Chapter 375: A Classic Case

Do you think you’re as impressive as that person?

That’s how it is even in games, let alone in real life.

Especially within the system!

“Disreputable…”

“If that’s considered disreputable and idle, then there aren’t many respectable people left in the world!”

Wang Yu’s words left his parents stunned.

They truly hadn’t seen it coming, and they certainly never expected that after just a year of hard work away from home, Wang Chao could actually know someone of that caliber…

A section chief…

Honestly, most people never even get the chance to meet a department chief.

The highest-ranking position an ordinary person might encounter in their entire life is probably a school administrator, and even then, not very often.

But a section chief… there were only a handful of those in the entire city’s police force. Forget knowing one, most people have never even seen one…

From the looks of it just now, it wasn’t just a passing acquaintance. They seemed genuinely familiar with each other…

‘How… how did he manage that!?’

“I’m going out for a smoke.”

Wang Yu said sullenly, throwing on a jacket and pushing the door open.

A cool breeze brushed against his face, quickly chilling his skin.

He then turned back to look at his parents.

“You two, don’t go to the police station.”

“Just act like you don’t know anything, like you don’t know who he is. And if something happens, don’t go causing trouble for him.”

With that, he closed the door.

Inside, the two parents looked at each other, speechless.

…

…

Wang Chao was feeling down.

He wasn’t the type to show off… no, that’s not right. Chao Zi did like to show off, but he never used other people to do it.

He believed that you need the skills to back it up; showing off with your connections was meaningless. At the end of the day, he was still just the manager of a physical store, earning a monthly salary of 20,000.

He was ridiculously far from his goal!

“So…”

“Do you have any concept of what twenty thousand a month is?”

At Zhang Niu’s house, looking at the depressed Wang Chao sitting before him, Zhang Niu took a drag from his cigarette, his eye twitching.

‘Twenty thousand a month in 2004 isn’t enough for him…’

Adjusted for purchasing power, that was like earning 70,000 or 80,000 a month in Xu Huo’s previous life, maybe even 100,000. That’s a million a year!

It might not sound like much, but what if you put it as over three thousand a day?

“Alright, you’re just carrying too much on your shoulders. You put too much pressure on yourself.”

“From morning to night, it’s all work, work, work. When do you ever relax?”

Zhang Niu said with a chuckle, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he sat on the sofa.

Wang Chao was still moping.

It was too cold outside, and he had found himself wandering over to Zhang Niu’s house without realizing it.

“How do you relax?” Wang Chao asked, confused.

Zhang Niu paused, looking him up and down.

“Kid, you’ve never had a girlfriend?” Zhang Niu asked suspiciously.

“What’s the point of having one of those?” Wang Chao asked, confused.

Zhang Niu: ?

“Do you go to bars or clubs?”

“Why would I go there?” Wang Chao was still confused.

Zhang Niu: ?

“Have you ever been to a high-end restaurant?”

“Why would I go there?”

Zhang Niu was suddenly baffled.

People earn money to enjoy themselves, but this guy in front of him…

‘It’s like he’s earning money just for the sake of earning money!?’

“Then what are you earning money for?”

Zhang Niu couldn’t help but press him.

“I haven’t thought about it. I’ll make the money first, then figure it out,” Wang Chao said honestly.

Zhang Niu fell into deep thought. After a moment, he shook his head and said:

“Kid, what you need is a girlfriend… Honestly, having a girlfriend is great. It can relieve a lot of pressure.”

“Are you interested at all?”

Hearing this, Zhang Min’s mother, who was off to the side, tore her gaze from the TV and looked toward Wang Chao.

Zhang Min’s ears twitched, but her face remained impassive as she continued to watch the TV.

“Let fate decide. I won’t force it.”

Wang Chao smacked his lips.

“Forget about not forcing it.”

“What do you think of Xiao Min?”

Zhang Niu asked bluntly. With his military background, he wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

Beside them, Zhang Min’s face instantly flushed red. She whipped her head around and glared fiercely at her father, but didn’t interrupt.

Wang Chao thought for a moment, then clapped his hands together.

“She’s great, of course! What’s not to like? She’s pretty, tall, comes from a good family, and is cultured and well-mannered.”

“So, what do you think…” Zhang Niu continued with a chuckle.

“Brother Niu, don’t you worry. I’ll definitely find a good man for my niece.”

Wang Chao declared with a grand wave of his hand.

Zhang Niu: ?

The smile on Zhang Niu’s face froze, and he fell silent.

He suddenly had the urge to slap his past self for becoming sworn brothers with this guy over drinks.

Zhang Min was glaring so fiercely it looked like fire could shoot from her eyes. She watched them like a hawk, her gaze darting between the two men.

Until…

“Forget it. Let nature take its course.”

Zhang Niu said, shaking his head. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked with confusion.

“I’ve been in Jiangsan City for a whole day now.”

“Where’s that little welcome gift you mentioned?”

‘Welcome gift?’

‘Jiangsan City’s welcome gift?’

Wang Chao’s heart suddenly clenched, and he glanced around nervously.

“Brother Niu, you haven’t run into any… trouble, have you?”

“What kind of trouble?”

Zhang Niu asked in confusion, looking around his room.

“Have you smelled any foul odors?” Chao Zi continued, probing cautiously.

“Of course not. This apartment is spotless. What foul odor?” Zhang Niu shook his head, looking perfectly at ease on the sofa.

“Then have you seen any strange black shadows?”

“Stray cats or dogs? Nope. The complex’s management is actually pretty responsible.”

The management of a high-end residential complex and an ordinary one were like two different professions. The level of service and attitude were completely different.

“None at all?”

Wang Chao breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good, that’s good.”

“You’re confusing me. What’s good about it?” Zhang Niu didn’t understand. “So where do I go to claim this gift?”

“Hmm… it’s probably best if you don’t claim it. The local specialty of Jiangsan City is pretty terrifying,” Wang Chao said after a moment of thought.

Zhang Niu felt like he had more questions this afternoon than in the entire past month.

How did “welcome gift” become equivalent to “pretty terrifying”?

And what did black shadows and foul odors have to do with a welcome gift!?

He shot a suspicious glance at Zhang Min.

Zhang Min had received Jiangsan City’s welcome gift before. Her expression was a bit complicated right now, but she didn’t say anything.

After that, no matter how much Zhang Niu pressed him,

Wang Chao refused to say a word.

“It’s getting late, so I’ll be heading out.”

It was six in the afternoon, with about four days left until the New Year.

Wang Chao stood at the door.

CLICK.

The door swung closed. Zhang Niu immediately turned to Zhang Min, confused.

“Xiao Min, that welcome gift thing is pretty mysterious.”

“Did you get one when you arrived?”

Zhang Min subconsciously wanted to say something, but she had no idea how to put it. In the end, she just fell silent in thought.

‘What could she say?’

‘That her mind nearly broke on her very first day?’

‘Or that the corpse hidden in the air conditioner gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling?’

“It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry about it.”

Zhang Min thought for a moment, shook her head, and then also headed for the door.

“I’m heading back now. Don’t worry about this. You guys just stay here and watch TV.”

Then, with another CLICK, the door closed.

Zhang Min’s figure vanished from the room.

“What’s going on here?”

Zhang Niu’s brows furrowed deeply. He pulled his gaze from the door and looked around the room.

From the very beginning, Wang Chao and Zhang Min had been searching for something in his apartment.

‘Why were they searching?’

‘Does a small gift randomly spawn in the room?’

Zhang Niu fell into deep contemplation.

After a long while, he turned his head and looked toward his bedroom.

At this moment, the bedroom seemed like a vortex, drawing in his gaze and threatening to devour his very soul.

Zhang Niu froze, but a second later, he abruptly started walking toward the bedroom.

‘Perhaps…’

‘There’s something in my room?’

He had to see for himself just how “surprising” this surprise could be!

…

The next story arc is a good one QAQ