Chapter 9: Teaching a Lesson to the Shameless at the Subway Entrance
There’s nothing to be done; the woman is simply unbearable, making it impossible not to snap back at her.
Besides, she desperately wanted more life points.
Who wants to die if they can live?
Better to live shamelessly than die well.
“You... just you wait!” The woman stamped her foot and left.
“I’ll be waiting, take your time!” she retorted.
[Congratulations, Host, you have gained 5 points. Life value +12 hours.]
Each time she successfully insulted someone, the system promptly reported her points and life value.
She glanced at today’s score on the system’s dashboard. She’d earned 150 points at her parents’ house in the morning and another 30 points after going out in the afternoon, totaling 180 points and gaining 18 days of life.
At this rate, should she go out every day to find someone to provoke?
She wondered if she might get beaten up one day.
The sales clerk finished the invoice, packed the phone, and handed it to her with utmost respect. This woman’s tongue was sharp—he’d better be careful not to say the wrong thing.
Ruan Mianmian took the phone and left the store.
All of this was observed by two men upstairs.
The man standing said, “Mr. Qi, that woman’s mouth is lethal. She could verbally destroy anyone.”
The man in the wheelchair typed something on his phone.
The standing man glanced at the screen and replied respectfully, “Yes, Mr. Qi!”
...
Carrying her new phone, Ruan Mianmian had no interest in shopping for clothes anymore. She just wanted to hurry home and transfer her old SIM card into the new phone.
She couldn’t stand that battered phone anymore.
A few more swipes and her finger might be sliced by the cracked screen.
After installing her card, she deleted all important information and apps from the old device, then tossed it into the trash.
She downloaded her usual apps onto the new phone.
If only the old phone weren’t so outdated—it didn’t even support one-click migration. She wouldn’t have had to tediously download everything one by one.
Once the new phone was set up, she ordered takeout.
As for buying clothes, tomorrow was Sunday; she’d go out then.
She used to buy clothes online, but now, with a bit of money, she could try things on in physical stores and buy whatever looked nice.
She couldn’t just lie around at home every weekend anymore.
She needed to get out more, find oddballs to provoke, and keep earning life points to survive.
This newly released phone was different indeed—fast response, ultra-clear screen, fifty-megapixel main camera capable of cinematic shots, all the features one could want, even satellite calling. Truly advanced.
Though she had no use for satellite calls, she loved this phone.
Unlike her old junk, where opening an app meant endless loading.
...
Sunday, after lunch, Ruan Mianmian headed to the mall.
She chose a mid-range shopping center.
High-end malls started at ten thousand per item, sometimes tens of thousands, and she didn’t have that kind of money for luxury clothes yet.
After exchanging fifty points for fifty thousand yuan, she had forty-one thousand left after buying her phone. She planned to buy two outfits and two pairs of decent shoes.
The rest she’d keep for whenever she wanted something else.
As for the points she’d earned, she’d save them and see what surprises upgrading the system might bring.
After all, her survival depended on provoking others. Without a few unexpected rewards, she feared for her own life.
Buying clothes and shoes at the mall went smoothly; she didn’t encounter any weirdos and earned no points.
She bought three outfits, two sets of underwear, two pairs of shoes, and a crossbody bag, spending 7,300 yuan.
It was her second time making such extravagant purchases—the first being yesterday for the phone.
She used to buy clothes online or from discount stores, both because they were cheap and because she had no money, only able to afford sets costing a few hundred yuan.
During college, her parents stopped covering tuition and living expenses, so she relied on student loans, part-time work, and scholarships to graduate.
Back then, her clothes were even cheaper—bought with her frugal savings at roadside stalls.
Later, her job required professional attire, and the company wouldn’t tolerate shoddy outfits.
Even after receiving her salary, she scrimped and saved, upgrading from sets costing dozens to hundreds of yuan.
The feeling of being able to spend freely was wonderful!
As she carried her purchases toward the subway entrance, she spotted a middle-aged man pasting flyers outside.
Her mind was instantly triggered by the system’s prompt: [Host, this man lacks civic virtue. Go insult him! Otherwise you’ll lose 100 points and 10 days of life.]
Ruan Mianmian immediately protested, “007, this isn’t fair! It’s hard enough for me to earn points, and now you want to deduct them? You can’t just force tasks on me!”
That burly man could pin her down with a finger. If she provoked him, she’d probably get slapped unconscious.
[Host, you may abandon the task, but you’ll lose points and life value. It’s your choice.]
Lose life value?
Ten days!
If she lost ten days, where would she find them again?
She couldn’t let them be deducted just like that!
Ruan Mianmian gritted her teeth, reviewed the basic insult script, gave herself a pep talk, and approached to within five meters of the man.
She summoned her courage and said, “Uncle, you can’t put flyers here. Tear them down and leave.”
“Mind your own business! Don’t meddle, get lost, or you’ll regret it!” The middle-aged man saw she was a frail girl, ignored her, and continued pasting his flyers aggressively.
Ruan Mianmian took a deep breath and pressed on, “Uncle, you’re so skilled at this—it must be a family tradition! Go ahead, finish this wall. I’ll take a photo and post it online with the caption: ‘Subway entrance reveals a live, human-shaped ringworm, perfect for treating all kinds of trypophobia!’ I’ll help expand your clientele, so hurry up!”
Leaving was out of the question. The system hadn’t reported her points and life value yet.
The task was underway; she couldn’t abandon it now!
“You brat, you’re asking for trouble!” The man, insulted and shamed by her words, was furious and moved to teach her a lesson.
Seeing his intent to hit her, Ruan Mianmian stepped back and shouted loudly, “Hey everyone, come look! See how dedicated our ‘city beautician’ is!”
“This ‘glamorous’ subway entrance just needed his ‘family secret’ and ‘high-priced fertility ads’ to make it complete!”
After calling out, she saw people approaching and, still cheeky, said to the man, “Keep at it, don’t stop! Let everyone witness your handiwork!”