Chapter 26: Increasing the Price on the Spot (Patreon)

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After leaving the police station, Yang Haoran first went back to the grocery store to retrieve his mobile phone, then called Jiang Zhenzhen.

This time, the phone wasn't as unresponsive as last night; it only rang twice before being answered. However, Jiang Zhenzhen's voice sounded very weak. After inquiring about the situation, he immediately rushed to the hospital where Jiang Zhenzhen and the middle-aged man were being treated.

He wanted to see how they were doing, especially Jiang Zhenzhen, to see if she was alright.

Although he had important matters to attend to urgently, he couldn't help but worry about Jiang Zhenzhen's condition. Therefore, he had to temporarily set aside another important matter and deal with Jiang Zhenzhen's situation first before proceeding.

Before even entering the hospital, Yang Haoran encountered the middle-aged man. He didn't have any serious physical issues; he had simply fainted from fright and didn't intend to stay in the hospital any longer.

What left Yang Haoran speechless was how the middle-aged man became agitated the moment he saw him. He started berating Yang Haoran, accusing him of nearly scaring him to death.

Yang Haoran didn't argue with the middle-aged man. Knowing that the man was in a heated state, arguing would only escalate the situation. He figured the man would calm down once he finished venting.

While outwardly accepting the middle-aged man's anger with a smile, Yang Haoran felt annoyed inside, but he didn't voice his complaints.

He hadn't lied to the middle-aged man; he genuinely believed Jiang Zhenzhen's family was in trouble, which was why he had spent money to ask for the middle-aged man's help. Little did he know that Jiang Zhenzhen's family not only didn't have trouble but was haunted by a ghost.

What surprised him even more was how timid the middle-aged man turned out to be. Just one glance at the Decaying Corpse Granny and he fainted on the spot. Apart from breaking open the door, he didn't contribute anything else.

After venting his emotions, the middle-aged man demanded the final payment from Yang Haoran. Though still frightened, he hadn't forgotten about the five hundred yuan he was owed. He remembered it very clearly.

However, what was agreed upon was one thousand yuan. Yang Haoran had paid five hundred upfront and promised to pay the remaining five hundred later. But now, the remaining five hundred had somehow become two thousand, an increase of one thousand five hundred yuan.

When questioned about this sudden increase, the middle-aged man claimed he had been severely frightened and needed the extra one thousand five hundred as compensation.

Upon hearing this demand, the smile disappeared from Yang Haoran's face. He turned and walked towards the hospital, ignoring the middle-aged man. It seemed he not only didn't want to give the extra one thousand five hundred but also had no intention of giving the remaining five hundred.

Indeed, Yang Haoran was thinking exactly that. Initially, he had intended to keep his promise and pay the remaining five hundred to the middle-aged man, as it was agreed upon beforehand, regardless of whether he had helped or not. However, the middle-aged man's sudden demand exceeded Yang Haoran's bottom line, so he turned away without intending to pay a single cent more.

Seeing Yang Haoran walking away without hesitation, the middle-aged man panicked. The anger that had just subsided reignited, and he shouted at Yang Haoran's back, "Kid! Stop right there! You have to give me the money! Whether you want to or not!"

Yang Haoran was already irritated. Since the appearance of the police officers in the morning, his irritation had been growing stronger with each aggravating event. However, he had been suppressing it all along, not letting his anger burst out. But now, the middle-aged man's attitude pushed him to the edge of eruption. He halted his steps and asked in a cold tone, "What if I don't?"

As Yang Haoran had his back turned to the middle-aged man, the man couldn't see the expression on Yang Haoran's face. However, he could sense the coldness in Yang Haoran's tone, making him shiver involuntarily.

The middle-aged man was already a coward, which was quite evident. He had initially thought of extorting money from Yang Haoran after seeing his friendly demeanor earlier. But now, faced with Yang Haoran's firm stance, he started feeling anxious.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Although the middle-aged man was feeling scared, he thought he could gain more benefits if he persisted. So, he plucked up his courage and continued, "I'm telling you, you have to give me the money, whether you want to or not. If you don't, I'll call the police and have them make you pay!"

The mention of the police only fueled Yang Haoran's anger further. He didn't speak but scanned his surroundings before fixing his gaze on a particular spot and striding towards it.

Observing Yang Haoran's actions, the middle-aged man couldn't understand what he was up to. However, when he saw Yang Haoran picking up a brick from a corner and approaching him with a grim expression, he was instantly terrified!

Now, Yang Haoran was holding a brick, and unlike last night when he wielded a kitchen knife, there was a more menacing aura around him. The middle-aged man, already timid, couldn't bring himself to mention money again. He left with a threat, turning around and fleeing.

"Just you wait!"

Watching the middle-aged man slink away, Yang Haoran snorted coldly, not bothering to chase after him. Instead, he dropped the brick he was holding and made his way to the hospital building.

Initially, he didn't intend to confront the middle-aged man, but the man had pushed him too far. Yang Haoran couldn't let him think he was easy to bully; otherwise, the man might have tried extorting even more money, maybe doubling it to five thousand yuan. Yang Haoran believed the man was capable of such outrageous demands.

With the middle-aged man scared off, Yang Haoran not only saved himself from paying an extra one thousand five hundred but also retained the remaining five hundred. As for whether the middle-aged man would seek revenge later, Yang Haoran wasn't concerned. Given the man's cowardice, he doubted the man would dare to retaliate. So, he had nothing to worry about.

Before coming to the hospital, Yang Haoran had already learned from Jiang Zhenzhen's call where she was admitted and which room she was in.

The reason Jiang Zhenzhen hadn't been discharged like the middle-aged man was because her condition was too weak. She needed a few days of rest in the hospital. Her weakness wasn't solely due to being scared unconscious last night but also because she hadn't rested properly during this period.

Working during the day was already exhausting, and being tormented by ghosts at night made matters worse. Although it had only been a few days in total, it felt like centuries to her. Both mentally and physically, she had been greatly drained. Her body, already weak, became even weaker under such torment.

Arriving at Jiang Zhenzhen's ward, Yang Haoran spotted her lying weakly on the hospital bed with an IV drip attached. Her pale face looked haggard, resembling that of a critically ill patient.

Despite feeling irritated due to the bruises on his face and the recent encounter with the middle-aged man, Yang Haoran tried to compose himself before entering the ward.

Sensing someone looking at her, Jiang Zhenzhen glanced towards the door and saw Yang Haoran. She was initially surprised but then smiled with joy.

Yang Haoran had already adjusted his demeanor, wearing a faint smile on his face as he approached Jiang Zhenzhen.

His smile seemed natural, concealing the frustration and anger within him. Jiang Zhenzhen couldn't detect anything amiss.

However, while his inner emotions were hidden, the bruises on his face were conspicuous. Not only did Jiang Zhenzhen notice them, but others in the ward did too. Such obvious bruises wouldn't escape anyone's notice unless they were blind.

"Master Yang, what happened to your face? Was it injured by that thing last night?" Jiang Zhenzhen asked with concern and guilt when Yang Haoran stood by her bedside.

Yang Haoran was pondering how to explain the bruises on his face when Jiang Zhenzhen's words came as a convenient segue. He nodded in agreement and said, "That thing was too powerful. It took a lot of effort to deal with her, and I got injured in the process."

Yang Haoran's words sounded shamelessly self-aggrandizing. Although he did find the Decaying Corpse Granny formidable, he wasn't the one who dealt with her. Moreover, he was quite scared himself at the time. If it weren't for the arrival of the young man with the pointed chin, who knows what would have happened.

Indeed, only the ghosts and the Decaying Corpse Granny knew the truth.

However, Yang Haoran couldn't reveal the truth. He depended on this profession for a living. If he were to disclose the truth, his image in Jiang Zhenzhen's eyes would be tarnished. If Jiang Zhenzhen were to spread the word, how could he continue in this profession?

So, even though he felt uneasy inside, he didn't forget his identity. He knew what role to play in such situations.

Shortly after Yang Haoran appeared, Jiang Zhenzhen fainted just like the middle-aged man, falling unconscious on the ground. Therefore, when Yang Haoran made his claim, Jiang Zhenzhen naturally believed it.

At the time, besides the young man with the pointed chin, no one else saw Yang Haoran's embarrassing state. Even the police officers who arrived later only saw Yang Haoran wearing nothing but his underwear and carrying Jiang Zhenzhen.

So, whatever Yang Haoran said to Jiang Zhenzhen was gospel truth. As for whether the young man with the pointed chin would spill the beans, it was unlikely. Such a master wouldn't easily reveal himself to Jiang Zhenzhen, let alone bother exposing Yang Haoran.

"Thank you so much, Master Yang. If it weren't for you, I don't know if I'd still be alive," Jiang Zhenzhen said with a hint of fear on her pale face. Just the thought of last night made her shudder.

Yang Haoran neither confirmed nor denied Jiang Zhenzhen's statement. Even he, Yang Haoran, couldn't help but tremble when he recalled the disgusting appearance of the Decaying Corpse Granny. If it weren't for the young man with the pointed chin showing up, he couldn't be sure if he'd still be alive.

"I lent you the Death God pendant. Where is it?" Yang Haoran suddenly remembered and asked.

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Next Chapter ->Chapter 27 Cause and Effect