Volume One, Chapter 19: Truly Believing We Can't Manage Without Her

Page 1/3

In front of the Wu family villa.

“Miss Wu, please have mercy on us! We don’t ask for much, just five hundred—no, two hundred United Coins will do!”

The middle-aged man looked at Wu Yinxue with pleading eyes, his calculation obvious and unhidden.

Seeing Wu Yumian’s expression remain stern and silent, he glanced around, then pulled the frail, disheveled old man with graying hair behind him to kneel down, letting out a loud wail.

“Miss Wu, you’ve helped so many people, even forgiven your spiteful adopted sister; why won’t you help us?”

“Dad, let’s quickly kowtow to Miss Wu; if we don’t get money soon, we’ll starve to death!”

“Dad, please hold on, don’t faint outside the Wu family’s door!”

No sooner had the middle-aged man finished speaking than the old man’s eyes rolled back and his body went limp, nearly collapsing onto the man.

In Wu Yumian’s peripheral vision, neighbors on both sides began to peek out in twos and threes.

Her lips twitched, and she took a deep breath. “I’ll give you some.”

The middle-aged man immediately pulled out his ID card, and Wu Yumian gritted her teeth as she transferred two hundred United Coins to him.

After sending the father and son away, Li Ping, the wife of Commander Jiang next door, approached and praised, “Yumian, you’re really kind-hearted. There aren’t many good girls like you nowadays!”

On the other side, Meng Xuan, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Officer Meng, also came over. “Sister Yumian, you’re so good! I’ve never seen anyone as kind-hearted and beautiful as you!”

The heaviness in Wu Yumian’s heart eased somewhat. Though she lost money, at least she earned a good reputation.

Rou Rou spoke softly, “Aunt Li, Xuan Xuan, don’t say that. I just did what was within my ability. No one wants to beg others; these people must be at their wits’ end. I couldn’t just stand by and watch them die.”

“Otherwise, I’d be no different from my sister.”

“Sister Yumian, I want to learn from you too!” Meng Xuan said with admiration in her eyes.

Li Ping clasped her hand, eyes full of kindness. “When I go back, I’ll tell my husband, Old Jiang, that we’ll do good deeds together from now on!”

Meng Xuan nodded eagerly. “And take me with you!”

Li Ping shook her head and sighed, “I’ve always felt guilty inside. We have no worries about food or drink, yet there are people outside who can’t even eat. Thinking about that father and son’s miserable state just now... it pains me.”

Meng Xuan pursed her lips and nodded. “Me too.”

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Why don’t we all go to the lower district for charity tomorrow?”

Wu Yumian looked at the two in disbelief.

The lower district?

Doing charity in the apocalypse—who on earth is crazy enough to suggest that?!

If she was trying to build a persona, could these two actually be that foolish?

Before Wu Yumian could refuse, Li Ping and Meng Xuan happily set the time and reminded her to meet them early the next morning before heading home.

Wu Yumian: “...”

Suddenly, she felt utterly exhausted.

Once home, she slammed the door shut and kicked it fiercely.

She clenched her jaw tightly, a chilling fierceness appearing on her downcast face.

Page 2/3

Since returning from the appraisal hall yesterday, her reputation as a saintly “living Bodhisattva” had spread.

The Wu family lived in the upper district, where residents were either wealthy or powerful.

Though there were patrols between the upper and middle districts, some always managed to slip in.

From yesterday until now, the pair just now were already the sixth group of people Wu Yumian had generously given money to!

She had handed out two hundred United Coins to each.

Those who made it this far were mostly skilled con artists. At the slightest sign of impatience or refusal from Wu Yumian, they would burst into tears or start shouting curses, accusing her of hypocrisy and pretending.

Wu Yumian knew well that the reason she was loved by the Wu family and others—and why she could overshadow Wu Xingxue—was because of her gentle, kind, and innocent nature.

Not wanting to ruin her image, she had to keep playing the role.

Thinking about those two sheltered fools next door wanting to drag her to the lower district for charity made her heart bleed.

“It’s all that despicable Wu Xingxue’s fault! How is she so lucky? Her power core shattered and she’s still alive! Despicable, despicable, despicable!” Wu Yumian cursed quietly, as if venting anger could soothe her.

At that moment, the door moved.

Someone was opening it.

Wu Xingxue jumped in fright, just as she had composed herself, the door swung open.

“Yumian, what are you doing standing there?” Shen Chi asked, puzzled.

Wu Yumian tidied her hair. “Cousin, you’re back. I was just about to go out for some fresh air.”

Seeing Shen Chi’s gloomy mood and reddened eyes, she asked with concern, “Cousin, what’s wrong with your eyes? Are you hurt? Sit down, I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Shen Chi sat on the sofa, watching Wu Yumian bustling about, feeling comforted.

Thinking of someone else, resentment welled up in his eyes.

Wu Yumian sat beside Shen Chi. “Cousin, what happened?”

Shen Chi, still upset, recounted the events at the appraisal center.

Wu Yumian’s eyes widened. “Where did she get so many alien plants?!”

Realizing she might have overreacted, she quickly composed herself. “No, I just care about my sister.”

She had regarded yesterday’s beauty fruit as an accident. How was it possible she was opening a shop today?!

Being thrown out of the Wu family as a waste, yet she was thriving, even acquiring alien plants and planning to open a shop.

All the good fortune fell on her!

Wu Xingxue’s situation was improving, while she was being robbed and extorted by a gang of lowlifes.

It was unfair!

Shen Chi confided in Wu Yumian, “I originally thought she would send some hemostatic herbs to our team, so we could save money on medicine for this mission, but she turned out to be so stingy.”

“Not only did she refuse to give the alien plants, she even poked me in the eye!”

“I should have broken her hand!” Shen Chi slammed the sofa in anger.

Wu Yumian, pondering the source of Wu Xingxue’s alien plants, hinted, “Maybe you should try to coax Sister. After all, your mission is important. Sister’s cold on the surface, but she wouldn’t be so unreasonable.”

Shen Chi had already tried.

But Wu Xingxue was stubborn, and under his interference, everyone lost interest in her herbs. She simply turned and left, casting him a cold, disdainful, contemptuous look.

That look still made Shen Chi uncomfortable when he thought about it.

His mood darkened. “I’m not going to coax her! Does she deserve it? She can give if she wants, but her shop won’t last long. She’ll soon have to come crawling back to us.”

Wu Yumian was about to say more, but Shen Chi, irritated, scratched his head. “Enough about her. Talking about her just annoys me.”

Wu Yumian shut her mouth. Shen Chi was unusually irritable today—Wu Xingxue must have really gotten under his skin.

She cursed Wu Xingxue silently for being so foolish—what good was it to antagonize Shen Chi completely?

Given Wu Xingxue’s loyalty and feelings toward the Wu family, she wouldn’t abandon them. In the end, she’d have to come back.

And now, Shen Chi was this angry. Let’s see what she would do when she returned!

Wu Yumian thought with malicious glee.

Seeing this was a good chance to win Shen Chi over, she softened her tone.

“Cousin, tomorrow is your team’s grading mission. With your ability, there’s no problem.”

Shen Chi raised an eyebrow. “Of course!”

“Wu Xingxue always believed that it was thanks to her that our team made it this far safely. Well, I want to show her that without her, our team can still reach Grade A!”

“You really think we can’t manage without her?”

Wu Yumian nodded in agreement. “Sister is too arrogant. Previously, you invited her just as a precaution, but everyone outside credited her with all the credit, which was unfair to you.”

Shen Chi narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly. “Meng Wei actually dared to oppose me. Once I get promoted to Grade A, I’ll see how arrogant he can be!”

“But—” Shen Chi hesitated.

Wu Yumian asked sympathetically, “What’s wrong, Cousin?”

“To be honest, Meng Wei’s team isn’t much weaker than ours. Plus, Grade A missions always have healers assisting, making it even harder to pull ahead.”

This was Shen Chi’s uncertainty.

Though confident in his own strength, the grading mission involved everyone, so he couldn’t help but feel some anxiety.

Wu Yumian smiled slightly. “Cousin, I have a plan that will definitely help your two teams pull ahead.”

Shen Chi’s eyes brightened. “What plan? If it works, all the mission commission goes to you as a reward!”