So, the next day, Ji Shuyu decided to first send a telegram to her husband, who was stationed far away on the island.
First, to inform him that she would be heading to the island soon, and second, to ask He Yuan to send her a letter of introduction.
In these times, without a letter of introduction, she couldn’t move an inch.
But this had to be done in secret, without letting Lin Xiumei and her daughter find out.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to leave.
Thinking of this, Ji Shuyu browsed through the Points Mall again. She had already decided what to buy.
But clearly, she couldn’t afford it yet.
[Would you like to top up points using real currency? Exchange rate: 1:10. Upgrading the mall can improve the exchange rate.]
Just then, a line of small text popped up in the Points Mall.
Currency top-up?
Good grief, this mall really finds all sorts of ways to make her spend money.
But it did solve her urgent problem.
Ji Shuyu topped up the ten yuan left by the original owner, and her points immediately changed to [120.9].
A note below indicated that 200 points were needed to upgrade the mall.
Upgrading the mall would unlock more sections.
But for now, she didn’t want to use currency and preferred exchanging items instead.
Why not empty this house for them?
When Su Wanning and Ji Guodong got married, she had brought quite a lot of assets with her.
It’s a pity that Ji Guodong and Lin Xiumei had squandered most of it by now.
But as for the furniture, she wouldn’t leave a single piece for them when she left.
Ji Shuyu made up her mind and got ready to go out after tidying up.
Unfortunately, she ran into Ji Meiling, who was also heading out.
“Hey, where are you going?”
Ji Meiling crossed her arms and looked coldly at Ji Shuyu.
“To handle the procedures for you. How else are you going to start work?”
Ji Shuyu raised an eyebrow slightly as she said this. Hearing it, Ji Meiling immediately brightened up.
“Know your place, huh.”
Originally, Lin Xiumei had told her to keep an eye on Ji Shuyu and not let her pull any tricks.
But in this sweltering heat, Ji Meiling certainly didn’t want to go out.
So, Ji Shuyu seized the opportunity and headed straight to the telegraph office.
“Hello, I’d like to send a telegram.”
Ji Shuyu squeezed up to the window and spoke to the staff inside.
The worker in a dark blue uniform inside didn’t even look up, just slid out a telegram form and a pencil.
“Write the recipient’s address and name clearly. Keep the content concise. Charged by the word.”
“Okay, thank you, comrade.”
Ji Shuyu took the paper and pencil, took a deep breath, and recalled He Yuan’s address in her mind. She quickly wrote down the recipient’s address.
· Household matters settled. Departing soon to join you. Urgently request unit introduction letter and necessary documents sent to home address. Awaiting reply. Yu. –
“Comrade, I’m done.”
Ji Shuyu handed the telegram form inside.
The staff took it, glanced at the address and content, and their fingers clattered over the abacus.
“Address characters count as two each, name characters count as one each. Content totals twenty-one characters. Plus service fee, that’s two yuan and thirty-five fen.”
Hearing the price, Ji Shuyu’s heart ached.
The ten yuan left by the original owner had been spent on topping up points. Fortunately, the original owner wasn’t completely penniless—there were still five yuan left.
She quickly took them out from her inner pocket, counted out two yuan and thirty-five fen, and handed it over.
The staff transcribed the content from the telegram form onto the official telegram draft paper and passed it to the telegraph operator inside.
After thanking them, Ji Shuyu left the telegraph office.
Back in the modern day, she was a top research scientist who had saved up a fair amount of money over the years.
Who would have thought that after transmigrating into a book, she’d end up with pockets emptier than her face?
Life is so tough…
She never felt life was this hard even when she was working before.
She felt the few remaining dimes in her pocket and the 120.9 points.
Upgrading the mall required 200 points—she was still short by 79.1 points, which was almost eight yuan.
She could use part of the three hundred yuan Lin Xiumei gave her to make up the difference.
But she couldn’t be left with absolutely nothing in hand.
Thinking about all this, Ji Shuyu planned to go home and figure things out carefully. But unexpectedly, she ran into two people not far away.
There were many alleys in Shanghai, and at this hour, most people were resting at home, so the streets were relatively empty.
Ji Shuyu had taken a wrong turn and ended up here, just in time to see Lin Xiumei with a man.
Was that the “Uncle Kang” Ji Meiling had mentioned?
Judging by their demeanor, was this her stepmother Lin Xiumei’s old flame?
Ji Shuyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she ducked into the shadow of a narrower side alley, holding her breath.
She peeked out slightly, observing carefully.
Lin Xiumei was wearing a semi-new floral polyester blouse, her hair down.
On her face was a coquettish, ingratiating smile that Ji Shuyu had never seen at home.
The man opposite her was of medium build, dressed in a gray Dacron Mao suit.
He wore a worker’s cap, its brim pulled down somewhat low, obscuring his full features.
But he looked to be in his forties, somewhat more spirited and neatly kept than Ji Guodong.
At that moment, he was leaning in slightly, speaking softly to Lin Xiumei, one hand resting naturally on her arm.
Lin Xiumei didn’t pull away. Instead, she laughed and gave him a light push.
The gesture was less a refusal and more like flirtatious banter.
“Uncle Kang…”
The term immediately sprang into Ji Shuyu’s mind, along with the smug look Ji Meiling had when she mentioned it, and the panic Lin Xiumei had tried to conceal.
So, this was the Uncle Kang in question. He and Lin Xiumei had an improper relationship.
“Keep that three hundred yuan safe. Don’t let Ji Guodong find out,” the man said in a deliberately lowered voice that carried faintly on the wind. Ji Shuyu’s ears perked up instantly.
Three hundred yuan?
This money was given by the man in front of her?
“Don’t worry, I’ve hidden it well,” Lin Xiumei’s voice held a hint of pride.
“If it weren’t for Meiling’s job, I wouldn’t be willing to give a single cent extra.”
Actually, Ji Guodong didn’t know about forcing Ji Shuyu to go to the countryside.
Ji Guodong still had a sliver of conscience, though not much.
This plan, from start to finish, was entirely Lin Xiumei’s idea.
But Ji Guodong’s silent complicity was what hurt the most.
If it weren’t for his attitude, the original owner wouldn’t have died.
“You’ve suffered,” the man’s tone was full of pity, and the hand on her arm seemed to stroke it gently.
Lin Xiumei sighed, “What can I do? It’s for Meiling. But it won’t be long now. Once Meiling’s job is settled and that girl is gone, things will be quiet. Then…”
Her words were cut off as the man moved closer, as if wanting to take a further step.
Lin Xiumei glanced around nervously and pushed him away slightly.
“Alright, alright, it’s broad daylight. What would people think if they saw? I need to get back. Being out too long will raise suspicion.”
“Okay, see you at the usual spot another day,” the man reluctantly withdrew his hand and reminded her, “Keep quiet about the money.”
“I know,” Lin Xiumei smoothed her hair, a satisfied smile on her face, then turned and walked toward the other end of the alley.
The man stood still for a moment, then pulled his hat brim down and left in the opposite direction.
Only after both figures had disappeared from the alley did Ji Shuyu slowly emerge from her hiding spot.
Her so-called scumbag dad really had a lush green pasture growing on his head.
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