Chapter 27: Drastic Times Call for Drastic Measures

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Drastic Times Call for Drastic Measures

Huai Yu paid no attention to Boss Tang’s mental gymnastics. With 400 points in hand and zero worries about survival, she actually found a bit of joy in shopping.

She could now boldly check out all the things she had previously hesitated to buy. Like toilet paper, for instance. So what if it was 80 points? She had to get a pack this time. As for other hygiene products, the more the merrier.

In the blink of an eye, 122 points were gone.

She also needed a pair of scissors and a small trowel. Harvesting certain wild vegetables required proper tools. That was another 25 points. She should probably get a raincoat, too, right? There were always chores to do on rainy days... Wow, this thickened one was 65 points!

She sucked in a sharp breath. Standing in the middle of the road, Huai Yu’s soaring mood ground to a halt. In just this short amount of time, even factoring in what was left from her last trip, she only had a little over 200 points remaining. Buying two more basins, a kitchen knife, and ten plastic bags wiped out another 100 points.

With her last few points, Huai Yu hesitantly went to ask a cooking oil vendor, "How much for fresh pork fat?"

"One hundred points for half a kilo of pork leaf fat," the vendor replied without looking up.

Huai Yu was speechless. It was so expensive! Her heartache was visibly written on her face.

The vendor finally glanced at the various bags she was carrying and said patiently, "Why don’t you just look at the non-fresh ones? The Animal Husbandry Institute slaughters one carefully bred, unmutated pig every day. If I didn’t have connections, I wouldn’t have even been able to get these two and a half kilos of pork leaf fat.

"Look, it’s only been half an hour since they arrived, and this half-kilo is all that’s left.

"Miss, how about looking at some aged oil? I’ve got rapeseed oil from six years ago. Super fresh, super safe! Only fifteen points for half a kilo!"

"Six years ago..." Huai Yu pondered, glancing at the pharmacy next door. "Are... are the anti-diarrhea meds next door also from six years ago?"

The vendor looked a bit miffed. "Not quite. There’s been a steady demand for medicine these past few years. The oldest they have is from last year." He waved his hand dismissively. "If you’re not buying, forget it! It’s been years since the apocalypse started—what haven’t we eaten? This six-year-old rapeseed oil is unopened and sells pretty well here. If you don’t want it, whatever."

Huai Yu figured she really should just forget it. She had no idea what she had consumed inside the tree cocoon, but it definitely hadn’t been six-year-old rapeseed oil. She didn’t dare take the risk.

But that fresh pork fat...

Just thinking about taking the pristine white fat home, dicing it into small cubes, and rendering it into aromatic lard and crispy pork cracklings... Heating the oil in a pan, tossing in some crushed garlic, ginger, and chili peppers to stir-fry, then tossing the blanched wild vegetables into the mix...

She instantly started drooling.

But no matter how much she craved it, her reason prevailed. Gritting her teeth, she turned away and headed to a luxury shop at the end of the street to buy two towels and an outdoor kettle. With her remaining funds, she couldn’t afford to be picky. She bought a pair of easy-to-slip-on sandals that she could wear all the way until winter. After all, it was too much of a hassle to keep wearing sneakers when she wanted to climb into bed after washing up.

Huai Yu returned fully loaded, having stuffed everything into her versatile woven basket. Boss Tang was standing at the entrance of his shop, having just received the bicycle and keys from a young man. Seeing Huai Yu, he couldn’t help but smile. "Perfect timing! Come on, want to test out your new ride?"

"Sure!"

Huai Yu happily took the bike and noticed a yellow license plate attached to the back—[Z28H196]. She was quite curious, but considering she supposedly had "two other bikes" at home, she refrained from asking. However, as she watched Boss Tang hand over the keys, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity. "Is this for locking it?"

"Yes," Boss Tang explained. "In the past, people would buy their own locks, but that’s inconvenient nowadays, so they just added a built-in mechanism to the bikes. When you lock it, the chain gets stuck... Sigh, though if someone really wants to steal it, they can still just pick it up and run.

"If that happens, just bring your ID to the DMV and report the license plate number. The stamped seal has a scanning layer inside. It’s not easy to find, but it’s not impossible to track down.

"Nowadays, committing minor infractions doesn’t matter much, but for crimes like theft and robbery..." A sudden, chilling ruthlessness flashed across his chubby, amiable face. "Desperate times call for extreme measures!"

Huai Yu nodded, indicating she understood. Seeing how peacefully everyone had transitioned back to normal life was proof enough: Flower City—no, the entire country—still maintained strict control.

"I know, but I’ll just be riding it around my own yard. No one would dare steal it." She said this with utmost confidence. At the 600-acre Rose Mansion, even the Alien Plant Defense Army would only station themselves nearby to observe. They hardly dared approach during their patrols. Although she hadn’t sensed any danger, everyone else’s vigilance naturally meant there was a terrifying existence lurking there.

Of course, the people who originally assigned the housing probably never expected that someone would build a house so close to the Rose Corridor.

Boss Tang’s smile deepened as he chimed in, "That’s true. No one would dare steal it."

However, despite all her bluffing in front of Boss Tang, the moment she pushed the bike out of the trading market, Huai Yu began to fret. The classic 28-inch utility bicycle was truly massive, and apart from the bus, she had no other way back. Everyone riding the bus these days carried loads of bags anyway. Bringing a bicycle on board shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

She anxiously pushed the bicycle to the bus stop to wait. Watching a middle-aged woman ahead of her squeeze onto the bus carrying a massive duffel bag—the kind you usually only saw at train stations—made her feel a bit more at ease.

A man hesitantly sidled over, stammering for a long while before asking, "How... how much did this bike cost you?"

Huai Yu opened her mouth to say 650, but suddenly remembered that was Boss Tang’s discounted price. Instead, she said, "899."

Several people gasped. The onlookers were slightly amazed and a bit envious. The middle-aged man’s expression grew even more covetous. "Does that price include the registration?"

Huai Yu hesitated for a second. "Yeah, it’s included."

The man nodded repeatedly. "Nice! That’s a good buy! The other day, someone in our district was selling a second-hand one for 800, and it didn’t even include the registration..."

This reminded Huai Yu that aside from the official trading market, various residential districts also had their own trading spots. She thought of the Golden Yuan District residents she encountered every time she took the bus. After a moment of hesitation, she decided not to ask about it for now. Coming to the trading market was convenient: the bus stop was right outside her door, and when she got off, she was in Zone 66, right near the Alien Plant Defense Army’s encampment. It was much safer than visiting other people’s districts.

She would wait a while. Once everyone’s lives became more stable, she could check out the nearby areas.

When her bus finally arrived, Huai Yu waited patiently for everyone else to board. Only then did she forcefully hoist her bicycle up to the door, looking pitiful. "Mister, can I bring my bike on board?"

Uh... The bus driver was genuinely caught off guard! But the passengers on board had already started speaking up.

"Oh my! A bicycle! And it’s brand new!"

"A 28-inch! I’ve only ever seen those in period dramas..."

"I wonder how many points that cost... Wow, what kind of family does this girl come from? She must be loaded!"

"Driver, it’s not easy for a young girl on her own. Let her on!"

"It’s going to rain, and everyone has a lot of stuff. Let’s just squeeze in. It’s not like the old days anymore... Making things easier for others makes things easier for yourself..."

The older women stared at Huai Yu with burning enthusiasm, wishing they could immediately pull her close and interrogate her about her age, marital status, and family background.