They were studying social psychology, a major they had only heard of before enrolling. Everyone had been assigned to it, and after two years, they were still largely confused. So, those who weren't transferring majors were looking for side hustles.
The original host, for example, besides attending classes, also taught herself design.
She was currently at a stage of minor achievement, but according to the plot, she would soon be blinded by the glitz and glamour, and abandon everything she had learned.
With Zhuo Yan in place, picking up the original host's skills wouldn't be difficult, and she had plenty of means to protect Chong Yan when that woman appeared. However, money was quite important in this world.
She needed to find a way to get some.
With the system absent and no one to supervise her, Zhuo Yan decided to rummage through her spatial ring to see if there was anything she could sell.
As she searched, she actually found several jade talismans.
These talismans contained runes that could ward off disasters. They were valuable to others, but completely useless to Zhuo Yan. However, the jade itself was of good quality and should fetch a decent price.
She used her phone to search for relevant shops and chose one not far from their school. The shop was named Jin Zhu Jade, which sounded more like a brand name.
Upon entering, she stated her purpose and presented the jade talismans.
The jade talismans were about half the size of her palm, not suitable for making bracelets, but could be modified into pendants. The jade was also of good quality. Fortunately, the manager was knowledgeable and, after examining them, set the talismans down.
"Madam, this jade is of top quality. We could offer a good price, but as you see, they are already made like this. We would need to process them further, so..."
"Sell them for whatever you can get."
The manager was taken aback, then waved his hands. "I mean, do you have any other jade? As long as it's of this quality and slightly larger, our company can offer a high price for it."
Zhuo Yan shook her head.
However, this gave her an idea for making money.
Go gambling for stones.
She wouldn't have to take things out of her spatial ring, wouldn't be nagged by the system, and could easily amass a fortune.
"Not at the moment, but perhaps in the future."
The manager grew excited. "Are you also into stones, miss?"
"Something like that."
The manager mentioned that several jade companies in Haicheng would be organizing a large auction soon, attended by prominent figures in the industry. If she wished to attend, he could issue an invitation under their company's name.
Zhuo Yan readily agreed.
So, when selling the jade talismans, Zhuo Yan also left him with a piece of advice.
"This is not ordinary jade, but blessed jade talismans that can ward off disasters and bring good fortune. If you believe it, you can keep one with you. It might save your life."
The manager: "..."
To be cursed right after establishing a business partnership would make anyone unhappy. However, he didn't get angry and nodded in agreement.
He just kept looking at the jade talismans, feeling increasingly frustrated.
Even more frustrating was the invitation he had just given away.
Their Jin Zhu Jade company was an old-established jewelry company in Haicheng, but in recent years, they had been squeezed out by newcomers and suppressed by emerging companies, their market share shrinking.
The upcoming auction was a result of negotiations between various parties. Other companies intended to use this auction to crush them completely, while they hoped to rise from the ashes through it.
But with the auction drawing near, they had no merchandise and no manpower, leaving them with little hope.
This desperation led them to offer Zhuo Yan an invitation as a last resort.
He hoped his superiors wouldn't blame him for this.
Zhuo Yan, of course, wouldn't curse someone carelessly. She was a god, and her words, once spoken, couldn't be taken back and could even cause death if misused.
Therefore, she had phrased her warning subtly, not directly saying the manager would face a bloody disaster and die soon.
The four jade talismans she offered were purchased by the manager at 14,000 yuan each. Whether she was overcharged or not, Zhuo Yan didn't care. The items were collecting dust in her spatial ring anyway, and creating even this small amount of value was better than nothing.
Lu Chong Yan was due to arrive on the second of next month. They would definitely be staying outside the school then, so Zhuo Yan opened her software again and began searching for nearby hotels.
Tens of thousands of yuan sounded like a lot, but it would only cover a few nights in a deluxe room at a high-end hotel. Considering she was quite poor at the moment, Zhuo Yan chose a less expensive option and booked it for a week, for now.
A standard double room in a hotel near the school cost over 900 yuan per night. For a week, including the deposit, it came to over 7,000 yuan. The money she had just earned was quickly flowing out.
Looking at her bank statement, Zhuo Yan felt that earning money was an urgent matter.
After booking the hotel, Zhuo Yan, who was about to hail a taxi back to school, looked up and saw the logo of a large shopping mall.
Hmm... For their first meeting in this world, she should prepare a gift for him.
While not the city center, this was still a very prosperous area of Haicheng, and the mall was huge, offering everything needed for living.
Women were often shopaholics, and goddesses were no exception to this rule.