"Have Li Dayou and the others been settled?" Jing Shu asked. She leaned forward slightly, her fingers curling around the warm ceramic of her bowl as she waited for his answer.
A few days ago, after absorbing too much of that mysterious black liquid, she had fallen unconscious for over ten days. While the Rubik's Cube Space had successfully upgraded during her slumber, she had spent all her waking time since then submerged in the mental work of studying the changes. She hadn't managed to handle anything else in the physical world. She had troubled many people during that period too, and on the long journey back, she had basically turned into a hands-off boss. The two groups had split up immediately afterward, and to this day, she hadn't had the chance to properly thank Li Dayou and Wang Dan's team.
If it weren't for their bravery and loyalty, her hard-earned seeds would have been lost long ago. Jing Shu had always wanted to repay that kindness, so when she heard the news of their arrival, she couldn't hide her excitement. The tight knot of guilt in her chest loosened; it was finally time she did something in return for them.
Jin Tianci sipped his tea, the steam rising to fog his glasses. He discreetly pulled a few shriveled raisins out of his pocket and chewed them with a thoughtful expression before speaking. "Everything is arranged. The official report to the Capital has been sent, and there's a flight heading there in a few days. They will go with it. Later, I will take you to see them. You should really thank them properly for everything they did."
Jing Shu let out a long breath and felt her shoulders drop. She smiled. "Of course. I plan to."
Jin Tianci smiled back, his eyes narrowing into thin slits like those of a clever fox. "So, about that batch of certified seeds you separated, how do you plan to sell them? And that potion that shields seeds from radiation, what price do you have in mind? I already know the Capital wants to buy some from you. They have made their own mess. Haha! You can ask for whatever you want from them. We can negotiate for our share. I don't plan on repeating the Capital's mistakes or ruining our relationship with Wu City."
Jing Shu started twirling a stray strand of hair around her finger, pacing in slow circles on the rug. She would look up at him now and then, her mind racing, before dropping her gaze back to the floor.
"What is wrong? Have you still not decided on a price?" Jin Tianci teased with a knowing smile when she didn't immediately reply. "Want some advice? You could offset your previous debts with the government. Or maybe you would prefer to trade for supplies? Between you and me, Wu City's reserves are all open to you. You can take whatever you like."
He leaned back, gesturing vaguely toward the city. "I know you are not short on food, but it doesn't last forever, does it? Things aren't producing much anymore. You should stock up on long-lasting food, like canned fruit, canned meat, or that new Jun Ration developed back in 2020. It has big portions and provides full nutrition. If that's still not tempting enough, I can even trade from Jin Baba's private stash of top-grade snacks. Just tell me what you want."
Jing Shu scratched her cheek awkwardly, feeling the heat rise to her face. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about the payment. She had made up her mind a long time ago. She just hadn't said it yet because the request felt a bit embarrassing to voice out loud.
Jin Tianci arched a dark brow. Her prolonged silence made him suspicious. If she wasn't reacting to the mention of Jun Rations or Jin Baba's snacks, she probably had some crazy, high-stakes request brewing in her mind.
Finally, she lifted her head, her eyes firm and bright. Whatever happened, she would have to say it sooner or later. She cleared her throat, bracing herself for his reaction. It wasn't as if she weren't being greedy. While Qian Duoduo's list of offers was tempting, Jing Shu wasn't stupid. The apocalypse wouldn't end in a few years. She hadn't need a pile of flashy goods that would eventually run out.
Besides, if people found out she had traded with Jin Tianci for a massive haul of supplies, she would be painting a giant target on her back. Flaunting wealth was a death wish in times like these. She needed to remain low profile.
"Come on, we are all on the same side, right?" Jing Shu said with a small, practiced smile.
Jin Tianci's smile froze for a split second. Whenever someone started a sentence with that line, it was never a good sign for the other party.
"I'm not treating it like the Capital," she said seriously, her tone grounding the room. "The potion that cancels radiation effects—there's still enough left for the rest of the seeds. You can take it as my gift to the government. How about that? Of course, you know how valuable that potion is. You remember exactly what I got in exchange from the Capital last time."
"There, I just gave you something priceless," she thought to herself. "So what I say next shouldn't sound too outrageous, right?"
But instead of smiling at the free gift, Jin Tianci looked even more cautious. His brows furrowed, and his eyes narrowed with intense curiosity. What was Jing Shu up to? Giving away something that valuable was unheard of. That could only mean one thing: the next part of the conversation was going to hurt his budget.
In this world, nothing truly came for free. Anything labeled as "free" just had the real cost hidden somewhere else.
He didn't say yes or no to the gift. Instead, he leaned forward. "Alright, spit it out. What is on your mind? Don't dance around the point."
"Oh come on, you said it yourself, we are all one family here. Wu City is my home city, right? Since it's my home, of course I will contribute what I can. Talking about buying and selling would just make it awkward between us. Besides, food is scarce now, and all supplies should go where they are needed most. I wouldn't dare keep it all for myself. As for Jin Baba's private snack stash, forget it. Last time he intercepted my stuff, I took it back, and the look he gave me afterward was terrifying."
Jin Tianci's expression brightened instantly at her words. He stood up in a burst of excitement, the blanket sliding from his shoulders. "You're too kind, Jing Shu! You should have said so earlier. If you are donating this entire batch of seeds, Wu City won't forget your kindness, and the country will remember your contribution!"
"Not donating," she said quickly, waving her hand to stop him. Those seeds had nearly cost her her life twice.
Jin Tianci almost rolled his eyes. It was rare for him to break his composed character, but he still managed to smile and say, "Alright then, what is your condition? Out with it."
"The potion is free, and the seeds are free for now. But I want thirty percent of whatever is grown from them in the future."
"You might as well rob me! It would be faster!" Jin Tianci almost spat out his tea. He had never seen anyone so shamelessly bold.
"You know I can't rob you," she said calmly, watching his reaction. "Most crops have gone extinct. My seeds are the most complete collection still around. And I'm not even charging you anything if nothing grows, so it's a pretty good deal for the government."
Jin Tianci chugged down the rest of his tea before catching his breath. "You know how bad the soil has gotten lately. Yields are already pathetic. Half of whatever we harvest has to be saved just for replanting. You still want thirty percent? What is left for the people then? I will give you ten percent at most. Be happy you will at least get to taste the new harvest."
"I'm not just good with medicinal herbs; I can farm too. My mother worked in the Agriculture Department, and my whole family knows how to grow things. Even in this apocalypse, our yield is solid. If you let me help guide your planting, I guarantee you will get better results. Three-tenths for near-extinct seeds is a fair price, isn't it?"
"Twenty percent," he countered, his voice firm. "That's the highest I will go. And I will even give you an extra twenty percent of the unplanted seed value as compensation for your trouble."
"Deal," she said immediately, her face breaking into a wide smile. The truth was, she had only been aiming for twenty percent all along. She had just asked for more to leave room for the inevitable haggling. For Wu City, it's still a very good deal.
Jin Tianci gave a helpless laugh, shaking his head. "I never thought I would see the day the government owed someone like you a loan."
They would use Jing Shu's seeds now and repay her later with food once they had harvested. Even during the toughest times, she would have her share of food reserved. And since she wasn't taking immediate supplies, it also eased the government's food shortage without making things harder for her.