I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 1066 Bai Yueguang

Zhang Chen went out in the morning and silently stood in a corner to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth until night fell and the lights illuminated the darkness. At a certain moment, Zhang Chen suddenly opened his eyes and his gaze pierced through the darkness to look at the dim streetlights in the distance. He saw two figures walking arm in arm, chatting and laughing as they walked towards him.

One is Shen Jianghe, and the other is Shi Yunan.

Under the streetlights, Shen Jianghe looked tall and handsome, while Shi Yunan was slender and graceful; they seemed like a perfect match.

"I'm home." Shi Yunan stopped under the streetlight and said coquettishly to Shen Jianghe.

"I've successfully taken the beauty home, and I've completed my mission. See you tomorrow." Shen Jianghe patted the girl's head, then reached out to hug her. He wanted to kiss her, but Shi Yunan dodged him. She pushed Shen Jianghe away, but wasn't angry. She just said coquettishly, "Don't be silly. If Zhang Chen sees this, I'm afraid I won't be able to explain myself even if I have ten mouths."

Shen Jianghe, however, dismissed the suggestion: "This is your home, why would Zhang Chen be here?"

After speaking, he didn't press the matter. He knew the time wasn't right for them to get to each other, but he didn't force it. Instead, he said, "I'll be going now."

Shi Yunan watched Shen Jianghe's departing figure until he disappeared from sight before turning around and walking back.

In the dim shadow of the streetlights, Zhang Chen watched Shen Jianghe's departing figure, a cold glint in his eyes. He and Shi Yanan had been dating for seven years, and Shi Yanan would never even let him hold her hand, let alone hug her.

"Shi Yunan." Zhang Chen walked out in the shadow of the streetlight and called out from afar.

"Zhang Chen? What are you doing here?" Shi Yunan stopped in her tracks, turned her head to look at Zhang Chen, who was carrying pastries, and her eyes showed a hint of panic: "Weren't you locked up?"

"It's all just a misunderstanding. Once it's explained, it'll be fine. Once it's explained, he'll be released." Zhang Chen looked calmly at Shi Yuhan. "After I got out, I bought some pastries to come see you, but I never expected to see something I shouldn't have."

"Zhang Chen, don't overthink it. It's not the kind of relationship you're imagining." Shi Yunan stood in the light, looking at Zhang Chen with a cold expression.
Shi Yunan looked at Zhang Chen quietly. She knew in her heart just how much Zhang Chen loved her. So she knew that Zhang Chen couldn't live without her. As long as she gave him an explanation, no matter how reasonable it was, he would believe her. This was the confidence she had cultivated over the past seven years in Zhang Chen's humble, subservient love. She was confident that she could control Zhang Chen. As long as she didn't say she was leaving, he would never leave her.

"Oh?" Zhang Chen stood under the streetlight, quietly looking at him, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

“This is Shen Jianghe, he’s back.” Shi Yunan took the initiative to come up to Zhang Chen and took the pastries from Zhang Chen’s hands. “We are also very good friends. Of course I have to see him since he’s back. He originally wanted to invite you out for a get-together, but you’re in prison, so it’s just the two of us.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen looked at Shi Yu Nan quietly. Shi Yu Nan had never seen such a calm gaze before, and she couldn't help but feel a slight tightness in her heart: "Don't overthink it. I only see him as an older brother. I dated him back then because I was young and didn't understand anything."

"I didn't say anything, why are you in such a hurry?" Zhang Chen asked with a smile, "You mentioned work before, was it because of him?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Yanan's eyes flickered: "He came back from the Southwest Labor Reform, and his family was already ruined. He didn't even have a place to live, and he had no job. He was all alone in Shanghai without any relatives or friends. He was so pitiful. I was thinking that since you were going to lose your job anyway, you might as well transfer it to him so that he could have a job to earn money to support himself."

Zhang Chen didn't speak upon hearing this, but simply watched Shi Yunan talk quietly. When Shi Yunan finished speaking, she looked at Zhang Chen expectantly and said, "Zhang Chen, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Go ahead," Zhang Chen said.

"Could you transfer the work to Shen Jianghe...?" Shi Yunan asked in a low voice.

"And what about me?" Zhang Chen was taken aback and asked in return.

“I’m going to start work soon, and I’ll earn thirty yuan a month. I’ll support you after we get married. Shen Jianghe has no parents, no relatives or friends, and no place to live. He’s so pitiful. As his friends, if we don’t take care of him, he’ll starve to death on the streets sooner or later.” Shi Yunan’s eyes were full of pity.

Zhang Chen remained silent for a while before saying, "He can go and work to support himself."

"Don't you know him? He's just a spoiled brat who doesn't know anything about farming, how could he possibly work and earn money?" Shi Yanan took another step forward, her fragrance wafting into Zhang Chen's nostrils. She took Zhang Chen's hand in hers—the first time in seven years that she had done so. She gently shook his hand, her words full of flattery: "You feel sorry for him, so why don't you transfer the job to him?"

After a moment of silence, Zhang Chen said, "Fine! But you must marry me immediately."

Shi Yanan was stunned for a moment upon hearing this: "I'm not ready yet. My situation isn't stable right now. Can we get married after I've settled down?"

Zhang Chen glanced at Shi Yanan: "It's unlikely that I'll transfer the job to him for free, but if he's willing to pay, I'll sell it to him for your sake. I only need 1,200 yuan. Just give me the money, and I'll transfer the job immediately."

"One thousand two hundred yuan? He just came back from labor reform in the southwest, and all his property has been confiscated. Where would he get one thousand two hundred yuan? Aren't you deliberately making things difficult for him?" Shi Yanan raised her voice upon hearing this. "I want one thousand two hundred yuan, not a penny less. There's no one else willing to sell to me," Zhang Chen said slowly.

Although he doesn't care about money, he would never complain about having too much.

“Zhang Chen, how can you be so selfish? What’s wrong with giving him your job? You’ve worked for seven years, and you clearly have the skills of a senior technician. You could easily find a job in another factory! But Shen Jianghe just came back, and he’s already struggling to make ends meet. He’ll soon be sleeping under a bridge. He doesn’t know anything, he has no skills, he can’t even support himself, let alone get into a factory! If you give him your job, I can support you when I start earning money. It’s just a little more trouble for you to find another job. What’s there to be unwilling about?”

“We’re friends! We’ve been deskmates for three years! He took care of us a lot when we were in school, providing us with all sorts of delicious food and fun activities. He’s helped us with everything. Now that he’s down on his luck, shouldn’t we help him?”

Zhang Chen remained silent upon hearing this, while Shi Yunan, seeing Zhang Chen's lack of words, continued to earnestly persuade him.

Zhang Chen was speechless. What do you mean by taking care of us? It's clearly just taking care of you, okay? And what about me? I'm just watching you two date and being your lapdog.

"So you mean you want me, your fiancé, to give up my hard-earned job that pays a little over thirty yuan a month to that good-for-nothing bastard, let him stay in Shanghai, and leave me to fend for myself?"

Zhang Chen's gaze was as cold as ice as he looked at Shi Yunan in front of him and questioned her sarcastically.

"Zhang Chen! What nonsense are you spouting? What wild man? Besides, when did I say you were to fend for yourself? Didn't I say I'd take care of you after we got married?"

"How can you have such a filthy mind? What 'wild man'? He's our classmate! His family has been destroyed, he's homeless and on the verge of starvation. If you have the means, what's wrong with helping him?"

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Shi Yunan frowned and questioned Zhang Chen again, but a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.

She dared not admit that she had a clear conscience, but seeing her childhood sweetheart in such a sorry state, she truly couldn't bear it.

Zhang Chen and she were childhood sweethearts, but weren't she and Zhang Chen also childhood sweethearts?
"What's wrong with helping him?" Zhang Chen laughed in anger upon hearing this: "Shi Yunan, all those favors and care you mentioned have nothing to do with me. In his eyes, I was just a pitiful dog back then. What favors did he do for me? Why should I help him?"

"You're my fiancée, my childhood sweetheart, yet you're secretly having an affair with him? Are you trying to get back together with him now that he's back? Are you going to squeeze every last drop of value out of me, this useless, honest guy, and then dump me? So you can live happily ever after? Don't you see ordinary friends holding hands in the street?"

"Shi Yuhuan, aren't you going a bit too far with me? Just because I like you, you think you can take me for granted and do whatever you want?"

"Aren't you... shameless? You're blatantly lying to fool me!"

Zhang Chen's gaze was calm, but his words were aggressive as he questioned Shi Yunan.

"Zhang Chen, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

"Can you please stop slandering me? I told you, I only did it because I felt sorry for him! You saw him try to kiss me before, and I pushed him away! What more do you want from me?"

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Shi Yunan felt a chill run down her spine and inexplicably panicked, frantically trying to defend herself to Zhang Chen.

"Just because you feel sorry for him? Ha!"

Hearing Shi Yunan's words, Zhang Chen sneered: "My fiancée is seen strolling hand in hand with another man in the dark. If word gets out, will I, Zhang Chen, have any shame? For your sake, I'll give him the job if he comes up with 1,200 yuan. Otherwise, forget about it!"

After speaking, Zhang Chen reached out and took the pastry from Shi Yunan's hand: "By the way, this pastry wasn't bought for you, it was bought for my friend."

"Think it over carefully. Try to raise 1,200 yuan, or go directly to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register our marriage, and I'll give him the job. Come find me when you've thought it through, or you'll miss your chance!" Zhang Chen's figure disappeared under the streetlights, leaving Shi Yunan stomping her feet in anger.

As Shi Yunan watched Zhang Chen's departing figure, tears welled up in her eyes with anger. This was the first time in the seven years since she had known Zhang Chen that he had stopped listening to her and had said such harsh words to her.

Shi Yunan's eyes flashed with anger as she watched Zhang Chen's angry departure. She coldly snorted and turned to walk into her own courtyard: "I hope you always have such backbone and never come begging to me."

(End of this chapter)