Her Cultivation Diary-Chapter 1971 - 1738: What Should I Bring?

Ah?

Can’t use water bottles?

Though currently no one owns a water bottle, everyone is still curious: "What about those sold at the small shop..."

The kitchen helper’s cheeks twitched.

"I’m talking about proper big water bottles; those sports water bottles from the small shop... Those haven’t been watched for a while, everyone’s using them, so use them if you must."

Luckily, their tea was made light; otherwise, a big water bottle would exhaust the supply quickly. Everyone carrying one that big is like a water buffalo.

Fortunately, the kitchen helpers are them; moving things around, boiling water, pouring tea, they’re quite strong.

Otherwise, Master Jiang would’ve given up long ago.

But even though he compromised, the group still didn’t have water bottles.

The girls hesitated, pitiful: "We didn’t bring cups..."

The kitchen helper pointed towards the sterilization cabinet: "The stainless steel ones there are communal; after you use them, wash them clean and when you put them back, don’t forget to press sterilize again."

Paused for a moment and continued: "It would be more convenient to buy a water bottle, so you can carry the tea around."

Poor students: ...

Every penny of living expenses needs careful calculations; a water bottle costs dozens, no buying!

Yet, such firmness wavered immediately upon taking bowls full of tea, tasting it in the mouth.

The tea is warm, sipping it brings sweat to the brow. But the fragrance of the tea is light and long-lasting, even making the throat feel refreshingly clear, with a bittersweet taste.

This kind of taste, even the university students who know nothing about tea, feeling like chewing on pearls blindly, gaped; after a long time they sighed:

"This is really good tea."

Such tasty tea, if they can’t carry a big water bottle along, they’d rather sit in the cafeteria all afternoon!

Everyone exchanged glances, thinking, after all, a few dozen, if they grit their teeth they can still scrape it out...

The shopkeeper aunt was playing card games on her phone under a fan, seeing a few familiar figures returning from the mountain, she didn’t even raise her head —

"Buying a water bottle, right? All the prices are the same, pick one yourself."

University students: ...

Such precise anticipation! Pinching their reluctance for tea, right?

Predicted correctly!

So far, within two hours of arriving at Yunqiao Village, the university students’ savings decreased by 40 (the bus fare was settled by Song Tan).

The girls murmured holding their phones: "No wonder all guides say you’ll spend money coming here..."

They were on high alert for villagers overcharging them, never expecting it was due to receiving a free benefit.

But looking on the bright side, the tourists who come here can drink tea for free but still have to pay for cafeteria food, whereas they shamelessly get it gratis.

Considering this way, spending that forty doesn’t seem so painful.

Meanwhile, Song Tan opened her phone accidentally seeing their step count, grimly silent.

Then showed this page to Wu Lan: "Mom, you said spending over a thousand inviting these university students to accompany Qiaoqiao’s exercise was too pricey — look at their stamina!"

Just been here two hours, with steps gone from 4000+ to 11000 now.

It’s three-something in the afternoon, with a high temperature of 39 degrees!

The vigor of youth, whether like Zhang Yanping who feels tired just holding a gas can, or the hardcore ones like these, truly rise to challenges.

...

Yet the true strength of modern university students was far from fully displayed.

When they returned to the mountain with a full water bottle of tea, the kitchen helper, seeing their enthusiastic demeanor, advised:

"Drink more tea now, but don’t drink it at night. Also, since you’re here, Aunt Zhang Hong’s ice bean curd is also tasty and cheap, you should try it."

The university students grimaced immediately: More expenses?!

Living expenses are really running out!

...

At the same time, Huo Xueying was frantically tapping a wooden fish app on her phone, almost lighting the screen on fire.

A colleague curiously asked:

"What are you doing?"

She grimaced: "I’m burning incense and praying, hoping today won’t require overtime."

Fooey fooey fooey fooey! A spooky sentence indeed, her colleague quickly echoed the fooeys in all directions.

After fooing, the colleague was puzzled: "Didn’t you quit your job?"

Huo Xueying: ...Oh right.

Blame the company for being so miserable, she came today only to hand over the things the new hires didn’t understand, and coincidentally waited nearby for her boyfriend to finish work, unexpectedly she got caught up!

Work is really frightening.

Though there’s no new job lined up yet, she already feels delighted, sitting back down happily.

Former colleagues wondered: "Why are you so happy? Got a new job already?"

"No," Huo Xueying was not worried at all.

Thanks to such an unscrupulous company, all of them were honed into well-rounded warriors.

Previously it was Song Tan when she was around, now that she’s gone, I’ve evolved too.

In this era of short dramas and booming new media, the editing and retouching skills she mastered are sought after everywhere.

The difference is just the workload.

Seeing the colleague still curious, she couldn’t help but laugh: "Remember Song Tan’s farm? She’s invited me to visit."

Wow!

The newcomers might not know, but old employees gathered around:

"Xue Ying, does she have honey at her place? Bring me back two bottles."

"Tea! That tea!"

"Peaches! The peaches you ate last year..."

Someone even sourly said: "Getting successful makes people different, we worked together for some time, but now gone home to be a boss, old colleagues’ messages don’t even get a reply..."

Huo Xueying rolled her eyes:

"Her stuff is collected by suppliers, no retail at all. We were colleagues, but asking for a few melons or dates, sending messages for it... She has more than a thousand WeChat friends, how can she keep up!"

"Besides, you could just place an order in the online shop."

If they could order from the online shop, would they be so sour?

The shop’s prices have gone up now too.

"Also, sending her private messages is really just hoping to buy at old prices, right? That’s not possible, the wholesale prices have gone up several times." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"If she sees the message and refuses, you’re hurt. If she doesn’t refuse, then she’s losing money..."

"Not replying is the most graceful, isn’t it?"

Huo Xueying knows their character too well, her lips firing rapidly, promptly embarrassing them.

Exactly!

While working, the relationship wasn’t that great; before Song Tan quit none of them asked much after her accident.

Everyone minded their own business then, later there’s no need to reconnect!

If reconnecting means paying the full price and cutting the line as colleagues, Song Tan might agree.

Think they could get stuff at old prices — nowadays her products are hard to come by, she doesn’t want to expose them.

If wanting to buy some for personal use?

In the current seafood market, her stuff could rise several times!

In short, post-quit, highly battle-ready Huo Xueying took in all the envy and jealousy, feeling very satisfied.

And the jibed colleagues didn’t back down:

"What’s making you proud about Song Tan’s farm? I’m telling you, you young folks shouldn’t just complain about fatigue and vacations, if you don’t secure your job early, you’ll miss both ends."

"They say you’re invited there, but everything might charge you money, your monthly pay may not even cover a meal."

"Even if not costing you, with things so pricey there, eating could be pressuring, right?"

Those jibed colleagues carried on, not holding back — since they’re no longer colleagues, you hit hard, I’ll hit harder.

Ah!

Huo Xueying isn’t one to shy away quietly!

Now, finally hearing those words, she hesitated sheepishly: "I said I’d pay, but Song Tan said, given our relationship, paying would be too formal."

"Anyway, this trip is all-inclusive: food, lodging, entertainment, and a few boxes of specialties when leaving — sigh!"

She theatrically sighed, seeming troubled:

"What kind of gifts do you think I should bring?"