Chapter 380: Don’t Be So Inexperienced
“Boss Su, this is equivalent to gaining a powerful ally. It’s a win-win situation with no downsides.”
Zhong Gaoyi was almost convinced.
Su Tao was already tempted when she heard the word “extortion.”
After all, who would ever have too much money or crystal cores?
Ever since taking over West District 3, she only had about 370 crystal cores left.
She wondered if Ling Tianji’s life could help her reach 500.
Su Tao nodded.
Zhong Gaoyi stared at her in shock—was she really able to solve the IV supply problem?
Zhuo Ercheng also froze for a moment. Even though he was prepared for this outcome, seeing her nod still made his heart tremble.
He suppressed his curiosity, thanked her, and was about to suggest starting the IV treatment immediately when Chenxi suddenly ran over, panting and excited:
“Sister Tao, Brother Jiang Yu and the others are back! They’re right outside!”
Su Tao immediately forgot about Ling Tianji and said, “I’ll go check it out. Chenxi, please tell Master Qin at Panliu mountain to cook a few extra dishes tonight. We must give them a proper welcome.”
Chenxi happily agreed.
When Su Tao rushed to the entrance, the first person she saw was a much thinner Jiang Yu.
The boy looked even skinnier than Fang Zhi when he first arrived. His clothes hung loosely on his frame.
But his spirits seemed high. When he saw Su Tao, he quickly grabbed his sister’s hand and walked up to her.
“Boss Su! Tongtong, greet her.”
Su Tao, feeling a pang of concern for Jiang Yu, squeezed his elbow and felt the sharp bones beneath his skin.
“Why are you so thin? It’s only been half a month. Did you not eat the supplies I gave you?”
Jiang Yu flashed a bright smile. “At first, I couldn’t find Tongtong, and I lost my appetite. But not anymore—I’ll eat properly and gain the weight back.”
At that moment, Jiang Tong, who had been keeping her head down, slowly looked up and softly said, “Hello, sister…”
Only then did Su Tao focus on her.
For some reason, looking through the thick lenses of Jiang Tong’s glasses and into her deep, dark eyes, Su Tao felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
She couldn’t pinpoint why, but it wasn’t a good feeling.
Almost instinctively, Su Tao’s tone grew cooler. She nodded slightly and said, “Hello, Tongtong.”
Then, turning back to Jiang Yu, she added, “Your room is ready. Go wash up and rest. Tonight, we’ll have dinner at Panliu mountain to celebrate your reunion.”
Jiang Yu, visibly happy, agreed and excitedly began showing his sister around Taoyang, his voice filled with joy.
Watching their backs as they left, Su Tao’s unease about Jiang Tong faded away.
In the apocalypse, reuniting with lost loved ones was nothing short of a miracle.
It wasn’t just the Jiang siblings who experienced this joy—Minister Xu was also going through something similar.
That evening, before dinner, Minister Xu came from the ranch to bid farewell to Su Tao. This time, he planned to return to Changjing alone and leave Alice behind.
Su Tao, concerned, said, “The temperature is dropping sharply, and zombies seem to be more active. Why not wait until things stabilize before leaving?”
Minister Xu sighed bitterly. “Changjing has summoned me urgently—I have no choice.”
He had already stayed in Taoyang longer than he should have. Even with the President’s protection, other officials would accuse him of favoritism.
The situation outside was dire. In addition to the sudden cold, there was a massive flu outbreak, crop failures, and a growing number of refugees.
In such chaotic times, he needed to be by the President’s side.
Since she couldn’t persuade him otherwise, Su Tao handed him a large bag from Fang Zhi’s space.
“Uncle Xu, I’m not trying to jinx anything, but the weather is unpredictable. At best, you might catch a cold; at worst, you could develop a high fever or an infection. This bag contains essential medicines, including syringes and disinfectants. Please take it—it’ll give me peace of mind.”
Minister Xu opened the bag and was stunned to see it packed with all kinds of medical supplies—oral medications, topical treatments, and injectable drugs.
He immediately tried to refuse. “No, I can’t accept this. Medicine is too scarce and valuable right now.”
Since he had been staying at the ranch, Minister Xu had no idea that Taoyang had already achieved pharmaceutical abundance.
Seeing his refusal, Su Tao knew words wouldn’t convince him, so she took him to the public pharmacy on the clinic’s second floor.
There, a line of tenants patiently waited to buy medicine—not just those who were sick but also others stocking up for emergencies.
The process was orderly—no one cut in line, and no one hoarded supplies.
Just then, Granny Yu and her grandson emerged from the pharmacy.
Granny Yu, noticing Minister Xu’s stunned expression, approached with a knowing look and said, “You’re a high-ranking official of Changjing’s central government—don’t act so inexperienced.”
Xiao Yu, amazed by his grandmother’s boldness, thought to himself, You literally ran here barefoot when you heard about the pharmacy.
Minister Xu, closing his mouth, took a deep breath and tried to process the reality before him.
Just yesterday, the President had gravely informed him that Changjing was facing severe medicine shortages, with some essential drugs becoming expensive and difficult to obtain.
Yet here in Taoyang, people could buy medicine freely—and cheaply.
“How much did you pay for those?” he asked, pointing at the boxes of medicine.
Little Yu thought for a moment and replied, “About 300 federal coins. Uncle Xu, do you have a cold? I can give you a box.”
As she spoke, she generously offered him a box of Banlangen granules (Chinese cold medicine).
Minister Xu was once again dumbfounded.
Granny Yu, unimpressed by his reaction, scolded him, “Act your age and stay calm.”
Minister Xu, trying to regain his composure, took another deep breath and quipped, “Granny Yu, you should’ve told me earlier—I blame you for half of my shock.”
Granny Yu snorted. “You’re never around. Who has the time to inform you? Now, Taoyang’s girl, come here.”
It took Su Tao a few seconds to realize she was being addressed. “You mean me?”
Granny Yu looked at her with a mix of gratitude and hope, as if she were gazing at a beacon of light in the darkness.
She patted Su Tao’s shoulder firmly and said, “Good job. In times like these, having enough supplies and medicine is the key to survival.”
The force of her pat nearly made Su Tao sway in the wind.
