Chapter 17: The Elder Brother Who Came Calling

“Uncle, let’s go, I’m hungry!”

The little girl’s call brought Rong Yu’s consciousness back to reality.

He no longer thought about Shen Zhiyu, instead quickly picking up the girl and leaving.

Shen Zhiyu left the police station and returned to the crowded courtyard.

“Damn system, if you don’t give me an explanation today, we’re done!”

Twice in a row, the system sent airdrops, and both times she was assigned to pick up people connected to her. If she didn’t understand what this damn system was up to by now, all those web novels she had read would have been wasted.

[Host, please remain calm!]
[This is a low-probability event!]

The system’s explanation was stiff, even somewhat perfunctory.

Shen Zhiyu understood that for something science couldn’t explain, she wasn’t going to get a reasonable answer, but it still annoyed her.

Joyful airdrop?

You must be a joyless monk!

Damn you!

Shen Zhiyu cursed the system in her heart. Just as she was about to cook, the furniture delivery arrived.

Reluctantly, Shen Zhiyu helped guide everyone to arrange the furniture, gave the delivery men a small tip, and finally saw them off.

Only then did Shen Zhiyu begin preparing the meal.

She needed to finish before dark. While hunger wouldn’t be unbearable, missing a proper meal at night felt like something was missing.

With limited resources, she simply made some flatbreads and fried an egg.

A simple meal, but in this era, it was a bit of a luxury.

Because she used a little extra oil, the fried egg smelled delicious.

People in the yard all knew someone had moved into the west wing of the central courtyard.

Shen Zhiyu didn’t go door to door with sweets or small gifts to introduce herself; she preferred to keep her distance.

“Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors?”

Her previous life had shown her close relatives were useless, so why expect anything from distant ones?

Thinking of so-called family, Shen Zhiyu wrote a letter updating them on her situation, to prevent any misunderstandings—like thinking she was still in Hanjiacun and sending money or tickets that would only benefit certain people.

Of course, even after explaining, she had no intention of going back to see them.

Some things are better left known but untouched.

…

She slept soundly through the night.

Though in a new place and bed, after several days on the train, Shen Zhiyu was genuinely tired.

So she slept straight through until dawn.

Her job was secured, but the factory wasn’t unreasonable enough to demand she report immediately, giving her time to handle personal matters.

Shen Zhiyu still had a few days to arrange her affairs.

First, she went to the post office to mail letters, then to a bookstore to buy a set of high school textbooks. Some things needed preparation; last-minute cramming was not an option.

But the bookstore didn’t have the books she wanted.

She had to go to a secondhand bookstore to find them.

With these books, if she studied well, the college entrance exam was basically in the bag. She might even get into a very good school.

Feeling hopeful, Shen Zhiyu summoned another airdrop.

If this time she was assigned to pick up another person, she vowed never to use this so-called joyful airdrop again. She had neither the mood nor energy to keep rescuing people every now and then.

Fortunately, this time the airdrop was different.

The coordinates pointed to a dazzling golden treasure chest!

People passed by without noticing it.

“System, you’ve got some skill after all!”

[Please continue to trust this system!]

“Heh…”

Trust?

I trust you like I trust a ghost!

The first two airdrops gave people; this one gave a treasure chest that opened inside the system’s space. Shen Zhiyu was genuinely pleased with its contents.

Food and clothing, quite complete.

Though not in large quantities, it would comfortably sustain her for half a month.

One jin of rice, two jin of flour, twenty eggs, a small jar of peanut oil, two slabs of pork belly, two half-grown Sanhuang chickens already dressed, and some fruit.

The clothes were trendy styles for the time—though a bit ugly in Shen Zhiyu’s eyes, still quite good for the era.

And shoes.

Little leather shoes, sandals, slippers—all suitable for the season.

Also included were two pairs of rain boots and two raincoats.

A single treasure chest gave so many things. How could Shen Zhiyu be dissatisfied?

In life, one should be ambitious—this is desire—but not greedy.

Carrying the purchased books back to the courtyard, Shen Zhiyu was surprised to see her predecessor’s eldest brother.

Though she had never met him before, the moment she saw him, she recognized him instantly.

“Xiaoyu, since you’re back, why don’t you come home?”

Shen Zhixing was somewhat angry, feeling this sister had grown distant from them.

Shen Zhiyu laughed bitterly, “What home? Since when did I even have one?”

“Are you still blaming us?”

“Don’t you know we only want what’s best for you?”

“For my own good?”

Shen Zhiyu felt a sudden surge of anger.

Was this the emotion of her predecessor?

She had always thought her predecessor was gone without a trace, but apparently some attachments remained.

“What’s this ‘sent down to the countryside’ business? Don’t tell me you don’t know!”

“Besides, the old Shen Zhiyu is dead. The Shen Zhiyu standing here now is not the same one!”

She used this way to awkwardly announce her arrival.

There was no way to say, “Your sister is gone, and what you see now is someone who jumped into a book world.”

“Xiaoyu, you really disappoint me!”

“If you weren’t so reckless, Mom and Dad wouldn’t have sent you to the countryside. We’re just trying to correct your bad temper!”

“So you abandoned me in the countryside and ignored me?”

“Let me guess: if I write a letter and send some money and tickets, I’m supposed to be grateful to you?”

“…”

Shen Zhixing said nothing, because that was indeed what he thought.

In the countryside, it was impossible to save even a hundred yuan a year, yet they had sent him nearly a thousand yuan in money and tickets over time. By rights, Shen Zhiyu shouldn’t have had to suffer in the countryside.

Why did she sound so resentful?

“Xiaoyu, no matter what, since you’re back, you should go home and see them!”

“Mom and Dad miss you very much!”

“Mom often looks at the whole family’s photos for a whole day. Her hair has even turned white!”

“Hair turns white because of age!”

“Don’t pin all this on me; I can’t carry that burden!”

Shen Zhiyu pushed Shen Zhixing aside with disdain. She was too tired to argue.

Although he was her eldest brother, his attitude—expecting her to be grateful to them—made her barely restrain the urge to strike him.