Chapter 65
[Employee ‘Xiao Cao’ used 1 personal point to exchange for 1g of glucose.]
[Employee ‘Xiao Cao’ used 5 personal points to exchange for 100g of soybeans.]
System notifications kept popping up, and Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but smile.
With the voice broadcast function enabled, Xiao Cao had become their employee and had quickly completed the guidance tasks he had set.
Although the system did suggest she could trade with her brother, her speed in completing the tasks was beyond Tang Yu’an’s expectations.
It seemed they hadn’t recruited the wrong employee!
As for “soybeans” and “glucose,” these were the results of his and Zhou Qi’s discussions.
Admittedly, brown rice could be exchanged at 1 point for 100 grams, which seemed more suitable for beginners compared to soybeans at 5 points for 100 grams.
But they hadn’t forgotten the lesson from Granny Guo—cultivating brown rice consumed too much water and required intensive farming, not something ordinary people without any agricultural experience could manage.
In comparison, soybeans were undoubtedly more suitable.
Soybeans are rich in protein and high in fat; they are a quality staple food. Moreover, leguminous plants have nitrogen-fixing abilities, which could improve the soil quality of Jufeng Mountain if they could be cultivated.
As for glucose, it didn’t need much explanation. It’s a sweetener that’s easily absorbed, not requiring digestion.
Whether for personal consumption or trading with others, it’s an excellent choice. Besides, Shi Tou could provide haircuts without necessarily bringing out goods to trade.
In this regard, Zhou Qi had provided detailed guidance tasks.
They wouldn’t be as cryptic as the system; they would seize every opportunity to remind Xiao Cao in the guidance tasks, avoiding unnecessary detours during her exploration.
Since employees’ personal points came from salaries and commissions, and at the initial stage, even if she completed profitable transactions, she could only gain employee experience points. So Tang Yu’an also set up a long-term task for her—
During the novice protection period (about one month), as long as she actively engaged in profitable transactions, she could earn 1 point each time.
Although it’s just 1 point per transaction, for Shi Tou and Xiao Cao, it would be an immense encouragement and support. He just hoped Xiao Cao wouldn’t let down his good intentions.
After that, under Zhou Qi’s urging, Tang Yu’an lay down on the bed for a midday rest.
When they entered the outpost, they attracted a lot of attention. But because they had Hong Li’s Mountain Lord token, and under the protection of the guards, no one dared to approach them.
Now they could rest at noon and continue their journey in the afternoon.
*
Apparently, Xiao Cao was a girl with strong execution ability.
After learning that soybeans could be cooked and eaten, she decisively pulled her brother into the kitchen and started boiling soybeans.
“Bubble bubble—bubble bubble—”
As the water in the pot boiled, the soybeans at the bottom rolled with the bubbling water. The clear water turned into a light milky color.
“Is it done?” Shi Tou swallowed. “I can smell the aroma.”
Xiao Cao also felt it was about time. She extinguished the fire and fished out the soybeans from the water.
The hard little round beans had indeed softened after cooking. Steam rose gently from them, and a light fragrance wafted into their noses.
“Growl—”
Shi Tou’s stomach rumbled, having not eaten enough at noon.
“Let me try first!”
Shi Tou reached out to grab a soybean, but Xiao Cao avoided his hand.
She looked at him and said, “Brother, give me the scissors, and I’ll give you some soybeans.”
They had asked the boss lady for the scissors when they returned from collecting firewood.
Without hesitation, Shi Tou handed the scissors to her.
Xiao Cao took the scissors and placed two soybeans in his hand. Shi Tou couldn’t wait to pop them into his mouth.
[You have completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Employee experience +1.]
[Congratulations! You have completed the ordinary task ‘Cook Soybeans.’ Points +2.]
[You have completed the long-term task ‘Profitable Transactions.’ Points +1.]
Seeing her points balance increase from 6 to 9, Xiao Cao squinted happily.
So completing tasks and profitable transactions could increase points, and with more points, she could exchange for more sugar and soybeans!
Shi Tou chewed the two soybeans and praised, “Xiao Cao, your ability is really delicious.”
Xiao Cao wasn’t sure if this was her ability, but she remembered that the Employee Regulations stated she couldn’t reveal to others that she was an employee of the Peace Grocery Store or disclose the existence of the Mysterious Merchant.
Confirming that sugar and soybeans were edible and she could indeed exchange them with points, Xiao Cao decided to keep this matter to herself.
Even her brother couldn’t know!
Recalling that the panel mentioned she could conduct three transactions with each person per day, Xiao Cao looked at Shi Tou and said, “Brother, what else do you have on you?”
“What do I have…” Shi Tou patted himself down, producing a steamed bun and the blade he used earlier to cut Tang Yu’an’s backpack.
Xiao Cao exclaimed, “I’ll trade you soybeans for this blade.”
Shi Tou looked puzzled. “If you want it, just take it. Why trade?”
They were siblings; no need for such formalities.
Xiao Cao tentatively took the blade, but when no notification appeared on the panel, she puffed her cheeks. “I don’t care. Will you trade or not?”
“Trade, trade. Whatever you say.”
Shi Tou had no choice but to agree to trade the blade for soybeans.
[You have completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Employee experience +1.]
[You have completed the long-term task ‘Profitable Transactions.’ Points +1.]
Seeing the increase in experience and points, Xiao Cao was delighted. She stuffed the scissors and blade back into Shi Tou’s pocket. Seeing that her points didn’t decrease, she happily began eating the soybeans.
Shi Tou couldn’t understand her tactics at all, but seeing her start eating, he forgot all his doubts.
“Save some for me!”
A hundred grams of soybeans were barely enough to fill the always-hungry Shi Tou and Xiao Cao.
After eating the soybeans, they poured the soybean broth into a bowl and returned to their room.
“Xiao Cao, your ability is so practical!” Shi Tou was full of excitement.
Xiao Cao was also very happy.
After eating, she felt warm in her stomach and energized.
She lay on the kang bed, fanning herself with a leaf-made fan, pondering how to continue trading with others. Then she saw new text prompts appearing on her panel.
[Congratulations! You have triggered the ordinary task ‘Haircut.’]
[Description: Your brother has a good skill—haircutting. Please bring a customer to your brother and have him give a haircut to earn a profit.]
[Task Content: Use your brother’s skill to conduct a transaction and gain profit.]
[Task Reward: Points +10.]
Wow, this task reward is 10 points!
*
After waking up from his midday rest, Tang Yu’an saw system notifications of Xiao Cao completing tasks.
[Employee ‘Xiao Cao’ completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +49, Experience +1.]
[Employee ‘Xiao Cao’ completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +9, Experience +1.]
Without doing anything himself, he gained 58 points and 2 experience points! Tang Yu’an was delighted.
So when he sent new guidance tasks to Xiao Cao, he directly increased the reward to 10 points, so Shi Tou and Xiao Cao could exchange for more soybeans.
Speaking of employees, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but think of Chi Hao.
Today’s daily cleaning task hadn’t been completed yet. Could something have happened to Brother Chi Hao?
*
At the Peace Grocery Store, in the warehouse.
Chi Hao stared at the new shelves that had appeared out of nowhere, as well as the frying pan that should have been in the kitchen but was now on the shelf.
He swallowed and glanced at Yuan Bao, who was squatting by the door, glaring at him fiercely. “These two things… weren’t in the warehouse yesterday, right?”
Yuan Bao rolled his eyes in a very human-like manner.
The frying pan had Zhou Qi’s scent; he must have placed it here.
Although he hadn’t seen it appear, Yuan Bao didn’t think there was anything to be afraid of and was increasingly dissatisfied with Chi Hao’s behavior.
“Woof woof!” He barked urgingly.
Chi Hao pouted. Looking at this warehouse that seemed strange inside and out, he could only suppress his unease and continue cleaning.
[Daily task ‘Cleaning’ completed. Points +2.]
These points are too hard-earned!
Are points hard to earn?
Xiao Cao didn’t think so; she felt earning points was quite easy.
Although it was challenging to go out and attract customers at noon, why go outside? Besides them, there were two living people in the Jade Pavillion Inn!
So, after receiving the haircut task, she pulled her brother to knock on the boss lady’s door.
Seeing the boss lady’s clean, smooth long hair, Xiao Cao immediately shifted her target and asked, “Boss lady, does Brother Hu need a haircut?”
Lin Meiyu looked at the two little ones and paused slightly.
Xiao Cao quickly added, “I heard from the Little Divine Doctor that hair absorbs nutrients from the body. So if we eat well, our hair is shiny and black; if not, it becomes dry and yellow.”
“Brother Hu suffered such a severe injury and needs to recuperate. Having long hair isn’t conducive to recovery.”
Lin Meiyu suddenly understood. She had initially intended to refuse but quickly stepped aside.
“Then you can give him a trim.” She had seen them giving haircuts to others from upstairs yesterday. “After you’re done, I’ll give you a fruit.”
“Okay! Thank you, boss lady!”
Then Xiao Cao pulled the bright-eyed Shi Tou into the room. Of course, upon seeing Wang Hu inside, the siblings became more reserved.
They knew Wang Hu; he was the squad leader of the guard team, usually responsible for patrolling the mountains, guarding the mountain gate, and market patrols.
Of course, they also saw him when paying protection fees.
In their eyes, Wang Hu was a tall, mighty man, like an invincible mountain. But now… he was leaning against the bedhead, looking particularly weak with his pale face.
Shi Tou and Xiao Cao breathed a slight sigh of relief, not feeling as scared.
“A haircut?”
Wang Hu touched his shoulder-length hair. He had just heard the conversation between Xiao Cao and Lin Meiyu and nodded. “Go ahead.”
Shi Tou stepped forward, but Xiao Cao pulled him back.
She turned to Lin Meiyu and said, “Boss lady, cutting hair will leave a lot of clippings. It’s not easy to clean up if we do it on the bed…”
“Oh, right!”
Lin Meiyu fetched a chair.
Once Wang Hu sat down, Shi Tou began cutting his hair, trimming it down to a buzz cut like the siblings’.
Wang Hu touched his head and couldn’t help but grin. “It does feel much lighter!”
His eyes sparkled, looking more spirited than before.
Lin Meiyu smiled and handed a fruit to Xiao Cao.
A panel prompt popped up. As Xiao Cao read the text, the familiar mechanical voice sounded in her ear.
[You have completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Employee experience +1.]
[Congratulations! You have completed the ordinary task ‘Haircut.’ Points +10.]
[You have completed the long-term task ‘Profitable Transactions.’ Points +1.]
Xiao Cao glanced at her points balance: 21.
After completing several transactions and tasks, her points had increased rapidly. Although she couldn’t read the numerical symbols, she matched them up after hearing the voice.
21 points equal 21 portions of glucose, and…
How many soybeans?
Xiao Cao was a bit confused, but she knew it was more than before!
At this moment, a new task popped up.
[Congratulations! You have triggered the ordinary task ‘Earning Through Labor.’]
[Description: Labor is valuable. By carefully observing customers’ needs and finding ways to meet them, you can earn rewards through labor.]
[Task Content: Use your labor to complete a profitable transaction with the boss lady of the Meiyu Inn (0/1).]
[Reward: Points +2.]
Xiao Cao looked at the task prompt. Originally confused, she felt as if a veil had been lifted before her eyes.
So she could exchange things this way!
Immediately, she looked at the boss lady and said excitedly, “Is there anything else we can do? Just give us a fruit!”
Lin Meiyu looked at her but shook her head.
Seeing Xiao Cao’s disappointed eyes, she said, “I don’t have any more fruits. How about mushrooms?”
Wang Hu could get a basket of fruits from the guard station every week. Since he was injured and unconscious, he hadn’t gone, and the Jade Pavillion Inn’s fruit stock was running low.
However, she planned to follow the Little Divine Doctor’s advice and have Wang Hu develop a basement to grow mushrooms. Perhaps in the future, they could sustain themselves without leaving home.
“That’s fine!”
Xiao Cao nodded enthusiastically. Following the task prompt, she began thinking about the boss lady’s needs.
Seeing the hair on the floor, she quickly said, “I’ll clean the room for you. Can you give me two mushrooms?”
Lin Meiyu paused.
She could clean herself, but seeing the little girl’s expectant eyes, she, not accustomed to such interactions, couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
Anyway, once Wang Hu’s injury improved, he could go to the guard station tomorrow to get fruits.
Thinking this, Lin Meiyu nodded. “Alright. When it cools down later, you can fetch me a bucket of water and fill the kitchen sink. I’ll give you ten more mushrooms.”
“Sure, no problem!”
Xiao Cao was overjoyed. The boss lady needed firewood and water; perhaps they could continue trading with her by chopping wood and fetching water!
Immediately, she started cleaning diligently. Seeing this, Shi Tou quickly helped.
The two children had never cleaned before, so Lin Meiyu supervised from the side, instructing them on how to clean properly.
“Although cleaning is hard work, keeping the house clean can prevent illnesses and improve your mood.”
These were insights Lin Meiyu had gained while bedridden at home.
Shi Tou and Xiao Cao listened attentively, carefully memorizing this knowledge.
*
[Employee ‘Xiao Cao’ completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +2, Experience +1.]
As he walked along the mountain path, system notifications popped up.
Xiao Cao was really diligent. She hadn’t been employed long and had already brought him 5 experience points. Perhaps by tonight, her employee level could reach Lv1.
Tang Yu’an felt gratified.
His own experience bar was almost full; he should be able to level up again today.
“An’An.”
Old Li reminded him. Tang Yu’an quickly gathered his thoughts and continued walking down the mountain under the scorching sun.
The concealer on his face had long worn off, but after days of sun exposure, his skin was much darker than before. Even without disguises, it wasn’t a problem.
They needed to reach the first outpost before dark, spend the night there, and then return to the Desolate City early the next day.
Going down the mountain was much easier than climbing up.
By around four or five in the afternoon, they were about to reach the third outpost.
Tang Yu’an glanced at the map and couldn’t help but pause.
He saw, in a small forest by the mountain path ahead, two light spots—one gold and one green—clearly Mingzhu and her son Xiao Bao.
Tang Yu’an continued forward, quickening his pace. Soon, he heard a joyful voice, “Little benefactors, we’ve finally waited for you!”
Looking up, he saw the woman carrying a basket, holding her little boy’s hand, hurrying towards them.
Tang Yu’an smiled. “Sister Mingzhu.”
He hadn’t expected that she really collected mushrooms and waited here every day as he casually suggested.
“These are what we said we’d give you.” Mingzhu set down her basket, which contained about ten or twenty mushrooms. Some had been picked for a while and didn’t look as fresh.
Tang Yu’an didn’t mind and didn’t refuse.
Honoring one’s promises was such a precious quality in the wasteland! Moreover, he knew how difficult life was for this mother and son.
He took out his last two whole wheat buns.
“You’ve been waiting a long time, right? These are for you and Xiao Bao.”
Mingzhu was startled. She shook her head to refuse, but the young man insisted, placing them in her hands. “Sister, please take them. Thank you for finding so many mushrooms for us; I especially like to eat them!”
Tang Yu’an transferred the mushrooms into his backpack, then looked at Mingzhu’s son.
The boy was thin, almost skin and bones, but his black eyes were bright. Remembering his courage in protecting his mother, Tang Yu’an felt even more affection for him.
He crouched down and asked, “What’s your name? Can you tell me?”
The little boy wasn’t shy. “My name is Xiao Bao.”
“Thank you for telling me. This is for you.” As he spoke, Tang Yu’an placed a piece of rock candy into the boy’s mouth.
Xiao Bao’s eyes widened, not understanding why this young brother suddenly put a Shi Tou into his mouth.
Then he heard the young man say, “Just suck on it; don’t spit it out or swallow it whole.”
Xiao Bao froze, obediently holding the candy in his mouth.
Then, he tasted sweetness.
A taste he had never experienced before. His mouth began to salivate more and more, and the rich sweetness lingered, continuous and unending.
Tang Yu’an watched him with a smile. “Is it good?”
Xiao Bao nodded vigorously.
It’s delicious, so delicious!
As Tang Yu’an saw the system notifications, he was delighted.
[You have completed a profitable transaction with a regular customer. Points +19, Experience +1.]
[You have completed a loss-making transaction with a new customer. Experience +3.]
[Experience full. Merchant level +1.]
