Chapter 7: Why Is There No Crack in the Ground to Hide In?
Chi Wang returned from the hospital, his wallet lighter by over 600 yuan.
Now he only had about 900 left.
Feeling a cold chill in his heart, Chi Wang did the math. Without the 800 yuan that Xie Siheng had given him, he’d only have had just over 100 left—barely enough to scrape by. For the next month, he’d be living on air.
But soon, his resolve hardened. Time to work—no delays allowed!
Losing his virginity hadn’t left Chi Wang with much psychological trauma. For one, he had no memory of the incident; for another, he’d already taken the necessary preventative measures. If he did contract something… well, he couldn’t control fate. He’d just lie down and accept his bad luck.
His only lingering discomfort was the soreness in his rear. Borrowing some hemorrhoid ointment from Luo Lianyun, he applied it and felt much better. By midday, the swelling had subsided, saving him a trip to the pharmacy. He patted himself on the back for his resourcefulness.
When he returned to the dorm, it was already lunchtime. While Luo Lianyun used the computer to play games, Chi Wang went to the cafeteria for a meal. Armed with his water bottle filled with boiled water, he headed to the internet café to start working.
Yang Jie had sent him a new task list, and upon opening it, Chi Wang let out a dramatic lean-back. The workload was overwhelming. Not even treated as human anymore.jpg.
What else could he do? Grumbling internally, Chi Wang set to work.
By lunchtime, he had completed about a quarter of the task. Just in time, he returned to the dorm to head to class with Luo Lianyun and Shu Tingyu.
Luo Lianyun’s progress with his mixer date seemed promising; he was constantly glued to his phone, chatting and smiling. Chi Wang wasn’t surprised. Luo Lianyun was good-looking and socially adept, so it was natural for girls to take a liking to him.
What did catch Chi Wang’s attention was Shu Tingyu, who was also messaging someone—a rare sight. Intrigued, Chi Wang asked a few questions and learned that Shu Tingyu had found a fellow foodie to bond with.
Not bad, Chi Wang thought. Both of them might actually find love.
As for himself… he dismissed the thought quickly. Focus on work.
—
In the middle of class, Chi Wang’s phone buzzed. He ignored it at first, but the persistent vibration made him glance at the screen under the desk. It was a message from Kong Tianxi, saying he’d found a few part-time jobs for Chi Wang to choose from.
Chi Wang’s eyes widened in disbelief.
He had expected Kong Tianxi, a volatile young man with a short temper and a history of confrontations, to hold a grudge after their last altercation. But not only had Kong let bygones be bygones, he’d actually followed through with a helpful gesture.
Wait, is this guy actually nice? Chi Wang thought, bemused.
He quickly typed back, “What kind of part-time jobs?”
Kong replied, “One is being a golf caddie. You’d work weekends, two days a week. Pay’s good—1,000 yuan per day, plus tips. If you get lucky and meet generous clients, you could make thousands or even tens of thousands.”
Chi Wang wasn’t easily dazzled by high salaries. He knew that lucrative jobs often came with strings attached. “What’s the second one?”
“The second is a pianist position at a restaurant,” Kong replied. “Evenings during dinner service, 5–7 PM, 2,800 yuan per month.”
The hours overlapped with Chi Wang’s tutoring gig, making the pianist job less appealing. His interest leaned toward the caddie position despite his lack of knowledge about golf.
Chi Wang probed further, asking about the job details. The more he learned, the trickier it sounded. Still, the high pay and his financial need tipped the scales. There should be some kind of training, right? he thought uncertainly.
While he still harbored some suspicions about Kong Tianxi’s intentions, Chi Wang was grateful for the lead. He complimented Kong sincerely, even promising, “If I strike it rich someday, you’ll have a share of the credit. I’ll buy you a new guitar—your current one’s been through a lot, hasn’t it? I’ll get you a better one.”
Kong Tianxi: “…”
A decent guitar costs several thousand yuan. Even if it was just talk, this promise was over the top.
It made Kong feel a little guilty. He had been warned that caddying wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Wealthy clients often had bad tempers, and caddies frequently faced humiliation. The high turnover rate spoke for itself—one former caddie had quit after being slapped and berated by an older client.
Whether Chi Wang would endure or quit after a few days was anyone’s guess.
Not wanting to discourage him, Kong awkwardly replied, “Alright, I’ll be waiting for your success.”
After receiving the contact details and setting up an interview, Chi Wang searched the location on his map app. The commute alone would take over two hours by bus.
No problem, Chi Wang thought. He could borrow Luo Lianyun’s laptop and use the travel time to work. Efficiency!
Feeling more assured after confirming there would be training, Chi Wang decided to give it a shot.
Still, as a backup, he kept looking for other part-time jobs. One nearby caught his eye: dog-walking. Conveniently close to campus, the gig paid 80 yuan per 90-minute session, with same-day payment.
This dog-walking job seemed perfect. Chi Wang could fit it in after his tutoring sessions—right around 8 p.m., when the streets were quieter.
He contacted the dog owner to confirm the timing, and they quickly reached an agreement.
If he also landed the golf caddie position, he’d officially have four part-time jobs. Perfect. Chi Wang’s mood lifted, and his face practically glowed with contentment.
Seeing Chi Wang’s cheerful expression, Luo Lianyun asked him what was up. Upon hearing about the possibility of Chi Wang juggling four jobs, he was momentarily speechless.
Even Shu Tingyu was stunned. “Where do you get all this energy from?” he asked, marveling.
Chi Wang replied nonchalantly, “I save it all for work. I hardly ever, you know, spend it elsewhere.”
Luo Lianyun, ever the righteous one, declared, “That’s just like a computer—you leave it idle too long, and it’ll crash or break down.”
Shu Tingyu, munching on chips, mumbled, “Admit it—you’re an undercover agent for the ‘No-Fap Alliance’, aren’t you?”
Chi Wang burst out laughing. “Hahaha!”
—
Back in the dorm, during a casual chat, Luo Lianyun’s attention shifted to Chi Wang. His gaze lingered for a moment before he pointed something out. “Hey, Chi Wang, what’s that on your neck?”
Chi Wang: “Huh?”
Reaching up, he realized his band-aid had come loose, likely from sweating too much. Exposed beneath it was a faint hickey on his neck.
Chi Wang remained unfazed, his expression calm as he replied, “Nothing, just a scrape from gua sha.”
Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Luo Lianyun, their resident internet expert. “Hey, do you have a photo of our school’s campus king? Let me see what he looks like.”
“Hold on, I’ll check the forum,” said Luo Lianyun, his curiosity immediately piqued. Booting up his computer, he searched and pulled up a photo of Xie Siheng. “Here, this is him. Honestly, I can’t believe you’ve made it to your second year without knowing what our campus king looks like.”
Chi Wang dismissed the comment with a wave. “What’s the big deal? I’m a guy. Why would I waste time paying attention to another guy? I could use that time to eat two extra bowls of rice instead.”
Leaning over, Chi Wang glanced at the computer screen displaying the enlarged photo.
Well, well… it really is him, he thought with an internal sigh. Looks like he’s not very photogenic; he’s even better-looking in person.
A thought struck him. “What’s his deal? Does he have a girlfriend?”
Luo Lianyun raised an eyebrow. “Why are you asking?”
“Can’t a guy be curious?”
“…Fine.” Luo pondered for a moment before answering. “Xie Siheng is a senior, in his fourth year now. I’ve never heard of him dating anyone—not even a single rumor since his freshman year. He’s super clean-cut. Tons of people like him, of course, because he’s so good-looking, but nobody’s managed to win him over. Supposedly, his family’s loaded, and I heard he’s planning to study abroad after graduation. He’s not staying in the country. Total winner in life, huh?”
Chi Wang listened to Luo Lianyun’s explanation and commented earnestly, “This really proves that the true dividing line in life is the amniotic fluid you’re born into.”
Luo Lianyun laughed, then shrugged. “Can’t help it if you’re born lucky. But to be fair, he’s genuinely impressive. Back when he came here from Province X, he was their top scorer. He’s in the physics department, and in his sophomore year, he secured a physics patent worth over five million yuan.”
“Wait, he’s in the physics department?” Chi Wang was startled.
“Yeah, a total physics bigshot,” replied Luo Lianyun.
Chi Wang gave the photo another glance, this time eyeing Xie Siheng’s thick, luscious hair. “…Well, his hairline’s holding up surprisingly well.”
“That’s academic prejudice!” Luo Lianyun shot back, exasperated.
Chi Wang laughed heartily.
Still, Chi Wang couldn’t pinpoint why he’d asked about Xie Siheng’s personal life. Surely, he didn’t have any misplaced notions about “first time” sentimentality?
Ridiculous! he thought, brushing the idea aside. He told himself it was just idle curiosity, wanting to verify if this man’s romantic life was really as chaotic as rumors might suggest.
However, if what Luo said was true about Xie Siheng being virtuous and clean-cut, Chi Wang found it hard to believe.
Forget it, he thought, the meds are taken, no use dwelling on it.
—
Chi Wang returned to his desk and pulled out a thick accounting notebook. Carefully, he logged the money he had transferred to Chi Cheng. Every transaction was meticulously recorded, with screenshots printed and taped in the book for reference. After punching numbers into the calculator, he sighed.
He still owed over 500,000 yuan.
Once that’s paid off, I’ll finally be free.
He chuckled dryly to himself. “Kids sure are profitable. Raising a son to rely on you in old age really is the way to go!”
That evening, after finishing his tutoring session, Chi Wang headed to meet the dog owner. The dog turned out to be a massive Siberian Husky. The owner, an older student at the same university, took one look at Chi Wang and beamed with delight, waving away the need for any collateral like a student ID.
Just like that, Chi Wang left with the dog.
The husky was enormous and bursting with energy. As soon as they got outside, it bolted ahead, practically dragging Chi Wang along.
Fortunately, Chi Wang was strong enough to hold his ground.
At this hour, many food stalls near the campus were still open, and groups of students were enjoying late-night snacks. Wanting a quieter walk, Chi Wang chose a less crowded route through a residential area.
The path was unfamiliar to him, but the surrounding neighborhood was serene. The glow of streetlights illuminated the sparse pedestrians, casting a tranquil atmosphere.
Chi Wang decided this job suited him perfectly.
Feeling cheerful, he affectionately ruffled the husky’s fluffy head. This dog was his ticket to extra cash, and he planned to tire it out thoroughly. Once the dog collapsed from exhaustion, the senior would definitely appreciate his effort.
After a light warm-up, Chi Wang began jogging with the husky.
The husky ran fast, but Chi Wang wasn’t far behind. Having been athletically gifted since childhood, he had even joined the track team in high school.
Unfortunately, financial pressures forced him to quit after only a short time. His coach had been deeply disappointed, believing Chi Wang had the potential to win awards. But Chi Wang had prioritized academics and part-time work—without it, he wouldn’t have been able to save for college tuition. He’d never regretted leaving the team.
Despite the years that had passed, Chi Wang’s running speed remained impressive. The husky, realizing this, seemed to take it as a challenge and sped up even more, shooting ahead like a bullet.
Chi Wang chuckled as he kept pace. Run all you want. The more energy you burn, the better.
However, their run was interrupted when a figure emerged around a corner. Chi Wang’s sharp eyes instantly recognized the face—it was Xie Siheng.
Startled, Chi Wang stopped abruptly, tightening his grip on the leash to rein in the husky. He considered changing directions to avoid an encounter but quickly dismissed the idea.
That would be too obvious. I don’t need to feel awkward about this.
The best strategy, he decided, was to act like a stranger.
Keeping the husky under control, Chi Wang walked forward. The dog was still hyperactive, tugging hard enough that the leash dug into his palm, leaving red marks.
Xie Siheng, walking toward him under the streetlights, had part of his face obscured by shadow. Even in Chi Wang’s peripheral vision, his striking features were hard to miss.
The man was tall.
Chi Wang hadn’t paid attention to his height the previous night, but now, comparing him against the closed shop fronts, he estimated that Xie stood at least 190 centimeters. Even from a distance, the aura he exuded was cold and unapproachable.
As the gap between them closed, Chi Wang realized that Xie’s gaze was fixed on him. Unlike Chi Wang’s cautious sidelong glances, Xie Siheng stared directly at him.
Chi Wang: Ground, please open up and swallow me.
For a moment, he considered pulling a robber’s mask over his face. Instead, he stared downward, lamenting, Why aren’t there any cracks in the pavement?
The air was charged with an indescribable awkwardness.
If Xie hadn’t been looking at him, it would have been fine. But with such an intense gaze, Chi Wang couldn’t help but feel unnerved, half expecting a belated punch to land at any moment.
When Xie Siheng finally reached him, he suddenly stopped.
Chi Wang: “!”
Heart pounding, Chi Wang maintained a calm facade. Without sparing Xie a glance, he stepped past him.
To his relief, Xie didn’t react.
Chi Wang walked some distance before glancing back. Xie was still standing in place. His towering frame, even at rest, carried an imposing air.
Xie was holding his phone, seemingly preoccupied with a conversation. His expression was cold and indifferent, his one-handed typing lazy yet precise.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Chi Wang turned his attention back to the husky and resumed jogging.
What Chi Wang didn’t know was that after he looked away, Xie Siheng lowered his phone and fixed his gaze on Chi Wang’s retreating figure. He only moved again after Chi Wang disappeared from sight, continuing on his way back to campus.
