Chapter 210 A Normal Sibling Relationship

Chapter 210 A Normal Sibling Relationship

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

Pema got out of bed, her hair sticking up in a mess, her eyes not fully open yet.

She felt dizzy and vaguely recalled her work on the assembly line last night, and her fingertips began to sting faintly again.

I threw off the covers, got out of bed, and staggered into the bathroom, my bare feet barely touching the floor.

The cold water splashed on my face finally cleared my head a little.

After changing my clothes and going downstairs, I found Sister Jiang busy in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, she poked her head out and said, "Bai Ma is awake? I've been keeping the porridge warm for you. Come and have some."

Baima said "Oh" and sat down at the dining table.

Sister Jiang served a steaming bowl of congee with preserved egg and lean pork, along with a side dish and a fried egg.

Baima picked up the spoon and started eating it half-heartedly.

Footsteps echoed down the stairs, and Ding Heng walked to the dining table and sat down.

"What are you planning to do today?"

Baima didn't react, mechanically stirring the porridge in the bowl with the spoon.

"Pema!?"

Ding Heng raised his voice slightly.

Bai Ma suddenly shuddered.

"what?"

"I'm asking you what you're planning to do today."

"I----"

Baima put a small piece of preserved egg into her mouth and mumbled, "I don't know."

Ding Heng asked jokingly, "What, giving up?"

Baima looked up and glared: "Who gives up! I am—Huanhuan!"

"Slowly?"

"Yesterday was so sudden, I haven't even adjusted my sleep schedule yet—"

Baima turned her face away, feeling wronged and a little guilty: "That kind of work last night was tiring and didn't pay well. Only a fool would do it a second time—"

Ding Heng chuckled softly but didn't reply.

Baima retorted angrily, "What are you laughing at? I never said I wouldn't make money! I just—want to look for other ways!"

"Okay, take your time looking."

Ding Heng stood up and picked up his car keys: "Yesterday I gave you directions, but you'll have to fend for yourself from now on. I won't offer any further assistance."

Baima bit her lip.

She worked through the night yesterday, and a large part of the reason she was able to keep going was because Ding Heng stayed by her side the whole time; otherwise, she probably would have given up long ago.

But she remained defiant: "Who needs you to accompany me? Just you wait and see."

Ding Heng was too lazy to argue with her and turned to walk towards the door.

Baima hurriedly stuffed two mouthfuls of porridge into her mouth, put down the bowl, grabbed her phone and bag from the table, and chased after him.

Upon arriving at the garage, Ding Heng had just opened the driver's side door when Bai Ma plopped down in the passenger seat.

Ding Heng got into the car and asked, "What for?"

"Hitchhiking".

Bai Ma, with a straight face, bent down to fasten her seatbelt.

Ding Heng had no choice but to start the car: "Where to?"

Baima pulled up an address on her phone and handed it over.

Ding Heng took a look at it and drove out of the villa area.

How did you feel last night?

"Sigh...sigh..."

Pema leaned back in her chair, sighing repeatedly.

"I'm exhausted! Even more exhausted than playing games all night."

She began to express her feelings: "No matter how tiring playing games is, at least your brain and hands are active, and you feel fulfilled. Last night's game—it was just repeating the same thing over and over again, my mind was completely blank, and time passed incredibly slowly."

In the latter half of the night, I was completely numb. I didn't know why I was sitting there, or when it would end. I even felt desperate.

Now I kind of understand why people work one day and rest for three days; it's just too torturous.

Ding Heng listened quietly without offering any comment.

As the car rounded an intersection, he continued, "What kind of job are you planning to apply for today?"

Baima rallied his spirits and said mysteriously, "You'll know when we get there."

The car eventually stopped in front of an office building.

Ding Heng got out of the car and looked up. On the sixteenth floor, there was a sign for a photography studio.

What are you doing here?

"To apply for a job."

Baima got out of the car and straightened her clothes slightly: "A female model in traditional clothing, properly, shouldn't be against the rules, right?"

Ding Heng looked Bai Ma up and down. She was about 1.5 meters tall with a round face, and looked like a junior high school student.

"model?"

He said incredulously, "You're like a little kid, what kind of model would want you?"

Bai Ma immediately bristled, hands on her hips: "Mind your own business! As long as it's not against the rules, it's fine."

1

She turned and walked towards the office building entrance, and Ding Heng followed.

Pema turned around: "Aren't you leaving?"

"How could I leave you to do this alone?"

Ding Heng assured him, "Don't worry, as long as it's legitimate, I won't stop you."

"Okay~"

Baima gave a smug hum.

She knew Ding Heng was concerned about her, after all, she had been deceived just yesterday.

Take the elevator up to the sixteenth floor. At the end of the corridor is a glass door with the words "Muguang Photography Studio" in large characters above it.

Baima pushed open the door and went in. The receptionist was bending down and organizing a stack of receipts.

"Hello, I'm Baima, a model here for an interview."

She greeted him politely, "I contacted Sister Mo beforehand —"

"interview?"

The receptionist looked up at Baima for two seconds, then turned and called out to the back room, "Sister Mo! The big girl models are here!"

Big kid models.

Upon hearing these four words, Ding Heng couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Baima suddenly turned around and glared at him angrily.

"Brother—is it that funny?"

No, no.

Ding Heng tried hard to suppress his smile: "I'm just curious, what made you think of becoming a children's clothing model?"

Pema crossed her arms and said, "What I call this—adapting to local conditions and finding a way out of a predicament!"

The door to the inner room was pushed open, and a woman in her early thirties came out.

Short hair, neat and capable, wearing a loose linen shirt and dark wide-leg pants.

She walked up to Baima and extended her hand: "Hello, I'm Mo Lifang, the owner of the studio."

"Hello there."

Bai Ma responded politely, with a sweet smile on her face.

Mo Lifang then turned to Ding Heng and politely asked, "Is this your guardian?"

"My brother."

Before Ding Heng could speak, Bai Ma interjected, "He came with me."

Mo Lifang sincerely asked, "Hello, hello, your family doesn't mind Xiaobai being a model, right?"

Ding Heng replied, "As long as it's something serious, there shouldn't be a problem."

"rest assured!"

Mo Lifang took out her phone, swiped a few times, and handed it over: "Take a look, this is our client's requirement reference, mainly used for e-commerce platforms and catalogs."

Ding Heng took the phone and flipped through the photos one by one.

Sportswear, Western-style school uniforms, teen hoodies, and casual wear—all ordinary styles, and the models were all teenage girls with light makeup and natural movements.

"OK."

Ding Heng handed the phone back.

Mo Lifang turned and called out to the inner room, "Xiao Li, take Baima to change her clothes."

A young woman came out from the inner room with a friendly smile: "Sister Baima, come with me."

Baima followed Xiao Li into the dressing room, and the door closed.

"Mr. Bai, please have a seat! Xiao Liu, bring some tea!"

Mo Lifang invited Ding Heng to sit down on the sofa, and Ding Heng took the opportunity to ask him questions.

"Boss Mo, how did you get in touch with Baima?"

"She contacted us on Douyin (TikTok) on her own initiative."

"Your company seems quite professional. Are you short of models?"

"There's no shortage of models."

Mo Lifang explained, "But it's particularly hard to find child models aged 12-16. Girls of this age are growing rapidly, their bones are developing quickly, and their facial features are not yet in proportion—in short, it's very difficult to find models who look good on camera, and clients are not satisfied with the photos."

But your sister's looks, body proportions, and temperament are truly rare for her age. What grade is she in now?

Ding Heng put down his cup and coughed lightly.

"Sister Mo, there's something I need to make clear to you."

"you say."

"First of all, my surname is not Bai, it's Ding, and my sister and I are not related by blood."

Mo Lifang nodded, not wanting to pry into other people's families.

Secondly—

Ding Heng glanced at the dressing room: "Bai Ma is already eighteen. She probably lied to you about her age."

"eighteen?"

Mo Lifang's smile widened: "That's great! Adults are easy to communicate with, and we don't have to worry about anything related to minors, which saves a lot of trouble."

Ding Heng was a little surprised: "Aren't you angry that she lied to you?"

"What are you angry about?"

Mo Lifang waved her hand, her tone relaxed: "We urgently need suitable models, it's not like we're checking their household registration."

To look this good at eighteen is a gift from God; I should be overjoyed.

The dressing room door opened, and Baima came out, wearing a Western-style school uniform from a private middle school.

A dark blue blazer paired with a pleated mini skirt, the hem of which just reaches above the knee, revealing a section of fair calves.

Round-toed black leather shoes, white mid-calf socks, the sock tops ending at the calf.

Her hair was restyled by the makeup artist, a neat ponytail tied with a dark blue bow.

Ding Heng had to admit that the school uniform did indeed suit Bai Ma well!

The near-perfect seller's photos perfectly showcase the ideal temperament and sweetness of a "junior high school girl".

The filming officially began, and everyone arrived at the studio.

Mo Lifang raised her camera and aimed the lens at Baima.

"Tilte your head slightly to the left — yes — tuck your chin in a little — don't smile too wide, yes, that's the expression — very good."

The shutter clicked intermittently as Baima put on one outfit after another.

British school uniforms, sporty casual wear, sweet everyday style, and simple commuting —

Ding Heng sat on the sofa and observed quietly, drinking a glass of water for a long time.

He discovered something.

Just as Mo Lifang said, Baima perfectly fits the needs of a "big child" model.

Girls aged twelve to sixteen are generally in an "awkward period." A typical example is Wenjing; her photos from those years are almost unrecognizable compared to her current appearance.

Bai Ma is small in stature, with a round face and delicate yet unassuming features.

She has all the girlish charm she should have, and also has a natural and unpretentious youthful appearance.

At first glance, she has good grades, a well-behaved personality, and a sweet smile that makes you want to pinch her cheeks.

But he's actually already eighteen.

Finally, Baima changed into an Alice in Wonderland dress, a classic blue and white color scheme.

She stood in front of the backdrop, holding props, tilting her head slightly.

The shutter clicked.

"Okay, last pose."

Mo Lifang straightened up and gestured for Baima to sit on the white rattan chair next to her.

Baima sat down, her legs together, her hands on her knees, and her smile was sweet and lovely.

"Yes, just like that, look over there—"

The shutter clicked again.

"Okay! That's a wrap!"

Mo Lifang put down her camera and clapped her hands in satisfaction.

Bai Ma stretched out a big yawn, walked to the sofa, and slumped down on Ding Heng.

Ding Heng was knocked off balance by her weight and reached out to support her shoulder.

"Go change your clothes, I'm going home."

"I'm not changing it."

Bai Ma yawned lazily: "Sister Mo said she'd give this set to me."

Mo Lifang walked over, still looking through the photos.

"Not bad, not bad, they're all pretty good, some don't even need Photoshop."

She put down her camera, smiled at Pema, and said, "Come on, let's add each other on WeChat. I'll contact you if I need anything later."

Baima took out her phone and opened the QR code. Mo Lifang scanned the code to add her and transferred the payment.

720 yuan.

In Changsha, the market price for amateur child models is 90 yuan per set of clothes; there are eight sets today.

Baima held up her phone, waving it proudly in front of Ding Heng: "Brother, you see, making money doesn't have to be so exhausting, right?"

Ding Heng smiled but remained silent.

Baima then turned to Mo Lifang and asked, her eyes full of anticipation, "Sister Mo, is there any filming tomorrow?"

She had already started calculating.

Seven hundred a day, twenty days is fourteen thousand, multiplied by one hundred is one million four hundred thousand.

Forget Land Rover, a Porsche Panamera would also be an option!

Mo Lifang shook her head: "The demands of this group of older children have been filmed. I'll contact you again next time."

Baima's smile froze: "When is the next time?"

"That's hard to say."

Mo Lifang put away her phone: "Maybe there will be new demands tomorrow, or maybe there won't be any for two or three months. These eight outfits we photographed today are the result of six months' worth of work."

"Ah—what about the other filming?"

"Little sister, we don't lack models."

Mo Lifang teased, "Besides, most of us wear adult women's clothing. You look too young, and many of the clothes don't suit you." Bai Ma stood there dumbfounded. The Palamera who had been so close suddenly became distant and blurry.

Ding Heng stood up and patted her head.

"Let's go."

Bai Ma gave a muffled "Oh" and followed Ding Heng out of the studio.

When I got home, Sister Jiang had already prepared dinner.

Pema sat listlessly at the dining table, with little appetite.

Seeing her listless appearance, Sister Jiang asked with concern, "Bai Ma, are you feeling unwell?"

"No—I'm full."

Baima managed to eat a couple of mouthfuls of rice, put down her chopsticks, turned around, and went upstairs, her steps heavier than usual.

Ding Heng slowly finished the rice in his bowl, then drank a bowl of soup before getting up and following them.

Pushing open the door, I saw Bai Ma nestled in a large gaming chair, still wearing her Alice dress, her two short legs curled up on the chair.

Ding Heng sat down in another gaming chair: "What? Didn't you make 720 today?"

Baima sighed again.

"Brother."

"Um?"

"Do you think I'll still be able to earn money tomorrow?"

"have no idea."

Ding Heng answered honestly.

Bai Ma slid off the chair, dragged it to Ding Heng's side, sat down again, and stretched out her legs, wearing Alice's classic blue and white striped over-the-knee socks.

She placed her feet on Ding Heng's thighs, her voice soft and sweet.

"Brother, my legs are sore from standing for photos today, could you massage them for me?"

Ding Heng glanced down.

Very thin, very white, blue and white striped socks wrapped around the calves, stretching out a slightly fleshy curve.

His feet were very small, not much bigger than his palm.

"What do you mean?"

"I've noticed you usually enjoy flirting with your sisters-in-law —"

Ding Heng chuckled, then realized what was happening.

Is the relationship trying to "bribe" her?

Ding Heng reached out and gently grasped Bai Ma's left ankle, beginning to gently massage it.

"Um----

Baima let out a muffled nasal sound, and her body unconsciously leaned back into the chair.

The toes curled and relaxed in Ding Heng's palm, and through the thin cotton socks, the skin exuded a warm, damp feeling.

Her body became increasingly limp, and she sank into the gaming chair.

"Brother."

"Um?"

"Why don't you just stop messing around and buy me a car that costs around 200,000 yuan?"

"Then what."

"I will definitely listen to you obediently after university."

Ding Heng didn't reply, and continued massaging her feet.

When Baima didn't get a response, she lightly stepped on Ding Heng's thigh with her other foot, trying to act coquettishly.

The man's expression didn't change much, making it impossible to tell whether he agreed or refused.

"Smack."

Ding Heng suddenly flicked Bai Ma's sole with his finger.

"Ouch!"

Baima shuddered, almost slipping off the chair, her toes curling up sharply, and she let out a short gasp.

Ding Heng withdrew his hand.

"Are you giving up?"

"I----"

"You said yesterday that you suffered so much when you were a child, but now you can't even make it to the second day? You made that up?"

'

"I didn't make this up!"

Provoked by Ding Heng's words, Bai Ma straightened up by supporting herself on the armrest.

"I just want to discuss this with you!"

"Like I said, there's no room for negotiation."

Ding Heng said calmly, "We'll execute the contract exactly as it's written."

"You wait! I'll definitely earn two thousand! No, five thousand! I'll exceed my target!"

Rather than fight for a steamed bun, she fought for her pride; a stubborn light rekindled in Baima's eyes.

"And I'm adding a clause."

"you say."

"If I earn more than five thousand, you have to grant me one request, brother."

"What are your requirements?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Baima said confidently, "Let me think it over before we talk about it. That's the only fair way."

Ding Heng suddenly pressed his thumb down on Bai Ma's sole, applying force.

"ah----!"

Baima let out a distorted scream, her whole body leaning back completely, the back of her head hitting the back of the chair, her eyes uncontrollably rolling upwards, revealing a large expanse of white.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—brother—be gentle—"

Ding Heng didn't let go, and twisted her sole with his thumb again.

"I'll give you one more chance, you really won't admit defeat?"

Baima's body seemed to be electrocuted, and she let out a muffled whimper.

"I won't admit it! I just won't admit it!"

She gritted her teeth and persisted, refusing to back down.

"Okay, deal. I'll wait until you've earned five thousand yuan!"

Ding Heng released his grip, got up, and left the room.

Baima slumped in the chair, panting, her chest heaving.

It took her a few seconds to recover, her cheeks puffed out as she muttered to herself.

"You naughty brother—I won't let you play with me anymore!"

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