Chapter 324: What a Waste Not to Be a Model

Chen Mo returned to dorm room 504. Just as he expected, Wang Lan and Li Zhe were still sound asleep. Only Shen Xinghe was already up, facing the mirror as he went through what looked like a very meticulous morning skincare routine. His movements were effortlessly elegant.

"Morning." Shen Xinghe greeted him, having seen him in the mirror. His voice, tinged with the slight hoarseness of morning, was still pleasant to hear.

"Morning." Chen Mo grabbed a towel and a bath towel. "I’m going to take a quick shower. Want to get breakfast together after?"

Shen Xinghe gently patted his cheeks to help the product absorb, replying with a smile, "Sure."

Chen Mo nodded and went into the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

About ten minutes later, the water stopped.

A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and a cloud of warm steam billowed out, carrying the fresh scent of shower gel.

Chen Mo walked out, bare-chested, with only a white bath towel wrapped around his waist.

He walked toward his wardrobe, drying his short, dripping hair with another towel.

The perfect physique he’d sculpted through years of training was on full display in the morning light.

His broad shoulders and solid muscles were clearly defined. The lines of his body were fluid, free of a bulky strongman’s clumsiness, possessing instead a lean, aesthetic grace.

Water droplets trickled down the taut muscles of his back and his chiseled abs, tracing the contours of a powerful young man’s physique.

It was a physique that balanced strength, agility, and aesthetic appeal. As sunlight streamed through the balcony window, it seemed to cast a golden halo around him, imbuing him with vibrant youth and healthy vitality.

Shen Xinghe had turned in early last night while Chen Mo stayed up late, so he hadn’t gotten a look at his roommate’s build. Now, seeing Chen Mo’s near-perfect physique in the mirror’s reflection, Shen Xinghe paused mid-motion as he was applying serum to his face.

A flicker of pure appreciation flashed through his charming eyes. The corners of his lips lifted as he said in a teasing tone, "Tsk, Chen Mo, with a body like that... it’s a shame you’re not a model. You’re in incredible shape."

His assessment was objective, made with an artist’s eye for beauty and holding no trace of flirtation.

"Then get me into it," Chen Mo replied casually with a faint smile. "Is modeling good money?"

Though the speaker was casual, the listener’s interest was piqued.

Shen Xinghe excitedly stopped what he was doing and turned to face Chen Mo. "Are you serious? If you really want to, I have plenty of connections I could introduce you to. The pay is definitely much better than any part-time job a college student could get."

Seeing the excited gleam in Shen Xinghe’s eyes, Chen Mo immediately shook his head and chuckled. "I was just kidding. I’m not cut out for modeling."

"It’s really simple. There will be people on set to coach you. You’d just need to develop a bit of camera sense if you want to be really photogenic," Shen Xinghe replied with a smile. "With your attributes, you could absolutely kill it in this business."

He looked at Chen Mo with the pure expression of someone who hated to see talent go to waste.

"Well, we’ll talk again when I’m broke," Chen Mo replied with a smile.

"Deal. Just let me know whenever you’re interested, and I’ll get you in touch with them. With your physique and vibe, it’s a real waste not to be a model." Satisfied, Shen Xinghe turned back to the mirror.

The sound of their conversation woke up Wang Lan and Li Zhe, who sat up one after another, rubbing their eyes.

"You two getting up to eat? Xinghe and I are heading out for breakfast," Chen Mo said, glancing at them as he got dressed.

"Still pretty sleepy... How about you guys bring breakfast back for us?" Wang Lan yawned, trying to wake himself up a bit, then looked at Chen Mo and Shen Xinghe with a wide grin.

"You might as well just order delivery. They deliver right to our door now," Chen Mo replied with a laugh.

Li Zhe, however, pushed himself out of bed. "Wait for me. I’ll just wash my face, and I’ll go with you guys."

Seeing that the other three were all going, Wang Lan felt too embarrassed to stay behind. ’We’ve only known each other for a day,’ he thought, ’we should get more familiar.’ He immediately said, "Well, if you’re all going, I guess I’ll get up too."

"So where are we going for breakfast?" Wang Lan asked with a yawn.

"I heard the food at Cafeteria Number One is decent. We can try it out, or else we’ll have to go off-campus," Chen Mo replied while drying his hair.

"Let’s try the cafeteria first, then."

While Chen Mo was blow-drying his hair, Wang Lan and Li Zhe started to wash up.

Meanwhile, Shen Xinghe was still elegantly continuing his skincare routine at his own unhurried pace.

By 8:00 AM, the four of them were finally ready.

As the four of them left together, they ran into a few guys from other rooms in the hallway and exchanged greetings.

Wang Lan was a natural extrovert and quickly struck up a conversation, which inevitably revolved around the cafeteria, games, and girls.

Chen Mo listened with an occasional smile, his gaze habitually sweeping over his surroundings, noting the hallway’s layout and the location of fire safety equipment—an instinct ingrained from his years as a criminal detective.

The group of four walked out of Xingyuan Building B. The morning sun was already growing intense, and the number of students on campus had clearly increased.

"The weather in Xiangsha really lives up to its reputation. The sun’s already this brutal so early in the morning," Wang Lan remarked, squinting as he shielded his forehead with his hand.

"That’s why sunscreen is so important," Shen Xinghe chimed in smoothly. He pulled a bottle of sunscreen spray from a small bag that seemed deceptively spacious, elegantly spritzed his neck and arms, and then turned to the other three. "Sunscreen? Want some?"

Wang Lan quickly waved his hands. "No, no, I’m good. It feels weird for a big dude like me to use that stuff."

His skin was on the darker side, and he didn’t seem concerned about sun protection.

The moment the words were out, however, he realized it might have been a slip of the tongue and quickly tried to backtrack. "Hey, Xinghe, don’t get me wrong. I just mean a tough, dark-skinned guy like me isn’t afraid of a little sun. You guys have better skin, so you should definitely use some."

Knowing Wang Lan hadn’t meant anything by it, Shen Xinghe just smiled, nodded, and thought nothing of it.

Li Zhe pushed up his glasses, hesitated for a moment, then took the bottle. "Thanks. I... I should probably use some."

His skin was fair, and he did look like someone who would burn easily.

Chen Mo smiled and said, "I’ll take some too, then."

He was confident in his own resilience; as a former detective, he was used to being exposed to the elements on duty. However, out of consideration for Shen Xinghe and his new circumstances, he figured a little sunscreen wouldn’t hurt.

By the time they were done, the group had arrived at the cafeteria.

Cafeteria Number One was in the midst of its breakfast rush. The place was buzzing, with long lines at every counter. The air was thick with the mingled aromas of all kinds of food.

"Whoa! Look at all these people!" Wang Lan’s spirits lifted at the bustling scene. "The food here must be decent! Should we split up and see which line is the fastest?"