Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"Orange, aren't you usually working around this time? How come you've had time to have dinner with me the past couple of days?"

Lin Mo set down his tray and sat across from Jiang Cheng, asking casually.

Usually, Jiang Cheng would be at his job in the evening, and since it usually included meals and accommodation, Lin Mo hadn't had dinner with him in a while.

Jiang Cheng said, "The boss isn't around, so I'm slacking off."

"Haha, you can do that? So, how are things with your boss? Has he gone straight again?"

Jiang Cheng paused in his eating, then smiled and said, "Should be almost there."

"Wow, what did you do to make him lose interest in you?"

"His soulmate appeared, and naturally he went straight again."

"Oh, I see. That's how it is. Most so-called straight guys who go gay are just curious or think it's fun. In the end, they almost always prefer girls. So if any guy tries to guilt-trip you with the 'you turned me gay' line, don't fall for it. They just think you're hot and want to mess around, and when they're bored, they'll go marry a woman."

Jiang Cheng seemed lost in thought.

"Don't doubt me," Lin Mo said, seeing his silence and thinking he didn't believe him. "You said he's your boss, rich, right? Guys like that have a legacy to pass on. They need their own kids to inherit the family business. No way they stay gay forever."

Jiang Cheng's hand gripping his chopsticks suddenly tightened.

He pressed his lips together and said, "No, I believe you. You're totally right. It's an eye-opener."

"Haha, right? So don't let it get to you. Let him be gay if he wants. Just be yourself, that's enough."

"Yeah, okay."

Seeing Jiang Cheng wasn't into talking, they didn't continue the topic. When they were about to leave after finishing their meal, Jiang Cheng heard someone call his name. He turned around and saw the senior who had introduced him to the part-time job before.

"Hey, Senior Liu, what's up?"

Senior Liu first looked him up and down, her gaze lingering especially long on his legs, seemingly satisfied. She smiled and said, "I'm here to introduce a part-time job for you. Interested? The pay and benefits are awesome!"

Jiang Cheng felt that his job with Shang Zenian was probably coming to an end, so it was time to find a new one. He nodded and said, "I'm interested, Senior. What kind of job is it?"

The senior hesitated for a moment and glanced at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo immediately understood and said, "Then I'll head back to the dorm, Orange."

With that, Lin Mo turned and left. Jiang Cheng wondered what kind of job it was that couldn't be shared with a roommate. He quickly said, "If it's not a decent enough job, forget it."

"No, it's totally proper, don't worry."

Jiang Cheng still wasn't comfortable, but out of politeness, he had to at least listen. He went outside with her.

When they reached an empty teaching building, the senior finally explained, "The reason I didn't want your friend to know is that I don't know his character. I'm afraid he'd blab and make it awkward for you."

"...So, what kind of job is it?"

"Have you heard of leg models? A well-known pantyhose brand had a falling out with their exclusive leg model, so they're looking for a new one. I thought you'd be a good fit, so I wanted to ask if you're interested."

Pantyhose?!

Jiang Cheng wondered if he had heard wrong. "I'm a guy. Are there pantyhose made for men now?"

The senior laughed. "You don't know this, do you? Actually, 90% of pantyhose and tights models are men. Men's legs are longer, straighter, and have less fat, so they look better. Their last leg model was a guy too."

"..." Jiang Cheng really didn't know that. It was a total eye-opener.

"Do I have to show my face?"

"Of course not. Just your legs. For anything that needs a face, they'll Photoshop a woman's upper body onto the photo. They'll probably also need you to wear a skirt for the shoot. It's a long-term gig with a contract, so if you're a good fit, it's stable."

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng was quite tempted.

He knew that this senior was basically the school's headhunter, and she was very reliable. She wouldn't screw him over. If she said the job was good, it was definitely guaranteed.

Mainly, it was stable, so he wouldn't have to keep changing part-time jobs.

The senior continued, "The shooting schedule won't be very heavy. It can be adjusted based on your availability. They pay per set of products. One set is 500, and you can do 3 to 4 sets a day. Of course, the price is negotiable."

The pay was pretty damn good.

Although it certainly wouldn't be as easy as being a nanny at Shang Zenian's place, that job had been him doing Jiang Cheng a favor.

"Do you want to do it?" the senior asked. "If you do, you'll need to take some photos of your legs first to send to them for review."

Without hesitating, Jiang Cheng said, "Sure."

"I figured you'd be interested. It's too late today. Tomorrow I'll take some leg shots and send them to them."

"Okay."

The next day, the senior kept her promise and took him to an empty classroom. Then, she pulled out a plaid half-skirt, a pair of black stockings, and a pair of white stockings from her bag.

The skirt was very short. Jiang Cheng had worn something similar before—it was called a JK skirt, or something like that.

Jiang Cheng was speechless.

"Do I really have to shoot like this?" For the first time, Jiang Cheng started to doubt his reliable senior.

"Yes, that's what they asked for. Don't worry, your face won't be in the shot. Put on the skirt first. Don't put on the stockings yet. I'll take some photos of your bare legs first."

She was about to leave when she saw Jiang Cheng hesitating. She urged him, "Stop dawdling. Change quickly—I've got a class."

Jiang Cheng had no choice but to close the classroom door, make sure there were no cameras, and put on the little skirt.

When she came back in and saw his fair thighs, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Oh my god, Orange, your legs... I can't even. Absolutely gorgeous."

Even though Jiang Cheng had worn countless skirts over the summer, now that he was back to being a guy, hearing her say that made him blush a little.

"Hurry up and take the photos, Senior. It's a bit cold."

The weather in Yanjing had suddenly dropped recently. Although it was only mid-October, everyone was already wearing heavy clothes.

Jiang Cheng felt a bit chilly wearing only a skirt, bare from the thighs down.

She didn't waste any time. She taught him a few poses, snapped a bunch of photos, and then had him put on the stockings.

Jiang Cheng put on the white ones first. When she came back and saw him, she went starry-eyed again. "So divine, so perfect! I'd say this job is a sure thing. Even their last leg model might not have had legs as good as yours."

Jiang Cheng also really wanted to land this job. After shooting the white stockings, he moved on to the black ones, and the senior watched, frantically clicking the shutter.

It only took half an hour to finish the photos.

Jiang Cheng changed back into his own pants and came out to find the senior looking at the camera, giggling. He instinctively moved a little farther away from her.

"All set, senior?"

"All set, all set. I'll export them later and send them to the brand's email. Just wait for the second-round interview."

"Okay, thank you, senior."

After saying goodbye to the senior, Jiang Cheng headed back to the dormitory. He took out his phone and saw that Shang Zenian, who had been out of touch for almost three days, had sent him a voice message.

He hesitated for a moment, then pressed play. Shang Zenian's voice came through, through gritted teeth.

"You little liar. I didn't reach out to you for three days, and you didn't send me a single message."

Send what? Gossip about whether the real Chen Yin was prettier than him? Or if he had a love-at-first-sight moment?

Probably seeing that Jiang Cheng hadn't replied, Shang Zenian sent another message.

Shang Zenian: I'm done with work. Landing in Yanjing at five. Come pick me up at the airport?

Jiang Cheng's fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he slowly typed a reply.

Evil Big Orange: I have plans today. Can't make it.

Shang Zenian replied quickly.

Shang Zenian: Then come over to my place later?

Evil Big Orange: I'll probably be busy until late.

Shang Zenian: ...Alright, you're busy.

Jiang Cheng put away his phone and couldn't stop sniffing. He quickly pulled a tissue from his bag to wipe his nose.

It was freezing today, and his nose was already running.

Back in his dorm, he meant to read for a while, but soon his head got heavy, so he lay down to rest.

His sleep was restless.

He had all sorts of weird dreams. First, he was back in the days before the college entrance exam, endlessly solving problems and taking tests—so many he couldn't figure out, sweating buckets from frustration.

Then he was rushing to a part-time job, always late, running nonstop but hitting one obstacle after another, never getting where he needed to go.

Later, he thought he heard Shang Zenian say he was marrying Chen Yin and invited him to the wedding. In his daze, the scene shifted, and he was standing in a grand wedding hall.

A long red carpet stretched ahead, surrounded by flowers. The guests were laughing and chatting, their blessings filling the air. The bride wore a pure white, puffy wedding dress, her veil gently falling, holy and beautiful.

As if sensing something, the bride turned around—and it was a familiar face.

A face identical to his own.

Next to the bride, Shang Zenian, dressed in a luxurious suit, raised his hand and lovingly ruffled the bride's hair. Then he turned to Jiang Cheng and said, "Jiang Cheng, I can finally tell you and Chen Yin apart."

"So you two really aren't the same person."

"Jiang Cheng——"

"Jiang Cheng!"

It felt like something yanked Jiang Cheng out of his daze. The dream voice didn't fade but kept ringing in his ears: "Jiang Cheng, wake up."

Jiang Cheng's head was pounding. The noise was annoying, so he buried his face deeper into the blanket, unwilling to respond.

The voice paused, then softened its tone: "Come on, don't go back to sleep. Get up and get an IV—you have a high fever."

"A high fever? Was he talking about him?

He couldn't have a fever for no reason.

But his head was pounding, and his whole body ached, like he'd been beaten. His eyelids felt like they were burning, his breath was scorching hot, yet his body was cold.

It must have been from shooting in that short skirt today. When did he become so fragile?

His mind was a jumble of thoughts. Finally shaking off the nightmare, he came to his senses. He pushed aside the blanket, turned his head, and met Shang Zenian's worried gaze.

"Awake?" Shang Zenian sighed in relief. "Get up. You're running a fever of 39.3°C. I'll take you to get an IV to bring it down."

Jiang Cheng's head was spinning, his body aching all over. He mumbled in a nasal voice, "I'm not that delicate. Just drinking some hot water and sleeping it off will be fine."

"..." Shang Zenian was almost amused by him. A fever of 39.3°C and he still wanted to tough it out.

He figured Jiang Cheng had always handled illness this way—by sheer stubbornness. It was a miracle he hadn't ended up seriously ill.

Too lazy to argue about taking care of himself, Shang Zenian simply switched to a gruff, threatening tone: "Get down here now, or I'll come up and carry you down."

He paused, thinking that wasn't threatening enough, and added, "I'll carry you straight to the campus clinic."

Jiang Cheng: "..."

Reluctantly, Jiang Cheng slowly got out of bed. He was already feeling cold, and stepping out from under the blanket made him shiver violently.

Shang Zenian watched him. Seeing his state, he asked, "Where's your heavy coat?"

Jiang Cheng was slow to react. After a moment, he finally registered the question and said slowly, "By the door, second locker."

Shang Zenian opened the cabinet and found a padded jacket hanging among the clothes. It had clearly been worn many times and was of low quality—the stuffing had clumped into lumps.

He frowned but couldn't find anything warmer. He handed the jacket to Jiang Cheng: "Put it on."

Jiang Cheng was freezing. He put it on, and it felt like he'd suddenly stepped into winter—this was the coat he wore in the dead of winter.

Shang Zenian gathered the thermometer and fever medicine from the desk. "Let's go."

Jiang Cheng didn't want to go. Seeing the medicine, he said, "I can just take some pills. I really don't need an IV."

"I consulted a doctor. At this temperature, an IV will bring the fever down faster. It's okay, it'll be quick. Let's go."

Without giving him a chance to argue, Shang Zenian put an arm around Jiang Cheng's shoulder and guided him out.

Jiang Cheng pressed his lips together and said nothing.

A car was parked downstairs. Shang Zenian opened the rear door and let Jiang Cheng get in. Jiang Cheng froze. "Just going to the school clinic is fine."

This guy wasn't going to take him to some private hospital, was he?

"It's too crowded there, and you'd have to sit while getting the IV—uncomfortable. Come to my place, I'll have the doctor come over."

"..." Jiang Cheng knew that these so-called wealthy families all had family doctors and such; having a doctor come over wasn't unusual.

It's just... Jiang Cheng lowered his eyes. "No need, it's not really convenient, either."

Inconvenient? Shang Zenian was momentarily baffled. Since when was his place ever inconvenient for him to visit?

What was up with Jiang Cheng today, acting all difficult as if he were possessed? Was it because he was sick? Or had he, after being apart for a few days, started thinking up some weird stuff again—like that he could still turn him straight and should distance himself?

Shang Zenian squinted. Too lazy to argue with him, he simply threatened: "Are you getting in by yourself, or do I have to carry you?"

"..." Although this was the senior dorm and there were fewer people around, classmates still passed by occasionally. Jiang Cheng bit his lip, then got in the car.

Shang Zenian took him home and immediately turned on the heating. The house warmed up quickly—the heating was so strong that you could probably wear a short-sleeve shirt and not feel cold. It was indeed much more comfortable than the freezing dorm or the clinic.

But Jiang Cheng still felt cold. Shang Zenian said, "The doctor will be here soon. Go lie down on my bed first."

"I... I'll just lie on the sofa."

Jiang Cheng was about to say he'd lie in another bedroom, but Shang Zenian's place only had two bedrooms that actually had beds: one he slept in himself, and one prepared for Chen Yin. He felt that neither would be appropriate.

Shang Zenian's brows knitted deeply. "Jiang Cheng, what's got you being so difficult now?"

"..."

"If you're still obsessed with trying to make me straight, then give up. Unless I die, don't even think about leaving me."

With that, Shang Zenian walked over, swept Jiang Cheng up without giving him a choice, carried him to the bedroom, and laid him on the bed. He helped him take off his jacket and pulled the blanket over him.

Shang Zenian's bed was soft. Jiang Cheng buried his face in the pillow, which was filled with Shang Zenian's scent. Strangely, the aches in his body didn't feel as unbearable, but his eyes grew misty on their own.

This was his normal reaction when he had a fever—his tear ducts became especially sensitive, almost like he had a condition where tears just flowed uncontrollably; even blinking would make him cry.

Was he crying just from that?

Shang Zenian looked at him, closed his eyes for a moment, reached out to cover his eyes, and softened his voice. "Rest for a while."

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, wanting to ask about the situation between him and Chen Yin. Shang Zenian's earlier words seemed to imply that he and that Chen Yin hadn't hit it off, so he was going to keep pestering him?

But it was as if all his strength had been drained, and he couldn't bring himself to ask.

Or maybe he had no right, no courage to ask.

Just then, the doorbell rang. It was the doctor. The doctor took his temperature, asked about his drug allergies, and then hooked him up to an IV.

As the cool liquid dripped into his body, Jiang Cheng soon drifted off to sleep again. Shang Zenian saw the doctor out, called someone to have some food delivered, and then walked into the kitchen.

It was then that he noticed the note stuck on the refrigerator, still sitting there untouched, just as he had left it, not torn off.

Over the summer break, Shang Zenian had been in charge of a project that had an urgent situation requiring his personal attention. He hadn't told Jiang Cheng via WeChat; instead, he had chosen to leave a note, thinking that when Jiang Cheng came that day and saw it, he would cook himself a meal before leaving, since there was plenty of food in the fridge. It would save him from going back to eat the awful cafeteria food and, because he was too frugal to spend money, only eating two vegetable dishes, leaving himself so thin.

But the note was still here, perfectly intact. Had he not seen it? Or had he seen it and just couldn't be bothered to tear it down?

And Jiang Cheng's reaction today was very off. Ever since National Day, their relationship had improved a lot, and he could clearly feel that Jiang Cheng was trying to accept his feelings.

In the three days he was away, he hadn't sent Jiang Cheng any messages. One reason was that the situation was tricky, and he was swamped with work. Another was that he had been pushing too hard during the National Day period. From the night he deliberately used He Jun to provoke Jiang Cheng, he knew Jiang Cheng was starting to rebel under the pressure, so he gave him some time to cool off for a few days.

This little jerk really had no heart. If he didn't contact him, Jiang Cheng wouldn't send him a single word.

And now, this cooling-off period had set their relationship back to the bad old days!

Shang Zenian's hand clenched at his side, suppressing the frustration and stubbornness inside him.

Just then, his phone rang. It was a voice call from Lu Xiyuan.

Shang Zenian answered.

"Brother Shang, I heard you're back in Yanjing. Haha, did you actually see the real Chen Yin? Does she look like Jiang Cheng? Is she prettier than Jiang Cheng?"

Shang Zenian frowned. "Why would I meet her?"

"Oh? Didn't you rush back to Nancheng just to see her?"

"Do I have that much free time?" Shang Zenian leaned against the kitchen counter. "Don't go spreading this around. Don't let Jiang Cheng find out."

It might make him think that since the real Chen Yin was back, he could run away.

Don't even think about it!

Whether Chen Yin came back or not meant nothing to him. In his mind, there was only one Chen Yin, and no one could replace her.

Lu Xiyuan's voice suddenly became very sheepish. "Uh... well, cough, don't get mad, but, um, actually, on the day you left, I happened to run into Jiang Cheng when he was heading to your place to cook. Seeing that he didn't know anything, I... I just told him about it."

Shang Zenian: "..."

Jiang Cheng didn't sleep well. Mainly because his body was uncomfortable—flushes of heat and chills alternately wracked him, making him feel like he was dying.

In his haze, he felt someone helping him sit up, and then warm liquid was given to him to drink.

Warm water.

Jiang Cheng, whose throat was parched from the fever, instinctively lowered his head and drank quite a bit. His throat felt a little better, but his mouth still tasted bitter.

He cracked his eyes open and saw a face close up, leaning in. Before he could even be startled, he suddenly felt his lips warm—Shang Zenian was kissing him directly.

Jiang Cheng, slow to react, was stunned for a moment before he thought to struggle, but Shang Zenian held him. "Don't move, the needle will shift."

"...You'll catch what I have," Jiang Cheng said weakly.

"I'm not afraid..."

Shang Zenian sucked on his lips for a while before letting go and said in a low voice, "Did you think that by leaving for three days, I went back to find that real Chen Yin?"

Jiang Cheng's whole body involuntarily stiffened.

Shang Zenian's guess was confirmed, and he curled his lips.

"So," Shang Zenian pulled back a little, pressing his forehead against Jiang Cheng's, looking into his eyes, and asked, "Were you jealous?"

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Author's note: I see everyone is very curious about the real Chen Yin. She will appear in the next chapter, but she won't be a villain. That would be too cliché and boring.