Chapter 3 Exchanging Renminbi for Roasted Sweet Potatoes
The capital of Yuxin Dynasty was bustling everywhere, especially during the daytime.
Tang Lin walked down the street like a wandering soul, aimlessly. Today she had already taken off her gear, with her camouflage jacket tied around her waist. On top, she wore a round-neck short-sleeved green-gray military T-shirt, revealing her fair and delicate arms. On the bottom, she still wore camouflage pants and had not changed them, with a camouflage face and a camouflage hat remaining. She carried a thick camouflage backpack, holding a silenced pistol in one hand and a compass in the other, constantly walking south.
She had spent the night outdoors yesterday and had eaten nothing. She hadn't felt hungry last night, but now, seeing the roasted sweet potato stalls on the roadside, her stomach started rumbling.
Tang Lin stopped and looked around in a daze. Busy restaurants, vendors shouting on the streets, and street performers were surrounded by people on all sides. Men, women, the elderly, and children passing by all threw curious glances at her—her attire was just too unusual.
“Customer, want to buy some sweet potatoes?”
Behind her, a sturdy old man selling roasted sweet potatoes spoke up.
Tang Lin turned around and looked at the old man. His warm smile made her respond with a smile she thought was even warmer. Her gaze fell on the sweet potatoes, slightly charred from roasting, and she couldn't help smacking her lips. Back when she survived in the wild, roasted sweet potatoes were a common way to stave off hunger. The crispy-yet-sweet aroma and soft texture could make any soldier surviving in the wild linger in delight, including her.
“Customer, want one?” the old man asked again.
Tang Lin put her pistol back in the waist holster, then removed the bulging camouflage backpack from her back. She opened the innermost zipper, and under the old man's curious gaze, she reached into the bag and took out a green plaid wallet.
Seeing the wallet's design, it was obviously a rare item. The old man could not help but praise it, “Customer, this item of yours must be one of the rarest in the world!”
“Hmph,” Tang Lin just pulled her lips in a helpless manner and didn't explain further to the old man. She opened the wallet, which contained a few hundred-yuan Renminbi notes and several bank cards, and nothing else.That bright red hundred-yuan bill captivated the old strong man's aging eyes.
"Sir, that red paper, what is it? It looks really beautiful!"
Tang Lin was momentarily stunned, subtly lifted her eyebrow, and a sly gleam flashed in her eyes. "Old man, if I give you one, could you give me a sweet potato?"
The old strong man was not a fool and saw through Tang Lin's intentions. "You wouldn't happen to have no money to give me, would you?"
"Old man, look at what you say," Tang Lin tried to hide the embarrassment on her face. She pointed to the bright red hundred-yuan bill in her wallet. "This is also money. In our place, it could buy you all the roasted sweet potatoes you have. But here, it's useless. Still, it's worth treasuring!"
The old strong man snorted, "It takes me several months to get one sweet potato to show off in the market. Treasuring one sweet potato is better than treasuring a piece of worthless paper!"
Tang Lin made herself clear, "So, you mean, old man, you don't intend to trade?"
The old strong man became serious, "Looking at the way you are, it seems like you want to force old me to give you my sweet potato!"
Tang Lin immediately straightened up, stood at attention, and said solemnly, "As a soldier, how could I forcefully take someone else's things? That would be immoral. As a soldier, one must not commit such a basic mistake." Then she bent down, put the wallet into her bag, zipped it up, slung it on her back, and turned to leave.
"Hey," the old strong man whistled.
Tang Lin looked back. The old strong man had wrapped the fragrant sweet potato and was holding it out to her, his face filled with a kind and gentle smile. This smile made her nose sting, and she was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. Truly, encountering a benefactor while away from home. "Old man..."
