Chereads / Crossing in the Gambling City / Chapter 12 - The Chance Encounter at the Shopping Mall

Chapter 12 - The Chance Encounter at the Shopping Mall

This McLaren F1-LM can truly be called a divine car; in terms of both appearance and performance, it's flawless.

Though still getting the hang of this beast, even at low speeds, the engine's sound is captivating. A slight touch on the accelerator and it immediately begins to roar.

As Jason Hart drives this car, it turns heads everywhere he goes.

Throughout the journey, he's fully engaged with this supercar, so much so that he inadvertently neglects Emma, and they hardly exchange a word.

As they approach the busy city area, the traffic increases.

Feeling a bit apprehensive, Jason decides to casually find a newly opened mall, planning to spend an hour or two there until the crowd disperses before heading home.

The mall attendant promptly directs Jason to park his car in the most prominent spot at the entrance.

Aside from his car, there are other luxury supercars, likely aiming to enhance the mall's image and attract attention.

Experiencing the ostentation of the wealthy, Jason finds it intriguing. His previous life was so ordinary, devoid of wealthy acquaintances, lacking even the imagination to fantasize about such things.

In less than twenty-four hours of becoming rich, Jason already walks with an air of confidence, exuding a certain fragrance of success.

The mall, named Melo Department Store, exudes an air of sophistication. The ground floor boasts various jewelry shops, watch stores, luxury items, and cosmetics.

Emma seems unenthusiastic, quipping, "What have you set your sights on now? You tricked me into coming along to carry your bags, didn't you? Well, I suppose it's not out of the question. Treat me to ice cream and candied fruit, and I'll forgive you."

"You're too easy to please. Bro, I've suddenly become rich overnight. I can buy whatever I want. I want to spend lavishly!"

After hearing Jason's words, Emma gives him a strange look and remarks, "You've only received a few thousand from Auntie Two and Auntie Three. Have you lost your mind? Is there any need to get so excited? You're rich every day, aren't you?"

Jason can't be bothered to explain, nor does he have the means to.

Through the display window, he spots a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch, exquisitely designed, starting with a "4" and followed by five zeros, totaling over four hundred thousand, which makes him wince.

He completely forgets that the carbon fiber car key in his hand represents such wealth.

Clearly, the transition from poverty to sudden wealth has left him lagging in both mindset and perspective, with his spending habits still stuck in the mindset of being part of the impoverished masses.

He accompanies Emma as they wander around.

During their time there, they unexpectedly spot their math teacher, Lucas, holding a camera, taking photos of models near the Lexus booth, chatting and laughing with his two friends.

Not forgetting the scene from their morning math class, Jason harbors no favorable impression of him.

Naturally, he can't be bothered to exchange greetings, simply continuing to stroll ahead amidst the crowd, pretending not to notice.

Despite Emma's parents working for Jason's family, they're actually quite well-off.

Thanks to the appreciation of stocks and soaring real estate prices, their family assets amount to several million, with a monthly income stable in the six figures.

Passing by the Rolex store, Emma mentions, "Wait a moment. My parents' birthdays are at the end of the month, and I want to take the opportunity to pick out gifts for them."

Looking at the yellow and green signboard, Jason remarks dryly, "Do birthday gifts need to be so extravagant?"

"Well, I'm an adult now. I just received about a hundred and fifty thousand from the insurance company, which is already in my bank account. Besides, I don't have any use for it."

Emma's parents are usually very kind to her, and she's also filial.

Their daily life is relatively comfortable, with no concept of scrimping and saving too much. Like many affluent families, they prioritize enjoyment.

Seeing Emma enter the store first, Jason follows.

With the new store opening, there's a nine percent discount as part of the grand opening celebration, with posters displayed inside the store.

There are quite a few customers, and the display case is filled with various watches.

In his own room's dressing area, there's a dedicated watch cabinet, but he hasn't looked inside it carefully enough to know what's there.

Although Jason is interested in flashy gold watches like Rolex and Cartier, he can't bring himself to spend as a student.

After spending a few minutes, he helps Emma choose two watches from the Sunday series that can serve as couple watches, classic and stylish.

After the salesperson calculates the price, the total comes to one hundred and thirty-seven thousand. Emma decisively pays with her card without hesitation, once she's made up her mind.

It's only then that Jason remembers that Emma's family background seems ordinary at school. However, this is a prestigious school, and if she were to attend a public school, she'd definitely be considered quite wealthy.

Seeing the crowded store and the lineup at the cashier, Jason finally understands why the older generation finds places like the casino and Hong Kong so mesmerizing.

In this day and age, tens of thousands for a watch and thousands for a handbag indeed seem exorbitant.

After paying with her, they continue their leisurely stroll.

Passing by the Chanel store, they unexpectedly encounter their teacher, Linda, accompanied by a salesperson, trying on a bag, standing in front of a full-length mirror with a puzzled expression.

"Ran into my teacher. Wait for a moment, I'll go in and say hello," Jason tells Emma before walking into the store.

As he appears in the mirror, Linda immediately notices him and turns around with a smile, "What are you doing here?"

"Just came to check out the new store. How about you?" Jason asks in return.

Linda tells him, "Same here. I live nearby. I had plans to come with a friend, but her boyfriend was free today, so I got stood up."

During the conversation, Linda notices Emma.

Clearly recognizing Emma, who is from the neighboring class, she teasingly reminds Jason, "You're a bit greedy, huh? You clearly have a girlfriend, yet you wrote me that kind of letter. Emma is famous in our grade for her beauty and exceptional grades. She's a very nice person. You should cherish her."

With a helpless tone, Jason shrugs, "Emma is just staying temporarily at my house. I'm accompanying her to pick out birthday gifts for her parents. It's a friendship thing."

"Haha, why so serious? I'm your teacher after all. Now help me choose, which color of bag looks better?" Linda says.

Tonight, Linda is wearing a white short skirt, with black stockings on her legs, paired with silver high heels.

With her hair down, she looks beautiful. Although not very old, she exudes a sexy and fashionable charm, in the transition from innocence to maturity. Several old men accompanying their wives in the store repeatedly glance at her, a fact Jason has long noticed.

Perhaps it's because Linda is not very old that she appears quite open-minded when dealing with Jason giving her love letters. If it were another teacher, it might have been seen as something blasphemous or morally wrong, likely resulting in parental intervention.

After deliberating, Jason says, "Black is always classic."

"Exactly, that's what I think too. This brand's Boy series is very popular, but you often see it on the streets..."

Emma stands outside the store, yawning and daydreaming.

She doesn't notice the presence of another man beside her, unmistakably their math teacher, Lucas.

At this moment, Lucas clenches his teeth, visibly furious.

He had been busy helping a friend, taking photos for the dealership for promotional purposes. He had seen Linda a long time ago, but only now did he have the chance to approach her, hoping for a casual encounter.

To his surprise, after finally finding Linda, she's with Jason Hart!

Instantly, he misunderstands the situation.

With the camera still in hand, Lucas grits his teeth, seething with anger, muttering to himself:

"Shameless! No wonder she kept rejecting me. She actually wants to marry into a wealthy family and latch onto a student. I won't let you get away with it!"

Emma, looking lazy, notices the commotion and looks over.

She only catches a glimpse of Lucas's profile, feeling vaguely familiar but not paying too much attention...