180: Chapter 175 Sense of Superiority

"Finally finished," Zhou Mengqi clapped her hands and looked at Yu Heng, saying, "President, everything's tidied up here."

Yu Heng was still scrolling through the footage they just shot. Without looking up, he said, "That's it for today. Everyone, go back and get some rest early."

"Alright then," Mengqi pouted, "I'm going upstairs to change."

Ning Yutong was still standing beside him, her eyes fixed on the camera screen, but her gaze was vacant.

"This take looks pretty good," Yu Heng suddenly spoke, his voice low enough that only the two of them could hear.

Yu Tong snapped out of it and looked where he was pointing.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Just now," Yu Heng's finger paused on the scroll button without pressing it, "it was quite good."

Yu Tong froze for a moment, not realizing what he was referring to.

Yu Heng turned his head and glanced at her.

"I mean," he lowered his voice even further until it was just a whisper, "it felt great."

Yu Tong's ears buzzed as blood rushed to her face.

"For a beginner to be like that, it's already very good," Yu Heng added in a casual tone, as if he were evaluating her performance during the photoshoot.

She didn't know how to respond. A sense of shame and a peculiar feeling of being validated began to sprout within her.

He said it was great; he said she did well.

"Really?" she heard herself ask, her voice so soft it was barely audible.

"Of course it's true," he said, his voice still very low. "Keep up the hard work next time."

He said "next time."

The phrase was like a small pebble thrown into her mind, sending out ripples.

There would be a next time; she would do it again.

"Okay," Yu Tong nodded gently.

Yu Heng looked at her for two seconds before turning back.

"I'll go back and edit these clips tonight," he said, his voice returning to a normal volume. "I'll send them to you tomorrow to take a look."

"Okay."

—

The air conditioning was on in the dorm as Yu Tong pushed the door open and entered.

Li Mingwei was sitting cross-legged on her chair with an iPad spread out in front of her, watching the latest variety show.

"Yu Tong, you're back?" She looked up briefly before staring back at the screen. "How did the shoot go today?" balance

"It was alright." Yu Tong placed her bag on her desk.

Her other roommate, Wang Xinrui, poked her head out from her bed. "Did your TikTok followers go up again? I saw someone's screenshot; it looks like it's almost several hundred thousand."

"Maybe." Yu Tong pulled out her chair and sat down without checking her phone.

Watching Li Wei doubled over with laughter, she suddenly felt a sense of distance.

That kind of joy, being able to laugh so hard at a variety show segment, was so simple that it made her feel out of place.

Wang Xinrui climbed down from her bed and huddled next to Li Mingwei. "Let me see, which part is so funny?"

"This one. This male guest is so blunt, it's hilarious..."

The two of them huddled together and laughed.

Yu Tong turned on her computer. As the screen lit up, she stared blankly at the desktop.

Yu Heng said he would edit the video tonight.

So what was he doing now? Was he looking at the footage of her?

Or was he thinking about what happened this afternoon?

She pressed her legs together a bit tighter, then relaxed them.

She didn't even realize she was doing it.

"Yu Tong," Li Mingwei suddenly called out to her, "are you in a relationship lately?"

Yu Tong's fingers paused. "Why do you ask?"

"I feel like you're a bit different." Li Mingwei turned her head and sized her up. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but has your aura changed?"

Wang Xinrui also looked over. "Yeah, yeah, I think so too. It's like you're more... feminine?"

Yu Tong twitched the corner of her mouth. "I have to dress up for the videos, so maybe that's why."

"It's not about the dressing up." Li Mingwei tilted her head. "It's your expression, you know?"

Yu Tong didn't respond. She picked up the thermos on her desk and poured a cup of water.

The water temperature was just right, but as it flowed down her throat, she inexplicably thought of something else.

As her roommates started discussing some gossip about a popular young star in the variety show, Yu Tong suddenly felt a strange sense of superiority surge within her.

"I'm going to take a shower." She stood up and took her pajamas from the wardrobe.

Yu Tong stood under the showerhead. She looked down at her body, raised her hand, and then lowered it again.

When she returned to the dorm room, her roommates were already in bed.

She also crawled into her blankets and closed her eyes, her legs lightly rubbing against the duvet.

Go to sleep; there are classes tomorrow.

—

Yu Heng was staying up late, but he wasn't editing Yu Tong's video footage.

He had already packaged those and sent them to a studio he frequently collaborated with. Professional matters should be left to professionals.

What he was currently debugging was a Live2D model.

It had the body and face of a loli, with gradient purplish-red pupils.

The outfit was a black Gothic dress with a very short hemline, revealing white stockings wrapped around the thighs.

On its feet was a pair of thick-soled, round-toed leather shoes.

The model was very detailed, and its expressions and movements were quite rich.

Yu Heng made expressions at the camera, and the skin moved accordingly—raising eyebrows, pouting, squinting, and sticking out its tongue.

Bai Xinran carried a plate of sliced oranges and pushed the door open.

"Is Yue Ling asleep?" Yu Heng heard the movement and turned his head.

"She's asleep." Bai Xinran placed the plate on the desk. "She has an 8:00 AM class tomorrow."

"Qin Ya's skin is ready." Yu Heng turned his chair toward her. "Will you and her live stream together on TikTok next Monday?"

"Sure." Xinran chewed on an orange, her voice a bit muffled.

"Tonight," Yu Heng also took a slice of orange, "stay here and sleep again."

"I haven't showered yet," Xinran said.

"Go wash up then," Yu Heng said. "Isn't there a bathroom in this room?"

—

The next morning, Bai Xinran woke up first.

She opened her eyes and found herself still lying in Yu Heng's arms.

His arm was draped across her chest, his palm resting against her ribs.

She didn't move, just lying there.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and she could feel the change in Yu Heng's body behind her.

Xinran's throat felt dry. She didn't know if Yu Heng was awake, so she didn't dare move.

But her body reacted on its own; she was so hungry for it.

Yu Heng stirred.

Xinran immediately closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep.

Yu Heng's hand moved from her chest, sliding down to rest on her lower abdomen.

He didn't apply any pressure, just rested it there, but her breathing grew erratic.

After lying like that for a few minutes, Xinran felt like she couldn't hold it in much longer.

"If you're awake, get up." Yu Heng suddenly spoke, his voice raspy from just waking up.

Xinran opened her eyes and slowly turned around.

Yu Heng was looking at her, his eyes clear, not at all like someone who had just woken up.

"You've been awake for a while?" she asked.

"Yeah." Yu Heng withdrew his hand and sat up. Just as he did, his phone rang.

Yu Heng picked up his phone, glanced at the screen, and answered, "Hello, Sister-in-law?"

Xinran sat on the bed listening; on the other end of the line was Zhou Wanyi's voice.

Her voice was very low and a bit hoarse. "Yu Heng, is it convenient for you to talk right now?"

"It's convenient." Yu Heng walked to the window. "What's wrong?"

"The thing you gave me last time..." Zhou Wanyi paused, seemingly searching for the right word, "...the product, I used it."

Yu Heng didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

Xinran quietly got out of bed and took her clothes out of the wardrobe.

She changed her clothes with her back to Yu Heng, her ears pricked up.

"It feels..." Zhou Wanyi's voice dropped even lower, "...a bit too..."