Chapter 11: From Now On, We’re Even!

Jing Shu sneaked into the bathroom, secretly delighted as she listened to Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing argue. Meanwhile, she turned on the tap, filling her 8-cubic-meter space with water. She also ticked off the seafood from her phone’s checklist, marking down the quantities. In her past life, to scrape together money, Mr. Jing also pressed Uncle Sun for repayment. Uncle Sun always agreed readily, but when approached for the money, he either disappeared or claimed financial difficulties. Eventually, when the required amount had been raised another way, Uncle Sun’s debt was left unresolved. In Jing Shu’s view, things hadn’t reached that desperate point for her family yet. However, today she wanted Mr. Jing to experience firsthand what it felt like when Uncle Sun would rather spend 100,000 yuan—life-saving money—on wining, dining, and amusement than repay his debt. Jing Shu intended to make Baozi’s father face reality: You consider him a brother, but he treats you like an ATM. Having filled the space with water, Jing Shu planted lotus root and water plants in the soil. She added various aquatic organisms like seaweed, as supplied by the vendor, along with a drop of Spiritual Spring water and some fish fry and insects. She hoped to cultivate a batch of lobsters and crabs before the villa’s pond excavation was completed. She also collected more than 60 chicken eggs, and more than 40 each of quail eggs and duck eggs. There was still no sign of life from the incubated eggs. After inspecting the fields, which now had many green leaves sprouting, Jing Shu exited the Magic Cube Space, satisfied and ready for lunch. Mrs. Jing’s black pepper beef pasta had stuck to the pot. Nobody dared to complain while Mrs. Jing was fuming, so the three of them silently finished the dark culinary creation, occasionally picking out burnt, unidentifiable objects from between their teeth. Under Mrs. Jing’s domineering pressure, Mr. Jing made three consecutive phone calls. He finally got through to Uncle Sun, who apologized profusely, almost to the point of kneeling. Uncle Sun claimed he had the money ready but had to use it for an emergency, promising to transfer the funds in a couple of days. "See? He had an emergency. He’ll definitely return it in a couple of days," Mr. Jing finally said, his confidence restored. Jing Shu opened her social media and exposed him on the spot. "Dad, isn’t this Uncle Sun and his wife? She posted on her feed that they’re having a great time in Dubai, thanking her husband for the one-carat diamond ring he gave her." Mrs. Jing leaned over to take a look and snorted coldly. "Such an ’urgent matter.’ Turns out it was buying a diamond ring." The moment Mr. Jing looked at the phone, he was both embarrassed and furious, especially by Old Sun’s smile, which was clearly mocking him. "Dad, never mind. I won’t become an internet celebrity. Our family can’t scrape together enough money, so I’ll just find some random job tomorrow..." Jing Shu began. SMACK! Mr. Jing slapped his thigh fiercely. "I’ll definitely get the money for you! I’ve already found a good construction team. You’ll start renovating the villa with them tomorrow. As for Old Sun’s debt, I’ll figure out a way to get it back." Mr. Jing clenched his teeth. My daughter’s future is more important than my own life. Old Sun, I misjudged you! Just then, Mrs. Jing’s phone rang. It was Sun Meimei. Upon learning that Mrs. Jing was short by 100,000 yuan, Sun Meimei begged to buy their car cheaply, saying she could pay immediately. Jing Shu knew trouble was brewing. It seemed Uncle Sun and Su Meimei were already in cahoots. Otherwise, how could Su Meimei call right after they’d just discussed lacking money? Jing Shu refused to believe there wasn’t some scheme afoot. If only she had proof, she would expose this despicable pair. "Little Sister, you know the car’s condition: it cost 290,000 yuan new, it’s three years old with only 8,000 kilometers, no scratches, no accidents. Selling it for 200,000 yuan would be fair. But since I urgently need money, I’ll give you a discount and sell it for 160,000 yuan," Mrs. Jing said. "Big Sis, my dear sister, I really don’t have that much money, only 100,000 yuan! Isn’t that exactly what you’re short? Why not just drop the price a little more? When Jing Shu makes money, she’ll buy you a big BMW!" Jing Shu was aghast upon hearing this. Is this woman haggling like she’s at a vegetable market, trying to cut the price in half right off the bat? She’s truly shameless. Su Meimei stopped considering us family even before the apocalypse. "Mom, the villa still needs renovation, and that will cost at least tens of thousands. Maybe it’s better to sell Dad’s car first? Aunt Su Meimei doesn’t have enough money anyway," Jing Shu quickly interjected, desperately hoping they wouldn’t sell the car to the shameless Su Meimei. Mrs. Jing also stated that 100,000 yuan was too little. Her main issue was the urgent need for cash; she was at her wit’s end. Otherwise, why would she even consider selling the car? Next, Jing Shu witnessed the true extent of Su Meimei’s shamelessness: she actually started crying! "When my elder brother got married, he had our parents’ support! When you, my sister, got married, both our parents and my elder brother contributed to your dowry! But when I got married, our parents had passed away, and the inheritance was left to my brother! I got nothing!" "Heaven is so unfair! I’m asking my own sister for something, and I still have to buy it! Sister, are you just going to leave me to fend for myself, not caring if I live or die?" Mrs. Jing’s veins throbbed with anger, and her heart slowly grew cold. She had never realized that after all she had done, this was how her younger sister perceived her. "The car is yours. Consider it compensation for the dowry from our parents. Since they’ve passed, let’s just part on good terms," Mrs. Jing said, heartbroken. "Really? You’re giving it to me?" Su Meimei asked, hardly believing it. She knew Mrs. Jing was angry, but wouldn’t her kind-hearted sister come around after a few days of cajoling? "Mm," Mrs. Jing replied. She had been heartbroken before; now, she was profoundly disappointed. Hearing the emotionless response, Su Meimei realized she might have gone too far and quickly tried to salvage the situation. "How could I let my own sister suffer a loss? I’ll add my private savings. Let’s say 120,000 yuan for the car." "Okay." Mrs. Jing closed her eyes. Consider it a supplement to Su Meimei’s dowry. After this, we owe each other nothing! Su Meimei, completely absorbed in her excitement, paid no attention to Mrs. Jing’s state and immediately urged her to handle the ownership transfer. Simultaneously, she transferred the money to Jing Shu with surprising speed. Su Meimei couldn’t imagine that the car she was acquiring through such relentless haggling, offending her own sister in the process, was destined for her lover’s Xiao San. She had no inkling that Zhang Zhongyong would concoct an excuse to give it to his Xiao San before Su Meimei even possessed it for a full day. The thought of her seeing that Xiao San driving her car a few months later, so enraged she’d spit blood, was beyond her current comprehension. "Then let’s go handle the transfer documents. Jing Shu, you take the money and go sign the contracts," Mr. Jing said, his expression also grim as he tried to comfort the pained Mrs. Jing. The car was sold cheaply, true, but had Mom’s heart grown completely cold towards Su Meimei by now? Jing Shu wondered. 120,000 yuan for life-saving supplies, versus a BMW that would be worthless in a few months. Who was really getting the short end of the stick? It wasn’t clear yet. For the first time, Jing Shu’s funds reached a staggering 817,000 yuan. Finally, she could go on a real shopping spree! Since the Magic Cube Space couldn’t store too many supplies yet, containers were the first priority—things like large commercial-grade freezers. Some supplies could be stored in the villa for now, to be moved into the Magic Cube Space once it was upgraded. A lot of appliances also needed to be bought; they could be installed when the construction team arrived. For instance, central air conditioning had to be installed in advance; otherwise, the heat during the first year of the apocalypse would be deadly. Although the villa’s basic renovation was complete, in Jing Shu’s view, it was far from adequate for surviving the apocalypse. She had to transform the villa into a veritable fortress, completely overhauling it! Time was pressing. Jing Shu took a taxi to Suning and spoke directly to Manager Wang. The middle-aged customer manager informed her that the Double Eleven shopping event had already started. He mentioned a price protection policy offering tenfold refunds for overpriced items and numerous promotional giveaways. Jing Shu didn’t waste time. She immediately ordered the most powerful 1-to-10 central air conditioning unit, one that could guarantee every room in her house would be as warm as spring, even if it was as hot as an oven outside during the first year of the apocalypse. It cost her 50,000 yuan. She also purchased six 1,000-liter large-capacity commercial freezers for 12,000 yuan.