Chapter 18 Gifts and Sour Water

Faced with the invitation, Yang Yuning did not hesitate at all. After saying goodbye to Yao Du'an, she left with Qi An.

The two people's backs weren't intimately close, but they were still very familiar with each other. One was tall and the other was petite, and with their faces occasionally turning to each other, anyone who saw them would think they were a perfect match and pleasing to the eye.

Yao Du'an, however, did not find them pleasing to the eye. He frowned as he looked at the pair of figures from behind.

However, he didn't frown for long before he saw a work notification on his phone.

The situation regarding the fallen insects in the mountains of North District No. 42 has been ascertained, and the ambush is expected to begin tonight or tomorrow morning.

Should we notify the Cleanup Alliance?

Yao Du'an's brows relaxed.

It was only 7 a.m. when he returned to the division headquarters and sorted out the official documents and military reports that had been piling up the day before, which he then submitted to Yang Yuzhi just as he was about to start work.

The response to the question of "whether to notify the Purification Alliance" came quickly, and the answer was affirmative.

The commercial street, gently caressed by the morning sun, gradually came alive. When Yang Yuning asked what he wanted to buy, Qi An answered confidently, "A gift."

She wanted to keep her promise to Tan Fu and give her a birthday present.

At the "Star Fortress" Research Institute, anyone who frequently hangs around Tan Fu has to prepare a gift.

On April 10th, the workplace must be bustling with activity, and the young woman should ideally be happy.

Yesterday, while having dinner in the cafeteria, Liu Ye asked Qi An in a somewhat awkward manner if he wanted to prepare a gift. He said that if Qi An wanted to prepare one, he could take him to buy one, as he knew every commercial street in the North 1 Base very well!

Qi An refused, saying she would be leaving early in the morning.

However, she also asked Liu Ye curiously what he planned to give as a gift.

"Give me a doll! I know a tailor shop where the owner sews rag dolls. He uses scraps of cloth to sew them together and stuffs them with bran. They're not soft, but they're sturdy and pretty! Perfect for little girls!"

I already placed an order with her. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

Liu Ye was quite pleased with himself because he had made preparations in advance and had put thought into this matter!

Song Fanyu's response was more indifferent: "I'll give you a storybook, one with pictures."

"I'm giving away a wood carving this year! Last month I found a general store on Xiaonan Street. The owner can carve wood. He makes little wooden birds with mechanisms. They're beautiful and fun!"

This topic caused quite a stir in the cafeteria, and some people nearby also chimed in:

"My daughter can create collages using stones, dried flowers, and dried grass."

These things are usually useless; assembling them is a waste of time, and they take up space afterward. But they are indeed colorful and pretty, making them a good gift.

"Good grief, you let it slip! You didn't spend any contribution points on this gift, so the budget for buying it just went into your own pocket, didn't you!" Liu Ye slammed his fist on the table and shouted, eliciting a chorus of shouts and laughter.

Qi An almost asked, "Was the gift for Tan Fu paid for through official channels?" but he didn't say it.

That makes sense; it's part of the mission.

However, she still asked another question: "Isn't Tan Fu about to turn 16? Why are everyone's gifts still... more like gifts for a child?"

There was a two-second silence after he said that.

"Isn't a 16-year-old still a child?" someone said.

Sixteen-year-olds are already allowed to work; this is the law of the apocalypse.

When Qi An returned to the crystal house that night, he saw Lan Jiarou personally helping Tan Fu make the bed and take off her shoes.

Everything in the room was pink and delicate, and the books on the desk, apart from basic education books, digital information books, and professional books on insect research, were all picture books of fairy tales.

Don't grow up.

This is what they expect from her.

Aside from what's required for her job, she shouldn't need to learn or be able to do anything else; that's what they expected of her.

Therefore, when Yang Yuning asked, "What kind of gift do you want to buy?" Qi An replied without hesitation, "Something as practical as possible."

"The most practical things are food, clothing, and weapons," Yang Yuning said.

"Yes!" Qi Anxin thought to herself, she really wanted to give Tan Fu a gun.

However, buying a gun is a bit difficult. The base's attitude towards civilian gun ownership is half-banned and half-relaxed, so while there are places to buy guns, it's hard for non-locals to find them.

If it were Chen Xi beside Qi An, he would definitely go and find the gun seller without saying a word, but Yang Yuning... he is too law-abiding.

Yang Yuning took her to a shoe store.

This also aligns perfectly with Qi An's second choice.

Among those shoes that were completely unisex and all designed with the concept of "durability and durability," she chose the most durable and expensive pair.

They are ochre-red calfskin boots, the leather is soft and tough, and the rubber sole is thick but not high.

Tan Fu's feet were already the same size as Qi An's, so she tried them on herself and found them to be sturdy and lightweight, no less comfortable than military boots, and immediately bought them.

The price was very high, but she had the money.

The contribution points between bases are not interconnected, and those who come to carry out missions will be given a temporary card by the liaison unit.

There aren't many contribution points in the card, but Qi An offered 200 contribution points for a purification that includes mental soothing last night.

"Star Fortress" truly lives up to its reputation as a luxurious unit; at this price, there are countless applicants, and Qi An is making a fortune!

Qi An simply took out the money, and left with the boots, satisfied.

Her satisfaction brought a smile to Yang Yuning's lips. He thought that since Qi An didn't want the gift back after buying it, perhaps she wanted to buy something for herself too.

If you buy it for her, he might have a chance to pay.

As a result, Qi An did continue to buy things. After buying boots, he bought pants, then a jacket, and then hair ties... In the end, he couldn't resist and bought something impractical—a bracelet made of the bones and teeth of a wild beast.

She swiped her card without hesitation, paying quickly and decisively, without giving Yang Yuning a chance to take out her card at all.

Finally, they went to the general store, where Qi An asked the owner to pack everything up for her in nice bags or boxes.

"Make the bag prettier, no need to skimp on materials," she said.

His imposing manner startled the grocery store owner, who then hurriedly put on his most enthusiastic smile and began serving him.

Yang Yuning was also taken aback. So all these things were part of the gift!

He couldn't help but ask, "Who is this person? Why are you delivering a whole set?"

This set cost several thousand contribution points!

"Yeah, who is he? If it weren't for the fact that there's a limit to contribution points, Dr. Qi would have bought the whole street!" Lin Jiaran, whom they had brought in from the Purification Alliance, said sarcastically.

She rushed into the grocery store and saw the beautifully packaged gift bag that had already been made; she felt a pang of jealousy.

Qi An has never bought her a gift!