Chapter 402: Nineties Contrast System (5)

From the bustling metropolis of the new millennium, suddenly returning to a remote small County in the mid-nineties, the disparity was not just a little significant.

But Xie Yang had been to eras even more backward than this; the material conditions of the nineties were better than some and worse than others, and there was no need for ration coupons, so after a brief period of maladjustment, she accepted and integrated into this era.

She stayed in the County for four days.

The original plan was two days.

But at this critical juncture before the New Year, there were unexpectedly many patients coming to the hospital for gastroscopy, and there was only one usable instrument, so when it was Xie Yang's turn, it was delayed by three days from the expected time, and waiting for the results after the procedure took another day.

Fortunately, the other examination items were completed on the first day, so she spent the following two days wandering around the County.

She bought herself two sets of well-fitting and comfortable pure cotton underwear, two sets of thermal underwear, a set of soft and warm cashmere sweater and pants, a milk-white long down jacket that really complemented her complexion, and two pairs of thick and durable corduroy pencil pants.

In addition, she bought some New Year specialties that could serve as snacks: Peach Blossom Cake, Egg Roll, sesame crackers, peanut brittle, as well as sunflower seeds, peanuts, bamboo shoot beans, walnuts, and other nuts.

That way, in case they made a scene and didn't give her food to eat, she wouldn't have to go hungry.

In short, she didn't waste a single bit of the two days spent queuing for the gastroscopy, stocking up on a wave of new clothes and New Year goods for herself.

Fortunately, to save on handling fees, the original owner hadn't sent back her last month's salary and year-end bonus; after deducting the money for the train ticket, she still had 1,500 on her.

The original owner had worked at the garment factory for eleven months; for the first three months of the probationary period, it was eight to six, and by voluntarily working three hours of overtime at night, she only took home four or five hundred.

After becoming a regular employee, it increased by three hundred and fifty, and she took home over eight hundred.

This month before the New Year, due to many orders, she worked overtime until late every night.

Fortunately, the income was also quite substantial—it was the first time the original owner received a monthly salary starting with a nine, and with twenty more, it would have hit a thousand!

Plus the eight hundred year-end bonus, it was the first time she carried a four-digit sum of money, making her so nervous that her palms and soles were sweating.

However, according to Zhou Ru's instructions, buying a schoolbag for Zhu Meijiao, bringing New Year goods for the family, and counting the train ticket, before she even got on the train, over two hundred had already been spent.

She couldn't bear to spend any more of the remainder, keeping only a few yuan in her hand, while the rest was sewn into the inner pocket of her thermal underwear.

Before taking a bath, Xie Yang took the two stacks of money out of the inner pocket.

Looking at this money, she sighed deeply, feeling it wasn't worth it for the original owner.

But if the original owner hadn't died suddenly after being reborn, she surely wouldn't have been as stupid as in her previous life, right?

—Obediently following Zhou Ru's instructions to bring the money home, only for it to benefit Zhu Meijiao in the end.

Xie Yang was not someone who would wrong herself, and besides, if this money wasn't spent, her ears wouldn't be at peace once she returned to He Wan Village.

She simply went to the street for a big shopping spree.

After buying the new clothes, she rinsed the underwear and thermal wear with hot water at the hotel, and put on the cashmere sweater, pants, and coat right away.

The old cotton-padded jacket, which was washed until it turned white, had patches, and whose cotton lining had long since clumped up and lost its warmth, was nothing to be nostalgic about, so she gave it directly to a beggar on the road.

Upon receiving the complete medical examination report, she found that the constitution of this little body was truly too distressing.

Several blood indicators pointed to malnutrition, and the gastroscopy results were also not ideal; although it hadn't reached the stage of cancer, years of unhealthy eating—either starving or overeating, or eating chili sauce, pickled vegetables, and leftovers at every meal—had caused great damage to the stomach lining.

At such a young age, she had already developed atrophic gastritis, and if she didn't pay attention, she would really end up on the same old path as the original owner's previous life.

Back at the hotel, Xie Yang decisively spent points to redeem a Scanning and Printing All-in-One Machine that was considered obsolete in high-level civilizations, put the medical report inside, and edited whichever part she wanted to edit; after editing, saving, and taking it out, the medical report was still the same medical report, but some of the diagnostic content on it had already been edited to the effect she wanted.

Afterwards, she retracted the scanning and printing machine back into the Main System's built-in space, took out the already redeemed Physical Fitness Potion, swallowed it in one gulp, and went into the bathroom to soak.

"Where is that stench coming from? It's too stinky!"

"Attendant! Attendant! Is the toilet clogged? Hurry and send someone to clear it; it's stinking us to death!"

"Ugh! This stench is like a poison gas bomb; it's making me want to vomit! Where on earth is it drifting from?"

"How many days of feces have accumulated here..."

In the hotel corridor, where the soundproofing wasn't great, someone opened and closed a door, muttering about where the stench was drifting from, saying it was just too stinky! Even the dry toilets in the countryside weren't this smelly.

Xie Yang pretended not to hear.

The original owner's body was in such poor condition that the toxins expelled were naturally numerous.

Fortunately, she was staying in a single room with a private bathroom; if it had been a public washroom, she would have likely caused public outrage.

She spent some points to redeem an Essential Oil Bath Set, scrubbed herself from hair to soles several times, and after drying off, applied essential oil for skincare, incidentally adding some fragrance to the bathroom as well.

After bathing, Xie Yang walked out of the bathroom with a calm expression, putting on her new clothes from the inside out, feeling refreshed from head to toe.

However, looking in the mirror, her complexion was too good, not looking like a patient at all.

Xie Yang spent some more points to redeem a set of interstellar-brand natural, effortless cosmetics, applying a sickly makeup look with a dull complexion and pale lips, and only then did she head downstairs with her streamlined luggage.

"Comrade, checking out."

He Wan Village.

Several women were squatting by the river pier washing clothes.

Seeing Zhou Ru passing by with a basket of eggs, they asked one after another:

"A-Ru, I heard your Yang Yang went to the hospital as soon as she got off the train? She should be back after so many days, right? What did the doctor say?"

"Didn't Meifang and the others say she fainted on the train for a long while, and the old doctor on the train said it was very dangerous? What exactly is the illness? Is it serious?"

"No matter what the illness is, eating nutritiously is never wrong. A-Ru, if you're still short on eggs, my family has saved a few, feel free to come to my house and take them anytime."

Zhou Ru twitched the corners of her mouth, squeezing out an awkward smile; not wanting to chat much with this group of women, she gave a few perfunctory responses and hurried past with the basket.

Watching her walk away, the women couldn't be bothered to wash clothes, excitedly gossiping about the Zhu Family's affairs.

"Taohua Niang, your house is right next door, what's the situation at her place these past few days? Has Xie Yang really not returned from the hospital yet? And no one from her family went to the hospital to visit?"

Taohua Niang curled her lips in disdain: "You bet, Taohua took a look at the Zhu Family yesterday afternoon, and they said she hasn't returned yet. That basket of eggs just now was definitely for Old Zhu's daughter from his previous marriage. Which time does she not bring things back to school when she goes home?"

"Usually that's fine, but not even asking when her own daughter is sick, this mother is irresponsible enough; I don't know what she's thinking."

"Treating a stepchild like a treasure and her own child like grass, sooner or later there will come a day she regrets it."

Zhou Ru, who was being criticized by the group of women, returned home with an unpleasant expression.

In her heart, she cursed her own daughter to high heaven.

She was only seventeen, what kind of illness could she have?

At most it's just an upset stomach; is this even worth a special trip to the hospital?

After working down south for a year, she's seen more of the world and become pretentious! Going to the hospital for every little ache and pain, what a waste of money!

Thinking of how her daughter still had the last month's wages and year-end bonus in her hands that hadn't been turned over yet, Zhou Ru frowned, thinking to herself, this brat wouldn't spend it recklessly, would she?

At the time, thinking that the holiday would start as soon as the wages and year-end bonus were issued, she didn't have her send it; after all, remittances charge a fee, and one has to go to the town Post Office to collect it, which is quite troublesome to travel back and forth.

Now that she thinks about it, it would have been better to just let her send it back.