After Marrying the Evil God - Chapter 28

Xie Chouzhuang locked the gold ingot securely in his trunk, planning to move it back to the apartment after class.

“Holy crap!” Shi Zhi let out another exclamation while eating breakfast, coughing as he choked on his food.

Xie Chouzhuang quickly poured him a glass of warm water.

Shi Zhi scrambled to take a few sips before catching his breath. He thrust his phone screen in front of Xie Chouzhuang, looking like he was about to cry. “Chouzhuang, the Yuan Family Restaurant was demolished this morning! I heard they dug up several bodies inside, and everyone online is saying their meat was human flesh!”

At the mention of this, Xie Chouzhuang’s expression shifted, and he felt a wave of nausea.

Shi Zhi looked incredibly relieved. “Thank god I never ate there. I’m telling you, a guy in our paranormal group ate there every single day—when he got dumped, when he fell in love… he’s currently puking his guts out in the hospital.”

“You should stay away from those places in the future. If you run into a real ghost, you’re finished,” Xie Chouzhuang warned him earnestly.

Shi Zhi nodded repeatedly, his fingers flying across the screen as he chatted excitedly with the group, clearly not taking the warning to heart. Little did he know that he would soon pay a lifelong price for his death-seeking behavior, but that is a story for later.

The Yuan family incident had a massive impact. With even more skeletal remains unearthed this time, many people in the classroom were still discussing it.

Being naturally outgoing, Shi Zhi quickly joined the debate, only stopping reluctantly when class began. Since it was an elective with less important content, Xie Chouzhuang took out his notebook and continued reading the book Ji Sixian had given him. The content was rich, and he was soon immersed.

“Let’s go, class is over,” Shi Zhi reminded him when he saw Xie Chouzhuang still reading.

“Oh, okay.” Xie Chouzhuang packed his things, planning to finish the rest of the chapter back at the apartment.

“I won’t be heading back to the dorm later.”

“Going to see your husband?” Shi Zhi teased.

“To study,” Xie Chouzhuang replied solemnly.

“I’m impressed. I’ll head out first then; I’ve got plans with friends to go on an urban exploration tonight.”

“Be careful. Are you carrying your talisman papers?”

“Got ’em right here!”

Just as Xie Chouzhuang stepped out of the classroom, he was intercepted by a junior student.

“Hello, Student Xie. My name is Tian Xinyu, from the Student Union. We’re holding a mixer for freshmen tonight. Would you like to come?”

Xie Chouzhuang was a bit confused. Shouldn’t this kind of event be announced to everyone? Why seek him out individually?

“I’m sorry, Senior. I have to study tonight; I might not have time.”

“Oh, look at you being so studious right at the start of the semester! Don’t worry, it’s just a group of people hanging out; it won’t take long. This is also a task assigned by the President, and we’re short on numbers. Please help me out, Student Xie! You only need to sit there for ten minutes! Pretty please? I’ll buy you milk tea.”

“No need for milk tea. Just tell me the location, Senior.”

“That’s great! Let’s add each other, and I’ll send you the location. You can invite your roommates too!”

“My roommate has plans tonight.” Xie Chouzhuang added Tian Xinyu.

“Then you definitely have to come! I’m going to find some others now!”

The gathering was at 9:00 PM. Xie Chouzhuang went back to the dorm first to take the gold ingot to the apartment.

Ji Sixian was sitting on the sofa. Seeing him return, he beckoned, “Come here.”

Xie Chouzhuang sat down beside him. “Gege, about that ingot…”

“A celebratory gift from a friend. Just a little trinket with a blessing for good luck. Keep it to play with.”

“Okay. I have to go out for a bit tonight. Someone invited me to a social mixer.”

Ji Sixian spoke with a half-smile, “Do you know what a social mixer is for?”

Xie Chouzhuang nodded without hesitation. “I know!”

Ji Sixian looked slightly displeased. “Since you know, you still agreed?”

Xie Chouzhuang explained, “A senior invited me personally right at the classroom door; it would have been awkward to refuse. But don’t worry, I’m a married man. I’m just going to make up the numbers.” As he spoke, he lightly kissed Ji Sixian on the cheek to reassure him.

After a brief silence, Ji Sixian asked, “When does it end? I’ll come pick you up.”

“It starts at 8:00. I’ll stay for fifteen minutes and then leave.”

“It’s hard to get a cab at that time. I’m free anyway, so I’ll drop you off.”

“Thank you, Gege.”

Meanwhile, in the school’s multi-functional studio

Xia Minglang was wearing a black suit, meticulously grooming his hair. Seeing Tian Xinyu push the door open, he hurriedly asked, “How did it go? Did he agree?”

“Don’t worry, Brother Lang. Junior Xie has agreed.”

“Excellent.” Xia Minglang looked ecstatic.

“Brother Lang, which junior caught your eye this time?” A boy in a tracksuit nearby let out a whistle.

“Get out of here,” Xia Minglang joked. “This junior is incredibly good-looking. Don’t go scaring him later.”

“Oho, Brother Lang, protecting him before you’re even together?”

The room erupted in teasing. Xia Minglang was a prominent figure at Huada University, not for his grades, but for the speed at which he cycled through boyfriends—usually one a month, with the longest lasting only two. Since it was always consensual and he provided a massive “breakup fee,” many people actually hoped to be his boyfriend because he was handsome and attentive.

Having just broken up with his previous boyfriend, Xia Minglang saw a photo of Xie Chouzhuang on the school forum. One look at his face and Xia Minglang was completely smitten. He planned to orchestrate a romantic confession. Thus, Tian Xinyu was sent to invite him.

“Cheer loudly for me later. There will be plenty of rewards for you guys,” Xia Minglang instructed his buddies as he adjusted his hairstyle.

“Don’t worry, Brother Lang. This concerns your future boyfriend; we’ll make sure it’s handled perfectly.”

“Good. If it works, I’m taking you all to ‘Heaven on Earth’ for a night out.”

“Holy crap, Brother Lang is generous!” Everyone got excited. Heaven on Earth was a famous high-end club where the cheapest bottle of wine cost tens of thousands, and a single dinner could easily exceed two or three hundred thousand yuan.

“He’s coming, he’s coming!” A boy ran in breathlessly.

“Quick, quick, quick! Flowers, ring, get ready!”

As Xie Chouzhuang walked in, he felt something was off. Wasn’t this supposed to be a party? Why were there no other people?

He pushed open the doors to the activity center.

Pop—! Countless streamers fell from above.

Xie Chouzhuang almost thought he’d stumbled into another cult. Seeing people inside, he silently tucked the half-drawn calligraphy brush back into his pocket.

“Junior Xie, you’re here?” Tian Xinyu pulled him inside as the doors behind him were slowly closed.