Chapter 62
Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish.
Tang Yu’an felt that Shi Tou and Xiao Cao weren’t bad by nature. The reason they became thieves was because of the world’s state.
If they could have enough food and clothing, who would risk being caught and beaten to do petty theft?
If they could master the skill of cutting hair, gain another way to make a living, their lives would improve, and they wouldn’t need to do those bad things anymore.”
As the siblings enthusiastically hawked their services, passersby were gradually drawn in.
With their shaved heads serving as the best advertisement, and Xiao Cao, who had been fierce in arguing earlier, now confidently and energetically attracting customers, they began to gather attention.
They extolled the benefits of getting a haircut to the skies, and finally, someone was tempted to come over.
“Will you cut my hair as short as yours?” someone asked. “Only one wild vegetable?”
“Yes!” Shi Tou nodded confidently.
This price was low, but cutting hair didn’t take much effort; any earnings were a pleasant surprise.
“Alright, give me a cut then.” The person took out a wild vegetable from his basket and handed it to Xiao Cao.
Shi Tou led him to the side of a torch, placed a rock for him to sit on, and then wielded the scissors to start cutting.
The scissors that Tang Yu’an lent them were specifically for cutting hair, with rounded tips and serrated blades to prevent injury.
Shi Tou had quickly mastered their use after one time and was now quite proficient.
Snip, snip—
Snip, snip—
Because there was no need for aesthetics, Shi Tou cut the hair swiftly and neatly.
Under the gaze of the crowd, the customer’s long and dirty hair was completely cut off, leaving only a short buzz cut.
Although using scissors inevitably led to some unevenness, in the apocalyptic world, people’s pursuit of practicality far outweighed aesthetics.
“How is it? Feels much better, right?”
Shi Tou put away the scissors, patting the customer’s shoulders to remove cut hair, and asked.
The man touched his buzz cut, his eyes brightening, “Indeed, feels much lighter than before!”
Shi Tou grinned. He particularly appreciated this feeling. After cutting off his hair, not only was the burden lighter, but the whole world seemed brighter.
It’s a very special enjoyment!
“If you have the chance, you can wash your head; it’ll feel even better,” he said casually.
“Alright, I’ll remember that!” The man patted his shoulder, then picked up his basket and left.
Shi Tou watched him leave, suddenly a bit dazed.
He wasn’t sure why he had just reminded the man; after all, whether the man felt comfortable had nothing to do with him.
But…
Watching the man’s bald head and his light footsteps, Shi Tou inexplicably felt a sense of accomplishment—a feeling he had never experienced before.
At this time, Xiao Cao came over, handing him the wild vegetable they had just earned.
“Brother, we’ve earned a wild vegetable!”
At that moment, Shi Tou felt his already excited heart surge even more.
He looked around at the still lively crowd and excitedly said, “Who else wants a haircut? For just two mushrooms or one wild vegetable, you can feel comfortable for at least a month!”
“Cutting your hair short means less sweating; it’s much cooler during the day!” Xiao Cao chimed in.
“It might be cooler during the day, but it’s cold at night,” someone shook their head.
“If it’s cold at night, you can wear a hat. Besides, you sleep in caves and houses, with fires burning all night; it’s still warm!”
Obviously, Xiao Cao had already targeted their customer base.
Those who slept in the open were mostly the truly poor, without any surplus to trade.
Under their persuasion, another tempted passerby stepped forward. He gave two mushrooms and then sat on the rock by the torch.
Shi Tou began wielding the scissors again, snip, snip, cutting the customer’s hair.
The gathering crowd naturally attracted the attention of the guards.
They walked over fiercely, shouting, “What are you all doing here?”
“Shi Tou and Xiao Cao are giving haircuts.”
Some envious people couldn’t help but add fuel to the fire, and those who had initially thought of grabbing the scissors restrained themselves when the guards arrived.
After understanding the situation, the guards were momentarily at a loss.
Giving haircuts in exchange for goods? This was unheard of.
So, does this count as setting up a stall?
Then they noticed the boy sitting in front of the Jade Pavillion Inn, with the Mountain Lord’s token hanging around his neck—it was quite eye-catching.
The boy was clearly associated with Shi Tou and Xiao Cao.
The guards whispered among themselves for a moment and finally chose to turn a blind eye.
Rules are made by people and are flexible.
Not satisfied? Go complain to the Mountain Lord if you dare.
Seeing that the guards didn’t intervene, more people stopped to watch.
Under Xiao Cao’s enthusiastic promotion, more people came over to line up. With the guards watching nearby, there was no chaos; people behaved fairly orderly.
Eventually, even a guard, tempted by what he saw, lined up to get a haircut.
After the cut, he indeed felt refreshed!
However, as night fell and the temperature dropped sharply, the onlookers quickly dispersed, leaving only one or two ill-intentioned individuals lurking nearby.
Despite this, Shi Tou and Xiao Cao still attracted five or six customers, earning three wild vegetables, four mushrooms, and a fruit given by the guard.
This was a bountiful harvest for them.
Because it was extra income and not as exhausting as going into the mountains to find wild vegetables and mushrooms!
The siblings’ eyes were shining. Hugging their earnings, they wanted to thank Tang Yu’an, but he stopped them.
“First, sweep up the hair on the ground into a pile and burn it,” Tang Yu’an said.
The cut hair was blown everywhere by the wind, which was rather eerie.
Shi Tou obediently took a broom and swept the hair into a pile, then Xiao Cao used a torch to set it on fire.
The fire crackled and popped.
After the flames died down, Shi Tou and Xiao Cao ran back, happily saying, “Little Divine Doctor, look at what we earned!”
Shi Tou was a bit reluctant to return the scissors.
Was this just an ordinary pair of scissors? No, it was a tool that could help them fill their stomachs!
But in the end, he reluctantly handed the scissors back to Tang Yu’an.
Compared to keeping the scissors, he thought that building a good relationship with these boys from the fortress might be more important, and besides, they had only said they were lending them.
Those few hooligans who had been lurking nearby, ready to snatch the scissors once the siblings left, saw this scene and cursed under their breath, then left dejectedly.
Tang Yu’an put away the scissors and patted the dust off his clothes as he stood up.
At this moment, a delightful aroma wafted out from the Jade Pavillion Inn.
Smelling the fragrance, not only did Shi Tou and Xiao Cao start swallowing their saliva, but even Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but gulp, his stomach growling.
“What is that smell? Why is it so fragrant?” Shi Tou swallowed frantically.
Of course, it was the smell of stir-fried dishes!
Tang Yu’an could only be grateful that the crowd had dispersed and only a few nearby households came out to watch, so it didn’t cause too much of a sensation.
Even the two guards monitoring them couldn’t hide anymore; Tang Yu’an quickly led Shi Tou and Xiao Cao back into the Jade Pavillion Inn and closed the door.
Although the kitchen door was closed, the aroma still seeped through the cracks, filling the entire first-floor lobby with the fragrance of stir-fried dishes.
Even Grandpa Li and Lin Meiyu had come down from upstairs.
At this time, Zhou Qi, who had put away the frying pan back into the Grocery Shop’s storage after finishing cooking, opened the kitchen door.
He was about to call Tang Yu’an to help serve the dishes when he saw five pairs of eyes staring straight at him outside the kitchen.
“……”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “Get ready to eat.”
Of course, they still went back to their room upstairs to eat, but they shared some dishes with Shi Tou and Xiao Cao and the boss lady.
It was just simple stir-fried greens and mushrooms, without any meat, but because they added oil and seasonings, and stir-fried over high heat, each piece was glossy with oil, tasting crisp and savory.
Not only the siblings, but even the boss lady had never eaten anything so delicious!
She wanted to refund their accommodation fee, but Zhou Qi proposed to rent the common room for another night, and Lin Meiyu agreed.
[Employee ‘Zhou Qi’ completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +10, Experience +1]
Subsequently, the boss lady took the dishes back to her room on the second floor.
Hearing their conversation, Shi Tou and Xiao Cao had guessed something.
They exchanged glances, and before Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi could say anything, they took out the wild vegetables and mushrooms they had earned from setting up the stall earlier.
Shi Tou said, “Can you let us stay for another night?”
Zhou Qi curved his lips slightly and replied, “Yes, I agree.”
[Employee ‘Zhou Qi’ completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +22, Experience +1]
Thus, the siblings happily carried their bowl of dishes back to the common room.
Although they had traded the wild vegetables and mushrooms, they still had a fruit left, and not only could they stay for another night, but they also got to eat such delicious stir-fried dishes!
“So, cooking the wild vegetables makes them taste so good.” Shi Tou was hooked after one bite.
Xiao Cao shook her head and said, “It’s because the dishes have oil and salt added that they’re so fragrant! It’s so delicious…”
The two children couldn’t help but tear up as they ate.
“I wish we could eat this every day…” Shi Tou couldn’t help but sigh.
Xiao Cao nodded.
After finishing the dishes, they even licked the soup clean from the bowl, then lay on the warm bed in the common room, their faces full of happiness as they listened to the howling mountain wind outside.
“Shi Tou…”
“Mm?”
“I want to stay here every day…”
Shi Tou fell silent. If possible, who wouldn’t want that?
After a long time, he turned over and said softly, “Sleep.”
*
In their room, after finishing dinner, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were discussing the siblings under the Shadow Umbrella.
“Brother Qi, should we recruit Shi Tou or Xiao Cao as an employee?”
They had previously discussed that it would be best to recruit someone they didn’t have prior interactions with, but with the new employee restrictions, they could relax the conditions a bit.
Besides, they might only come to the town once every half month or so. It would be a waste to leave such a big market unattended.
“I think the boss lady is also a good candidate,” Tang Yu’an added.
As the owner of the Meiyu Inn, as long as she stayed there, she wouldn’t have to worry about safety issues. It was a good place for transactions.
However, Zhou Qi shook his head.
“The boss lady already has a high enmity value. If she brings out more goods, she might find it hard to move around in the town.”
Tang Yu’an thought about it and agreed.
Earlier, when they were watching from outside the Jade Pavillion Inn, people’s discussions about the boss lady were full of malice, which made Tang Yu’an feel indignant even thinking about it.
“Then let’s forget about the boss lady,” he said. “Doing business requires interacting with many people; given her situation, it’s not suitable.”
They turned the topic back to Shi Tou and Xiao Cao.
Tang Yu’an recounted to Zhou Qi about Shi Tou and Xiao Cao setting up a stall to cut hair.
“They can start by trading their skills, without needing to bring out goods to exchange with others, ensuring safety.”
And they could stay at the Jade Pavillion Inn, not worrying about being discovered when taking out goods.
Of course, the current problem was whether the siblings could follow their intended plan without their guidance.
But if they came forward to guide them, their identities would be exposed.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and said, “No need to reveal our identities. Can’t you issue tasks to employees? Use the tasks to guide them.”
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up.
“Right, we can provide guidance through tasks.” In this way, he could still remain behind the scenes!
So, the matter of recruiting a new employee was settled.
“Who should we recruit? Or recruit both?” Tang Yu’an asked.
“Just recruit one.”
Recruiting both siblings at the same time would make them competitors, which could easily lead to problems.
If they only recruited one, the other would depend on them, and their relationship would be more stable, focusing their efforts on trading.
“That makes sense.”
Tang Yu’an scratched his head. Although they couldn’t restrain the one not recruited, since employees couldn’t reveal information about the Ping An Grocery Shop, it was still safe for them.
“Should we recruit Shi Tou or Xiao Cao?” Tang Yu’an continued.
“What do you think?” Zhou Qi asked.
After thinking, Tang Yu’an said, “Xiao Cao. I feel she’s more clever.”
He had noticed during the stall setup that when he suggested it, the girl immediately agreed, and she was the one who attracted most of the business.
Moreover…
“She’s a girl, and it’s harder for girls in the wasteland.”
Zhou Qi nodded. The more difficult their situation, the more they would cherish this valuable opportunity.
“Then let’s go with her.”
Zhou Qi took out his notepad and began drafting the content of the guidance task. As for when to recruit, there was no rush; they could send it out after they left the next day.
Even with guidance tasks, whether the siblings could recognize and execute them was a question.
Once exposed, they might be in danger.
But… they themselves were walking in the wasteland in the same way. If they wanted resources and a good life, how could they not take any risks?
While Zhou Qi was drafting the task, Tang Yu’an continued to use the attachment function to label on the map.
After Zhou Qi finished writing, he entered the task into the “Personnel” section in advance. Once the recruitment was successful, he could select the employee to publish it.
“By the way, we haven’t done today’s lottery draw!” Tang Yu’an suddenly remembered, excitedly.
They had also completed all the weekly tasks today, so they had two lottery chances!
He happily opened the Lucky Wheel, rubbed his hands, and began today’s lottery moment.
[Congratulations! You have won 10 points]
Tang Yu’an blinked, somewhat incredulous at the system prompt.
How could this be?
He hadn’t drawn points in a long time!
Hearing his muttering, Zhou Qi was a bit regretful but also felt a sense of relief.
Yes, how could someone get good things every day?
“Don’t you have one more chance? Go for it.”
“Mm!”
Tang Yu’an nodded, rubbed his palms again, and clicked to draw.
This time, he had to get something good!
The Lucky Wheel spun rapidly, and under Tang Yu’an’s anxious gaze, the pointer finally stopped at…
[Congratulations! You have drawn the special skill ‘Lightness Technique’ lv1]
[Detected that the host already possesses the same level skill. ‘Lightfoot Technique’ skill level +1]
[Lightfoot Technique lv3]
[Attribute: Magic-type skill.]
[Effect: Can release a wind force, granting the target the effect of being as light as a swallow—a must-have skill for delivery and trading.]
[Duration: 240 minutes, can be used 3 times per day.]
[Remaining uses: 3]
0.0
“Brother Qi, I drew ‘Lightness Technique’ again!” Tang Yu’an cheered.
Although the number of daily uses remained the same, the duration of a single use had extended to 4 hours, which basically covered the length of an entire day.
“……”
Listening to his happy sharing, Zhou Qi was silent for a moment before finally saying, “I think you should always draw singly.”
Single draws yield miracles.
“Hahaha, okay, when we complete the weekly tasks, I’ll draw immediately and use up the chances.”
Tang Yu’an looked at the upgraded ‘Lightness Technique,’ his face full of joy.
Zhou Qi tidied up the bed and said, “Go to bed early; we have to go to the market tomorrow.”
“Okay!”
Tang Yu’an climbed into bed, “Hope we can level up again tomorrow!”
The night deepened.
Black Pearl, who had been resting in the pet slot all day, stretched lazily and patrolled the room. After drinking milk and eating meat, she jumped onto the roof of the Jade Pavillion Inn again.
She looked down at the guards hiding in the shadows, monitoring them.
As the night deepened, the two guards relaxed their vigilance, leaning against the mountain wall, dozing off.
Black Pearl narrowed her eyes slightly.
One of the guards sitting on the ground was suddenly lifted up.
The startled guard thought he had been caught sleeping by his superior and instinctively stood upright. But when he opened his eyes and looked around, he found no one else.
His companion sitting nearby looked at him like he was an idiot, “What are you doing? Sleepwalking?”
The guard scratched his head and sat down again.
When he started dozing off again, Black Pearl once more controlled the metal on him, lifting him up and then letting go.
The guard fell to the ground. Although it didn’t hurt, it was still infuriating.
There was still no one around.
He glared at his companion, convinced he was playing tricks, and pounced on him, wrestling.
Black Pearl watched them, a bit bored, and withdrew her gaze.
At this time, a faint red glow appeared near the guard station.
Black Pearl watched vigilantly, swishing her tail with a bit of eagerness, but under the constraint of the “Guard” command, she didn’t leave the Jade Pavillion Inn.
In the end, she just lay on the roof, playing with the two guards monitoring Tang Yu’an.
*
Early the next morning, before 5:30, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi left the Jade Pavillion Inn to go to the morning market.
Today, Grandpa Li didn’t go out with them. They had already agreed to leave Jufeng Town at about eight o’clock, so there were less than three hours left.
The two guards who had been monitoring them yesterday had left, replaced by a new pair.
Tang Yu’an put Black Pearl into the pet slot and walked out of the Jade Pavillion Inn alone.
Zhou Qi, concealing himself with the Shadow Umbrella, carrying things, jumped out of the window and followed beside him.
In the eyes of the guards, only Tang Yu’an had gone out.
They soon arrived at the market.
Today’s market was as bustling as yesterday.
Tang Yu’an swaggered in and strolled around the market.
They had almost run out of whole wheat buns. Considering they needed food for the return journey, he had brought half a basket of mushrooms today—
In the market, two mushrooms could be exchanged for one wild vegetable, and according to the system’s valuation, a mushroom was worth 1 point, while a wild vegetable was 7 to 10 points.
He could still earn a profit by trading mushrooms.
The Thousand-Face Cloak refreshed at midnight every day, so even though it hadn’t been 24 hours since Zhou Qi last used it, the usage count had reset.
Before long, Zhou Qi, now transformed into Mr. Tang’s appearance using the Thousand-Face Cloak, walked into the market carrying a jar of salt.
Tang Yu’an saw “Dad” from afar, his nose tingling, but he didn’t go over.
Because as soon as Zhou Qi appeared, he attracted everyone’s attention.
“Look, that salt seller is here again!”
Those who reacted quickly had already rushed over with their goods, the crowd surging towards Zhou Qi.
Upon entering the market, Zhou Qi didn’t immediately set up a stall but found the guards, hoping they could help maintain order, and promised to reward them like yesterday after the sales ended.
“Sure.”
The guards readily agreed and enthusiastically led him to an open space.
So Zhou Qi spread the prepared cotton cloth on the ground and, like Tang Yu’an did yesterday, started calling out.
“Salt for sale—Salt for sale—”
As soon as he started, some people couldn’t wait and squeezed forward.
But under the guards’ scolding, the townspeople began to line up as they did yesterday.
The first person in line was a burly man who boldly said, “Give me two scoops!”
Zhou Qi shook his head, “Limit one scoop per person.”
“Damn! Why is there a limit? It wasn’t like this yesterday!”
Zhou Qi just looked at him calmly.
In terms of height, “Mr. Tang” couldn’t match the big man, but combined with Zhou Qi’s calm and indifferent expression, the deterrent effect was maximized.
The big man remembered his mysterious disappearance in front of everyone yesterday and finally shut up obediently.
Though he couldn’t help muttering in his heart, wasn’t he more easygoing yesterday? Why does he feel different today…
“One scoop is fine…” he mumbled.
Those behind, hearing their conversation, couldn’t help but cheer.
Great, this way more people could get salt!
“I want one scoop; I have wild vegetables!”
“Can I trade a straw hat?”
“What about bugs? Do you accept bugs?”
Tang Yu’an hid among the crowd, watching the system prompts start to flood his screen, points and experience skyrocketing, grinning from ear to ear.
But he soon noticed a guard quietly slipping away from maintaining order and quickly heading towards the guard station.
Tang Yu’an frowned, sensing something unusual.
