Chapter 38 Chu Yi will not reject him. (Holding hands)
Chu Yi didn't say anything else, but just raised the camera again and aimed it at Zhou Ai who had entered the camera.
His photography style remains the same as before, fast, accurate and ruthless. He hardly needs to think, and his fingers press the shutter button frequently and decisively, "click".
But unlike when he was directing Zhou Jiashu, he did not give Zhou Ai any movement guidance, but just captured her silently.
And Zhou Ai seemed to need no guidance at all. He stood there casually, with his hands in his pockets and gazing into the distance. Sometimes he looked down at the rice ears at his feet, or squinted his eyes slightly against the sunlight. Every moment and every angle seemed to be carefully designed, and seemed to be natural, as if he was born to be chased by the camera.
Zhou Jiashu was still happily looking through the photos he had just taken, exclaiming "Wow" from time to time, and was completely unaware of the silent but tense shooting scene here.
After a while, Zhou Ai suddenly stopped and pointed to a terraced field not far away: "Teacher Chu, I want to go over there to take pictures."
Chu Yi looked in the direction he pointed. It was a rice field on higher ground. The rice ears were already completely golden, gleaming with a rich luster in the sun. Behind them were the distant green mountains, and the scenery was indeed even better.
"Okay." Chu Yi agreed concisely.
Zhou Ai turned first, walking up the narrow, slippery ridge. Chu Yi followed behind him, protecting his camera with one hand and carefully watching his step. Last night's rain had made the ridge extremely muddy, making it difficult to navigate.
Chu Yi focused most of his attention on finding the best shooting angle and avoiding mud and water. He didn't notice that he stepped on a rough bamboo pipe used for drainage. The surface was covered with slippery mud and he suddenly slipped.
He suddenly lost his balance and fell to the side in panic, almost dropping the camera in his hand.
Zhou Ai, who was walking in front, seemed to have eyes on his back. He reacted extremely quickly and turned around instantly. He grabbed Chu Yi's arm tightly and pulled him back with force.
Chu Yi staggered and grabbed Zhou Ai's forearm, barely able to steady himself, his heart pounding with fear.
"Be careful." Zhou Ai's voice came from above his head, with a hint of imperceptible tension, and the hand holding Chu Yi's wrist did not let go immediately.
Chu Yi took a breath in shock: "Thank you..."
Zhou Ai looked down at his still pale face, then glanced at the culprit bamboo tube, frowning slightly.
He suddenly let go of Chu Yi's wrist, then reached out and took the camera from Chu Yi's hand swiftly. His movements were so natural that it seemed as if it was a matter of course.
"The road is difficult to walk on, let me hold the camera for you first." Zhou Ai said as he hung the camera around his neck, then took the opportunity to pull down the cuff of his jacket with his left hand, leaving a small space in the originally fitting cuff.
He handed the cuff to Chu Yi, his tone casual yet sincere, as if he was simply offering the most practical solution:
"The ridge is slippery, why don't you... hold this?"
Chu Yi looked at the gray cuff handed to him and was stunned. The empty cuff swayed gently in the mountain breeze, like a silent invitation.
Almost subconsciously, Chu Yi immediately turned his head and looked at the photographer who had been following them silently not far away.
The photographer was recording all of this professionally, with the camera pointed at them without any hesitation.
Seeing both of them looking at him, especially Zhou Ai's seemingly calm yet oppressive gaze, the photographer's hand holding the camera trembled violently. He instantly raised the camera, pretending to be extremely interested in the clouds in the sky, as if he hadn't captured anything.
The next second, Zhou Ai's lazy yet unquestionable voice rang out, clearly piercing the air and hitting the photographer who was trying hard to play dumb:
"Remember to cut it."
Photographer: “…Yes, Teacher Zhou!” His voice trembled a little.
Zhou Ai then returned his gaze to Chu Yi, who was still somewhat stunned. He shook the cuff of his sleeve and raised an eyebrow: "Hmm?"
Chu Yi looked at the cuff, then at Zhou Ai's serious expression that said, "I'm doing this purely for safety reasons, don't think too much about it." Finally, he glanced at the photographer who seemed to wish he could bury himself in the ground.
He was silent for a few seconds, then as if he had finally compromised, he reached out and pinched the little bit of fabric at the edge of the empty cuff.
"...Let's go." Chu Yi looked straight ahead, but his ears slowly turned red uncontrollably.
Zhou Ai looked down at the hand pinching his sleeve, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
He said nothing more, turned around, slowed down his pace, holding... or rather, letting the hand pinch his sleeve, and walked steadily, step by step, on the slippery ridge, towards the golden rice field.
The sunlight lengthened the shadows of the two people, interweaving them on the winding ridges of the field.
Zhou Ai in front had a triumphant smile on his face, while Chu Yi behind him had red ears and was walking behind carefully, holding a piece of empty sleeve.
Behind them, the poor photographer carefully kept his distance, his camera fixed on the incredibly beautiful cloud in the sky, tears streaming down his face: How the hell am I supposed to edit this?!
The two of them, one in front and one behind, carefully climbed to the highest rice paddy. The soil under their feet was still wet, but the view suddenly opened up. The golden rice paddies seemed to connect directly with the distant mountains and blue sky, a magnificent and tranquil scene.
Chu Yi almost immediately loosened the cuff that had been pinched until it was slightly warm, and the touch of the rough fabric could still be felt on his fingertips.
He tilted his head slightly, pretending to be attracted by the scenery in front of him, in order to cover up the heat in his ears.
"Here's your camera," Zhou Ai's voice came from beside him, his tone natural, as if the incident with the cuffs had never happened. He took the camera off his neck and handed it back to Chu Yi.
Chu Yi took the camera, his fingertips inevitably touching Zhou Ai's. He whispered, "Thank you."
"Then how do we shoot?" Zhou Ai turned around and faced the endless rice fields and distant mountains, and asked very cooperatively. He even tilted his head slightly to look at Chu Yi, with an obedient look of "all following the photographer's instructions."
If the staff in his studio, who have been tortured to death by his various nitpicking and non-cooperation for years, saw the top star being "at the mercy of others" at this moment, they would probably be shocked to drop their eyes.
Chu Yi adjusted the camera parameters and scanned Zhou Ai and the background through the viewfinder. His tone remained calm, with a professional distance: "Anything is fine. Do whatever makes you comfortable, just be natural." He did not give too much guidance, and seemed determined to be just a quiet recorder.
Zhou Ai raised his eyebrows and smiled when he heard this, but didn't ask any more questions. He glanced around the edge of the field, then suddenly bent down and casually pulled out a thin piece of foxtail grass from the dense weeds beside the ridge.
He casually brushed off the water droplets on the grass stem, then held it in the corner of his mouth. The grass spike swayed gently beside his lips, bringing out a bit of unruly wildness.
Then, Zhou Ai bent his knees and half-crouched on the edge of the field. This movement instantly made him shorter, almost level with the golden rice ears hanging low behind him. His left arm casually rested on his knee, his palm supporting the side of his face. He tilted his head slightly, and looked directly into Chu Yi's camera without any hesitation.
The sunlight poured down on him unreservedly, dyeing his silver-grey hair a golden sheen. There was a lazy smile on the corner of his mouth, which was holding the grass stem, but his peach blossom eyes were deep and focused, as if looking through the lens and straight into the heart of the person holding the camera.
Chu Yi's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He steadied his breath, his fingers pressing the shutter button repeatedly, capturing this seemingly casual yet tense scene.
The wind blows through the rice waves, making a rustling sound, which becomes the only accompaniment at this moment.
One of them was taking the photo, the other was being photographed, in silence but with a tacit understanding, as if they were having a silent conversation.
After taking more than ten photos in a row, Zhou Ai suddenly stood up without warning.
He spat out the dogtail grass in his mouth that had been bitten to the point of being deformed, headed towards Chu Yi, and in one step crossed the tiny distance between the two of them.
Before Chu Yi could react, a warm big hand suddenly came up without warning and gently covered most of his face.
The vision was instantly blocked, leaving only the eyes able to see the outside world through the gaps between the fingers.
Chu Yi was stunned for a moment, his body subconsciously stiffened, and his hand holding the camera stopped in mid-air.
Zhou Ai's palm was very big, almost completely covering his face. His palm was warm and dry, with a little roughness as if he had just held straw. It was pressed tightly against his skin, and he could even feel the slight beating of the other's pulse.
This sudden and overly intimate action left Chu Yi completely stunned, and his mind went blank.
Zhou Ai leaned forward slightly, and through the gaps between his fingers, he stared intently at Chu Yi's eyes, which were slightly widened with surprise.
Chu Yi's eyes are very beautiful, with dark pupils. Usually, he is always calm and distant, but at this moment, they clearly reflect surprise and his shadow.
Everything around seemed to be still.
The sound of the wind, the distant birdsong, and even the sound of sunlight streaming, all disappeared.
Zhou Ai's gaze grew deep and searching. He stared into Chu Yi's eyes, as if trying to find some forgotten mark. After a moment, he spoke slowly and in a low voice, his voice carrying a strange allure and uncertainty:
"Teacher Chu..."
"Have we... met somewhere before?"
These words were like a thunderclap, suddenly exploding in Chu Yi's ears.
With his face covered, his pupils suddenly contracted, his heart seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and even his breathing stopped for a moment.
Zhou Ai's palm was still covering his face, and the warm touch became extremely clear, even a little hot.
The two were so close that they could feel each other's breath, and the air was filled with the fragrance of rice and a heart-pounding tension.
Chu Yi's heart was shaken by Zhou Ai's rhetorical question. Almost instinctively, he took a step back, trying to widen the overly dangerous and suffocating distance between the two of them.
However, Zhou Ai seemed to have anticipated his reaction.
Chu Yi took a step back, and he immediately took a step forward, his peach blossom eyes locked tightly on Chu Yi, "Teacher Chu, you haven't answered me yet?"
His gaze was extremely oppressive, as if he wanted to see through Chu Yi completely.
While asking the question, Zhou Ai even glanced coldly at the photographer who was still diligently taking pictures not far away, and raised his eyebrows impatiently.
Just a look, no words even needed.
The photographer felt as if he had been pricked by a needle. He shuddered and immediately understood what he meant. He nodded hurriedly, his voice crackling: "Okay, okay, Teacher Zhou! I'll disappear right away! You guys take your time chatting! Take your time chatting!"
After saying that, he turned around and ran back, carrying the machine, almost crawling and rolling. He ran so fast that it seemed as if there was a wild beast chasing him. In an instant, he disappeared around the corner of the ridge.
The disappearance of the photographer did not ease the atmosphere, but made it even more tense.
Now, there were only two of them left in this vast golden rice field.
Chu Yi's body remained tense like a fully drawn bow. Although Zhou Ai's hand had left his face as he retreated, the warmth of her palm and the sensation of her beating pulse seemed to remain imprinted on his skin, lingering.
He couldn't even confirm one fact—
Did Zhou Ai really recognize something, or was it just a vague feeling, or... worse, just a casual joke?
A huge panic and a fear of having his secret discovered gripped Chu Yi.
There is only one cognition stored in the subconscious mind - that is, it must never be admitted.
If he just gave that nod, everything would go haywire, or even worse.
Therefore, this will be a secret that belongs to him alone, and Chu Yi has prepared to bury it deep in his heart for the rest of his life.
Taking advantage of the moment when Zhou Ai's attention had just been diverted from the photographer, Chu Yi suddenly raised his hand and, with some force, pushed Zhou Ai's chest, pushing him back a little, while also completely interrupting the other party's embarrassing questioning and stare.
"Teacher Zhou," Chu Yi's voice trembled slightly due to his previous nervousness and the effort he was exerting, but he tried his best to remain calm, even with a hint of offense in his voice. "I've already told you, you've got the wrong person. We didn't know each other before."
Chu Yi avoided Zhou Ai's inquiring gaze, turned around quickly, and held the camera tightly in his arms.
"It's windy here. We've almost finished taking pictures. It's time to go back."
Zhou Ai was pushed back half a step by him. He stood in place, raised his hand, and gently rubbed the chest that had just been pushed by Chu Yi.
Wrong person?
Don’t know?
The sharp contraction of Chu Yi's pupils and the sudden stiffness of his body at that moment did not seem like a sign of unfamiliarity.
The panic in those eyes and the familiarity they were trying to hide...there was definitely something wrong.
"Heh..." Zhou Ai laughed softly. Instead of retreating because of Chu Yi's denial and rejection, he leaned forward, narrowing the distance between them, and looked straight at Chu Yi's eyes that were trying to dodge under his cold hat.
"Alright," he drawled, his tone unclear whether he believed it or not. "Well...thank you for taking the photo for me just now, Teacher Chu."
Before he finished speaking, Zhou Ai suddenly raised his hand, stretched out his index finger and gently hooked the edge of Chu Yileng's hat.
Without waiting for Chu Yi's reaction, his hand slid down and naturally passed through the camera strap that Chu Yi was holding tightly in his arms. With a light hook, he took the camera in his hand and hung it back around his neck.
The series of actions flow smoothly.
Then, while Chu Yi was still in a daze about having his hat brim hooked and his camera taken away, Zhou Ai's right hand had already reached down accurately, firmly grasped Chu Yi's left hand hanging at his side, and walked towards the narrow ridge below.
Chu Yi's hands were usually cold, but now they were completely wrapped in Zhou Ai's warm, dry, large and powerful palms. The completely different body temperature and touch made him tremble violently as if he was electrocuted.
He almost subconsciously struggled to break free.
"Don't move."
Zhou Ai seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, and he noticed the moment Chu Yi was about to struggle free.
He immediately tightened his fingers, holding Chu Yi's hand more firmly in his palm, and turned to face Chu Yi.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes sweeping across the slippery and muddy ridges beneath his feet, then back to Chu Yi's face, which was filled with astonishment and resistance. A lazy yet unquestionable smile played at the corner of his mouth, and he lowered his voice:
"Teacher Chu, this road is not easy to walk on. If you move again..."
He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping meaningfully across the shimmering rice paddies nearby. "We'll both probably be covered in mud today, so we need to go back and change clothes. I don't mind, but I'm wondering if you, Doctor Chu... did you bring enough spare clothes?"
Zhou Ai's tone returned to its usual lazy and unfocused tone, with obvious teasing, but his grip on Chu Yi's hand was incredibly firm, with no intention of letting go.
The warmth from the palm of his hand continued to flow, almost burning into Chu Yi's skin.
Chu Yi was so choked by his words that he couldn't utter a word in rebuttal.
He looked at Zhou Ai's face, which said, "I'm doing this entirely for the good of both of us," and then he looked down at their tightly clasped hands. He then glanced at the steep ridge next to them, which was indeed very easy to fall...
Reason told him that what Zhou Ai said made sense and safety came first.
But his ears began to burn uncontrollably, and his tightly clenched hands seemed to be burning as well.
Zhou Ai looked at his blushing ears and forced calm expression, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
He didn't give Chu Yi any chance to hesitate or resist. He turned around and said in a relaxed tone, "Let's go down the mountain. Follow closely, Teacher Chu."
After saying that, he took Chu Yi's hand and continued walking down the ridge of the field they had come from, step by step steadily.
Chu Yi was led by Zhou Ai and had to keep up with him. His left hand was firmly grasped by Zhou Ai, and the burning touch was so clear that he could not ignore it at all.
After walking for a distance, Chu Yi tried to loosen his grip so that their handshake wouldn't be so...tight, but Zhou Ai's fingers seemed to be welded to his hand, not moving at all.
The mountain breeze blew, bringing with it the fragrance of rice, but it could not blow away the rising temperature and extremely ambiguous atmosphere between the two people's clasped palms.
Chu Yi lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the two people's footsteps moving back and forth, his heart beating so fast that it almost caught up with the pace of their steps.
Zhou Ai, who was walking in front, felt the slightly cool but soft hand in his palm, and the curve of his lips never fell.
Therefore, his inner guess was confirmed once again.
Chu Yi will not reject him.
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