Learning to play games, a 40-year-old woman achieves a remarkable turnaround.

Chapter 82 Saving the Wayward Youth

Yuan Bao quickly pulled his wandering thoughts back to reality, put on a polite smile, and replied softly, "Yes, we heard the food street was bustling today, so we thought we'd come and join the fun. Did you just arrive too?"

“That’s right, we’ve only been here a short while. I just saw you guys over there trying to learn how to throw a ball from the street performers, and the way you were all so flustered was hilarious.” Chen Jingmei said to Yuan Bao with a smile on her face.

Then, Chen Jingmei changed the subject, her tone full of amazement and envy: "Yuan Bao, you're amazing! You managed to skip two grades. You must have put in so much effort. It looks like you'll be entering high school soon."

We're only in the second year of junior high, and I feel like you're getting prettier and prettier, taller, with a better temperament and a better figure! It turns out that Chen Jingmei had been secretly following Yuan Bao's activities. Now that they met by chance, she couldn't suppress her feelings and took the initiative to get closer to him.

Yuan Bao smiled and smoothed his hair, saying modestly, "I guess it's because I went to dance class. Dancing can stretch muscles and bones, and people also grow taller as a result."

Chen Jingmei's eyes sparkled with eagerness as she nodded hastily, "Yes, yes, it should be. I'll sign up for that dance class then, but I don't know when they'll come back to the school to recruit students again."

Yuan Bao patted Chen Jingmei's arm and said considerately, "They usually come after school starts. Wei Li, why don't you sign up too? There are so many benefits for us girls to learn dance. If you have a better posture, your temperament will naturally improve, and you'll be a completely different person."

Upon hearing that learning dance could help one grow taller, Wei Li's eyes widened instantly, sparkling with excitement. She nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, yes! I dream of growing taller."

Seeing this, Chen Jingmei smiled happily, took Wei Li's arm and said, "That's great, Wei Li! We'll go together then. You two enjoy your meal, we'll go for a stroll over there first." After saying that, Chen Jingmei turned and walked towards Luo Yijun, the two holding hands, gradually disappearing into the bustling crowd.

“Wei Li, now you’ll have company. You can go to dance class with Chen Jingmei, and you can teach her too. She doesn’t seem like a bad person,” Yuan Bao said to Wei Li at the right time.

Wei Li lowered her head slightly, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "We'll see when the time comes. Don't laugh at me, but every time I see so many boys surrounding her, I get a little scared."

Yuan Bao gently patted Wei Li's shoulder and comforted her, "Okay, then do what you think is best. But I genuinely think she's a good person; maybe you two can become good friends after spending some time together."

"Alright, let's not talk about that now. Come with me to the restroom, take care of your 'burden,' and then we'll come back and continue our 'conquest' of the food street, haha!" With that, Yuan Bao pulled Wei Li along and headed towards the alley around the corner.

Before the two even reached the corner, they could see Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun's figures in the distance.

Just as they were about to turn, a deep, chilling voice came from behind them.

"Did you recognize them? The man and woman who just walked by. The woman is pretty, isn't she? She's the girl I want to pick up, but the man doesn't know what's good for him."

"I've seen it clearly, Brother Guang. That woman is indeed beautiful, a perfect match for you. Just tell me what to do?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Bao's heart skipped a beat, his expression changed drastically, and he quickly reached out to grab Wei Li tightly, signaling her to stop. Then, the two of them carefully hid in a corner to the side.

Then, the voice called "Brother Guang" rang out again, full of calculation: "Here's what you should do. They're all junior high school students. You slowly figure out how to get close to that guy, make friends with him, and then give him some of our 'good stuff'."

I heard his family is quite wealthy; he can afford all the good stuff we have. Once he's hooked and has developed a taste for it, we'll set a trap and get him to bring that woman along.

If he's sensible enough to let us have his way with that girl, then we can just make some money off him; if he refuses, we'll drug them all. If anything goes wrong, he'll take the blame; it'll have nothing to do with us. Understand?

"I understand, I understand, Brother Guang, that was a brilliant move! You always think of us brothers when there's something good."

A short while later, Yuan Bao and Wei Li saw two people come out of the alley.

The one in the lead was the young man who used to loiter around the school gate.

He was as arrogant and domineering as ever, playing with a small snake in his hand, occasionally raising it to his eyes, his eyes revealing fierceness and arrogance, as if he were proclaiming his status as "big brother" to those around him.

Following behind him was a slightly shorter young man.

This man exuded a roguish air about him, walked with a crooked gait, and his sleazy manner clearly indicated he was a hoodlum.

His hair was dyed an exaggerated yellow, and he had several bright earrings hanging from his ears, swaying back and forth with his movements.

Yuan Bao and Wei Li, hiding in the corner, were on tenterhooks.

Yuan Bao frowned, his mind racing as he considered a solution.

She knew very well that Guang Ge's vicious plot must not be allowed to succeed.

At that moment, a thought flashed through Yuan Bao's mind like lightning: Could this be the real reason that led to the serious misfortunes that befell Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun?!

Now, with a chance to turn things around in this game world, she secretly vowed to do everything in her power to stop it and never let that tragedy repeat itself.

Yuan Bao couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "The saying 'beautiful women have short lives' is truly true."

Beautiful women are innocent, but once they attract the covetous eyes of those with ill intentions, it is impossible to guard against them, leaving one helpless and frustrated.

These hooligans who roam the streets are actually only just adults, or still in the tail end of their adolescence.

However, they acted without any moral compass, and their ruthlessness was astonishing. They even set their evil gaze on innocent and naive students who were still in junior high school.

"Wei Li, we must stop them," Yuan Bao said in a low voice, his eyes resolute.

Wei Li nodded vigorously, her face full of tension, but she still tried to remain calm: "Yes, we can't let them hurt Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun. But what should we do?"

Yuan Bao bit his lower lip, his face solemn. After a long period of contemplation, he said, "This matter cannot be rushed. We must plan it carefully."

If we were to casually reveal what we just overheard, it could very well bring us unnecessary trouble.

But if we call the police now, we really don't have any substantial evidence.

Therefore, the most urgent task at present is to find an opportunity to get closer to Chen Jingmei and become friends.

We'll see what happens next, but we must be careful not to get discovered by the bad guys.

Just then, a system notification sounded: "Main quest issued. Host, please do your utmost to prevent the heinous events orchestrated by Brother Guang from occurring and successfully save the young Luo Yijun from being tempted and going astray. Reward for completing the quest: points and one lottery draw."

The sudden amount of the reward made Yuan Bao gasp, thinking to himself, "Goodness! A whole [amount] points, that's no small sum, which shows that the impact of this serious incident must be extremely far-reaching."

Her thoughts instantly drifted back to what Brother Guang had said earlier: that so-called "good stuff" was expensive and highly addictive.

The more Yuan Bao thought about it, the more chills ran down his spine. A terrifying thought gradually became clear in his mind—"Could it be... drugs?"

Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Yuan Bao knew that it was beyond their capabilities and they needed to seek more powerful assistance.

A reliable person quickly came to mind, and she made up her mind: "This matter cannot be delayed; I must discuss it with Uncle Lin as soon as possible."

Knowing that time was of the essence, Yuan Bao decisively took Wei Li's hand and led her through the bustling crowds of the food street.

They strolled casually among the stalls, their eyes keenly searching for Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun, not missing a single possible spot.

At a sausage stand, Yuan Bao, with his sharp eyes, spotted Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun not far away.

She quickly nudged Wei Li with her elbow, gesturing for her to look over.

Then, Yuan Bao's face instantly lit up with a delighted smile. He grabbed Wei Li and quickly went to greet them, exclaiming, "Oh my, what a coincidence! We've run into you again! What are you eating?"

Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun were also a little surprised, and replied with a smile, "Yes, what a coincidence. We were just planning to try their grilled sausages."

Yuan Bao said enthusiastically, "These grilled sausages are delicious! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the sauce is especially fragrant. You must add extra chili; it's absolutely amazing!" After chatting briefly, everyone smiled and said goodbye, then went their separate ways.

As she passed another stall, Wei Li spotted Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun.

She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and stepped forward with a bright smile: "Hi, what a coincidence! Look, this one looks like a cloud, so beautiful. Have you tried it?"

Chen Jingmei smiled and shook her head: "Not yet, but it does look very tempting."

Wei Li enthusiastically introduced, "Not only does it look beautiful, but it also tastes incredibly sweet. I can't resist buying one every time I see it. You all must try it!" The group chatted for a while, sharing some food experiences, before parting ways to continue their shopping.

Finally, in the central square of the food street, a street performer was putting on a magic show.

Yuan Bao and Wei Li squeezed through the crowd and finally spotted Chen Jingmei and Luo Yijun.

Yuan Bao exclaimed excitedly, "We've run into each other again! You're watching the show too! That magician is amazing! That magician's ability to make someone disappear was absolutely incredible!"

Chen Jingmei nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I was completely mesmerized. I never expected to see such a wonderful performance here." Everyone watched the performance and shared their feelings, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

After several carefully planned "chance encounters," Chen Jingmei's face beamed with enthusiasm, and she took the initiative to suggest, "What a coincidence! Why don't we just go shopping together? It'll be more lively with more people." Yuan Bao and Wei Li exchanged a smile and readily agreed.