Alone in this foreign land, Bai Ming had to carefully regulate his behavior. Drawing attention was never a good thing—none of the experiences he’d been through had left him with pleasant memories.

Even when reaching for items off shelves, he kept his movements natural and fluid, determined to blend seamlessly into the crowd.

Why? Because he was a loner.

Just like earlier, when he’d driven away Shen Yuan Yuhu. His mind held no thoughts of kindness toward others. That young girl had simply overthought things, believing she could strike up a rapport with him.

He’d never entertained such notions, yet others saw him as approachable.

A simple greeting would send them spiraling into wild fantasies; a single conversation made them genuinely believe they could help him. Such childish thinking—persisting even now—had never been corrected. For both her and Bai Ming, their clashing personalities would only end in mutual disgust.

*Better to have never crossed paths at all.*

"Let’s see… candles…"

Bai Ming frowned at the shopping list in his hand, slowly plucking a row of candles from the shelf. He truly couldn’t fathom what his sister needed these for.

"Jack-o’-lanterns…"

The items looked like magical ingredients for a witch’s experiment—each one forcing him to wander this massive supermarket for ages.

Luckily, fortune favored him. Following the signs, he found everything without asking a soul.

*What is that kid up to…?*

Truthfully, Bai Ming couldn’t grasp his sister’s thought process. Unlike him, she was a genius. Always had been.

At three, she memorized anything at a glance and charmed everyone with her words. At eight, her IQ tested several times beyond normal. By twelve, she’d earned an economics doctorate from a top national university. Now, at thirteen, she supported both of them through stock trading alone.

Admittedly… it was astonishing. And deeply painful.

*Just buy it…*

Hesitation was pointless. Strange as the items were, he’d do as she asked.

…

After gathering the rest, Bai Ming paused at the mall’s center, his heavy basket dangling from his hand.

Amidst the sea of products, something gleaming gold had caught his eye.

Well—not *literally* glowing. But to Bai Ming, it radiated pure, blinding light.

"Th-that… that’s…"

His body trembled along with his voice. Eyes wide, he strode toward the shimmering display.

"Isn’t this… the long-discontinued… limited-edition Magical Girl Lilum figure… with re-re-removable parts…"

He set his basket down gently, panting heavily as he stared at the plastic figurine before him.

He wiped away the drool he’d been suppressing, then gazed up at the priceless treasure. A decision hardened within him.

What decision?

The awakening of belt-tightening resolve.

As mentioned before, Bai Ruoshui was his polar opposite. Frugality was her creed. Bai Ming, meanwhile, acted entitled—useless, leeching off his sister, even believing it his right.

Though Bai Ruoshui gave him a strict monthly allowance, not a cent more or less, every expense fell squarely on his shoulders.

That’s why he’d already planned his future austerity.

"My life will be miserable from now on… but… BUT!"

Heart steeled, reason abandoned, Bai Ming would trade a month’s worth of meals for this spiritual solace.

Silently, he approached the counter, hand outstretched.

One meter. Half a meter. Ten centimeters…

Just as his fingers nearly brushed his dream—

***CRACK!***

A gunshot shattered the air.

Instantly, Bai Ming’s skull buzzed like a hive of furious flies. Instinct dropped him into a crouch, hands clamped over his head. Alertness sharpened as he scanned his surroundings.