Anruo: I Love My Job - Tumblr Posts
shu anruo is not an adventurous person, at least not in physical practice and even then, very seldom it's due to pure voluntary self motivation to be so. she has always found safety and comfort in the same old familiar things, especially when it comes to food. however this job demands her to step out of her comfort zone, threatens to snatch her out of it. from something as small as meeting and working with strangers every day, to bigger ones like facing renowned celebrities and tolerating their snobbish attitude off cameras, or coming online to being swarmed by endless messages of "why did you dress laogong/laopo like this!", it seems as most things go unmentioned and unappreciated, and for someone who wishes to be invisible to put in more effort would prove to be growingly exhausting when it is returned with half-hearted nods or a simple brush-off.
very rare it is that someone, at jinyue's level of popularity and status, remains genuine.
to have him actually taking her up on her offer (and thanking her!) is already surprising --- she's worked with some artists who are way cautious of being poisoned, knowingly or unknowingly --- and to get offered in return? anruo thinks this might be her one of her luckiest day at work. not quite recalling what a jinhou cha is right away, she merely nods, silently betting on the fact that he doesn't seem like one to forget what he said.
suddenly remembering that she must be grinning like an idiot now just because of one silly promise that could easily be forgotten just like anything else, she barely has the mind to spare when she's now hyper-aware of what he's just done.
as a writer, she knows nothing is ever not intentional. as an actor, she thinks he should know every single thing, every small action is designed detail by detail for the best effect on screen. whatever else that isn't, is just dangerous. once he's out of sight and well inside the changing room, anruo cups her own face with her hands, feet stomping lightly as if that could shake the chills running down from her.
thousands of question marks float around her in pink clouds, and while she's busy convincing herself this is why good looking guys are always a mood booster, the door finally opens and reveals an jinyue, also known as the reason anruo thinks maybe her job isn't so bad after all, despite everything else.
"oh, it's meant to be like that," she answers rather casually, as if he's just dressed in a lousy hoodie and jeans. but she's staring (rather shamelessly), and she's glad she has her hair down today to conceal her ears that are burning. "it...fits you better than i'd thought." she manages, ignoring the words flowing through her mind that would be a little inappropriate to say out loud. this is not the cheesy f.anfiction she writes, but the outfit is tight at all the right places and ---
greeted with his grin, anruo finally remembers what jinhou cha is. "shuai..!" she probably needs it soon, or else she thinks her heart is going to combust. see? good looking guys are dangerous. they're not good for your heart.
"zhende hen haokan..." nodding while holding a thumbs-up, she steps closer to him. to examine his outfit, of course, "i think you're going to end up on the real time trending search again."
most people would've done little more than ask him if he's all right; very few --- outside yán tuò, that is, who's always doing his best impression of a stern older brother --- would go so far as to feel his forehead. the fact that anruo's done it twice, now, is truly unprecedented territory. but it's not unwelcome. of all the things ān jīnyuè wants in this world, someone who cares about him genuinely as a person, even the littlest bit, or for the briefest of moments, is perhaps his greatest wish of all. and so, he can do not much more than beam up at the apology. "méishì méishì !" he laughs, "don't apologize."
the offer of tea is met with an even brighter smile than before; after all, it's no secret that ān jīnyuè has a particular love of tea --- and honey tea sounds particularly wonderful today, when it feels like he must've somehow swallowed glass overnight. "é ? zhēnde ma ? if you're willing to share ... xièxiè a." his tone is warm and sweet, much like honey itself; though he's an actor, there's no faking the genuineness in it. "i'll bring you something from my collection, too ... jīn hóu chá. it's really good."
and then, ān jīnyuè does this ... thing: it's subtle --- just a light brushing of his fingertips against the small of her back as he steps past her in the small space.
( it's not until he's stepped into the privacy of the changing room that his brain catches up with what his body's doing, and he turns red as a tomato again, forehead hitting lightly against the wall with a soft thunk of embarrassment. )
--- admittedly, ān jīnyuè looks good in costume dramas; there's a reason he's been one of the most highly-sought-after male leads for some of the biggest-budget productions of the year. he was born to humble origins in this life, but to hear yán tuò brag, one might think his client may as well have been born a song dynasty prince. though, on this particular occasion, it seems the director has taken some liberties with his outfit's composition --- which is why when ān jīnyuè bursts out of the changing room a moment later, he looks on the verge of laughter, struggling to hold back and biting down on his lower lip as if for dear life.
"wèishénme ? " oh, if he starts giggling now, it's going to be bad; the outfit fits so tightly he can't help but wonder if the budget ran out right as it was being sewn together. the director knows her audience well --- and perhaps appreciates her male lead's figure just as much as they do; for this scene, it seems ān jīnyuè's chest will be on full display. "zhè ... zhè shì shénme a ? why ... aren't there ... doesn't this have more layers ? did i do it wrong ?"
he spends a moment examining his reflection in front of the mirror, lips pursed in thought. and then, he turns back to anruo and grins.
"anruo ... wǒ shuài ma ?"