Forced Me to Regress, Huh?

When they arrived at the entrance of the neighborhood, Cheng Zhu and Wang Anquan, who lived in the same small area, said goodbye to each other.

Once home, Cheng Zhu immediately hid the ‘local specialties’ he had brought back from Guanyun.

If his family found out about them, he would have a hard time explaining.

Yes, Cheng Zhu had no intention of telling his parents he was getting into e-commerce to sell adult products.

This way, he would be able to avoid a few beatings.

I was raised by Old Cheng with such effort. How can I not understand him? Cheng Zhu thought.

At night, after Yunlai Restaurant closed, Old Cheng and Xu Yun brought Little Youzi home.

Having not seen her brother for a few days, Cheng You became even more clingy.

Today, she wasn’t sporting her usual twin buns hairstyle. Her hair was completely down and casually draped over her shoulders.

Cheng Zhu ruffled her hair with a big hand, messing it up a bit. The little girl immediately tidied it back, clearly beginning to like looking good.

“It’s time to brush your teeth and wash your face,” he said, looking at the time.

“Big Brother, can you tell me a bedtime story today?” Cheng You raised her head, looking at Cheng Zhu with her round, sparkling eyes, resembling a little pet asking for a treat, her gaze full of please, please, please.

It’s hard to refuse her. Cheng Zhu said, “Sure.”

“Yay!” Little Youzi jumped up and raised her hands above her head in celebration. Then she dashed towards the bathroom.

“Put on your slippers,” Cheng Zhu reminded.

“Okay!” She obediently turned back, slipped her little feet into her cartoon slippers, and quickly walked to the bathroom with a light patter.

“Make sure to brush your teeth properly!” Cheng Zhu called out.

After finishing up in the bathroom, Little Youzi jumped onto her small bed, adjusted the bedside lamp to the dimmest setting, and covered herself with her summer blanket. Then she lay down obediently and looked at Cheng Zhu with eager eyes, ready for the bedtime story.

“You’re almost six and still want to listen to bedtime stories.” Cheng Zhu pinched her little cheek playfully and then began to tell the story.

The story he told was an adaptation of a parody.

“Once upon a time, there was a king who wanted to choose a princess for the prince, but he had a very strange requirement. The princess had to weigh exactly fifty kilograms.

“Then a princess went, but when she was weighed, she was just a little off from the required weight.

“On her way home, she encountered a little sprite who gave her a suggestion, saying he could hide in her ear and cast a spell to make her weigh exactly fifty kilograms.

“The princess, full of hope, returned to the king and was weighed again. As expected, she weighed exactly fifty kilograms. But in her excitement, she shook too much, and the little sprite fell out.”

At this point, Little Youzi’s long eyelashes trembled with tension, and her small hands clutched her blanket tightly.

“The king immediately became furious and shouted, ‘Who are you? Why are you hiding in her ear?!'” Cheng Zhu narrated with vivid expression.

“The little sprite looked at the kind and said…” He paused for dramatic effect and leaned close to the ear of the anxious Little Youzi. “I’m telling a story to the little princess!”

Understanding the twist, Little Youzi laughed happily. Little did she know that the original version of this story was about a tiny shrimp and a little turtle.

Cheng Zhu had once told this story to Jiang Wanzhou, using a different version where the dragon king was picking a son-in-law. When a turtle went for the selection, its weight wasn’t enough, so a tiny shrimp hid on the turtle to add weight.

The final punchline naturally turned into: “I’m telling a story to the little turtle. (TL Note: In Chinese slang, it can mean little bastard.)”

After hearing it, Jiang Wanzhou was so angry that he rolled his eyes and raised his fingers, preparing to flick Cheng Zhu. “Say that again! I dare you to say that again!”

* * *

After coaxing his sister to sleep, Cheng Zhu tiptoed back to his room.

He booked a hotel room online for the upcoming photo shoot.

When the scheduled day arrived, he packed the samples and went out in the afternoon.

Yes, he really didn’t bring Wang Anquan.

He’s still young and a student. Let me handle such worldly matters alone.

Did you think I was joking when I said I wouldn’t bring you? I meant it.

Since Yezi had to work at Shen Minglang’s bar at night, the shoot could only be between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Five hours was more than enough time.

To ensure there were ample shooting scenes, Cheng Zhu had specially booked a suite, sparing no expense.

As soon as Yezi entered the room, she exclaimed, “So luxurious?! It’s just a photo shoot. Are you staying here tonight?”

She had clearly dressed up carefully today. Her makeup was even more exquisite than when she usually went to work. She also carried a large bag, though its contents were a mystery.

“What’s the point of staying out alone? I prefer my bed at home.” Cheng Zhu shrugged. “If you want to stay, you can take the room card after we’re done.”

“Sure,” Yezi said happily. This way, she could take some selfies and post them on her Moments later.

People who worked nightlife like her typically took jobs far from their hometowns, and some even had two WeChat accounts.

One account was for work, used to boost sales. Its Moments was full of every trick in the book to lure big spenders into splurging.

The other was a personal account, used to showcase an elegant and beautiful lifestyle, focusing on a peaceful and quiet life.

Cheng Zhu understood this very well. He smiled and said, “Can we negotiate a discount on your modeling fee?”

Yezi ignored him and opened the bag she brought. She took out all kinds of items: lipsticks in various shades, powder compacts, contour and highlighter palettes, curling iron, and other tools.

“Tsk, as expected of a former model, you’re quite professional,” Cheng Zhu praised.

Then he noticed more items inside the bag and asked, “Why did you bring makeup remover, facial cleanser, and even skincare products? Whoa, a phone charger too? What’s the deal with all this?”

These were typical items for spending the night out.

Hearing his teasing, Yezi wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, she retorted, “You’re indeed worthy of being a former model too. You’re quite observant and know a lot. So, boss, what do you think I mean?”

Then she increased the firepower and said, “Handsome, help me get something to drink. No bottled water. I want a cold drink from the mini fridge in the room.”

When she said the words cold drink, she gave a playful wink.

She had come prepared, complete with overnight essentials and the readiness to indulge in cold beverages.

Unfortunately, Cheng Zhu’s response didn’t match her expectations. There was no trace of boyish embarrassment on his face. Instead, he urged, “Let’s keep things moving. Even though we agreed on an hourly rate, chatting time doesn’t count.”

Yezi put on a speechless expression and picked up a sample that Cheng Zhu had brought. “Which one are we starting with?”

“The secretary look,” Cheng Zhu said.

It was important to ease into a shoot, so it was best to start with outfits that had more coverage and progress step by step.

Yezi nodded and was about to go to the bathroom to change when she couldn’t resist holding up one of the items delicately between two fingers.

Calling it clothing was generous. It was more like a few strings.

“No way. We didn’t agree on this beforehand. I’m not doing this type,” Yezi said.

Cheng Zhu sat on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and crossed his legs. “I always keep my word. This piece isn’t meant for the shoot.”

“Then why did you bring it?” Yezi felt he didn’t mean what he said.

He leaned back on the sofa and grinned. “This is our first cooperation. It’s a gift for you.

“It’s a small gift, just a gesture of respect.” Cheng Zhu had deliberately brought it here to test Yezi’s boundaries for the shoot.

She held it delicately between two fingers and then set it back down. She curled her lips and murmured, “It’s pretty thin, isn’t it?”