Impossible In This Lifetime

The bus arrived at the stop.

Yang Jian first took Wang Shanshan home.

Because they had spoken on the phone earlier, when he and Wang Shanshan arrived at the gate of a high-end residential complex, a fashionable middle-aged woman walked over with a frown, looking displeased.

"Mom," Wang Shanshan's face lit up.

"You still know to come home? Where were you all night? Your phone wouldn't connect either. Do you know how worried your family was? What if something happened to you, a girl, out there? If you hadn't come back today, I would have reported you missing to the police," Wang Shanshan's mother, Wang Haiyan, scolded.

"Mom, I'm sorry, something happened at school, that's why..." Wang Shanshan said, lowering her head.

Wang Haiyan said, "Alright, we'll talk about the reasons with your dad later. Who is this young man? Why is he coming back with you?"

"He's my classmate, Yang Jian. You met him at school before, Mom, remember?" Wang Shanshan said.

"A classmate? There are so many classmates in your class, how would I remember," Wang Haiyan said, sizing up Yang Jian.

Yang Jian said, "Hello, Auntie Wang. Since there's nothing else, I'll be going now. I'll visit you again next time I have the chance."

He didn't linger, intending to leave immediately.

"Wait."

Wang Haiyan called out to Yang Jian, "You're Shanshan's classmate? I ask you, where were you two last night? Why is Shanshan only getting back now? Did you take Shanshan out to fool around?"

Yang Jian said, "Auntie Wang, it's not what you think. After evening study yesterday, something unusual happened at school. Everyone in the class was kept at school. We just got back. Because I was worried about Wang Shanshan's safety on the way, I brought her back."

"I called Teacher Wang, and nothing happened at school yesterday at all," Wang Haiyan said.

Yang Jian chuckled, "Teacher Wang's phone was completely unreachable yesterday. Auntie, you're joking."

Wang Haiyan knew perfectly well that Teacher Wang's phone was unreachable. She was just trying to trick this young man to see if there was anything suspicious.

She then added, "You kindly brought Shanshan home, I should thank you. However, Shanshan's family is quite strict. She's never fooled around outside since she was little, nor has she ever associated with any disreputable people. Moreover, this is a crucial time in her third year of high school, and Shanshan needs to focus on her studies. I hope this classmate won't affect Shanshan's studies in the future."

The implication was that she wanted Yang Jian to stay away from Wang Shanshan and not get any ideas about her daughter.

After speaking, Wang Haiyan took out two hundred yuan from her wallet and stuffed it into Yang Jian's hand. "Bringing Shanshan home so early in the morning must have been tiring. This classmate probably hasn't had breakfast yet, right? Auntie will give you two hundred yuan for breakfast. Please don't mind it, just take it."

Yang Jian looked at the two hundred yuan in his hand and was stunned for a moment. Then, the smile on his face vanished, and he said calmly, "Thank you, Auntie."

After saying that, he took the money and turned to leave.

As soon as Yang Jian left, Wang Shanshan was almost in tears. "Mom, you're going too far! Although Yang Jian's grades aren't great usually, he's a good person. What is this, giving money to someone? Isn't that humiliating him?"

"What do you know, my dear daughter? I was just testing this young man. Look, he even took the two hundred yuan without even thinking of refusing. It's obvious he's a poor kid with no ambition. You must stay away from people like that in the future, don't be fooled by their sweet talk." Wang Haiyan said.

"You're the one who doesn't understand anything. Do you know what happened at school last night? Without Yang Jian, I would be dead. Do you think Yang Jian wanted to escort me? I begged him to take me home. How can I face anyone after you've done this?"

"Someone like that has no backbone, it's best not to see him," Wang Haiyan said. "Our family isn't just anyone."

"Wuwu," Wang Shanshan cried in anger and turned to leave.

Yang Jian, still on the bus, looked at the two hundred yuan in his hand and understood perfectly the meaning behind Wang Shanshan's mother's actions.

Contempt mixed with a hint of humiliation.

Anyone else would have probably exploded.

But Yang Jian's expression remained calm, unfazed. What good would anger do?

Wang Shanshan's family was well-off, and she was beautiful. She usually didn't interact with a nobody like him. For him to suddenly escort her home, her parents would naturally be repulsed by someone like him and try to push him away by any means necessary.

Getting angry in front of them would only be embarrassing. He couldn't possibly jump up and hit Wang Haiyan over two hundred yuan.

Moreover, for Yang Jian now, this was just a trivial matter. He didn't save Wang Shanshan for any personal gain.

"It's hard to be a good person. No wonder ghosts are appearing."

Yang Jian rubbed the back of his hand, gave a self-deprecating smile, and put the two hundred yuan into his pocket.

He returned home and fell into bed, asleep.

He was simply exhausted.

The other classmates also went home one after another. Even after such a major incident, one still had to go home, right?

At this moment, Zhang Wei returned to his family's villa.

He hadn't lied; he was indeed a rich second-generation heir, just a low-key one who hadn't indulged in wasteful habits.

"Why are you back so late? Your phone wouldn't connect either. What were you doing all night?"

As Zhang Wei entered the house, his father, Zhang Xiangui, heard the door open and came out of his room, looking at him sternly.

Zhang Wei flinched. "School. Went out with friends."

He wanted to say that the school was haunted and he had been tormented half to death, but he felt that saying it would insult his father's intelligence, so he didn't say it and chose to lie instead.

"Went out to play? You're not allowed to do this again next time."

Zhang Xiangui didn't criticize him too harshly, just casually saying, "Eat breakfast later and then go to school, don't be late."

"Go to school?"

Zhang Wei's pupils suddenly contracted in fear. "No, I'm not going to school."

"If you're not going to school, what do you want to do?" Zhang Xiangui asked.

"I can do anything, just not go to school," Zhang Wei said.

Dare to go to Seventh High? He must be tired of living. That place is haunted. He had barely escaped a few hours ago. Going to school would be suicide, wouldn't it?

No, he wouldn't go back to that school even if it meant suicide.

"Are you looking for a beating? Daring to skip class?" Zhang Xiangui glared. "The college entrance exams are coming up soon. Are you saying you don't want to go to college by asking for leave now?"

"Dad, I'll tell you the truth. That place is haunted. I can't go," Zhang Wei said.

"Haunted? I think you've lost your mind. Come on, I'll take you to school. If it's really haunted, I'd love to see it. Your dad has never seen a ghost in his life," Zhang Xiangui said, grabbing Zhang Wei's hand.

Zhang Wei immediately shook his hand off and jumped up, with a hint of shock and anger. "Let go of me! I said I'm not going to school, and I'm not going! Even if I die, Zhang Wei will die outside, jump off from here, or have a gun pointed at my head. I will never step foot in Seventh High again in this lifetime."

"I mean what I say. Dad, if you don't believe me, try me."

"You don't have to go to school, but you won't get a single cent of your allowance from now on. You're on your own," Zhang Xiangui said angrily.

"..." Zhang Wei fell silent, turned, and went back to his room.

Zhang Xiangui said, "If you have the guts, hide in your room and don't come out."

A moment later, Zhang Wei walked out with two books. "Dad, I'm going to school."

"Good." Zhang Xiangui nodded with satisfaction.

Zhang Wei, having left home, let out a cold laugh.

Go to school?

Not in this lifetime, not in the next.

Who said carrying books means going to school? Can't I go to the internet cafe?

"Today, I, Zhang Wei, will eat twenty chickens at the internet cafe!" Zhang Wei declared loudly as he arrived at the internet cafe's entrance.

However, not long after Zhang Wei got online.

Two special personnel had already found him.

"Are you Zhang Wei, a student at Seventh High School?" one person asked.

Zhang Wei froze for a moment, then crossed his legs and pretended to be profound. "Big brother, you've got the wrong person. My name is Yang Jian, and Zhang Wei is my classmate."

"The ID registered at the counter is yours. There's no mistake. Come with us. We need your help to assist with a case investigation."

"..." Zhang Wei was filled with uncertainty, but he was soon taken away.