Jonathan had been in this business for so long that his eyesight had long been honed. Even if he deliberately suppressed it, he could still sense the aura emanating from a man. This is a quality only possessed by those who have been sitting in high positions for a long time, it was impossible to conceal.
The man looked at him with hostility in his eyes. Jonathan looked at the hand that had just hugged Li Shu and suddenly realized.
Afraid that Mo Yanzhi might say something inappropriate at this moment, Li Shu returned to Mo Yanzhi’s side after exchanging greetings with Jonathan, blocked him with his body and pinched his fingertips.
Feeling the soft touch from his hand, Mo Yanzhi’s brow relaxed, and his piercing eyes were withdrawn from Jonathan.
He had an impression of this man; initially, he had seen a photo of this man being intimate with Li Shu. It was a rare occasion to enjoy Li Shu’s initiative. He didn’t deny that he was the ultimate beneficiary of that incident, but…
Anyone who was close to Li Shu was someone he needed to guard against.
Strike first and gain control; the person was already his, and he would never allow anyone to take Li Shu away from him.
The handover of work was handled by Qin Ran, allowing Li Shu to rest for a day before finalizing the work arrangements.
As the New Year approached, Mo Yanzhi was very busy. The reason he could squeeze out time to come to the United States with Li Shu was because there happened to be a contract to negotiate here.
The two of them were basically doing their own thing. Fortunately, the company collaborating with the Mo Group and the place where Li Shu worked were not far apart. After finishing work, they would have some time alone together.
Li Shu came over to be Jonathan’s model. Jonathan was a member of the International Photography Association, and he would hold a personal photography exhibition in a while. This was a large-scale exhibition he had been preparing for three years. The exhibition included various types of works like landscapes, animals, cities…
Because he had been preparing for three years, he already had all the necessary types of work. But when it came to choosing works with people as the main subject, Jonathan encountered a small problem. Over the years, he had photographed many people, from the destitute to the glamorous, and there were many celebrities as well. He selected some works, but he always felt they were not perfect.
It’s not that these works were inadequate, they were just imperfect. There was always a feeling of something missing, which Jonathan couldn’t tolerate. Since these photos were not suitable, he went to find ones that met his requirements.
It took him six months to find the right one. Just when he was thinking about whether to compromise, he met Li Shu at the “ZERE” studio. At a glance, he knew that this person could bring him surprises, and the result proved so. With Li Shu, he found what was missing.
He had a premonition that Li Shu could make him breakthrough, so he issued the invitation without hesitation, fearing that the person might refuse. In addition to the generous remuneration, he also promised an additional condition.
Looking at the finished product in the camera, Jonathan felt that this deal was really worth it.
Li Shu was someone with a strong sense of the camera. Not only that, but under the lens, he also had a special charm which invisibly absorbs all attention, making one focus only on him and nothing else in the eyes.
To achieve this is difficult. Jonathan had come into contact with many celebrities, big and small. Except for those who had long been famous and truly had strength, there were hardly any of Li Shu’s age who could do this.
How old is Li Shu now? He was just in his early twenties, and it’s said he came from humble beginnings. To have such strong control over the lens, one can foresee his extraordinary future.
Not only did he strongly highlight himself, but Li Shu could also blend perfectly with the surroundings under the lens. As long as Jonathan made a request, Li Shu could quickly get into the mood.
“Fantastic, Li, you’re simply beyond my imagination.” Although they had worked together before, Jonathan was still amazed by Li Shu’s performance.
Li Shu put down the prop in his hand, a red-wine cane with complicated patterns. He himself was dressed in medieval aristocratic attire. He wore a silver-framed monocle on his nose bridge, with a slender metal chain hanging down the side of his cheek, exuding opulent sensuality.
This was a completely different Li Shu from usual. Wearing this outfit, he became a nobleman from the Middle Ages, exuding gentlemanly elegance.
“Jonathan, where did you find this treasure?” The blond man beside Jonathan raised his head to look at Li Shu, then lowered his head to look at the various photos of Li Shu’s different looks on the computer. He could hardly close his mouth.
He found it hard to believe that these photos were taken in just a few days. Jonathan said that these were just preliminary drafts and hadn’t undergone post-processing yet.
Just preliminary drafts were already so stunning; what would the finished product be like? He couldn’t imagine, and his eyes towards Li Shu became even hotter.
With a thought, he tugged at Jonathan’s arm. “Old buddy, can you do me a favor?”
“Don’t you dare come up with any bad ideas!” Jonathan warned him with a glance. He knew Julian well, they were old acquaintances. Julian was the type who, as long as someone looked good, had no taboos between men and women. He liked the excitement and changed partners as often as he changed clothes, commonly known as a “scumbag.”
Julian glanced at him sideways. “Where do you think I’m going? I have a set of clothes there. Let him try it on.”
“You mean…” Jonathan asked uncertainly. Julian was a designer for Micco, with a style that was unpredictable and difficult to fathom. He was a regular guest at fashion shows, and his works always closed the show at ML fashion shows every year, making him a top figure in the industry.
“That set of clothes is not something just anyone can wear casually. Since the initial draft formed in my mind, I’ve been looking for someone who can match it. That idiot George even wanted to invite Monet. Have you ever thought about how Monet, with his big build, could fit into it?”
Listening to Julian’s complaints, Jonathan’s lips twitched. George, who was called an idiot, was the president of Micco, and Monet was a world-class male model. Only Julian dared to talk about these two like this.
Jonathan was puzzled. “Do you really think highly of Li?” As far as he knew, Julian had already found several models for that outfit, but none of them were suitable. How come he suddenly settled on Li Shu today?
“I have a feeling,” Julian tapped his forehead, “that this cute little cutie from China is the one I’ve been waiting for. A mundane person like you wouldn’t understand.”
“If you think I’m mundane, then you deal with it yourself. His agent is over there; go ahead.”
Seeing Qin Ran’s appearance, Julian’s eyes lit up. Qin Ran had a very refined and handsome appearance, a classic oriental beauty. Time had bestowed upon him a unique temperament, making him even more charming.
Seeing this scene, Jonathan shook his head and had his assistant call Li Shu over with the newly taken photos.
“Li, have you had any plans recently? There are only two sets of photos left. Are you interested in playing around here?”
Li Shu tugged on the tie at his collar. It was too tight and always made him feel like he couldn’t breathe. “I do have some time this year. Is Jonathan planning to give me a job?” This sentence was mostly a joke. After spending time together during this period, the two of them could be considered friends. Both were easygoing people and they quickly got along.
“I really have a job for you. Whether you can grasp it depends on yourself. Can you walk the stage?” He said that he didn’t care about Julian, but this matter was also an opportunity for Li Shu, and it could even be said to be a big deal. He hoped that Li Shu could seize the opportunity.
“Walk? Is it a catwalk? Why did Jonathan think of me?” He didn’t expect to be introduced to a job, or a job like this. “To be honest, this is a field I’ve never tried before.”
“It’s not that I thought of you, someone has set their sights on you. Do you know about the upcoming ML fashion show? If this works out, you’ll be able to attend the ML fashion show, not as a spectator.” Jonathan patted his shoulder, leaving it at that.
‘If not a spectator, then a participant? When it comes to catwalks, then… as a model?’ Li Shu contemplated.
On the way back to the hotel, Qin Ran mentioned this matter to Li Shu. “I think this is a great opportunity. Opportunities like this don’t come often, so it’s best not to miss it.”
“I think so too.” Li Shu propped up his chin, whether he was a model or an actor, it didn’t make much difference to him.
Julian moved quickly. The next afternoon, after discussing it with Jonathan, he brought Li Shu to his studio, with Jonathan following along.
The purpose of this visit was to Li Shu try on the clothes first, see where they didn’t fit, and make adjustments quickly.
As it turned out, Julian’s vision was not wrong. Li Shu was very suitable for this outfit. The gorgeous and intricate clothes didn’t feel burdensome on him at all, completely achieving the effect Julian wanted.
After a brief contemplation, Julian looked at Li Shu with a complicated expression, waved his assistant aside and stepped forward himself.
“The waist needs to be tightened here, and the accessories should be changed to a different color…” Julian said, while the assistant took notes on the side.
In just a few minutes, the assistant had written several pages, and in addition to that, Li Shu was asked to measure his body data. With this, the matter was basically settled.
“As for the catwalk, I’ll have a special teacher come to teach you. It’s not long before the ML show starts. These few days might be tough, it’s not impossible, but it will definitely be hard, especially since you have no experience.”
The beginning of everything is difficult, and Li Shu was starting from scratch in this regard. No one asked if Li Shu could do it. Sometimes, that’s just how it is. When an opportunity presents itself, no matter how difficult it may be, you have to seize it.
Because if you miss this opportunity, no one knows when the next opportunity will come.
After taking on a temporary job, the plan to return to China with Mo Yanzhi had to be canceled. Mo Yanzhi wasn’t very happy, but he couldn’t say anything to stop Li Shu from working.
“Not happy?” Li Shu poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to the man.
In the light, the dark red liquid in the tall glass shimmered enticingly. Mo Yanzhi raised the glass and stared at the flowing liquid inside, his eyes flickering.
“Can you go back to China before the New Year?” The cold liquid slid down his throat, and the mellow aroma of the wine spread on his tongue. Mo Yanzhi turned to look at the young man sitting beside him, seeming a bit intoxicated.
“Yeah, the ML show is held in January. If there are no other arrangements afterwards, I can go back before the Spring Festival.” Li Shu poked the muscles on Mo Yanzhi’s arm. “Aren’t you going back to the Mo family?”
Mo Yanzhi fell silent. He had originally planned to make a quick trip to the Mo family and then leave. He had already planned to spend the Spring Festival with Li Shu, and perhaps take this opportunity to visit Li Shu’s parents.
“This matter this time was my oversight,” Li Shu slowly put down the red wine glass, came closer to Mo Yanzhi, blew gently into his ear, and said seductively, “So, I’ll agree to one request from you as compensation, how about that?”
Mo Yanzhi tensed, and as if bewitched, he said, “I want…”