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Zuko licked his lips, feeling his throat dry. He was adept at concealing his emotions, never allowing them to show on
his face.
However, lying was not his strong suit. He had been forbidden from lying since childhood.
Now, he found himself struggling to fabricate what might be the biggest lie of his life.
Lina’s eyes grew increasingly suspicious. “Zeke, a meal at that hotel could cost someone’s entire annual income,
so…”
“I did something, but it’s not illegal,” he replied, his voice deep, avoiding direct eye contact.
In the past, he never looked people in the eyes because he simply didn’t care. But now, he felt a pang of guilt,
hence avoiding her gaze.
Her anxiety grew instantly. “What did you do?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtZuko fell into a momentary silence. Immersing himself in the persona of “Zeke,” he quickly brainstormed what kind
of activity could have yielded such a large sum of money in a short period of time.
Then, he remembered his uncle, a renowned actor, in Southeast Asia. Although Zuko was no longer involved in
acting, his uncle’s success in the entertainment industry had brought him significant wealth.
So… being an actor might be a lucrative profession, right? Especially for someone like Zeke, with a tarnished
reputation, no educational background, but undeniable good looks. Selling his appearance seemed to be his only
option.
Biting his lip, a sense of disgust washed over him. He never anticipated that one day he would have to sell his looks
“for a living.”
“Umm, I…” He became more skilled at crafting lies. “I became an actor.”
“What?” Zuko’s response was far from what Lina expected. She stood there, stunned for ten seconds, her brows
furrowed. “Are you lying to me? You? Acting? Who would want you in a production?”
Zuko quickly sorted through his excuses.
“There is,” he replied, trying to convince her. “Besides doing deliveries, I sometimes go to Southern Bay… I’ve been
going there for the past few days. I’m still in touch with the director who cast me before!”
Lina crossed her arms and stared at him. Indeed, there was a large film industry presence in Southern Bay,
Jangasas. Multiple film crews were always shooting there, and film school students often gathered in the area.
Given Zeke’s striking appearance, it would be relatively easy for him to stand out.
“You were just part of a group performance, right?” She scrutinized him. “You can’t make money from that!”
“It’s not just that,” he effortlessly added more lies. “I am a stunt double and perform dangerous scenes or actions
that the actors themselves won’t do.”
She was taken aback.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Stunt doubles earn a lot.” Zuko continued weaving his web of deception. “And it’s not like I only started going there
in the past two days. I’ve been doing it for a while and earned some money.”
“So… you spent it all today?”
“Almost.”
“Zeke…”
Lina couldn’t quite express what she was feeling. It was a mixture of warmth and a gentle ache in her heart.
“It’s okay.” Zuko finally looked up, his eyes filled with tenderness. “I thought your classmates often visit that hotel,
so I wanted to give you the same treatment. They won’t look down on you now.”
Lina pursed her lips.
Observing her reaction, Zuko believed he had passed the test. He was about to go shower and change.
However, she called out to him suddenly. “You must be… hurt?”
“What?” His heart skipped a beat.
“Didn’t you say you did stunt work in the past two days? Being a stunt double is physically demanding, and you’ll
likely get injured. I’m sure you have wounds all over your body, right?”
“It’s minor, nothing serious,” Zuko replied, his heart racing.
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