Chapter 111 - 104: Transaction

Watching them walk away, Zhao Pu couldn’t help but shake his head. "They’re gone."

It was unclear whether he meant the people carrying the stretcher were gone, or the person on the stretcher was gone.

Upstairs, two people were still standing at the door of 202, guarding it like sentries. When they saw them coming up the stairs, their gazes were wary.

Passing the two of them, they arrived at Zhao Pu’s apartment.

Sitting in the living room with his back to them, Zhao Shuhuan shouted, "Dad, I’ve finished boiling the bark. You can go soften the dried stuff in the kitchen later."

"Ahem." Zhao Pu cleared his throat.

Zhao Shuhuan turned around. Upon seeing Qin Ziwen, he quickly called out, "Uncle Qin!"

"I’m only about ten years older than you. Why are you calling me uncle? You’re making me sound old," Qin Ziwen said with a laugh.

Zhao Shuhuan gave an embarrassed smile.

"So you’re boiling tree bark." Qin Ziwen walked over and saw the bark simmering in the pot. The tough, grayish-brown outer layer had been scraped off, leaving only the inner part.

Zhao Shuhuan nodded. "Yeah. We can’t go to the riverside now, so my dad found me a part-time job. You can make hemp rope from this bark, and some types are even edible. It has a lot of uses. There are people specifically buying processed bark."

Qin Ziwen took a look. "What’s the exchange rate?"

"Ten catties of processed, ordinary bark can be traded for two catties of meat. If it’s bark for special purposes, the price is higher. For example, the exchange ratio for willow, cassia, or elm bark is double that."

"So how many catties of bark can you process in a day?"

Zhao Shuhuan thought for a moment. "Two or three catties, I guess. The main problem is that finding the trees takes a lot of time."

Zhao Pu added from the side, "Some of the older kids in the Gated Community don’t have much to do, so this counts as a job for them. It just so happens that someone is collecting this processed bark right now."

Qin Ziwen mused, "I have a job offer. I’m collecting large quantities of vegetable and fruit vines and roots—they need to be intact so they can be planted and transplanted."

"Mr. Qin, what are you offering in trade?"

"Meat."

After some consideration, Zhao Pu said slowly, "Mr. Qin, to be honest, it’s not very cost-effective to trade for mature plants directly."

He secretly glanced at Qin Ziwen’s expression. Seeing no sign of displeasure, he continued, "First, mature plants can bear fruit immediately. As long as you keep them, they’re like hens that lay eggs. It’s like going to a farmer to buy a laying hen—the price is bound to be inflated."

"Second, the mature plants people find are mostly wild specimens. Mr. Qin, you should know that the high yield of many modern fruits and vegetables is built upon generations of selective breeding. Purely wild strains don’t actually produce much, and they don’t taste as good."

"I think it would be better to trade for seeds. Some people might have potatoes that have sprouted, leftover pumpkin seeds, or chili seeds."

"I understand," Qin Ziwen nodded.

’Looks like I’ll have to ask Wei Zhaohua about this after all.’

Zhao Pu said, "Mr. Qin, if you trust me, I can ask around with the other building residents on your behalf and see if I can trade for some suitable seeds. Seeds shouldn’t be too expensive."

"Okay, then I’ll have to trouble you, Dr. Zhao."

After leaving Zhao Pu’s apartment, Qin Ziwen went downstairs to Wei Zhaohua’s place and brought up the idea of buying seeds.

Wei Zhaohua said, "I don’t have many at home. I’ve already planted most of what I had, and I gave you the rest last time."

Qin Ziwen asked, "Then if I were to buy seeds from other families, what do you think would be a fair price?"

Wei Zhaohua gave him a deep look. "You must have a structure in your home that accelerates crop growth, don’t you?"

Qin Ziwen didn’t answer.

Wei Zhaohua continued on his own, "A single seed takes several months at minimum to root, sprout, flower, and bear fruit. All that time, you have to water it and take care of it. Farming really isn’t profitable. Throughout history, how many farmers have ever gotten rich? They work themselves to death just to barely have enough to eat."

"The seeds I gave you last time should have been enough if you were just planting them at home. The fact that you want more means you have a special place for planting." Finally, Wei Zhaohua deliberately added, "I may not have the highest EQ sometimes, but my IQ isn’t low."

Wei Zhaohua’s gaze was scorching as he stared at Qin Ziwen, as if waiting for an answer.

Qin Ziwen grunted in acknowledgment. "I do have a structure at home that accelerates crop growth."

Wei Zhaohua smiled, relieved. "No wonder you came to me for seeds."

He took a couple of steps, grabbed Qin Ziwen’s arm, and pointed to the fifth floor of Building Eight. "That’s your place, right?"

Following the direction he was pointing, Qin Ziwen saw his own apartment.

The windows and balcony were all gone, leaving only a bare wall. It was particularly conspicuous among the other buildings.

"I joined a gathering team yesterday," Wei Zhaohua said seriously. "I heard some of them talking. They said your family must be pretty well-off. You must have used some kind of Card to hide even your windows. They didn’t say anything else outright, but I’m sure they’re having thoughts. You need to be careful."

Qin Ziwen turned to look at the serious, bespectacled man. "I understand, Brother Wei."

Wei Zhaohua hesitated for a moment. "You’re closer with Dr. Zhao. Could you ask him for me if he has any way to get Honeysuckle or licorice? My father-in-law has had a bad cough lately, and I can’t find those herbs in the Gated Community."

Qin Ziwen said directly, "I happened to gather some earlier. I’ll bring them to you in a bit."

Wei Zhaohua was grateful. "Thanks. As for the seeds, you shouldn’t be the one to ask. I’ll think of a way to trade for some for you."

"Okay, I’ll have to trouble you then, Brother Wei. I’ll provide the supplies for the trade myself."

Wei Zhaohua shook his head. "No, no, it’s fine. Seeds aren’t really worth much right now. The main issue is that they take too long to grow."

With that, he patted his chest. "Just leave it to me."

After bidding farewell, Qin Ziwen returned home. He first took out some Honeysuckle, dandelion, and licorice from the pharmacy. The preservation effect of the pharmacy was truly impressive; after several days, the herbs were still fresh, looking as if they had just been picked a day or two ago.

He put the herbs in a bag, then went downstairs and gave them to Wei Zhaohua.

After receiving the herbs, Wei Zhaohua thanked him profusely again.

Back home, after closing the door, Qin Ziwen’s gaze hardened.

’My apartment’s exterior is a bit too conspicuous.’

All the other neighbors had windows, but both sides of his apartment had their windows completely concealed by the Expansion Card. While this was certainly safe, it also made his home stand out among the rest.

’But what’s done is done. I can’t just throw the baby out with the bathwater.’

Locking the door, Qin Ziwen lay down on his bed.

He had been busy since yesterday and hadn’t rested at all.

As he closed his eyes, his body automatically entered a dormant state. The Beaked Eagle came over, tiptoeing into its nest. As its body grew larger, the originally-sized nest had become a bit small. It adjusted its posture and slowly settled down. Suddenly, as if sensing something, it whipped its head around, its sharp gaze fixed on the area outside the door.

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