Fang Xiaoxia was initially resistant to the man's request.
However, following his line of thought, she carefully weighed the cost.
The cost was low, the benefits high – a good choice.
"This..."
Although Fang Xiaoxia had inwardly agreed, she still maintained her reserve.
The man was not in a hurry; he could already see the outcome in the young woman's eyes.
A pretense of refusal, a hint of departure.
This was a tacit understanding, a precursor to reaching an agreement.
To help the girl break through her limits, he only needed to give her a gentle push, just one more push. Sud an Novel Network
There was no sense of guilt, as he had done this sort of thing too many times.
Society's explanation for such behavior was quite clear: because they were "greedy," greed required a price to be paid!
"Just a small kiss, a gentle one. See, there's a camera there. As long as you let me complete my task."
The man spoke earnestly, his voice magnetic and gentle.
Hearing this, Fang Xiaoxia felt, "He's not a bad person, he's a kindred spirit, a big brother!"
"Kiss!"
The man's words were pleasing to her ears, and Fang Xiaoxia quickly leaned in and gave his cheek a light peck.
It was tinged with girlish shyness, feeling rather unnatural.
"Hahahaha, hahahaha!"
The man laughed with satisfaction; this was what he wanted.
Fang Xiaoxia seemed to be embarrassed by his laughter and quietly lowered her head, but her eyes were still fixed on the set of keys on the table.
The man saw her intention, and his eyes gleamed with more triumph.
Women's vanity was their greatest tool.
"Clatter!"
The man casually picked up the keys from the table, his index finger threaded through the keyring's loop.
"Want them?"
He dangled the keys in front of Fang Xiaoxia.
Fang Xiaoxia remained silent, but she didn't immediately turn to leave. The man understood her answer and spoke to himself:
"Yes, only by obtaining more can one stand out from the crowd and successfully secure this job. However, these keys come at a rather high price. I advise you to leave now."
"Leave? That... no."
Fang Xiaoxia spoke, with a hint of a little girl's petulance.
It was evident that despite her gentleness, there was a stubborn streak in her.
She had already undressed, she had already kissed him, what else couldn't be done?
She could not leave now, or all her efforts would be in vain. Moreover, this job was something she had long yearned for; she couldn't give up halfway.
After a few minutes of silence, she said tremblingly, "Tell me, what are the conditions?"
The man seemed to have been waiting for her to speak first. He lounged with his legs propped on the coffee table, his fingers tapping lightly on the surface.
"It's actually very simple. The important thing is whether you can overcome your inner hurdle. Have you ever seen those lingerie shows on television?"
Sensing the moment was right, the man got straight to the point.
"Yes, I have. What about it?"
Fang Xiaoxia followed his lead and asked.
"It's for you to walk around here wearing lingerie," the man said, glancing at Fang Xiaoxia.
She appeared flustered and nervous, which was a normal reaction. Many girls were like this at first.
"Don't be afraid. You might not have runway experience, but this is the unique aspect of this job. If you get this job, you'll have to do photo shoots like these often, or collaborate with the world's most famous magazines. I'm sure you've seen their covers – they're that bold!"
The man explained in a calm tone. He was merely stating facts, and Fang Xiaoxia didn't detect any ulterior motive.
She certainly knew about celebrities posing for magazines and had once envied them greatly.
"To break through oneself, to let oneself fly, only then can one succeed!"
A voice within her kept urging her to take this step, searching for excuses.
After a brief struggle, she said, "I agree. But I need the keys first!"
Saying this, she immediately picked up the keys from the table.
It seemed as if only by holding the keys in her hand could she feel secure.
Fang Xiaoxia agreed, and the man smiled triumphantly.
His smile was deserved, his confidence unshakable.
The moment Fang Xiaoxia began to undress, his expression turned serious, his eyes narrowed into slits as he scrutinized her from head to toe.
No one could comprehend the tempestuous waves within him, only he himself knew.
Although Fang Xiaoxia was somewhat timid and her steps were a bit awkward, these were not the main points.
Just as she finished walking a section and frantically looked for her clothes, the man started clapping.
"Clap, clap, clap clap clap!"
"Congratulations, you've broken through your limits. A million-dollar annual salary awaits you. Keep up the good work!"
"Really?"
Fang Xiaoxia couldn't believe her ears. Had she actually succeeded? A moment of sheer joy made her lose all judgment.
Overjoyed, she dropped all her guard.
"Yes, you've succeeded, we've succeeded!"
The man replied, and then he swept Fang Xiaoxia into his arms, spinning her around the room.
Although the man's actions were somewhat improper, Fang Xiaoxia assumed he was just overly excited.
Perhaps if she succeeded, he would succeed too.
Ordinary people tend to rationalize everything positively when they are happy, never questioning its veracity.
The man took the opportunity to touch her inappropriately, and Fang Xiaoxia did not resist.
Everything unfolded in a semi-coerced, hazy manner. Of course, they did not go further, but they exchanged contact information in the end.
Even as Fang Xiaoxia left with the three essential items she was meant to get, plus a designer handbag, she still believed the man was her benefactor, her savior.
She had even started planning: if she got the million-dollar job, she would definitely thank him and host a feast at the most famous restaurant in Minghua City.
But what awaited her was Aunt Hong's displeased voice: "Next!"
Bai Suxiang, seeing Fang Xiaoxia carrying many items, felt a pang of worry, but also joy for her.
"How was it?"
"It was great. This round was actually quite simple; you just needed to break through yourself!"
Fang Xiaoxia was very excited.
Although the items she got were the same quantity as others, the value of her items was clearly higher.
From a value perspective, she was already in the top three.
With this surge of excitement, time seemed to fly, and it felt like the last girl had emerged with her items in the blink of an eye.
The girls were whispering and chattering outside.
Aunt Hong had left and reappeared at some unknown time.
The only thing that quieted the girls down again was the announcement from the loudspeaker: "The assessment results will now be announced!"
The beach was so silent that one could hear the "patter" of the waves against the shore.