LIGHTNOVELWORLD 111. A Pure Exchange Between Friends
“So, you’re a part-time model now, huh?”
Yang Bing asked, clearly interested, as she looked at Ling Ning.
Since finding out that Yang Bing was a highly experienced senior in the modeling industry, Ling Ning couldn’t let the opportunity to learn from her pass by. After dinner, she had sent the two little ones home for a bath while she stayed at Yang Bing’s house to pick up some tips.
Once she found out that Ling Ning was also a model, Yang Bing got even more curious. Though she’d long since retired from the modeling world, giving some pointers to a junior still intrigued her.
“Yeah, though it’s just part-time work as a commercial model,” Ling Ning said, sounding a bit embarrassed.
“Then strike a few poses for me,” Yang Bing said.
Ling Ning nodded and earnestly started posing. Since Yang Bing had asked, it clearly meant she was willing to help. Ling Ning wanted to make sure she did her best.
Yang Bing walked around Ling Ning a few times, her expression still that same bright smile, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking. Xiaoxue, the little girl, stood quietly at the side, watching them, her thoughts unreadable.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Yang Bing clapped her hands, indicating that Ling Ning could stop.
“How long have you been practicing these poses?”
Ling Ning counted on her fingers for a moment before replying, somewhat uncertainly, “About two months, I think…”
Yang Bing raised an eyebrow at her answer and continued, “And do you practice at home when you’re resting?”
Ling Ning shook her head. At home, she had to take care of her daughter, write her novels, and with so few rest days—plus the occasional shift at the cafe—there wasn’t much time for practice.
“This is exactly why I hate people like you with natural talent. No matter how hard others try, they can never beat someone who just does it half-heartedly.” Someone had once said that to Yang Bing, and now she passed the same words on to Ling Ning, unchanged.
“Huh?”
Yang Bing waved a dismissive hand. “It’s nothing. Just ignore the details.”
“By the way, it seems Xiaoxue really likes you.”
Perhaps hearing her name, the little girl blinked and looked over before coming to cling to the hem of Ling Ning’s skirt. Ling Ning had noticed that Xiaoxue really liked pulling at her skirt. She should be grateful to Qin Qing—the clothes she gave her were high quality; otherwise, Ling Ning might genuinely worry that her skirt would tear.
“Huh!? Maybe kids just tend to like me.” Ling Ning smiled sheepishly. She had no idea why Yang Bing had suddenly brought up Xiaoxue.
In her previous life, Ling Ning wasn’t fond of children at all. To her, kids were like walking disasters. Every time one showed up, her collection of limited-edition figurines would be in jeopardy—all those rare treasures she had painstakingly collected. Not to mention her computer—every time there was a brat around, they would insist on playing with it. One time, a relative’s child even formatted her computer, erasing the outlines and drafts of her new book. She had wanted to kill that kid right then and there. After that incident, Ling Ning moved out to live on her own.
But everything changed once she had her daughter. Perhaps it was because her own daughter was never a troublemaker.
“How about we make a deal?”
“A deal?” Ling Ning instinctively covered her backside, looking at Yang Bing with a hint of alarm.
Yang Bing rolled her eyes, exasperated. “You’ve seen Xiaoxue’s situation. She doesn’t interact with anyone. I can’t just send her off to school like this, and she seems to really like you. So I want to ask if you’d be willing to come over as her private tutor—not for academics, just to spend time with her, play with her, and help her open up a bit. In return, I’ll teach you how to be a proper model. What do you say?”
Ling Ning let out a bitter laugh. “Sister Bing, I’m in my third year of high school right now. My schedule is pretty tight, so I’d only be able to come by in the evenings.”
“No problem. Evenings work.” Yang Bing shrugged. She was unemployed, so her time was completely flexible.
If Ling Ning came over in the evenings, there wouldn’t be much time left for writing. That meant she would have to write during the classes she could afford to skip. And if there weren’t any such classes, she’d have to use her lunch break. It sounded exhausting.
But this was a rare opportunity—one she couldn’t afford to miss. A little extra effort was worth it. For the sake of those adorable banknotes, she’d do whatever it took… though, of course, that part stayed in her mind. She still wasn’t bold enough to actually go that far.
“I’ll be in your care then, Sister Bing,” Ling Ning said firmly.
“You mean ‘teacher!'” Yang Bing corrected her, putting on a serious face. In truth, she’d always been curious about what it would be like to be a teacher. After all, she herself had been put through the wringer by her own mentor. Now it was finally her turn to have a student—mwahaha~
“Yes, Teacher!”
Ling Ning, busy trying to work out her new schedule in her head, suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine, her skin covered in goosebumps. For some reason, she had an ominous feeling.
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In the outskirts of town, an abandoned factory was occupied by a group of about a dozen people. In a nearby small room, many young children and teenage girls lay scattered about. Two adult men stood at the door, each holding a metal pipe. It was obvious this was the traffickers’ hideout.
“Sister Feng, weren’t you supposed to be bringing in a good catch today? Why’d you come back empty-handed?” asked an ordinary-looking middle-aged woman.
“Ugh, don’t even talk about it. I almost had her, but then someone showed up—a familiar face to the girl. It’s your fault for not being around. If you had been there, we could’ve grabbed both of them. That older one looked fresh and innocent—I’m sure she would’ve fetched a high price.”
The speaker was none other than the gaudily dressed middle-aged woman Ling Ning had encountered that afternoon. Every time she thought about it, she felt a surge of frustration. She’d been so close, only for her plan to be ruined at the last second.
“Alright, that’s enough. Everyone listen up.” A bald man with a scar running across his head—a scar that made him look like he’d been slashed—spoke up. He was clearly the boss of the group. His voice commanded respect, and no one dared argue.
“You lot have been getting too reckless lately. The cops are cracking down hard. I don’t think we’ll be able to move this batch for a while, so I want all of you to lay low and avoid trouble until the heat dies down. Once we get these goods out of here, we’ll all get paid and go home for the holidays. Got it?”
No one dared to disagree, and a hush fell over the room.
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Author’s Note:
First chapter after the release—please subscribe~