Looking into each other's eyes, Lin Qiong felt more awkward than he had ever been in his two lifetimes. He anxiously fiddled with the car mat, creating a small depression in it.
Lin Qiong looked at the police officer, then extended a fair and slender finger, pointing at Wang Cheng and then pointing at his own head. The police officer nodded in understanding and left a ticket before departing gracefully.
After a while, Wang Cheng finished his contemplation and looked at the fallen youth in front of him who had succumbed to money. "So, what did you want to say earlier?" he asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," Lin Qiong said, pointing to the car window. "You parked illegally, and the police officer came and gave you a ticket."
Wang Cheng: !
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Wang Cheng asked.
"You said you wanted some quiet time, so I decided to tell you later," Lin Qiong replied.
"..."
They arrived at the shooting location half an hour later, and as Lin Qiong opened the car door and stepped out, he stumbled.
Wang Cheng noticed and asked, "Why are you walking strangely?"
Lin Qiong straightened his posture, recalling the weariness of the 2,000-meter walk on his wedding day. "I've been doing some extreme sports these past few days."
Wang Cheng's eyes widened as he instantly imagined a scene of a fallen youth sacrificing himself for money, being trampled and torn apart. But all he could do was sigh deeply and ask, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Lin Qiong replied.
Then, as if sensing something, he looked up at the sky. His eyes narrowed slightly as they faced the sunlight, and his voice became bitter. "The southeast wind is blowing."
Wang Cheng turned around and witnessed the scene—a young man facing the sunlight, his hair gently swaying in the wind, revealing his frail figure. His fluttering eyelashes caught the sunlight, and his expression was filled with melancholy and sorrow, like a fragile item.
Wang Cheng didn't know how to comfort Lin Qiong at that moment. He raised his hand to pat his thin shoulder, but then withdrew his hand. He dryly asked, "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiong replied, "If it were in the past, I wouldn't have had anything to eat."
"..."
The shooting location was in a suburban studio, where small-scale brands didn't have the luxury to invest in post-production in a studio. So they came to the photography studio instead. The studio had various scenes and styles, and as long as the rental fees were paid on time, it was sufficient.
It was Lin Qiong's first time visiting, and he looked around curiously. There were quite a few people there, mostly businesses bringing models for photo shoots.
Wang Cheng made a phone call and then led him to a designated area. It was a scene set in a classroom-like layout.
Lin Qiong looked somewhat surprised and asked, "What kind of clothes are we shooting as models?"
Wang Cheng's body stiffened for a moment, then he laughed and said, "It's an academic style." His words were quite euphemistic.
Lin Qiong nodded in understanding. Academic-style clothing was quite popular in the market, so he didn't think much of it at the moment. Until he held a blue and white uniform in his hands.
"..."
Lin Qiong glanced at Wang Cheng, who turned his head in guilt. "What brand produces school uniforms?"
Wang Cheng scratched his head awkwardly and said, "Actually, they're for the drama production. Many school-themed dramas are being filmed recently, and they're looking for styles. The brand happened to find you... not because of the cheap price, but because of your outstanding appearance."
Lin Qiong:...
Wang Cheng thought the other party would get angry, but to his surprise, Lin Qiong glanced at the clothes in his hands without saying anything and then walked towards the changing room.
Lin Qiong had lost all the goodwill in the industry due to his bad temper, and he couldn't get any decent jobs. Even today's gig was obtained with great difficulty.
When Lin Qiong came out of the changing room, the school uniform fit him perfectly without any sense of inconsistency. He was not short, standing at a height of 1.82 meters, but his shoulders were not as broad and strong as those of an adult man.
Instead, they had a slight thinness, which made him appear more youthful when wearing the school uniform. The brand representatives were pleased with the result and signaled the photographer to start the shoot.
In his previous life, Lin Qiong was involved in stage plays, and he had excellent control over emotions and expression management. It took only an hour to complete the set of photos, much faster than anticipated.
There was one particular set that stood out, with Lin Qiong wearing the school uniform. The sunlight scattered through his hair from the side, and his non-threatening appearance lifted the corners of his mouth, resembling a cheerful and sunny big puppy. Lin Qiong didn't expect the job to end so quickly, so he went to the changing room. When he came out, he saw Wang Cheng waiting at the door.
Wang Cheng noticed the phone in Lin Qiong's hand and asked, "What are you doing?"
Lin Qiong replied, "Just contacting my family."
Wang Cheng sighed inwardly, realizing that even when Lin Qiong was out, he still had to report to that perverted old man.
Alas... This is the price of selling one's soul for money.
Wang Cheng asked, "How do you feel?"
Lin Qiong sent a message to Fu Xingyuan, telling them not to forget to order takeout for himself at noon, and then replied, "Being married for the first time feels quite refreshing."
Seeing that Wang Cheng seemed to have something to say to him, Lin Qiong asked, "What's wrong?"
Wang Cheng said, "The clients liked your photos and they want to add a few more outdoor shots."
His gaze became somewhat elusive. "They want the school uniform to be less buttoned up this time, with the collar open and the arms exposed."
"No," Lin Qiong replied without hesitation.
"The school uniform is called a school uniform for a reason. It is the uniform worn by students in school, representing the spirit of striving for excellence and never giving up. It is a sacred attire to be worn in the sacred place of the classroom and should not be treated with disrespect." Lin Qiong's mouth began to babble, "Moreover, I am already a husband, and dressing appropriately and modestly is my duty."
Wang Cheng looked at him with a numb expression and said, "Speak in plain language."
Lin Qiong replied, "They have to offer additional payment for that."
"..."
After two hours, when the job was finished, the collaborating brand was satisfied with the photos, and the payment was settled quickly. Just as the two of them reached the entrance of the photography studio, the money was transferred to their accounts.
Lin Qiong glanced at him and casually transferred half of the money to Wang Cheng's WeChat account.
Wang Cheng's eyes widened in surprise, "Why did you transfer so much to me?" They usually split their earnings with a 70-30 ratio, with Lin Qiong receiving 70%. But today, it was a 50-50 split.
Lin Qiong didn't mind at all. They were work partners, and although he loved money, he still had principles when it came to professional ethics. Just like his approach to Fu Xingyun, he couldn't take someone else's money for nothing.
As they walked out, they took the opportunity to explore the photography studio. It wasn't just for shooting; there were also many brand merchants selling things there.
Lin Qiong's fluffy little head spun like a spinning top, and then he casually noticed a shop. He extended his pinky finger and poked Wang Cheng beside him, "Come on, let's go in and have a look."
Wang Cheng looked at the hand-knitted clothing store in front of him. This style of clothing is quite popular now, and although this brand is niche, the quality and style are very fashionable.
Without much thought, Wang Cheng followed him inside. However, to his surprise, Lin Qiong didn't even glance at the array of clothes in the store but headed straight to the hand-knitted blanket area.
Wang Cheng thought that maybe Lin Qiong hadn't noticed, so he quickly pulled him back, "Aren't you buying clothes?"
Lin Qiong blinked and shook his head, "No, I'm not buying."
"Then why did you come in?" Wang Cheng asked.
Lin Qiong pointed to the beautifully crafted hand-knitted blankets not far away and said, "I want to buy a couple to take back."
Wang Cheng looked at him with confusion.
Lin Qiong also understood and smiled, "My partner at home has some trouble with their legs, so I thought of buying these blankets for them."
It's nearing the end of summer and autumn is approaching. Although it's scorching hot now, the temperature will drop once autumn arrives.
Wang Cheng felt a sudden pain in his heart upon hearing this. "Is it arthritis?" he asked.
Lin Qiong hesitated, and then said, "More or less."
Wang Cheng looked at Lin Qiong, who was about the same age as himself, and realized that he had quite a few peculiarities.
Lin Qiong walked to the hand-knitted blanket area, where there were various styles and exquisite craftsmanship. As someone new had entered the store, the salesperson approached them as well.
Lin Qiong's eyes immediately caught a light gray one and he asked, "How much is that one?"
The salesperson smiled and replied, "Three thousand."
"Damn, it's so expensive!" Lin Qiong was genuinely surprised, and then he pointed to another one and asked, "How about that one next to it?"
"That one is a new design and it costs six thousand yuan."
Lin Qiong: ...
Lin Qiong swallowed, and Wang Cheng quickly suggested, "It's too expensive. Let's not buy it."
Lin Qiong pursed his lips and checked his mobile banking app. If he bought the light gray one, he would still have enough money left, but if he bought the new design, then it would be like working all day for nothing.
Lin Qiong's gaze suddenly fell on his left hand, where there was a faint ring mark on his ring finger. With some difficulty, he said, "Give me that new design."
His lips trembled as he spoke, and he couldn't believe he was actually saying it. He had never spent so much money on a single item in his two lifetimes. He felt like he was floating.
Wang Cheng looked at him, his expression filled with disbelief, but he didn't say anything. It seemed that Lin Qiong had experienced a lot of the darker side of the world after getting married, and now he was even trying to please someone.
Afterward, Wang Cheng drove Lin Qiong back home. As they approached the nearby villa area, Wang Cheng's emotions became complicated. He called out to Lin Qiong, who was about to get out of the car, "Lin Qiong."
Lin Qiong turned to look at him, "What's wrong?"
Wang Cheng's gaze was complex, and his tone carried a warning, "It's not too late to regret now. Everyone has taken a wrong path in their life."
Lin Qiong let out a questioning sound, and Wang Cheng continued, "You're not truly happy now. Your marriage was just a momentary impulse."
Lin Qiong admitted, "That's true."
Wang Cheng saw a glimmer of hope and continued, "Do you have someone in your heart that you can't forget?"
Lin Qiong's eyes changed when he heard that, "Of course I do."
"If you have someone in your heart, it's also a betrayal to your spouse," Wang Cheng said.
Lin Qiong showed a hint of difficulty on his face, "But I simply can't forget him. I can't forget him even in death."
"Good," Wang Cheng thought, seeing that he was getting through to Lin Qiong. He prepared to take the moral high ground and push him further, "If you can't get a divorce, then you must forget!"
"How do you expect me to forget?!" Lin Qiong also became excited, his thin chest heaving with emotions, his voice filled with a mournful lament, "He fucking owes me money!"