Chapter 73

It's hunting time for the bratty kid. A free model train?

Of course it had to be his!

The bratty kid volunteered himself—no need for the crew to say a word. He had already positioned himself next to the crew member, eyes locked on that model train. “How do you play the game?”

Hurry up and put that model train in his hands.

Crew member: “……”

Ticket seller: “……”

So annoying, this stinky kid. That model train wasn’t prepared for you, okay?

Viewers in the livestream couldn’t help but comment: Brilliant! What a perfect move to redirect the disaster!

The crew member still tried to resist. She smiled at the bratty kid, though her smile didn’t look any better than crying. She replied to him, “Sorry, little one, but we invited the young lady in front of you to play the game first…”

Isn’t there supposed to be an order to things?

No need for Shi Jian to even speak. When the crew had earlier pretended not to understand her, the bratty kid and his guardian were even more shameless than she was.

No training needed—they were born this way.

Earlier, when the bratty kid was screaming and making a scene, his grandmother acted like nothing was happening, as if she didn’t exist.

But now that she saw the situation, the grandmother perked right up!

The bratty kid’s grandmother started yelling, “Oh come on, he’s just a child, let him go first, what are you being so picky about…”

She was speaking to the crew member.

He was just a child—a primary schooler at that.

The bratty kid, seeing that it still wasn’t his turn, launched a full-blown mental assault—

Jumping and crying.

His loud wails echoed through several train cars, and he stomped the floor so hard the whole train rattled.

Shi Jian, the one who started all this, was still nodding in agreement on the side, “I don’t really mind.”

The bratty kid’s grandmother got even more fired up. Though she was short, her explosive energy was strong—small body, big power. Her grandson clearly took after her.

She questioned the crew member, “Look, the young lady doesn’t even care, so why won’t you let my grandson play?”

“Or are you showing favoritism?”

That big accusation landed straight on the crew member’s head, and she immediately broke into a cold sweat.

Every game scenario has its own setting. Judging from the ones Shi Jian has cleared, the ghosts in the game tend to work within the rules of their roles. Like how Dr. Feng wanted badly to kill her but couldn’t directly lay a hand on her outside of that framework.

Faced with such unreasonable passengers, the crew member couldn’t even pull off being shameless anymore.

In a contest of shamelessness, she couldn’t win.

She forced a smile and said, “No, no, of course we’re not playing favorites.”

So… is he allowed to play or not?The crew member gave her partner, the ticket seller, a dead-eyed glance, then swallowed her frustration and forced herself to say, “Go ahead and play.”

Shi Jian’s turn to play the game was handed over to the bratty kid.

Of course, the bratty kid’s grandmother was still watching like a hawk. The crew member wasn’t about to let the kid jump off the train and die, so in the end, she halfheartedly played the game with him and gave the model train to the bratty kid.

The crew member suffered the painful loss of a model train.

……

But the crew member wasn’t ready to give up. She took out another model train from her partner and smiled at Shi Jian.

“This passenger, it’s okay—we still have model trains.”

Even in this situation, the crew member was still stubborn, trying to piece things back together. That bratty kid didn’t count.

However, from the moment Shi Jian first asked about the game, things had already spiraled out of control. It was no longer up to the crew member.

Seeing the crew member invite her to play again, Shi Jian remained calm and asked, “Do you have a lot of these model trains? Enough for all these people?”

Crew member: ?

Shi Jian pointed behind the crew member.

Look over there.

The crew member saw that in just this short time, a long line had formed.

There were kids, elderly men, and elderly women.

Everyone was waiting to play the game to win a free model train.

Who could say no to a free train? If there's a deal, you’ve got to take it.

Earlier, the passengers were still lined up properly, but now that a new model train had appeared, the line instantly descended into chaos.

Elderly men, women, and children completely surrounded the crew and ticket staff.

“I want to play! Let me play! I’m a primary schooler too!”

“I’m in kindergarten!” Even the kindergarteners joined in.

The elderly ladies couldn’t compete academically, but they had other leverage. “I have hypertension and high cholesterol, don’t provoke me. Give me the model train or I’ll make a scene.”

Crew member and ticket seller: “……”

Now they had absolutely no patience or chance to argue with Shi Jian anymore. All they wanted to do was escape. There was no way they had that many model trains!

What frightened them even more was that other passengers from nearby cars had heard the commotion and were rushing over.

Even Shi Jian hadn’t expected the effect to be this dramatic. But no matter what, it worked in her favor. From nearly becoming a victim, Shi Jian was now enjoying herself as a delighted bystander.

When the crew member finally managed to break free from the crowd and tried to run, Shi Jian, now clearly out of danger, tugged at her sleeve.

Shi Jian lifted her delicate little face, her beautiful eyes full of expectation. “Do you still want to file a complaint against me now?”

A direct hint.

Last time, Shi Jian had even encouraged the crew member to report her, but it seemed she wasn’t angry enough.Now Shi Jian added fuel to the fire.

Shi Jian: Are you mad? Furious? If you’re angry, then file a complaint against her!

The crew member gritted her teeth. “Passenger, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t understand.”

But the auntie beside her picked up on the new term and said to the crew member, “Why won’t you let me play the game? If you don’t let me play, I’ll complain to your supervisor!”

One person desperately wanted to be complained about. One ghost absolutely didn’t want to be complained about.

Shi Jian felt the auntie was wonderfully straightforward. If only the crew member could be as decisive in filing a complaint against her.

“Do you really not know, or are you pretending?”

Shi Jian found the crew member so disappointing—it was possible she genuinely didn’t know how to file a complaint.

Shi Jian even offered a suggestion, “Do you want to ask your colleague?”

“If it really doesn’t work, I can ask for you.” When she runs into a ghost in this scenario that’s more suited for it.

Shi Jian only knew how streamers could file complaints—how ghosts could complain about her, that she really didn’t know.

……

【Hahahahahahahaha, the crew member’s going to die from rage because of the streamer.】

【How can this beauty be so savage? Am I about to die laughing and pass my homework on to the next of kin?】

【Shi Jian: File a complaint. You hear me? (Arrogant.jpg)】

The crew member truly was about to be driven to death by Shi Jian. Her departing figure was pitiful and disheveled—passengers were still chasing after her, asking about the mini-game.

The crew member lost countless train models. Shi Jian remained completely unharmed.

【Shi Jian is the best!】

【Shi Jian is a fairy, her powers are boundless!】

……

Whether it was because she’d been traumatized by Shi Jian, the crew member who had been lingering around her since the beginning never appeared again after this incident. She was replaced by a different face.

Outside, night had fallen.

Shi Jian didn’t have much appetite for dinner. She declined the cup noodles offered by Jiang Hai and the boxed meal brought by Du Zhifan. She only ate a few low-sugar fruits to lightly fill her stomach.

After a whole day of ticket-checking, searching for tickets, and refusing to play games, Shi Jian was a bit tired. The carriage was now somewhat quiet, and Shi Jian closed her eyes to rest.

Shi Jian had always slept well, though she thought she wouldn’t fall asleep easily while sitting. But as soon as she closed her eyes, her eyelids grew incredibly heavy, as if they were weighed down with lead.

Shi Jian felt like she was dreaming—and it was a dream of past and present lives.

In the dream, she had an older sister. The sister had a very good relationship with her, cherished her, and cared for her.

Shi Jian knew their relationship was good because her sister always said, “I’m so good to you. We’re super close.”

As time passed, the sister in the dream fell in love with a dignified man who had once held an umbrella for her on a rainy day. Though there was a vast difference in their status and identity, true love could break all worldly chains.

The two of them loved each other passionately and deeply. In her past life, Shi Jian constantly supported and helped her “sister” and “brother-in-law.” But those truly in love always have to go through hardships.“Elder Sister” and “Brother-in-law” encountered a villain who forcibly separated them, tearing the lovers apart in tears.

“Now there's finally a chance for me to reunite with your brother-in-law. I'm really so happy… Little Sister, let your elder sister borrow your body for a bit, alright? I just want to go see him. My good little sister, you’ll say yes to me, won’t you?”

If earlier had been an immersive dream experience, now it was a conversation with someone inside the dream.

Shi Jian couldn’t clearly see the “Elder Sister’s” face in the dream, only a vague silhouette. Now that they were face to face, the figure became a little clearer.

It was a woman.

A blurry voice kept repeating to Shi Jian—

This was her elder sister, and she needed to help her.

Helping lovers reunite was such a beautiful thing. Even more so when the one asking was the sister who had always cared for her. How could one refuse such a plea?

Shi Jian said nothing.

The elder sister seemed anxious. She leaned in closer. “My good little sister, I’m only borrowing it for a bit, I’m not lying.”

Seeing Shi Jian still unmoved, the dream-sister paused, then, like going all in, recited a string of names:

“Number One in the Universe. Ice Glaze. Love’s Sorrow. Shi Jian.”

This is way too hard to memorize!

She waited nervously for Shi Jian’s reaction.

Shi Jian finally responded. Her first words weren’t to agree to lend her body, nor to acknowledge the name. She simply commented, “You’re such an emo freak.”

The so-called elder sister finally revealed her full appearance—

Thick false eyelashes, dark eye shadow, red fingernails…

Wasn’t this the same emo ghost girl who had shouted Shi Jian’s name in the bathroom and tried to tap her shoulder?

No wonder she hadn’t shown up for a while—she was squatting here waiting for her?

Shi Jian suspected she had once again been dragged into some kind of constructed illusion. When she first met Xiao Hua, it was also during sleep that she was pulled into a virtual space.

Also, given how obsessed the other party was with calling her name, Shi Jian suspected that replying might trigger something bad. She hadn’t expected the random name she had made up to actually be used.

Shi Jian had once heard old folks say: if someone suddenly calls your name or taps you on the shoulder from behind, never turn around.

This whole elaborate story the emo ghost created was probably a trap too.

Shi Jian said, “The one you’re looking for is Number One in the Universe. Ice Glaze. Love’s Sorrow. Shi Jian. Can you send me back now?”

Shi Jian: What does Number One in the Universe. Ice Glaze. Love’s Sorrow. Shi Jian have to do with her, Shi Jian the celebrity?

The emo ghost girl froze.

“You’re the one who said your name was Number One in the Universe. Ice Glaze. Love’s Sorrow. Shi Jian!”

And she had the nerve to call her emo?!

So what’s this woman’s real name then?

The emo ghost girl felt this wasn’t the time to argue semantics. She considered herself pretty capable.Other than possessing people by calling their names, her greatest skill was fabricating dreams—creating illusions so convincing that people believed what happened in the dream was real, and then agreed to her requests within it.

When people are asleep, their defenses are lower, and most don’t take dreams seriously anyway.

They make promises lightly, joke around, thinking it’s “just a dream.”

But if you got entangled with a ghost like her, it was big trouble.

Yet Shi Jian didn’t seem to have fallen into the fabricated story at all?

The emo ghost girl was shocked. “You weren’t affected by the scenario I just created… at all?”

Shi Jian looked even more confused. “Affected how?”

“Was I supposed to be moved by your narration-only plot, or the clichéd setup?”

“Actors who can’t express emotion with body language or eyes and have to rely on voiceovers are garbage.”

Shi Jian was merciless.

Even though the emo ghost girl had tried to brainwash Shi Jian from all angles, she was still completely thrown off by the cringey, narration-driven push of the plot.

As for that so-called love story?

Shi Jian said, “Let me guess. Was my so-called brother-in-law named Xu Xian, and the villain Fa Hai?”

Shi Jian: That story is clearly Legend of the White Snake.

“You’re not just emo, you’re plagiarizing classics too?” Unbelievable.

Shi Jian looked visibly disgusted, utterly scornful of the emo ghost girl’s tactics, and strongly condemned her.

The emo ghost girl: “……” starting to feel guilty.

Of course, what made Shi Jian completely lose immersion wasn’t just the overly familiar mythological tale. There was also, “You made yourself the lead, and made me the side character. You really gave yourself too much screen time.”

She had never been a side character—whether in acting or in life, wherever Shi Jian appeared, she was always the absolute main character.

Not only did Shi Jian roast her thoroughly, she even flipped the situation—if it’s about scripts, she could make her own too.

Shi Jian looked at the emo ghost girl with deep sincerity.

“Actually, we really do have a past life. In our previous lives, you were a starving little beggar, and I was a wealthy heiress. I gave you money, and you promised that in this life you’d escort me safely to the final station.”

Shi Jian gave the emo ghost girl a chance—to become her lackey.