However, human joys and sorrows are not shared. Facing the girl's sorrowful expression, the thought that surfaced in Qiao Sang's mind was: I wonder which clothing store the Phantom Water Baby works at. The seasons are about to change, so it would be a good time to buy some autumn clothes...
While the Phantom Water Baby couldn't be called a rare pet, it wasn't common to see one working in a clothing store.
At least in her memory, she had never encountered one while shopping at a physical store.
Just as Qiao Sang was about to ask, the girl suddenly spoke up: "Have you finished all your summer homework?"
Qiao Sang shook her head: "I haven't."
A look of joy appeared on the girl's face: "Then I can help you do it!"
Qiao Sang was stunned for two seconds before speaking: "I'm a recent graduate; I don't have summer homework."
The girl: "..."
Of all the things she had calculated, she hadn't calculated that the other party had no summer homework...
"Then is there anything you don't want to do but must do? I can help you with anything," the girl said, refusing to give up.
Unsolicited kindness usually hides an ulterior motive. It seemed she wasn't just a social butterfly, but had a clear purpose for seeking her out... Qiao Sang asked, "Why do you want to help me?"
"I want you to help me get in touch with that classmate of yours." The girl fidgeted and said, "I haven't been able to contact him lately, and I can't find him even when I wait at the school gate."
If Qiao Sang didn't know the full story, this single sentence would have definitely led her to imagine a plot about a couple breaking up and the boyfriend going MIA.
"He usually lives at school," Qiao Sang answered. "Last time was only because he had things to do those few days, so he was off-campus."
"No wonder..." the girl murmured.
Hearing the other party ask about Shi Gaofeng, Qiao Sang knew the girl hadn't given up on the idea of changing the negative review, but she knew it was hopeless.
Shi Gaofeng had been harboring a deep grudge over the toilet-scrubbing incident these past few days; even from ten meters away, she could feel the aura of resentment radiating from him.
"Can you help me talk to him? As long as you convince him to change the negative review, for one semester, whenever you don't feel like going to school, I can have the Phantom Water Baby go for you." The girl looked at Qiao Sang with eyes full of anticipation.
Qiao Sang's expression didn't change in the slightest.
Hah, is she that kind of person?
What is the most important thing for a student?
Studying!
She had gone through countless hardships to get into the best high school in the city; for what?
Precisely to study hard!
The idea of having a Phantom Water Baby attend class for her hadn't even crossed her mind.
Yet, the moment she thought about it, she felt... well, it actually sounded pretty great.
Ultimately, Qiao Sang said expressionlessly, "Deal."
...
After exchanging contact information, the two became quite familiar.
Qiao Sang learned that the other girl was named Xu Jia, a senior at Hanggang Sixth Beast Tamer High School, who was currently working hard to save money for the evolution materials of a Phantom Water Baby.
During their chat, Qiao Sang took three freshly made milk teas from the waiter. The Little Treasure Hunter Ghost impatiently manifested, floating over to the milk teas to sniff them.
The moment it appeared, the people around Qiao Sang instantly vanished.
"Xun~"
The Little Treasure Hunter Ghost pointed at the milk tea with its short toes and looked up curiously at its beast tamer.
"It tastes good, try some," Qiao Sang said, inserting a straw into one of the milk teas and handing it to the Little Treasure Hunter Ghost.
"Xun..."
The Little Treasure Hunter Ghost hesitated for a moment, took it, and had a sip.
"Xun!"
Seeing the Treasure Hunter Ghost's expression of pure enjoyment, Xu Jia finally gathered the courage to return to Qiao Sang's side.
"Impressive. Students from Shengshui High really are different. In our school, not a single person has contracted a Ghost-type pet," Xu Jia said admiringly.
"Ghost-type pets are actually quite good," Qiao Sang said, looking at the Little Treasure Hunter Ghost, whose eyes had curved into crescents from drinking the milk tea.
"So, did you come here today because of the Green Crimson Fruit?" Xu Jia suddenly asked.
Qiao Sang shook her head: "No, why would you ask that?"
Green Crimson Fruit was highly prized by Ghost-type pets with the Will-o'-the-Wisp skill and was quite expensive.
But it had nothing to do with the Little Treasure Hunter Ghost.
After all, even if it developed Will-o'-the-Wisp later, it would use the ring as a medium, releasing energy absorbed within it. If the energy in the ring ran out, the fire would naturally vanish.
Because it didn't rely on its own internal energy to release the fire, Green Crimson Fruit held zero attraction for the Little Treasure Hunter Ghost.
"I thought you saw the news," Xu Jia explained. "A while back, there was a secret realm rift here, right by the musical fountain outside the mall. Several Ghost-type pets came out of it at the time."
"A passerby happened to be walking by—I don't know if he was some kind of pyramid scheme recruiter brainwashing pets—anyway, he traded a grilled sausage for a Green Crimson Fruit from one of the Dreamless Dolls that came out. The next day, he went to pick up a new car."
"After the news spread, this place became a hotspot. Lots of people come here just to check in, thinking they might get lucky and find an easy-to-trick wild pet, just like that passerby."
Qiao Sang was stunned for a long while. A Dreamless Doll? It couldn't be the one she encountered...
But thinking about it, it wasn't impossible.
That Dreamless Doll really didn't seem that bright; otherwise, it wouldn't have believed such a ridiculous story about meeting Meblaram and making a wish just by clearing a secret room...
But if that were true, Qiao Sang felt a sense of injustice.
So someone else encountered a Dreamless Doll and made enough money to buy a car, while she encountered one and almost ended up in a hospital bed?
To make herself feel better, Qiao Sang reached a conclusion.
Those two Dreamless Dolls absolutely could not be the same one!
...
After saying goodbye to Xu Jia, Qiao Sang left the mall and went toward the musical fountain in the plaza.
She hadn't looked closely when she first arrived, but now she noticed that out of ten stalls, seven were selling grilled sausages.
After struggling in her mind for two seconds, Qiao Sang went to the nearest sausage stall and said, "Boss, four grilled sausages, please."
"Coming right up, 12 yuan in total." The boss packed the four sausages and handed them to Qiao Sang, saying enthusiastically, "You're here to check in too, right? Just walk forward about ten meters and you'll be there. I was right here when it happened, no mistake."
Qiao Sang was silent for a moment: "Thank you."
Carrying three grilled sausages and two milk teas, Qiao Sang arrived at the spot the boss mentioned.
The Little Treasure Hunter Ghost was by her side, holding a milk tea in its left claw and a sausage in its right, alternating between a bite of sausage and a sip of tea, looking utterly blissful.
Looking at the five Lili Ducks playing violins and the crowd of people surrounding them taking photos, Qiao Sang suddenly felt a bit foolish.
The secret realm rift was gone; how could she possibly encounter a wild pet with a screw loose? She really had spent too much time with Yabao and had been infected by its silliness...
Just as Qiao Sang turned to leave, her peripheral vision caught something, and she froze on the spot.
A massive head, short limbs, a purple hook-shaped tail, and a purple crown perched on its forehead—wasn't that a Crowned Meow?!
Wait...
Qiao Sang quickly calmed down. This Crowned Meow wasn't wearing a sun hat, sunglasses, or a bag.
Furthermore, there was a person following beside it, and they seemed quite close.
It was likely its beast tamer.
(End of Chapter)