Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 301 seems to be a person.

Dusk falls.

A van drove along, circling the highway several times, before finally stopping on a secluded side road.

The car door opened, and several young men and women got out one after another, looking around with curiosity.

The leader was a tall young man with a huge backpack. He stared at his phone for a while and said, "The car can't go any further here, but the rest of the way isn't far. It'll be about a ten-minute walk."

One boy remarked, "I never imagined there would be such a remote place in Lincheng. This road looks eerie."

Zhang Tao didn't take it seriously: "I've been to even more eerie places. Let's go, let's finish this quickly and go back. I'll treat you to a late-night snack after the live stream. Just tell me what you want to eat."

"Hehe, then I won't be polite. I'll definitely pick the most expensive one then."

The boy chuckled, glanced back at the others, and winked, "Everyone, hurry up and decide what to eat. Don't try to save money for Brother Tao. Let me tell you, we don't get many chances to rip him off."

A short-haired girl said helplessly, "It's not even dark yet, and you're already thinking about late-night snacks? You should at least help your senior get the live stream set up first."

"That's true, Brother Tao. Is there anything we should be careful about during this live stream?"

Zhang Tao shook his head: "Just be careful, there's nothing else to be careful about."

"Um... what do you mean by 'be careful'?" another girl, who looked somewhat frail, asked nervously. "Could... could there really be something like that around here?"

"What I mean is that it's getting dark soon, and there are no lights in that unfinished building. Be careful when you go in, especially when going up and down the stairs, so you don't hurt yourself."

As Zhang Tao spoke, he took out a high-powered flashlight from his backpack and distributed it to the group.

"Hey Wang Qingqing, we already emphasized the theme of this live stream before we came. If you're scared, you don't have to come. Fine, if you're really scared later, just stick close to me," said the rather lively boy.

The girl called Wang Qingqing nodded shyly, secretly glanced at Zhang Tao's tall back, and then lowered her head slightly.

"It's okay, senior. There are no ghosts in this world. Why don't you come with me later?" The short-haired girl comforted her softly. Compared to Wang Qingqing's fear, her eyes showed more excitement at the prospect of something new.

As a fan of Zhang Tao, she never imagined that one day she would actually be able to participate in his live stream.

The group didn't linger and quickly headed towards their destination along the path. Along the way, the talkative boy kept trying to liven things up, even probing whether they should create some entertainment or set up something spooky beforehand, which would definitely attract a large audience. However, Zhang Tao rejected all of these suggestions.

He is a person who is keen on pursuing the unknown and excitement, and has never liked to engage in deception.

"Ok."

The boy, with his hands behind his head, said with a hint of regret, "Looks like there's no fun tonight. I'd better start thinking about what to eat for supper. This is boring."

A few people behind, Xiao Xiaoxiao said somewhat uneasily, "Why do I feel like this person is setting up a flag?"

"What, are you scared?" Han Zhou asked with a smile.

"I'm not afraid at all, I just think he's too talkative."

"It's better if it's a bit more fragmented. With so many people doing an outdoor live stream together, they'll have to talk, right? If he's willing to say a few more words, we'll be happy to have some peace and quiet and just follow along."

“That makes sense.” Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded, then hesitated, “But will this place really remind me of anything?”

Han Zhou gave her a strange look: "Why are you asking me? When did I say this place would remind you of anything? Didn't you beg me to bring you here?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao's expression froze.

It seems that's really the case...

That's right, Han Zhou and Xiao Xiaoxiao were following Zhang Tao and others to the unfinished building mentioned in the report, about to conduct a live broadcast of a ghost investigation.

In fact, Han Zhou had no intention of accepting Zhang Tao's invitation, since he had no interest in ghost hunting. However, after hearing about it, Xiao Xiaoxiao suggested that such rumored haunted places might give her some inspiration and help her recall some important events.

Han Zhou could tell that Xiao Xiaoxiao was serious when she said that, but she probably just wanted to experience what it was like to be a streamer. Especially after hearing that the round-trip transportation was free and that she could get free lunch and late-night snacks, she was like a weasel that had seen a chicken, her eyes were shining.

Although Xiao Xiaoxiao's reasoning was far-fetched, after considering it, Han Zhou felt that it might be a way to find the truth, so he simply let her have her way.

It's worth mentioning that before coming, he specifically asked Guzheng if she wanted to come along, but she firmly refused, saying that she had a lot of homework today and probably wouldn't have time to do anything else.

Of course, this was Gu Zheng's explanation after repeatedly confirming that Han Zhou wouldn't be spending the night outside. She also asked for Zhang Tao's live stream room number, saying she might take a look if she had time.

Zhang Tao was naturally overjoyed to see Han Zhou join him, but his feelings were quite complicated. He wanted to ask Han Zhou when he had been paired with another cute girl he had never seen before.

He hesitated, wondering whether to remind the other person to tone it down. After all, many viewers were looking forward to tonight's live stream, including many students from Lin University. If that girl named Guzheng saw him, Han Zhou might not be able to explain himself when he got back...

Including Han Zhou and Xiao Xiaoxiao, there are a total of six people participating in the live broadcast tonight, three men and three women. It is said that this kind of configuration is more likely to attract attention.

The short-haired girl, like Han Zhou and Xiao Xiao, is also a freshman and a fan of Zhang Tao. She volunteered to participate in the live stream through the fan group. Her name is Bai Suya.

The other two were Zhang Tao's classmates. The girl was named Wang Qingqing, and the boy was named Sun Fei. He was a very talkative person, and it was he who proposed the theory that the configuration of three men and three women was more attractive.

After walking for about ten minutes, the group soon spotted an unfinished building in the distance. Its dark walls, perhaps due to the darkness, gave it an eerie feel from afar.

Xiao Xiaoxiao even felt a gust of cold wind blowing over her.

She felt nervous, when she suddenly heard Han Zhou beside her say, "Why is your coat zipper open?"

Looking down, I saw that the zipper on my beige coat was indeed open; no wonder it suddenly felt chilly.

She was initially relieved, but then secretly groaned. She had bought the dress a long time ago, and it had always been very durable. She never expected that it would have a problem today.

She tried several times, and although the zipper did not come off, it was no longer functional. When she pulled it up, the lower teeth would loosen and could not be firmly locked together.

Oh well, if I can't pull it up, I can't pull it up...

Xiao Xiaoxiao sighed and decided to go back and fix the zipper. The temperature wasn't too low yet, so she could just leave her coat open and she shouldn't get cold.

Just then, Han Zhou suddenly spoke up: "Let me see."

Xiao Xiaoxiao turned her head and realized that the other person seemed to have been staring at her the whole time, probably seeing her flustered appearance as she repeatedly pulled on the zipper. She felt a little embarrassed.

Especially when I realized that I've been wearing this dress for several years and the color is completely different from when I first bought it.

To be honest, Xiao Xiaoxiao didn't think Han Zhou would look down on her. At most, he would just laugh at her for not growing taller all these years, which she could easily retort to.

She was just worried about seeing pity or similar emotions in the other person's eyes.

Xiao Xiaoxiao hates being pitied more than being ridiculed or looked down upon.

Especially since this person was her friend. Even though she knew perfectly well that pity was often not malicious, but rather a form of kindness, she still couldn't accept it; that look in his eyes always reminded her of some unpleasant things.

"What catches your eyes?"

Xiao Xiao's knuckles turned white from gripping the zipper so tightly. She loosened her grip and said dismissively, "It's just a broken zipper. We can fix it when we get back."

"I know, I'm not blind."

Han Zhou said irritably, "Stand still."

Seeing the other person squat down in front of her, Xiao Xiaoxiao quickly took a few steps back: "What are you going to do?"

"You've just recovered from a cold, you don't want to catch another one tomorrow, do you? Give me five seconds, I'll fix your zipper."

"I told you I'd fix it myself when I got back..."

"Unless you replace the zipper, I don't think you can fix it," Han Zhou interrupted her, his tone certain.

Xiao Xiaoxiao was taken aback and muttered, "No matter what, it's really strange that you suddenly squatted down in front of me like this..."

Although she said that, she stood still, looking down at the back of Han Zhou's head.

"Then why don't you take off your coat and give it to me?" Han Zhou gave her a disgruntled look, stood up and said, "Okay, try it on."

His status bar now has a new skill called "Crafts Expertise," which allows him to adjust items with very slight adjustments, making repairing a zipper a piece of cake.

Xiao Xiaoxiao looked suspicious, clearly not quite believing that this guy had fixed it after just squatting on the ground for a few seconds while holding the zipper.

She tried it with some skepticism, and to her surprise, the zipper was actually fixed.

"How about it?"

Han Zhou clapped his hands calmly, with an expression that said, "It's just a trivial skill."

What a jerk...

Xiao Xiaoxiao zipped up her pants, and immediately felt much warmer. She wanted to say thank you, but seeing Han Zhou's smug look, she couldn't help but sneer, "I have to say, you have the potential to be a repairman."

Unexpectedly, Han Zhou seemed to agree wholeheartedly, saying thoughtfully, "If I wanted to, I could indeed make a name for myself in this field, and becoming the King of Repair wouldn't be a problem."

"You're more like the king of shamelessness."

Xiao Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, then whispered, "Thank you."

This guy has his problems, but he's the kind of friend she's looking for.

"What did you say? I didn't hear clearly."

"Don't push your luck!" Xiao Xiao glared at him, then suddenly became wary. "I almost forgot you're a jerk. You wouldn't fix every girl's zipper like you did just now, would you? To win their favor or something..."

"How could that be? I don't have that much free time, and there aren't that many girls breaking zippers every day."

After a pause, Han Zhou added seriously, "Also, I need to make one thing clear: I'm only willing to fix the zipper on the jacket; anything else is out of the question."

Xiao Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, then suddenly became a little gossipy and asked curiously, "What would you have done if the zipper on the guzheng had broken just now?"

Han Zhou was taken aback: "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

"You like her, don't you? Guys always treat the people they like a little differently, right?"

“That makes sense…” Han Zhou thought for a moment, “I’d probably give her my coat, but she’d most likely refuse. She’d probably think I’m underestimating her, that she can’t possibly catch a cold in this weather, and maybe if she gets upset she’ll even start a competition with me to see who’s less afraid of the cold…”

"What a mess..."

Xiao Xiaoxiao was stunned. After a couple of seconds of blankness, she continued to ask, "What about the other one? The one wearing the baseball cap?"

She was referring to Mo Yixia.

Han Zhou smiled helplessly: "As for her... she'll probably pretend to decline first, but then she'll still put on my coat. After a while, she'll ask me if I'm cold. No matter if I answer that I'm cold or not, she'll always manage to steer the conversation toward 'Why don't we hug each other?'"

Xiao Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, then asked, "What about the others?"

"What other people?"

"No way, you only hooked up with two people?"

"Wait, what's with that look on your face, like you've seen a ghost?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao looked away, pouted, and said, "Who told you to look so weak..."

She always felt that this scumbag couldn't possibly only be hooking up with two girls.

"Hehe, I wonder who's not even as tall as me when I squat down..."

"Go to hell!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao was furious and was about to kick the bastard who was spouting nonsense when she suddenly heard a series of exclamations. The people in front seemed to have seen something unexpected, and their voices sounded somewhat panicked.

At the same time, Han Zhou's expression suddenly turned serious. He raised his head and stared intently in one direction. Xiao Xiao's heart skipped a beat, realizing that something might have happened, and she quickly followed his gaze.

However, apart from the eerie, unfinished building under the cover of night, there was nothing in that direction.

Perhaps due to the increasing rumors of ghosts, apart from the group of people who came to broadcast live, there was not a single person to be seen in the vicinity; it was eerily quiet.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Han Zhou did not answer immediately. His expression was slightly solemn, as if he was deep in thought. The strange silence combined with his expression made Xiao Xiaoxiao feel inexplicably uneasy.

Fortunately, Han Zhou did not remain silent forever.

However, after hearing what the other person said, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt that it would have been better for him to remain silent.

"The lights on the eighth floor just flashed, and then something fell from upstairs."

"Judging from the outline... it looks like a person."

(End of this chapter)