At such a young age, he was already devastatingly handsome. Once he grew up, who knew how many young girls’ hearts he would break?
So this was her new father’s eldest son?
Ding!
A familiar voice suddenly rang out in her mind, and a translucent virtual interface appeared before her eyes.
The system!
The Marketplace System from the post-apocalyptic underground city!
Zhuo Ling froze for a moment. Suppressing the excitement pounding in her chest, she opened the system with a thought.
A red targeting frame immediately appeared in her vision, locking onto the basket carried by a woman walking toward them.
Several eggs lay inside the basket, hidden beneath a layer of wild grass.
A notification appeared beside them.
Pure Natural Organic Eggs
Price: 10,000 Underground Credits each
Sell?
Ten thousand credits… for a single egg?
Good heavens!
That much money could buy ten months’ worth of synthetic “dog food” in the underground city!
So this was how expensive the food rich people ate in the underground city really was?
The system’s mechanical female voice sounded again.
“Sell?”
Zhuo Ling puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
Sell my foot.
Those weren’t her eggs.
“Oh my, Chang’an! Still carrying around your little fool of a wife? Hahaha…”
The woman spotted them and immediately put on a mocking expression.
“I still don’t know where your father picked up this little fool, but your whole family treasures her like she’s some kind of precious gem!
“Your father and mother must’ve lost their minds! Your family is so poor you can barely afford to eat, yet you still dared to bring home a fool to raise?”
Zhuo Chang’an frowned.
“Second Aunt, please don’t spread nonsense. Ling’er’s father was my father’s sworn brother. Before he died, he entrusted Ling’er to my father.
“Ling’er is my younger sister. She wasn’t picked up off the roadside.”
“What younger sister? Do you think I don’t know what’s really going on?
“Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to this little fool.”
She curled her lip in disdain.
“Just yesterday, your great-grandfather was talking to my husband. He said you’re almost fifteen now, but your family can’t even scrape together the three dou of millet needed for a betrothal gift.”
She clicked her tongue.
“He was so worried he even wanted to borrow some from us.
“We don’t have any millet to lend, but honestly, Chang’an—even if you’re poor, you can’t marry a fool for a wife! Hahaha…”
Knowing how mean-spirited his Second Aunt had always been, Zhuo Chang’an simply ignored her and tried to walk away.
“Don’t leave!
“I’ll admit this little fool has fair skin and those big black eyes are rather adorable. It’s just a pity her brain doesn’t work.”
As she spoke, she reached over, pinched Zhuo Ling’s cheek hard, and twisted it.
“Imagine if this fool gave birth to a bunch of foolish children in the future. What would your whole family do then?”
Caught off guard, Zhuo Chang’an hurriedly pushed her hand away, anger flashing across his face.
“If you want to talk, then talk. Why are you putting your hands on her?”
A red mark immediately appeared on Zhuo Ling’s cheek, stinging faintly.
She glared fiercely at Second Aunt, anger boiling inside her.
I didn’t even do anything to you!
With Second Aunt taking the lead, several village women sitting beneath the tree also burst into laughter.
“Exactly! Chang’an is such a handsome young man. How could he possibly marry a foolish girl?”
“Didn’t Chang’an’s father bring her home just to be his future wife?”
“If that was the plan, why not adopt a clever girl instead? What a waste of such a handsome boy…”
…
“Does it hurt?”
Zhuo Chang’an lowered his head and gently rubbed her cheek.
A faint blush quietly spread across his own face.
Meanwhile, Zhuo Ling’s cheeks puffed up with indignation.
Do they really think I’m too stupid to understand?
Even if I really were a fool, anyone with a shred of decency wouldn’t bully a foolish child like this!
“Pfft!”
Zhuo Ling pursed her lips and unleashed a spray of saliva straight onto Second Aunt’s face.
Droplets slowly trickled down her cheeks.
“Disgusting! That’s disgusting!”
Second Aunt stamped her foot furiously. As she wiped her face, she reached out to pinch Zhuo Ling’s cheek again, gritting her teeth.
“You little fool with no manners! How dare you spit on me? Just wait till I—”
Zhuo Chang’an stepped aside with Zhuo Ling safely in his arms and calmly said,
“If you weren’t bullying my little sister, why would she spit at you?”
Zhuo Ling gave Second Aunt a sly grin.
Pretending to be her usual foolish self, she stuck out her tongue.
“Bleh!”
Second Aunt nearly exploded.
“You little fool! You’re actually proud of yourself! Just wait till I—”
The other women hurried over to stop her before she could cause a scene.
“Oh, come on. You’re a grown woman. Why argue with a foolish little girl?”
“That’s enough. Is it really worth getting angry at a child?”
“The poor thing’s already foolish enough. What will become of her in the future? Chang’an, hurry and take her home.”
…
Having suffered such humiliation, Second Aunt planted one hand on her hip and continued cursing at the retreating pair.
“You little brat! You’re already this rotten at such a young age?
“You must’ve committed terrible sins in your previous life to be born a fool nobody wanted!
“You brought disaster to your father, your mother, and your whole family! Only your eldest uncle’s family was stupid enough to bring you home. Aren’t they afraid you’ll bring them bad luck too?
“If it were me, I’d have drowned you in the latrine as a baby instead of wasting good food raising you!”
What filthy language.
You must use up a lot of saliva cursing like that.
Have another round of my saliva attack!
Zhuo Ling snorted inwardly. She had already gathered another mouthful of saliva and aimed carefully.
“Ptooey—”
Ding… Sell?
The system interrupted with another notification.
Zhuo Ling’s eyes lit up.
Sell! Of course I’ll sell!
Only an idiot wouldn’t!
She started this!
Without the slightest hesitation, she pressed the Sell button.
The red targeting frame flashed.
The six eggs inside Second Aunt’s basket vanished without a trace.
Ding… Dear Host, 60,000 Underground Credits have been deposited into your account. Equivalent exchange value in this world’s currency: 60 copper coins. Funds have been credited. Withdraw now?
“Sixty… sixty thousand credits for only sixty copper coins?
“A thousand to one?”
She selected No, then blinked.
Inside her mind, she roared like an enraged dragon.
Are you kidding me?
What kind of ridiculous exchange rate is that?
The heartless system flickered once…
…and disappeared without a trace.
Hey! You lousy system! Explain yourself!
What a profiteer!
Zhuo Ling silently cursed before Zhuo Chang’an’s cool voice pulled her back to reality.
“Ling’er, don’t pay any attention to her. Let’s go home.”
Second Aunt glared furiously at their retreating backs, still muttering curses under her breath.
They had barely walked a few steps when an earth-shattering scream erupted behind them.
Second Aunt frantically rummaged through her basket as she wailed,
“What? Where are my eggs?
“My eggs! Where did my eggs go?
“Who stole my eggs?
“I spent days saving those…”
Don’t worry.
Your eggs sold for an excellent price in the apocalypse.
A string of joyful drool dripped from the corner of Zhuo Ling’s mouth.
“…”
Zhuo Chang’an wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
He simply raised his sleeve and wiped the corner of her mouth.
“Ling’er, be good. Don’t play with Xiaohu anymore.”
Taking the opportunity, Zhuo Ling buried herself in the young man’s arms.
“Ling’er… will lishten…”
She had been single for twenty years in her previous life.
This was the first time she’d ever been carried in a boy’s arms.
Another sparkling string of drool landed on Zhuo Chang’an’s shoulder.
Why do little kids produce so much saliva?
I can’t control it at all.
She sniffed and unconsciously rubbed her little head against his chest.
Mmm… this is so comfortable.
“Stop squirming.”
Zhuo Chang’an lightly patted her bottom.
The warmth of his palm and the gentleness of the touch traveled through her body.
Zhuo Ling’s face instantly turned bright red.
Her whole body tingled as though she’d been shocked.
She quickly wrapped her little arms around his neck and snuggled into the hollow of his shoulder.
Blushing furiously, she shamelessly took advantage of the handsome young man—
Ahem…
She was only adjusting her sitting position.