Wang Jiaqian dreaded seeing her students the most, and Qin Sheng among them even more. Yet, at the most unsuitable time and place, she encountered the last person she wanted to see. Already embarrassed and ashamed, she felt even worse. She nervously pulled her coat tighter, her eyes darting around. "Ah, child, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not..."
"Firstly, I'm not a child, I'm grown up!"
"Secondly, Teacher Wang Jiaqian, what are you thinking? Don't I even recognize you?" Qin Yexuan said with a serious expression.
Sun Qinglu chuckled behind him. Wang Jiaqian's face turned red as she lowered her head. "Teacher is just here for legitimate work, that's why I'm dressed like this. It's not what you think."
This was the Imperial Tang Club, a notorious brothel in Chaoge. Countless escorts gathered here, a paradise for the rich and powerful. To be seen here, dressed so "professionally."
Even Sun Qinglu couldn't help but giggle. Wang Jiaqian knew that the more she explained, the more confusing it would get. Finally, she put on her teacher's demeanor. "I'm your counselor. You should behave the same way inside and outside of school. What should you say when you see your teacher?"
Seeing her standing there looking pitiful, with the lecherous gazes of the men around her, Qin Yexuan sighed. He turned and bought a long scarf, gently tying it around her waist to cover her unbuttoned trench coat. Wang Jiaqian froze, her body stiff, then slowly relaxed. She suddenly remembered an embarrassing moment in class, when a mysterious person had hung a coat outside her office. That coat was still in her bedroom. Could it be?
Just as she was about to ask, a girl in a miniskirt and bikini-style top appeared. Her face was layered with thick makeup. "Qianqian, over here! Come here!" she shouted from afar.
Wang Jiaqian breathed a sigh of relief and was about to go over when Qin Yexuan suddenly grabbed her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise. Qin Yexuan's eyes were so clear, yet held a depth like the sea, making her heart skip a beat.
"Teacher Wang, Leng Yan has deceived you. This isn't a performance. She's selling you to Young Master Sun. If you go over now, you'll be walking into a tiger's den." Qin Yexuan's words were direct. "Go home by taxi now!" he commanded.
Wang Jiaqian hesitated for only a moment before saying, "I need the income from this part-time job, and I promised a friend I'd say hello. Don't worry, I'm not some naive girl who can be toyed with by some young master." Her eyes held warmth. "Thank you, you're a good student, and I'm very pleased."
Watching her walk towards Leng Yan, Qin Yexuan said to Sun Qinglu in a deep voice, "Let's go together!" Sun Qinglu had been waiting for this, his eyes fixed on Young Master Sun. "I will make this scoundrel pay for his words."
Over there, Leng Yan was enthusiastically arm-in-arm with Wang Jiaqian, introducing her to Young Master Sun and his friends, all scions of Chaoge's elite families. Their manners were questionable as they smoked, chatted, and shamelessly ogled Wang Jiaqian.
"A university teacher?"
"Heh, I've never played with such a high-class one before."
As they whispered amongst themselves, two students walked over. "Teacher Wang, we'll go with you," Sun Qinglu called out from a distance.
The young masters frowned and looked. Young Master Sun sneered, "Who are these bumpkins? Want to join us? Do they even deserve it?"
Wang Jiaqian's expression turned grim. "They are my students. What, they can't join? Then I'm leaving." Young Master Sun's pride was slightly wounded.
Leng Yan quickly smoothed things over. "Let's all go together. A group of girls from Chaoge Academy will be here soon." The girls arrived, all specially dressed up. Unexpectedly, three familiar figures appeared: Xiao Hong, Xiao Lan, and Xiao Huang, members of the "Qin Classmate Fan Club."
As soon as they arrived, the girls surrounded Young Master Sun, taking photos with their phones and posting madly on their social media. Getting a photo with the richest young master in Chaoge was a source of great pride, wasn't it? Xiao Huang stood a little further away, while Xiao Hong and Xiao Lan were whispering something to each other.
Suddenly, the three girls spotted Qin Yexuan and ran over in disbelief. "You guys?" Qin Yexuan was about to lose his temper. Xiao Huang quickly raised her hand, "Don't be angry yet, we're not a fan club anymore."
"That's good..." Qin Yexuan hadn't finished his sentence when Xiao Huang continued excitedly, "We're planning to start a studio for professional celebrity promotion, and you'll be the first big star we create." Qin Yexuan was utterly speechless.
Sun Qinglu laughed from the side. "Then why are you here instead of running your company?" Xiao Huang pointed to Ghost House No. 13. "This is currently the hottest spot to check in. We're here to film a video for publicity. We originally planned to superimpose classmate Qin's image as a special effect, but now that you're here, it's perfect."
Qin Yexuan frowned. "Nonsense!" The three girls came from ordinary families. Pooling their money to start a studio was a form of entrepreneurship. Coincidentally, they were all media majors, so they took their work seriously. Now, wherever Qin Yexuan went, the three girls followed.
Meanwhile, Young Master Sun had already led his group towards the ghost house. "How about we form teams and go in together to explore? See who can finish exploring the entire ghost house first," Leng Yan suggested, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous idea. She wanted an excuse to separate Wang Jiaqian from her students.
The girls, enamored with vanity, naturally wanted to team up with the rich young masters. But they couldn't say it directly. In the end, they had to draw lots. Coincidentally, Qin Yexuan was paired alone with Wang Jiaqian, along with a few flamboyant young ladies. Leng Yan, Sun Qinglu, and the three girls Hong, Huang, and Lan were unhappily grouped with Young Master Sun and his crowd.
"What bad luck!" the young ladies pouted, glancing at Qin Yexuan. He might be handsome, but without money, he was nothing. Didn't they come here for Young Master Sun?
"Let's switch!" the three girls, Hong, Huang, and Lan, came over and unceremoniously pushed the vain girls aside. Thus, Qin Yexuan, along with Wang Jiaqian and the three fan club girls, entered the ghost house from the club's back entrance to begin their exploration.
Since Ghost House No. 13 was sealed off by the local police, they had to enter through the underground passage from the club. This added an extra thrill.
As they truly set foot inside the Ghost House on Dongchao Street No. 13, a cold wind blew, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Qin Yexuan's eyes flashed, and he suddenly took a step forward.
"What's wrong?" Wang Jiaqian asked in surprise. "You don't actually believe in ghosts, do you, Qin classmate?"
"It's not ghosts!" Qin Yexuan looked at the strangely shaped house. "It's a demon. This entire house is a monster!"