Chapter 4: Upgrading
Su Tao nodded, “No problem, I’ll make sure he eats well and is well taken care of.”
“That’s not necessary. He has his own money. If he wants anything, he can order delivery. Just make sure he doesn’t leave this place.”
Su Tao understood—they were worried that if he woke up, he might get emotional and try to join them for revenge.
The 1000 Federal Coins were essentially a safety fee, a caretaker’s fee, a reward for her help.
She felt a bit worried, “You guys be careful too. If you can’t win, just run. I’ll mostly be here, and if the bell rings, I’ll open the door for you.”
A warmth rose in Shi Zijin’s heart, as if there really was someone waiting for them to come home.
He clasped his fists, “Thank you, we leave it to you.”
With that, he and his team left swiftly, their footsteps determined, their presence intimidating.
*
When They Were Gone
After they left, Su Tao felt a mix of disappointment and worry. She rubbed her hands, then looked at her account balance of 1532 Federal Coins, feeling a sense of fulfillment and security.
“How should I spend it?”
She originally planned to buy a water tank for drinking and washing, but after some hesitation, she gritted her teeth and spent 1000 Federal Coins to unlock another single room.
[Unlocked: Single Room x1 | Total Single Rooms: 2]
She had to use money to make money, and besides, it seemed like Shi Zijin’s team might need a place to stay.
Suddenly, a tremor came from under her feet, and an additional door appeared in the previously empty corridor.
Su Tao walked inside and saw that it was the same size as the original single room, equally bare with nothing but empty walls.
She then purchased a cheap solid wood bed.
[200 Federal Coins]
In an instant, a single solid wood bed appeared in the room, complete with a white bedding set. The quilt felt soft and warm to the touch.
It was much better than what the base’s trading mall sold!
She still remembered when Li Ronglian had spent over 400 Federal Coins to buy a quilt for Jiang Jinwei, yet its quality wasn’t even as good as the free quilt that came with her 200 Federal Coins bed.
Finally, gritting her teeth and stomping her foot, she bought the cheapest integrated, basic bathroom from the home improvement store. It cost only 300 Federal Coins, providing a toilet, a sink, and even a showerhead.
[Rental conditions met. Please select from daily, short-term, monthly, or annual rental modes. Once selected, the price cannot be changed, and the room’s interior and furnishings cannot be altered during the set period.]
This time, Su Tao chose the 15-day short-term rental.
[Single Room 002 is now open for a 15-day short-term rental. Based on the interior decoration, the system has determined the short-term rental price to be 4000 Federal Coins. To increase the rent, please upgrade with higher-quality furnishings.]
Su Tao couldn’t help but exclaim inwardly—indeed, investment brings returns!
But when she looked at her remaining balance of 23 Federal Coins, she sighed again.
The path to earning money was long and winding. Being a landlady wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
Sitting on the hard floor, Su Tao decided that once she earned the short-term rental income, she’d buy herself a bed first!
For lunch, Su Tao followed her usual routine and went to the nearest convenience store in the Dongyang Base, close to Taoyang District. She spent 2 Federal Coins on a synthetic meat patty, washing it down with free cold water from the store, just enough to get by.
After eating, she even thoughtfully bought an 8 Federal Coins meal set for Vice Captain Cen.
Since she had accepted money (rewards) from others, she needed to do the job with a conscience.
Oh, how poor she was—truly, dirt poor.
Who would believe that a landlady with 3000 square meters of land and three rooms to rent only had 13 Federal Coins left to her name?
She was so poor that even getting robbed would feel embarrassing.
“Hey, little girl, are you coming back from outside the base?” The cashier brother was a disabled man with a high amputation, his lower body equipped with cheap prosthetics, making his movements stiff and slow.
Su Tao nodded.
The cashier asked her, “Did you see that plot of land not far from Gate Three? I heard someone opened a shop there—a hotel, no less. How’s the price? Can regular folks like us afford it?”
Su Tao hadn’t expected that within just a day, someone would notice.
She simply replied openly, “You can afford it. It depends on what kind of setup you need. A 10-square-meter single room, with no living facilities, is only 3000 Federal Coins, and no contribution points are needed.”
The average monthly income at Dongyang Base was 8000 Federal Coins, so 3000 wasn’t too high.
The cashier was delighted and asked many other questions, which Su Tao answered one by one.
After gathering all the information, the cashier immediately dialed his communicator, seemingly to call his family.
Su Tao’s lips curled up slightly. It seemed that the demand for housing was still very high. If that was the case, no matter how many rooms she opened, they would always be in demand.
Carrying her meal, Su Tao intended to walk to a secluded corner and teleport back to Taoyang.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called from behind: “Taotao?”
She turned around and saw her invisible dad, who usually ignored everything and pretended to be deaf and dumb.
Su Jianming, holding a briefcase, was neatly and cleanly dressed, accompanied by similarly dressed colleagues.
Originally, Su Tao didn’t plan to pay him any attention, but then one of the colleagues said:
“Old Su, is this your little girl who volunteered to join the Pioneer Army? Such a young child, just turned adult, right? How could you and your wife bear it? My daughter is thirty, and I still don’t dare let her go out of Dongyang alone—afraid she might get hurt or bullied.”
Su Jianming’s expression changed immediately, and he forced a stiff laugh:
“Yes, our Taotao insisted on joining the army. She’s been like a boy since she was a kid, never wanting to stay home. You know, kids grow up, and as parents, we have to support their decisions.”
Su Tao almost threw up her leftover meat patty.
The colleagues exchanged knowing glances, but said nothing.
After all, Su Jianming’s reputation for not caring about his family and not loving his daughter had long spread privately.
Su Jianming, unable to maintain his image, forced a smile and deliberately showed concern for Su Tao:
“How have you been recently? When do you start your mission? Do you need Dad’s help?”
Su Tao’s mind raced, and she immediately squeezed out two teardrops:
“Dad, what mission? The Pioneer Army’s physical exam is in two days. Ever since I was kicked out, I’ve had nowhere to go. After you, Mom, brother, and sister went home, I secretly followed behind. At night, I slept at your door, and before you went out, I quickly left, afraid you’d find me annoying…”
“Old Su, you went too far, didn’t you?”
“How much can a little girl eat? You and your wife are too much!”
Su Jianming’s face turned green, but he still maintained his composure and said:
“I had no idea about this. My wife manages everything at home. I’ll definitely get to the bottom of this when I go back. Taotao, it’s my fault. I made you suffer. Take some money and find a place to stay for a few days. Once I clear this up, I’ll come and bring you back home.”
Transfer: 3,000 Federal Coins
Su Tao fought hard to suppress the upward curve of her lips, pretending to sob twice.
“If you face any difficulties, just call Dad. If you don’t want to join the army, I’ll spend the money to get you out.”
Su Tao took his words as nothing but nonsense.
When she was younger, she used to believe him when he said he’d stand up for her.
But he always played the good guy, only talking the talk. Afterward, he would completely forget, even turning a blind eye when she was bullied or when her mother favored others over her.
As she grew older, she lost any ability to feel trust toward him.
Once the money was in hand, Su Tao said a few insincere words of thanks and walked away without looking back.
She truly didn’t want to see her so-called family for even a second longer.
