Bai Tan rarely dreamed, so the bizarre dream he had last night felt particularly significant to him.
Sometimes, the content of a dream serves as a hint or a premonition to a person.
Like one of the few vivid memories he had from the night before his parents divorced: he dreamed that a heap of snakes had entered the house. They were of all colors and patterns, clinging to every corner, and the thickest snake among them tightly coiled around his body. Even in the dream, he could feel that sense of suffocation.
Bai Tan was currently sitting in a corner of the film set, eyes narrowed. It looked as though his gaze was fixed on Huo Yang, who was participating in an advertisement shoot nearby, but in reality, his mind had already flown off to Ordos.
So, what kind of omen is dreaming of koi fish and grapes?
Because his mother had left after he dreamed of snakes, those things that held specific meanings in dreams were, in Bai Tan’s subconscious, mostly ill omens. Consequently, despite his curiosity, he instinctively chose to escape; no matter how confused he was, he wouldn’t look it up online.
“Snap!”
Amidst his wandering thoughts, someone snapped their fingers in front of his eyes.
Bai Tan snapped back to his senses and hurriedly offered the water bottle:
“Is the shoot over? You’ve worked hard, Teacher Huo. Have some flower tea and take a break.”
Huo Yang took the bottle, opened it, sat down beside him, took a sip, and said:
“I’m not the one who’s tired, but you look spiritless. Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Bai Tan nodded honestly:
“I had a very strange dream. I woke up at five before it was even light out, and I couldn’t fall back asleep afterward.”
Huo Yang asked him what he had dreamed about, and Bai Tan recalled the dream, recounting it exactly.
During the story, Huo Yang pulled out his phone.
After tapping on the screen for a moment, Huo Yang put his phone away and asked him:
“Do you know the omen for dreaming of carp and grapes?”
Bai Tan shook his head. To put it another way, he didn’t really want to know.
In the empty lounge, the sound of Huo Yang’s light chuckle echoed:
“A pregnancy dream.”
Bai Tan: “…?”
He turned his body away so he wouldn’t have to look at Huo Yang, muttering:
“Teacher Huo, you really are quite boring sometimes.”
Huo Yang gazed at his back, the smile at the corners of his lips lingering deep and long.
The two didn’t continue the topic. Huo Yang sipped his flower tea, though his peripheral vision was constantly observing Bai Tan in secret.
He couldn’t help but remember the way Bai Tan looked lying beneath him, eyes brimming with tears, cheeks flushed a faint crimson, intermittently murmuring “no more” in a voice that sounded like a groan yet more like a sob. Yet, all the while, Bai Tan’s arms had been tightly hooked around his shoulders with no intention of letting go.
That tone didn’t sound like a refusal; it sounded more like playing hard to get.
Huo Yang elegantly crossed his legs, propping his chin on one hand and looking into the distance, his fingertips hiding the faint, ambiguous smile at the corner of his mouth.
The Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching.
It seemed everyone was rushing to handle the last bit of their workload so they could enjoy the holiday comfortably.
Li Wenyan was busy…busy dealing with guests coming from afar and arranging various Mid-Autumn night activities for the artists under his company.
His secretary, Mr. Lin, was also very busy.
Secretary Lin got out of the car and looked at the magnificent jewelry store in front of him. This was the sixth jewelry store he had visited today.
The boss had issued an order: help him select a pair of lovers’ rings before the Mid-Autumn season. As a reward, Lin could choose a piece of jewelry for his girlfriend, paid for by the boss.
Thinking it was a windfall from heaven, Secretary Lin finally realized the catch by the time he reached the sixth store.
Every jewelry store would bring out their new seasonal items or Mid-Autumn limited editions for him to choose from. He thought they all looked pretty good and took photos to send to Li Wenyan, only for Li Wenyan to respond:
The diamond is a bit small, not grand enough.
The mermaid tail design has a bad omen; in myths, mermaids usually represent tragedy.
Heart shapes are too common, nothing new.
Hundreds of styles were all rejected by the boss.
Secretary Lin was at his wit’s end but still had to keep a smile on his face:
Perhaps you could tell me who you want to give them to, what their personality is like, and what their preferences are.
It took a long while for Li Wenyan to reply:
You choose. I trust your eye.
After running around for two days, there was finally a pair of rings that barely managed to catch Li Wenyan’s eye. Secretary Lin privately thought he could finally get some rest.
As it turned out, he was happy too soon. Li Wenyan didn’t seem to want to see him idle and issued yet another order:
Secretary Lin, please make another trip to the plantation. Pick some rare varieties of roses and gather 9,999 of them. Oh, and have them picked and transported on the afternoon of Mid-Autumn Day; I’m afraid they won’t be fresh if they’re picked too early.
Secretary Lin: “…Damn it!”
Bai Tan was equally busy.
The Mid-Autumn Night activities included a segment where artists would pair up to dance the ballroom dance. After discussions between the organizers and Li Wenyan, a very famous female artist was chosen as Huo Yang’s dance partner for the night.
Bai Tan contacted this female artist. Fortunately, she had a kind temperament and was easy to talk to. Plus, since the partner was Huo Yang, she readily agreed.
On the day of Mid-Autumn, Bai Tan woke up before dawn.
The first thing he did upon waking was contact the female artist again to double-check every detail of each segment, ensuring nothing would go wrong.
This was the first time Bai Tan had participated in such a large-scale event, and there absolutely could be no mistakes. He was so meticulous that he even checked the female artist’s route to the venue to ensure there wouldn’t be a traffic jam… probably.
As soon as it hit eight o’clock, major platforms began pushing Mid-Autumn blessings.
The sounds of children’s laughter and cheers drifted up from downstairs.
Bai Tan stood by the window and looked down, seeing the older brother and sister from the unit above stuffing large bags into their car trunk. Their eight-year-old son was holding his three-year-old sister; he was unsteady on his feet but grinning like a sunflower:
“Today I’m going to have Grandma make a white magnolia bracelet for me and my sister!”
The father gently stroked the two children’s heads and smiled:
“Sure, but Grandma is getting older, you have to be gentle with her.”
The mother also laughed: “In the afternoon, we’ll go back to Grandma’s house. Grandma saved lots and lots of figs for you. Are you happy?”
The two children jumped and skipped excitedly:
“Happy! Happy!”
Bai Tan slowly withdrew his gaze.
He puffed out one cheek and slowly exhaled a breath.
He actually didn’t like the various festivals that represented “reunion.” Amidst the happy laughter of other people’s blissful families, his small sixty-square-meter apartment felt exceptionally empty because he was the only one in it.
He could only keep himself busy so he wouldn’t have time to think about random things.
5:00 PM.
Bai Tan picked up Huo Yang to head to the venue.
On the way, he sent another message to the female artist asking if she had set off. Her assistant replied, saying they were already on the road and would arrive in twenty minutes.
Bai Tan took Huo Yang to the venue early to change. Every time Huo Yang participated in an event, many clothing sponsors would provide outfits, considering it a way to promote their brands.
Huo Yang’s evening gown for this occasion was the finale piece from this year’s International Fashion Week: a navy blue shawl collar over a dark gray peaked-lapel double-breasted suit. It looked simple, but the details were rich.
The black satin scarf had to be hand-tied into a bow tie, and the outer edge of the scarf was embroidered with rhythmic cylindrical bead studs. Even the suit buttons were satin with embroidery, condensing the “scenery of a spring garden” into tiny buttons a true test of the designer’s skill.
Bai Tan’s professors had lectured on these things in his professional courses, but this was his first time admiring the real thing up close.
He skillfully helped Huo Yang tie the bow tie, his fingers weaving nimbly. A bow tie that was relaxed yet solemn appeared beneath the white collar.
After finishing the tie, he looked up and met Huo Yang’s profound gaze.
At some unknown point, it seemed the man had started staring at him like this constantly.
Bai Tan felt a bit embarrassed and turned his face away:
“When the ballroom dancing segment begins, you need to bow to Sister Han Xi. You can only take her hand to dance after she returns a curtsy.”
“Mm, okay,” Huo Yang responded softly.
Bai Tan turned around to pack his tool bag:
“Then, I wish you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a pleasant evening at the party.”
According to the organizers, assistants like them shouldn’t go over during the party; they were to wait backstage and only appear if needed.
The venue wasn’t very large and couldn’t accommodate that many people.
Huo Yang looked at his back, his lips parting slightly and then pressing back together, seemingly wanting to say something.
But before he could speak, a staff member came over to call for him, saying the party was about to start.
Other artists who were still having their makeup done hurriedly urged their makeup artists to move faster.
Artists walked out in twos and threes. Bai Tan sat in the corner, watching them chat and laugh, exchanging Mid-Autumn blessings.
“Oh, Brother Yueqian, that bracelet is very beautiful,” an artist suddenly remarked.
Bai Tan followed the sound and saw Yang Yueqian in a gorgeous evening gown, fiddling with a white gold bracelet on his wrist. The pendant was a sharp-edged paper plane design.
Bai Tan gloomily shifted his gaze away.
No matter how much time passed, every time he saw Yang Yueqian, a wave of guilt and unease washed over him.
If it hadn’t been for his accidental intervention that night, Huo Yang and Yang Yueqian would likely have already confessed their feelings to each other. Even if they weren’t understood by the world, given their status and position, they could still grow old together and spend their lives as a couple.
Bai Tan let out a deep sigh.
I really am a criminal of the ages.