On the fourth day of Xia Xiqing and Zhou Ziheng’s vacation in Florence, a candid snapshot taken by a passerby suddenly went viral online. Against the backdrop of the majestic and magnificent Duomo di Firenze, Xia Xiqing leaned forward and kissed Zhou Ziheng on the lips in front of the towering Giotto’s Campanile.
The photographer was just a tourist in Florence who initially found the two Asian men strikingly handsome and familiar. Captivated by the sheer beauty of their kiss amid the tolling bells, they snapped the photo purely for that moment. Only after returning home and sharing it with friends did they realize these young men were the wildly popular “national CP” sensation.
[@TravelRabbit: After thinking it over, I decided to post this magical snapshot. You can’t imagine how beautiful this moment felt to witness firsthand—this must be love at its purest.]
This Weibo post itself carried no tags or names, but with so many self-study girls in the mix and numerous influential accounts reposting it, comments quickly surged to nearly ten thousand.
[@ForeverGirl: Aaaah it’s my study buddy!!! Waaah this scene is too beautiful! So jealous of the poster!!]
[@Chalametroye: Hengheng and Xiqing in Florence??? Is it too late to book flights now? Waaah]
[@-寒时-: Oh my god I love them so much, this scene looks like a painting]
[@灯塔上的小女巫: It’s like a movie screenshot. Their looks and aura are absolutely stunning, and their casual outfits are so fresh.]
[@Tufted-: I’ll always love Xiqing!!! How can Brother Xiqing be this gorgeous? How can Hengheng be this charming?]
[@I_Dont_Like_You: I’m just a passerby, but this scene is truly beautiful. How perfectly matched are these two? It’s eye candy… @BL-adaptation directors, please cast actors with this level of visuals from now on, okay?]
[@Self-Study Girl Go Go: My eyes are dried up, tears flooding like an ocean wuwuwuwu. I need to see the real self-study!!!]
[@Deep Sea Ice Blue: So did XQGG bring Hengheng to his alma mater? I feel so blessed to ship this CP—my life is complete.]
[@A Thousand Autumns in One Pillow: No way!!! I miss them so much!! I need to see their travel livestream, I’m storming their Weibo accounts!]
[@PureYetVivid_ replies to @A Thousand Autumns in One Pillow: Sis, how are you so awesome!! Let’s storm them right now!]
[@HotSpringJing replies to @ Qianqiu Yizhen: Hahahahaha sis, you’re so adorable! Totally taking advantage of how much they spoil their fans haha]
[@Xuefeng Xiaoluo: My self-study pair is absolutely a gem in the CP world. Is there any pairing more perfect and romantic than self-study?]
[@sssunknows replies to @Qianqiu Yizhen: Sis wait for me!! I’m going to cause a ruckus too!! [Throwing a tantrum·jpg] ]
Thanks to one fan’s lead, thousands of “Self-Study Girls” followed suit, flooding the two unsuspecting stars’ Weibo with comments demanding a live stream of their trip. Zhou Ziheng and Xia Xiqing hadn’t logged into Weibo for days, completely unaware of the online frenzy—until Zhou Ziheng received a WeChat message from his sister-in-law.
[Sister-in-law: Log into Weibo.]
Such a concise message made Zhou Ziheng marvel—her sister-in-law was becoming more and more like his brother. No wonder they say couples who stay together long enough start to resemble each other.
It was 11 a.m. in Florence, the sun shining brightly. The couple had slept in and were now out looking for food. Unfortunately, the restaurant they chose was packed, so Zhou Ziheng and Xia Xiqing could only sit at a window seat, waiting for their meal on empty stomachs.
“My sister-in-law told me to check Weibo. Probably something important.” Zhou Ziheng informed Xia Xiqing across from him before opening the Weibo app.
The moment Xia Xiqing heard “Weibo,” he sensed trouble brewing. His social media life was perpetually mired in drama—each login felt like wading through a sea of gossip. “I’ll check mine too,” he said, unlocking his phone.
Ten seconds later.
“Holy shit.” / “Fuck me.” The two men exclaimed in perfect unison, lifting their heads simultaneously.
“Is that kissing photo under your comments too?” Zhou Ziheng asked.
Xia Xiqing nodded and held his phone up for Zhou to see. “Looks like some tourist snapped it. There are just too many Chinese people in Italy.” He glanced at his phone again. “The comments are all clamoring for a livestream.”
“Then let’s stream it.” Zhou Ziheng placed both hands on the table, his ten fingers tapping lightly on the surface. “Let’s stream it—using my secondary account.”
Seeing Zhou Ziheng so proactive, Xia Xiqing felt both amused and helpless. “Seriously, why are you so eager?”
“Of course I’m enthusiastic about showing off our love.” Zhou Ziheng’s smile outshone the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Besides, it’s my fans who want to see me show off my love. Compared to other celebrities, I don’t have many standout qualities. But I do have one good thing going for me—I’m incredibly devoted to my fans.”
Xia Xiqing scoffed coldly. “Go ahead and brag yourself to death.”
Zhou Ziheng chuckled softly, swiftly switching to his Weibo alt account and opening the live streaming platform. Xia Xiqing was utterly speechless. Normally, getting him to post a selfie felt like a death sentence, yet now he was practically begging to go live.
The moment the livestream door swung open, thousands of eagerly waiting fans flooded in instantly. The stream froze completely, stuck on Zhou Ziheng’s slightly open black polo shirt and his collarbone.
[Whaaaaaat is that collarbone!!!!! Holy crap,福利 right off the bat!!!]
[My screen is so wet…]
[This must be Hengheng! Xiqing’s collarbone is deeper, and his skin is fairer!!]
[I can already smell the hormones through the screen]
[I can hear the audio but the video’s frozen! I heard Hengheng speak!]
[Okay okay, it’s moving!]
Zhou Ziheng’s face suddenly zoomed right up to the camera. Fans on the other side could only see one eye, lashes fluttering. “Huh? Seems to be working now.” He moved the phone away, revealing his full face. Wearing a white baseball cap, Zhou Ziheng waved at the screen. “Long time no see.”
[Aaaaaaaaah Hengheng looks so good in this outfit!!!]
[Holy crap, my boy is so handsome! His bare face is so fresh and clean!!]
[Hengheng!!! Mommy misses you so much!!!]
[Hengheng! Mom wants to see your wife!! Where’s the bride?]
Seeing the screen flooded with “bride” comments, Zhou Ziheng couldn’t contain his amusement. He laughed and flipped the phone over to show Xia Xiqing, who was busy texting Xu Qichen.
“They want to see you, wifey.”
“My ass, wifey.” Xia Xiqing snapped back instinctively, only noticing Zhou Ziheng holding the phone when he looked up. “It started?”
[Aaaaaah Xiqing Brother!!!]
[xqgg looks so good in that pink tee!! And those little buns! That apple-shaped haircut is too cute!]
[Waaah my little rose is wearing pink today!]
[xqgg is a peach incarnate today, I’m totally into xqgg!!!!]
[Today’s Xixing CP outfits are so clearly dominant/submissive. Xiqing’s apple top is too cute.]
[I want a sweet wife like xqgg too waaah, I’m totally into xqgg!]
[I could praise these two’s looks a million times over—they’re just so damn gorgeous!]
Though the livestream came unexpectedly, Xia Xiqing was still incredibly fan-friendly. Spotting the camera, he smiled and waved, greeting the self-study girls on the other side of the screen: “Hello, everyone. Good evening.”
[Aaaah, Brother Xiqing is so thoughtful! He knows it’s nighttime for us and specifically said good evening!]
[xqgg Good afternoon!!]
[What’s that on xqgg’s ring finger? Looks like a tattoo…]
[I think I saw it too! Did anyone get a screenshot?]
“We’re waiting for our food now. The service here is really slow.” Zhou Ziheng’s voice faded into the background as the camera remained fixed on Xia Xiqing. Unaware of this, Xia Xiqing, seeing him still talking, assumed he’d flipped the camera away. He reached out to hail a waiter and addressed him in Italian, “Excuse me, we’ve been waiting for quite a while. Did you perhaps overlook our order?”
The blond-haired, blue-eyed waiter apologized profusely and immediately went to check.
[OMG, xqgg speaking Italian is so swoon-worthy!]
[His pronunciation is so beautiful, it melts my heart. I want xqgg to record ASMR for me!!!]
[Ziheng’s voice is also so lovely, his dominant tone is super charming!]
[That waiter’s pretty handsome too, btw]
[xqgg’s aura is seriously top-notch. He sounds even gentler speaking Italian. I want to date an artist today too!]
[Want to date an artist +1]
[Want to date an artist +10086!!!]
The comments were getting weirder. Zhou Ziheng flipped the camera and pointed a finger at the screen, warning all the fake CP fans who wanted to date Xia Xiqing: “You’re not allowed to have these improper thoughts.”
[Hahahaha zzh, are you a three-year-old??? How could a celebrity be jealous of fans?! Snap out of it!]
[zzh is the ultimate jealousy incarnate hahaha!]
[The elementary school kid top is no lie]
[hahahaha The elementary school kid top is killing me!!]
[Not competing with you, not competing with you (as if we could even compete)]
[zzh’s daily dose of sour grapes, accomplished.]
[Lemon Boy Zhou Ziheng gets cuckolded by fans daily, growing a whole grassland of green. So sour and angry it gives me a headache.]
[Hahahaha the sister upstairs is too good! Sit down!]
“I can’t stand you guys,” Zhou Ziheng shook his head. “I’m not jealous at all.” Just then, the food arrived. Xia Xiqing thanked the waiter, pushed the T-bone steak toward Zhou Ziheng, and casually introduced it to the phone camera: “This is Florence’s most famous T-bone steak. His is medium-rare.” He then showed his fans his own order. “I got the lobster angel hair pasta. I really love this thin pasta.”
Zhou Ziheng tried to put his phone down, but the camera angle wouldn’t capture the scene. As he hesitated, Xia Xiqing reached over, pulled the steak toward himself, and began cutting it without a word.
[Aaaah xqgg is so swoon-worthy, his boyfriend vibes are off the charts!!]
[Cutting steak wuwuwuwu, I’m jealous]
[Hey everyone, I’m about to dig in [eating lemon·jpg] ]
[Why is xqgg’s boyfriend vibes stronger than zzh’s hahaha, Zhou Ziheng you’re supposed to be number 1!!! Can you make your mom proud?!]
[Because Zhou Ziheng is the pure-hearted girl-type top!]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
[Keep bullying the little puppy for a bit longer and he’ll turn into a wolf!]
“I can’t take this anymore. I’m not like you fans.” Zhou Ziheng slammed his phone on the table. Xia Xiqing casually speared a strip of steak with a fork and held it to his mouth. Eating the steak fed to him by Xia Xiqing’s own hand instantly cheered Zhou Ziheng up.
[Hahahaha the little kid’s mad!!]
[Your streamer has left the broadcast room because they couldn’t handle fan teasing.]
[Mommy won’t tease you anymore!! Come back quick!!]
[Hengheng, you’re already the perfect girl-on-girl top in my heart—no resisting!]
When the screen reappeared, the camera had zoomed in on Xia Xiqing’s face.
[Ahhhhhhh Xiqing Brother is just too gorgeous!]
[xqgg’s face is too beautiful!!! He has the face of every beautiful uke!!]
[I love XQGG’s mole on his nose—I wanna kiss it!]
“This pasta is pretty tasty. I love cheese, so I got an extra serving.” Holding his phone in his left hand, Xia Xiqing used a fork in his right to twirl a strand of noodles. Rich red sauce and thick cheese coated the pasta, making it look incredibly delicious.
[So hungry! Gonna make instant noodles!]
[Perfect timing for dinner, girls! Let’s eat together!]
[I’m having hotpot right now!!! Feels like having a cross-time meal with Xixing! So happy!!]
[Xixing, I wanna see the inside of your ring finger!!!]
[Yeah!! Me too!!]
[Second that!!!!!]
Xia Xiqing bit down on his fork as he stared at the screen flooded with comments. After a moment’s thought, he flipped his phone screen to show the camera the inside of his ring finger.
“Can you see it?”
On the inside of his finger was a pair of adorable little wings. But instead of a halo above them, there was a tiny crown.
[Aaaaaaaaah it really is a tattoo!!!]
[OMG so cute!!! This art style has this inexplicably childish vibe hahaha]
[Let me take a wild guess—this must be the masterpiece of Zhou · Soul Artist · Elementary School Kid · Ziheng, right? Hahahaha]
[It really doesn’t match the style of the rose on Ziheng’s finger! Hahaha, it’s definitely Ziheng’s drawing, and then Xiqing Brother got it tattooed on his hand!]
[Awwwww I’m so jealous, are these two men trying to kill me with cuteness?]
[My point is, xqgg got totally ripped off getting Zhou Ziheng’s drawing tattooed!]
[Hahahahaha sis, your focus is so off!!! Ziheng’s mom won’t let you bully my son anymore!!!]
[Couple tattoos this cute? I’m dead!]
Xia Xiqing smoothly panned the camera toward Zhou Ziheng, who was quietly eating his steak. His eyes and brows beneath the hat brim looked deep and handsome.
[Honestly, Hengheng is seriously handsome and so dominant]
[Absolutely! Even though his Alpha persona is totally shattered, he’s undeniably gorgeous!! Especially when he’s not smiling—so dominant!]
Zhou Ziheng seemed to sense Xia Xiqing filming him and lifted his gaze slightly.
[Aaaaaaah, that glance is lethal!!]
[Zhou Ziheng’s glance kill leaves no survivors! !]
[Damn, he’s so dominant I take back what I said earlier]
“Are you taking pictures of me?”
Xia Xiqing’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “Yep.”
“Why take pictures of me?” Zhou Ziheng couldn’t help but smile too, wiping his lips with his fingers.
“Taking pictures of you is taking pictures of you. Do I need permission?”
[Holy shit!!! My most anticipated double-A moment!!!!]
[I can totally picture Brother Xiqing raising his eyebrow!!!]
[I will forever love double-A!!!!]
[How can these two be so alpha yet gentle and adorable at the same time!!]
They chatted over dinner for nearly an hour. Before leaving the restaurant, the waiter who had served them earlier called out to Xia Xiqing and handed him an iris. Xia Xiqing accepted it with a smile, but Zhou Ziheng’s expression darkened instantly—his mood shifted faster than turning a page.
[Holy crap, the wolf’s changed!!!]
[Totally caught off guard!!!]
The waiter, thinking Zhou Ziheng felt slighted, pulled another iris from the vase on the counter and offered it to him. Xia Xiqing smiled, took it for him, said thank you, and pinned the flower to Zhou Ziheng’s lapel.
“Hey.” Zhou Ziheng pulled the flower from his lapel and clutched it in his hand. As he headed out the door, he murmured to Xia Xiqing, “Don’t smile like that at other people.”
“Can’t I even smile? Why are you being so picky?” Xia Xiqing chuckled.
Zhou Ziheng grew flustered. “You don’t realize how stunning you look when you smile!”
Xia Xiqing stood frozen in place, utterly speechless at his remark.
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHA zzh is some kind of god, this is killing me]
[Insult disguised as a compliment!!!]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHA don’t you know it yourself!!]
[xxq: ??? Am I supposed to thank you now??]
Zhou Ziheng kept reminding Xia Xiqing along the way, but Xia Xiqing acted as if he couldn’t hear him. He held his phone, snapping photos of various famous landmarks in Florence’s old town like a diligent tour guide, casually sharing a wealth of art knowledge along the way. The afternoon scenery in Florence was breathtaking. Under the sunlight, the red-tiled roofs of buildings, rising and falling like waves, seemed coated in a layer of sparkling syrup, shimmering brilliantly.
“Call me ‘husband’.” Zhou Ziheng nudged Xia Xiqing with his elbow. “Hurry up.”
“Call me ‘old man’.”
“Just say it once.”
“No way.”
“Come on~”
“If you say it, I will.”
“Husband…”
Xia Xiqing pinched Zhou Ziheng’s cheek with satisfaction and sweetly called out, “Husband~”
After wandering around, the two arrived back at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Holding up his phone, Xia Xiqing introduced the cathedral’s unique and magnificent dome to his fans, along with the incredibly ornate “Gates of Paradise.” When he reached the other side, he noticed a band performing an impromptu show. The lead singer, standing by the keyboard, was singing a classic Italian love song.
Seeing this, the fans couldn’t stay seated.
[I want to hear Brother Xiqing sing!!!!]
[Me too!!! Xqgg, please!!!!]
[Please, xqgg, grant me this humble wish!!!!]
[xqgg look at me!!! It’s my birthday today, can you sing me a song???? Please!!]
[Here we go again hahaha]
Though this felt like a well-worn tactic, Xia Xiqing still fell for it. “Is it really your birthday? Happy Birthday.”
[I want to hear my brother sing!!!!] Xia Xiqing had no choice but to steel himself and walk over. Zhou Ziheng took the phone, positioning it several meters away, aimed at Xia Xiqing who stood before the keyboard.
Xia Xiqing adjusted the stand microphone, gave a slight smile, deliberately avoiding Zhou Ziheng’s camera, and lowered his head. His slender fingers rested on the keyboard keys as he took a quiet breath.
Before the church, the simple sound system began to flow with lingering notes.
[Ahhhhhhh! Brother Xiqing can play the piano too!!]
[So cool, my god! XQGG’s hands are so beautiful!]
With eyes cast downward, he began singing at the final measure of the prelude. The song was in Italian. His naturally gentle voice, paired with the slow, soothing melody, sounded even more deeply affectionate. Though Zhou Ziheng couldn’t understand the words, simply standing quietly in the distance, watching him and listening to his voice, made his heart tremble.
”Prendimi così, prendimi così dal niente.
Take me like this, take me like this from nothing.
Hold me like this, hold me like this forever.
Hold me like this, hold me like this forever.
Night, take the shattered dreams, And turn them into sparkling stars,
Night, take the shattered dreams, And turn them into sparkling stars,
Let me watch my roses climb toward the sun, now that it rains…
And dawn will come to me,
Yes, it will come for me too
And when it comes, it will tell me:
‘I was already here, I was already here.’
‘I was already here, I was already here.’”
The song pierced the vast expanse before the church, drawing passersby and tourists alike. Everyone paused to quietly admire the beautiful young man from the East.
As the final note faded, a flock of white doves suddenly scattered from before the church. Xia Xiqing lifted his head, watching them depart, flying freely into Florence’s clear sky.
Applause broke out, snapping Xia Xiqing back to reality. Though slightly nervous, he wasn’t shy by nature. He smiled faintly, bowed slightly to the crowd, then walked nonchalantly with hands in pockets to Zhou Ziheng’s side.
“You sing beautifully.”
Xia Xiqing always appreciated Zhou Ziheng’s straightforward, sincere compliments. He raised an eyebrow. “I am.”
“It’s a shame I don’t understand it. I want to learn Italian.” Zhou Ziheng sighed deeply, then seemed to remember something. “There are a few lines that repeat, like…” He attempted to pronounce the lyrics, “Ero già qua. What does that mean?”
Xia Xiqing smiled, his gaze clear and innocent. He looked at Zhou Ziheng and slowly replied, “I’m already here.”
Zhou Ziheng’s heart skipped a beat. The midsummer light seemed to burn his chest, making it feel scorching hot.
“Then… what about the opening line, ‘Prendimi così’? What does that mean?”
The church clock struck the hour, coincidentally and subtly, as if heralding an uncontrollable heartbeat.
Xia Xiqing extended a hand toward him.
“Take me away.”
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