Yun Ting had just finished tidying up and was about to enter her space when someone knocked on the door.
“Daughter, are you asleep yet?”
“Dad? What’s wrong?” Yun Ting opened the door.
Her father glanced behind her. “Let’s talk inside.”
After the door was closed, he pulled out a small stack of crumpled bills.
“Here, take this. It’s your dad’s private savings—don’t let your mom find out.”
Yun Ting stared at him, both amused and touched.
“Dad, you should keep it. It must’ve taken a long time to save up, right?”
Some of the notes were already worn and frayed. Who knew how long he had been secretly saving them?
“It’s fine. I don’t need money at home. But you—don’t treat yourself badly. Go buy something tasty once in a while. If you run out of money, just ask Dad.”
“Okay. I understand, Dad. But you should drink less and take care of your health.”
“Don’t worry. With your mom around, how could I even get the chance to drink?”
Yun Ting burst out laughing. “Then stop making Mom angry.”
“Alright, alright. Take care of yourself and go to bed early. I’m heading back now. If your mom comes looking for me later—remember, this is private money. Don’t let her know.”
“Old Yun, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Speak of the devil—her mother’s voice sounded outside.
“I’m coming back now…” her father hurriedly replied.
Yun Ting looked down at the money in her hand and counted it.
Thirty-four yuan and twenty cents.
This was her father’s love.
She opened the biscuit tin where she kept her money and carefully placed the bills inside.
Since her family treated her so well, she decided she should give something back before leaving.
She entered her space again and continued accelerating the growth of rice and fruit.
As the harvested rice piled up, she realized something—the storage space inside the thatched hut was limitless. Whenever she harvested with her mind, everything was automatically stored inside. The fruit was even sorted neatly and never spoiled.
She picked up a bright red apple and took a bite.
Crunch.
Crisp, juicy, and sweet.
As expected of something produced in her space.
Tomorrow was her last day at home. The day after that, she would be leaving for the countryside.
Before she left, she wanted to leave some rice and apples for her family. As for where they came from—well, by the time her family asked about it later, she’d already be gone. They could just brush it off with some excuse.
..
The next morning, her mother was already cooking breakfast in the kitchen when Yun Ting woke up.
“Mom, do you need help?”
“No, no, I’m almost done. Why didn’t you sleep a bit longer?”
“I couldn’t fall asleep.”
Her mother had made sweet potato porridge, stir-fried dried preserved vegetables, and a plate of long beans.
Maybe it was because she had starved so much in the apocalypse, but even this simple sweet potato porridge tasted incredibly good to Yun Ting.
“If you’re bored at home, you can go visit your classmates,” her mother said before hurrying off to work.
Classmates…
A girl’s face appeared in Yun Ting’s mind.
Li Wanting.
She had been the original Yun Ting’s best friend—a cheerful and lively girl. They had been very close. When she heard Yun Ting had to go to the countryside, she had even anxiously asked her father to help find Yun Ting a job.
Before leaving, Yun Ting felt she should go say goodbye to such a sincere friend.
She packed six apples into a woven straw bag and followed her memories toward Li Wanting’s home.
Li Wanting’s father was the director of a slaughterhouse, so their family lived in the slaughterhouse’s staff housing compound.
From the steel factory residential area, it wasn’t too far—about a fifteen-minute walk.
When she arrived, Yun Ting knocked on the door.
“Coming!” Li Wanting’s bright voice called from inside.
Footsteps approached, and the door opened.
“Tingting! You’re here! Come in quickly.” Li Wanting excitedly grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.
“You didn’t have to bring fruit. You’re being too polite.”
She hurried off to make Yun Ting a cup of malted milk drink.
“Tingting, drink this.”
“Thank you, Wanting.”
“What are you thanking me for? What kind of relationship do we have?”
Then Li Wanting suddenly asked, “By the way, Tingting, did you find a job?”
Yun Ting shook her head.
“I’m leaving for the countryside tomorrow. I came today to see you.”
“What?! There’s really no other way?” Li Wanting frowned. “I asked my dad to help look around, but he said every position is already filled. No one wants to sell their job.”
“It’s okay. Going to the countryside might be good training. I’ll come back if I get the chance.”
“Don’t comfort me like that. You’ve seen what happens to those who go to the countryside…” She trailed off, not wanting to burden her friend further.
Suddenly she said, “How about I go to the countryside with you? At least you’d have company.”
“No way. Your dad worked hard to get you that job—you can’t break his heart.”
Li Wanting’s father had managed to secure her a job, though it was only a temporary position. But in those days, as long as you worked hard, temporary workers could soon become permanent.
“…Alright then,” Li Wanting sighed. “When you get there, take care of yourself. If you need anything, write to me. I’ll help you get it.”
“Okay, I’ll definitely write.”
Though in truth, Yun Ting probably wouldn’t trouble her.
The two girls chatted and laughed, and time passed quickly.
Soon it was almost lunchtime.
“I need to go home to cook,” Yun Ting said.
“Tingting, stay and eat before you go!”
“No, I have to cook lunch for my family. I’m leaving now. Wanting, goodbye.”
Li Wanting held her hand reluctantly.
“Tingting, I’ll go see you off tomorrow morning.”
“No. I don’t like sad farewells. I might start crying,” Yun Ting joked.
“Goodbye… When you come back, remember to come see me!”
“I will. And Wanting—remember what I said. Don’t stop studying.”
“Okay.”
Even though the college entrance exam had already been abolished, Li Wanting didn’t understand why Yun Ting kept insisting she keep studying.
But she would remember her best friend’s advice.
That afternoon, Yun Ting changed her appearance and dressed like an older woman.
She went to the black market and asked the gatekeeper to contact his boss.
She had a batch of goods to sell.
“What goods?” the young man asked suspiciously.
Yun Ting took an apple and a handful of rice from her basket to show him.
His eyes immediately lit up.
“Good stuff! Wait here.”
A moment later, he returned.
“Our boss wants to see you. This way.”
Yun Ting followed him inside confidently, completely unafraid. After surviving the apocalypse, she had already trained her fighting skills well.
“Big sister, what should I call you?” the boss asked.
To her surprise, the black market boss was actually a young man.
“My surname is Qian.”
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
“Sister Qian, how much stock do you have?”
“Not much. One thousand jin of rice and one thousand jin of apples.”
“I’ll take it all,” he said. “What price are you offering?”
“What’s your sincere price?” Yun Ting tossed the question back.
In business negotiations, whoever quoted the price first usually lost.
Jiang Shaobai smiled helplessly.
“Rice—1.5 yuan per jin. Apples—80 cents each. How about that?”
He could tell this woman wasn’t simple. She probably had more goods than this. Giving a fair price would build goodwill.
Yun Ting nodded.
The price was acceptable.
“Ten o’clock tonight. We’ll trade at Shipo outside the city.”
“Alright. Take care, Sister Qian.”
Yun Ting took out two jin of rice and a few apples from her basket and placed them on the table.
“These are for you.”
“Thank you, Sister Qian.”
She then walked out confidently.
After making sure no one was following her, she turned into another alley and quickly slipped into her space.
She sorted the rice and apples she planned to sell.
Only then did she realize something.
She didn’t have any sacks to hold the goods.
Oh well. She’d tell the gatekeeper later to prepare them.
After changing back into her normal appearance, she checked outside carefully before leaving the space.
Wearing a face covering, she returned briefly to the black market entrance and told the gatekeeper:
“Sister Qian said you should prepare your own bags for loading the goods.”
Then she left.