A day slipped by. Hena seemed recovered. At dinner she didn’t bring anything up with Qin Jun. They ate like normal, then she followed Old Man Fulun back out to keep shopping.

Amov and the Kexi-Kedong brothers were packing luggage, stowing it neatly so Qin Jun could toss it into his storage space in one go.

Staying home was boring. He might as well go with Fulun and the others. But with Hena there, it’d be awkward. Better to wander on his own. If he ran into another necromancer-level “fun event,” that’d be sweet.

Last time Qin Jun just drifted. This time he planned to look for pretty accessories. Not to wear—he wasn’t the type. He wanted something handy for the road, in case he met a pretty girl and needed an opener.

He asked around and learned the jewelry shops were all on one street, on the far side of the market. He strolled over.

When he reached the cluster of shops, a distinct scent hit him. Not the market’s musk. It was laced with women’s perfume. Plenty of women lingered here.

There were quite a few now—fresh-faced girls and refined matrons—chatting about which shop had the nicest pieces.

Some men were there too, escorting their wives. The wives were all smiles. It was their husbands’ affection, proof of love. The men looked less thrilled. Many weren’t stingy; they just hated trailing after a woman from shop to shop.

Qin Jun watched the small theater of life and smiled without commenting. In his past life, he’d longed for this kind of scene. Back then, no woman took a liking to him. He lived at the bottom. What normal woman would choose him?

At most, he went to prostitutes—and the worst kind, really. They reeked of heavy perfume, a smell not far from a stink. Still, it beat using his own hands.

So when he came to this world, he wanted something high-end. That’s why he picked Daini.

But no matter how good a prostitute is, she’s never a wife. They won’t care if you look good, or if your body’s failing, or if you need help. They only care about your money.

A commotion flared ahead. A woman and a man started arguing. Qin Jun listened. The woman worried they were spending too much on jewelry. The man insisted on buying it for her.

They raised their voices. More eyes drifted over. Some people tried to mediate, saying this was her husband’s goodwill and she shouldn’t act like this.

The woman said their household was tight lately. They couldn’t spend freely.

Others talked to the man. He had his reasons. Even if money’s tight, you can’t shortchange your wife. If the money’s gone, he’d earn more. He could take extra jobs.

After hearing that, Qin Jun smiled, walked into a jewelry shop, and asked the clerk what their best piece was. The clerk said, “Sir, our finest is this necklace. The pendant’s a crystal core from a Lava Behemoth. It warms the whole body. With the weather getting cold, it’s perfect. Who’s it for? We’ve got different gift wraps.”

Qin Jun grinned. “For someone else’s wife. Why wrap it?”

That stumped the clerk. He let out an awkward laugh and fell silent.

Qin Jun stopped teasing. “I’m joking. See that quarreling couple outside? Help me give it to them.”

The clerk understood at once. He’d heard the man earlier too. He smiled at Qin Jun. “Sir, you’re a good person.”

“I’m not,” Qin Jun said with a smile. “I’m just someone who envies others.”

The clerk said nothing. He glanced at Qin Jun, as if seeing something, and murmured, “There aren’t truly good people in this world. Right, sir?”

“Who knows,” Qin Jun said, meeting his eyes.

“The world is big,” the clerk said with a smile.

Full of longing.

“How much is the necklace?” Qin Jun asked.

“One Amethyst Coin.”

“That is pricey.”

“Yeah. A coin like that could feed a commoner for years.”

“Here’s the money. Two Amethyst Coins.”

The clerk accepted with a smile. “Thank you, sir.”

“The other one’s your travel fare,” Qin Jun said.

“Travel to where?” the clerk asked.

“You decide,” Qin Jun said, smiling.

He watched the clerk hand the necklace to the arguing couple, then left. He didn’t buy anything else. He’d never met a benefactor before. Today, he played the part.

He probed with his senses. The clerk was level forty—impressive for Falcon City. But the world is wide, and there are many prodigies. The clerk yearned for it, yet had no money to leave. Qin Jun had seen that hunger.