483 Shopping
Yang Jian initially refused to go shopping with Miao Xiaoshan, but could not resist her enthusiastic dragging, so he absentmindedly agreed.
After all, she was his classmate.
From junior high to high school, although they were not quite childhood sweethearts, their relationship had always been quite good. As a student with less-than-ideal grades, Yang Jian had often copied Miao Xiaoshan’s homework,
but ever since the supernatural event occurred at No. 7 Middle School, that kind of school life was completely shattered.
During that period, Yang Jian had experienced a lot, and he was no longer the student who studied at school.
As for Miao Xiaoshan, she continued on her life trajectory, studying, taking exams, attending university, and if everything went smoothly, she would graduate, work in a well-known company in a respectable position, and, if unexpected things did not happen, she would meet some elite individual, marry, have children, and live a happy and fulfilling life.
Yang Jian, following behind, gazed at the youthful, beautiful, and vibrant Miao Xiaoshan without saying a word. In contrast, he was deathly still, his breath cold, and his emotions indifferent, becoming more and more like a dead person. If nothing unexpected happened, he would likely meet his end in some supernatural event or succumb to the revival of his own malevolent specter.
And the living should not interact with the dead.
“Miao Xiaoshan, maybe I should leave… I have a meeting to attend tomorrow,” Yang Jian said after about half an hour of silence.
He looked for an excuse to leave.
In the mall.
Miao Xiaoshan seemed not to have heard and turned around, holding a new dress in her hands, “Yang Jian, do you think this dress looks nice?”
“It’s alright,” Yang Jian said.
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Miao Xiaoshan didn’t wait for him to say more and chirped, “Then you wait here, I’ll try it on in the changing room. You better not sneak away, okay?”
With that, she took the dress and headed to the changing room.
“Miao Xiaoshan, I want to try on clothes too, let’s go together.” A friend of Miao Xiaoshan’s also laughed, taking a piece of clothing to try on together.
Yang Jian’s gaze shifted, uncertain whether he should leave or not.
“Hey, you’re Yang Jian, right? My name is Liu Zi, and I’m her college roommate.”
Another rather tall girl glanced over with a smile, “From what I overheard between you and Miao Xiaoshan, you were high school classmates?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Yang Jian said.
Liu Zi asked, “Did you not get into university and come to Dachang City to work?”
“Something like that,” Yang Jian replied, without even looking up.
“Must be tough, working like that,” she said with a laugh.
Liu Zi continued, “Why not retake the entrance exam for a year and try to get into university? After graduation, work would be easier. At least you wouldn’t be jobless and have to sleep on the streets.”
“Huh?”
Yang Jian paused, slightly lifting his head, “When did I become jobless and sleep on the streets?”
“Stop fooling around. I’ve lived here since I was a child. I’ve seen plenty of people who come to Dachang City to work. I can tell at a glance that you must be jobless and have no money, planning to sleep on the streets.”
Liu Zi said earnestly, “I truly suggest you go back to school and study more. Working like this has no future.”
“Look at Miao Xiaoshan, such good college entrance exam results, got into the best university in Dachang City through her own efforts, and her family isn’t worse off than mine. When someone like that is striving, what’s your excuse for not trying?”
Her tone was full of a sense of superiority.
In front of Yang Jian, Liu Zi indeed had the credentials to feel this way.
She was young, beautiful, a student of a prestigious university, with a well-off family. Compared to the average laborer, she was from a completely different class. Although she was praising Miao Xiaoshan, she was also indirectly boasting about herself.
“Oh,” Yang Jian merely responded casually.
Oh?
What did that mean?
Liu Zi was taken aback for a moment, her expression strange as she stared at Yang Jian, “Didn’t you understand what I just said?”
“Understand what?” Yang Jian asked, puzzled.
“Of course, it’s that I don’t want you to affect Miao Xiaoshan’s studies,” Liu Zi said.
Yang Jian said, “I don’t think I’ll affect her studies, today was just a coincidence.”
“How can you not? If you were to call Miao Xiaoshan out occasionally, wouldn’t that be a distraction? Although I’m not the type to meddle, you should at least meet some basic requirements for dating, right? I certainly don’t want Miao Xiaoshan to be deceived,” Liu Zi said softly with an intentional hum.
Yang Jian looked at her, thought for a moment, and then smiled, “I get it, you think your roommate is so exceptional that if she goes out with a poor loser like me, it would be embarrassing for you too, right?”
Liu Zi’s face turned a shade darker.
This guy had actually hit the nail on the head as to what she was thinking.
She believed that outstanding individuals should be with other outstanding individuals; they could support each other in work and life. Associating with people who were not useful would only lower her own standards and impact her future career.
“Actually, you needn’t worry, you and I are different types of people. If nothing unexpected happens, we will never cross paths, so I do my job and you study your books, which is quite good. However, what happens between Miao Xiaoshan and me is our business; you’re a complete stranger, so why come up to me and preach? Is that really okay?”
Yang Jian continued, “After all, you’re a university student; you should have at least some basic decencies, right? Don’t you know that those who indiscriminately advise others are the most annoying?”
“I was just trying to be nice advising you, if you don’t appreciate it that’s fine, but to insult me?” Liu Zi rolled her eyes, looking away in disgust.
“You’re not coming from a place of kindness, am I wrong? I feel like your words just now were particularly grating,” he said.