Ouyang Fen's expression was both ashamed and resentful as he held the pink brush in his hand.
"I... I've never brushed someone else's back before." He looked like a child standing in the corner for doing something naughty.
Qin Guan instructed him patiently, "Right, be careful. Move it from top to the bottom. Right... Is my back red? It doesn't matter, it'll get cleaner. Ah... oh... That feels so good..." Can you not sigh that way, dude? Look at how the models around you are looking at you.
After brushing Qin Guan's back clean, Ouyang Fen felt a sense of achievement. Qin Guan's back is smooth and clean. This was my first time ever brushing someone else's back. What a success! Ouyang Fen looked at the small pink brush. Pink sure is my lucky color. Shall I take this for my pink collection?
Ouyang Fen ran out of the bathroom happily at the thought and put the brush into his bag. Qin Guan changed into his swimming trunks and went outside. Sister Xue exploded at the sight of him.
"Did Ouyang Fen do this on purpose? There are three scratches on your back! I'll scratch his face!" Qin Guan stopped Sister Xue and pointed at his swimming trunks. "I think the scratches match my swimsuit well. The effect is excellent!"
Sister Xue looked at that essential part of Qin Guan and saw a bloody scratch print on both ends of the swimming trunks. It gave off a wild, sexy vibe. Combined with the scratches on his back, they complimented each other and inspired the audience.
Sister Xue patted him on the back excitedly. "Good boy! You are really smart and creative!" Qin Guan smiled to himself. Is this what they call an accidental positive outcome?
Meanwhile, Ouyang Fen had already gotten off the stage and turned in Qin Guan's direction hesitantly. Brushing your back was just an accident. We are still enemies. I will crush you one day.
Qin Guan smiled brightly and got on the T stage, following the rhythm of the music. The judges started talking heatedly when he got close.
"Look at his figure and face! Superb!"
"Yes, I'm impressed. He was the winner of the capital competition. His total score was the best one in the national quarter-final."
"A good result. He's in perfect shape, and his style is mature. How old is he?"
"Nineteen. He's got great potential. He is 186 centimeters tall. Two more centimeters would have been better though. If he was 188 cm, he'd even be able to walk on an international runway."
They were still talking when Qin Guan turned around. They grew even more excited when they saw his back.
"Look at his back!"
"Where did he get that idea? That's so brave of him! His swimming trunks go well with the scratches."
"He is so clever! It's only scratches, no scars, no blood, no harm to his body. What a genius!" (Overkill, dude. Believe me, you have no idea what really happened.)
"That's the feeling! It looks like a theme show in Europe. He took it to the next level."
"Good idea. Maybe I could use it for a swimsuit show in the future."
They didn't give their full attention to the rest of the models after Qin Guan returned backstage.
Sister Xue handed him his clothes before the jealous onlookers, encouraging him, "Cheer up! There's still one more round to go!"
The final round was a photo competition. Models had to perform well and take outstanding poses of comprehensive quality.
Top models had to have a strong sense of the camera and be easy to cooperate with. They would all take turns walking on the stage and the photographers of the competition would take candid photographs of them. Then the judges would put all the photos together and compare them.
"Click, click..." Several cameras snapped pictures simultaneously. The flashes and the steps of the models were combined into a specific rhythm. Finally, all the contestants gathered on the stage, the photographers took a group photo, and they returned backstage to wait for the results.
They were strolling around anxiously, talking in low voices. The atmosphere was charged. Off stage, the judges were busy with the final scores of the models. The assistant handed the final list to the host, who announced the results over the background music.
Ouyang Fen looked unconsciously at Qin Guan, who seemed totally oblivious to everything. He was chewing bubble gum leisurely.
What the hell is he doing? How can he still care about eating right now? Dude, is that Dada bubble gum? I want a pink strawberry one!
"The winner is Qin Guan from the capital, who won the popular vote!"
When the results were announced, the contestants started hugging each other goodbye. There were plenty of people surrounding the judges. Assistants and agents tried to suck up to them, holding their cards in their hands in an effort to promote their models.
Qin Guan and Ouyang Fen, the luckiest guys in the competition, had won both a bonus outdoor photo-shoot in the capital and a small review from "Capital Fashion" magazine.
A journalist of a local printed media with a small readership was inspired by the fact that there were two contestants from the capital in the competition.
They are the winner and runner-up of both the national final and the capital competition. How dramatic! They supported each other and fought together. Hand in hand, they overcame all the difficulties and defeated the contestants from all other areas.
The journalist was full of passion as he looked at the two guys sitting in chairs. On the left, Ouyang Fen was grinding his teeth with a sour expression on his face. He was holding two awards in his arms. On the right, Qin Guan picked up a prize cup and put it on a table at random, saying helplessly, "I can't hold so many awards!"
The journalist was confused. What's going on?
Qin Guan's words provoked Ouyang Fen's rebelling nature. He suddenly stood up and shouted, "You bastard!" Before he could continue, Qin Guan pointed at the journalist, and Ouyang Fen withered at once.
The journalist smiled awkwardly. Anyhow, I'll just write a short article about them. I'd better finish the interview quickly and run away. It seems that the two of them have a tense relationship.
He could imagine the mutual enmity between them off-site, and he asked some basic questions quickly before running away with his notebook.
Ouyang Fen was dragged off by his cousin as he shouted loudly, "I'll be back!" He had to nurture their love-hate relationship. Humming, Qin Guan put his diplomas and awards in his large bag and got into Sister Xue's car.
When they reached his college, Sister Xue gave Qin Guan a thick envelope before he got off the car. "Your prize for the competition." Then she drove away with an elegant turn, leaving smoke behind her. It seemed fair to Qin Guan. He climbed upstairs, jumping the steps two and three at a time with his large bag and the envelope.
Rushing into his dormitory, he threw the bag down and opened the envelope excitedly. A pile of 100-yuan bills fell on his bed.