He was not young anymore, the same age as Chen Jiaojiao.
At twenty, he was still timid about getting vaccinated. How pitiful it was for a man to be poor.
She hadn't intended to bother with him anymore, but thinking he might still be going to the neighborhood to tutor that evening, and then do ridesharing after, Chen Jiaojiao couldn't help but want to say a few words to him.
"Are you going out after getting vaccinated?"
He would surely be going out; why else would he stay?
Xiang Yang found her words disjointed, but he nodded.
"Let's go together."
One was a distinguished elder sister, the other a clean and pure university student.
Despite being the same age, they looked like siblings when walking together.
What's more, Chen Jiaojiao was acting superior towards him.
"I don't mean to pry into your personal affairs, I'm completely uninterested, I'm just curious if you're working two jobs because you're desperately short of money?"
Actually, he wasn't short of money.
Xiang Wan had left over 200,000 yuan in his card, enough for him to get by until graduation.
However, ever since his sister broke up with her boyfriend, he had suddenly developed an intense desire for money.
He thought, if his parents were still alive, if he weren't a poor student, if their family's financial situation were slightly better.
Perhaps his sister wouldn't have been looked down upon by potential suitors when choosing a partner.
He used to only enjoy everything his sister provided, never thinking of doing anything for her. Now, he wanted to do his best to make amends.
Besides, a gentleman loves wealth and obtains it righteously. He wasn't stealing or robbing; he was earning it through his own efforts. What was there to be ashamed of?
"Is there anyone in the world who isn't short of money?"
Her rhetorical question momentarily rendered Chen Jiaojiao speechless.
Indeed, no one in the world would mind having more money.
The world's richest man worked tirelessly every day to maintain his position.
"Fine. But there are ways to earn money. Since you're already in university, you must understand a lot of principles, not less than me. There's a saying that goes, 'Choice is more important than effort,' you know?"
Xiang Yang certainly knew, but he didn't understand what she meant.
"What do you want to say?"
"I mean, if you just want to earn enough money for food and drink, the jobs you're doing now are sufficient."
"But if you want to have a girlfriend, travel, or even buy a house and settle down in Nancheng in the future, the jobs you're doing now are meaningless."
Didn't Xiang Yang know this?
He earned 150 yuan per hour tutoring, 300 yuan a day, but he only had three sessions a week.
As a rideshare driver, he had to get off work during peak traffic hours. Sometimes he made one or two hundred yuan, other times he finished without even getting a fare.
Relying on this small amount for living expenses was possible, but it was far from enough to escape poverty and become rich.
People say a person cannot earn money beyond their cognitive scope.
His current vision and capabilities were limited to this extent. What else could he do besides earning this money?
He didn't reply, looking at Chen Jiaojiao, waiting for her to continue.
Chen Jiaojiao put on a very seasoned expression.
"Actually, sometimes appearance and physique are innate scarce resources. God has given you a meal ticket; it just depends on whether you can discover it."
She turned her head and appraised Xiang Yang from head to toe.
"You're 1.85 meters tall, right?"
Xiang Yang still didn't quite understand what she was saying but honestly answered her question.
"My net height is 186."
"With your height, plus your looks, and your current age, you have your best resources at this stage. If you want to make money, make it quickly, don't waste your talent."
Xiang Yang seemed to understand a little.
After all, his sister used to work in e-commerce, and he had seen many handsome and beautiful people.
Most of them weren't very educated, but because of their above-average height and looks, they lived good lives.
"So, Miss Chen's meaning is?"
"You can consider becoming a male model. Even the most basic male model earns more per hour than you do in a day."
To be honest, after adding her on WeChat, Xiang Yang, like everyone else, had first checked her朋友圈.
Chen Jiaojiao's朋友圈 was very rich in content.
There were pictures of beautiful scenery, delicious food, selfies, clubbing, drinking with friends, and even advertisements for herself.
It was evident that her life was vibrant, happy, and her demeanor was bold.
Therefore, Xiang Yang was not surprised that she would mention male models.
However, this was not what he expected.
It wasn't that he looked down on the modeling profession, but he knew it was a youthful career, and a path that could easily lead astray, so he didn't want it.
After studying for so many years, if he ended up on this path, it would make his sister sad.
"I understand. Thank you for your kindness, Miss Chen, but..."
"What do you understand? What do you understand?"
Chen Jiaojiao detested people who thought they were clever and gave him an impatient glance.
"I haven't finished speaking, what do you think I want you to do? Be a male model who walks the runway or entertains rich women? You don't have that capital!"
She reached out and pinched his chest and arms.
"Those people have very fit bodies; they must have at least eight-pack abs. Do you?"
Xiang Yang: "..."
"Their smiles are so sweet, and they're so eloquent. Look at yourself."
"..."
"I'm talking about print models, online shoot models. Do you buy clothes online? Those who just stand still, with a blank expression, acting as coat racks, understand?"
So, she was talking about the profession his sister used to do.
Xiang Yang felt a sense of relief in his heart and couldn't help but curve his lips.
"I understand."
"You understand again. What do you understand? What do you understand?"
In all the time they had known each other, this was the first time she had seen him smile.
Although it was just a slight curve of his lips, she had to admit, it was quite attractive.
When he wasn't smiling, he had a cool, world-weary face, but when he smiled, he looked a bit sunny…
Chen Jiaojiao was momentarily lost in thought, then put on a stern face and lectured him.
"What kind of person do you think I am, to take you to do that? I'm talking about legitimate part-time jobs."
"I have a friend who works as a model agent. She's signed with a legitimate company and only introduces proper jobs."
"It's a bit strenuous, though, shooting winter clothes in summer and summer clothes in winter. But the pay is very considerable."
Xiang Yang: "Oh."
"Don't just say 'oh.' They might not even take a liking to you. I'm just putting it out there. If you're willing, I'll try to connect you since I feel sorry for you."
Although Xiang Yang hadn't been exposed to that industry, it was somewhat related to his sister's previous work, so he didn't reject it.
An opportunity had been delivered to his doorstep; it would be too foolish to refuse it outright.
Xiang Yang finally saw her genuine kindness clearly at this moment, his eyes shining brightly.
"Thank you, Miss Chen. I'll trouble you."
Seeing his desire for the job, Chen Jiaojiao said with an arrogant expression, "You agreed so quickly? Don't you need to consider it further?"
Xiang Yang replied honestly, "You're a good person, you probably won't scam me."
Idiot. You don't even know how to compliment someone. How can you compliment a girl by saying she's a good person?
Chen Jiaojiao rolled her eyes at him.
"Fine. Then give me a photo, and I'll send it to the other party to see. We'll talk further after they take a liking to you."