Chapter 36: Going Downstairs, Advancing for Food

Bian Changxi pushed open the door of the wooden cabin. Inside, it was just over ten square meters, completely empty of any furniture. She couldn’t figure out how this jade bracelet farm was designed—later on, even the small villas would have fully finished interiors, complete with wiring, plumbing, and everything else, but all the actual furniture and hardware had to be brought in from outside, bit by bit, as she made the place her own. For now, she didn’t plan to do anything with this little cabin; at the very least, she’d wait until it became a two-story brick house and the flow of time in the farm slowed down. Only then would she settle in and make herself a home here—by then, she should have reached the Su City base and found a place to stay.

She went back to the stream and poured most of the white core that Gu Xu had given her into the water, saving the rest in her warehouse in case she needed it later. She also carefully wrapped up the jade bracelet fragments and stored them away.

According to her theory, the energy from the second-tier green core had stimulated the farm, causing it to upgrade and expand, and at the same time, it had separated the farm from the jade bracelet as its vessel. Now, the mark on her wrist served as the gateway to the farm.

If that was really the case, it was a blessing. She’d never have to worry again about the bracelet being damaged, lost, or someone noticing something strange. Heaven knew she’d only been able to sleep soundly with her hand on the bracelet.

After finishing all this, she estimated that not even a minute had passed. Not daring to linger, she stepped outside and checked the watch on the table—it showed that a minute and fifty-two seconds had gone by.

She let out a breath of relief. At first, one minute inside the farm equaled five minutes outside, but now things had improved a lot. Still, the closer she got to synchronizing the time inside and out, the harder it became. She planned to start planting once the time difference was almost gone.

Back outside, the air felt thick and stale, and her exhaustion and pain returned. She hurried to take a shower—though it was inconvenient to wash up out here, she had to leave traces of having bathed. She refused to let any detail give her away.

After using up two buckets of mineral water, she returned to the farm, soaked herself in the stream, scrubbed clean, and let her nerves relax for a moment. Then she went back out, dressed neatly, and walked out while toweling her damp hair.

In one corner of the supermarket’s third floor, several flashlights were shining. Gu Xu and the others were busy with their own tasks. Two people were indeed cooking, and the aroma of pork ribs and rice was making everyone’s stomachs growl. On the other side, separated by several shelves, Lin Rongrong had also set up several lamps, cleared a space on the floor, and was laying out bedding to make a spot to sleep.

Lin Rongrong was not one to treat herself poorly. If she could help it, she’d never spend the night curled up like those rough types. Probably to keep dirty clothes from touching the bedding, she’d put on a big nightgown and tied up her hair. She laid down two layers of cotton padding, topped with a bamboo mat, then a thin blanket, and finally a feather duvet, fussing over every corner like a busy little bee. When Bian Changxi came out, she was searching everywhere for a pillow.

She didn’t find a pillow, but she did find Bian Changxi. Like she was showing off a treasure, she pulled her over. “Changxi, what do you think? I heard it gets really cold at night—you can’t just sit up all night, right? Besides a pillow, is there anything else we’re missing?”

Bian Changxi replied coolly, “I’m not used to sharing a bed with someone.”

“Oh, don’t be like that! The bed’s huge, and I sleep really well—I won’t bother you. Mmm, that bone broth smells amazing. It’ll be ready soon. I’m going to shower first—don’t you dare make up another bed!” She quickly grabbed two basins full of clothes and lotion and dashed off to the lounge.

Bian Changxi shook her head as she watched her go. At first glance, Lin Rongrong seemed like a delicate, timid girl. And yes, she was a bit timid, but she also had a certain explosiveness—when it was time to act, she never hesitated. After spending a bit of time with her (really, just a few hours), her “true colors” had come out: she was actually outgoing, fierce, passionate, and had a mind of her own.

To be honest, Bian Changxi rather liked her personality.

She dried her short hair and realized it was getting chilly. She was wearing a black tracksuit with just a T-shirt underneath. Summer was coming, and the days would only get hotter, so two layers was her limit, but at night it got freezing—just like now.

She went to the clothing section, grabbed a thin down jacket that hadn’t been taken yet, put it on, and sat on the bed. She took out the second-tier green core, now faded after being absorbed by the jade bracelet, and began to absorb its energy, replenishing her depleted powers and healing her internal injuries.

Since less than a tenth of the core’s energy remained, it was no longer dangerous to her. As soon as she started, her damaged “meridians” greedily soaked up the energy. Her whole body felt cool, then warm, as the glowing green energy circulated inside her, a bit thicker than before. When it passed under her left rib, she consciously used it to nurture her injured tissues.

She figured her powers had improved, too. Maybe not as much as the farm had upgraded, but still a lot stronger.

She hadn’t been at it long when a commotion reached her ears, making her open her eyes in mild annoyance. It turned out people from the second floor, unable to stand the cold, had come up to grab blankets and clothes.

Since she’d already absorbed about half the energy, she put away the now nearly unchanged core.

“The stuff in the supermarket belongs to everyone—take what you need, but keep it quiet. Three rules: don’t touch anything that’s already claimed, no fighting or snatching—if you must fight, take it downstairs and go at it there. And finally, don’t disturb this area.” Qiu Yun led the group over, pointing at Bian Changxi’s bed and the space around it. His handsome face was set in a hard, roguish expression. “If anyone’s dumb enough to mess with Miss Bian’s things, you know what’ll happen!”

With a wave of his hand, a wind blade sliced clean through the metal corner of a shelf.

Everyone jumped in shock and quickly promised not to cause trouble. Qiu Yun nodded and waved them away.

Bian Changxi glanced up—there were at least twenty people. There were only fifty or sixty downstairs, and now more than a third had come up at once.

Qiu Yun smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Miss Bian. They’ll just take what they need and go. We’ve made a big pot of pork rib and yam rice soup—it’ll be ready soon. You two should come have some.”

It’s hard to refuse someone who’s being so friendly. Besides, Bian Changxi might hold a grudge, but she wasn’t about to argue with someone who’d lost control out of grief. Plus, she was in a good mood from her farm and powers improving. She smiled and nodded. “Thanks for the trouble.”

Qiu Yun was stunned for a moment by her smile, then happily scratched his head and walked off. Meanwhile, Lin Rongrong came out looking refreshed, only to see a crowd of people acting like desperate refugees, grabbing whatever they could. She was stunned, then hurried over to ask, “What’s going on?”

“People from downstairs, coming up to get supplies.”

“This is more than just getting a few things!” Lin Rongrong said angrily. “Look at the mess they’re making—blankets everywhere, clothes and batteries and tissues all over the floor, and they’re stomping all over everything! How can they still be so picky at a time like this?”

In no time, the once tidy third floor had become a chaotic mess. Clothes, blankets, batteries, tissues—everything was scattered and trampled. It was infuriating!

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she whispered to Bian Changxi, “Since they’re up here grabbing stuff, why don’t we go downstairs and grab some ourselves?”"