Chapter 47: Swapping the Snake

Yan Yu’s eyes widened, and for a long moment, she was speechless.

Is it really this high-end?!

Platform Daddy, you’re the best!

"So, Miss, what do you have on your official mall shelves?" Yan Yu asked, dazed and blinking.

The beauty on the other side let out a soft chuckle. "Everyone who connects with me asks the same question, haha...

I have talisman paper—some blank, some with drawings of unknown uses—brushes, cinnabar, and water..."

"You know how to draw talismans?"

"Only simple ones. They're enough to deal with snakes."

"So, do you usually eat snakes?"

The beauty spread her hands. "What else can I do? I don't dare wander off, and besides snakes, no other small animals come knocking at my door, so I have to eat them."

"Are there venomous snakes?" Yan Yu asked cautiously, feeling a bit fearful.

"Of course there are. But don't worry, the ones I pick for exchange are all non-venomous snakes that I've already eaten."

*Based on what she said, you've eaten venomous ones too?*

Yan Yu introduced the items on her own shelves, focusing primarily on rice, flour, and seasonings.

As expected, the lady was very interested.

"What should I do? I want to exchange for all of it." She looked troubled. "But the snakes I have here are rarely small; I'm afraid the large ones might be inconvenient for you."

*Large ones? No, no, no! Please, keep them for yourself!*

"Also, this is my first time connecting with the world of ordinary people. I don't know if the snakes here will be valued too highly to trade." She sighed. "Let's try. I want ten pounds of rice, ten pounds of flour, salt, and cumin."

Yan Yu nodded frantically out of fear, switched screens to purchase the corresponding items, and then switched back.

When the two clicked "confirm," a problem actually arose.

Yan Yu:...

The platform has clearly decided to target me today; it won't let me get a bargain.

Yan Yu didn't feel that the person she underpaid was the lady on the other side, because she realized a crucial point: the other side was a cultivation world! Would the snakes there be ordinary snakes?

They definitely weren't!

Therefore, she must have given too little.

After communicating with the lady, Yan Yu successively added chili powder, chicken bouillon, Sichuan peppercorn powder, soy sauce, vinegar... a pot, a basin, and four eggs...

Only then was the transaction completed.

The moment the items vanished, Yan Yu breathed a massive sigh of relief.

She had to live a frugal life too, after all. Fortunately, the lady wasn't petty and waited with a smile as Yan Yu filled the order bit by bit.

"If you come across realgar, please save some for me. I want to see if it's effective against these snakes," the lady said with a smile.

Yan Yu nodded while backing away.

She needed to stay further away from that giant snake—even further.

*This is what she calls a "small" one???*

The lady on the other side couldn't stop laughing.

"I didn't want to scare you, so I left the snake heads behind. Eat with peace of mind; eating this snake meat is actually beneficial for ordinary people."

Yan Yu felt she had to ask for clarification; this was a vital point!

"Sister, is it like marrow-cleansing or meridian-changing? Like, coming out covered in mud, or cleaning out the intestines?"

"Hahahaha..." The beautiful lady almost choked from laughing so hard.

"Don't worry, it's neither. For ordinary people, it's mostly just for strengthening the body and making you feel more agile."

"Oh..." Yan Yu was a bit disappointed. "I thought it would make you stronger."

"I don't know how much longer I'll be stuck here. If I ever get out, it might be faster to connect with others. Some worlds have evolutionary potions that can easily increase strength."

"Thank you, Sister. I've never heard of anything like that." Yan Yu's eyes sparkled, feeling as if a door to a new world had been opened.

"You're welcome. Well, little sister, time's almost up. Goodbye!" The beautiful lady waved to her.

Yan Yu also raised her small hands and waved vigorously.

"Goodbye, Sister!"

The screen switched back. Yan Yu looked at her pitiful balance, then at the ten pounds of rice and ten pounds of flour still hanging on the list.

"Mom, should we exchange for the rice and flour? We bought everything out last time, but this time we've put out double the amount."

Li Xuemei gritted her teeth. "Buy it."

She didn't know if this theory was correct; the important thing was to try.

After Yan Yu finished buying the rice and flour, there was still some time left.

The three of them looked at each other. What else could they sell?

Li Xuemei looked hesitantly at a few pieces of old clothing. Just like the one they had sold, they were patches upon patches. How could she face the neighbors if she sold them?

Yan Er (the second uncle) kept egging her on: "Sell them, sell them! What's the use of keeping them? When you have too much debt, you stop worrying. It's not like this little bit will make a difference. Look at me, am I worried? I'm not. When a person is pushed to the limit, they naturally come up with good ideas..."

Li Xuemeime closed her eyes. "Sell them! Sell everything!"

Yan Er saw his wife getting fired up again.

He had to play along!

He kicked off his straw sandals and tossed them to his daughter. "Dabao, sell these comfortable and breathable straw sandals for your dad! If your dad goes back barefoot, wouldn't that be cool?"

Yan Yu and her father were cut from the same cloth; if you didn't keep them serious, they would descend into madness.

"I'll sell mine too! Dad, you walk on the ground, and I'll ride Sanbao back, hahahaha!"

"Wife, you shouldn't wear them either. Come on, sell them all! What's there to fear? We have plenty of straw sandals." Yan Er snatched the sandals off Li Xuemei's feet.

Yan Yu saw this and thought, *How can I let you win?* She pulled off the small hair tie from her head and—sold—it!

"Hahaha, Dad, what do you think of me?" Yan Yu looked like a little madwoman with her hair disheveled.

Yan Er looked like he had just lost a gold medal, full of regret. "Admirable, truly admirable!"

Li Xuemei:...

She was so angry she wanted to smack the two of them.

Helplessly, she grabbed some straw and tied her daughter's hair up simply.

Then, she clenched her fists and began pummeling Yan Er, saying resentfully, "No sense of decorum! Is this how a father should act? Look at your daughter! You two are hopeless!"

Yan Er grimaced for a while before starting to beg for mercy.

This body wasn't what it used to be; he wasn't as tough as before.

If she kept hitting him, he might actually collapse.

"What about this water?" Yan Er asked seriously, trying to divert his wife's attention.

"Let Sanbao empty its stomach to store water," Yan Yu said with a grin.

Li Xuemei and Yan Er exchanged a look and thought it was a good idea.

Yan Er added, "Then we'll have to clear out the fodder and let it drink some water to rinse its stomach."

Yan Yu gave her father a thumbs up. *So thoughtful!*

Li Xuemei asked, "What about the snake?"

"We'll take Sanbao back." Yan Yu leaned in a little closer to peek. There really was no head.

"This must be at least three meters long." Yan Er didn't actually dare to get too close either; who wouldn't be terrified seeing a creature that large?

The snakes sold in the market were generations behind this one.

"Let's just say we picked it up. We swept the area clean and didn't know anything; we just happened to find it," Yan Yu suggested.

"We can't say we 'picked it up,' that won't work," Yan Er shook his head repeatedly.

"Then how about saying you killed it, Dad? Look at our feet, even our shoes flew off!" Yan Yu's lies became smoother as she went. "We lost a lot of things too, everything's gone, hahaha!"

"Then how did I kill it? Look at it—do you think that's something I could kill?" Yan Er rolled his eyes. *If I had that kind of power, I'd be in heaven!*

"Then... did Sanbao step on it to death?" Yan Yu suggested in a low voice.

"The only thing here capable of dealing with this snake is him." Yan Er looked at Sanbao affectionately and shouted, "Sanbao, you stepped on this snake to death, you hear me?"

Sanbao looked at him calmly, as if saying, *If you say so.*

"What about the snake head? Did we throw it away?" Li Xuemei asked.

Yan Er said as if it were obvious, "Of course! It was all bloody."