After dinner, it was already 7:00 PM, and the sky had turned dark.
But the mall was brightly lit, as dazzling as daylight.
The appearance of James and Shirley Taylor drew frequent glances from passersby.
Their pairing was indeed unusual.
The guy was impeccably dressed, looking like a charming playboy,
while the girl dressed too plainly, in outdated clothes and yellowed shoes.
Her simple middle-part hairstyle covered her face, giving her a somewhat awkward appearance.
Passersby couldn't help but comment:
"Wow, that guy is so stylish! He looks so sunny, like a celebrity."
"He looks like Michael from Prison Break, that bad-boy charm."
"What should I do? I'm smitten! I want to be his girlfriendâI can earn money for him."
"Stop dreaming; his shirt is a new Prada, worth thousands. He's clearly a rich, attractive guy."
"Ew, why is such a high-status guy holding hands with a country bumpkin? Such an unusual taste, even liking bumpkins?"
"What a waste of good looks. Turns out he's blind."
Not used to malls, Shirley Taylor overheard the gossiping around her and felt those unjust eyes sizing her up.
She lowered her head even more, not daring to meet anyone's gaze.
James, with his chiseled face and luxurious clothing, looked like a noble young master with extraordinary presence.
She, on the other hand, was just a village girl, completely unworthy of James.
Feeling inferior, she subconsciously wanted to break free and run away.
But before she could make a move,
James stood firm, frowning as he addressed the two women gossiping the loudest nearby:
"Aunties, even if I were blind, I wouldn't look at you. I advise you to save your breath. And you, talking smack in front of my girlfriendâwait until your mom finds out; she'll faint from embarrassment."
James's words instantly quieted the surroundings.
Shirley Taylor looked up in disbelief at James standing up for her, emotions surging within her.
The two gaudily dressed women were stunned on the spot.
They never expected this rich and attractive guy to insult them so harshly, even cursing their mothers.
Coming to their senses, they were instantly riled up.
"I'm not even thirty; who are you calling an auntie? Don't think you can get away just because you're handsome."
"Dressed all prim and proper, but just a conman good for deceiving this naïve girl."
"And with such a shabby girlfriend, how lame are you? I could die laughing..."
Watching the pair's vile expressions, James hesitated about spitting at them.
But he worried that Shirley Taylor, with her short legs, couldn't run fast and they might catch up if he had to retreat.
It would be embarrassing if they got into a scuffle.
Just as he hesitated, a towering figure approached the women briskly from behindâit was Jay Johnson.
Seeing his boss verbally attacked, Jay Johnson quickly stepped up, prepared to take those women down.
James was delighted and quickly said:
"Bro Jay, help me argue with them for half an hour. No violence."
With that, James swiftly led Shirley Taylor away. This was about to become a place of trouble, not somewhere to linger.
Hearing his boss's request, Jay Johnson was momentarily stunned.
He wasn't good at arguing.
Wouldn't it be easier just to knock them down? Worst case, he'd have a chat with the police.
Arguing was such a sophisticated skill he never masteredâthere's no way he could outfight those shrews.
Watching his boss' retreating back,
Jay Johnson frowned deeply.
The two women across, seeing James's backup approaching, quieted their voices considerably.
They murmured, speculating that the stern-faced big guy might be James's bodyguard.
Only big shots, rich and powerful, could afford bodyguards;
they were no match for ordinary folks like them.
Since the main party left, they weren't interested in continuing.
Linking arms, they snorted coldly and turned to leave.
They were stopped in their tracks when a precise and resounding curse echoed behind them.
"You b*tches, f**k your mothers."
The women halted and turned vicious glares at Jay Johnson.
Jay Johnson felt nervous.
That was the only line he knew for a quarrel.
If they began a real quarrel, he'd surely lose.
But orders were orders, and he had no choice but to obey.
So, steeling himself, he stiffly scolded again:
"F**k your mothers."
The women were furious, almost choked with anger at Jay Johnson's straightforward obscenities.
They wanted to retort but realized arguing with a mere bodyguard wouldn't affect his employer.
Quarreling with him was pointless.
And what if the big guy got mad and beat them up?
At most, the rich folks would just pay some medical fees, and they couldn't do much else.
So they exchanged a glance, swallowed their anger,
and just glared at Jay Johnson before leaving without a word.
Watching both parties walk away, Jay Johnson contemplated briefly,
then chased after the women and continued to curse.
"You b*tches, f**k your mothers."
The women halted momentarily, then quickly sped up their pace.
Unrelenting, Jay Johnson followed them, continuing in his straightforward manner:
"F**k your mothers."
Unaware of the psychological trauma his instructions caused to the two women,
James led Shirley Taylor towards a high-end women's clothing store, coaxing gently:
"You heard them; everyone says you look plain. Wouldn't it be better to change into something nice?"
"Sorry," Shirley Taylor mumbled, full of guilt.
She felt she had embarrassed James and was quite upset.
"Sorry, my foot. Stop being so downcast. You're pretty; what's wrong with wearing nice clothes?"
James thought she was refusing to change clothes;
he became slightly annoyed, grabbing her shoulders, looking directly as he asked:
"I don't get it. You have money now; you don't need to keep wearing ragged clothes and walking around with your head down. Why not be like the other girls?"
Tears welled in Shirley Taylor's eyes as she lowered her head, speaking resentfully:
"My mom says lifting my head can cause trouble, told me not to lift my head while studying."
Being too pretty in a poor family was hardly advantageous.
Her mother worried others would distract her from her education, repeatedly saying her looks were a curse and would spell misfortune for their family if seen.
And indeed, her mother's words proved true;
back in high school, a boy, intent on pursuing her, threatened to jump from a building, resulting in a broken leg.
Shirley Taylor's family faced gossip, and the boy's parents demanded compensation.
It wasn't until the school intervened that matters were settled.
Under typical circumstances, schools would usually expel those involved.
But since Shirley Taylor was a good student, always polite and obedient, adored by teachers, she wasn't expelled.
Instead, they supported this young girl focused solely on studying, uninterested in romance.
But through this incident, even teachers advised her to keep a low profile.
Since everyone told her not to show her face, being obedient, she kept her head down, silent all day.
Her venture into streaming stemmed from a belief that the audience was far, with seemingly no impact.
Yet still, it brought troubleâsomeone offered $3 million for her to wear embarrassing clothes.
She was uncertain if this was a good or bad thing, currently overwhelmed by grievances.
Listening to her made James recall painful memories.
He sighed and said wistfully:
"We're both kindred spirits. My mom also told me not to lift my headâsaid I annoyed her."