Xiu Gou's Taming Record

Chapter 182 The First Lie

The folded agreement was in my pocket; the edges of the paper were a bit stiff and were digging into my thigh.

The dormitory building was just ahead. She stopped and took out her phone to look at it again.

WeChat Wallet Balance: 21536.78.

The 20,000 was just transferred, and the 1,000+ was what I had left over from before.

Twenty thousand yuan.

And just like that... it turned around.

Just a few hours ago, she was still fiddling with that thing in that room.

The money is now in her account.

The villa area was quiet, and the streetlights cast long shadows.

She looked down at her toes, taking one step at a time.

Are you going again next week?

Twenty thousand a week, that's eighty thousand a month.

How long can 80,000 yuan last?

The hospitalization fees, not counting the subsequent rehabilitation, will cost a lot of money.

The family has borrowed money from relatives, totaling about 50,000 to 60,000 yuan.

With this 80,000, we can be much more financially comfortable.

She stopped, looked up, and let out a long breath.

is it hard?

Actually, taking off clothes and posing is just so-so.

The shame was real, but it only lasted for the first few minutes.

Later, I seemed to become a little numb.

Four hours.

Next week, it will still be four hours.

What else could he possibly ask for?

Or like today... just taking photos?

He said the product would be changed.

What to change?

She shook her head, turned off the screen, took a deep breath, and pushed open the dormitory building door.

She walked up the stairs, feeling her legs grow heavy with each step.

Just as I reached the third floor, I ran into Ning Yutong coming out of the washroom, carrying a washbasin in her hand.

"Lin Yu?" Ning Yutong smiled when she saw her. "Just got back?"

"Okay." Lin Yu nodded and stepped aside to make way.

Ning Yutong didn't leave immediately, but stood there looking at her: "You don't look well, are you alright?"

"It's nothing," Lin Yu said. "I'm just a little tired."

"Oh..." Ning Yutong nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, didn't you say last week you wanted to find a part-time job? A friend of mine makes short videos and is hiring extras, 500 yuan a day, do you want to go?"

"What video?" Lin Yu asked.

"It's just a short drama that the club is making. There are only a few lines of dialogue, it's quite simple," Ning Yutong said. "We should start filming next Monday. If you're free, I'll let the club president know."

"We'll see," she said. "I'll let you know if I'm going."

"Okay, then contact me on WeChat if you need anything." Ning Yutong carried the basin back to her dormitory. "I'm going back now."

"Hmm." Lin Yu continued walking upstairs, returning to her dormitory.

No one is in the room; my roommates must have all gone to the library.

She threw her bag onto the chair, took off her coat, and noticed that the collar of her turtleneck sweater was a little tight, so she reached out and tugged at it.

She walked to the mirror and looked at herself.

My phone vibrated.

Xu Hao sent a WeChat message: Xiaoyu, have you eaten? I just finished up here and brought you some milk tea.

Lin Yu stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard.

After about ten seconds, she replied: No need, I've already eaten.

Xu Hao: Then come down and get them, I've already bought them all.

Lin Yu: No need, you drink it.

Xu Hao: Are you angry? Because I said this morning I would transfer money to you?

Lin Yu felt a tightness in her chest as she read those words.

She wasn't angry; she just didn't know how to face him.

My phone vibrated again.

Xu Hao: I'm downstairs.

Lin Yu bit her lip, stood up, walked to the window, and looked down.

Xu Hao was indeed standing under a tree at the entrance of the dormitory building, holding a bag of milk tea in one hand and typing with the other.

Seeing him looking down at his phone, the slight sting in her heart turned into a subtle ache. She grabbed her coat, put it on, and went out the door.

I went down to the first floor, pushed open the glass door, and a cold draft rushed in.

Xu Hao saw her, smiled, and quickly walked over.

"Here you go," he handed over the milk tea, "hot, three-tenths sugar."

Lin Yu took the cup; the plastic cup was very hot. "Thank you."

"Don't be so polite with me." Xu Hao scratched his head. "Well... about the money, I just wanted to help you, nothing more."

"I know," Lin Yu said, holding the milk tea, "but I really can't accept it."

"But why?" Xu Hao looked at her. "Aren't we dating? If you're in trouble, what's wrong with me helping you out?"

She looked into Xu Hao's eyes, which were full of worry and sincerity.

"Xu Hao," she said.

"Um?"

"My dad needs a lot of money," Lin Yu said. "If you also had a lot of money, I might ask for it and pay you back slowly in the future. But you don't have any. A few thousand dollars doesn't mean much to me right now, but it would lower your quality of life, which is unnecessary."

Xu Hao lowered his head and kicked a pebble at his feet.

"What should I do then... or should I ask my family for it?"

Lin Yu twitched the corner of her mouth: "How could your family possibly give that?"

"I was saying... consider it an early betrothal gift." Xu Hao quickly waved his hand after saying that, "No, I meant..."

Lin Yu grinned but didn't reply.

"I'm sorry," Xu Hao said, his ears turning slightly red. "I shouldn't have said those things."

"It's okay," Lin Yu took a sip of her milk tea, "I know you meant well."

Xu Hao was silent for a moment, then looked up at her: "So what's this... idea you mentioned?"

"I..." Her voice was calmer than she had imagined. "I went for an audition today. A media company is recruiting actors, and they'll give a signing bonus."

Xu Hao's eyes widened slightly: "A media company? What kind of company? Is it reliable?"

"It seems pretty reliable," Lin Yu said, avoiding his gaze. "The contract has already been signed."

"So fast?" Xu Hao scratched his head. "How much did you pay?"

"Twenty thousand," Lin Yu said. "They said it was part of the advance payment."

She still spoke as Yu Heng had instructed.

Xu Hao gasped, "Twenty thousand? That much? Is this a scam?"

"No," Lin Yu said, her tone hardening. "The company is quite reputable. I have classmates who have signed with them before."

Xu Hao stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "What company? What's its name?"

Lin Yu's throat tightened; Yu Heng hadn't taught her this.

"Self-indulgent culture." The box on the coffee table flashed through her mind, and she blurted it out.

"Never heard of it." Xu Hao took out his phone. "Let me check."

"Stop investigating." Lin Yu pressed down on his wrist. "It's only been established for a short time; we won't find anything."

"So what do we do after signing the contract?" Xu Hao put his phone back in his pocket. "Filming?"

"First, there will be training," Lin Yu continued, "including things like posture."

Xu Hao breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. I was worried it might be some shady company... making you shoot all sorts of messy stuff."

Lin Yu didn't speak.

"Is this money enough?" Xu Hao asked. "If not, I'll think of something else."

"That's enough." She paused after saying that, her tone softening, "Thank you, Xu Hao."

Xu Hao waved his hand, his ears turning red again: "Why are you thanking me... So you'll have to go to training every weekend from now on?"

"Okay." Lin Yu glanced at her phone. "Starting next week."

Four hours per week.

She brought her legs together a little closer, and the neckline of her sweater seemed even tighter, making it a little hard for her to breathe.

"Okay," Xu Hao said, "then call me anytime if you need anything. If the company asks you to do anything random, don't agree. We'll think of another way."

"Okay." Lin Yu threw the empty milk tea cup into the trash can next to her. "Go back now, it's cold outside."

"I'll watch you go up."

Lin Yu turned and walked into the building. She pushed open the glass door and glanced back.

Xu Hao was still standing there, waving at her. She forced a smile, turned around, and went up the stairs.

This was the first time she had lied to Xu Hao.

For some reason, she remembered Yu Heng's words: the fun of training is change.