Chapter 9

Mo Yuanzhou touched the Patek Philippe on his left wrist and considered his words. "To be honest, I'm not without requests either. I just returned to the country, I don't have many connections, and the brand I founded is only getting started. I can't find a good model. You're a great fit. I hope you can shoot for us for a season for free. In return, I can teach you billiards for free."

Chi Ning rapidly weighed the pros and cons.

The chance to become a world champion's student was hard to come by. Being a model was completely acceptable.

"Deal." Chi Ning glanced at Mo Yuanzhou's business card, then turned and took the sticky note Xu Jiahao had left on the table. He wrote down his name and number, then handed it to Mo Yuanzhou. "This is my contact information."

He paused, then said in the tone one might use for a sugar daddy, "Teacher Mo."

Mo Yuanzhou: ...

You didn't sound like you were calling me teacher. You sounded like you were calling me boss.

For some reason, he suddenly felt like a glittering golden God of Wealth, liable to have a piece chipped off him by Chi Ning at any moment and sold for cash.

He sighed, glanced at Qin Heng, whose gaze had remained fixed on them, and said, "Is that your boyfriend? Why's he been watching us the whole time? Afraid I'll run off with you?"

"What?" Chi Ning turned his head and happened to meet Qin Heng's shifting gaze. He immediately denied it. "We're not that familiar."

Homosexuality had only stopped being classified as hooliganism in Hua Nation in 1997. Even four years later, most people still could not accept it.

As someone who had returned from overseas, Mo Yuanzhou did not know about this. Just as he was about to say something else, the friend who had encouraged him to take on a student came over and said, "Alright, alright. This isn't Britain. It's not that open here, so say less. Didn't he not know how to use the rest? Why don't you teach him? If you don't, I'm going over there to teach him myself."

"Get lost." Mo Yuanzhou chased his friend away and focused on teaching Chi Ning how to use the rest.

When the older and younger pair stood at the billiards table, they were remarkably harmonious. Mo Yuanzhou was an exceptionally conscientious teacher and especially gentlemanly while instructing him. Even when correcting Chi Ning's posture, he never touched any of Chi Ning's exposed skin.

After two hours, Chi Ning had reviewed all the basic cue techniques. He had even made slight adjustments to his stance, making his shots noticeably more effortless.

Teacher Mo's lessons were humorous and engaging. While teaching technique, he would also explain its origins and development. It felt less like a lesson and more like chatting and having fun.

Chi Ning had spent those two hours in complete ease, and after they were done, he still felt unsatisfied.

Mo Yuanzhou felt a faint sense of accomplishment rise from within.

No wonder some people liked being teachers. So this was what it felt like to have a smart student.

"Ahem." Mo Yuanzhou cleared his throat. "You start school tomorrow, right? Where do you go to school? When can we take the photos?"

"I have ten days off. I can rest for another week, and after that, I'll be free anytime." Chi Ning had lost his initial wariness toward Mo Yuanzhou and smiled. "Any time within the next seven days works."

"Alright. I'll contact you tomorrow to shoot the summer collection. It's getting late, so remember to let me know you got home safely."

"Okay." Chi Ning got into a taxi, waved to Teacher Mo, and stared blankly out the window all the way home.

The Chi Residence was brightly lit that day. For once, Chi Yang had not been thrown out of the house by their angry father. The family sat around the dining table waiting for their youngest son to come home for dinner, and the atmosphere was extremely solemn.

Chi Ning changed into slippers, then stopped as he headed toward the table. "What happened?"

Chi Yang rested his elbows on the table, laced his fingers together beneath his chin, and said solemnly, "We were wondering exactly where we gave ourselves away. Why would such a good student, one who never paid attention to the outside world and even seemed slightly withdrawn, notice something was off?"

Chi Ning: ...

So in your eyes, I'm mildly autistic.

"Maybe because you never seriously tried to deceive me in the first place." He walked over and sat at the table, picked up a spoonful of freshly made sweet egg custard, and put it into his mouth. In a wonderful mood, he swung his legs.

Chi Yang covered his chest, feeling as if he had just been struck by cuteness.

His younger brother had previously lacked all youthful energy. He spent every day reading, studying, and doing competitions, like a wound-up machine.

Now, he had become much livelier. He went out to have fun, showed an interest in socializing, and was even conscious of exercising.

How wonderful.

Chi Ning's scalp prickled under his brother's stare. After finishing the egg custard, inspiration suddenly struck him. "Why do you want the Chi family's stock price to fall?"

"We plan to buy back the shares and regain most of them, then kick out some idiotic directors who have little money and make a lot of trouble."

Chi Yang crossed one leg over the other. "Grandpa and Grandma sold too much when they were in charge, which reduced our family's influence within the group. We're restricted in many matters."

He gently stroked Chi Ning's head. "We don't have enough money at home. It'll be more suitable to buy after driving the price down."

Chi Ning's eyes turned. "I have an idea."

He cleared his throat and straightened his back beneath Chi Baichuan's gaze. "Didn't I previously want to participate in the Olympiad? Jiu Pharmaceutical's heir is also on the finals list. He's quite capable and should take first place this time."

"Even if he doesn't take first, it doesn't matter. Public opinion can hype up his selection. Since you want to shake off those major shareholders who are dragging you down, why not release the news that Jiu Pharmaceutical's heir is participating in the Biology and Physics Olympiads? Hype it up a little, make Jiu Pharmaceutical look like it has a brighter future than us, and make them waver faster?"

With the heirs of the two companies compared side by side, Jiu Pharmaceutical had a brighter future. No one would fail to be tempted.

Chi Ning secretly twisted a loose thread hanging from the tablecloth between his fingers.

That Shen bastard had sent people to drug him and tamper with his data in his previous life. He would never let them get away with it!

Neither Chi Baichuan nor Chi Yang spoke. Chi Ning felt a little uneasy, and without realizing it, he kept pulling the thread longer and longer until he rolled it into a small ball.

Chi Yang looked solemn, feeling the power of an academic genius. "Diverting disaster eastward. Brilliant. With the caliber of people on our board, they might even drag Jiu Pharmaceutical to death after going over there."

Chi Baichuan drew in a breath. "If Jiu Pharmaceutical's heir can still win prizes in the competitions afterward, our stock price should fall even harder."

Chi Ning nodded repeatedly.

The father and two sons immediately reached an agreement, and the two older ones swiftly began taking action.

After dinner, Chi Ning lay down on his comfortable bed, leisurely flipping through a novel and occasionally poking at the fruit Grandma had sent up for him to eat.

This slacker life was immensely enjoyable, and the next seven days of shooting went smoothly as well.

After Chi Ning arrived at the place Mo Yuanzhou had mentioned, the makeup artist first praised his good skin, then he heard a whole stream of strange compliments.

"Teacher Mo has very high standards for models. We were worried we wouldn't find one and the brand's first wave wouldn't take off."

The photographer smiled at Chi Ning, who was sitting on the photography platform. "Make your eyes fiercer. Don't look so soft. Yes, yes, lift your leg a little, put your foot on the stool. That's it. Raise your chin. Can you do the look you give trash?"

Chi Ning inevitably thought of Jiang Shijie.

"Yes, yes, yes, that's exactly it!" The young photographer pressed the shutter so fast it seemed like sparks would fly.

Extremely satisfied, he raised a hand and had someone change Chi Ning into another outfit.

When Chi Ning emerged from the changing room in a loose black shirt, he heard the completely unrestrained gasps around him.

The photographer gave the boss overseeing the shoot a thumbs-up. "The creative director's eye is as damn good as ever."

But Mo Yuanzhou frowned and walked over. He raised a hand to undo the buttons at Chi Ning's collar, exposing a stretch of pale chest, then turned back and said, "Bring a pair of wide silver-rimmed glasses."

The shoot had already left Chi Ning somewhat dazed. He blankly put on the frames, hazily struck seventeen or eighteen poses, and by the end, he was so sleepy his eyes were about to close before the enthusiastic older boys and girls sent him home.

This happy and fulfilling life lasted for a full seven days, but those carefree, trouble-free days did not last long.

He had to return to campus.

On Monday, Chi Ning carried his flat backpack and walked into the classroom with a yawn, only to run into Teacher Wang peeking around at the door.

He warily stepped back.

Wang Quan's smile collapsed. "Ah... I know you don't want to go to the Physics and Biology Olympiad. Your dad told me. I won't force you."

As he spoke, he kept sneaking glances at Chi Ning.

Chi Ning sensed something bad was coming.

Wang Quan rubbed his hands together. "S University has a high school student representative competition in physics, chemistry, and biology. Do you want to go?"

Chapter 9

This competition only brought prestige, not money. Even its certificate could only be used when applying to certain schools.

He would not have thought much of a competition like this even in his previous life, much less this one.

Being perfunctory would not work. He could only turn him down with reason and emotion.

"Teacher, I know you mean well, but I don't want to do competitions anymore."

Wang Quan looked as though he had been struck by lightning.

With complete sincerity, Chi Ning said, "The certificates and results I have now are enough to get into very good schools. Shouldn't I just choose from among the schools I'm interested in?"

He thought for a moment and chose the wealthiest one among them. "How about HKU? The admissions office was very enthusiastic, and the scholarship they offer is generous. It's local too, the school atmosphere is open-minded, and it's convenient to go home."

Wang Quan could not understand at all.

Why had Chi Ning suddenly become so money-minded?

Was the Chi family's company going bankrupt?

He had not heard anything about that.

He stammered, "Uh... have you discussed this with your parents? If you really don't want to compete, you can take the college entrance examination. With your ability, you could get into the top two universities even by taking the regular exam. Gangnan is also very good... but it isn't one of the very best universities, after all."

Chi Ning shook his head. "Let's leave it at that."

Wang Quan was already dumbfounded.

He had originally wanted to reinstall the window someone had opened, but this kid's glib tongue had gone off, and now the whole house had been torn down.

Chi Ning pressed down the faint guilt rising inside him and awkwardly put on an ingratiating smile. "You can call my parents and discuss it with them. Once we've talked it through in detail, we can fill out the recommendation form."

Wang Quan opened his mouth, but for a moment, he could not find any reason to persuade Chi Ning.