The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

Back at the apartment, Ye Shu glanced instinctively at the deserted kitchen as soon as he entered, the pitiful amount of food in the refrigerator flashing through his mind.

Although Sister Zhi Qiu generously offered "food and lodging included," Ye Shu had always been ingrained in his bones the principle that one is obligated to others for their food and gifts. He simply couldn't get used to, nor could he live a life entirely dependent on others without feeling at ease. Wouldn't that really make him a gigolo?

He thought for a moment, then called out to Zhi Qiu, who was about to go back to her bedroom for a nap:

"Um... Sister Zhi Qiu, I'm planning to go out and buy some everyday items. Is there anything you'd like me to bring back?"

Zhi Qiu stopped at the bedroom door, turned around and thought for a moment, then shook her head:

"No need, just buy what you need. Thank you, little brother Shu."

After saying that, she pushed open the bedroom door and went inside.

Ye Shu looked at the door that was closed again and couldn't help but wonder, would it be Sister Zhi Qiu who came out of the room next time?

He turned around and went out again, relying on his memory of the way he came, and found the nearby sizable fresh food supermarket.

As soon as I reached the supermarket entrance, the elegantly made-up greeting ladies on both sides immediately bowed in unison, their voices sweet and clear:

Welcome!

This scene startled Ye Shu. In all the supermarkets he had ever been to since he was a child, there was at most an old man smoking at the entrance collecting bicycle fees. He had never been greeted with such a charming and attentive manner.

His body reacted before his brain; he subconsciously bowed to the two young ladies, giving them a near 90-degree bow.

But as soon as he bent down, he realized what he was doing. A customer bowing to a greeter?! Wasn't this just plain stupid?!

Ye Shu felt her face flush, so she quickly straightened up, pretended to clean her pants, patted off non-existent dust on her trouser legs, and avoided looking at the two young ladies who were trying hard to suppress their laughter. With her head down, she almost ran into the supermarket.

The supermarket was very air-conditioned, but Ye Shu's face was still burning. He composed himself and decided to take care of business first, heading straight for the fresh produce section.

Hey! This is truly a great supermarket! The environment and the quality of the products are worlds apart from that tiny supermarket near his school's back gate, where the ground was covered in muddy footprints.

All the vegetables were neatly arranged, like a guard of honor being inspected. They were fresh, clean, and glistening with an enticing sheen under the carefully adjusted lighting. Most importantly, there wasn't a speck of dirt on them!

Grandma Ye felt as if she had entered the Grand View Garden, and her eyes began to look around.

Look at this cucumber, how straight it is!

Look at these green vegetables, they're so green!

Look at these persimmons, how red they are!

Look at this price, how much?!

When Ye Shu looked up and saw the price, she felt her soul tremble.

Organic milk cabbage: 31.8 yuan/jin

Imported tomatoes: 25.8 yuan/jin

Ye Shu still refused to believe it, thinking that she might have misread the decimal point.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the most unassuming potatoes next to him. Good heavens, even potatoes were divided into "premium" and "special selection" categories, and their prices were several times higher than those at the market!

He looked up at the price tags on the shelves and felt his upper eyelids twitching uncontrollably, and his temples throbbing with pain.

He picked up the box of organic cabbage, held it in front of his eyes, and stared at it, somewhat lost in thought.

Why is it so expensive?

Is it just because it claims to be "organic"?

What exactly is "organic"?

Where is the "opportunity"?

Does eating it increase brain size, or grant immortality?

My thoughts, like a wild horse, galloped from the price of a head of cabbage all the way to the ultimate philosophical question:

What determines value?

What is the point of me, an unemployed person with only a little over a hundred yuan in my pocket, standing in front of this vegetable worth a little over thirty yuan?

Where did I come from?

A: I wandered over from the apartment.

Where should we go next?

A: Most likely I'll have time to go home.

Under the cold lights of the supermarket's fresh produce section, amidst the well-dressed customers around him, Ye Shu smiled—a genuine smile. In that moment, he had an epiphany.

My affinity with this Bodhi leaf is not yet there, my spiritual level is not high enough, and I cannot afford to eat it.

Ye Shu silently put the box of organic bok choy, whose philosophical value outweighed its practical value, back in its place, took a deep breath, and began searching for products labeled with "discount," "special price," "clearance," and "limited-time offer."

Heaven helps those who help themselves; even a blind sparrow won't starve.

Finally, on the edge of the shelf, in an inconspicuous corner, he found his affordable vegetables.

Before long, the shopping cart was filled with some slightly yellowed hair dyed greens, ugly tomatoes of different sizes, cucumbers that weren't quite straight, and a box of meat slices labeled "Today's Special" that were nearing their best eating period.

Yes, this is where I should be.

Ye Shu felt much more at ease. Although the quality was a bit lacking, after picking and washing them, they would all taste the same. The key was that the price was incredibly reasonable.

Next, he went to the staple food and condiment section and bought a small bag of the most common rice, a small bag of flour, and the smallest packages of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

These are the foundations of self-reliance, and we cannot skimp on them.

Just as he was pushing the increasingly full cart of survival supplies to the checkout, his gaze swept over the snack section.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered the bag of nuts that Sister Xia Qing pulled out from behind the TV cabinet like she was searching for treasure. Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't hers.

Ugh……

Ye Shu sighed inwardly.

"He who eats another's food is bound to do so; he who lives in another's house is bound to do so." Sister Zhi Qiu treated me to such an expensive breakfast and then rented the house to me so cheaply. It's only right and proper that I reciprocate.

He gritted his teeth, walked to the shelf, compared them for a long time, and finally chose a bag of mixed nuts that was reasonably priced and had a decent amount of nuts.

Consider it... a return gift and compensation.

This bag of nuts became the only item in his shopping cart that exceeded expectations and carried a touch of human warmth.

Pushing the small cart that carried her hopes for life and a little bit of gratitude, Ye Shu arrived at the cashier.

The cashier deftly picked up the item, and the scanner kept beeping. With each beep, Ye Shu's heart skipped a beat, her eyes glued to the ever-increasing numbers on the display screen.

18.5... 32.8... 56.2... 71.4...

Finally, when the scanner was pointed at the bag of nuts, a "beep" sounded, and the number stopped at 96.3.

"Sir, that's ninety-six dollars and three jiao in total."

The cashier said with a smile.

Ye Shu felt his heart skip a beat. Despite his best efforts to save, he still ended up spending almost a hundred! This expense felt like a knife twisting in his flesh. He silently pulled out his phone, ready to scan the code.

"Sir, would you like to apply for our membership card? New members enjoy exclusive discounts, such as up to 15% off selected items."

The cashier suddenly asked.

Ye Shu paused, quickly calculating in his mind.

A membership card? Sounds good. It's just a matter of registering with your phone number, getting discounts on purchases, and accumulating points to redeem for things like toilet paper and plastic basins. Freebies, why not take them?

"Okay, let's do it!"

Without a second thought, Ye Shu readily gave out his phone number, the most assertive moment he'd shown in the supermarket all day.

The cashier's fingers flew across the computer screen, as if afraid Ye Shu might change her mind. After a flurry of clicks, her smile remained sweet.

"Okay sir, your information has been entered. Your total payment is 296.3 yuan. How would you like to pay?"

"Huh? How much?"

Ye Shu froze, wondering if he was hallucinating. His expression instantly hardened, and he cautiously repeated the question:

"How...how much? Say it again?"

"Two hundred and ninety-six dollars and three jiao, sir. Two hundred dollars of that is your membership fee and prepaid annual fee."

Two hundred yuan?! Two hundred yuan for a card?!

He only had a little over a hundred dollars left, and this card fee was more expensive than everything he had bought! And a prepaid annual fee? If he prepaid the annual fee now, it's uncertain whether he'd even live to see next year.

Besides, he can't afford two hundred yuan!

Ye Shuqing cleared her throat and asked somewhat awkwardly:

"Um... I... I won't do it... I'll just pay for the stuff we just had, ninety-six yuan and three jiao."

With the "payment successful" notification sound, he practically fled the checkout counter, carrying two shopping bags.

As he stepped out of the supermarket, the morning sunlight made him a little dizzy.

That was close! We almost fell into a trap set by investors!

He glanced back at the supermarket with lingering fear; this place was indeed a dangerous place.