Chapter 19
The morning air felt sharp against Andre's face as he stepped out of the apartment building. Without wasting time, he flagged down the first taxi he saw and slid into the back seat.
"Airport," he told the driver, his voice clipped, eyes already glued to his phone.
The ride was quick—mercifully so—thanks to the driver weaving through the thin traffic with a sort of desperate efficiency. Andre barely noticed the scenery rushing by; his focus was on the call he'd just placed to Mr. Guo.
"I'll be bringing the company car to pick you and the artist up," Mr. Guo's calm but businesslike voice came through the line. "I'm about ten minutes away. The artist's name is Wei Yuxiang. Wait for him in the lobby. Don't let him wander off—he's… a little free-spirited."
Andre made a quiet sound of acknowledgment. "Noted."
The taxi dropped him off at the airport's bustling terminal. People moved in hurried streams—families dragging suitcases, lone travelers staring at departure boards, business types speaking in clipped tones on their phones. Andre adjusted his black jacket, the sharp collar shadowing part of his face, and found a place near a row of seats in the lobby.
He didn't fidget, didn't check the time more than once. He simply waited—calm, still, and observant. His posture was straight, his expression unreadable, the kind of presence that made people glance but quickly look away.
Ten minutes later, a voice broke through the ambient noise of announcements and footsteps.
"Are you Andre?"
Andre turned, gaze steady, to see the man walking toward him. Wei Yuxiang was taller than he'd expected, with dark hair tousled just enough to look intentional. His eyes carried a glint of amusement as they flicked over Andre's face before traveling down to take in his clothing. 'Pretty and young' he thought
"You're wearing black… all black?" Wei Yuxiang's tone was light, almost teasing.
Andre's lips pressed into a thinner line. "Does it matter?"
Wei Yuxiang smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth curving like someone who had just been handed an interesting puzzle. "Not really. I just like knowing who I'm talking to." His gaze lingered a moment longer before he added, "You're… colder than I imagined."
Andre didn't respond, instead picking up the artist's suitcase without a word and starting toward the exit. Wei Yuxiang fell into step beside him, the sound of his rolling luggage filling the short silence.
Outside, a sleek black company car pulled up to the curb, its polished surface catching the pale sunlight. The driver's door opened, and Mr. Guo stepped out—tall, well-groomed, and composed in his usual manner.
"Mr. Wei," Mr. Guo greeted warmly, offering a polite nod before turning to Andre. "Good work getting here on time."
Andre gave a short nod in return, stepping aside to allow Wei Yuxiang to shake Mr. Guo's hand.
"Pleasure to meet you," Wei Yuxiang said smoothly, his earlier playfulness replaced with professional courtesy.
"Likewise," Mr. Guo replied. He glanced between the two of them. "Let's get going. The studio is waiting."
Andre moved to open the back door for Wei Yuxiang without being asked, his expression still unreadable. But as he slid in after him, he caught the faintest curve of amusement on the artist's lips—like he'd decided Andre was far from boring.
And that… might be a problem.