Chapter 219: Good Thing I Held Back My 40-Meter Long Sword (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

Children really do grow fast. In just two months, Niu Kanben had already shot up a bit. “Sis can’t save you, I can only hold you down and maybe hand your mom the belt,” Jing Shu teased, causing everyone to burst out laughing.

Niu Kanben turned to his dad, “Dad, show some authority at home!”

Niu Moo turned pale. At thirty, women were like wolves, and at forty, they became tigers. His wife had recently embodied that saying all too well. At first, their “variety of positions” had been exciting, but who could endure three times a night, with each round lasting as long as a stick of incense burns? Now, he did everything he could to avoid eye contact with her…

Clearing his throat, Niu Moo pretended to be deeply engrossed in the opera.

Once everyone settled in, Niu Moo quietly asked Jing Shu, “Was that pool your idea?”

Jing Shu neither confirmed nor denied it but asked, “How's it going? Enough to get promoted?”

“Almost there,” Niu Moo muttered under his breath.

Jing Shu nodded, understanding the implication.

Niu Moo whispered, “Remember Secretary Zhang? The one who had a seizure at your villa and later died? They even did an interview about him, calling it a ‘heroic death in the line of duty.’ Well, they’ve already assigned a new one, but he’ll be leaving soon too.”

Jing Shu raised an eyebrow. “Are you about to get promoted?”

“Not sure yet, but don’t worry, before he leaves, I’ll make sure your mom gets properly situated. But she’ll need to keep pushing herself. I only got this role because I had serious backing, which made me a lot of enemies. They’ll definitely want to appoint their own people, but a deputy minister role is realistic.”

Jing Shu gave him a thumbs up. This guy was truly a rising star, a power player even in her previous life. At this rate, as long as her mom stayed aligned with Niu Moo’s trajectory, she wouldn’t be left behind.

Besides, Niu Moo owed them for that deal involving the ice cream trade with Qian Duo Duo . Over the past year, their families had grown closer, with Jing Shu’s family frequently sending gifts. Every couple of months, they’d deliver fresh strawberries, along with occasional eggs and milk.

In these times, delivering ten eggs as a gift was a big deal. For someone of Niu Moo’s rank, vegetables weren’t a problem, but meat and eggs were scarce. Jing Shu’s family was catering perfectly to their needs.

Naturally, Niu Moo reciprocated. During holidays, he ensured their villa received electricity, which was something they sorely lacked. With the electricity Niu Moo provided, combined with Jing Shu’s ten UBC bacteria solar panels, the villa’s energy needs were covered, saving them about a liter of fuel per day.

Electricity, natural gas, and fuel were still not available to the public.

Soon, the courtyard was filled to capacity. After a traditional opera performance, an elderly man in a Tang suit, still full of vigor, made his way to the stage. He grabbed the microphone, and the lively crowd immediately fell silent with a gesture from him.

“I didn’t want to host this banquet. It’s expensive and a hassle. But if I don’t throw this party now, all the wedding and birthday gifts I’ve given over the years will just go with me to the grave. And that, my friends, is a terrible loss.”

“Old Zhang, remember the painting I gave for your grandson’s wedding? And Old Xie, I gave you that jade ‘Longevity Like the Southern Mountains’ for your wife’s 90th birthday. Just because it’s the apocalypse doesn’t mean you can skimp on your gifts today. Your presents had better be worth more than what I gave you!”

“And before we eat, I just want to ask—have you all prepared your gifts for my 88th birthday, old and young alike?”

The audience burst into laughter. Cameras clicked away, but the old man didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he even flashed a smug grin at the cameras.

“Well then, enjoy your food and drink for now. Later, we’ll get to the main event. And for those of you who didn’t bring gifts, don’t worry—cash is always welcome, haha…”

Jing Shu raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t quite how she’d imagined the evening going. Were the practical-minded people of today really this open? And she had to admit, when the old man said that, she almost reached for her metaphorical 40-meter-long sword.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yang Yang sighing as he ate a piece of carp from a dish just served. “This is Thirty-Six Scales. I plucked thirty-six scales from it, but it could’ve lived so much longer. Such a waste.”

“These are the leeks I grew. See how each stalk has nine little gears? That’s my signature mark.”

Jing Shu could only shake her head. Yang Yang’s brain really was wired differently.

Soon, all the dishes were served: steamed carp, stir-fried leeks, and a plate of stir-fried lettuce with meat.

For the main course, each guest was given a bowl of longevity noodles with an egg. In total, ten dishes were served. The food was decent, likely made softer for the many elderly guests in attendance. Jing Shu had never seen so many seniors gathered in one place, a testament to the status of their families.

The portions were a bit modest, though. Jing Shu figured she could easily eat an entire dish herself, but for most people, it was enough to feel about 80% full.

In the pre-apocalypse days, this meal would’ve been considered average, and certainly not as extravagant as Su Mali’s banquet. But in the apocalypse, being able to host twenty tables of this quality was quite a feat. No wonder Yang Yang kept muttering about running out of fish and vegetables.

As the meal ended and the opera wrapped up, the old man invited everyone to walk around the courtyard to help with digestion. Meanwhile, the tables were cleared and reset. Once everyone had returned, tea was served, and a man in a black suit tapped on the auctioneer’s podium.

“May I have everyone’s attention, please.”

The noisy crowd quieted down, with some guests looking confused. What was going on? Weren’t they supposed to present their birthday gifts now?

“Alright, I’ll keep this brief. My name is Shen Sanchao, and I’ve been invited by Old Master Yang to serve as today’s auctioneer. I’ll be knocking three times for each item. And what are we auctioning today? Why, the gifts you’ve brought for Old Master Yang’s 88th birthday, of course! All the virtual currency raised will be used to buy rice from the government.”

“Old Master Yang has decreed that his birthday gifts should be shared with everyone! The rice he buys will be distributed for free to those who haven’t had rice in the last ten days, with priority given to pregnant women, the elderly, and children!”

Some people clearly knew this was coming, remaining calm, but the majority were shocked, murmuring in disbelief.

Jing Shu let out a long breath of relief. “Good thing I held back my 40-meter-long sword. I almost misunderstood a kind gesture.”

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