Chapter 35: Favorability Points Dropping Instead of Rising

Back at home.

Bai Tian and Jiang Dai walked into the inner room together.

Bai Tian began to report how much money they had spent today.

“Today, we went out, and the round trip on the ox cart for our family cost forty wen. The old man gave us a discount.”

“Six meat-filled steamed buns cost fifteen wen, a dou of brown rice was five wen, and a dou of fine flour was thirty-five wen, which adds up to another fifty-five wen.”

“We bought two and a half jin of pork for ninety wen.”

“Altogether, we spent one hundred eighty-five wen.”

Jiang Dai added, “I took the second and third children to see the doctor, which cost fifty wen.”

Bai Tian calculated, “So we spent a total of two hundred thirty-five wen, but the third child found one tael of silver on the road, and the eldest picked up gold from dog poop and exchanged it for ten taels of silver. So, in total, we made a profit of ten taels and seven hundred sixty wen.”

Jiang Dai nodded, but it was clear her mood wasn’t very high.

Bai Tian rubbed the tip of his nose. “You know, the kids realize they were wrong. Don’t be mad. I know you’re worried about them, but boys at this age are usually quite rambunctious.”

“I know, I’ll be fine in a bit.”

Jiang Dai didn’t dare admit she was homesick, missing her family and friends from another time.

Seeing Jiang Dai still a bit downcast, Bai Tian took out a small paper package. “Here, have a candy, will you?”

“Thank you.”

Jiang Dai politely accepted the candy and put it in her mouth.

Then…

It was awful!

Having tasted all sorts of candies from the modern era, Jiang Dai found this one really unpalatable!

“Is it sweet? Feeling better? Eating something sweet can lift your spirits!”

Bai Tian looked at his wife expectantly.

Jiang Dai couldn’t help but smile, “Sweet!”

But she looked at Bai Tian with some confusion and asked, “Does eating sweets really make you feel better? How do you know that?”

Bai Tian replied, “Eating something delicious naturally makes you feel better!”

Bai Tian continued, “I was thinking of letting all four kids go to school. Their grades aren’t important, but they should at least be literate.”

“Although we have these twelve taels of silver, it’s quite a bit, but if we just sit around and don’t earn more, relying solely on this isn’t a long-term plan.”

“But I was a fool before, spending money on eating, drinking, gambling—no, no, I didn’t visit brothels! I sold our three mu of land, so now we…”

Bai Tian slowly explained the family’s situation and his plans to Jiang Dai.

Jiang Dai looked up, for the first time seriously regarding her nominal husband.

He was actually quite handsome, not short, a good-looking young man.

At 25, in the modern era, he would just be a recent college graduate.

But now, he was already the father of four children.

Jiang Dai didn’t like this. Perhaps it was the difference in eras; she wasn’t ready to be a qualified mother.

She didn’t have big ambitions, like most young people, she just wanted to take it easy, have some money, and enjoy good food.

But now, in this unfamiliar world, without any golden finger, she had to take on the responsibility of raising four children well.

Her education made her want to be responsible for the children, not just raise them to support her in old age, but to genuinely care for them.

She actually felt a desire to escape.

Juanjuan was unaware that her mother was already considering retreating.

At this moment, she was being quietly pulled into a corner by her third brother.

“Juanjuan, try this, it’s really tasty!”

Bai Yunan took out a piece of strawberry candy, its wrapper removed, and handed it to Juanjuan with an innocent smile.

【Come on, eat it! This is much tastier than any candy here!】

【Hurry up and increase the Favorability Points! It’s already up to 20! I told you, it’s really easy to earn Favorability Points from kids!】

Juanjuan looked at the round, pink, gem-like candy in front of her.

“Can I really eat it?”

Bai Yunan, seeing the child about to drool, smiled and said, “Of course you can! It’s super delicious!”

“Is there only this one?”

“Of course! It’s just for Juanjuan!”

Bai Yunan patiently coaxed the child.

But inside, he was thinking: 【Why isn’t she eating it yet?】

【Why does this kid talk so much, just eat it already!】

Juanjuan, hearing her third brother’s urging, said, “Mom’s not happy, brother should go cheer her up.”

Bai Yunan: …

Why does this kid like mom so much?

“Didn’t brother find silver today? Didn’t he give it to mom?”

Juanjuan looked at her third brother, then at the candy in his palm. “Then… isn’t Third Brother going to eat it?”

Bai Yunan: …

“Just eat it! I wouldn’t give it to anyone else! Don’t keep asking if others are going to eat it, if I give it to you, just eat it!”

Bai Yunan, out of patience, stuffed the candy into Juanjuan’s mouth.

【Always worrying about others, a saint in the apocalypse! Obviously, she wants to eat it, obviously, she doesn’t have it, but she always thinks of others first.】

The sweet taste spread in her mouth, much better than the malt candy Da Chui had given her.

Suddenly, Juanjuan felt like crying.

Perhaps it was because she’d never tasted candy so sweet, or maybe it was the first time she’d received such favor from Third Brother. Perhaps she didn’t even know why—she just felt like crying.

“Third Brother.”

Bai Yunan replied, “Hmm?”

Looking at her somewhat impatient Third Brother, she asked the question she most wanted to ask.

“Why do you…” The candy shifted in her mouth, and Juanjuan’s voice carried a hint of tears, “treat me so well?”

Bai Yunan looked at the child in front of him and said, “You’re the only sister, of course I should treat you well!”

But in his heart, he thought: 【It’s just to rack up Favorability Points, what else? This kid is so clingy! I really don’t like children.】

Juanjuan, long accustomed to hearing strange voices, knew in that instant.

The words Third Brother spoke were lies.

The unspoken words were the truth.

So, Third Brother’s professed affection for Juanjuan was actually false.

Bai Yunan was prepared for the Favorability Points to soar.

In the next moment, Bai Yunan suddenly found he couldn’t smile at all.