Chapter 19: Each One Older Than the Last

"We're almost there. Are you tired, girl?" The older woman was in quite good shape; she had followed Tu Shan the whole way without even panting. No wonder she could go to the black market early every morning to snap up goods.

"Not tired," Tu Shan replied. This was nothing.

The older woman lived in an area of understated, luxurious residences. The people living here were prestigious figures with deep pockets, which explained why the old lady was so bold and generous.

This area had guard posts, patrols, and even hidden sentries. If it weren't for the old lady leading the way, outsiders would have a hard time getting in.

"Here, right here." When they reached the very back of the residential area, the old lady pointed to a low-key, luxurious gate with a vermilion finish and a copper lock.

The small courtyard wasn't the largest in the area, but it was in the best location, making it convenient for both defense and retreat. It was clear how important the owner of the house was.

Tu Shan didn't want to get involved with such people for the time being, so she prepared to conduct the transaction at the gate.

However, the old lady didn't care about such formalities and dragged her straight into the courtyard.

"Come, come, girl. There are only a few old folks at home; help me get these things into the kitchen."

The people inside the house heard the noise and came out to greet them. They were indeed all old folks.

There was the woman who had accompanied the old lady to the black market earlier; she was the youngest of the group, though she was already in her forties or fifties.

There was an old gentleman, about ten years older than the old lady—around seventy—but his posture was straight, and his gaze was like a torch.

Tu Shan raised an eyebrow slightly. In the post-apocalyptic world, he would be the type of person who was like her old commander.

The old gentleman was pushing a wheelchair, in which sat an even older man, probably around eighty.

His legs were weak, his frame was very thin, and there were dark circles under his eyes, yet his gaze was sharp.

They were truly one older than the next.

"Dad, Uncle Ming, this is the girl who sold me the fish. Look, I was lucky today and bought so much; it’s enough to last us a long time.

There are also grapes. These are sweet, not a hint of sourness; you’ll definitely like them.

But the doctor said you shouldn't eat too many sweets, so just have a few to satisfy your cravings."

Tu Shan thought to herself that both old men had hidden injuries, and given their advanced age, they suffered from many ailments. Eating food containing exotic energy could effectively alleviate their pain and discomfort, which was why the old lady was sparing no effort to buy from her.

However, her goods wouldn't be very effective for the old man in the wheelchair; his body was already reaching its limit.

For someone who was treated with such respect by a man who could have been her old commander, the status and achievements of this old man went without saying.

It was a pity that such a person was nearing the end of his life.

"You can eat them. Although my grapes are sweet, there are no restrictions for anyone. You can eat as many as you like; it won't cause any adverse effects."

The old man in the wheelchair smiled kindly. "Did the little girl grow these herself? And the fish, did you catch them in the river yourself?"

Tu Shan nodded. "Yes."

"That's quite impressive. The fish in our Anyang River in the state capital aren't easy to catch."

Tu Shan grinned broadly. "I'm impressive."

"Oh?" The old man seemed amused and asked with a smile, "How impressive?"

Tu Shan’s gaze fell on the old gentleman who was standing. "This leader couldn't beat me in his prime. I could take on five of him in his prime at once. Of course, if he were to hit me, I wouldn't fight back." That was Tu Shan being conservative; she could probably handle ten, provided she was in her own prime as well.

As for now, she could handle two at most, no more.

"Whoa..." The youngest woman couldn't help but gasp in surprise. What a bold claim.

The old lady also looked at Tu Shan with burning eyes. It had been a long time since she’d seen such a daring young girl.

The standing old gentleman’s gaze was sharp as it landed on Tu Shan's face.

Tu Shan bared her teeth in a smile, completely unaffected by his imposing manner.

The old man in the wheelchair laughed heartily. "A hero truly emerges from the youth. Little girl, you have guts. Tell me, why wouldn't you fight back?"

Tu Shan silently straightened her back. "Because he is a heroic senior."

The old man in the wheelchair laughed even louder. "And a little flatterer, too."

Tu Shan pouted. She wasn't flattering him. Although her old commander couldn't beat her either, she never fought back whenever he would jump around and try to hit her. After all, she respected her elders.

Tu Shan helped move everything into the kitchen. Seeing her strength, which was like that of an ox, the four of them believed at least half of what she had said.

When it came time to settle the bill, Tu Shan didn't charge for the grapes. "The grapes are a gift for everyone. Feel free to eat the grapes and peanuts; they are better than the fish. It doesn't matter how much you eat." The grapes and peanuts were things she had accelerated with her power; they were much better than the fish and loaches, which only had a bit of her energy infused into them.

She then looked at the old lady. "You don't need to go to the black market tomorrow. I'll bring the goods to you. Just wait for me outside around 6:30."

With that, she left, looking very carefree.

The four of them looked at each other in dismay.

The standing old gentleman pondered for a moment. "I'll have someone investigate her."

The old man in the wheelchair moved his lips, but in the end, he did not object.

Tu Shan left the residential area, pushing her two hundred pounds of peanuts toward Old Man Man's house.

Old Man Man was just an ordinary commoner, living in an ordinary residence.

This area belonged to middle-class families. Each house had its own detached courtyard, but they were small, close together, the roads were crowded, and the population was dense.

Tu Shan pushed her cart, wandering through the crisscrossing alleys for more than ten minutes before finding the place.

As soon as she knocked on the door, an enthusiastic auntie greeted her. "Oh my, niece, you've finally arrived. Your uncle and grandma have been waiting anxiously."

She dragged Tu Shan into the house without even worrying if she had the wrong person.

Perhaps with her appearance, most people wouldn't mistake her for anyone else.

Tu Shan pulled her cart and was passively led into the courtyard.

The courtyard was only about four or five square meters and was piled with miscellaneous items, making it look even more crowded. Once her small cart entered, it filled the entire space.

The enthusiastic auntie turned back to close the courtyard gate, and at the same time, a limping old woman came out of the house.

"Is this the Tu family girl?" The old woman was all smiles.

Tu Shan nodded. It was clear the gatekeeper had already informed his family.

"Grandma Man, the goods are all here. Take a look."

"Alright, alright," the enthusiastic auntie said, being very proactive. Without waiting for Tu Shan's help, she started opening the bags herself.

Old Lady Man felt a bit embarrassed and smiled at Tu Shan. "This is my eldest daughter-in-law. You can just call her Auntie Li. She has a hasty temper; don't mind her."

Tu Shan didn't mind. "It's fine, take a look."

The eldest daughter-in-law, Li, had already peeled one and eaten it. "It's this taste. It's delicious, the quality is good, and there are no bad ones."

Old Lady Man glared at her daughter-in-law and said to Tu Shan, "Girl, how should we calculate the price?"

Tu Shan wasn't planning on charging a high price. Although the Yang family had bought them at twice the black market price, she couldn't charge that for retail. She decided on one cent less than the black market price.

The black market price for peanuts today was thirty cents, so she calculated them at twenty-nine cents.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had clearly inquired about the prices, and they were very satisfied with Tu Shan's quote, readily handing over fifty-eight yuan.

After collecting the money, Tu Shan left.

It was probably around nine o'clock, though she didn't have a watch to be sure.

Since she had money now, she would go buy one, and while she was at it, buy herself two sets of clothes. She was a person with some savings now; she couldn't keep looking so ragged.

She took out the ration coupons the Yang family had given her. Very good, there were fabric coupons, but no watch coupons.

Never mind, she would go to the department store and see.

She found a place to hide her wheelbarrow before heading over.

Dressed in rags, she walked into the department store and received quite a bit of attention.

Tu Shan had sharp eyes and saw two security guards looking eager to chase her out.

Because she acted calm and composed, and her aura was firmly in check—not at all like a beggar—they weren't sure, so they didn't come over directly.

While they hesitated, Tu Shan had already gone upstairs.

She would buy two sets of clothes first, so she wouldn't actually get kicked out. She couldn't afford to lose face like that.