Chapter 75 The dried tofu was really too stingy.
Zhou Chi sat in the driver's seat, staring at the small electric scooter in front of him, and slowly drove behind, feeling like a perverted stalker!
But what could he do? He was helpless too!
...
Yesterday afternoon, after seeing the "writing" on the sachets at Ning Jia's stall, Zhou Chi immediately recognized it as the writing of the Lilliputians and was greatly shocked.
After all, he was just a beginner in the Lilliputian script!
He quietly followed Ning Jia back to Xinglong Lane, eavesdropped for a while, and searched the surrounding area, but found no clues whatsoever.
Could it be that the Lilliputians are not here?
Zhou Chi looked at this old residential area that had absolutely no green space planning and became more and more convinced that his guess was correct:
According to Bai Zhi and the others, the little people cannot live without nature and would never tolerate a place without forests. Perhaps they have been hidden in other places.
He returned to his car and waited a while longer. Finding that Ning Jia still hadn't left, he figured she probably wouldn't be going to see the little people today, so he didn't linger any longer. He noted down the address and left in a hurry.
Not long after Zhou Chi left, the courtyard gate suddenly opened. Ning Jia peeked outside and, seeing no one in sight, closed the gate with peace of mind.
The security camera in front of her house recently broke down, and it hasn't been fixed at the hardware store yet. She still feels uneasy and has to be careful.
However, you rarely see even a cat in this alley, and it's nighttime now, so there shouldn't be any problem.
Once Ning Jia thought about it, she excitedly went back to move the table.
...
As soon as Zhou Chi got home, he showed the little ones the photos of the sachets on his phone and asked them to identify the "handwriting" on them.
The previously gloomy little people were indeed excited, and were quite certain that the embroidery on the sachet was their race's script!
"Bai Zhi's mother, we've been captured by the giant who sells 'good old grass'! We miss you, come find me quickly..."
The eldest of the children, Bai Zhi, clutched the sachet, calling out the names "Xue Cao" and "Gan Cao," tears streaming down her face.
I wonder how hard the children's lives are, that they have to disguise their own language as patterns on sachets in order to send messages...
Fortunately, Zhou Chi discovered it by chance; otherwise, how many sachets would the children have had to embroider to spread the news?
After she finished crying, she picked up a delicate and soft mini handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face. Her previously agitated emotions gradually calmed down.
She suddenly felt that something seemed off about this.
After all, the words on the sachet were written in a soft, coquettish tone, like a child pouting, which was quite unlike Xuecao's tone.
As for Gan Cao, that silly child couldn't write his own language at all, so Bai Zhi excluded him outright.
Seeing Bai Zhi's puzzled expression, Zhou Chi embellished the story, recounting what he had seen and heard:
"Bai Zhi, your people are in that woman's hands, there's no mistake!"
"Originally, I wanted to buy that sachet and bring it back, but that woman surnamed Ning was too cunning. She seemed to have sensed something and refused to sell it to me. She looked very suspicious!"
Bai Zhi nodded, seemingly convinced by him:
"Alright, then I'll trouble you to investigate this matter for us."
"Please!" "Please!" "Zhou Chi, keep it up!"
The other little figures chimed in, their faces full of expectation.
This wasn't the first time they'd asked Zhou Chi for help, but it was the most promising one yet, their little faces radiating boundless vitality.
Seeing that the little people seemed to have regained the vitality they had when they first met, Zhou Chi was very pleased and nodded solemnly to them:
"Don't worry, everyone. This time, I will definitely find your lost clansmen."
...
Bearing his promise to the Lilliputians, Zhou Chi quietly arrived at Xinglong Lane before dawn this morning.
He parked his car near the alley entrance and waited patiently for a long time before Ning Jia finally rode out on her bicycle.
He drove his car, following behind the milky-white electric scooter, making several turns. After about ten minutes, he saw Ning Jia turn a corner and slowly ride into an alley.
Could this be... the place where the dwarves are imprisoned?
Seeing Ning Jia park her electric scooter outside the alley, Zhou Chi's expression tightened. He quickly found a place to park and quietly followed Ning Jia.
However, the further he walked into the alley, the more uneasy he felt:
If we go any further in... isn't this a farmers' market?
Does this mean that the most dangerous place is also the safest place?
Somewhat puzzled, he looked around again, observing the bustling shops and stalls lining the roadside...
Impossible, absolutely impossible. If people were to hide in a place like this, they would be discovered in no time.
This woman surnamed Ning is so vigilant, it's unlikely she would make such a basic mistake.
He looked at the bustling market again, somewhat puzzled:
If she wasn't looking for the dwarfs, then what is she doing here?
When Zhou Chi saw Ning Jia stop in front of a vegetable stall, he suddenly realized:
I came to the market early in the morning, of course, to buy groceries!
That's true. Even in prison, they provide food. Besides, those scoundrels have to work for her. No matter how heartless they are, they still have to give people something to eat.
Seeing Ning Jia navigate the maze-like market with practiced ease, Zhou Chi used the vegetable stalls as cover, following closely behind, never letting her out of his sight.
However, the vendors at the market are all sharp-eyed. People who rarely buy vegetables will immediately attract their attention if they show the clear-headedness and confusion typical of "vegetarian shopping novices."
"Handsome, the pork is especially fresh today, wouldn't you like some?" the woman at the pork stall greeted him warmly.
"Hey handsome, wanna get some beef? It's all shank, perfect for fitness enthusiasts!"
The man selling beef recommended the product, not forgetting to show off his muscular arms.
"Young man, the chives look so fresh today, would you like to buy some to nourish yourself?"
The old lady at the vegetable stall smiled and shook the mud off the vegetable leaves.
"Handsome, the bok choy is only one yuan per pound!"
"Mushrooms, freshly picked mushrooms..."
Amidst the cacophony of vendors' cries, Zhou Chi glanced at the unfamiliar ingredients and politely waved his hand.
"Sorry, I'm not buying groceries."
As he spoke, he subconsciously quickened his pace, afraid of falling behind the person walking so fast ahead of him.
Wait, why did that woman turn around just now? Did she spot me?
Zhou Chi stopped in his tracks in fright and bent down to pick at the lettuce leaves on a certain stall.
"Handsome, are you going to buy it or not? How can you pick lettuce like that? You've ruined perfectly good lettuce..."
"...I'll buy this lettuce."
Zhou Chi hurriedly scanned ten yuan, grabbed the lettuce, and completely ignored the vendor shouting behind him:
"Handsome, you've given me too much. Lettuce only costs two yuan..."
...
It was several minutes later when Zhou Chi found Ning Jia again, carrying a head of lettuce.
In fact, Ning Jia did look back just now, but she wasn't looking at Zhou Chi; she was looking at the tofu on the tofu stall.
As soon as Ning Jia entered the market, she started looking for inspiration and thinking about the lunch menu:
Only those who cook every day know that the hardest part is not cooking itself, but deciding what to cook each day!
It's so difficult for ordinary cooks to make sure the food is varied, nutritious, suits the tastes of diners, and isn't too expensive!
Moreover, many of the ingredients used by the Dwarf race are still in an "unverified" state, which further reduces Ning Jia's options.
Ning Jia has already explored almost the entire market, but still hasn't decided on today's menu.
What to eat, what to eat, I'm going crazy...
She then thought that she had just fed the little ones barbecue last night, and their oil intake was already far too high, so she definitely couldn't cook meat again today.
Since they want to eat tofu, how about we have a completely vegetarian tofu feast?
This isn't because she's stingy; it's entirely for the sake of the little people's health.
Ning Jiayi was thinking seriously when he decisively turned around and walked towards a newly opened tofu stall, completely unaware that Zhou Chi was sweating nervously not far away.
Hmm, this tofu looks pretty good.
Ning Jia stood in front of the stall, took a deep breath of the rich aroma of soybeans, and decisively said:
"Boss, give me two, no, three pieces of tofu! One soft one and two firm ones!"
"Okay."
The shop owner deftly sliced the tofu. "Fifteen yuan in total."
Ning Jia pointed to one of the pieces and said, "This piece is too big; I can't eat it. Just cut it in half."
"It's not much money... Miss, why don't you just buy them all?"
Ning Jia remained unmoved. "Just cut it in half, otherwise I don't want it at all."
The shopkeeper had no choice but to cut it in half for her, and then, still unwilling to give up, tried to sell it to her:
"Want some dried tofu? It's freshly made and really delicious."
Ning Jia took a look. The dried tofu looked quite good, and it smelled strongly of beans, so the taste should be decent. She nodded.
"Then let's have some more dried tofu."
"Okay."
The boss perked up, quickly grabbed a plastic bag, and started stuffing dried tofu into it.
"Alright, alright, that's about enough. Remove a little more..."
Ning Jia, with her keen eyesight, promptly stopped the shopkeeper from stuffing dried tofu into the bag.
The shopkeeper awkwardly stopped what he was doing and weighed the dried tofu. "Eighteen in total."
Ning Jia checked the tofu and dried bean curd again before scanning the code to pay, satisfied. She then took out her phone and carefully noted down the expense.
Zhou Chi, standing not far away, used lettuce to hide the anger on his face, internally ranting:
Good heavens, in the middle of the day, is she going to let the little people take advantage of her?
Even more! They wouldn't buy more than half a piece!
Tofu is so cheap, yet they won't even let the little people eat more of it?!
Ning's sachets are so popular, each one costs tens of yuan, and they are all made by the little people with great effort, but she won't even give them half a piece of tofu!
He had never seen such a heartless capitalist in his entire life!
Unaware that she had become a "heartless swindler," Ning Jia bought some more cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and other cheap vegetables, which made Zhou Chi behind her frown.
Good heavens, there's not a single piece of meat in it!
What kind of miserable life did those scoundrels endure working for that heartless woman?
Zhou Chi was complaining when he suddenly saw Ning Jia stop in front of a beef stall, and his brows relaxed.
It seems this woman surnamed Ning still has some humanity left...
Unexpectedly, after asking the shopkeeper about the price, Ning Jia looked at him with a disdainful expression and turned to leave.
Zhou Chi: ...
He was speechless. He had forgotten to cover himself with lettuce and was exposed to Ning Jia's view so blatantly when she turned around.
It's over.
In despair, Zhou Chi grabbed a handful of chives from the stall next door and pretended to be buying vegetables. However, Ning Jia acted as if she had never seen him before and calmly walked past him.
Zhou Chi narrowed his eyes. Could it be that she doesn't remember him?
"Handsome guy, these chives are very tender and fresh. They're very good for your health, especially for men. Eating some chives is good for you."
The woman buying groceries looked at him with a smile.
Zhou Chi was stunned for a moment, blushed for no apparent reason, and then realized what was happening. He dropped the chives and ran in the direction Ning Jia had left.
...
Ning Jia, having bought her groceries, walked out of the market with her basket, browsed around the fruit shop at the entrance, and finally picked out a basket of lychees.
Zhou Chi, who was standing to the side holding a coconut to cover his face:
Hmph, at least she has some conscience; she even bought fruit for the little people.
Fruit is the staple food of the little people. Does that mean the tofu is for her own consumption, while the fruit is for the little people?
Zhou Chi felt inexplicably relieved, then glanced at the scene again:
Goodness, these lychees are so cheap, only 20 yuan for a basket?
He glanced at the cashier while holding the coconut, and seeing Ning Jia give him her phone number when she paid, he asked:
"Is today a member discount day? Are there any discounts on these lychees?"
The cashier seemed to know Ning Jia quite well, and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, today is the best time to buy lychees."
Ning Jia's eyes lit up, and she asked again, "What about seedless watermelons? Are there any discounts?"
"There are no watermelons today."
"Oh, never mind then, I'll buy it next time."
After paying the bill, the lychees, which cost 20 yuan a basket, were more than 3 yuan cheaper. Ning Jia happily carried the lychees away, leaving Zhou Chi speechless.
Lychees are so cheap now, why not buy a few more baskets?
There were over twenty little people in that basket of lychees, and at most thirty of them. Did they expect each person to get just one lychee?
That's incredibly stingy!
He was once again speechless at Ning Jia's stingy behavior, and countless complaints flashed through his mind.
After that, Ning Jia went to the cold drink wholesale store and bought... nothing.
After that, Ning Jia went to a grain and oil store and bought... a small bag of loose rice.
...
After Zhou Chi returned to Xinglong Lane with Ning Jia from their shopping trip, he realized something:
After all that, the little people were locked up in this heartless woman's house!
Stereotypes are harmful.
Yes, although the little people love nature, no one says they can't survive without it...
Especially this kind of heartless woman, she can lock people up wherever she wants, without ever considering the physical and mental health of the little people!
Zhou Chi, having missed his chance, clenched his fist in frustration:
If he had known they were here, he would have taken action last night.
Recalling what he had just seen and heard, his heart clenched again:
These scoundrels are so unlucky to be locked up and exploited by such a stingy person. They must be living a miserable life...
Zhou Chi hid in the alley, watching Ning Jia return home in high spirits from afar, and secretly made up his mind:
I can't stand it anymore, I really can't stand it anymore.
He vowed to rescue the poor little people from that hellhole as soon as possible!
With a heavy heart, Zhou Chi returned to his car, found a few pieces of sticky paper, and began to write furiously.
A few minutes later, a small pebble wrapped with a note was thrown into Ning Jia's yard, followed by another, and another...
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