Shopping

Yang Jian initially refused to accompany Miao Xiaoshan shopping, but he couldn't resist Miao Xiaoshan's enthusiastic enticements, so he agreed without really understanding what was going on.

Because she's Yang Jian's classmate.

From junior high to high school, although they weren't exactly childhood sweethearts, they always had a good relationship. Back in school, Yang Jian, whose grades weren't great, often copied Miao Xiaoshan's homework.

But ever since the supernatural events at No. 7 Middle School began, that school life has been completely disrupted.

During this period, Yang Jian experienced a lot; he was no longer the student he used to be.

Miao Xiaoshan, on the other hand, continued on her own life trajectory: studying, taking exams, going to university, and if everything went smoothly, graduating and getting a decent job at a well-known company. In the end, barring any unforeseen circumstances, she would meet an elite person, get married, have children, and live a happy and fulfilling life.

Yang Jian, following behind, watched the youthful, beautiful, and energetic Miao Xiaoshan without saying a word. In contrast, he was lifeless, cold, and indifferent, increasingly resembling a dead man. If nothing unexpected happened, he would die in some supernatural event in the future, or perhaps from the resurrection of his own vengeful spirit.

Living people should not have any interaction with the dead.

"Miao Xiaoshan, I think I should leave. I have a meeting tomorrow." About half an hour later, Yang Jian, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

He made an excuse to leave.

Inside the shopping mall.

Miao Xiaoshan seemed not to hear her. She turned around, holding a new dress in her hand, and said, "Yang Jian, do you think this dress looks good?"

"It's alright," Yang Jian.

Before he could say anything more, Miao Xiaoshan said with a grin, "Then you wait here, I'm going to try it on in the changing room. You're not allowed to sneak away, okay?"

After saying that, she took the clothes and headed to the dressing room.

"Miao Xiaoshan, I want to try on some clothes too, let's go together." A friend of Miao Xiaoshan's smiled and grabbed a piece of clothing, ready to try it on together.

Yang Jian's gaze flickered, unsure whether he should leave.

"Hey, your Yang Jian, right? My Liu Zi, I'm her college roommate."

Another woman, who was rather tall, rolled her eyes and smiled as she looked you over, saying, "Judging from your conversation with Miao Xiaoshan just now, you and she were high school classmates?"

"Yes, that's correct," Yang Jian.

Liu Zi said, "Did you fail your university entrance exam and come to J City to work?"

"That's about right," Yang Jian said casually without looking up.

"Working must be tough."

Liu Zi said with a smile, "Why not repeat a year and try to get into university? That way, it will be easier to find a job after graduation, at least you won't be like this, unable to find work and sleeping on the streets."

"Um?"

Yang Jian was taken aback for a moment, then slightly raised his head and said, "When have I ever been unable to find a job and ended up sleeping on the street?"

"Don't lie to me. I've lived here since I was a child. I've seen plenty of people who come to J City to work. I can tell at a glance that you definitely can't find a job and have no money, so you're planning to sleep on the streets."

Liu Zi said, "I sincerely suggest you go back and study more. There's no future in working like this."

"Look at Miao Xiaoshan, her college entrance exam scores were so good, she got into the best university in J City on her own, and her family's financial situation isn't any worse than mine. Even someone like that is working hard, so why shouldn't you?"

His tone was brimming with a sense of superiority.

However, Liu Zi certainly had the qualifications to stand in front of Yang Jian.

She was young and beautiful, a student at a prestigious university, and came from a wealthy family. Compared to ordinary working people, she was from a completely different class. Although she was praising Miao Xiaoshan, she was also indirectly praising herself.

"Oh," Yang Jian replied casually.

Oh?

What does this mean?

Liu Zi paused for a moment, then stared at Yang Jian with a strange expression. "After all I've said, don't you understand?"

"Understand what?" Yang Jian asked, puzzled.

"Of course I don't want you to affect Miao Xiaoshan's studies," Liu Zi said.

Yang Jian, "I don't think I'll affect her studies; today was just a coincidence."

"Why not? If you keep calling Miao Xiaoshan to ask her out, wouldn't that be a problem? Although I'm not the kind of person who meddles, you should at least have some qualifications to go on a date. I don't want Miao Xiaoshan to be fooled." Liu Zi said with a light snort, seemingly unintentionally.

Yang Jian looked at her, thought for a moment, and then smiled, "I understand. You feel that since your roommate is so outstanding, if she went on a date with a poor loser, you would be embarrassed if word got out, right?"

Liu Zi's expression was slightly unwell.

This guy actually guessed what I was thinking.

She believes that outstanding people should associate with other outstanding people, so that they can help and benefit each other in both work and life. Associating with useless people will only lower one's own standards and will also affect one's future career.

"Actually, you don't need to do this. We are two different kinds of people. If nothing unexpected happens, we will never cross paths. So I'll do my job and you can study. This is fine. But what happens between Miao Xiaoshan and me is between us. You're a complete stranger, yet you come up to me and lecture me. Is that really okay?"

Yang Jian said, "After all, you're a college student. Shouldn't you have at least some basic manners and manners? Don't you know that people who are always lecturing others are the most annoying?"

"I was just trying to be helpful, and you don't appreciate it at all, instead you're swearing at me?" Liu Zi rolled her eyes and glanced at her with a hint of disgust.

"You weren't trying to be kind, were you? What you just said really hurt my ears."

Yang Jian said, "Is it really okay to compare your strongest point with someone else's weakest point, and then become complacent and even feel like you've won completely just because you have a slight advantage?"

"Then tell me, what makes you, a mere laborer, better than me?" Liu Zi immediately retorted.

"For example, I can stay at the Ping An Hotel, but you can't," Yang Jian said casually.

"Are you crazy? You think staying in a hotel is so great? I bet you've never stayed in a hotel before," Liu Zi retorted angrily.

At this moment, Miao Xiaoshan, having changed her clothes, walked over with a big smile, "Yang Jian, look, how is it? Does it look good?"

Her light green dress made her look fresh and refined, a truly eye-catching sight.

"It's very beautiful."

Yang Jian ignored the girl Liu Zi and instead nodded, saying, "But it's getting late, shouldn't you go back? It's not safe for a girl to be out shopping alone at night. It wouldn't be good if something happened to her, after all, we can't always be so lucky."

"Isn't it you who's with me? What's there to be afraid of?" Miao Xiaoshan understood the implication in Yang Jian's words.

He was referring to encountering paranormal events.

Yang Jian said somewhat helplessly, "There are some things I can't handle. I'm not omnipotent. Besides, I have some things to take care of these next few days. You know, people who work for others often don't have a choice in what they do."

"Oh well."

Miao Xiaoshan said somewhat disappointedly, then added, "But you have to leave me your phone number. You must have changed your phone; I can't get through to you every time I call."

"Okay, I'll leave you my work phone number. You can contact me if you need anything." Yang Jian thought for a moment and left his satellite-based phone number with Miao Xiaoshan.

This type of number is not a regular dialing number; it includes characters and a number.

Miao Xiaoshan found the number strange, dialed it once, and only felt relieved after confirming that the call would go through.

"Miao Xiaoshan, let's go together in a bit. I've called my friend to pick us up," Liu Zi suddenly said.

"No, I'll have Yang Jian take me back. It's not far from school anyway," Miao Xiaoshan said.

"In that case, I'll be going now. Be careful on the road." After saying that, Liu Zi glanced at Yang Jian with some disgust, then turned and left.

Yang Jian ignored the somewhat arrogant Liu Zi and asked curiously, "Why do you want me to take you home? Wouldn't it be better to go back with your classmate?"

"You just said you were worried something might happen at night, so I'm just staying with you for safety's sake."

Miao Xiaoshan chuckled, walked over, and grabbed his arm, saying, "Come on, let's pay the bill first. You've never given me anything before, but I'm giving you this chance today. You, the landlord of Dachang City, won't care about such a small amount of money, will you?"

"I've always kept a low profile, everyone knows that. How did you know I'm rich?" Yang Jian said, scratching his head.

"You'll have to ask your good buddy Zhang Wei how he usually brags about you online," Miao Xiaoshan said. "I often watch his live streams too. Last time he went to your house to stream, he said there's a ghost on the fifth floor of your house. Is that true?"

Yang Jian's face darkened.

Zhang Wei actually dared to go up to the fifth floor.

That place is indeed haunted; his ghost mirror is in one of the rooms, along with several imprisoned ghosts.

It seems I need to find a safer place to put those things; I can't just leave them there carelessly.