Chapter 6

It was so late that Song Xiaozhu did not dare go out to Garbage Mountain to look for scrap wood and stone. She could only wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow... She looked at the exclamation mark in the upper right of her vision, filled with worry.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The knocking sounded especially piercing in the night. Like a startled little animal, Song Xiaozhu nearly jumped.

Who?!

It could not be Bai Jing. If he came back, he would never knock.

Song Xiaozhu surveyed the shack, wondering what she could use to barricade the door...

"Master Bai, it's Xiao Qiu."

The speaker had a hearty female voice, rougher and huskier than most women's.

A tall figure flashed through Song Xiaozhu's mind. Her name was Qiu Shuyu, and she was another scavenger in the community. Her shack was right beside Bai Jing's, and she was one of the few neighbors Song Xiaozhu had spoken to.

After a moment's consideration, Song Xiaozhu asked, "Sister Shuyu, what brings you here so late?"

Qiu Shuyu said, "Is that Xiaozhu? Has Master Bai gone to bed so early? I just got back from the logging yard. I bundled up some dry firewood for Master Bai's fire."

In fact, Qiu Shuyu was only a year older than Li Siyuan, but she was tall and sturdy, far stronger than many men. Even after ending up on Garbage Mountain, she could protect herself.

During a scramble for salvage last year, Qiu Shuyu had fought others bloody without regard for her life, establishing herself in the community and getting a shack of her own.

Not long afterward, Qiu Shuyu saved enough money to buy an axe and found relatively steady work at the logging yard.

Bai Jing had once looked after her when she was injured. Qiu Shuyu had always been grateful and would occasionally bring him dry firewood she picked up at the logging yard, wild fruit, and the like.

Song Xiaozhu knew Qiu Shuyu was not an "intruder," but right now, she could trust no one. Above all, she had to conceal the fact that Bai Jing was not home.

Qiu Shuyu had always cared a great deal about Bai Jing. Especially after Song Xiaozhu recovered, she was constantly afraid that this young girl of unknown origins would bully the old, frail, skinny, and kindhearted Master Bai.

Song Xiaozhu had no comment on that.

But she knew perfectly well that fooling Qiu Shuyu would come at a price.

Song Xiaozhu quickly tidied up her setup by the window, then made a slight mound on the plank bed. Only then did she pick up the plastic bottle on the table and open the wooden door.

Standing outside was a girl 1.8 meters tall with a rather burly build. She had a buzz cut, dark skin, and particularly bright eyes. A stalk of dry grass hung between her somewhat thick lips, and she held a bundle of firewood in her left hand as easily as if it were a little chick.

Song Xiaozhu smiled at her and lowered her voice. "Thank you, Sister Shuyu. You must be thirsty after a hard day's work. Here, have some water."

As she spoke, she handed Qiu Shuyu the "low-pollution water" that could "make the target feel slightly more at ease."

"It's just a little firewood. No big deal."

Qiu Shuyu peered into the shack and saw the raised outline of a figure on the bed. Somewhat reassured, she turned her gaze to the plastic bottle in Song Xiaozhu's hand.

After a full day of work at the logging yard, she was indeed tired and thirsty. At the sight of the clear water, she accepted it without thinking much of it.

Chapter 6

Song Xiaozhu watched Qiu Shuyu unscrew the cap and gulp down the water.

She had tasted "low-pollution water" before and knew how it tasted, but she did not know whether this water with a special effect would be different.

Although there was 500 ml of water, Song Xiaozhu had not tasted any. It was not because she feared anything would go wrong if she drank it, but because she feared disrupting its unique effect.

The description "makes a person feel slightly more at ease" was far too vague. If Song Xiaozhu had not been in a "crisis state," she would have experimented on herself long ago to explore this effect.

Qiu Shuyu was very thirsty. As the cool water flowed down her throat, it immediately soothed the burning there. It felt like being scorched beneath a blazing sun, then suddenly greeted by welcome rain that instantly soothed away the heat and sweat covering her body.

Once her thirst eased, Qiu Shuyu unexpectedly tasted a hint of sweetness, like dew on leaves in the early morning. She occasionally licked off a drop or two, and it felt so good that even the tip of her tongue trembled.

As mouthful after mouthful of cool water reached her stomach, an inexplicable sense of ease welled up in her heart...

Qiu Shuyu was still in the familiar community. The stench of decay and putrid rot that perpetually hung over Garbage Mountain filled her nose. Before her lay the murky night, as though even the moon begrudged them its light, while the stars hid completely out of sight...

Filth, decay, despair...

Everything was as awful as ever, yet she inexplicably felt at ease.

Without realizing it, Qiu Shuyu emptied the bottle. When she lowered it and looked at the young girl before her again, she actually found her features sweet and well-behaved, very likable. Even her earlier suspicions vanished completely.

Yes, Song Xiaozhu was just like her, a poor soul who had ended up on Garbage Mountain. She had only survived because Master Bai took her in.

Even if Song Xiaozhu looked like an "upper-city resident," surely she would not hurt the person who had saved her life.

Everyone had a heart. Not all "upper-city residents" were ungrateful wretches.

Song Xiaozhu kept watching Qiu Shuyu's expression. This effect seemed even more powerful than she had imagined. Qiu Shuyu all but had "at ease" written across her face.

Unsure how long the effect would last, Song Xiaozhu seized the moment and spoke in a hushed voice. "Sister Shuyu, I can take the firewood inside. Was there anything else? Do you need me to wake Master Bai?"

Qiu Shuyu shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, nothing else. Don't wake Master Bai. Let him sleep."

Song Xiaozhu gave her a sweet smile and said, "All right, then. Get some rest soon too, Sister Shuyu."

"Mm-hmm. You get to bed early too. I'm heading back."

At that moment, Qiu Shuyu was just like her name-

soothed as though she were a withered tree bathed in spring rain, every branch stretching out in relaxed comfort. She was filled with ease, and even her steps were much lighter.

Song Xiaozhu watched Qiu Shuyu leave.

She now had a rough idea of what this "water" with its special effect did...

Feeling at ease would make people lower their guard, treat others more tolerantly, and become more agreeable.

The feeling of ease lasted a considerable amount of time. She did not know exactly how long, nor whether it gradually diminished or vanished abruptly.