"My dad." The woman sounded a little helpless. "He's always drinking, and he goes to bed before dark. Don't worry, he won't wake up even if you make a racket. Are there any foods you can't eat? I can make all kinds of dishes, as long as I have a recipe."
"Just make a couple of local dishes." Xu Huo sat down and put a few White Cash notes on the table. "I just got here, so I'd like to try the local specialties."
The woman didn't stand on ceremony. She took the money, then washed the fruit he'd brought. "I'll cut this up for you to eat while you wait. The food will be ready soon."
She soon brought the fruit back to the table. Xu Huo leaned back in his chair, picking at the fruit now and then as he chatted with her.
From their conversation, he learned that the woman had been born in this city, which had already been under the control of a Player organization at the time. She'd never left the city, and almost all the outsiders she'd met had been Players. Most of the city's original residents were criminals or their descendants, so the general environment was poor, and no outsiders were willing to look after them. Anyone with power, good or bad, could get by just fine. Someone like the woman, who couldn't even afford an Evolution Potion, would have been in a terrible position if she didn't have a few relatives here.
At one point, the woman stepped out to bring him a glass of water. Seeing that he'd finished the fruit, she said, "Oh, would you like some more? I've got a few other kinds at home."
Xu Huo declined.
She didn't press him. As she went back into the