Chapter 4:
After leaving Mr. Fox's place, Lin Qi took a stroll down the street. After finalizing this deal, he would soon receive his first paynt, and the amount of this paynt would be directly related to how much he was going to invest.
The more he invested, the higher the profits; this type of business was actually coveted by even the top financial conglorates.
During this period, he had been reading newspapers. Even with the whole world focused on extensive developnt and economic growth in finance, so funds had not promised an annual return rate exceeding fifteen percent.
In the first-quarter 'Trading Report' of this year, so detailed data from last year were disclosed. Even the funds with the highest actual return rate had an annual return of only 9.74%, which was less than ten percent. However, it still beca one of the most lucrative funds in terms of profits from last year.
Hence, this deal was crucial. However, a new problem arose. He needed a "principal" to exchange for those coins and change.
Mr. Fox didn't ntion this money, and given his thorough investigation into Lin Qi's background, it was impossible for him not to know that Lin Qi didn't even have a hundred bucks on him or in his bank account, let alone the scale of help he promised to Mr. Fox to swiftly accomplish the 'transition'."
He needed another sum of money, not too muchseveral hundred or maybe one or two thousand would suffice. Once this started rolling, its montum would only increase. He planned to discuss it with Catherine when he returned ho tonight.
Although he felt sowhat... doing this, for the future, it was an unavoidable act.
Ti slipped away while he idled. Lin Qi returned ho earlier than usual today, at half-past six in the evening. Catherine ca back carrying a bag from the supermarket where she worked.
Inside were scraps of at and so seemingly less fresh vegetables the supermarket intended to discard. These items would mostly be divided among the employees, as their purpose for enduring oppression and exploitation was to obtain these items for free.
As Catherine entered the apartnt, she was surprised. Lin Qi had been returning ho quite late lately. Today was the first ti he ca back so early during this period.
Initially, she had fantasies of Lin Qi finding a proper job, preferably in a factory. Though factory work was arduous and sowhat hazardous, the workers received better welfare benefits and social security.
While being looked after by those factory owners in all aspects, they could also join organizations like unions. Unlike them, supermarket employees like Catherine couldn't join organizations like unions because they weren't classified as workers. Besides, there was no non-governntal organization like a "Cashiers' Union."
Nightmares lingered, while pleasant dreams were easily disrupted.
For an entire week, Lin Qi, who seed to have regained his montum, returned to square one. However, this ti, he didn't stay at ho but used the excuse of job hunting to pass the ti outside.
Thinking about this, Catherine grew despondent. She realized her past choices were not rely naive; they were outright foolish. Her eyes had been blinded.
It was through experiencing these things that she realized how correct her mother's words werelooks didn't matter; life required a foundation, not just appearances.
After taking a glance at Lin Qi, she changed her shoes and then carried the bag into the kitchen, starting to clean up those bits of minced at.
These were bits of at scraped from bones, shapeless and mostly the size of fingertips. For so reason, they appeared darker than neatly displayed beef and were challenging to sell even at low prices. Most people bought them not for themselves but to feed dogs.
In reality, these at scraps had no issues.
The room was saturated with a silence that harbored sothing discomforting, sothing spreading and undulating continually.
Lin Qi sat on a sofa they had salvaged from a trash heap, watching his girlfriend silently prepare food. Although the distance between them was less than ten ters, it felt as if a chasm had appeared between them.
"Do you have any extra money?" Lin Qi asked.
Catherine's movents with the at scraps paused slightly. She didn't turn back or say anything. After a brief pause, she continued with her work. "I have so, less than five hundred. It's what I've saved this year."
Saving money wasn't easy, especially for young people with only a high school education.
Rent, electricity, water, heating expenses, along with other necessary expenditures, coupled with only one person working to support the livelihood of two, saving more than four hundred bucks was already an extrely challenging feat.
Suddenly, the atmosphere took on an eerie heaviness, weighing on the chests of both individuals.
Neither of them spoke until Catherine finished preparing dinner.
As usual, the scraps accompanied by fried eggs, so tattered vegetable leaves, and pieces of broken noodles. These were the items the supermarket discarded daily, now sustaining many impoverished families.
"My mom ca to see
today," Catherine broke the silence while eating. "She doesn't want us to continue like this, but I couldn't convince her..."
Lin Qi put down his fork and knife, watching Catherine add so fresh "seasoning" to her platetransparent, slightly bitter, and mildly salty.
In fact, Catherine had made herself quite clear. She couldn't persuade her mother, indicating that one of them had to convince the other. And it seed likely that she was the one being convinced.
The already unappetizing al beca even less appealing on the plate. Lin Qi sighed. "When are you leaving?"
Catherine was on the verge of breaking down. "Tomorrow. My mom and brother will co to pick
up. I'm sorry; I don't want this, but..."
"It's okay, you don't need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing." Lin Qi reached out, touching Catherine's tear-stained cheek. He needed to take responsibility for the actions done by the previous owner of his current body.
For over two years, all the burdens of life had been weighing down on this young girl of only twenty.
Undoubtedly, Lin Qi was a scumbag, a terrible one at that.
This kind of life gradually eroded the girl's romantic ideals and dreams for the future. She had undergone these experiences and began bowing down to reality and fate, although sowhere deep down, a shred of fantasy might still linger.
Like...
There were no "likes." Lin Qi wouldn't ask the girl to stay. Whether she decided to leave first or they continued with a life filled with uncertainties and danger, it didn't suit this girl.
Although it might sound cruel, it was the truth.
After an unforgettable night, the next morning, Catherine left early, leaving sothing behind for Lin Qi.
A passbook and the key to the apartnt.
Thanks to the bank's lack of concern about who accessed the money in the passbook, this beca a testimony to Catherine bidding farewell to her past life.
After tidying up, Lin Qi withdrew all the money from the passbook in the morningFour hundred forty-nine bucks and thirty-five cents. Afterward, he found the landlord and chatted with them for about half an hour. In the end, he managed to get a hundred bucks refunded for the remaining half-month of the rent. Originally, it should be seventy-five bucks, but Lin Qi didn't take any of his belongings. The landlord felt this deal wasn't too much of a loss, so he eventually agreed, giving an extra twenty-five bucks.
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