After the livestream ended, Ji Ran returned Orca’s tip.
Although he had no idea why Orca had sent him the money, he did not want to owe anyone a favor.
Orca had tipped him ten thousand yuan this time, which meant that the next time Orca streamed, Ji Ran would have to tip him ten thousand yuan in return. In the end, both of them would lose money, while the platform was the only one making a huge profit.
After deducting the five thousand yuan he returned to Orca, Ji Ran had earned a little over ten thousand yuan from the livestream, including the tips.
He had spent two full weeks preparing everything from start to finish. He had put a great deal of effort into selecting the products and preparing the livestream and then had to keep talking nonstop for three or four hours during the broadcast. Honestly, the cost to benefit ratio was not particularly high.
He was not a major blogger, so his commission rate was not very high either. For a dress priced at one hundred yuan, he could only earn ten yuan in commission.
On top of that, he was a man and his body naturally differed from that of a woman, making women’s clothing cuts less suitable for him. A huge number of people had come into the livestream just to watch the spectacle, while only a small portion had actually placed orders.
But he was truly exhausted.
Ji Ran lay sprawled on his bed, so tired that he did not even have the strength to take off the dress he was wearing.
He had made some money but he did not seem particularly happy about it. This amount of money could not completely solve his predicament.
He opened his WeChat group chats, only to find countless work tasks still waiting for him to complete. On top of that, his parents would be coming over for the winter vacation soon, which placed considerable pressure on Ji Ran as well.
Since the results from his livestream sales had been mediocre and the whole process had consumed far too much time, Ji Ran began looking for other ways to monetize his account.
But he did not have a particularly large number of followers and this niche was not particularly easy to find advertisers in. Most of the advertising offers that came through private messages were practically unbearable to look at.
They were mostly sexy lingerie, adult products, or merchandise aimed at the BDSM community…
Ji Ran rejected all of them.
The only decent offer came from a furniture brand called Soli lunar. The company was headquartered in the Nordic region but its founder was Chinese. It was currently preparing to enter the domestic market and wanted to find influencers to shoot advertisements and promote the brand.
They offered Ji Ran 50,000 yuan before tax and were also willing to let him keep his face off camera. Ji Ran agreed almost immediately.
However, he would not be able to complete the advertisement alone. He would also need to collaborate with another major influencer. Since an overseas brand needed to rely on an influencer’s follower base to open up the domestic market, Ji Ran understood their requirements.
What he had not expected was that the other influencer they had approached was actually Orca.
And Orca had rejected them.
Ji Ran was completely dumbfounded. He could have figured it out with his toes, there was no way Orca would accept this kind of advertisement.
Unwilling to give up on the opportunity, Ji Ran asked the PR representative whether they had any backup candidates. The other side said they did not.
Looking at that reply, Ji Ran’s heart sank completely.
The good news was that two days later, Ji Ran received another private message. A media company was looking for him to work as a part time model and participate in a Lolita fashion show.
Ji Ran had worn Lolita dresses before and had gained a small amount of popularity from it, so it was perfectly normal for merchants to approach him about wearing Lolita clothing but being asked to work as a model for a media company still made Ji Ran wary.
Back when he was in university, he had encountered several modeling scams while doing part time jobs. They would advertise positions for part time models but once someone showed up, they would trick them into taking model card photographs.
A single set of model cards could cost more than a thousand yuan. After the photographs were taken, there would be no actual work at all. The entire point of the scam was to make money from the photography fee.
Quite a few people had fallen for such scams. Ji Ran was broke enough that, ironically, he had managed to avoid becoming a victim.
This time, when he encountered the media company, he was much more cautious and asked them, [Do I need to have model cards taken?]
[No.]
The other party confidently assured him, [Only scam companies try to trick you into taking model cards. We’re purely doing a fashion show. If you don’t believe us, search for us online. They’re all legitimate events.]
Ji Ran searched online for Lolita fashion shows. Such events did indeed exist and they all appeared to be quite legitimate.
The company’s business registration information could be found online. Combined with the fact that the compensation they offered was fairly substantial and that they allowed Ji Ran to keep his face hidden during the show, Ji Ran agreed to the collaboration.
…….
On Saturday evening, Ji Ran arrived at the designated location half an hour ahead of schedule.
The venue was a standalone building. It was magnificent and extravagantly decorated, with a grand, imposing appearance. Several Cadillacs were parked outside, while a few fashionably dressed young people walked inside nearby.
The staff member told Ji Ran that they were all models who had come to participate in the fashion show.
For the moment, everything seemed normal, so Ji Ran followed the staff member backstage.
The room was spacious, serving as both a makeup room and a wardrobe area. A row of dressing tables stood along the wall, with people sitting in front of them applying makeup and preparing to go onstage.
Ji Ran was assigned a dressing table. Shortly afterward, a staff member brought over a set of clothes and told him to change into them.
Ji Ran unfolded the clothes and took one look.
He was dumbfounded.
It was actually a maid outfit, with the slit rising all the way to the buttocks, paired with two black thigh high stockings held up by garters with an unmistakably suggestive implication.
What the fuck? What kind of Lolita fashion show was this?
This was fucking nothing but a den of lust!
Ji Ran’s expression darkened and he dropped the dress as he turned to leave. “I’m not doing this.”
“What do you mean?” The man stepped in front of him.
Ji Ran’s expression was icy. “I’m not selling myself.”
“Don’t be so sensitive,” the man coaxed patiently. “Our fashion shows are perfectly legitimate. At most, you’ll have a few drinks with the guests afterward. Everyone here is willing to do it. If you don’t believe me, ask them yourself.”
Ji Ran looked toward the beautiful boys and girls nearby. Most of them looked completely unfazed, as though they had long since grown accustomed to this sort of thing.
“I’ll tell you the truth, bro. You can make money much faster doing this than being an influencer. You can easily make several thousand yuan in one night. If you happen to meet a generous guest who wants you to spend the night with them, you can make even more.” The man pointed toward a designer bag on the table beside them. “Take a look at their bags and phones. They’re all things they got after coming in here. With looks like yours, you could get all that in a single night.”
Not a fucking chance.
Ji Ran’s expression hardened immediately. “I’m not doing it. Let me leave.”
“You can leave,” the man said, picking up the maid outfit and stuffing it into Ji Ran’s hands, “but a guest specifically requested you tonight. If you want to leave, you still have to finish the show first.”
Make him wear this thing and walk down a runway in front of a group of men?
He might as well become a male sex worker online.
Ji Ran could not be bothered to entertain him. He dropped the maid outfit and turned around to leave, only to have the other man chase after him and reach out to pull off his mask.
Ji Ran’s temper flared instantly. He ducked down and slipped beneath the man’s arm but two security guards came after him as well, throwing the entire dressing room into complete chaos.
“Why are you being so difficult?” The man stood to one side with his hands behind his back, speaking to Ji Ran as he hurriedly fled. “All you have to do is cooperate and walk one show. You get your money, we complete our assignment. It’s mutually beneficial, isn’t it?”
He made it sound so reasonable and respectable but who knew what they would arrange for him after the fashion show?
Once he gave in this time, everything that happened afterward would no longer be under his control.
Ji Ran darted into a changing room, only to discover that a beautiful, tall girl was changing clothes behind the curtain. Ji Ran froze and his entire face immediately turned red.
“I… I’m sorry!” He hurriedly apologized and was already preparing to back out.
Instead, the other person grabbed his wrist and pointed behind herself.
There was actually a side door there!
“Thank you, Bodhisattva.” Ji Ran clasped his hands together in gratitude before turning around and running.
“You’re welcome.”
The voice that answered was unmistakably a man’s.
Ji Ran was stunned but he did not dare waste any time. He immediately rushed toward the back door.
The lobby was too chaotic. The security guards were still rummaging through the clothing racks and no one had noticed that he had already slipped away. Ji Ran quietly made his way through the corridor. When he heard footsteps coming from behind, he did not dare confront them head on and instead slipped into the restroom beside him.
What was he supposed to do now?
Call the police?
But the moment he called the police, his real identity would be completely exposed. He might even end up in the social news.
Tell Jiang Ning?
But Jiang Ning was all the way in Beijing. Even if she actually received his call for help, all she could do was call the police for him. There was nothing else she could realistically do.
Contact his parents?
That would be even more useless.
It was all because greed had gotten the better of him. Ji Ran was already beginning to regret accepting this part time job.
The main problem was that everything had looked completely legitimate in the beginning. Who could have known that they were actually luring people here to drink with clients?
It was disgusting!
Regret would not help him now. His immediate priority was to get himself out of this place.
Fortunately, he had never taken off his mask throughout the entire time he had been there. No one knew what he really looked like.
After hesitating for a while, Ji Ran decided to simply take off his mask and walk straight out.
He had never shown his face before. The only things that could identify him were his hairstyle and clothes. Ji Ran took off his coat and pushed all of his bangs back, then imagined Han Shen’s expression in his mind before walking out with an air of absolute confidence.
After all, his boss was so handsome yet no one would ever mistake him for someone who had come here to sell himself.
Along the way, Ji Ran encountered two staff members wearing suits. He was extremely nervous but neither of them noticed anything unusual about him.
It seemed his disguise was working reasonably well.
After making his way through a long corridor, Ji Ran entered a large hall.
Quite a number of men were gathered inside, making the place look almost like a ballroom. A runway had been set up in the middle, which was presumably where the people here were supposed to walk.
Even a den of lust had been decorated to look this proper and respectable.
Ji Ran was disdainful inside but he deliberately put on an appropriately scrutinizing expression, as though he were some particularly picky and demanding guest.
He took the opportunity to survey his surroundings. There were doors in every direction. The corridor he had come through led to the lounge, so Ji Ran decided to cross the hall and head toward the other side.
Along the way, someone attempted to approach him and strike up a conversation but Ji Ran glared at them with such disdain that they immediately backed off.
So far, everything seemed fine.
However, just as he was about to reach the exit, a man wearing a suit and an earpiece walked toward him.
“Sir, please show me your invitation.”
Fuck.
Ji Ran raised his chin, his expression cold and disdainful. “Who are you to think you’re qualified to question me?”
“I’m very sorry. My surname is Zhao and I’m the manager of tonight’s event,” the man surnamed Zhao said. “We’re conducting a routine check of guests’ invitations. I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
Ji Ran’s expression immediately darkened. “There are so many people here. Why are you checking me specifically? Do you look down on me?”
Manager Zhao said, “Sir, we’re simply following the rules and procedures.”
“Get out of my way. You’re not qualified to speak to me.” Ji Ran did not even spare him another glance as he said directly, “Bring your boss out here.”
Manager Zhao turned around and made a phone call. Several guests noticed the confrontation and began curiously sizing Ji Ran up.
“What are you looking at? Never seen a handsome guy before?” Ji Ran snapped back at them, then began complaining angrily, “That bastard Zhang San made this place sound like heaven itself and this is what it turns out to be? What a bore. I’m done playing.”
Ji Ran angrily turned to leave but Manager Zhao had already stepped in front of him again.
“Please wait. Our boss really can’t get away right now, so he instructed me to make sure you’re properly taken care of.”
Ji Ran was not buying any of it. He said coldly, “I’m not satisfied with your hospitality. I’m leaving.”
“I’m very sorry that we’ve given you an unpleasant experience.” Manager Zhao gave a slight bow before continuing, “You just mentioned that Zhang San was the one who brought you here. May I ask which Zhang San you mean? We operate on a membership system, so this is simply for our records.”
“Zhang San is just Zhang San,” Ji Ran said with an expression that seemed to ask how the other man could possibly not know that, his voice tinged with displeasure. “We’re all just here to have fun. Who knows his full name?”
Manager Zhao paused, then changed the subject. “Then may I ask what we should call you?”
Ji Ran laughed. “You want to know my real name too? My dad never lets me come to places like this. If he found out I was here, I’d be dead.”
The manager fell silent for several seconds. Just as Ji Ran began to think that he had finally given himself away, the other man said, “We’ve prepared a private room for you. You can rest there and wait for Zhang San to come pick you up.”
“No need. I wouldn’t stay in a place like this for even one second, ”
Ji Ran walked forward without looking back, only to run straight into the chests of two burly men.
Manager Zhao said, “As soon as your friend comes over, you’ll be free to leave.”
Ji Ran took a step backward, realizing that there was no room left for negotiation.
“So damn annoying.” He turned around and walked into the private room, pulled out his phone and made a call. “Zhang San, where the hell have you disappeared to? Hurry up and come get me! This shitty place isn’t fun at all! They even dare to lock me up. I’m definitely going to have my brother teach them a lesson!”
The door closed behind him and Ji Ran was confined to the room.
He did not know whether there were surveillance cameras here, so Ji Ran did not dare let his guard down. He sat in the chair, appearing thoroughly impatient on the surface, while in reality he was already nervous to the extreme.
He had not actually made that call just now. There was no Zhang San in the first place and he did not know anyone powerful enough to come and get him out of here.
Only now was Ji Ran forced to admit that these past few months had truly been terrible. Every day had consisted of nothing but work and more work. He had no personal connections here at all, not even a single local friend he could ask for help…
There were hundreds of people in his WeChat contacts but aside from colleagues and clients, the person he messaged most frequently was Han Shen.
Surely he couldn’t ask his boss to come rescue him, could he?
No. He could only call the police.
So what if he died of embarrassment? Even if he lost his job, he would accept it. It was still better than staying here to drink with clients and sell his body.
Ji Ran took a deep breath, unlocked his phone and prepared to dial 110.
Suddenly, voices came from outside the door.
“Why won’t you let me in? There’s absolutely no mistake. He’s that influencer who ran away! We found his clothes in the bathroom.”
“You think you’re the only one who knows? Whatever you’re planning to do, wait until I finish handling things here. The chances may be small but what if we really offend someone we can’t afford to offend? Then everyone will be in serious trouble.”
Weren’t these people afraid of breaking the law?
Ji Ran anxiously bit down on his lower lip. He had just been about to call the police when his phone suddenly rang.
Ji Ran answered the call in a panic and Han Shen’s deep, cold voice came through the receiver.
Ji Ran tightened his grip around his phone, his eyes beginning to burn.
“Julian? Are you listening?” Han Shen asked.
“I…” Ji Ran’s voice trembled slightly. Several seconds passed before he finally said, “The computer isn’t with me. It might not be very convenient for me right now.”
It was normal not to be able to reach someone over the weekend. Han Shen did not say anything further and simply replied calmly, “I understand.”
Seeing that Han Shen was about to hang up, Ji Ran hurriedly spoke. “Wait, I… ”
But the moment the words left his mouth, he stopped.
Should he really ask Han Shen for help?
Han Shen was only his superior. How could he trouble him over something like this?
Fine, even if he actually told Han Shen what had happened and Han Shen was willing to come over, getting him out of this place would inevitably cause trouble for Han Shen.
What should he do? Should he tell him?
“Is there something else?” Han Shen asked.
Ji Ran gripped his phone tightly with both hands, his breathing gradually becoming more rapid.
“I’m fine,” Ji Ran said.
But Han Shen fell silent.
Ji Ran swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he spoke softly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up first…”
“Have you run into trouble?” Han Shen abruptly interrupted him.
Ji Ran stood there in a daze. It took four or five seconds before he finally asked in disbelief, “How did you know?”
“What happened to you?” Han Shen did not answer his question. Instead, he asked, “Tell me what happened.”
There was a commanding edge to his voice and Han Shen’s attitude was extremely forceful yet somehow, it made Ji Ran feel safe.
“I…” He drew in a deep breath, desperately trying to suppress the tremor in his voice. “I went out to have some fun and got detained by someone. Could you come and pick me up?”
Han Shen asked, “Where are you?”
Ji Ran gave him the address of the club.
Han Shen was silent for two seconds before his tone turned serious. “Are you safe?”
“For now, I’m still relatively safe.” Ji Ran glanced at the door that could be pushed open at any moment, his voice trembling slightly. “They locked me in a private room and won’t let me leave. They haven’t done anything else to me for now…”
“Hang in there a little longer. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Footsteps and the sound of a door closing came through from the other end of the call. Han Shen reminded him, “Don’t hang up. Tell me immediately if anything happens and make sure you protect yourself.”
Ji Ran bit down hard on his lower lip, unable to say a single word.
He was afraid that the moment he opened his mouth, he would burst into tears.
Whyyy? Whyyy? Our baby always end up in a mess?? Like nothing good is happening in his life 😭😭😭
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A wild Ko-fi button has appeared! ✦
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A cold-hearted bossChapter 2 · “Your skirt?”Chapter 3 · Ji Ran was caught off guardChapter 4 · Relax, you bit your lip until it bledChapter 5 · Don’t want toChapter 6 · Women’s clothing and DaddyChapter 7 · Ji Ran hunched over and began to sob softly.Chapter 8 · Rebellion, offense, and self-rewardChapter 9 · I hate it when people flaunt their wealth in front of meChapter 10 · CompensateChapter 11 · Why are you following me?Chapter 12 · Damn, he forgot to take off his leg chainChapter 13 · Ji Ran was indeed still afraid of him.Chapter 14 · A message came from OrcaChapter 15 · Self-blame, anger, and tears.Chapter 16 · You have to pay more!Chapter 17 · Did you come here just to yell at me?Chapter 18 · Just bear with it a little longerChapter 19 · Women’s clothing live streamChapter 20 · Could you come and pick me up?Chapter 21 Part 1 · It’s all an actChapter 21 Part 2 · It’s all an actChapter 22 · The actions could be even more brutalChapter 23 · A slapChapter 24 · He wanted to surrender a part of himself