Chapter 59: Temporary Residence Permit, Official Citizen

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Temporary Residence Permit, Official Citizen

Yun Zhen had brought top-notch farming tools and carts to the village. Thinking of the villagers’ elated expressions, a profound sense of accomplishment and pride welled up within her.

"If everyone just gives a little love..."

That morning, Yun Zhen woke up in a daze. She blindly felt for her communicator and instinctively pressed the green button to answer the ringing device.

Brother Zhao’s voice came from the other end. "Hello, Yun Zhen, are you in your dorm?"

With a slightly hoarse morning voice, she replied, "Brother Zhao, I’m in my dorm. Did you need me for something?"

Brother Zhao seemed to be in a good mood. "Go to the cafeteria for breakfast in a bit. Let’s meet up there—I have something to give you."

Yun Zhen readily agreed, wondering what he was going to give her. "Understood, Brother Zhao."

After washing up, she was completely awake and headed downstairs to the cafeteria. She ordered a set breakfast meal consisting of two meat buns, a cup of soy milk, a boiled egg, and a banana. She took a bite of the egg. The egg white was delicate and smooth, while the yolk was rich and dense, growing more fragrant with every chew.

"Good morning, Yun Zhen."

Brother Zhao arrived carrying the exact same breakfast. He set the black briefcase he had tucked under his arm onto the table.

Yun Zhen had been in this world for almost ten days. She knew that the people here were not only warm-hearted but also incredibly friendly. In the morning, you greeted people with "good morning." At noon, it was "good afternoon," and at night, "good evening." If you knew someone’s name, you added it to the greeting. If you didn’t, a simple "hello" sufficed. In short, it was all about being polite!

Following suit, Yun Zhen cheerfully replied, "Good morning, Brother Zhao!"

Zhao Peng saw her eating the egg and said, "Finish your breakfast first. We’ll talk business once you’re done. I promise it won’t delay your literacy class or your work."

Yun Zhen obediently nodded. "Okay."

The two finished their breakfast sitting across from each other. Zhao Peng pulled a napkin from the tissue box on the table to wipe his mouth, then took another to wipe his hands. Yun Zhen copied his actions.

"Are you full?" Zhao Peng asked.

Yun Zhen nodded. "I’m full. Brother Zhao, what did you want to give me?"

Zhao Peng pulled a small bag from his briefcase and handed it to her. "Congratulations, Yun Zhen. You are now an official citizen. You’re no longer an undocumented resident!"

He took a palm-sized booklet out of the small bag. "This is your temporary residence permit. It contains all your personal information, similar to a household registration book. As long as you live at the agency for a full year, you’ll be able to apply for a formal ID card. For now, holding this residence permit grants you the same access to medical care, education, and other civic rights as a standard ID."

There were also three red banknotes in the bag. Brother Zhao continued, "This three hundred yuan is the financial aid provided to you by the agency.

"Right now, your household registration is temporarily placed under the agency’s name. When you come of age, if you plan to move out, you can transfer your registration to your future residential address."

A lot of this went over Yun Zhen’s head, but she understood one thing: this temporary residence permit was just as important as the citizenship registry in her original world. It was tied to her identity. With it, she was no longer an invisible shadow in society.

She accepted the small bag with trembling excitement. "Thank you, Brother Zhao. I’m sorry for troubling you with getting this permit sorted for me."

Zhao Peng shook his head with a smile. "The credit belongs to the agency. I just did the legwork within my job description; this was my duty."

Tears shimmered in Yun Zhen’s eyes. "No matter what, you’ve helped me so much.

"Of course, I’m also deeply grateful to Sister Zhang’s charity agency for giving me a place to stay, keeping me fed, and providing a warm room."

She knew that the person she should thank most was Sister Huang. Without her, she would have never known that there were places in the world that provided free food and shelter.

Zhao Peng handed her a tissue. "Dry your tears, Yun Zhen. I know you’re a good kid—brave, hardworking, and grateful!" He gently comforted her, "Stop crying. If your eyes swell up, you won’t be able to see the character animations Mr. Gao plays in class."

Yun Zhen hurriedly wiped her tears away. She couldn’t let her eyes get swollen.

Still slightly worried, Zhao Peng instructed, "Now that these things are in your hands, remember to keep them safe. These documents are proof of your identity. If you ever lose them, contact me immediately so I can get them replaced."

Yun Zhen nodded with absolute certainty. "Don’t worry, Brother Zhao, I will definitely keep them safe!"

Zhao Peng smiled. "Good, I believe you. You should head to class now, and I need to get to work. Make sure you leave the residence permit in your dorm first," he reminded her. "Lock your door properly and take your keys before heading to class."

Yun Zhen gave an affirmative hum. "I know. Go ahead with your work, Brother Zhao. I won’t hold you up any longer."

"It’s not a hold-up at all," Zhao Peng said with a smile. "Handling your affairs is my responsibility."

As one of the supervisors for the agency’s minor division, he oversaw a large group of children of various ages. The older kids over ten called him Brother Zhao, while the younger ones under ten called him Mr. Zhao. He was their bona fide legal guardian.

At first, he had only chosen this profession for the high salary and great benefits, but after interacting with these poor children, it was impossible not to be moved by them. Now, he did his job willingly and with all his heart.

"I’m off," Zhao Peng said, taking his leave.

Yun Zhen went to her literacy class as well. During the lesson, Mr. Gao played a new character-learning animation.

"This week, we’ll be watching the character-annotated version of Doraemon."

Doraemon! Yun Zhen watched the screen with immense relish.

After ten o’clock, she went out to collect scrap. Today, she met a different security guard on duty. He didn’t look very easy to get along with.

The previous man who worked as a security guard had been fair-skinned and chubby, radiating an honest and kind demeanor. In contrast, this man was tall and built, his expression tense and rigid. Even his lips had a cold, purplish tint to them, making him look fierce and unapproachable. Aside from being around the same age, he was completely different from the previous guard.

"You must be Yun Zhen."

When he spoke, his voice carried a hint of gloominess beneath its strict and rigid tone, making Yun Zhen feel a bit nervous.

She nodded meekly. "Hello, sir. I’m Yun Zhen."

Chen San twitched his mouth. He couldn’t understand it at all—did he look that terrifying? Why were kids always so reluctant to interact with him? The child in front of him had clearly been frightened by him as well. He touched his face, genuinely baffled.

He introduced himself and offered his thanks. "My name is Chen San. I’m on duty during the day shift now. Thank you for the pork."

Yun Zhen quickly replied, "You’re welcome. Just consider it a greeting gift."

Chen San opened the side gate to the residential community. "I won’t delay your scrap collecting. Head on in."

Yun Zhen took a deep breath and let it out. Although Uncle Chen’s aura was a bit intimidating, she could tell that he was a good person too. He probably just wasn’t very good at interacting with others.

Walking through the gates, Yun Zhen made a beeline for the dumpsters. Cardboard boxes, colorful aluminum cans, and plastic bottles—here she comes!

Carrying her mesh bags, she collected recyclables from one end of the community to the other, managing to fill four whole bags. Square cardboard boxes were broken down into flat pieces, stacked together, and stuffed inside. Fifty-eight colorful cans were stomped flat, filling half a bag. The transparent plastic bottles were stripped of their labels and caps, crushed flat, and used to fill an entire bag of their own.

The items weren’t heavy, but they were incredibly bulky. Dragging the four large mesh bags behind her, she wobbled left and right, nearly tripping over her own feet.

Seeing her struggling to drag four massive bags with just two hands, Chen San called out, "Let me give you a ride to the recycling station."

Before Yun Zhen could even respond, he drove his electric tricycle over and tossed all four mesh bags into the truck bed. "Hop in. We’re going to the recycling station."

Not wanting to refuse his kindness, Yun Zhen smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Chen."