Tao Zhi’s eyes widened instantly.
Before he could ask what Fu Zheng wanted to do, Fu Zheng spoke up proactively and explained the new plan.
Even when not meeting in person, he had to pretend to be a girl. Call him “brother” on WeChat, send photos from time to time to stay on his radar—including but not limited to skirt photos, leg shots, collarbone shots, and the like.
Share some daily life updates too.
That was the full online dating playbook.
Tao Zhi listened and finished with: “?”
“……”
Tao Zhi, a honest and simple college student from the backwoods, could never have imagined city folks could be this devious?
Dressing as a girl was one thing, but now he had to take…… uh, those kinds of photos to seduce?
He froze on the spot, pointing at himself as if to say—
Me?
“Of course you.” Tao Zhi was shocked, but Fu Zheng remained perfectly calm: “Don’t worry, we won’t take anything too extreme. Leg shots are fine.”
Tao Zhi had already bared his legs in front of Fu Si Heng yesterday anyway. Now it was just asking him to snap some leg photos.
Simple.
Fu Zheng did not think his request was excessive at all. If anything, he wondered if it was too tame—would Fu Si Heng even take the bait?
But then he thought.
What if Fu Si Heng was just as clueless as his idiot friend, getting completely fooled by a few leg shots, collarbone pics, and skirt photos, falling head over heels?
Anyway, worth a try.
Fu Zheng tossed the skirt to Tao Zhi.
Tao Zhi caught it.
——Purely on reflex.
But as soon as he held it, he realized what he had done. His face flushed bright red, and he backed up several steps: “But this is so weird, Fu Zheng. W-we can’t do this.”
“How is it weird?” Fu Zheng brushed it off.
Tao Zhi backed up; he advanced.
Soon, he had Tao Zhi pinned against the door.
Tao Zhi: “……”
Tao Zhi did not want to do it.
He looked up at Fu Zheng, hoping to beg off, but saw only a thirst for revenge in Fu Zheng’s eyes.
“Besides, you’ve already shown your thighs to Fu Si Heng.”
Tao Zhi: “……”
He had, but—but how could he say it like that?
“That’s different.” Tao Zhi said softly, steeling himself to defend his case.
“It’s not different.” Fu Zheng had known Tao Zhi long enough to know what worked on him.
Tired of arguing, Fu Zheng pulled out his phone and transferred him 10,000 yuan: “Good now?”
Tao Zhi: “……”
–
Tao Zhi succumbed once again to Fu Zheng’s money offensive.
He accepted the money, agreed to take the photos, and even changed his display name to something cute and adorable—a little bunny rabbit—as per Fu Zheng’s instructions.
Too cute.
So cute that Tao Zhi covered his face for a good while before calming down and accepting the name.
When he finally moved his palms away, his snowy-white cheeks were still flushed. Tao Zhi asked shyly: “How should I take it?”
Fu Zheng: “……”
How the hell would he know? He had never taken any.
Tao Zhi really used no brain at all, asking him like he was the expert. As if he had experience.
He had not even dated, okay?
“Baidu it.” Fu Zheng said expressionlessly.
Tao Zhi said “oh” obediently and Baidu’d it.
As he Baidu’d, Fu Zheng stood beside him watching.
After browsing for a bit, Tao Zhi looked up: “Got it.”
……
“?”
Fu Zheng acted like he did not understand, still blocking his way, head lowered, unmoving.
Tao Zhi looked puzzled: “Fu Zheng?”
“Got a question for you.” Fu Zheng finally looked up from his phone.
He had just seen a bunch of bare thighs, and his expression was extremely complicated. Especially some of those…… provocative poses.
He finally understood that so-called leg shots were not what he had imagined.
Thinking that Tao Zhi would take similar ones soon, Fu Zheng looked at his innocent face and inexplicably felt a spark of irritation: “How much does your family owe exactly?”
Why did he agree to anything for money?
“Ah.” Tao Zhi blinked.
Then he answered very honestly: “Over three hundred thousand, I think.”
“What’s up?” he asked.
Fu Zheng: “……”
Just three hundred thousand.
To the old Fu Zheng, that was barely one night’s spending.
But to Tao Zhi, it was an astronomical sum, scraped together from various relatives.
Borrowing from relatives meant no interest, but it was not easy.
Creditors hounded them every few days, urging repayment openly or subtly—it happened often.
On top of that, Tao Zhi’s high school years had been funded by his homeroom teacher.
The family was too poor; he nearly dropped out to work in a factory. His teacher covered tuition and living expenses, allowing him to continue studying and get into a good university.
The teacher never mentioned repayment, but Tao Zhi kept that debt in his heart.
He really needed money badly.
As long as it was not selling his body, he could grit his teeth and agree.
Fu Zheng was generous, and Tao Zhi appreciated it. But he did not know what Fu Zheng meant now, looking at him with only confusion.
“Never mind.” Fu Zheng frowned, suppressed his odd thoughts, and stepped back to give Tao Zhi space.
Tao Zhi said “oh,” clutched the short skirt, and went to the bathroom to change.
……
When he came out, Tao Zhi sat on his chair.
