Chapter 4 You guys are stealing a girl's things
After returning to the rescue station, Su Nian dragged his heavy steps, holding tightly in his hands the "treasures" he had picked up after a hard day's work, and came to the slightly shabby scrap stall next to the rescue station. The owner of the scrap stall was a middle-aged man, of medium build, slightly fat, with deep wrinkles on his face left by the years, and he looked a little honest.
Su Nian carefully took out everything in her bag and placed them in front of the boss. Those items looked particularly old and shabby in the sun, including the box that she had originally expected to be very expensive.
"Boss, do you think these are worth much?" Su Nian's voice was filled with a hint of nervousness and anticipation that was hard to conceal. Her clear eyes were fixed on the boss's movements, as if these items were her last hope.
The boss took the items slowly and examined them carefully with his eyes narrowed. His rough fingers gently stroked each item, as if he was feeling the stories behind them.
"Girl, these things of yours are not worth much. This piece of metal is too broken, with rust and wear everywhere, and there is almost no usable part. This crystal also has many cracks, and its energy has been almost completely lost. And this bracelet is too badly damaged, with many parts missing." The boss said while shaking his head helplessly, and every movement and expression revealed his regret for the value of these items.
Su Nian's heart suddenly sank, as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss, and her eyes revealed a hint of disappointment that was difficult to conceal. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know where to start.
"But I won't lie to you. Honesty is what matters in business. I'll give you a total of 20 credit points." The boss's voice broke the brief silence. He raised his head with a hint of firmness and kindness in his eyes.
Su Nian looked up in surprise, with a glimmer of surprise in her eyes. She originally thought that it would be good to have ten credit points, and this unexpected gain ignited a glimmer of hope in her heart.
"Boss, you are such a good person, thank you so much!" Su Nian's voice was full of gratitude, and a bright smile bloomed on her face, like a ray of sunshine in the darkness.
The boss smiled, revealing a row of crooked teeth: "It's not easy for the little girl outside, I will help as much as I can." His eyes were full of sympathy and understanding.
Su Nian took the hard-earned 20 credit points and went to the distribution point of the aid station to receive a free nutrient solution. She looked at the light green liquid, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She frowned, closed her eyes, and drank the nutrient solution in one breath. The taste instantly spread in her mouth, just like bitter melon juice, bitter and astringent, making it difficult to swallow.
For Su Nian, the nutrient solution provided free of charge by the rescue station is really unpalatable. It tastes like bitter melon juice, bitter and astringent, making people's taste buds feel like they have suffered a torture. Every mouthful is full of bitterness and unbearable odor, sliding down the throat with difficulty. But in this difficult environment, in order to survive, she has to endure this unpalatable taste. Because a bottle of nutrient solution can provide the basic energy needed to sustain life for a day, so that she will not starve to death. For people who have been in poverty and survival difficulties for a long time, taste is not the primary consideration. Being able to fill their stomachs and maintain their lives is the most important thing.
At this time, a staff member of the rescue station came over and handed Su Nian a second-hand electronic information watch. The outer shell of the watch was worn out and there were many scratches on the screen. It was obvious that it had been sold many times.
"Little girl, this is for you to use for collecting payments." The staff member's voice was gentle and kind.
Su Nian took the electronic watch, his eyes full of gratitude: "Thank you, thank you!"
At night, Su Nian lay in bed, her stomach still growling with hunger. The moonlight shone through the narrow window onto her tired face, reflecting her inner anxiety and helplessness. She thought about her experience during the day and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
The next day, Su Nian was ready to go out and pick up trash again. As soon as the sky turned pale, she had already set foot on the unknown road. The breeze gently brushed her cheeks, bringing a hint of coolness.
On the way, she met the owner of the scrap stall, who was pushing his cart full of scraps, walking step by step with difficulty.
"Girl, you must pick up more good things today." The boss raised his head, a warm smile on his face, sweat running down his forehead, sparkling in the sun.
"Well, thank you boss, I will try my best." Su Nian responded, her eyes full of firmness and determination.
"By the way, girl, I heard that a group of interstellar exploration teams will be coming here recently. They may leave some valuable things behind. You can keep an eye out for it." The boss kindly reminded her, with anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
Su Nian's eyes lit up, as if she saw the dawn of hope: "Really? That's great!"
On this day, Su Nian searched the garbage dump with hope, not leaving any corner untouched. Her hands kept turning over the garbage, and her clothes were soaked with sweat. However, until dark, she did not find anything special. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her, casting a long shadow, making her look lonely and persistent.
Back at the rescue station, Su Nian was exhausted. Her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and every step she took required great effort. Just as she was about to rest, she suddenly heard a noise coming from outside.
She went out curiously to see that several men were fighting over a little food. Their faces were full of anger and despair, and their fists were waving in the air, as if they wanted to vent all their dissatisfaction.
"When will this day end?" Su Nian sighed, shook his head helplessly, and turned back to the room.
On the third day, Su Nian went out early again. The morning star was still twinkling in the sky, and she had already arrived at the garbage dump. This time, she found a device similar to an optical computer in a remote corner. Although it was a little damaged, it looked better than anything she had picked up before.
She excitedly took the device back to the scrap stall, her heart beating like a drum.
"Boss, how much do you think this is worth?" Su Nian asked expectantly, her eyes full of desire.
The boss took the device, checked it carefully, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
"Girl, this will give you fifty credit points," said the boss.
Su Nian was very happy, this was a considerable income for her. She seemed to see hope that her life would gradually get better.
However, just when she thought her life was getting better, a sudden crisis came. A group of robbers heard that Su Nian had picked up something valuable and targeted her. One day, when she came back from outside, she was blocked at the door of the rescue station by the robbers.
"Hand over all the valuables you have!" said the bandit leader viciously, his eyes full of greed and ferocity.
Su Nian's heart instantly rose to her throat. She tightly grasped the electronic information form in her hand, not knowing what to do...
At this critical moment, a loud siren sounded from far away. It turned out that a team of interstellar patrol soldiers happened to pass by here.
"What are you doing! How dare you rob in broad daylight!" the patrol captain shouted angrily.
The robbers panicked and began to flee in all directions, but the patrolmen acted quickly and subdued them one by one.
"You even robbed a girl's things. Do you have any conscience?" The patrol captain severely scolded the subdued robbers.
Su Nian finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the patrolmen with gratitude.