Huayu: Starting with Hextech

July, Beijing.

In the photo studio of top fashion magazine VOGUE, the air conditioning was set very low, but the atmosphere was scorching hot.

Today is the shooting day for the Qixi Festival special, with the theme "Summer Sweet Love of On-Screen Couples". The invited couple is none other than the currently most popular "Xiao Mi CP".

Lin Xiao wore a white Dior Homme suit, his hair was styled in a neat slicked-back look, revealing his full forehead and deep-set eyes.

Yang Mi wore a nude-colored halter dress from the same brand, with straps so thin they were almost invisible, revealing a large expanse of her fair shoulders and collarbone. Her long hair was slightly curled, and her red lips were bright.

When the two stood together, even the seasoned photographer couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing! This couple is truly blessed by God."

Filming begins.

The first group is "Playing in the Morning".

The scene was set up as a hotel bedroom. Yang Mi was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a silk robe. Lin Xiao hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. The two smiled at the dressing mirror.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, bathing them in a warm and intimate atmosphere.

"Okay! Mimi, get a little closer to Lin Xiao, yes, just like you just woke up!" the photographer instructed.

Yang Mi naturally leaned back, her entire back pressed against Lin Xiao's chest.

She could feel his body temperature and smell the faint scent of cedar perfume on him.

Lin Xiao's hand was around her waist, his palm warm.

"Brother Xiao, look at Mimi with even gentler eyes, yes, like you'd look at a lover!"

Lin Xiao looked down at Yang Mi's eyes in the mirror.

Her eyes were large, with dark pupils, reflecting his face.

That focused, smiling gaze made his heart skip a beat.

The shutter clicked furiously.

The second group is "Summer Pool".

Yang Mi changed into an orange bikini, with a white shirt over it. The shirt was only buttoned up to her chest, revealing a lot of skin and her slender legs.

She sat by the pool, and Lin Xiao, wearing a white T-shirt and shorts, stood in front of her, his hands resting on the edge of the pool on either side of her body, leaning over to look at her.

Water droplets dripped from Lin Xiao's hair, landing on Yang Mi's collarbone, and sliding down her skin into her shirt.

"Honey, hug Lin Xiao's neck!" the photographer shouted.

Yang Mi obediently raised her hand and wrapped it around Lin Xiao's neck.

Her fingertips brushed against the skin on the back of his neck, instantly raising a fine layer of goosebumps.

"Lin Xiao, lower your head and make a kissing motion!"

Lin Xiao lowered his head as instructed, and their lips were less than three centimeters apart.

He could see Yang Mi's slightly trembling eyelashes, feel her rapid breathing, and smell the sweet, fruity scent emanating from her.

"Good! Keep it up!"

The sound of camera shutters was as dense as a torrential downpour.

The third group is "Sofa Entanglement".

This is the boldest set.

Yang Mi, wearing that nude-colored slip dress, sat sideways on Lin Xiao's lap, one arm around his neck, the other unconsciously circling his chest.

Lin Xiao wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and his lips almost touched her skin.

All the staff in the shed held their breath.

This scene is too sensual.

Yang Mi's skirt was slit up to her thighs, revealing a large expanse of fair skin when she sat on Lin Xiao's lap.

Lin Xiao's hand was placed on her waist, his fingertips slightly sinking into the fabric of her dress.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together, every curve clearly visible.

"Honey, turn around and kiss Lin Xiao's ear!" the photographer shouted excitedly.

Yang Mi turned her head to the side and gently pressed her lips against Lin Xiao's earlobe.

She could feel his body stiffen instantly and hear his suppressed breathing.

"Lin Xiao, move your hand up a little, yes, put your arm around Mimi's shoulder!"

Lin Xiao's hand obediently moved upwards, his palm resting on Yang Mi's smooth back.

The skin there was incredibly hot.

"Great! Perfect!"

The moment the filming ended, Lin Xiao almost immediately let go of his hand.

Yang Mi stood up from his lap, straightened her skirt, and her face still had the blush from the photoshoot.

During a break, Lin Xiao returned to his dressing room to calm down.

But five minutes later, he still got up and pushed open the door to Yang Mi's dressing room next door.

Yang Mi was sitting in front of the mirror touching up her makeup. When she saw him in the mirror, a smile appeared on her lips.

"Lin Xiao, you're getting better and better at acting," she said, her voice still languid from just finishing filming.

"You too." Lin Xiao closed the door and leaned against it.

"I'm not acting." Yang Mi put down her lipstick, turned around, and faced him.

She stood up, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and walked step by step to him.

She gently hooked her fingers around his tie and pulled it down, forcing Lin Xiao to bend over slightly.

The two faces were less than ten centimeters apart.

Their breaths mingled.

Lin Xiao could see his reflection in her pupils, smell the sweet scent of lipstick on her lips, and feel the warmth emanating from her fingertips through her shirt.

"Sister Honey..." he began, his voice a little hoarse.

"Call me Mimi," she corrected, stroking his face with her other hand. "That's what you always called me when we were in Hengdian."

Lin Xiao's heart began to pound violently.

He wanted to back away, but there was a door behind him, leaving him nowhere to retreat.

Yang Mi leaned closer, her nose almost touching his.

There was something familiar to Lin Xiao in her eyes—the look she gave him when they were in Hengdian, at the "old place."

Desire, possession, and undisguised infatuation.

"Lin Xiao," she whispered, "I miss you."

Just as the words were spoken, footsteps and voices came from outside the door. It was a staff member coming to urge the next group to start filming.

Lin Xiao shoved her away abruptly, took two steps back, and straightened his tie.

Yang Mi stumbled slightly from the push, but quickly regained her balance.

She looked at his flustered state and smiled, a smile that was both smug and bitter.

"What are you afraid of?" she asked. "Afraid of being seen? Or afraid... that you won't be able to control yourself?"

Lin Xiao didn't answer, opened the door and walked out.

Outside the door, several staff members happened to walk to the door and were stunned when they saw him come out.

"Brother Xiao, time to get ready for the next group..."

"Okay." Lin Xiao nodded and quickly left.

Yang Mi walked out of the dressing room, watching his back. The smile on her lips faded slightly, but it quickly returned, and she became the bright and flamboyant Yang Mi again.

That evening, behind-the-scenes footage of the filming was leaked.

It was an official "behind-the-scenes" video released by the magazine, but it was edited in an extremely ambiguous way—there were scenes of Lin Xiao and Yang Mi chatting and laughing during breaks in the shoot, a clip of Yang Mi helping Lin Xiao adjust his collar, the lingering gaze between the two when they looked at each other, and even a shot of Yang Mi kissing Lin Xiao's ear during the "sofa entanglement" shoot.

#Is XiaoMi Really True?# instantly became the number one trending topic.

The comment section completely exploded:

"If this isn't real, I'll eat my keyboard on live stream!"

"There's definitely something wrong with the way they're looking at each other!"

"I watched that ear-kissing scene ten times, and Lin Xiao's ears turned red!"

"Please, you two should get together! You're a perfect match!"

CP fans rejoice, solo fans tear each other apart, and bystanders watch the drama unfold.

Weibo's servers were temporarily down.

In Tang Yan's apartment in Shanghai.

She had just finished watching episode 10 of "Palace" and felt a tightness in her chest.

In the drama, the Eighth Prince and Qingchuan are deeply in love, while off-screen, Lin Xiao and Yang Mi's CP marketing is everywhere.

She scrolled through Weibo, looking at the trending topics, the sweet videos edited by fans, and the photos of the two interacting intimately in the news.

Each one was like a needle, piercing her heart.

She picked up her phone and dialed Lin Xiao's number.

It rang three times before being disconnected.

Tang Yan's heart sank.

Five minutes later, Lin Xiao called back.

The background noise was very loud, with music, laughter, and... Yang Mi's clear laughter.

"I was recording a show just now." Lin Xiao's voice sounded a little tired.

"Where...are you?" Tang Yan asked.

"Changsha, recording 'Day Day Up'," Lin Xiao said. "What's up?"

"It's nothing." Tang Yan paused, "It's just... I missed you."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

"I miss you too," Lin Xiao said. "I'll go back to Shanghai after this episode is finished."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Tang Yan stared at her phone screen, lost in thought for a long time.

Then, she opened Yang Mi's Weibo.

The latest post is a selfie posted ten minutes ago.

In the photo, Yang Mi is making a peace sign at the camera with a bright smile.

The caption reads: "Changsha's nights are perfect for both work and play~"

The background is a hotel room.

Warm yellow lighting, beige walls, and white bed sheets.

In the lower right corner of the photo, a black suit jacket is draped over a chair next to the bed.

Tang Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.

She recognized the coat—it belonged to Lin Xiao.

She accompanied him to buy it last year; it's from a niche Italian brand, and not many people in China own it.

There was a barely noticeable loose thread on the cuff, which she had accidentally snagged. Lin Xiao said, "Keep it, consider it your mark."

Now, this jacket bearing her "mark" has appeared in Yang Mi's hotel room.

Tang Yan's hands began to tremble.

She zoomed in on the photo and looked at it closely.

Next to the coat was a black men's briefcase, the same one Lin Xiao often used.

So... when Lin Xiao said he was recording a show, he was actually in Yang Mi's room?

Or did they go back to their room together after filming the show?

or……

Tang Yan dared not think any further.

She turned off her phone and buried her face in her knees.

Outside the window, the summer night in Shanghai is hot and humid.

The air conditioning in the room was set very low, but she still felt cold all over.

That kind of coldness comes from the heart.

It felt like falling into an ice cave; no matter how hard I struggled, I couldn't climb out.

I could only watch helplessly as I sank deeper and deeper.