Exclusive Model for the Top Painter Chapter 50

Dreamy Midnight in London

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Thanks to Gucci China's recommendation, Liang Jin was sent an invitation to the London Fashion Festival, which was scheduled to be held in December.

The event lasted for a week, and Liang Jin was invited to attend the runway fashion show on the third night as one of the Asian model representatives, and was offered a generous pay.

Liang Jin looked at the huge salary in British pounds and almost burst into tears, "Ji Shen, I'm going to be rich! When this money arrives, I'll immediately go and buy a luxury car!"

"No need to wait." Ji Xiuyuan asked, "What kind of car do you want? I can get it for you."

"That's different!" Liang Jin said, "I have to buy a car with my own labour! Extravagant capitalists like you can't understand the joy of our labourers! Especially the moment the wages arrive, it's especially fulfilling!"

"Xiao Jin, Tian Han pays you every month, how come I don't see you getting this excited?"

"Tian Han's salary is routine. This, on the other hand, is unexpected wealth! Sudden wealth! Naturally the happiness is doubled!"

Ji Xiuyuan was thoughtful: "Then in the future, from time to time, I'll give you a little bonus."

Liang Jin looked at him dumbfounded, "Boss, are you serious?"

"Mhmm."

"What bonus? Is there any assessment criteria?"

Ji Xiuyuan said in a serious manner, "Performance bonus, depending on your performance every night. The basic amount of service is three times a day, and every time you cooperate with me to increase the amount, there will be a corresponding level of stipend."

"... Are you serious?"

"Of course, when have I ever lied to you, hmm?" Ji Xiuyuan said, "Later on, I'll have Wen Di make a form to specifically quantify the bonus criteria and assessment details, and factor it into your salary system."

"Don't tell Wen Di about this!!!" Liang Jin frantically said, "This kind of thing! It's fine if you joke around with me! Ji Shen! If the people in the company find out, I'll straight up die in society, okay???"

Ji Xiuyuan laughed lowly, "I'm just teasing you, you're so cute."

Liang Jin: ????

Ji Xiuyuan couldn't help but kiss him on the lips, "When are you planning to go to London?"

"This Friday, I think. I haven't been to London before!"

"London in winter is very charming."

"Ji Shen, why don't we go together?"

"Okay."

———

Due to its temperate oceanic climate, London's winters aren't actually cold.

It's a metropolis where a sense of history and modernity are wonderfully intertwined. At night, strolling through the cobblestone streets of Covent Garden, the magnificent square built in the 19th century twinkle with lights. It's like a melody of the past, drifting lazily from a hundred years ago to the present day.

The two arrived in London just as the lights were coming on.

In the taxi from Heathrow Airport to the hotel, Liang Jin looked out the window at the night view and exclaimed to Ji Xiuyuan, "Ji Shen, this is London! I saw Big Ben! It looks exactly the same as it did in my middle school English textbook!"

Ji Xiuyuan said, "It's too late today, let's go to the hotel to rest first. After the work is done tomorrow, I'll take you around."

On the day of the event, as the entourage of a model for the show, Ji Xiuyuan got an inside ticket for the fashion event and accompanied Liang Jin into the venue.

While Liang Jin was getting ready in the dressing room, Ji Xiuyuan could only wait outside.

The dressing room was filled with all kinds of handsome men from all over the world, and Liang Jin attracted a lot of attention when he entered the room.

There was a full-time Chinese interpreter at the venue, who was a Chinese girl studying in London, Yang Danni. Danni meticulously explained the process and precautions to be taken, and stepped aside after he started getting his make-up done, asking Liang Jin to call out to her whenever he needed something.

A young man with blonde hair and blue eyes walked up to Liang Jin and rattled off a lot of things.

Liang Jin didn't understand a single word and could only smile politely, "Sorry, I can't understand."

The blonde-haired boy furrowed his brows, and seeing Danni on the side with a translator's work badge hung around her neck, he coaxed her over as if he had seen a saviour.

Liang Jin was forced to have a friendly exchange with him.

Danni said, "Mr. Liang, this is Mr. Lance. A model from the United States, he says he admires you."

Lance immediately added a few words.

Danni corrected, "Oh, he said that he and his friends would like to buy you a drink."

"Forget about drinks, just thank him for me for his kindness towards me."

Lance gestured emotionally for a while longer.

Danni was clearly shocked and hesitated to speak...

Liang Jin was puzzled, "What? What did he say?"

Danni hesitated for a while and said softly, "Mr Liang, no offence intended, he asked if you were gay."

Liang Jin categorically said, "I'm! Not!"

Although he liked Ji Shen, Ji Shen was Ji Shen, and he didn't have the slightest interest in other men!

Lance knitted his eyebrows together and persisted in speaking a bunch of nonsense.

Danni translated, "Mr. Liang, he said that he reads people very well. He knows Asians are shy and don't want to admit their orientation. But you're really sexy and are their very favourite type. They don't mean anything else, they just want a chance to get to know you."

Liang Jin's lungs exploded with anger, and he thought hard before responding directly in his own plastic English, "I am straight! Not gay!"

The blonde boy shrugged his shoulders, said sorry and left.

The runway show was three hours long, and the theme of the night was Green Innovation. Designers from all over the world created the most fashionable outfits around this theme, which were presented by the runway models.

After the event ended, it was nearly ten o'clock in the evening.

Ji Xiuyuan and Liang Jin came out of the venue side by side, and the night sky was filled with light snow.

It rarely snowed in London.

At this moment, silvery flakes were dancing in the sky, and the interplay of light and shadow was breathtakingly beautiful.

Ji Xiuyuan quietly held his palm, and Liang Jin kissed his cheek.

At this moment, Lance appeared out of nowhere and said to Liang Jin, "Not gay?"

Liang Jin was embarrassed and his ears turned red. Ignoring Lance's mockery, he pretended to be calm and said, "Ji Shen, let's go! Let's go see Big Ben!"

Along the banks of the River Thames stood tall buildings with a British flavour, with the Palace of Westminster being the most famous. Big Ben, the clock tower attached to the palace, is one of London's most famous landmarks.

Across the river from Big Ben is the London Eye, a giant glowing Ferris wheel that adds a dreamy touch to the River Thames.

Ji Xiuyuan asked, "Xiao Jin, why don't we go for a ride on the London Eye? When it rises to the top, you can look over the whole of London."

Liang Jin seemed a bit apprehensive, "You... really want to go?"

"Mhmm."

"Ji Shen, this shouldn't be your first time in London. Haven't you ridden it before?"

"No." Ji Xiuyuan looked at him and said softly, "Before I met you, I didn't have such thoughts at all. I even thought that this kind of thing was a waste of time."

Liang Jin smiled and wrapped his arms around his neck, "It's really fragrant now, isn't it? Yuan Yuan?" (Angel: Really fragrant is an internet buzzword that refers to when someone initially made up their mind to not do something, but eventually took the initiative to do the opposite.)

Ji Xiuyuan whispered in his ear, "Mhmm, it's only meaningful when I'm with you."

Liang Jin interlocked their fingers, "Then let's go now!"

After purchasing the ticket and entering the cabin, Liang Jin couldn't help but break out into a bit of a cold sweat as he looked at the transparent glass around him.

His earlier hesitation and concern was also because of this: he was actually a bit afraid of heights.

But Ji Shen looked like he really wanted to ride this thing, and he didn't want to spoil the fun.

Taking a deep breath, Liang Jin told himself: it's okay, this little problem, he can definitely overcome it.

As the observation capsule slowly rose, they gradually left the ground, as if they were floating on the River Thames.

Ji Xiuyuan was in a good mood, holding Liang Jin's hand and putting it in the pocket of his coat: ''Xiao Jin, don't you want to see Big Ben? It's right in front of you, that way."

Liang Jin followed his line of sight and looked into the distance, the gothic parliament building on the other side of the river was solemn and majestic, and the many towers and the spire of Big Ben shone brilliantly like a crown under the spotlights.

It was beautiful.

Immersed in the pleasure brought by the beautiful scenery, Liang Jin momentarily forgot about his fear of heights.

After the observation capsule rose higher and higher, even exceeding the spire of Big Ben, he glanced down and was so frightened that he immediately hugged Ji Xiuyuan tightly, wishing to jump directly onto him: "Ahhhh Ji Shen!!! How come it's so high!!!"

Ji Xiuyuan smoothly wrapped his arms around him: "The London Eye is one hundred and thirty-five metres tall, and this is almost two-thirds of its height. Xiao Jin, are you afraid of heights?"

Under his feet was the endless surface of the River Thames, and in front of him were the buildings that were becoming increasingly shorter. The transparent glass construction gave the illusion of being in mid-air. Liang Jin felt his legs go a little soft and hugged Ji Xiuyuan tightly, "A... a little."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Didn't I see that you like it? So I accompanied you."

Ji Xiuyuan sighed softly and kissed his hair, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

"Not afraid, just a little panicked." Liang Jin's entire body was attached to Ji Xiuyuan's body, "Quickly, talk to me, distract me."

"Xiao Jin, I love you."

Liang Jin's heart skipped a beat and his face instantly turned red, "Why are you suddenly talking about this?"

"How about I hold you?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Xiuyuan picked him up entirely.

Liang Jin hung onto him, wrapping his arms around his neck, and a solid sense of security steadily rose in his heart, "Ji Shen, won't you be tired like this?"

"No."

"I feel as if I'm not so scared anymore, I can..."

Ji Xiuyuan said softly, "Xiao Jin, be obedient and let me hold you."

The London Eye slowly turned under the night, and the riverbanks were colourful on both sides.

In the observation cabin, quiet and gentle love flowed, meaningful and deep in the silent setting.

After coming down from the London Eye, the two strolled along the River Thames.

The snow had stopped and a faint layer of white lay around them.

The night breeze blew past, but it wasn't cold.

Liang Jin said, "Ji Shen, in another fifty years, when we are old, we will come to sit on the London Eye once more."

"Why?"

"I'm younger than you, at that time, it will be my turn to hug you."

Ji Xiuyuan laughed lightly, "Okay."

He looked down at his wristwatch and said to Liang Jin, "Xiao Jin, it's almost midnight."

"Ah, so soon?"

"The clock will strike midnight later."

"It feels interesting!"

"At that time, I want to kiss you."

The hands pushed on, and the hour and minute hands converged on each other to greet midnight.

The heavy, mellifluous chimes of Big Ben rang out.

On the banks of the River Thames, Ji Xiuyuan lowered his head and covered his lips.

Liang Jin tilted his head up and warmly kissed him in a delicate and lingering manner.

This kiss was gentle and delicate, like an endless interweaving of words of love, swallowed between the lips and tongue.

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: July 20, 2023