A few days later, a vehicle came into the village to take people into town for the market.
Just in time, Lin Baiyu had finished writing a short story she planned to submit to Qingchun Newspaper. After informing Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin in advance, she set off early on market day, carrying the woven basket Grandpa Lin had made for her.
By the time she reached the village entrance, quite a few people had already gathered, and Lin Baiyu realized she had arrived at just the right moment.
“Xiaoyu, come over here.”
Hearing the voice, Lin Baiyu looked up and quickly matched the speaker to her memory: Lin Daniu.
Because their families had frequent interactions, Lin Baiyu was quite familiar with her, so she walked over.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, it was soon time to set off.
In the past, Lin Baiyu had never suffered from motion sickness, but she had underestimated her current physical condition.
Her body had only recently been restored by the system’s medicine. Although she exercised occasionally at home, she still could not be considered robust.
As a result, she struggled with the bumps along the road, and her usually slender face gradually turned pale from discomfort.
To ease it, she closed her eyes to rest. However, in the eyes of those observing her, her appearance only confirmed that she was not in good health.
As the journey went on, voices gradually filled her ears.
“System has detected an energy fluctuation. Host is encouraged to actively eat melons.”
The system’s notification suddenly rang in her mind.
“Xiao Bai, I still have five melon points. Can I exchange something to relieve motion sickness?” Lin Baiyu asked.
“Current system level is one. The system shop cannot be fully unlocked.”
“However, given the host’s current physical condition, you may apply for special permission to exchange items.”
“What are the conditions?” Lin Baiyu immediately sensed there was room to negotiate.
“Special permission requires two melon points. Does the host wish to activate it?”
“Yes,” Lin Baiyu replied.
“Two melon points deducted. Remaining melon points: 3.”
As the system’s voice faded, a shop interface appeared before her eyes. Many items were listed inside, though most were locked.
Fortunately, each item had a description. After searching briefly, Lin Baiyu found the “Refreshing Pill.”
Its description stated: the Refreshing Pill could eliminate discomfort caused by motion sickness, intoxication, or excessive fatigue.
So Lin Baiyu told the system, “Xiao Bai, I want to exchange for two Refreshing Pills.”
After all, she still had to return to the village. She felt it would be better to take two and suffer less.
“The system would like to remind the host that the Refreshing Pill is a single-use consumable. One pill requires two melon points. Does the host confirm the exchange?”
Lin Baiyu was speechless. “Xiao Bai, I suspect you are cheating on my melon points. The shop clearly shows that one pill only costs one point.”
“Because the host accessed the shop through special permission, all exchange costs were doubled. Does the host confirm spending four melon points for two Refreshing Pills?”
Hearing this, Lin Baiyu felt as though she had fallen straight back to square one. It had taken her so long to finally turn a small profit, and now she was back in deficit.
“Yes! I want to exchange for two Refreshing Pills,” she said through gritted teeth, following her principle that money is meant to be spent on comfort.
“Exchange successful. Current melon points: minus 1. Please continue working hard.”
After hearing the notification, Lin Baiyu immediately chose to use the two pills.
Then she noticed something extra had appeared in her small satchel.
Opening it slightly, she found two milk candies that Lin Bai’an had sent back. Lin Baiyu understood instantly that this was likely the system’s “reasonable replacement.”
She calmly ate one “candy,” and almost immediately her expression relaxed, the discomfort fading as if her body had lightened.
Seeing her color improve after eating the candy, Lin Daniu felt relieved.
“Xiaoyu, are you feeling better now?” she asked.
“I’m fine, Third Aunt. Don’t worry.” Because Lin Daniu was the third eldest in her family and related to the Lin family by distant ties, Lin Baiyu called her Third Aunt.
As they were talking, an unpleasant voice suddenly interrupted.
“Baiyu, it’s rare to see you out. Are you feeling better now? Going into town to find work?”
Lin Baiyu turned and saw Aunt Wang smiling as she spoke.
“Thank you for your concern, Aunt Wang. I didn’t expect you to be so interested in my work. If you hear of any good opportunities, please remember to introduce them to me,” Lin Baiyu replied.
She did not take the provocation seriously. In her memory, Aunt Wang was simply a gossip who liked comparing herself to others and meant no real harm.
Since no one openly offended anyone at a village gathering, Aunt Wang would not push things too far in public.
Perhaps finding Lin Baiyu’s response dull, and noticing Lin Daniu watching her closely, Aunt Wang changed the topic.
“Our village girls who grew up here are all quite sensible. It’s those outsiders who are different.”
Since everyone present was from the same village and there were no educated youths among them, it was clear she was referring to the newly arrived educated youths.
However, Aunt Wang did not realize her words also offended several women from other villages who had married into Lin’an Village, worsening her already poor reputation.
Seeing the curious gazes around her, Aunt Wang continued, “Oh, you don’t know? It’s that new educated youth from Team Two, Zheng Peizhen…”
Lin Baiyu immediately understood she was referring to Zheng Peizhen.
Like everyone else, she showed a curious expression, but in her mind she was analyzing Aunt Wang’s words and passing the information to the system.
After being nourished by the spiritual cleansing water, Lin Baiyu’s eyesight and hearing had improved significantly. Even seated among the crowd filled with overlapping voices, she could still clearly pick out Aunt Wang’s words.
Soon, Aunt Wang began recounting everything that had recently happened at the educated youth dormitory to the crowd.