"Take my picture!"

"Oh."

Zhou Li took Brother Nan's phone. He saw her hopping to a peach tree and just standing there, looking quite lively.

He raised the phone and aimed it at her.

Spring had just arrived, so Brother Nan was naturally wearing long pants. The form-fitting design outlined two eye-catching, long legs. The pants were worn in such a way that they looked like capris, revealing a stretch of her pale ankles.

She wore a pair of mid-top sneakers, somewhat pink.

On top, she only wore a t-shirt and a thin spring coat, which would have been a bit chilly for most people.

Brother Nan always cared about style.

"CLICK!"

Zhou Li captured her youthful and pretty appearance; even the "antenna" hair on top of her head seemed full of life.

Brother Nan quickly asked, "How is it?"

Zhou Li was about to say it was good, but then he thought for a moment. He tucked Brother Nan's phone into his bag, took out his own, and said, "The photo quality on your phone doesn't seem as good as mine. Let me try with mine."

"Should I change my pose?"

"You... do as you like."

"Does it look awkward if I'm holding a flower like this?"

"Like a little girl."

"Then I'll change it."

"Hmm."

After she changed her pose again, Zhou Li looked at the screen, adjusted his position by moving a bit closer, and focused on the top of her head.

Five minutes passed.

Brother Nan ran over to grab Zhou Li's phone. "Let me see!"

"Look!"

Brother Nan's good looks were undoubtedly top-notch, and she still looked great in the photos. Although she wasn't obsessed with taking pictures like most girls, she was actually very photogenic. Life is just that unfair.

Unfortunately, she wasn't good at taking photos, and neither was Zhou Li.

This meant the overall effect of the photos wasn't very good; they felt like a different style from what others took, even though the subject was pretty.

"It would be great if Baozi were here," said Brother Nan.

"Should I ask her?" Zhou Li said.

"Okay."

So Zhou Li opened QQ.

Brother Nan looked around, then pulled him to sit on a rock, leaning in close to his shoulder to look at the screen.

Zhou Li said to her, "I'll start by getting on her good side. Baozi has been short on money lately, so I'll send her a red packet. She'll only give us good advice if she's happy. Otherwise, we laymen might get tricked without even realizing it."

Brother Nan tilted her chin, signaling for him to go ahead.

Zhou Li started typing—

Zhou Li: [Red Packet: Happy Women's Day, Cousin]

Your friend Baozi has received your red packet.

One minute passed.

Two minutes passed.

Three minutes passed.

Zhou Li silently enjoyed the fragrance of Brother Nan's hair and her scent, listening to the birdsong in the Peach Blossom Forest. Despite the beauty of it all, the passage of time made him feel like something was amiss.

"Why hasn't she replied yet?"

He shifted his gaze from the screen and glanced at Brother Nan by reflex, only to see her looking at him with a sidelong glance.

"You continue," she said.

"Hmm."

So Zhou Li continued—

Zhou Li: ??

Baozi: Thanks, Cousin

Zhou Li: Are you busy?

Baozi: Thanks, Cousin

She sent it again.

Zhou Li scratched his head and decided to get straight to the point. "Happy?"

Baozi: Happy

Zhou Li: Here's the thing. Brother Nan and I came out for a spring outing today, in a Peach Blossom Forest, full of peach blossoms.

Baozi: I'm rusting at home [annoyed]

Zhou Li: So I wanted to ask you a question. How are those beautiful photos online taken?

Baozi: Taken by a photographer.

Zhou Li: Is there any other way?

Baozi: Yes.

Zhou Li: What?

Baozi: I'll do the post-editing for you guys. 100.

Zhou Li: [Red Packet]

Baozi: Send me what you guys have taken.

Zhou Li: [Picture][Picture][Picture][Picture][Picture][Picture]

Baozi: Trash photos. Delete them.

Zhou Li: …

Baozi: I'll teach you how to take them.

Zhou Li: [Red Packet]

Baozi: Haven't quoted you a price yet, boss /spaced out

Zhou Li: Enough?

Baozi: [Image][Image][Image][Image]

Baozi: Just follow these for the shoot. I'll handle the rest.

Zhou Li: Got it.

Brother Nan blinked and said, "Having a younger cousin sure costs money."

"It's alright."

Although he had spent almost all of today's interest from Yu'E Bao, Zhou Li didn't mind; he wasn't a stingy person. Besides, he considered it keeping the benefits within the family. Then he lowered his head and carefully examined the pictures his cousin had sent.

The photos were all of girls, and they seemed to have been taken recently, with peach blossoms conveniently in the background.

Objectively speaking, these girls' looks couldn't compare to Brother Nan's, even with their exquisite makeup. Yet the photos revealed an obvious difference between amateur and professional work.

With post-processing and the added charm of Hanfu outfits, the photos somehow gained a poetic and picturesque quality.

Zhou Li suddenly thought of Hong Ran.

It was simply because Hong Ran herself seemed like a woman who had stepped out of an ancient painting. She didn't need the accompaniment of peach blossoms, nor the touch-up of post-processing to enhance the mood. She didn't need makeup, nor did she need red seals or ancient calligraphy added to her pictures to enhance their charm. As for the ancient clothing she often wore, it was simply because she was accustomed to it.

Just her standing there embodied the beauty of antiquity.

Zhou Li was quite perceptive. He quickly figured out the angles, distance, and lighting of the photos. He also noticed that the peach blossoms used as backgrounds were quite clean, often just a single protruding branch, rather than an entire tree.

So he stood up and found a suitable spot for the scene.

Half an hour passed.

Zhou Li and Brother Nan went through the photos, deleting some and choosing others, then sent them to Baozi, filled with expectations.

Baozi: …

Baozi: Received.

Why a string of ellipses?

Zhou Li had a bad feeling.

At that moment, Brother Nan hooked his shoulder again. She was smiling cheerfully, turned to the side with one hand holding her phone, its front-facing camera capturing Zhou Li's bewildered expression. "Look at the camera, smile."

Zhou Li forced a stiff smile.

"CLICK!"

Brother Nan looked at the photo, then covered her mouth and giggled, a series of soft 'KU-KU-KU's escaping. But she refused to show it to Zhou Li.

"Let's head back!"

"Oh."

Brother Nan still had her arm over his shoulder, asking as they walked, "So quiet, huh?"

"Yeah."

Zhou Li glanced around. He saw a little sprite, barely the length of a finger and resembling a human, sprawled on a small branch covered with dewdrops. She stretched out her tiny hand with effort, catching the droplets in a mini pottery jar.

The dewdrops, like peas, trembled as she collected them in the jar.

Brother Nan's voice continued, "Did you ever think that the two of us would date?"

Upon hearing the voices, the sprite instinctively turned to look at them and seemed startled when she noticed Zhou Li's gaze. Fortunately, Zhou Li also quickly looked away.

"Never," he replied.

"Me neither. Thinking about it feels so amazing."

"The way we are now…" Zhou Li hesitated. "Doesn't it seem a bit like two guys with their arms slung over each other's shoulders?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing… nothing…"

"You don't like it, huh?"

"No, not at all."

"I'm only asking." Brother Nan furrowed her brows. She turned her head to stare at Zhou Li and pinched his cheek playfully. "Your attitude makes it look like I'm mean, as if I'm bullying you, threatening you."

"Right." Zhou Li nodded, paused, and then tentatively asked, "How about we switch? I put my arm on your shoulder?"

"No way!"

"Okay."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the sprite was gone.

Then he heard Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing's voices. He fell silent for a moment and then warned, "Zhu Shuang and the others are up ahead…"

"What's up?" Brother Nan turned her head.

A flash of alarm went through Zhou Li. He instinctively sensed danger, but his face remained composed as he calmly said, "I don't mind. After all, I brought them here for a spring outing with you. I just worry you might…"

"Worry about what? That I'll feel embarrassed?" Brother Nan blinked. "What's the big deal with two guys putting their arms over each other's shoulders for a bit?"

"That's true."

Just then, Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing appeared ahead.

Their eyes met.

Zhou Li, being inexperienced, said nothing, whereas Brother Nan calmly greeted Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing.

"Where did you two go?"

"Just wandering around." Zhu Shuang's expression was normal. He then asked, "Where did you guys go, Brother Nan?"

"Over there, taking pictures."

"Can I see the pictures you took?"

"Sure."

Brother Nan smoothly took her hand off Zhou Li's shoulder and fished his phone out of his pocket to show them.

It seemed there really was nothing to it. Zhou Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Shuang and Zhu Bing complimented his photography skills and then said, "Looks like it's almost noon. Sister Wei must be nearly full, right? I asked her to come take pictures with us earlier, but she refused."

"She's a glutton," Zhou Li said.

"Haha, let's go back for lunch too. What shall we do after eating?" Zhu Shuang asked. "Go hiking?"

"I brought cards," Brother Nan said.

"Play cards? Sounds good!"

The two kids had no idea about power.

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