Upgrading Again

Ability Application/Combat Class.

It had to be said, Ming Jiu was deeply tempted.

[Why didn't you recommend that I buy the Cold Weapons Training Course?]

The system gave her a very compelling reason: [In the world where I was born, no one used cold weapons in combat.]

Ming Jiu: [...Mm, that makes sense.]

[Warriors maintain their physical fitness and mental power through training. That is enough. Their combat primarily relies on mecha, firearms, and abilities.]

Since Sis System had said so, Ming Jiu decided not to waste money on it.

After returning to the hotel and picking up Ming Rong, the sisters went for another seafood feast. Satisfied and full, they boarded their flight and returned safely to City B.

It was already past four in the afternoon when they got home. After greeting Ming Rong, Ming Jiu headed out again, driving around to continue buying medicine. She made several calls with Sister Bai along the way and finalized three small apartments in the bustling downtown area of Yunjing Scenic Area.

The apartments had over fifty square meters of usable space. They had limited property rights, but that was not a big issue—the safe base did not care about the size of the property rights. As long as the apartments had been bought in full, that was enough.

They were newly renovated apartments with full interior finishing, residential water rates and commercial electricity rates. Sister Bai had given her a budget of over three million for all three apartments. Ming Jiu was very satisfied and arranged to meet her tomorrow morning to sign the contracts.

She kept busy until the sky had gone completely dark. After doing the math, Ming Jiu found that she had spent 50,500 yuan on medicine, finally reaching her budget. She immediately stopped.

Just as she got home, the delivery workers carrying the treadmill and stationary bike arrived.

Ming Jiu opened the door to the small bedroom at home. The workers placed the treadmill and bike where she specified, unpacked them, and then left.

The power rack and various dumbbells would not arrive until tomorrow. The power rack required professional installation, so Ming Jiu scheduled the installation for the evening. She could squat nearby and learn the installation process herself.

After the delivery workers left, Ming Jiu followed the system's guidance and dug out children's crawling mats from the pile of supplies in her space, covering half the small room with them.

From now on, this bedroom would be her and Xiao Rong's gym!

February 4th, the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month. Four days until the blizzard.

Ming Jiu stayed in bed—not because she wanted to sleep, but because the farm upgrade progress bar was just a tiny bit short, (290.67/300).

She had been so exhausted from farming last night that she had fallen asleep immediately. She was only ten gold coins short. After setting an alarm, Ming Jiu sank her mental power into her space and worked for nearly forty minutes before the progress bar finally jumped to (300.2/300).

The system notification sounded: [Congratulations, host, on upgrading the farm to Level 2. Rewards have been issued! Please collect them!]

[Planting Plot ×1.]

[Backpack Slot ×1—detected that the host has already unlocked the spatial warehouse. Spatial warehouse area increased by 100 square meters.]

Ming Jiu felt amazing. She got up, opened the system interface, and looked it over while washing up:

[Name: Ming Jiu

Gender: Female; Age: 23

Place of Origin: Golden Crow System - Blue Star

Farm Level: Level 2 (0.2/500)

Gold Coins: 7560; Silver Coins: 55; Copper Coins: 23

Farmland: 106

Orchard: 0 (unlocks at Level 5)

Processing Plant: 0 (unlocks at Level 10)

Breeding Farm: 0 (unlocks at Level 10)

Backpack: 3/5

System Warehouse: 1200 square meters]

Ming Jiu closed the light screen with satisfaction and casually planted the newly added plot with one click—she really was incredible.

Once she had finished washing up, Ming Rong had also made breakfast.

[Are we going out today?]

Ming Jiu nodded. "Yes. Our villa is mostly finished, so I'm going over to inspect it today."

"Do you want to stay home, or come with me?"

Ming Rong was a little tempted by the idea of seeing the new house, but after hesitating, she still shook her head.

She pointed at Black Girl and Black Rice, who were rolling around and making a fuss on the living room carpet.

She would not be able to help much if she followed her sister anyway. She might as well stay home.

Ming Jiu did not force her.

"Then I'll give you a task. Order New Year supplies on the food delivery app. Buy whatever you want and get anything you feel like eating. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and we can go shopping in person too. We can visit the supermarket together. How does that sound?"

Ming Rong nodded vigorously.

She absolutely loved going to supermarkets!

After breakfast, Ming Rong forcibly pushed her sister, who wanted to clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes, out the door. Ming Jiu did not stand on ceremony. As she pulled on her clothes, she reminded Ming Rong about safety before heading out and going downstairs.

The elevator went straight to the underground parking garage. The moment the doors opened, Ming Jiu saw some "familiar faces."

Chu Jingning, Chu Lanning, and a middle-aged elite-looking man standing beside the siblings.

The weather was freezing. Everyone was wrapped up tightly, with hats and masks fully in place, but Ming Jiu still recognized them from their builds and clothes.

As for the person beside the siblings... he was probably the head of Chu Ning Real Estate. She could not remember his name, but in any case, he was Chu Lanning and Chu Jingning's father.

Fortunately, Ming Jiu and Chu Jingning were merely neighbors who had met once, while she had never had any contact with Chu Lanning. Ming Jiu walked out of the elevator without looking sideways, and Chu Jingning's gaze did not linger on her either.

Ming Jiu headed straight for her parking space, unlocked her car, got in, and started the engine.

[Sis System, has the Chu Family made any new moves recently?]

It just so happened that the Chu siblings were both at Dragonview Court, while she was heading to the vacation villa in Yunjing Scenic Area to hand things over with the young designer.

The system answered concisely: [Chu Lanning and Chu Dongguo have reconciled. Chu Dongguo was the person standing beside Chu Lanning and Chu Jingning just now.]

Ming Jiu drove out of her parking space.

[Many of Chu Lanning's predictions have come true. Chu Dongguo has begun to believe her and is supporting Chu Lanning's efforts to stockpile supplies and prepare a shelter.]

[Fine. What about the Zuo Family?]

The system said: [Under joint pressure from the board of directors, Zuo Junhao has been temporarily suspended. He has barely left home recently. Zuo Junxin is still "resting and recuperating." The company funds Zuo Junhao misappropriated have been replenished, and the Zuo Family has almost no fixed assets or money left in its bank accounts.]

Ming Jiu could not suppress the corners of her mouth at all.

[How much money can his family use now?]

The system replied: [They have around two million in cash and deposits. Including wealth management products that cannot be cashed out in the short term, they have nearly thirty million.]

Ming Jiu had to admit that she felt a little jealous.

But once she remembered that most of that money was tied up in wealth management products that were about to evaporate and could never be recovered, she felt better again.

Hopefully, their family of four could endure the impoverished, harsh life ahead.

[The Chu Family and Zuo Junhao haven't officially called off the engagement, right?]

[That's right. Under pressure, Zuo Junhao has started taking the initiative to contact Chu Lanning again.]

The Zuo Family could not afford to lose the Chu Family as such a powerful marriage ally, and Zuo Junhao could not either.

If his dream was fake, if no great catastrophe lay ahead, and if he was still the young master and heir of the Zuo Family, then marrying into the Chu Family would be his lifeline for salvaging his massive mistake.

[How did Chu Lanning react?]

[Chu Lanning has been pressing him for answers and trying to draw information out of him, but without results. However, she has already obtained detailed information on Zuo Junhao's remaining supply locations.]