Grandma held that small-denomination bill in her hand, and I felt a bit of mixed emotions in my heart.
But she still insisted on eating everything on the offering table.
"This girl's cooking is more delicious than anyone else's. Could it be that she's taken that step?"
Grandma Wen looked towards Wen Ying's room. The wooden door was tightly closed, but she seemed to be able to see through it to her granddaughter sleeping on the bed. In just a few days, Grandma Wen felt that her granddaughter had matured and grown up a lot.
Grandma Wen silently watched Wen Ying for about an hour.
With her eyes closed, Wen Ying saw Grandma Wen in front of her, dressed in somewhat old-fashioned long robes. Her face was a bit dry, but she still looked kind and gentle, the same familiar face from her memories. Yet, she remained silent, and it seemed both of them were enveloped in silence.
An hour passed just like that.
"Xiao Ying, this money is enough for Grandma for a long time. You don't need to worry about Grandma. Grandma is doing well down here. You must take good care of yourself."
When Grandma Wen was leaving, she suddenly spoke these words.
Wen Ying opened her eyes and fell asleep half an hour later.
When I woke up, it was already six o'clock in the morning.
Wen Ying tidied up the backyard and noticed the copper coin on the offering table. This coin was left by Grandma Wen, but it looked somewhat similar to the one Uncle Zhang had given her back then. However, upon closer inspection, there was a small character on it that was different.
Wen Ying put the copper coins away in an envelope.
After meditating in the courtyard for an hour, the spiritual energy consumed yesterday seemed to have been restored. Her body was filled with a surging aura, and Wen Ying could feel that her cultivation had made some slight progress.
Cooked millet porridge, steamed the meat buns bought yesterday, and made a cold cucumber salad.
After breakfast, Wen Ying took out the stack of bills and started working.
Drawing one in three minutes, the speed was quite fast, but by the time she finished ten, Wen Ying's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. She was evidently exhausted, and a significant portion of the spiritual energy within her body had been depleted.
I knew it would consume a lot, but I didn't expect it to be this much.
Wen Ying put away the remaining banknotes and wrapped the finished ones separately.
It was already ten in the morning when Aunt Zhang came with breakfast again. Wen Ying did not refuse. Although she had already eaten breakfast, her stomach was empty now, and she was really hungry.
"Xiao Ying, this breakfast... why do you look so tired? Is there no good news?"
"Auntie, these ten can be used for now, but the others will need some more time."
After Wen Ying finished speaking, Aunt Zhang basically understood what was going on. "How much is this?"
"Ten thousand," Wen Ying said seriously, looking at Aunt Zhang in front of her.
This money, in fact, can't even buy it for a hundred thousand!
The spiritual energy she consumed within her body, even if it were millions, there would be wealthy individuals willing to buy it!
So she watched Aunt Zhang. If she ever felt that Aunt Zhang was asking for too much, she would stop drawing the rest.
Aunt Zhang was only slightly surprised, "Shall we transfer the money? I'll have Old Zhang transfer it to you. Doesn't he have your account number? So, to settle all this, it would require a hundred thousand, right?"
Wen Ying nodded, "One hundred thousand."
"Alright, I'll have your Uncle Zhang transfer everything to you right now."
Aunt Zhang left in a hurry, and less than ten minutes later, Wen Ying received a text message on her phone: 200,000 yuan had been deposited into her account.
It was clearly twice as much.
Uncle Zhang and his wife came to the clinic together. "Xiaoying, your aunt has told me everything. We know that the price is already a family discount. We appreciate your kindness and will remember it. From now on, just come over to our place for meals!"
Wen Ying could tell that the two were sincerely inviting her, but she still declined.
She didn't necessarily have a fixed time every day to go to Uncle Zhang's house for meals. Besides, distance creates beauty. If they were together every day, conflicts might arise, even small ones, which she didn't like.
"At least once a month, you can't refuse, or else it means you look down on Uncle Zhang!" Uncle Zhang pretended to be angry as he looked at Wen Ying, and this time Wen Ying agreed.
Once a month isn't too often; I just find some time and come.
She no longer had any family in this world; it would be nice if she could have some.
"Uncle, Aunt, these are the ten that are already done. You can take them home first. The rest of the process is no different from visiting a grave. Just follow the usual steps, but make sure to go to bed early that night."
"Alright, take your time with the rest. I'm not in a hurry, and the old man's ten billion will probably take a long time to spend. Don't wear yourself out," Uncle Zhang said with a laugh.
Wen Ying did not expect that at lunch, her aunt would bring over a single serving of the meal directly.
Braised eggplant over rice, a box of stir-fried pork, and a bowl of seaweed egg drop soup.
"Today you can't refuse, or tomorrow your aunt won't come, alright?"
Wen Ying accepted.
"Hello, is this Dr. Wen Ying's Wen Psychological Clinic?" The man standing outside, dressed in a suit and leather shoes and carrying a gift box, stood at the door with a smile, peering into the clinic.
Aunt Zhang heard the noise and looked over, "Who are you? What do you want with our Xiaoying?"
"Hello, hello, I'm from Shark Platform. You must be Dr. Wen's... elder, right?"
Wen Ying just sat aside watching the two exchange pleasantries. Did they not see that the main person was right here?
"The Shark Platform contacted me about signing a contract?"
Zhao Yu was shocked, but then he understood. He had been following Wen Ying's live stream for so long that he knew what kind of person she was. "Dr. Wen is indeed impressive. I didn't even say anything, and you already figured it out. No wonder you're the top streamer on our platform."
"What's this Shark platform? What do you want to sign Xiaoying for? You're not trying to scam her, are you? You look like a decent young man, but you can't do such things! Don't think Xiaoying doesn't have family; we are all her family!" Aunt Zhang looked very protective.
"Auntie, you've misunderstood. I'm here to sign a contract with Dr. Wen. This is a good thing, and I'm definitely not here to scam anyone."
"Xiao Ying, is that so?" Aunt Zhang turned her head to look at Wen Ying and asked.
Obviously did not believe this seemingly shrewd city dweller.
"It's true, he can't fool me. Auntie, have you forgotten my profession?"
Aunt Zhang slapped her forehead, "Oh right, how could I forget? You go ahead and get busy. If you need anything, just call your uncle, okay?"
After Aunt Zhang left, Wen Ying looked at the contract without saying a word.
Zhao Yu was actually a bit uneasy. The contract stipulated an 80-20 split, with Wen Ying getting 80% and the platform taking 20%, along with a base salary of one million per year. However, there was a condition: Wen Ying had to stream on their platform at least twice a month.
When Wen Ying flipped through the contract for the second time, "Dr. Wen, if there's anything you're not satisfied with, feel free to bring it up. We can discuss it together, how about that?"
"The contract seems fine to me, as long as it doesn't restrict me. The money is quite a lot, and I accept it."
Zhao Yu looked at the billion-dollar banknote on the table beside him, listening to Wen Ying's words.