Although the flow of people at the hospital entrance was heavy, everyone hurried by without sparing a glance.
Even if someone did look over, most would cast disdainful glances, and some would even spit on the ground with intense hatred, cursing her for swindling money from patients.
Some even went so far as to notify the hospital security to drive her away.
“Get out, get out! At such a young age, instead of learning proper things, you’re learning to cheat and deceive. Leave now, and don’t let me see you again.”
He Mu was driven away in a sorry state, about a hundred meters from the entrance. Two of the support legs of her mobile whiteboard were broken, leaving only the board itself.
The phone rang—it was He Xiaosa calling.
With trembling hands, He Mu answered. He Xiaosa’s roar came through from the other end: “Where have you been? Your grandmother is dead! Get back here now!”
In an instant.
He Mu’s mind went blank. The world seemed to spin around her as she collapsed to the ground, tears falling silently.
“Your parents have landed and will be at the hospital soon. Get back here immediately!”
“……”
He Xiaosa’s voice disappeared—he had hung up.
In He Mu’s blank mind, her grandmother’s voice and smiling face soon resurfaced. Such a kind old lady—why couldn’t she receive even a little mercy from heaven?
No!
There was still a chance!
According to tradition, her grandmother’s body would be kept for three days for funeral arrangements. As long as she completed the tasks given by the system, she could claim the rewards and bring her grandmother back to life!
“Tap, tap, tap!”
The sound of fingers tapping on the board snapped He Mu back to reality. She was startled to find herself shrouded in a shadow.
Lu Shiyan, the school bully from No. 1 High School and her back-row classmate, stood before her. He was bent over, tapping on the mobile board, his expression serious as he stared at her.
“People at the hospital entrance said there’s a female swindler offering to take people on travel through time and space. That’s you, isn’t it?”
“Don’t you know? Everyone has downloaded the anti-fraud app. Did you really think you could fool anyone?”
“Crying? What’s the use of crying? You never seemed this weak when you were hitting me.”
“Here, take this. Use it to pay your family’s medical bills.”
Lu Shiyan stuffed an envelope into the collar of He Mu’s shirt, his expression arrogantly smug. “Consider it a gift from your lord. Aren’t you going to thank me?”
Under normal circumstances, if Lu Shiyan dared to stuff something into her collar, she would have given him a shoulder throw and knocked out his front teeth.
But now.
He Mu opened the envelope and saw a stack of red bills. She took them out and began counting.
Lu Shiyan said, “No need to count. I just withdrew a hundred bills from the bank.”
He Mu counted out ten bills and handed back the remaining nine thousand. “The travel fee is one thousand, as stated—no deception, whether for the young or old. Take the rest back.”
Lu Shiyan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? You’re turning down money?”
Was there something wrong with her brain?
Wasn’t she short on medical fees? She had the money right in her hands, yet she insisted on taking him on a trip? What a pointless hassle!
He Mu shot him a glare, immediately placing the red bills into her bag and pulling out a contract to hand to Lu Shiyan.
The contract had been placed in her bag by the system, with two copies waiting to be signed.
“Time-Space Travel, absolutely genuine. If you confirm joining the tour, please sign here.”
Lu Shiyan looked at the contract. “You’ve got everything covered, huh? Even a contract.”
He Mu handed him a pen. “If everything is correct, please sign.”
Lu Shiyan signed his name with a flourish. “Alright, Guide He, I’ll be waiting for you to take me on this Time-Space Travel.”
After Lu Shiyan signed, three more items appeared in He Mu’s bag—the Traveler’s Pass.
One of them also displayed Lu Shiyan’s portrait and name, along with a serial number: HM0001.
He Mu examined the Traveler’s Pass and handed it to Lu Shiyan. “This is your Traveler’s Pass.”
Seeing his own portrait on the pass, Lu Shiyan felt a moment of absurdity, as if looking into a mirror—his hairstyle and clothes were exactly as they were now.
He was wearing this outfit for the first time today, and he certainly didn’t recall taking any photos today, let alone giving any to He Mu. Even this trip had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Remembering the message He Mu had sent in the class group chat, Lu Shiyan couldn’t stay calm. His lips twitched as he asked, “Is the system binding thing real?”
He Mu nodded, then opened her phone. The class group chat had over 99 unread messages, but she ignored them and directly opened Su Miaomiao’s WeChat to make a voice call.
No one answered.
A black business car pulled over by the roadside, and Su Miaomiao stepped out, waving. “I’m here, I’m here… Oh? Lu Shiyan, what are you doing here?”
Lu Shiyan lifted his chin arrogantly. “It’s not your backyard. Why can’t I be here?”
He Mu immediately pulled out a contract and urged Su Miaomiao to sign it. “Miaomiao, time is tight. Sign this first.”
Without even glancing at it, Su Miaomiao flipped to the last page and signed her name. “Mu Mu, just say the word if you need anything. I dragged my brother here—a fat sheep, ready to be fleeced.”
Su Miaomiao’s family ran a company. Her father ranked second on the city’s rich list, and her brother was an elite among wealthy young men.
He Mu immediately looked over and saw a tall, well-dressed elite gentleman walking toward them with a smile. “I’m Su Mu, Miaomiao’s brother. You must be He Mu, right? Miaomiao mentioned there’s an amazing project she wants me to join. I wonder if I’m suitable?”
A traveler delivered right to her doorstep.
Three travelers, all accounted for.
He Mu’s eyes grew slightly moist again as she nodded eagerly. “You’re perfect. You’re a huge help.”
He Mu took out the third contract and handed it to Su Mu.
Unlike Su Miaomiao’s straightforwardness, Su Mu approached it with the caution of a businessman, carefully reading through the contract clause by clause.
He Mu had reviewed the terms herself—they were compliant and legal, clearly outlining compensation, safety warnings, and other details. Once payment was made, participants could not withdraw midway, and travel fees would not be refunded. Similarly, the contract explicitly stated that the travel destination was a primitive society from 1.7 million years ago. If this was not fulfilled, a compensation of 100,000 yuan would be paid, so she wasn’t worried about Su Mu finding fault.
While Su Mu was reviewing the contract, He Mu handed Su Miaomiao her Traveler’s Pass. “Miaomiao, keep this safe. After the journey, this will serve as your ID and your pass.”
Su Miaomiao was astonished when she saw her own portrait on the Traveler’s Pass. “Wow, is it this advanced?”
He Mu took out the third Traveler’s Pass, which was completely blank and looked no different from an ordinary document—yet it was capable of performing magic.
He Mu explained, “Once the contract is signed and payment is made, the Traveler’s Pass will automatically generate the traveler’s information.”
Su Mu glanced at the blank pass and noticed Su Miaomiao’s pleading look, silently mouthing “sign quickly.” He picked up a pen and signed his name on the contract.
He had read the contract, and it resembled a standard travel agency agreement, except for the destination being listed as a primitive society from 1.7 million years ago. The compensation clause of 100,000 yuan struck him as odd.
If the contract wasn’t fulfilled, he could use this legally binding document to claim 100,000 yuan from her.
Upon arrival, Su Miaomiao explained her purpose to him. This He Mu was her close friend and confidante, whose family member was hospitalized and likely in need of money. Being too proud to ask for help directly, she had pretended to organize a paid tour group instead, and Su Miaomiao asked him to play along with the act.
It seemed this girl had no legal awareness—daring to draft any kind of contract without hesitation.