Big Villain Teaching the Little Villain a Lesson (2)
One reason was that she was still thinking about how to use the candies to exchange some points from the system. The other was that the system told her that they had a ‘financial deficit’, and the points were already at the negatives. She could no longer exchange for what she wanted like before, so she had to be frugal. The more she ate, the fewer candies she had, and once they’re gone, she wouldn’t have any candies anymore.
In the beginning, Jiang Xiaoman didn’t know what being in the negatives meant. She pointed to the balance shown on the panel, which had obviously increased, and said, “We obviously have a LOT of points left. There were only 6 in the past, but now there are… two 9s, and there’s a 4 too. Just how much is this?”
“Nine hundred and ninety four points.” The system said with a tone of gritted teeth. “Host, it’s not that ‘we’ have a lot of points. These are my points that I saved for many years, I just lent it to you! Look at the minus sign in front of the 994. Not only do you have no points left now, but you also owe me. You have to pay them back in the future!”
The system emphasized repeatedly. “Host, you have to pay back my points. If you repay what you borrowed, then it would not be hard to get another loan in the future3. A person must have integrity.”
Jiang Xiaoman scratched her head and her eyes lit up. “So, after I pay them back, can I borrow them again?”
“…You can’t.” The system said. “System does not have any more points.”
It said that much to make her remember to pay back her loan, not so she would learn how to ‘finance a loan with a loan’. The system did not dare to say anything else, afraid that she would get some weird ideas.
Jiang Xiaoman patted her chest and promised. “Mr. System is a good person. You saved my uncle, I am grateful and will not forget it. I’ll treat you with candy.”
She picked out a candy very carefully and planned to share it with the system.
“I’ve told you many times,” the system sighed, “System does not need to eat.”
Oh, right, she almost forgot.
Jiang Xiaoman unwrapped the candy and said happily. “It’s okay, I can eat it for you to watch! I’ll take you to eat other things in the future, our food is delicious!”
The system was not amused at all.
Jiang Xiaoman only ate one, so she put the iron box back and carefully hid it.
“Grandma said that Uncle needs to drink medicine. they’re very bitter. I’m going to save them for Uncle. When he comes back, he’ll never get to run away again.”
There was an old traditional Chinese doctor4 in town. Compared to going to a clinic for injection, Grandma obviously trusted the old Chinese doctor more. Whenever Jiang Xiaoman had a headache or fever, Grandma’s first choice would be to go to the old Chinese doctor.
The medicine he prescribed was very very bitter. Every time, Jiang Xiaoman had to pinch her nose first, only then could she reluctantly swallow it. It was bitter, astringent and disgusting. It was so bitter that her eyes were filled with tears, and only after stuffing candies to her mouth did it tide over a bit.
In her mind, medicine was something that was very bitter.
Although she hadn’t eaten any sweets for days and still wanted to eat them, she would definitely be able to hold herself back and not eat them.
Uncle’s illness was severe, his medicine must also be very very bitter. She wanted to keep them for Uncle.
The system felt its heartache. Thinking about it, it could still lend her one or two points to buy some candies. For a child to have no sweets, wasn’t it too pitiful? When did its host ever experience such suffering?
The system continued offering to lend her two points, but Jiang Xiaoman didn’t want them and shook her head.
Although she was already in tears, she held them back and sobbed, “What if you wanted me to pay them back? I don’t have any more points to pay you back. Grandma isn’t home, I can’t cause more trouble for her.”
“Host, these have nothing to do with each other. Borrowing two points would not cause trouble for your grandma.” The system was just being kind.
4. A practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)