, maintaining a stance that made it easy for their gazes to meet.

A silent sense of pressure slowly built up.

Jing Mian lowered his eyes, too afraid to look at him. He swallowed again, feeling the tension.

In the stillness of the late night, an unexpected conversation broke the silence.

Mr. Ren asked: “Is calling people ‘Dad’ popular now?”

Jing Mian’s face instantly flushed. “No.”

Mr. Ren continued, “Is your junior pursuing you?”

Jing Mian hesitated, “…Yes.”

Mr. Ren was straightforward: “Did I steal you from him?”

Jing Mian awkwardly replied, “No.”

The atmosphere went silent for a moment.

After a pause, Jing Mian asked, “If I said yes, would you cancel the engagement?”

Mr. Ren’s response was firm: “No.”