Chapter 5 - 5

Chapter 5 Dad's Hidden MoneyYun Ting finished packing her things and was just about to enter the space when there was a knock on the door."Daughter, are you asleep?""Dad, what's wrong?" Yun Ting opened the door.Father Yun glanced behind him and said, "Let's go inside and talk."He closed the door and pulled out a small wad of bills. "Here, take this. It's Dad's secret stash of money. Don't let your mom know."Yun Ting stared blankly at her father, feeling both amused and touched."Dad, you should keep it for yourself! It wasn't easy to save this up, was it?"Some of them already have frayed edges; I don't know how long they've been stored up."It's alright, Dad doesn't need it at home. But you, don't deprive yourself. Go out and treat yourself once in a while, okay? If you're short of money, just tell Dad.""Yes, I understand, Dad. Please drink less alcohol and take care of yourself.""Don't worry, with your mom around, how could Dad possibly get any?""Pfft... Don't make Mom angry.""Okay, okay, take care of yourself and go to sleep! I'm going back now. Your mom's coming over later, remember, don't let her know about your secret stash of money!"" Old Yun, aren't you going to sleep yet?"Speak of the devil, and he appears; Mother Yunindeed came looking for him."We're heading back now..."Yun Ting looked at the money in her hand, counted it—thirty-four yuan and two mao. This was her father's love. She took out the biscuit box that held the money and carefully put the money inside.Since her family had been so good to her, she wanted to repay them before she left.She entered the space and continued to accelerate the ripening of rice and fruit.As she harvested more and more rice, she discovered that the thatched hut had unlimited storage space. Harvested with her mind would be automatically stored in the hut, and the fruit would be sorted and wouldn't spoil. She picked up a bright red apple and took a bite.Crunch... Crisp and juicy, very sweet... Truly worthy of being a product of Space.Tomorrow is her last day. She's going to the countryside the day after tomorrow. Before she leaves, she wants to leave some rice and apples for her family. As for where they came from, she can just give an excuse if her family asks about them after she's gone.The next day, Mother Yun was making breakfast in the kitchen when Yun Ting got up."Mom, do you need my help?""No need, no need, I'm fine now. Why don't you sleep a little longer?""I can't sleep."Mother Yun cooked sweet potato porridge, stir-fried a dish of dried preserved mustard greens, and a plate of green beans.Perhaps because she was craving something so bad in the apocalypse, Yun Ting ate even simple sweet potato porridge with relish."If you're bored at home, you can go play with your classmates." After saying that, Mother Yunrushed off to work.A classmate? A girl's face flashed into Yun Ting'smind.That was her former good friend, Li Wanting.A cheerful and lively girl, she had a good relationship with Yun Ting, and even asked her father to help Yun Ting find a job because Yun Ting was going to the countryside.She should have gone to say goodbye before leaving; she cherished such a true friend.She packed six apples into a straw rope bag and, following her memory, walked toward Li Wanting's house.Li Wanting's father is the manager of the slaughterhouse, so their family lives in the slaughterhouse Family Compound.From their Steel Plant It's not very far from Family Compound, but it still takes about fifteen minutes to walk there.When she arrived at Li Wanting's house, she knocked on the door."Coming…" Li Wanting's clear voice rang out, followed by footsteps approaching the door." Ting Ting, you're here? Come in quickly." Li Wanting excitedly pulled her hand and led her inside."You're here, why did you bring fruit? You don't need to be so polite."Li Wanting then went to make a bowl of malted milk extract for Yun Ting." Ting Ting, drink up.""Thank you, Wanting...""What's our relationship? Don't thank me like that.""By the way, Ting Ting, have you found a job yet?"Yun Ting shook her head. "I'm going to the countryside tomorrow, so I came to see you today.""What? Is there really no way? I asked my dad to keep an eye out, but he said that nowadays everyone is in a position and no one is willing to sell their job.""It's alright! Wanting, it's good to get some experience in the countryside. I'll come back when I have the chance.""Don't try to comfort me. Look at those people who went to the countryside..." She didn't want to continue, not wanting to burden her best friend."How about I go with you to the countryside? At least I'll have company.""No, your dad worked so hard to get you a job, don't break his heart."Li Wanting's father finally managed to get her a job, but it was only a temporary one. However, these days, temporary workers can quickly become permanent if they work hard."Okay, when you get there, take good care of yourself. Write to me if you need anything, and I'll take care of it for you.""Okay, I'll definitely write to you."As for what I need, I probably won't bother her.The two girls chatted and laughed together, and time flew by. It was almost lunchtime, and she had to go back to cook." Ting Ting, stay for dinner before you go back!""No, I have to go back and make lunch for my family! I'm leaving now, Wanting, goodbye!"Li Wanting held her hand reluctantly, " Ting Ting, I'll take you home tomorrow morning!""Goodbye, I don't like the sadness of parting, I'm afraid I'll cry, haha..."Goodbye... Come see me next time you come back!"Definitely, Wanting, remember my words, don't give up reading...""OK."The college entrance exam has been cancelled, and she doesn't understand why Ting Tingkeeps urging her to continue studying, but she will always take her best friend's words to heart.In the afternoon, Yun Ting changed her clothes and dressed up as a gangster. She went to the black market to find the gatekeeper and asked him to contact his boss so she could sell a batch of goods."What kind of goods?" the younger brother asked suspiciously.Yun Ting took an apple and a handful of rice out of his basket and showed them to him. His eyes lit up."Great stuff! Wait for it..."He returned shortly afterward. "Our boss wants to see you. Please come in."Yun Ting swaggered in with him, not afraid at all; she had honed her skills during the apocalypse."Big sister, what's your name?"I never expected the black market boss to be a young man!"His surname is Qian..."The other person's lips twitched. "Sister Qian, how much stock do you have on hand?""Not much, 1,000 catties each of rice and apples.""I'll take them all, but I don't know the price. How much would you like, ma'am?""What's your asking price? I'll sell apples individually." Yun Ting kicked the ball back to him.In business negotiations, whoever makes the first offer loses.Jiang Shaobai smiled helplessly, "Rice is 50 cents, and apples are 60 cents each, how about that?"He could tell that this woman was no ordinary person and definitely had more than just these goods. He was sincere in offering her a good deal.Yun Ting nodded, "This price is acceptable.""Trading at Shipo, on the outskirts of the city, at 10 p.m."Okay, take care, big sister."Yun Ting took out two kilograms of rice and a few apples from her basket and placed them on the table. "These are for you...""Thank you, elder sister."Yun Ting swaggered out again, checked to make sure no one was following her, then walked to another alley, looked around, saw no one, and quickly slipped into her spatial dimension.After sorting the rice and apples to be sold, I realized I didn't have any bags to put them in! Oh well, I'll just go tell the gatekeeper later.She changed back to her original state, checked outside, and only came out when no one was around.She put on a face mask, went to the entrance of the black market, told the gatekeeper that Sister Qian told them to prepare their own bags for the goods, and then left.