When Auntie was around, Uncle Zhang generally didn't get a chance to speak.
Uncle Zhang sat to the side, a look of joy on his face, watching his wife talk to Wen Ying, "My father-in-law has been gone for several years now. A few days ago, your Uncle Zhang said that my father-in-law hit him in a dream. I thought he missed his father, so I took him to sweep the grave, but it didn't seem to help. It was only after burning the yellow paper we got from you, little Ying, that things got better!"
Aunt Zhang seemed very eager to talk, so Wen Ying didn't interrupt her. "That night, not only did your Uncle Zhang dream of the old man, but I, his daughter-in-law, also dreamed of him! In the dream, the old man said that our family had an heirloom in the old house. He left in such a hurry that he didn't have time to tell us. Your Uncle Zhang went to look for it, and he actually found it! Someone bought that antique for three million! Three million! Thanks to you, little Ying, you are not only our family's savior but also our lucky star!"
Wen Ying smiled without saying a word.
"But the old man said he's a bit short on money down there, so he wants us to burn more money for him. We did as he asked! But your Uncle Zhang got beaten up again! This is strange, and your Uncle Zhang and I want you to help us take a look."
"Xiao Ying, don't be nervous. Your aunt is just too worried, that's why she's so anxious. Take a look and see what medicine is needed. Just prescribe it! Money is not an issue for us!"
Listening to her husband's nouveau riche-like speech, Aunt Zhang gave him a glare but did not retort.
Wen Ying was an honest child who wouldn't deceive them; they had long since come to realize this.
Underworld currency, Wen Ying really didn't have such a thing.
The system was under maintenance and couldn't answer her. Wen Ying thought for a moment, "How about this, Auntie, you buy some joss paper for me, and I'll give it a try."
"Alright, alright! Good child! I'll go buy it right now. There's a funeral shop in a more secluded part of the street, and I'm familiar with the owner's wife," Auntie said as she pulled Uncle Zhang away. Wen Ying thought for a moment, wondering what conditions were needed for the items to be used in the underworld.
In her previous life, she had tried as well. Although she had made some connections, she had lived too long and passed away before she had the chance to try these things.
In this life, she seemed to have a chance at success. After all, she now belonged to the world of cultivators. The merit she earned from treating patients had all transformed into spiritual energy, entering her body. She hadn't gone out for a run that morning precisely because of this spiritual energy.
After tidying up the clinic, Wen Ying placed an order online for a white lab coat in her height.
In less than half an hour, Uncle Zhang and his wife returned. Uncle Zhang was holding a stack of paper money, which he placed on the only table in the clinic.
Wen Ying glanced at it and couldn't help but joke, "Uncle, Aunt, these are all worth a hundred million each. Aren't you afraid of causing inflation down there?"
The two of them thought it made sense, "I'll go back and get smaller denominations!"
"Don't worry, one or two times probably won't be a big issue. This stack is enough. I'll keep it here, and once it's ready, I'll bring it over to you, Uncle Zhang."
The two thanked Wen Ying and then left.
Wen Ying looked at the money, feeling a bit amused. She probably never imagined that her first encounter with paper currency would be in such a scenario.
This stack also had a hundred sheets. Wen Ying casually pulled one out and studied it for a while.
This paper money is actually just ordinary paper money, far from being usable as currency in the underworld. When people burn this kind of paper money for their deceased relatives during tomb-sweeping, it's essentially a futile gesture; those in the underworld won't receive it.
It was probably just to comfort the descendants who were still alive.
The situation Uncle Zhang encountered clearly surpassed the boundaries of scientific understanding. Wen Ying wanted to help them, so the money had to be sent down below, and it had to bear the mark of Uncle Zhang's family.
The mark was easy to handle; it required a descendant of the Zhang family to burn it for him personally. However, ensuring it reached the underworld and was truly received required Wen Ying's assistance.
Spiritual energy, merit.
It all boils down to these two points: merit is too precious for Wen Ying.
Spiritual energy, she didn't seem to lack it now.
Although I usually find the dog system somewhat annoying, I really miss it at times like this. If the system were here, it could probably provide a solution directly, or I could just spend some reputation points to buy it
The yellow paper provided by the system could also connect to a part of it, but that wasn't money. She couldn't possibly research how to draw the underworld currency herself, could she?
As everyone knows, the implementation of currency involves various intricate high-tech processes that are invisible to the naked eye. The procedures are complex, and even the slightest error can lead to significant discrepancies.
And now, she could only test it herself. Thinking about it, it seemed she should burn some paper money for Grandma Wen. With this in mind, Wen Ying took out a piece of paper money and placed it on the table. The ballpoint pen in her hand was quite ordinary, but she infused it with her spiritual energy, then drew a pattern on the paper money, a pattern that looked simple yet complex.
It looked like a brush, similar to a traditional Chinese brush, but upon closer inspection, one would notice it was different. In the instant the drawing was completed, a flash of golden light swept across the pattern, making Wen Ying feel as if it had come to life.
The pattern that took three minutes to complete made Wen Ying feel a bit tired. It seemed that reaching the bottom on her own would come at a certain cost.
Let's wait until the evening to meet Grandma. Since coming into this world, she had not yet met Grandma Wen in person. But what should she say after they meet?
The cart will find its way when it reaches the mountain; no matter the distance, a meeting is inevitable.
Wen Ying searched her mind for the things Grandma Wen liked to eat: roasted potatoes, tofu with a creamy center, and the unique local dish, laoguo. Roasted potatoes and creamy tofu were easy to prepare, as there were small shops on the street selling them, but this laoguo..
Wen Ying thought about the scene. After burning the paper and paper money in the evening, she looked at Grandma Wen and said, "Grandma, shall we have a hotpot together?"
The two of them sat down around a table similar to a barbecue grill. They plugged it in, and the vegetables and meat sizzled in the oil. They placed two plates of chili powder on the table, picked up the grilled food with chopsticks, dipped it in the chili powder, and then put it into their mouths.
This scene, although warm, feels inexplicably strange!
No, no, in the end, Wen Ying prepared roasted potatoes and bean curd, along with a plate of chili powder.
The sky had grown dark, and the pedestrians on the street gradually disappeared. One by one, the lights went out, leaving everything quiet and still.
Wen Ying set up her simple makeshift altar in the backyard, complete with incense, yellow joss paper, and a piece of paper money she had drawn herself, with a face value of one billion.
There were also three plates of delicacies and one plate of dipping sauce.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Wen Ying lit the yellow paper, burned the paper money, and knelt before the offering table.
At midnight, Wen Ying lay in bed, closed her eyes, and peacefully fell asleep.
In front of the offering table in the backyard, an elderly lady with a kind and benevolent appearance looked at everything before her and sighed. Her mouth began to move, "The potato tastes really good, this tofu only has twenty percent of my skill, why is there five-spice powder in the chili flakes? A hundred million? Is this girl afraid I don't have money to spend?"