Volume One, Chapter Six: Why Aren't You Dead?

Su Tong idly scrolled through her phone, when suddenly, she noticed an app whose icon featured a musical note emerging from a book. It was called MelodyBook.

From her past life’s experience, she knew that this live-streaming app would rapidly rise to fame within the coming year, enabling many to earn considerable money. Perhaps she could use it not only to make a living, but also to accumulate virtue.

With that thought, she immediately grabbed some coins—using them in place of copper cash—and cast a divination. The omen indicated that this method was indeed viable.

Without delay, she downloaded the app, registered an account, chose a username, selected the “Supernatural and Occult” category, and prepared to begin streaming.

But she soon encountered a problem. This phone was a second-hand device she had painstakingly saved up for; the image quality was poor and the device lagged terribly, making live-streaming impossible.

She had no choice but to exit the app for now, resolving to purchase a new phone tomorrow before she began her broadcast.

She slept soundly that night.

The next morning, as she ate breakfast, Su Tong told Xiao Shiyu she wanted to visit the mall to buy a new phone.

As it happened, Xiao Shiyu’s route to work passed by a shopping center, so he drove Su Tong there first.

Once the car was parked, Xiao Shiyu handed Su Tong a card, speaking gently, “There’s five hundred thousand in this card. Take it for now—the password is six zeros.”

Yesterday, when helping Su Tong carry her luggage, he’d noticed her belongings were few. Her clothes—both yesterday’s and today’s—were extremely cheap, and she didn’t even have a place to stay. Items in SKP2 cost tens of thousands at a minimum; she likely couldn’t afford them.

Of course, he wasn’t simply throwing money around, no matter how wealthy his family was. Five hundred thousand wasn’t something he’d give lightly.

But after witnessing Su Tong’s abilities, he felt she was worth it.

Su Tong lifted her gaze, meeting Xiao Shiyu’s beautiful eyes. His expression held no hint of charity, only sincerity. She smiled brightly and accepted the card without hesitation.

“Thank you. I really do need the money right now. Once I’ve earned enough, I’ll pay you back immediately.”

She currently had only eleven thousand yuan—ten thousand borrowed from Shen Xianglan, and one thousand she’d painstakingly saved herself.

She intended to buy many things today, and it wasn’t nearly enough. She was about to ask Xiao Shiyu for a loan, but he handed her the card before she could speak.

He really was quite a good person!

Xiao Shiyu smiled, his eyes crinkling as he sized Su Tong up. After a moment’s thought, he said, “More than money, I’d like you to draw me a protective talisman.”

In fact, he wouldn’t mind if Su Tong never repaid him.

Yet, he could see from her gaze that she disliked owing anyone—whether money or favors—so he requested the talisman.

He hadn’t believed in the occult before, though his grandparents did. Sometimes his grandfather would mention that a truly skilled master could sell a single protective charm for hundreds of thousands.

He didn’t know what rank Su Tong was, but he felt her talisman would be worth at least tens of thousands.

Drawing talismans was Su Tong’s specialty, and she agreed without hesitation.

“Alright, today I’ll buy what I need for talisman-making. Once I’m back, I’ll make it for you.”

After bidding Xiao Shiyu farewell, Su Tong strode into SKP2 with her long legs.

In her previous life, she’d never had pocket money, and had only heard of such upscale malls—never once had she set foot inside.

She wore a faint, serene smile as she wandered curiously through the shops.

Everything here was beautiful—and expensive. Even a simple T-shirt cost over five thousand yuan.

If not for the card Xiao Shiyu had given her, she would have left empty-handed today.

After some browsing, she entered a mobile phone store, compared her options, and bought a smart phone for about eight thousand yuan.

The camera was sharp, the memory large, and it had all the features she wanted.

Su Tong was delighted, immediately transferring her SIM card and important apps to the new device.

Her old phone was handed in for a two-hundred yuan discount.

She then bought two sets of clothes and some daily necessities, spending over forty thousand yuan.

Just as she was preparing to leave, she discovered a shop in a corner of the first floor selling feng shui items.

Their selection was comprehensive and of good quality. She bought yellow paper, cinnabar, and wolf-hair brushes.

These items weren’t expensive—just over a thousand yuan.

However, Su Tong was astonished to see that the copper coins and tortoise shells used for divination were priced in the hundreds of thousands.

The more expensive, the better the quality; the more accurate the divination.

But that was for the half-baked practitioners. Su Tong’s skills were solid—she had no need for such luxuries, nor could she afford them.

In the end, she chose a set priced at around ten thousand.

With her purchases complete, Su Tong had fulfilled her goals for the day.

Seeing that it was noon, she headed upstairs for lunch, then walked out of the mall, preparing to hail a taxi home.

At that moment, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID—it was Xiao Shiyu.

She answered, “Hello?”

His voice came through, “I’ve finished my business. Are you still at the mall?”

“I am,” she replied.

“I’ll come pick you up. About ten minutes.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you at the north gate.”

Su Tong hung up and ordered a milk tea at the shop by the north entrance.

She sat on a sofa, waiting for Xiao Shiyu.

...

Su Xi had once again injured her caretaker. With the new one yet to arrive, she was clamoring for the little cakes from the dessert shop in SKP2 across from the hospital.

Helpless, Shen Xianglan went herself to buy them.

Entering the mall, her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.

She quickly stepped back, peered through the glass at the milk tea shop, and saw Su Tong holding her drink, gazing outside as if waiting for someone.

Shen Xianglan’s heart lurched; something occurred to her, darkening her expression as she strode rapidly toward Su Tong.

No sooner had she reached Su Tong than she raised her hand to strike, shouting harshly, “Su Tong, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you dead?”

Su Tong had been deep in thought about drawing talismans and starting her stream, oblivious to her surroundings. When she heard the voice and looked up, Shen Xianglan’s hand was already poised to hit her.

She instinctively raised her arm to block.

Shen Xianglan’s slap landed on her forearm, and her milk tea splattered, spraying Shen Xianglan’s face.

Sticky milk tea dripped down Shen Xianglan’s meticulously styled hair, staining her expensive dress.

She was stunned for a moment, then, realizing what had happened, pointed at Su Tong and screamed.

“Ah! Su Tong! I’ll kill you!”

Su Tong rose from the sofa, quickly stepping aside to widen the distance between them.

The nearby server, quick-witted, rushed over with tissues to help Shen Xianglan wipe away the milk tea.

Su Tong couldn’t help but laugh at Shen Xianglan’s pathetic state.

Seeing Su Tong dare to mock her, Shen Xianglan, furious, shoved the server aside and berated Su Tong.

“Su Tong, have you no conscience? Not only do you refuse to help, you dare laugh at me?”

Su Tong wiped the smile from her face, her tone cool. “Who tried to hit me just now? Who said, ‘Why aren’t you dead?’ If you can be so heartless, why shouldn’t I laugh?”

Shen Xianglan was already shocked to see Su Tong alive, and now, seeing her dare to talk back, venom spilled from her lips.

“You should’ve died! Do you know your survival caused Su Xi to fall down the stairs and break her leg? You’re a jinx—why don’t you just die?”