Chapter 32: The Kind-Hearted Toy Stand Lady

“Thank you, big sister!” Du Yun watched the toy stall owner’s movements and instantly understood in her heart—she was probably being watched.

Having survived the bloody and brutal world of zombies, Du Yun’s tolerance had greatly increased in this peaceful world. She knew that even if someone really was keeping an eye on her, it was only for the small profits she made—just a few coins, nothing that would cause lasting harm, let alone threaten her life.

Her heart only panicked for a brief moment, but soon settled again. Still, it’s said you need not fear the thief stealing, only the thief coveting; even if she wasn’t afraid, she couldn't afford to underestimate danger. Smiling, Du Yun thanked the toy stall lady and exchanged a few pleasantries. While she bent down to tidy the snacks in her small basket, she issued a command to Douzhi.

“Douzhi, scan the area and see if anyone nearby intends to harm me.”

“No problem,” Douzhi’s voice sounded, and in an instant, Du Yun’s mind was flooded with an image. It showed a corner of the market, where two scrawny, shifty-eyed men stood and squatted, looking greedily in her direction.

“So someone’s envious of my good business and wants a share,” Du Yun glanced at her small basket, a cold smile curling at her lips. She had traversed the world of zombies and returned—her strength wasn’t exceptional, but taking advantage of her was no easy feat.

“Master, should I teach them a lesson? I can help!” Douzhi’s excited voice echoed in Du Yun’s mind. In the zombie world, when they encountered a horde, Douzhi had gone completely silent for reasons unknown. Now back in the normal world, Douzhi was constantly eager to prove himself, as if this could restore his dignity.

“Let’s sell the rest of the snacks first. Judging by their looks, they’re nothing special. If they’re foolish enough to provoke me, they’ll regret it,” Du Yun replied with a smile. Perhaps her brush with death and bloodshed had given her a sense of detachment when dealing with such petty matters.

“You keep an eye on them. Alert me if anything happens!” Du Yun finished arranging the snacks in her basket, saw she had about a dozen left, and decided to sell them all before spending some of her earnings on flour and sugar—better to use up some of her money.

This was Du Yun’s way of saving herself trouble and giving those little thieves a chance. If she spent the money and they saw no profit, they might give up. If those foolish thieves kept following and making trouble, Du Yun would show them no mercy and teach them a lesson directly.

With prior experience, Du Yun wasn’t shy about calling out to sell her snacks loudly. With the toy stall lady recommending her treats, the last dozen were sold out within just over an hour.

She hadn’t made a huge amount, but neither was it insignificant—she’d brought several dozen pieces, and though there were some buy-four-get-two-free deals, most sold at the regular price of ten cents each. Counting it all, she had more than four yuan in hand.

For wealthy families, four yuan was nothing. But for Du Yun, who’d only had three yuan and eighty cents to her name, it was a doubling of her assets.

She counted her money secretly, feeling a surge of happiness. In total, she’d sold five yuan and eighty cents worth. Du Yun planned to keep half as capital and use the other half to improve her situation. She took out two yuan and fifty cents, storing it away in her compartment, while holding the rest in her hand, thinking of the tasty food she could buy with it and feeling delighted.

“Big sister, it’s rare for me to come to town, so I’m off to buy some oil and salt before heading home. Next time there’s a market and I have snacks, I’ll come sell them at your stall again!” Du Yun bid farewell with a smile, carrying her small basket toward the meat stall.

Meat, sweet meat—on her way to the meat stall, Du Yun’s heart was pounding with excitement. She wished she could immediately buy a large piece, take it home, stew it, and satisfy her craving.

In 3016, Du Yun’s main food was nutrient packs. She’d only eaten meat and vegetables a handful of times, as environmental degradation made fresh rice, vegetables, and fruit rare, let alone meat.

In the original Du Yun’s memories, her family’s poverty meant meat was even scarcer. The most recent meal—carp stewed with tofu—had been prepared by the children themselves. The most memorable meat for Du Yun, however, was the stewed cured pork she’d eaten in a small village in the zombie world. That rich aroma always reminded her of the cold, distant man known as Boss, and of that chilly, water-like night.

“Oh, why am I thinking about him?” Du Yun hurriedly shook her head, patted her flushed cheeks, and rushed to the front of the meat stall.

She had it all planned out—there were still more than three yuan in her hand. She’d spend half on a large piece of meat, then buy a packet of sugar and a bag of glutinous rice flour. If there was any money left, she’d buy some sweets.

Arriving at the meat stall, it was already close to noon. Most of the meat on the chopping board had been sold, and only lean cuts remained, which others didn’t like, but suited Du Yun’s taste. She picked out a large piece of pure lean meat and a piece of pork belly, spending one yuan and fifty cents. Because she bought a lot and chose the less popular lean meat, the stall owner generously gave her two big bones for free.

Just then, Du Yun smelled a delicious aroma. Looking in its direction, she saw a large steamer full of plump, white meat buns, soft and fragrant, as if waving her over.

Having eaten nothing since morning and now nearly noon, Du Yun couldn’t resist the meat buns any longer. She bought two large ones for thirty cents and held them in her hands.

With a heavy piece of meat in her basket and two enormous meat buns in her hands, Du Yun felt as if she were floating on a cloud, utterly content. She was about to buy sugar and flour when a sudden feeling of weightlessness struck.

“Master, master, get ready! You’re about to cross over! Ten minutes left!” Douzhi’s voice sounded in her mind, and Du Yun’s mood plummeted.

“What? Crossing over now?” Du Yun exclaimed in surprise. She’d only just returned a few days ago, and now she was about to be transported again?

No, no, that wasn’t the key issue. Right now, the market was packed with people—ten minutes wasn’t enough to escape the crowd. If she vanished in front of everyone, that would be disastrous.

Du Yun rushed forward in panic. Unbeknownst to her, two shadows behind her also sped up. Just as she managed to find a secluded corner within ten minutes, those two petty thieves who had been tailing her caught up, blocking her escape route.