Chapter 22: Naughty Children Are Going to Get Spanked~

Upon reaching the fifth floor, Jiang Chen'an and Yumi were struck by two things: how sparsely populated it was and the sheer volume of unfamiliar items on display.

Yumi, in particular, found everything novel. Jiang Chen'an had seen many such things at his uncles' homes, but he had never actually tasted any of them. Yumi caught sight of some candies he had heard others brag about—they said they were sweet and delicious—and he couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Miss, how much are these strawberry candies?" Yumi asked, his lips curving up slightly to reveal two small canine teeth.

The salesperson glanced at Yumi's dirty face and his patched-up clothes, then said with a hint of impatience, "140 points for 10 synthetic candies, and 310 points for the purified ones!"

If everyone were to have just one, it would cost at least 700 points. Once he did the math, Yumi's canine teeth seemed to vanish; it was far too expensive. They couldn't afford it. This wasn't a place for poor people like them.

Seeing them turn to leave, the salesperson scoffed, "Pah! Poor wretches! Asking when they can't even afford it!"

Though the voice was low, it carried clearly through the quiet fifth floor, reaching both Yumi and Jiang Chen'an.

"We could buy them, Xiaowan and the others—"

Before Jiang Chen'an could finish, Yumi pulled him toward the next counter. They could afford it, but he would rather spend the money on clothes for Xiaowan and the others than on fleeting treats.

They passed several counters before arriving at the spice section. Jiang Chen'an asked the salesperson, "How much is the salt?"

The salesperson looked them over. Even though he didn't think these two kids would buy anything, company policy required him to answer. "150 points for two taels of synthetic salt, 300 points for two taels of mineral salt."

"What's the difference?" Jiang Chen'an asked.

"Synthetic salt is made directly in the factory, while mineral salt is mined from the deposits outside the base."

"I'll take four taels of the mineral salt."

Surprised that Jiang Chen'an was actually buying something, the salesperson gave him a look, then retrieved two small bottles from under the counter.

"Chen-ge, it's just like the kind Grandpa Xia has," Yumi whispered.

"Yeah," Jiang Chen'an replied.

After settling the payment, the two walked away with their bottles of mineral salt, feeling incredibly happy. Now, all they needed was a small pot and a pair of chopsticks, and their kit would be complete.

Jiang Chen'an then inquired about the prices of vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and soybean oil—things Gu Xiaomai had asked him to check. In the end, he gritted his teeth and spent 2,400 points on 100 milliliters of purified sesame oil. Yumi didn't dare buy any; more importantly, he couldn't afford it. The price already exceeded his wages from the land reclamation team for the entire period.

Leaving the spice counter, they found the tableware and cookware section. They each bought a pair of gray metal chopsticks and a single-serving gray flat-bottomed soup pot, costing 140 points in total.

With their shopping done, they left the fifth floor feeling satisfied and returned to the second floor. After hearing the prices for clothes, Yumi’s spirits sank. He had about 1,400 points left, but outfitting all the children would cost 2,400—he wasn't even halfway there.

"We'll split the cost," Jiang Chen'an said, seeing the tears in Yumi's eyes. "Hold it together! We'll get a set for Grandma Gu and the others, too."

"Oh! Hehe!" Yumi grinned and followed the salesperson to pick out the clothes. The boys needed black, and the girls needed pink—yes, soft, pretty pink! As for Grandma Gu and the others, they should stick to black; if he picked pink for them, Grandma Gu would probably chase them down and beat them.

Once the salesperson finished packing, each of them left the exchange center carrying a large bag of clothes. Before departing, Jiang Chen'an exchanged all their remaining points for nutrient supplements and drinking water, keeping only a small amount of change on their identity cards for emergencies.

They left the District 13 exchange center heavily laden with their haul and headed toward the orphanage. The orphanage was located near East Street on Northeast 9th Avenue, only two blocks away. Usually, they would have taken the alleyways back, but now, clearly carrying so many supplies, they didn't dare risk it for fear of being robbed. They had to take the main road to loop back to East Street.

It was already growing dark by the time they returned to the orphanage. Little Persimmon, who had been playing with the other children in the courtyard, heard familiar footsteps from afar and shouted, "Grandma—Grandma—"

"What is it?" A firm female voice came from inside, followed by the appearance of a woman with graying hair, walking with a crutch, her right leg missing. Seeing Little Persimmon squinting hard in her direction, the woman said, "If you can't see clearly, just close your eyes."

"Okay," Little Persimmon obeyed, closing his eyes tightly. "I think I heard Brother Yumi's footsteps, and Brother Chen'an's too."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Chen'an and Yumi appeared at the gate. Seeing Grandma Gu, Little Persimmon, and the other children, Yumi beamed. "Grandma! Little Persimmon, Xiaowan, Potato, Little Orange..."

After naming everyone present, he shouted, "Brother Chen'an and I are back!"

The children chirped in response, "Brother Yumi! Brother Chen'an!"

"Ahem." As soon as Grandma Gu made a sound, the courtyard fell silent.

"Little Persimmon, take everyone back to the room."

"Okay." Little Persimmon, with his poor vision, cast a sympathetic look at Yumi and Jiang Chen'an. He grabbed Xiaowan, who couldn't hear a thing, put an arm around Potato's shoulder, and led the other children inside. Disobedient kids were going to get a spanking.

Seeing the formation, Yumi knew he was in trouble. As soon as the gate closed behind him, he knelt on the ground, grabbed Grandma Gu’s crutch, and began to wail, "Grandma, you have no idea how tiring the land reclamation was! I was so tired I didn't want to get up every morning..." (Though it was worth it for the points).

"And in those mountains, animals were howling day and night..." (In truth, they only heard it twice, and he wasn't that worried).

"And those big, ferocious corrupted creatures! We almost lost our lives to them..." (Sorry, Little Wheat, I'm borrowing your experience for a moment).

Although Grandma Gu’s face was filled with fury, Jiang Chen'an looked at her with pure joy in his eyes. The feeling of being cared for was wonderful. Seeing the old woman's expression shift from angry and stern to gradually concerned, he breathed a sigh of relief. Good, the matter of them leaving without saying goodbye was behind them.

"Get up."

Hearing the softening in Grandma Gu's voice, Yumi knew he had escaped the beating and scrambled to his feet.

Other old men and women who had been hiding behind the door, ready to intervene, stepped out. "Sister Gu, you've made it too easy for these two boys."

"They should both get a thrashing, otherwise they won't learn their lesson."

"Exactly. Look at them, getting bold enough to run away from home."