As night fell, the compartment grew quiet.
Unable to sleep, Gu Xiaoxi lay quietly in her lower berth, her fingers brushing against the purple jade pendant around her neck. She pondered whether she should share the secret of its internal storage space with Lu Jiansen, given that he was the one who gave it to her.
As she pondered, a vivid interface flashed in her mind:
[Upgrade System Owner: Gu Xiaoxi**]**
[Trader Rank: Novice Level 1**]**
[Points: 75**]**
[Merit Value: 0**]**
[Skill Emporium: Locked**]**
She realized that the system space belonged strictly to her, and it could be upgraded using points earned through her transactions.
Testing a theory, she unfastened her hair tie and placed it into the [Used Goods Storage]. Within seconds, a pristine, new hair tie appeared in the [New Products Showroom], and her points increased to 76.
Half an hour later, the train pulled into a scheduled station stop before continuing its journey through a midnight rainstorm.
By early morning, Gu Xiaoxi was awakened by the sound of a child crying in the corridor, followed by Xiao Ye’s sharp, irritated scolding.
“Can’t you keep that child quiet?! Some of us are trying to sleep!”
A weary woman apologized profusely. “I’m so sorry! My child is running a high fever, and we only upgraded to this car to find a doctor…”
Dr. Qi immediately climbed down from his upper berth. “Let me examine the boy.”
Lu Jiansen offered his seat to the distressed mother while he sat beside Gu Xiaoxi, draping a warm jacket over her shoulders. Gu Xiaoxi handed a piece of sweet candy to the crying four-year-old, whose tears quieted as he accepted the treat.
While Dr. Qi examined the child, Gu Xiaoxi excused herself to the washroom down the hall.
Finding the corridor washroom overflowing with messy trash that smelled terrible, she felt a strong impulse to clear it away. The moment the thought crossed her mind, a subtle mist swept through, absorbing the waste into the [Used Goods Storage].
Instantly, the [New Products Showroom] registered a clean waste container and a fresh roll of paper. More remarkably, her [Merit Value] increased by 1 point, unlocking the [Beginner Skill Emporium]!
The emporium displayed two initial basic abilities:
[Trash Sweep] (Cost: 1 Merit Point)
[Trash Sorting] (Cost: 1 Merit Point)
Spending her single Merit Point on the [Trash Sweep] skill, a subtle surge of energy passed through her fingertips. A light breeze swept through the corridor, gathering the stray paper scraps on the floor into a neat, contained pile.
When she returned to her compartment, the scene had de-escalated. The train conductor arrived, arranging for the mother to clean Xiao Ye’s shoes and offer a small three-jiao compensation for the mess caused by the ill child.