Chapter 89

Chapter 90: Ew! You Are So Out of Line!

Qian Qi left the Dungeon and headed for the bathhouse to rinse off the blood on her. As soon as she stepped out of the vegetable garden, she met Kid A’s stare.

He tilted up his small head, looked over the “unknown substance” on Qian Qi’s clothes, and showed a tiny bit of disgust as he muttered: “You’re a grown up, so how can you get your clothes this dirty?”

Qian Qi paused: “…”

[System: Hahahahaha!]

“Wash it by hand,” Kid A said as he set a laundry basin in front of her, adding, “No using the washing machine.”

At Bright Light Orphanage, the washing machines are for clothes of children five and older. For kids under five, Kid A and his group wash by hand so the soft fabric won’t get rough from the machine. As for adults like Qian Qi, of course they wash their own by hand; it saves water, electricity, and labor. Perfect.

Awkward, Qian Qi took the basin and tried to explain that she wasn’t playing around: “I was working, making money, you get it?”

Kid A leaned to the side and looked past her as he asked: “So your job is killing people and hiding bodies?”

He was small but not stupid. He could tell the difference between paint and blood, and the smell on Qian Qi was so strong he couldn’t ignore it.

“Don’t talk nonsense. My arms and legs are tiny, how could I do that kind of thing?” Usually sharp-tongued, Qian Qi choked on the words, then waved him off as she walked by, grumbling, “Shoo, go find the Dean to play with.”

“Dean Mother went out. She’ll be back in the afternoon,” Kid A said as he trotted after her, adding, “Qian Qi, next time don’t get so filthy. There are lots of little kids in the yard, and they’ll be scared if they see you.”

“Got it, got it.” Qian Qi never thought a little brat would chase her around nagging. She set the basin under the spigot and told him: “Help me fill it. When it’s full, turn it off.”

Kid A watched her swagger off toward the bathhouse, shook his head, then turned and sprinkled detergent into the basin. He sighed: “She’s got a better temper now, but why does she feel even more like a troublemaker?”

Qian Qi came back clean, carrying the dirty clothes to the front yard. She saw Kid A stirring the water in the basin with his small hands. She dropped the clothes in and asked: “Wanna wash together?”

Kid A gave her a look that said he was speechless as he replied: “Do you even have a sense of shame?”

“You’re really going to make a seven-year-old wash your clothes?”

“Hey, if I cared about my face, would I ask you to help?” Qian Qi had skin thicker than a wall as she urged, “Hurry up and wash. Tonight I’ll make meat dumplings for you all.”

Kid A shivered and stared at her with doubt. Every time Qian Qi came out of the garden covered in filth, she promised meat dumplings. Could it be…

“You’re not making them with human meat, right?” His scalp tingled and he broke out in goosebumps.

Qian Qi blinked: “???”

“How is your head so small but your imagination so big?” she said, a bit speechless. “Scrub faster. When we’re done, come with me to the supermarket to buy meat.”

“No need to go out. The delivery boss is coming this afternoon,” Kid A answered while scrubbing. Curious, he leaned in to sniff the brain-goo stink on the fabric, then gagged, “Bleh, it’s worse than A Bao’s poop.”

“You sniffed A Bao’s poop on purpose?” Qian Qi found her chance to counterattack and pointed as she cried, “Ew! You’re the gross one!”

Kid A froze: “???”

The two bickered, going back and forth until they finished washing the clothes. Then a truck honked at the orphanage gate.

Kid A snapped his head up: “Huh, why is the delivery boss here so early?”

“Came ahead of schedule?” Qian Qi wiped her hands. “Come on, let’s check.”

Kid A hurried after her and asked: “What should we do? Mama Liu took the day off. Should we look for Mama Wang?”

Mama Liu is the cook who usually checks the vegetables. Mama Wang is a long-time worker who watches the nursery, but babies can’t be left alone, so calling Mama Wang would slow things down.

Qian Qi waved it off and said boldly: “No need. I can handle this little thing.”

It’s just counting the goods and paying, right? She had this.

At the gate, Qian Qi saw the Produce Boss jump down from the truck. When he spotted her, he looked her up and down and asked: “Where’s your Dean?”

“The Dean’s busy. Weren’t you supposed to come in the afternoon?” Qian Qi asked.

“I got something in the afternoon. I have to leave the city to deliver to the shops near a Combat Zone,” the boss said as he lifted the cargo door. “So I came early. Where are the other adults?”

“They’re busy. I can do the counting,” Qian Qi said, holding out her hand. “Do you have a list?”

“Here,” the boss tore a sheet from the small pad at his waist and handed it over. “Total is 732. You got the money?”

Qian Qi stared at the list for a while and ignored his question as she asked: “Boss, besides vegetables and pork, what else do you carry?”

“We’ve got it all. Common fruit, sheep, beef, chicken, even seafood. Why?” He lit a cigarette, blew out two puffs, and added, “You looking to buy more?”

“From now on, deliver an extra 30 jin each of apples, bananas, and pears every week; 16 grass carp; and 50 jin each of sheep, beef, and chicken,” Qian Qi said as she plucked the cigarette from his mouth and frowned. “Boss, don’t smoke in front of our kids.”

The Produce Boss glanced at Kid A, who was clutching Qian Qi’s hem and peeking from behind her, then shrugged. “Alright.”

Satisfied, Qian Qi nodded and pulled out her Light-Brain: “Give me an account. I’ll transfer you money later.”

“Whoa, kid, are you sponsoring this orphanage?” The boss perked up at the scent of steady business and scribbled figures in his notebook. “This isn’t a small amount. I’ll cut a zero for you, and it’s still 5466 a week.”

“Let me see.” Qian Qi leaned in, then clicked her tongue. “Apples at 2.3 per jin? Boss, that’s not kind. At the supermarket they’re only 1.88.”

“I’ve got delivery costs,” the boss said, patting the truck. “Gotta charge for the trip and the trouble.”

“You already deliver vegetables every week. How are you charging me again for apples, chicken, and fish? Don’t think I’m easy to fool just because I’m young,” Qian Qi said with open disdain. “Skimming money off kids will make you a joke among merchants.”

“Alright, alright…” The boss wiped at his face, surprised at how hard this kid was to shake. “Apples at 1.88. Happy?”

“That won’t do.” Qian Qi shook her head. “This is a long-term deal. If I buy 30 jin at the market, they might even toss in a few extra with a smile. Lower it again.”

Then she fired an order at Kid A: “Go grab me a small stool. Just one. Today I’m going to have a nice, long chat with the boss.”

The Produce Boss watched Kid A run off, then turned back to Qian Qi, dumbfounded. Was she trying to wage a war of attrition? And why only one stool? Was he supposed to stand?