Chapter 62: Being a Model

The next morning, I wired three thousand yuan to my mother, leaving only a pitiful thousand-plus in my account, which was to serve as my living expenses for the near future.

Money was far too important!

I had to make money and transform myself into a wealthy man.

Physical training was equally crucial.

I went to the fitness center once more, sweating profusely as I worked various exercise machines and relentlessly battered the punching bag.

I needed to forge my body into something stronger and more agile if I wanted to learn more self-defense skills from Old Black.

At noon, my mother called.

She had received the money, and she wept again, uttering a multitude of grateful words.

My younger sister, Zhou Ya, also spoke with me, teasingly asking if I had a pretty girlfriend.

I finally began to feel happy.

That was right—at worst, I could just start all over again!

I looked forward to the day when I could finally reunite with them.

In the afternoon,

I met with Chang Sisi once more.

She was home alone, using a magnifying glass to dissect yet another frog.

She even removed some of its organs, categorizing and labeling them neatly.

I could not bring myself to agree with Chang Sisi's hobbies, so I simply sat quietly to one side, waiting for her to finish.

Her profile was equally lovely, especially when she was deeply focused; the eyelashes above her large eyes fluttered gently, possessing such a lively charm.

"Zhou Yan, am I pretty?"

Chang Sisi suddenly turned her head and asked.

An uncontrollable blush spread across my face. I hurriedly looked away and confessed honestly, "You are the prettiest girl I have ever seen."

"Ha-ha, you really know how to coax a girl!"

Chang Sisi laughed, her smile even more mesmerizing, the curve of her red lips impeccable.

"Just speaking the truth."

I chimed in awkwardly, a trace of inferiority still lingering within me.

Chang Sisi exuded confidence from her very bones. Her family was stable, her life affluent; she had everything she wanted, and she never had to worry about the storms of the outside world.

As for me, apart from a shattered family, I had nothing.

"You're in luck, then. You can admire this young lady to your heart's content."

Chang Sisi remained unconcerned, though she added a reminder, "Just looking, no touching."

"I wouldn't dare. I'm afraid you might slit my throat with a single slash." I waved my hands hurriedly.

"Ha-ha, then let's start studying!"

Chang Sisi stood up to retrieve her textbooks. She suffered from the common ailment of poor students: her movements when flipping through a book were always utterly casual.

Moreover, her books were remarkably clean.

I took a deep breath, steadied my emotions, and began to tutor her.

Humanities required memorization and the ability to draw inferences from a single instance.

Sciences required memorization of formulas, repeated over and over until one could apply them skillfully.

Teachers had emphasized this to her as well, and Chang Sisi had merely murmured in agreement, sounding thoroughly perfunctory.

She was also prone to distraction during lessons, yawning constantly and rubbing her reddened eyes.

I could only summon my patience, repeating the crucial points over and over again without a hint of annoyance.

Before I knew it, three hours had passed.

The originally scheduled two hours had already been exceeded.

"Zhou Yan, you teach quite well. This young lady feels she has benefited immensely and had her mind thoroughly opened."

Chang Sisi was radiant with energy, her expression exaggerated.

I took this as the cue to announce the end of the lesson.

"Actually, you're very smart. If you applied the same focus you have for dissecting small animals to your studies, you could definitely score high marks." I encouraged her.

"Say, the scalpel I gave you saved your life. How do you plan to repay me?"

Chang Sisi suddenly asked with a mischievous smile.

Repayment?

Naturally, it meant tutoring her diligently, which I felt I had already accomplished.

"Tutoring doesn't count as repayment. Let's have something practical."

Chang Sisi blinked as she dropped hints, while I remained completely clueless.

"Sisi, what on earth do you want?"

"I want you to take off your clothes." Chang Sisi's tone was exceptionally serious.

"No way!"

I refused in panic, desperately wishing I could flee right then and there.

Chang Sisi was different from other girls; she was the daughter of Director Chang, and her status could be considered quite noble.

If I dared to cross even half a step out of bounds with her, my fate would undoubtedly be miserable.

"Ha-ha, what are you thinking about? Is it something dirty?" Chang Sisi burst into laughter.

"I wasn't thinking about anything."

I waved my hands frantically.

"I'm just very curious about the human body and want to closely examine the pathways of the blood vessels on the skin's surface. You'd make a qualified model." Chang Sisi said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

No way!

Chang Sisi wanted to use me for anatomy research.

At the thought of her scalpel, even without taking off my clothes, I felt a chill run down my spine and my heart pound with dread.

"Sisi, your parents will be back soon." I scrambled for an excuse.

"My dad often comes home very late. After work, my mom still has to go to kindergarten to pick up my little brother; she'll be home in an hour."

Chang Sisi glanced at her wristwatch, completely fluent in her parents' daily routines.

"Once you get into a medical university, there will be models in the hallways of the teaching buildings, soaking in formalin."

I had no desire to agree—it was far too awkward, and I was even more afraid that I would lose control and make a fool of myself.

"Don't fool me. Those are corpses; you're a living, breathing person with pulses you can actually see."

Chang Sisi refused to give up, her burning gaze sweeping up and down my body as if victory were already within her grasp.

"You're not even eighteen yet."

The words slipped out before I could stop them, and the moment I finished speaking, I wanted to slap myself across the mouth for saying something so absurd.

"Then let me tell you a secret: I altered my household registration record. Actually, I'm only three months younger than you." Chang Sisi said mysteriously.

Whether her words were true or false was anyone's guess.

I shook my head vigorously. "Sisi, I still can't agree to this. What if someone—"

"Then forget it!"

Chang Sisi shook her head in regret, tilting her face upward with a sigh.

"Why is accomplishing a great cause so difficult!"

"You'll definitely become a qualified forensic doctor—no, a great forensic doctor."

I quickly flattered her, hoping only that she would truly let me off the hook.

"Once I get into college and have some free time, I'm definitely going to strip you bare and examine you from head to toe."

"I wish you success."

I hastily gathered my belongings and fled her home as if escaping for my life.

"Zhou Yan, see you tomorrow!"

Chang Sisi's laughter echoed from behind me, and I caught sight of her waving her little hand from the window.

I rode my bicycle back to the KTV.

Thinking of Chang Sisi, my feelings were somewhat contradictory.

Her hobbies frightened me a little—not because I was afraid of taking off my clothes, but because I feared it would lead to misunderstandings that would be impossible to explain away.

Yet I had to admit that Chang Sisi had a pure personality, and the joy of interacting with her far outweighed the pressure.

She was very smart; once she grasped the right study methods, she still had a good chance of entering a fine university.

For me, that was also a source of accomplishment.

As night fell, I changed into my work uniform and went back on duty as a waiter.

Tips came with commissions.

My meager savings had been given to my mother, and currently, I was in urgent need of money.

"Xiao Yan, the guests in Private Room 106 specifically asked for you."

Fu Xiaoya's voice came through the walkie-talkie.

Being specifically requested meant they were regular patrons.

I hurried to the bar counter, picked up alcohol, beverages, and a fruit platter, and knocked on the door of Private Room 106.

Inside sat three men and two women, engaged in cheerful and casual conversation.

I only recognized one of them: Zhao Hongling, who had come with Meng Wanying last time.

Today, she was dressed exceptionally prettily in a tight black suit skirt that outlined her curvaceous figure, adorned with sparkling diamond earrings and a dazzling multicolored gold necklace.

"Hello, Sister Zhao!"

I quickly greeted her with a smile and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

"These are all my colleagues. Xiao Yan, come sit down. I have something to ask you." Zhao Hongling beckoned cordially.

I carefully took a seat beside her. Remembering that she didn't drink alcohol, I proactively opened a non-alcoholic beverage for her.

"Wanying asked me to help you find a good job. To be honest, it's quite difficult; you're young with a low educational background, so there are very few suitable positions." Zhao Hongling spoke with blunt directness.

I expressed my gratitude. "Thank you, Sister Zhao. I think being a waiter is pretty good, and I often get tips."

"Last time, I noticed that Han Feng was rather protective of you. What is your relationship with him, exactly?"

Zhao Hongling broached a sensitive topic.