Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The person on the boxing platform merely glanced over, then withdrew their gaze, stepped off the platform, and vanished around a corner.

Shang Jia nudged Xu Yan’s arm and asked directly, “Isn’t that your roommate?”

The gym owner, overhearing, seemed surprised. “Roommate? What a coincidence, so you’re already acquainted.”

Xu Yan smiled. “Actually, Senior Wen doesn’t live in the dorm.”

The implication being, they weren’t particularly close.

He truly hadn’t expected Ares to be the combat gym Wen Sinian frequented. He quietly asked, “Senior, roughly how much does this job pay?”

As he spoke, he touched his backpack, remembering he’d brought the lighter today and could return it later.

Shang Jia, with her back to the owner, secretly showed Xu Yan a number with her fingers.

Xu Yan was startled. Three thousand yuan? That was a lot.

Noticing their hushed conversation, the gym owner looked puzzled. “Any other questions?”

Xu Yan smiled politely. “No, I’m very confident about this job.”

The gym owner smiled too and led them further inside.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Yan asked, “Do you know where Senior Wen went?”

Unfamiliar with the gym’s layout, he worried he might get lost trying to find him.

The gym owner, however, seemed well-acquainted with Wen Sinian’s habits. “If nothing’s changed, we’ll probably run into him if we check the lounge or locker room area. Let’s go.”

The three walked past the boxing platforms and deeper into the facility.

As they moved, Shang Jia took out her phone and showed Xu Yan something. “By the way, I recently designed a new piece—quite different from my usual style. Take a look at the design.”

She handed him the phone, and Xu Yan nodded in approval. “It’s beautiful.”

Shang Jia smiled. “Once the finished piece is ready, how about you model for me again? I’ve had a burst of inspiration and came up with tons of creative ideas. I feel like only you can capture the aesthetic I’m going for.”

Without waiting for his reply, she added, “I’ll take that as a yes. The pay this time will definitely be higher than last, and your account hasn’t been updated in ages. You must’ve used up all your prepared content by now. If you don’t post soon, your fans might get lured away by other creators.”

Xu Yan said sheepishly, “I should be updating soon.”

He’d just received a text—his package, five days overdue, had finally arrived.

Shang Jia said excitedly, “Great! I’ll be the first to like it.”

After showing them around the professional training area, the gym owner led them to the lounge.

“We’ve got light meals and snacks here—all low-calorie fitness food. The drinks are unsweetened or lightly sweetened.”

He handed each of them a cup of vegetable-fruit juice. Xu Yan took a sip—it was bitter and not very palatable.

“Feel free to look around this area on your own,” the gym owner said. “I’ve got some work to attend to in the office. Once you’re done, come find me. If you get lost, just call.”

Before leaving, he added, “Oh, and your senior is in the locker room. You can go straight there to find him.”

Xu Yan nodded. “Understood.”

With that, the gym owner left to attend to his tasks, and Shang Jia and Xu Yan headed toward the locker rooms.

The men’s and women’s locker areas were separate, each equipped with restrooms and showers. The space was vast and luxuriously appointed.

At the moment, the locker area was empty. Shang Jia went to the women’s side to use the restroom, while Xu Yan entered the men’s section.

He wandered around the spacious area for a while, briefly considering photo compositions, but didn’t spot Wen Sinian anywhere.

A row of seats stood in front of the lockers. After sending Shang Jia a message, he sat down to wait for her.

To pass the time, he opened the backend of his social media account.

Not only had he failed to post anything these past few days, but he hadn’t even logged in. Predictably, his likes and comments had dropped significantly, and his views had plummeted. Strangely, though, his wallet balance had somehow increased—now over five hundred.

Curious, he noticed one account had sent him two “deep-water” tips (a form of tipping in Chinese apps) and a private message.

“Star”: Goddess, can we get to know each other?

“Star”: Oh, sorry—didn’t realize you were a guy.

“Star”: I’m not a creep, just wanted to ask if you’d be interested in life modeling? I’m an art student at Beishi University—can show you my student ID.

“Star”: Saw your photos and think you’d be perfect to paint—you have a goddess-like quality!

“Star”: Seriously not a scammer. Hope to hear back.

Xu Yan’s eyebrow twitched. He clicked into the account’s profile—few followers, around fifty or sixty thousand, with minimal activity. Mostly personal life posts.

Nearly all posts were artworks or painting processes. Scrolling way down, he found only one photo—a blurry half-face.

It was Lin Xingxian.

Xu Yan’s heart raced, a sense of panic washing over him as if his privacy had been violated. He hastily refunded the tip money, even losing 5% to the service fee, then blocked the account.

Frantic, he scrolled through his hundred thousand-plus followers, removing anyone with a Beishi University IP address or any hint of familiarity. After removing dozens, he slowly calmed down.

If Lin Xingxian had messaged him through the app, it meant he had no idea who Xu Yan really was. And judging by Lin Xingxian’s latest post—a half-finished painting—it seemed to be based on Xu Yan’s mermaid-themed photo.

Suddenly, Xu Yan understood why Lin Xingxian had asked for Song Ning’s WeChat. But he had no intention of unblocking him.

Sitting quietly with his phone, he suddenly heard a soft *click* in the silent locker room.

Startled, Xu Yan looked up. The vast, empty space now carried an eerie undertone, conjuring unwanted scary thoughts in his mind.

He was alone here—where had the sound come from?

With his backpack, he stood up. The *click* came again, louder this time, followed by a faint thud.

Now certain, the noise was coming from around the corner ahead.

Treading lightly, Xu Yan took a few steps forward. Just as he turned the corner, a wave of steamy mist hit him, and a tall figure appeared, blocking his line of sight entirely.

They stood abruptly close. Xu Yan’s gaze landed directly on the exposed collarbone before him—sharply defined, disappearing into the neckline, droplets of water pooling in the hollow like a small pool.

Xu Yan inhaled sharply, the air filling with the steamy warmth radiating off the person in front of him.

He stood frozen for two seconds before raising his gaze.

Wen Sinian's drenched black hair still dripped water, trails tracing his aloof brows and eyes. The shadow of his wet hair broke off at the bridge of his high nose, his lips pressed into a thin line as he looked down at Xu Yan.

Xu Yan clicked his mouth shut in surprise, realizing Wen Sinian must have just come from the shower area.

"Sorry..." Having nearly bumped into him, Xu Yan tightened his grip on his backpack, his expression sincere as he quickly moved aside to give way.

His brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes seeming to hold a trace of moisture. For some reason, a faint flush had spread across his pale cheeks, as if steamed by the heat, extending all the way to the tips of his ears.

Who knew the floor would be covered in a slippery layer of mist? His body swayed sideways, nearly toppling over, his hand instinctively flailing in the air as a small yelp escaped him.

Luckily, a hand appeared just in time behind him, bracing his slender frame with a slight force, helping him regain his footing.

Xu Yan, still unsteady, nearly tripping over his own feet. Clutching Wen Sinian's sleeve to steady himself, his heart still hammered.

"Thank you..." he murmured softly.

"Let go." Came the icy reply.

Through the thin fabric, Xu Yan could feel the muscles beneath his fingers subtly tensing.

Uh-oh.

Did I piss him off? Xu Yan remembered he didn’t like being touched by guys.

"Sorry."

Xu Yan immediately released his grip, noticing the wrinkles he’d made on Wen Sinian’s sleeve. Glancing sideways, he caught sight of Wen Sinian's corded forearm.

Blue veins snaked like roots, winding and disappearing into the defined muscle.

If Wen Sinian got angry enough to punch him, would he break his nose too, leaving him looking like Squidward?

Xu Yan's mind conjured the ridiculous image of himself with a bandaged nose.

Wen Sinian walked toward the wardrobe, and Xu Yan hurried after, digging through his bag.

Wen Sinian opened the wardrobe and answered a call.

Xu Yan stood beside him, offering the lighter in his open palm, holding it out to him.

"Yeah," Wen Sinian said to the person on the phone, glancing over briefly, "I’ll be out soon."

On the pale palm lay a black metal lighter, its dark finish contrasting sharply with the skin beneath, making it appear even more dazzlingly white.

Wen Sinian tilted his head slightly.

He was wearing long pants today.

Instead of taking the lighter, Wen Sinian paused for a moment before saying to Xu Yan, "I didn’t bring a bag today. I've got other business later."

Xu Yan looked up at him, confused. "Uh-huh."

Then why wasn’t he taking it back?

Wen Sinian closed the wardrobe. "So, hang onto it for me."

Xu Yan: "Huh?"

Wen Sinian was already walking away while on the phone. "Give it to me next time. Thanks."

Wen Sinian’s figure disappeared beyond the changing room door.

Shang Jia had already come out and couldn’t find Xu Yan outside until she spotted him emerging from the men’s changing area.

"Yan Yan, how’d it go? Did you see Wen Sinian?"

Xu Yan: "I did, but he told me to give it to him next time."

"Why make it complicated? He didn’t even want it?" Shang Jia blinked. "Is he trying to create another chance to meet you?"

Xu Yan shook his head. "Not a chance. He probably just had something urgent."

The two then headed to the director’s office. The director first reviewed Xu Yan's reel—some were student assignments, others were freelance work he’d done for clients.

After watching, the director hesitated. Though the cinematography and editing skills were clearly advanced, Xu Yan was still only a junior with limited commercial experience.

The director stepped out to take a call midway. Xu Yan could already tell his chances weren’t great, but to his surprise, after returning, the director agreed to give him a test assignment—a 20-second short film as a proof of concept. If it worked out, they’d proceed further.

Xu Yan immediately texted the good news to Shen Nanli. Filming wasn’t something he could do alone—aside from Shen Nanli, he planned to find one more person to help.

The two took the bus back to campus together, splitting up at the school gate. Xu Yan went alone to the mailroom to pick up a delivery.

Back in the dorm, he wasn’t taking chances this time.

He first asked Li Huaiche and Zhao Qingji when they’d return—both said they’d be back in the evening. He also confirmed Wen Sinian had gone out with friends.

After locking the door, he finally unwrapped the package on the desk.

Inside was a snow-white bodycon pencil skirt with a pearl-accented waistband and a side slit.

Xu Yan eyed the skirt laid out on the table, picking at the shoddy material.

You get what you pay for—even the skirt was skimped on, laughably short.