Chapter 213 Shooting an Advertisement and Strolling Through the Ancient City

On the beach in Valencia, the sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze blew. Alonso sat under a parasol, watching Fino talking to the director in the distance.

After the match against Villarreal, Fino did not return to Madrid with the team, but went directly from Villarreal to Valencia, where he needed to complete a perfume advertisement during his vacation.

Alonso had no plans for this holiday, so he decided to spend time with Fino.

When Fino walked from the sea to the shore, holding several white calla lilies in his hand, even though Alonso had developed some resistance to Fino's handsome appearance, he couldn't help but be greatly amazed by him once again.

Fino wore a loose white shirt with three buttons undone from the collar down, and the front hem was loosely tucked into black leather pants with several silver chains hanging down.

Her hair and clothes were deliberately wet, and water droplets slid down her hair to her collarbone and chest.

The white shirt, once wet, became semi-transparent, clinging tightly to Fino's skin, revealing glimpses of his pectoral muscles and skin color.

As Fino walked step by step towards the shore, the tide gradually receded, revealing her legs encased in black, fitted leather pants. The matte leather, wet, shimmered in the sunlight, making Fino's legs appear long and straight.

This look looks simple, but it was actually carefully designed by the stylist to match Fino's image and temperament. The combination of black and white, lightness and texture, perfectly showcases Fino's sexy, wild and free-spirited side.

As the tide receded to Fino's ankles, a white horse galloped from afar, its hooves treading on the shallow water, and stopped before Fino. It wore no tack, appearing majestic, free, and untamed.

Fino reached out and stroked the white horse's mane. The white horse obediently lowered its head, as if to show its submission to Fino.

At this moment, Fino smiled at the white horse. The smile was incredibly charming under the golden sunlight of Valencia, making people unable to help but be captivated by it.

The final shot shows Fino leaning against a rock with one leg straight and the other bent, a white horse standing beside him. Fino admires the perfume bottle in his hand for a moment, then looks up and holds the bottle up to the camera.

Hearing the staff member beside him making "sha" sounds, Alonso felt a little displeased. How could he show this Fino to others?

And what kind of stuff is this advertisement even about?!

What does that long wet scene have to do with perfume? The director is clearly trying to exploit Fino's male beauty, not only using "wet allure" but also implying that Fino is the incarnation of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty born from the ocean. The white horse later on also forcibly ties him into the "Prince Charming" image.

Alonso really wanted to complain: Is it reasonable for wild horses to appear on the beach?

Director: Don't worry about whether it's reasonable or not, just tell me if it's beautiful or not!

The advertisement was quite simple, and Fino's performance was always excellent, so the filming progressed quickly. However, after shooting all the advertisement shots, there was still the promotional poster shoot to do, and even though the progress was fast, Fino spent several hours in the water.

After all the filming was over, Alonso wrapped Fino in a large bath towel before Julia could.

"Fini, how are you feeling? Are you cold?" Alonso asked with concern, as the weather was still a bit chilly in mid-May.

"It's alright." Fino dried her hair. The sun was shining brightly today, and the seawater temperature was also quite pleasant under the sunlight.

Alonso urged Fino to hurry up and take a hot shower in the van.

After Fino left, Alonso faced the sea and fell into deep thought.

Unlike the Milan players who viewed Fino with a sense of distance, somewhere between peers and juniors, Alonso never treated Fino like a child. Terms like "kid" and "pretty boy" were more of a playful and teasing exchange between the two.

They were evenly matched in thought and spirit.

Alonso first saw Fino in real life at the Happel Stadium before the Spain-Italy match in the 2008 European Championship.

After warming up, he walked back to the locker room along the edge of the court when he suddenly felt someone watching him. As a player who was constantly exposed to the gaze of tens of thousands of people, he was long since desensitized to the stares of strangers, but this time, he felt a strong sense of unease.

He looked up towards the stands, and in the Happel Stadium, which holds tens of thousands of spectators, in the nearby stands with thousands of people, he made eye contact with Fino.

Of course he knew Fino, AC Milan's rising superstar who had amazed the entire football world in just one season.

The moment their eyes met, his heart skipped a beat, followed by a sense of destiny, like the first light of dawn breaking, the ice melting, and all things returning to spring. This is probably what is meant by "a glance that lasts a lifetime."

At that moment, he seemed to hear the sound of the wheel of fate turning. He had a strong premonition that he would definitely form a deeper bond with Fino in the future, but he didn't know whether this bond would be good or bad.

But this is fate's arrangement, and there's no way to defy it.

When their eyes met, Fino was clearly taken aback, but quickly nodded to him, and he nodded in return before speeding away.

A sense of regret and resentment welled up in his heart. How wonderful it would have been if he could have started in this game. He knew that Fino had come to see Italy, but he still hoped that Fino's attention would continue to be focused on him.

As if by divine intervention, not long after, he met Fino again in the town of Positano. He took the initiative to get to know him, and they indeed got along very well.

This surprised and delighted him. After a season of setbacks in his career, he gained a close friend with whom he could be considered a soulmate, as if God had compensated him.

What happened next was beyond his expectations. God gave him an even bigger surprise. It turned out that the fleeting glimpse he had seen back then was not just friendship, but also love.

Love can cloud judgment, and Alonso could feel his possessiveness toward Fino growing stronger. What made him uncomfortable was no longer limited to Pirlo and Kaká, but was gradually spreading to Fino's teammates at the club and national team level. Now, even the thought of Fino's sexiness and beauty being noticed by tens of thousands of people through advertisements and posters made him unhappy.

But that's not right.

Fino is like a dazzling diamond; no one can help but be captivated by his brilliance. I am fortunate enough to be close to him, but I cannot keep him to myself. He is destined to shine throughout the world.

This made Alonso uncomfortable, but he had to compromise.

After Fino finished showering, the advertising director came over and spoke to her.

"Fino, you're amazing!" The advertising director grasped Fino's hand, and then he felt Alonso's gaze almost materialize, like thorns pricking his back, making him uncomfortable.

He was a little confused, but he still let go of her hand.

He continued, “Every shot is a work of art. You perfectly embodied the kind of freedom and unbridled sensuality we wanted, which is exactly the attitude and feeling this fragrance wants to convey.”

"Do you really think this ad will attract male customers? After all, our product is a men's fragrance." Fino was a little embarrassed.

He tried his best to present the visuals the director wanted because he had professional ethics, but that doesn't mean he agreed with the advertising concept. This advertisement looks like it was made for female consumers.

The director smiled smugly; this advertisement was indeed made for female consumers.

"What woman could resist buying such a perfume for her lover? And what man could resist becoming the handsome and sexy Capricorn?"

At this moment, the brand's staff came over and greeted Fino: "Fino, this product will be launched this summer. See you at the press conference then. We wish you all the best in winning the Champions League trophy this season."

This perfume will launch its advertisements and official promotions just before the Champions League final, in order to capitalize on the hype surrounding the final. If the spokesperson wins the Champions League trophy, then their perfume will generate even more buzz during its promotion.

Fino smiled and nodded, shaking hands with the staff to say goodbye.

The advertisement shoot took less than a day, and Fino and Alonso decided to stay in Valencia for another day, as if it were a vacation.

Julia naturally wouldn't accompany Fino on his private trip; she returned to Madrid after filming the advertisement.

Valencia is the birthplace of Spanish paella, and that evening, Fino and Alonso sampled what is considered the "authentic" paella in the area.

"It's not as good as what you make," Fino concluded.

Alonso laughed: "Then when we get back to Madrid, I'll cook for you, okay?"

“Okay.” Fino nodded. He wasn’t really a fan of paella, but since Alonso was going to cook, he certainly wouldn’t spoil the fun.

Valencia is one of Spain's famous tourist destinations, boasting beautiful beaches and abundant sunshine. Known as the "Sunshine City" of Europe and hailed as "a pearl on the western coast of the Mediterranean," it attracts countless tourists every year.

After spending a lot of time together, Alonso became very clear about Fino's interests. He knew that what attracted Fino more than the sun and the sea was Valencia's long history and rich natural and cultural heritage, especially the old town that had maintained its quaint charm, which had a great attraction for Fino.

The next day, Fino and Alonso spent the whole day in Valencia's old town.

As they strolled through the narrow and wide alleys, they unexpectedly encountered landmarks such as Valencia Cathedral, the Tower of Michael, Piazza della Salute, and the Church of Santa Catarina.

Hidden in the alleyways of the old town are many unique restaurants and cafes, where they sampled a drink called ochata, as well as local specialties like tapas and eel stew.

The feeling of strolling the streets with someone you like is wonderful. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on Alonso's face. Alonso exudes a mature and composed aura.

Fino liked Alonso like this, but he regretted not being able to hold hands with him. Who knew where the reporter was hiding?

Alonso noticed his gaze and turned to ask, "What are you looking at?"

“Looking at a beauty~” Fino teased.

Even with sunglasses on, Alonso could clearly see the mischievous grin on Fino's face. He curled his lips into a smile, reached out and ruffled Fino's hair, affectionately scolding him, "Naughty!"

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Author's note: Thank you everyone for your support! [cheering emoji]