Chapter 64: I Don’t Know What to Do With You
After paying Wang Daguo, including what she owed from yesterday, Shen Lu cleaned her kitchen utensils as usual, put rice on to cook in the electric rice cooker, and then went to the bathhouse for a shower, picking up a few new sets of clothes while she was out.
Shen Lu was exceptionally careful on the way back this time, terrified of running into another mutant beast. Fortunately, nothing happened, and she made it back to her rented room safely.
Cai Su came down from upstairs and greeted Shen Lu.
"Boss Shen, I’m here."
"Come inside, let’s talk."
Shen Lu was the one who had asked her to come. Today was the final day of the three-day trial period, and tonight she had to decide whether Cai Su would stay or go.
’As for the answer, Shen Lu had already made up her mind long ago.’
Cai Su was a little uncertain. She felt that she ought to be qualified, but she couldn’t read Shen Lu’s mind and had no way of knowing if her boss was satisfied.
"Have a seat." Shen Lu had Cai Su sit on the sofa and asked about Xiao Lang. "How has your son been these past two days?"
At this, a smile appeared on Cai Su’s face. "Doctor Xiao said Xiao Lang’s condition is improving."
She had noticed a clear difference herself. Xiao Lang’s complexion wasn’t as pale as before, and he sometimes reacted to the sound of her voice.
"Can he be cured?"
"Doctor Xiao said she’s not entirely sure. It would be best to take him to a hospital for a proper examination." Cai Su wrung her hands, looking distressed. "Also... the money for his treatment is almost gone."
One day of IV drips cost nearly 500 Star Coins. Xiao Lang had been on them for three days, and of the 2,000 Star Coins Shen Lu had given her, only enough for one more day remained.
At this, Shen Lu also fell silent.
Based on the average wage here, the most she could pay Cai Su was 80 Star Coins a day, but her son’s daily expenses were almost 500 Star Coins. The difference was just too great.
To make matters worse, Xiao Lang’s condition couldn’t be cured just by IV drips from the clinic. He needed to go to a major hospital for injections of a reinforced nutritional supplement.
’One hundred thousand Star Coins a shot, and three shots would be three hundred thousand. I can’t just work for nothing and give everything to Cai Su to save her son, can I?’
"I can’t keep lending you large sums of money." Shen Lu felt it was better to make some things clear in advance, to avoid a situation where a little help earns gratitude but a lot of help earns resentment.
’Getting stabbed in the back by someone I’ve helped would be truly infuriating.’
"I know, Boss Shen. I’m already so grateful for the help you’ve given me," Cai Su explained hurriedly. "I didn’t bring this up because I want to borrow more money from you."
"Sister Cai, let’s talk about your position here. I’ve been watching your performance these past three days, and you’ve done a great job. I’d welcome you to continue working at my shop. What do you think?"
"Really?" Cai Su’s anxious heart finally settled. "I... Thank you, Boss Shen. I’d love to. It’s just, I have a small request..."
"Let’s hear it."
"Could I possibly get an advance on one month’s salary?" Cai Su asked with great difficulty. "I want to keep Xiao Lang on the IV drips for a few more days."
’She said she didn’t want to borrow money, but then she asks for an advance. Isn’t that just borrowing money in a different guise?’
Cai Su knew how shameless this was, but she really, desperately wanted her son to live.
Shen Lu didn’t agree immediately. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to give it to her, but she didn’t want Cai Su to think she was a soft touch and too easygoing.
"Are you sure you’ve thought this through? If you take this advance, you’ll be working for me for two months without pay, and I’ll be charging you interest on top of that."
"I’ve thought it through, Boss Shen. I’ll work hard."
"Alright. I’ll go with you to the clinic tomorrow."
"Thank you, thank you so much, Boss Shen." Cai Su was so happy she didn’t know what to do. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"You’ve already done a lot."
Cai Su had already cleaned the dishes, so all Shen Lu had to do when she returned was clean the cookware, steam two pots of rice for the next day, and start the braised items.
None of it was complicated work.
Shen Lu had Cai Su take a bowl of millet and pumpkin congee home with her. After seeing off her profusely thankful, now-official employee, she eagerly had the system pull up the templates for renovating the shop and residence.
[For now, there are only three styles to choose from: Log Cabin, Minimalist, and Tech. More style templates will become available later. Please look forward to them.]
Shen Lu, who found the templates to be thoroughly unimpressive: (￣ー￣)
’Even though the system offered three "styles," they were really just different color schemes with no distinctive furnishings or layouts.’
Shen Lu: "Let’s go with the Log Cabin style. That one should be popular."
[Understood. The preliminary selection has been made. For the sake of stylistic consistency, the residence will also automatically be set to the Log Cabin style. Is that acceptable, Host?]
Shen Lu: "Fine."
[Here are the prices for the various components.]
A list appeared before Shen Lu’s eyes. Everything from large items like flooring and walls to small ones like beds, tables, and chairs could be exchanged for popularity value, with prices ranging from 10 to 10,000 popularity value.
Shen Lu currently had just over 5,000 popularity value. Upgrading the shop would cost 1,000, leaving her with a little over 4,000. After the novice benefit period ended, she would have to use popularity value to buy ingredients, so her budget for the residence was not large.
After looking at the price list, Shen Lu closed it, her interest having completely faded.
’I originally wanted to do this for convenience, but now it seems I’d be better off just finding a renovation company. Star Coins are much easier to earn than popularity value.’
She had tens of thousands of Star Coins on hand now. While she couldn’t afford a luxurious residence, creating a small, clean, tidy, and cozy home was definitely not a problem.
’I’m so sick of this tiny ten-square-meter rental. It’s been almost a month, and I haven’t had a single night’s sleep where I could even turn over properly.’
’Tomorrow, I’ll go ask Ma Laosan about renovation companies. I have to find the most cost-effective solution.’
The rice cooker BEEPED, its display switching to the "keep warm" setting.
Shen Lu went over, scooped out the cooked rice, and started another pot.
While rummaging through her System Warehouse for something, she glanced over and saw the Light Brain she had been ignoring for two days.
It was the one Bai Lei had given her. She had put it in the warehouse and then forgotten about it.
’I already accepted it, so letting it sit here unused is a waste. And I hate being wasteful.’
Shen Lu took it out and unwrapped the box. Inside lay a white, bracelet-shaped Light Brain.
’A high-tech product!’
Before Shen Lu’s finger even touched the Light Brain, a breathing light began to pulse, a virtual screen unfolded, and a line of text appeared.
"Welcome to Shengshi Technology. A beautiful future for all of us!"
Shengshi Technology was the most famous tech company in the Imperial City. Almost all the tech products on the market were developed and sold by Shengshi Technology. Shen Lu couldn’t begin to imagine how rich the company’s owner must be.
Following the prompts, she bound her personal information step by step. Ten minutes later, Shen Lu’s Light Brain began buzzing with activity.
Bai Wanwan: Shen Lu! Did you finally freaking turn it on?!
Bai Wanwan: Why did you only turn it on today? Didn’t Bai Lei give you the Light Brain yesterday? You did this on purpose, didn’t you?!
Bai Wanwan: Why wouldn’t you let Bai Lei bring me takeout? Weren’t you the one calling me "old classmate" over and over before? Now that I actually need you to do something, you’re backing out, is that it?
Shen Lu facepalmed. She’d thought that when Bai Lei said he’d entered a contact for her, he meant his own. She never expected Bai Wanwan’s would be in there too.
She clumsily typed a reply to Bai Wanwan: When I called you "old classmate," didn’t you refuse to acknowledge it?
Shen Lu: what-am-i-gonna-do-with-you.jpg