Chapter 503 - 1172: The 80s Drama Queen is Forced to Become a Top Student (7)

Chapter 503: Chapter 1172: The 80s Drama Queen is Forced to Become a Top Student (7)

When she got home, she pulled a hairpin from her hair and poked it into the keyhole a few times. With a CLICK, the lock opened.

It was only then that Sheng Leyun realized what the three skills she had obtained were: cooking, sewing, and lockpicking. Her luck was pretty good; they were all practical skills.

Once inside, Sheng Leyun went to find Ren Xingchen’s treasured little wooden box. It contained all the letters she had exchanged with Xiao Xuezhen.

A small brass lock hung on it, which Sheng Leyun easily picked open with the hairpin again. Without a second thought, she quickly skimmed through the half-full box of letters.

But then, her expression froze. She had forgotten—she couldn’t read...

Considering her current age and the original owner’s character, Sheng Leyun’s face darkened. ’If I want to properly complete the mission—one I’ve deduced is based on the original owner’s likes and dislikes—I’ll have to behave and go to school.’

’Not only that, but I’ll have to face countless exams like every other student, including the brutal and fiercely competitive college entrance exams!’

Sheng Leyun resignedly started to put the letters back, but her hand paused. In the end, she returned only the empty box to its spot. She wrapped the thick stack of letters back up, put it in her backpack, and headed out the door.

She knew the Capital City was unlike other places. Especially now that policies had loosened, you could find all sorts of businesses on some of the old streets.

Sheng Leyun took a bus and transferred three times before finally arriving at the famous Prince Street.

Here you could find everything: pawnshops, private restaurants, antique stores, teahouses, and more. The buildings were quaint and traditional, making it feel as if you had traveled through time to an ancient era.

The people who could open shops here all had powerful backing in the Capital City and excellent reputations.

Sheng Leyun bought a basket of steamed soup dumplings and, with a smile, asked the waiter where she could find an escort agency.

The waiter smiled back and gave her detailed directions—the street name, the address, and the names of the surrounding shops, worried that the little girl might get lost.

Many of the shop signs along the street still used traditional characters, which a child wouldn’t necessarily be able to read.

Following the directions, Sheng Leyun quickly found the escort agency. The place was deserted, save for a single clerk who was listlessly flicking a feather duster around, pretending to be busy.

"Hello, how can we help you today?" The clerk called out lazily upon hearing the wind chime at the entrance. "The Zhengyuan Escort Agency offers a wide range of services. The only limit is your imagination; there’s nothing we can’t do..."

After saying his piece, he turned to look. Whoops. A total waste of breath. There was no one there. He had no idea what made the bell ring.

He sighed. ’I have no idea what the boss is thinking. Does anyone even need an escort agency these days? People can run their own errands across half the city, so what use are we?’

Meanwhile, Sheng Leyun was staring gloomily at the 1.3-meter-high counter. She had to stand on her tiptoes just to poke her head over the top.

"Whoa! You scared me, little one! Where are your parents?" the clerk asked, clutching his chest when he finally saw her.

"Hello, mister!" Sheng Leyun said with a small laugh, gripping the edge of the counter. "I was wondering, does the agency offer item storage services?"

Being called "mister" by the little girl put the clerk in a good mood. He smiled and nodded. "Of course! Out back, we have a whole wall lined with imported safes. They’re made of a special high-tech material—fireproof, waterproof, and perfectly sealed."

"Most importantly, their security is top-notch. In all of Xiahua, you could count the number of people who can crack these locks on one hand."

"And even then, it would take them a week or two of solid work to get one open. So, basically, the security on these things is insanely good!"

"But of course, a great safe comes with a hefty fee..."

"Of course, we also have standard safe-deposit boxes. Their security is nothing to sneeze at, and they’re priced so any working-class person can afford one."

Sheng Leyun blinked. "Then how do I rent a standard box, mister?"

The clerk took out a pen and a form. "You just fill this out, leave a thumbprint, and pay the fee. We’ll give you the key to your box, and you can put your things inside."

"It’s five yuan a month, or fifty for a full year!"

Housing prices in the Capital City were starting to rise, but a regular apartment rental was still only about ten yuan a month. Five yuan for a small safe deposit box was already considered expensive for the average person.

Sheng Leyun didn’t hesitate, though. "Could you set me up with one, then? I need to store something. Hmm, let’s say for one year, for now."