The Slacker Academic Always Gets Caught (SLACKER)
Chi Ning blinked.
Usurious loans?
Oh right—a week ago, he had indeed been troubled over how to dissuade Qin Heng from "collecting debts." At the time, Qin Heng hadn’t denied it.
"Got it," Chi Ning muttered, pressing himself awkwardly against the wall and trying to pull his wrist free.
Qin Heng abruptly let go, his thoughts finally aligning. He needed to tell Chi Ning he wasn’t into men.
"Whatever you do, I won’t—"
"Where are they? Let’s get started!"
Mo Yuanzhou’s loud voice cut Qin Heng off.
Qin Heng took a deep breath, gave Chi Ning a long look, then pushed aside the fitting room curtain and walked over to Mo Yuanzhou.
Mo Yuanzhou handed him an outfit and patted his shoulder. "Change into this. Relax—it’s just a photoshoot."
Chi Ning was utterly baffled. Why did these two sentences have to be said in secret, as if they were some scandalous confession?
Mo Yuanzhou crossed his arms, studying Chi Ning’s confused expression, then handed him a black shirt. "Go change."
Chi Ning breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the shirt, but the moment he put it on, that breath got stuck in his throat.
The black shirt looked perfectly decent from the front, with its fabric covering everything properly. But the back was completely bare, with alloy chains draped in an artful arrangement that clinked against his spine with every slight movement, making him feel like both his heart and back were exposed to the wind.
It took Chi Ning forever to tuck the shirt into his pants. He stood up, sat back down, and ultimately couldn't muster the courage to step outside. Miserably curled up in the fitting room, he suddenly felt that maybe earning this modeling fee wasn't worth it.
The fitting room curtain was lifted slightly, revealing a wrist adorned with a deep blue Patek Philippe—clear indication of who had arrived.
Chi Ning was on the verge of tears. "Teacher Mo, can I change into something else?"
Mo Yuanzhou handed him a silk scarf. "Just drape this over yourself. Everyone's waiting for you."
So no changing then.
Chi Ning hung his head in defeat and wrapped himself tightly.
Mo Yuanzhou looked at the shirt tucked in even tighter than thermal underwear and finally understood why Chi Ning always wore white shirts.
Apart from his face, this young man had zero connection to fashion.
He sighed and resignedly reached out to adjust Chi Ning's clothes. "This isn't how you wear it. Don't pull it so tight; loosen it up a bit."
Chi Ning kept his head down while anxiously clutching the scarf.
Tucking the shirt into his pants had been manageable, but with it slightly loosened, his side waist became exposed, and his back felt even more bare and uncomfortable.
"Don't be shy, Ning-zi. This is just how the fashion world is," the makeup artist giggled as she tugged at the scarf Chi Ning was gripping. "Alright, let us adjust the accessories on your back."
Caught off guard, Chi Ning had the scarf snatched away, leaving his back exposed to the cold air. A chorus of gasps erupted around him.
"Wow, what a gorgeous back! You could insure this thing."
"Those curves, those dimples—English designers would lose their minds over this."
"So slender, tsk tsk tsk."
"Oh my god, this back is perfect for cupping therapy."
Chi Ning, who had never experienced anything like this in either of his lifetimes, flushed red to the tips of his ears. The moment the accessories were adjusted, he bolted to the photographer's side, finally exhaling in relief once he was out of earshot.
Mo Yuanzhou, fully embracing his capitalist instincts, herded Chi Ning and Qin Heng onto the set and personally directed their poses.
"Chi Ning, turn your back to the camera and face Qin Heng, standing half a step apart. Qin Heng, raise your hand a bit and rest it on your classmate."
There was nowhere on Chi Ning's back to actually rest a hand, so Qin Heng could only hover his fingers awkwardly, making Mo Yuanzhou frown.
As expected, the two of them were as stiff as unripe persimmons.
Mo Yuanzhou stepped forward, took Qin Heng's hand, and pried his fingers open one by one. Then he pressed the middle and index fingers together, guiding them to hook onto the chains on Chi Ning's back. "Rest them here."
Chi Ning's mind was wandering far away—until Mo Yuanzhou grabbed his hand and placed it against Qin Heng's neck, thumb pressed against Adam's apple.
The marble-like Adam's apple rolled beneath his thumb.
Chi Ning felt like his breath had stopped.
In his past life, the closest he and Qin Heng had ever been was sitting at the same table for a meal. Their biggest physical contact had been when Qin Heng accidentally brushed his fingers while handing him coffee.
But this life...
How had it come to this?!
Mo Yuanzhou looked at the two models, whose bodies weren't touching at all except for their hands, and nodded in satisfaction.
Qin Heng's gaze drifted aimlessly as his knuckles rested against the cool skin of the other's back. But his mind wandered back to half a month ago—to the ankle he had gripped in that alley.
A slender white wrist flashed through his mind.
Mo Yuanzhou shouted, "Qin Heng, stop looking around! Eyes on the camera!"
Mo Yuanzhou's demeanor during work was completely different from when he played basketball—his intensity skyrocketed, radiating single-minded focus.
"Chi Ning, are you pretending to be a wooden puppet? Why are you looking down? Lift your head and look at your partner! Tilt your face slightly to the side."
Like a marionette, Chi Ning turned to look at Qin Heng's profile, finally managing to get through the first difficult shot.
He muddled through the shoot. Although there wasn't much physical contact with Qin Heng overall, the atmosphere still felt oddly charged.
The key point was the makeup artists giggling at the photos with their ears even turning red.
Leaning in to listen, he only caught some perfectly normal sales discussions.
For example:
"This set will definitely make a name for itself and sell big in England."
Chi Ning held the milk tea Mo Yuanzhou had ordered for delivery, keeping his eyes and ears open. He saw Qin Heng walk up to Mo Yuanzhou and say calmly, "When you approached me for this shoot, you didn’t mention the outfits would be this revealing."
Mo Yuanzhou's expression turned cold. "What? Are you backing out?"
"No," Qin Heng paused. "I want more money."
Mo Yuanzhou: "..."
How did he end up with these two little money-grubbers?
"1,200 each, not a penny more. You're not established models, and paying more would disrupt the market."
Qin Heng knew when to stop pushing. "Fine."
Chi Ning quietly gasped in admiration and gave Qin Heng a thumbs-up.
Even a mosquito's worth of meat is still meat—who would complain about extra money?
Qin Heng glanced at Chi Ning's lips that were now stained cinnamon-brown by the milk tea, then coldly averted his gaze.
Chi Ning handed him a taro red bean oolong tea and asked curiously, "How did you know Mo Yuanzhou would agree to pay more?"
"I don’t want it," Qin Heng pushed it away.
"Just try it. This one’s different from mine—it’s dairy-free." Chi Ning remembered he didn’t like dairy products.
Qin Heng silently accepted it.
Chi Ning even knew about his dislike for dairy.
Who told him? Zhang Qiuwen?
Since when were Zhang Qiuwen and Chi Ning close enough to discuss his personal preferences?
Qin Heng took a sip. The taro and red bean flavors burst in his mouth—it really was delicious.
But that didn’t justify Chi Ning digging into his habits through Zhang Qiuwen.
"Don’t waste your time on me."
Qin Heng looked down at Chi Ning's eyes and said, "We're not the same kind of people."
The statement came out of nowhere.
Chi Ning pondered for a long time but couldn't make sense of it.
First, he hadn't spent any time on Qin Heng.
Second, he'd known for two weeks now that he and Qin Heng weren't the same kind of people—at least not for the time being.
He took a sip of his milk tea through the straw and responded with a nonchalant "Oh."
After finishing the drink, the photographer showed them the final shots.
Chi Ning barely glanced at them before losing interest.
Fashionable or not, the clothes simply didn't align with his taste—neither practical nor elegant.
He preferred dressing conservatively. His brother's floral shirts were already the limit of what he could tolerate.
Mo Yuanzhou, however, was thrilled. He had redesigned the outfit overnight after seeing Chi Ning and hadn't even mass-produced it before the shoot. The results exceeded his expectations.
He ruffled Chi Ning's hair several times. "The payment's been transferred to the bank account you provided. I have a dinner to attend later—should I drop you two off first?"
Chi Ning declined. "No need, I can get back on my own."
After being posed like a doll all day, he was exhausted.
Chi Ning returned home, took a shower, and collapsed into bed.
Once mid-June's weekend passed, most of the month was gone, and the remaining days flew by.
For the entire month, Chi Ning's desk was never without bayberry juice. Qin Heng would come by at noon to collect the empty bottles.
Though he never showed any extra gestures or expressions, the students in Class One were still thoroughly intimidated.
On the day before final exams, after Qin Heng took the bottle as usual, Li Qiuhe grabbed Chi Ning's hand and pleaded earnestly, "God Chi, I finally understand why you've become so lazy and uninterested in studying lately."
"Hmm?"
"You've been spending too much time with those from Class Eighteen." Li Qiuhe sounded like a disappointed father. "Qin Heng must have corrupted you!"
Chi Ning pulled his hand back and patted the bespectacled boy's head affectionately. "Don't overthink it."
Li Qiuhe looked desolate, his gaze mournful.
This was bad. Even God Chi was defending Qin Heng now—definitely not a good sign.
"The finals are in two days. If your grades slip, it might affect your recommendation review. Please don't keep this up."
"They won't." Chi Ning slumped over his desk, drowsy.
Lately, he'd been lazing around and feeling sleepier the more he rested.
Li Qiuhe felt like the anxious eunuch while the emperor remained carefree.
"What if you don't get first place? What about the scholarship? That gloomy Ye Xinran will definitely mock you behind your back—maybe even curse you with voodoo."
Oh right, the scholarship.
Chi Ning jolted upright as if resurrected.
Ye Xinran was one of the few high school classmates he remembered.
This guy was in Class Two and, like him, wasn't sociable. But in the future, he achieved remarkable success, making significant contributions in the field of electronic technology.
In high school, Ye Xinran was poor as his family was burdened with debt. Because he always came in second, he could only receive the second-tier scholarship.
Later, the Shen Family's heir stepped in to help him clear the debt. Grateful, Ye Xinran became a key figure in the Shen Family's foray into the tech industry.
This wouldn't do.
Chi Ning's expression darkened.
Seeing the Shen Family thrive would be worse than death for him.
He knew exactly how the scholarship should be awarded now!
With this small goal in mind, Chi Ning put in extra effort during the finals, writing his papers at an unparalleled speed and frequently turning them in early.
When the results came out, Chi Ning achieved unprecedented excellent grades and naturally received the 9,000 yuan scholarship.
The final awards ceremony before the holiday.
Chi Ning stood on the flag-raising platform with Ye Xinran to receive their awards.
Ye Xinran clutched the orange-yellow certificate representing the second prize with his face slightly pale.
With his family drowning in debt, the 5,000 yuan from the second prize could only temporarily ease their urgent needs. Once given to the debt collectors, he and his mother might not even have money for food.
Why couldn't he outperform Chi Ning?
Ye Xinran felt dazed even while delivering his acceptance speech.
Chi Ning frowned as he observed for a while, sensing that Ye Xinran's family situation might be more severe than imagined.
After carefully considering his words, he finally stood at Class 2's doorway after school and knocked.
"Looking for Ye Xinran."
………
Class 18.
Zhang Qiuwen quietly leaned in to whisper in Qin Heng's ear, "I heard Chi Ning went to find Ye Xinran after school, and he didn't look happy. Do you think they might clash?"
Qin Heng glanced at him while thinking, What's it to me?
Zhang Qiuwen gestured around Chi Ning's waistline, "With his small frame, could he really handle Ye Xinran in a fight? Last time we saw Ye Xinran dealing with loan sharks. Chi Ning's too naive—he'd definitely lose out. He's a good guy, not like the others who look down on me. I don't want him to get hurt."
Qin Heng's mind flashed to the glimpse of Chi Ning's waist dimples when he was taking photos and felt Zhang Qiuwen had a point.
Irritated, he narrowed his eyes. "Where are they? Let's go."
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