After two seconds of silence, the aunt glanced at the candy stuffed in her uniform pocket before questioning Su Yun, "Didn't you say you were only looking for old newspapers? Why did you gather this pile of scrap metal and junk—even that broken cabinet?"
"That won't do. Put it back immediately. We have rules here. You can't take even a single needle or thread that belongs to the state!"
Su Yun quickly put down everything she was holding. Smiling shyly, she apologized sincerely, "Auntie, this is my fault. While I was looking for old newspapers, I saw that these scraps were quite dry, so I couldn't help thinking of taking them home to use as firewood."
As she spoke, she smoothly took out her last fifty cents of pocket money along with the remaining candies and slipped them into the aunt's pocket again. Then she looked at her timidly, full of nervous anticipation.
The aunt squeezed the now bulging pocket stuffed with candy and money. Thinking of her grandchildren at her son's house, she finally relented.
She glanced at the pile of junk at Su Yun's feet and said solemnly, "These things just take up space at the recycling station. If you take them home as firewood, it can be considered a contribution to the country. Fine—take them all!"
With her approval, Su Yun was instantly relieved.
This pile of "junk," worth more than 800 yuan altogether, now belonged to her. She had instantly become someone with hundreds of yuan to her name!
After her brief excitement, Su Yun recalled the earlier conversation between the aunt and the unknown woman and cautiously asked, "Auntie, I accidentally overheard your conversation just now. It sounded like you're planning to transfer your job at the recycling station?"
The aunt paused her knitting and looked at Su Yun with a half-smile. "What? Are you interested in this job too?"
She examined Su Yun more closely. "That makes sense. At your age, you're probably within the group being sent down to the countryside this time. Since you heard what we said, you should know—this job is a fixed price: 500 yuan!"
Five hundred yuan was indeed an astronomical sum. If Su Yun had heard that yesterday, she would have been stunned and left immediately.
But today's Su Yun was no longer yesterday's Su Yun—she was Su Yun with hundreds of yuan!
Suppressing her excitement, she asked tentatively, "Auntie, do you only transfer the job to relatives?"
The aunt snorted. "You really think that woman just now is my relative? She calls me cousin aunt, but we're practically strangers. Our ancestors aren't even the same!"
"She can't afford the money and doesn't want her son sent to the countryside, so she came here trying to claim family ties. I can't be bothered with her."
"I've worked at this recycling station for many years. If my son hadn't been assigned to work out of town and my daughter-in-law hadn't just given me a big, healthy grandson, I would never consider transferring this job."
"Little girl, you seem quite sensible. If you want this job and can afford the money, I'll transfer it to you. How about it?"
Su Yun was nearly overjoyed. She immediately replied, "Auntie, since you've said that, I'll take you at your word. Please give me one day. Tomorrow morning, I'll bring you the money!"
The aunt responded decisively, "Fine. As long as you bring the money, I'll go straight to the neighborhood office and apply for early retirement to transfer the job to you."
After making the arrangement, Su Yun carried the pile of junk out, practically walking on air.
When she reached a deserted corner, she quickly sold the pile to the system. In a matter of moments, eighty-three crisp ten-yuan bills appeared in her hands.
Holding so much cash, Su Yun felt it was too conspicuous to keep anywhere on her body. Just as she was worrying about it, she suddenly thought of the system.
She tried asking, "Treasure-Hunting System, can I deposit this money back into your balance?"
She hadn't expected a response, but a light screen appeared. The bills in her hands disappeared, and the screen displayed a system balance of 830 yuan.
Immediately afterward, another notification sounded in her ear—
"Ding! Treasure-Hunting System balance exceeds 100 yuan. Purchase conditions met. System Supermarket activated!"
The light screen instantly transformed. It now resembled a modern shopping app, filled with an array of goods.
At a glance, Su Yun saw rice, flour, corn, eggs, various poultry and meats, different vegetables, candies and pastries, and even a final row of fruits.
The prices were clearly marked below each item.
Rice and flour were 0.6 yuan per jin; corn was 0.3 yuan per jin; eggs were 0.05 yuan each; brown sugar was 0.8 yuan per jin; fatty pork was 0.8 yuan per jin; a chicken cost 3 yuan… As for fruits, apples and oranges were 0.2 yuan each; bananas were 0.1 yuan each; pineapples were 0.5 yuan; sugarcane was 1 yuan per stalk.
These prices were basically in line with current market rates.
Even though Su Yun had already accepted the existence of the treasure-hunting system, she was still stunned.
After a while, she regained her composure. Her first reaction was to quickly check her surroundings to make sure no one was nearby. Then she tapped on the apple option and spent 0.2 yuan to buy one.
Instantly, a large, bright red apple appeared in her hand. The system balance showed 829.8 yuan remaining.
Su Yun was thrilled. The system supermarket didn't require ration coupons—she could simply pay with money. It was just like a supermarket in the future!
Overwhelmed with excitement, she inhaled the fragrance of the apple and couldn't resist taking a bite. It was sweet and crisp—more delicious than any apple she had ever eaten.
After finishing it in just a few bites, Su Yun finally calmed herself down and left the alley with a carefree swagger.
It was only around ten-thirty in the morning. As she walked along the bustling street, she felt light and unburdened.
In her previous life, at this time, she had been worried sick about being sent to the countryside and had no mood for strolling. Not long after, a theft scandal had occurred at the warehouse her father, Su Wenshan, managed. To clear his name, Su Yun and her mother, Chen Xiue, had run around everywhere seeking help, exhausted day after day.
Just when they had nearly run out of options, the deputy factory director Jiang had stepped in to help their family.
To repay his kindness, Su Yun had married Jiang Guangzong, beginning half a lifetime of suffering.
Strictly speaking, she had not enjoyed such a leisurely stroll in over twenty years.
As she passed a pork shop, she noticed a long line outside. She glanced at the queue casually—and saw someone she least wanted to see again.
Her former mother-in-law.
Jiang Guangzong's mother.
The woman who scolded her constantly, tormented her at every meal, and made her life miserable for over twenty years.
Just the sight of her sharp, mean face sent chills down Su Yun's spine.
Two decades of unhappy marriage flashed through her mind like a slideshow.
In her previous life, she had repaid the Jiang family with her life. Their debts were settled.
At that moment, Jiang's mother stood near the front of the line, turned sideways in Su Yun's direction, chatting with the woman ahead of her.