Chapter 51: You're Ill-Mannered
His parents' death did not awaken High Liang to reality. He merely fretted, bothered by the loss of his parents and wondering how he would manage his living expenses now, where he would find the money to pursue Wang Qing.
After much deliberation, High Liang hit upon a solution: he would borrow from his classmates. He exhausted every possible avenue, managing to borrow a sum of money from several classmates, but it was barely enough to cover his living expenses for a single month. To buy gifts for Wang Qing, this money was nowhere near sufficient.
Thus, High Liang turned to online lending. He began taking out loans from various platforms, using the money to indulge Wang Qing.
From what he knew, many of his classmates had resorted to online loans; some female students had even willingly taken "nude loans" for money. Taking out loans for love, he reasoned, was nothing in comparison.
The outcome was predictable: High Liang couldn't repay his classmates, nor could he repay the online loans. He found himself hounded daily by various lending platforms, subjected to all sorts of threats.
The classmates' debt collection, Guan Hai was unconcerned with, but the incessant demands from the major online lending platforms gradually plunged him into panic. In the end, cornered and with nowhere left to turn, he chose to end his own life.
He ended his young life by jumping from a building.
Before his death, his mind was filled with fantasies of taking Wang Qing to a hotel room. Yet, even in death, he never once held her hand.
The scene abruptly ceased there, and everything before Yang Haoran's eyes shattered. He suddenly felt a sharp, throbbing pain in his brain.
“Brother Yang, what's wrong? ” Guan Hai, seeing his state, quickly asked.
The sharp pain came quickly and left just as fast. Hearing Guan Hai's voice, Yang Haoran looked at him and asked, “How long have I been here? ”
When he asked this, not only was Guan Hai utterly bewildered, but Wang Qing also stared at Yang Haoran with a look that suggested he was insane.
“Brother Yang, you're quite the comedian. You've only just sat down, haven't even had a sip of wine. Could you possibly be drunk already? ”
Guan Hai's words made Yang Haoran pause in surprise. He had only just sat down? Having just witnessed High Liang's past through his Ghost Eye, he felt as if a long time had passed, yet it had only been an instant.
He merely pondered for a moment, and a suspicion formed in his mind: the scenes he had witnessed through his Ghost Eye had indeed transpired in an instant. It was precisely this instantaneous influx of information that had caused the sharp pain in his brain.
Facing Guan Hai's confusion, Yang Haoran waved his hand and replied, “It's nothing, probably just haven't been resting well lately. ”
Before Guan Hai could speak, Wang Qing immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this. She said, “Uncle, if you haven't been resting well, what are you doing running around late at night? You should go home and rest early. Isn't it uncomfortable being a third wheel here? ”
How could Yang Haoran not understand the implication in Wang Qing's words? This Wang Qing found him to be in the way and wanted him to quickly scram, to stop interfering with her and Guan Hai's dating.
Yang Haoran's main purpose for coming tonight was to solve Guan Hai's problem; how could he possibly leave just because of a single comment from Wang Qing?
He ignored Wang Qing, instead turning his gaze back to High Liang—the ghost beside Wang Qing.
High Liang, at this moment, was gazing intently at Wang Qing beside him. Although his entire face was shattered and showed no discernible expression, his eyes held a look of utter infatuation as he stared at her.
Yang Haoran felt no sympathy for this High Liang. He didn't want to make any judgments about such a person. What he considered right might be wrong in such a person's eyes; what he considered wrong might be right in theirs. Their values diverged too greatly for there to be anything worth evaluating.
He was a Night Watcher in the dark, his duty to guide spirits and subdue Evil Spirits. What he needed to do now was to collect High Liang into his Soul-Gathering Bead. As for High Liang's life before death, had it not been to uncover the truth of the matter and resolve Guan Hai's predicament, he wouldn't have bothered to look.
From High Liang's current state, he hadn't devoured any other souls, making him merely an ordinary spirit. A spirit of this caliber, aside from frightening people in dreams, could only rely on its own Yin Qi to influence its target.
Although Yang Haoran had never actually used a Soul-Gathering Bead to collect a spirit before, he believed capturing a spirit of this level wouldn't be much of a problem.
In his opinion, both the Yin Qi on Wang Qing and the Yin Qi on Guan Hai were very likely caused by High Liang. Of course, this was merely his own conjecture; whether it was true or not, he would know once he collected High Liang and questioned him.
If the Yin Qi on Guan Hai was indeed due to High Liang, then collecting High Liang would resolve the matter entirely. But if the Yin Qi on Guan Hai was not from High Liang, then Guan Hai's problem wasn't over, and he would have to continue helping him deal with it.
Thinking of this, Yang Haoran began to devise a plan: how to collect High Liang's ghost without anyone knowing.
Seeing that Yang Haoran wasn't acknowledging her, Wang Qing's expression immediately turned sour. Yang Haoran was plain-looking, dressed ordinarily, clearly a poor man at a glance. She had seen countless men like him, and not one hadn't gawked at her. This was the first time she had encountered someone who so completely ignored her existence, which made her feel insulted.
If Yang Haoran had money, it might have been excusable. But without money, to ignore her like this? What gave him the right?
Unable to comprehend it, her emotions showed clearly on her face. Guan Hai saw Wang Qing's reaction and couldn't help but furrow his brow.
However, before Guan Hai could speak, Wang Qing began to speak in a sarcastic, mocking tone, her words, of course, aimed directly at Yang Haoran.
“I say, Uncle,” Wang Qing began, a sneer on her face as she taunted Yang Haoran, “when one is a person, not only must they have self-awareness, but also manners. Didn't your teachers in school teach you what manners are? ”
Her mood was already poor; she'd had a string of bad luck throughout the day, and Guan Hai's words and actions earlier that evening had also filled her with displeasure. She naturally took Yang Haoran as her punching bag.
The moment these words left her lips, Wang Qing immediately felt much better. When it came to people like Yang Haoran, she felt particularly uncomfortable if she didn't trample them with a few insults.
As for what constituted manners, at this moment, it was entirely up to her to decide. If she said you had manners, then you had manners. If she said you had none, then you had none.
Yang Haoran was deep in thought, figuring out how to discreetly collect High Liang, when Wang Qing's mocking voice reached his ears, abruptly interrupting his train of thought. Her words greatly displeased him. He set aside the matter of High Liang for a moment, then raised his head to look at Wang Qing.
Guan Hai, seeing that things were amiss, was about to speak but was interrupted by Yang Haoran's dismissive wave. Yang Haoran looked directly at Wang Qing, a faint, familiar smile gracing his lips.
“Heh heh, I didn't read much, dropped out of school quite early,” Yang Haoran responded with a chuckle.
Upon hearing this, the smile on Wang Qing's face grew even wider. With a cold sneer, she continued, “Heh heh, no wonder you don't understand manners at all. No culture, no education, not even the most basic manners. I really don't know how you've gotten by all these years. To be honest, don't get angry, but I truly disdain sitting at the same table as someone like you, because you lower my status and make me feel ashamed. ”
The smile on Yang Haoran's face didn't falter. He was just about to retort when Guan Hai, unable to listen anymore, frowned deeply and spoke with a grim expression, “Wang Qing, what the hell are you saying? ! ”
Guan Hai, for his part, showed Wang Qing no quarter, immediately lashing out with curses.
Wang Qing froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Guan Hai to curse at her for Yang Haoran's sake. She had always been pampered and indulged by the men around her; whether she was right or wrong, they always appeased her, never uttering a harsh word. How could anyone like Guan Hai openly curse at her like this?
“Guan Hai, you actually cursed me for this bumpkin? ! ” The smile vanished from Wang Qing's face, her emotions flaring.
“My cursing at you is already lenient, goddammit! If anyone else talked to Brother Yang like that, I'd smash a bottle over their head right then and there! What the hell are you, anyway? Who gave you this sense of superiority? ! Let me tell you, with your temperament, it'll be a miracle if you survive past thirty after stepping into society! ” Guan Hai roared.
Wang Qing was beyond furious, her hand trembling slightly as she pointed at Guan Hai.
“Guan Hai, I've felt you were off ever since we met tonight! What kind of Enchantment Art did this bumpkin feed you that you're actually taking his side? ! ” Wang Qing's emotions also became agitated.
“You've only known me for a few days! Don't think that just because you have a bit of looks, you can't tell heaven from earth! A piece of work like you, I can call one with a single phone call, ten with ten calls! Do you really think I'll starve to death without you? ! ” Guan Hai retorted furiously, not giving an inch.
Both of their voices were loud, and their outburst immediately drew numerous glances. The attention of the other patrons converged on Yang Haoran's table.
Guan Hai paid no mind to the other patrons' gazes. However, Wang Qing was no easy target either, and she similarly ignored everyone else's stares.
“Guan Hai, we're over! ” Wang Qing declared through gritted teeth.
Dropping that declaration, Wang Qing picked up her bag, ready to leave. As she did, she still couldn't fathom it, so she suddenly grabbed a beer bottle and savagely hurled it towards Yang Haoran's position.
Yang Haoran's seat was right against the wall. Facing the suddenly flying beer bottle, he didn't move his body, but merely tilted his head.
SMASH!
The beer bottle grazed his face and smashed against the wall behind him. The bottle shattered, spraying beer all over him, and a shard of glass cut his face. Blood, mixed with beer, trickled down his cheek.
“Brother Yang! ”
Guan Hai was enraged. Without a second thought, he also grabbed a beer bottle from the table, intent on throwing it at Wang Qing. Seeing Yang Haoran injured, he no longer cared if Wang Qing was a woman; if she dared to strike, she had to be prepared for the consequences.
However, Wang Qing was quite quick to react. Seeing Guan Hai grab the bottle, she spat a mouthful of saliva at him and turned to flee.
Guan Hai was furious. He lifted the bottle, ready to pursue, but after only two steps, he felt an inexplicable wave of weakness wash over his body, almost making him collapse to the ground.
Yang Haoran witnessed all of this. Suppressing the rage in his heart, he neither pursued Wang Qing nor wiped away the blood flowing down his face. Instead, he immediately took out his Soul-Gathering Bead from his shoulder bag.
Guan Hai had been affected!
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