Chapter 7: Sacred Figures

Tan Weiyan asked earnestly: "Why have you really come back? Back then, you left everything behind and just walked away with your camera. You are one of the most renowned fashion photographers in Europe and the United States, and your achievements are rarely challenged. But why did you abandon that name and return? It surely isn't for money, as there are not many magazines in the country that can afford your standard shooting fees, nor are there many models that you would find acceptable and willing to collaborate with. It can't be for women either, right? Although you have never mentioned these matters to us friends, we can still gather some information within the circle. You are quite popular over there, but in the country... it certainly isn't for money, as there are not many magazines in the country that can afford your standard shooting fees, nor are there many models that you would find acceptable and willing to collaborate with. It can't be for women either, right? Although you have never mentioned these matters to us friends, we can still gather some information within the circle. You are quite popular over there, but in the country... what you once let go of, wasn't it everything? You have connections and resources over there, and you have been so successful... When you contacted me, I thought you were coming back specifically to take photos, but you are actually preparing to return and stay here. I really can't figure out why. Don't say it's because of age; you are not even thirty yet, so don't talk about enjoying your old age... Tell me, why you?"

Yesterday, after I sent over the photos, I received feedback that your niece's photo has been confirmed as the cover for the first issue of the trial publication and will also be one of the main promotional images. I casually put together a few lines for the cover story and the book, which I sent over yesterday. They are eager to make a strong push into the girls' fashion segment, and of course, they cannot let you all react first. If it weren't for the fact that the editor-in-chief of the Simplified Chinese version of Teen Vogue is an old friend of mine, I wouldn't have taken on this job. They are determined to make a significant impact in the girls' fashion market, and they certainly can't let you all catch on first. Normally, a girls' fashion magazine wouldn't be able to afford my fees. However, since it will be used as an advertising promotional photo, my income this time will be about right. Moreover, Ye Jiaying does not have a manager... so I would have to give her a payment of ten thousand dollars.

Tan Weiyan inquired: "Why have I received no news at all? Isn't this considered a significant matter?"

Xiao Yong brought all 14 photos without reservation. The first one presented is the image selected by Teen Vogue for the cover and promotional theme of its inaugural issue. It is a photo taken from a bird's-eye view, shot from a slight angle behind Ye Jiaying. In the photo, Ye Jiaying has her hands clasped in front of her chest, tilting her head to look at the camera. The photo captures her entire perfect back, her slender neck, and an expression in her eyes that is pure and innocent, yet seems slightly hurt, with a hint of surprise and a touch of helplessness. In the lower left corner of the photo, one can see Ye Jiaying's feet, slightly soiled. Her entire body is tilted in the photo, presenting a posture that is somewhere between running and soaring. What is most moving is Xiao Yong's use of light; the intense illumination from four light boxes transforms into a bright mist in the photo, enveloping Ye Jiaying, as if clouds made of light elements are lifting an angel. The entire photo resembles an angel gently pushing off the ground, radiating an unparalleled purity, ready to escape this filthy world. Such a photo left Tan Weiyan, who is accustomed to his flawless niece and familiar with beautiful women, almost breathless in that moment.

The payment for the cover photo is only two thousand dollars, while the rest pertains to the usage of advertising photos. You will need to call Ye Jiaying back and also sign an additional agreement.

If I had known earlier, I would have had Jiaying sign a management agreement with me. This way, it would count as a bit of pocket money. Tan Weiyan shrugged, looking somewhat helpless.

Xiao Yong fell silent for a moment and said helplessly: "I consider you a brother, so please don't ask too much. I'm not as impressive as you think. I'm just someone who takes photos."

Tan Weiyan looked at Xiao Yong with scrutiny and said: "Rest? I know you bought a house and a car. I also know you purchased that factory area, and both the house and the factory are under renovation, which won't be finished anytime soon. You say you want to rest? I thought you were preparing to come back and work hard on something."

Xiao Yong smiled and said, "Then I will just follow you from now on"

Tan Weiyan's company is not far from the hotel. He took a car and arrived in no time. The reason Tan Weiyan was unwilling to look at photos on that Apple laptop in Xiao Yong's room was naturally because he had a more splendid display device, a 70-inch LCD. This LCD is placed in the center of the floor that Tan Weiyan rented, in a circular room. The walls of the room are transparent, with double-layer glass filled with a certain electrochemical material. As soon as one presses a button in the room, the transparent walls turn into a white mist effect, blocking the view from others. With the circular curtains in the room and the rainbow spotlights on the ceiling, in an instant, a room that usually looks like a media room transforms to resemble a private room in a nightclub. In the bizarre world of fashion and entertainment, in this circle filled with ambiguity and transactions, this room can be considered one of the tools that enable Tan Weiyan to achieve his current high status and prominence.

Tan Weiyan stood up, smiled slightly, and did not pursue the matter further. He patted Xiao Yong's shoulder and said, "This time taking photos of Jiaying surely cannot be considered your final work, right? Let's go to my company, let me see the photos, and then we can have a good chat. I know how capable you are. After taking several sets of photos, who would not know about you?"

Xiao Yong said with a wry smile: "You are overestimating me. Right now, I have no stable job, and apart from you old friends, no one knows who I am. Moreover, I am no longer young; I can't just start from scratch like a young person, can I? If it weren't for Old Peng's urgency for this set of photos, I might not have contacted you so soon. I came back to take a good rest for a while"

Well... top magazines are indeed extravagant. The cover models for teenage fashion can earn up to ten thousand dollars in compensation? Tan Weiyan naturally knows the market and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Of course," Xiao Yong replied with a smile, "It is precisely because she is your precious niece Ye Jiaying that I can release the photos directly, without any need for Photoshop."

Xiao Yong scoffed, saying: "Look at you, you've made quite a name for yourself in the industry, yet you're coveting your niece's pocket money?"

This is Jiaying? Gradually, Tan Weiyan's breathless calm transformed into heavy breathing. He could only take deep breaths to free his emotions from the impulse to worship this sanctity. Even though he knew the answer, he still couldn't help but ask unnecessarily.

Who else could it be? During the brief time that Tan Weiyan was in a daze, Xiao Yong had already finished washing his face and brushing his teeth, and had picked up the delicious bread he bought from a nearby bakery the night before to chew on. He could hardly be bothered to respond to such a question from Tan Weiyan, which showed a complete lack of common sense.

"Teen Vogue"? After a moment of hesitation, Tan Weiyan cautiously asked, "Is it the one produced by Vogue?"

Xiao Yong shrugged his shoulders, anxiously lit a cigarette, and took several deep puffs. He remained silent

However, today Tan Weiyan was genuinely prepared to look at the photos. He brought Xiao Yong into the room and inserted the CF card that Xiao Yong handed him into the card reader of the computer located beneath the large LCD screen. When the fifty-megapixel photos were displayed on the screen, even knowing that the subject was his niece, Tan Weiyan was completely stunned.

Tan Weiyan smacked his lips and said, "I should have thought of it. You, the top photographer, even when you return here, still have top-notch projects in hand. Let's let this one go, but please prioritize taking care of me in the future"