Chapter 17: He Is a Good Man, But Not Entirely!

As Ren Jie reached the intersection, he spotted an elderly lady trembling as she walked with a cane, about to cross the street.

As a model youth devoted to his country, how could Ren Jie witness this and turn a blind eye?

Without hesitation, he dashed forward, gently supporting the old lady and guiding her across the road.

The old lady’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Ren Jie.

“Hey, young man...” she began.

Ren Jie beamed with a broad smile.

“It’s nothing, Grandma. It’s what I’m supposed to do. No need to thank me.”

With that, he helped her safely across, then strode away as if bathed in righteous light.

The elderly woman stood there, utterly bewildered, watching Ren Jie’s retreating figure and angrily tapping her cane.

“I just crossed from this side, and it took me a good three minutes. This was my starting point.

And now you’ve brought me back?

What the heck!”

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao, who had been secretly following Ren Jie, twitched their lips at the scene.

Not two steps further, Ren Jie noticed an old man near a trash bin, clutching three plastic bottles in his arms and holding a half-filled water bottle, which he promptly unscrewed to pour out the water.

Ren Jie couldn’t let this slide. He hurried over, swiftly took the empty bottle from the old man’s hand, grabbed the three bottles tucked under his arm, and stuffed them all into his backpack.

“Give me what you don’t want, sir. They can be sold. Thanks, sir! Urban environmental protection depends on people like me.”

With that, he flipped open the recycling bin and plunged his hand inside, eagerly emptying plastic bottles and aluminum cans into his bag.

The old man was stunned. “Wait, young man! I—”

“No need to thank me, really! Sir, do you still need this bag? If not, can I use it for bottles?”

Suddenly, Ren Jie’s eyes shot wide open as he saw a little girl’s balloon slip from her grasp, caught in the branches of a tree.

The little girl sobbed beneath the tree, unable to reach it.

“Sir! I’ll help her first. She’s crying; the country needs me!”

Having finished with the trash bin, Ren Jie dashed toward the tree.

The old man, flustered, shouted, “Hey, brat! Come back! Return my bottles! Where do you think you’re going? You rascal!”

He had been a seasoned scavenger for years, but never had anyone tried to steal his “business” before.

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao exchanged glances.

This guy... even snatches bottles from old men?

Meanwhile, beneath the tree, Ren Jie nimbly climbed like a monkey, retrieving the balloon for the teary-eyed little girl.

He smiled gently, ruffling her hair.

The little girl nodded vigorously and beamed.

“Thank you, big brother!”

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao watched the scene, their faces softening into fond smiles.

This young man was actually quite warm-hearted.

But then, suddenly, Ren Jie flicked out a finger blade and popped the balloon on the spot.

With a sharp “pop,” the balloon burst.

The little girl’s eyes widened in shock, then she broke into even louder sobs than before.

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao’s smiles froze in place.

Was this guy seriously ill in the head?

Climbing up just to pop the balloon in front of the girl?

Was he a demon?

As the child’s cries grew louder, drawing the attention of passersby, Ren Jie quickly pulled a lollipop from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Be good now, don’t cry. Balloons aren’t fun. Here, have some candy—it’s sweet.”

The little girl rubbed her eyes, staring blankly at the candy, sniffling.

“Big brother, I thank your whole family!”

Ren Jie twitched his mouth. Good heavens, do kids say that now?

Once the girl was pacified, Ren Jie slipped away quickly—better not risk her father coming after him.

Soon after, Ren Jie noticed a young man by the lakeside. The man had just finished his morning exercise; his bicycle was parked by the water’s edge. He was bent over, hands gripping the bike, pushing forward with effort, sweat streaming down his face.

Ren Jie couldn’t bear to watch. He walked up beside the man, placed his hands on the bicycle, and mimicked the same pushing motion.

The man glanced at him oddly. So many empty spots around—why did he have to join here?

Not illegal, but a bit odd, isn’t it?

Then, in an instant, Ren Jie bent his waist and legs, pushed with all his might, and shoved the bicycle straight into the lake.

With a loud splash!

The man staggered forward, nearly falling face-first into the water.

He stared at Ren Jie in disbelief.

“What are you doing?”

Ren Jie stood up, clapped his hands.

“Brother, no offense, but you’re kind of wasting your money. Such a nice bike, and you just want to toss it in the lake?

And your body’s too weak—it really needs exercise. I saw you struggling to push it, so I came to help.”

The man was speechless.

Push my bike into the lake?

I just finished riding it! I was stretching!

“Hey, kid! Don’t run! Come back! Get my bike out of the lake!”

Ren Jie didn’t look back as he ran off.

“Brother, no need to thank me. Helping others without expecting anything—that’s my life motto.”

At that moment, Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao were utterly dumbfounded.

He was a good person, but not entirely sane. If he hadn’t run so fast, he probably wouldn’t have survived such chaos.

They didn’t know that this “good guy” had become the target of the Thousand Illusions Witch.

Ren Jie knew well that he couldn’t keep collecting enough emotional mist for the spirit to consume if he kept doing small favors.

After all, there weren’t that many good deeds left for him to do.

So he had to go big.

Under the watchful eyes of Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao, Ren Jie first went to a pawnshop and pawned a large gold watch and gold necklace.

Then he visited a veterinary drugstore and a grain and oil shop, emerging with a sack of rice on his back. He also stopped by a supermarket and bought an umbrella, which he tucked into his backpack.

...

At Freedom Square on a weekend holiday, the plaza was bustling with people—vendors, shoppers, kite flyers, couples on dates, and children playing by the central fountain.

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao, disguised as a couple, sat at the fountain’s edge, quietly observing Ren Jie.

Ren Jie sat alone by the fountain, opened the sack of rice, and scattered handfuls across the plaza.

The grain instantly attracted a flock of pigeons, numbering over a hundred.

The children were delighted by the spectacle.

They eagerly approached and asked, “Big brother, can we feed them some too?”

Ren Jie smiled.

“Of course! Come on, get some from me. Everyone gets a share.”

The children happily grabbed rice and scattered it for the pigeons.

Wu Yunqing and Yun Xiao smiled, noting his kindness—he had even bought rice specifically to feed the birds here.

Though they wondered why he had purchased an umbrella on such a sunny day.

Just then, a vibrant young woman wearing yoga pants and a sports tank top arrived at the plaza, still glistening with sweat from jogging.

She glanced at Ren Jie and slowly made her way in his direction.

Suddenly, a voice crackled in Yun Xiao’s earpiece.

“Target sighted. Her target is indeed this young man!”