A Young Woman's Heart

Although the shop is small, it has a wide variety of categories, and each category is neatly organized, which allows Mo Xueyao to quickly find what she wants.

Tokusatsu films like Ultraman are all categorized as science fiction.

The boxed DVD of "Ultraman Gaia" was placed in the center, with a prominent label next to it.

"The latest Ultraman, Gaia, with even better visuals and special effects, an exciting spectacle you won't want to miss." Mo Xue read the promotional text aloud, thinking it must have been written by the boss himself.

I don't know if he actually read it or not, but if he was able to write this passage, he must have at least read some of it, right?

However, it's hard to say for sure, since you can't always believe everything business people say.

This disc was as thick as a large dictionary. Just thinking about the more than fifty episodes of Ultraman that were inside made her heart race, and she couldn't wait to open the disc and watch it all in one go.

"Boss, how much does this cost to rent?"

"Two hundred for the deposit." The shop owner, who had been watching Mo Xueyao ever since she entered the store, immediately replied, "This is the first time I've seen a girl like this. Is it for your younger brother or older brother?"

"The deposit is two hundred..." Mo Xueyao put the heavy disc case back. She didn't have that much money in her pocket. Even if the deposit could be refunded, if she told her parents that she wanted to borrow Ultraman discs, they would definitely say that she was not doing her job properly.

"Yes, because there are more than twenty CDs here, it's a complete set, so it's quite valuable." The shopkeeper seemed to notice Mo Xueyao's predicament. "But you can borrow them separately."

"Can we borrow them separately?" Mo Xueyao's eyes lit up immediately. "How do we borrow them separately?"

"If you want them separated, borrow those small boxed ones." The shopkeeper pointed to the shelf next to the big box, where there were indeed many small square disc cases. "Because there are no Chinese dubs yet, they are all Japanese with Chinese subtitles. Each box contains one disc, and each disc contains two episodes."

How much is the deposit?

"Twenty yuan deposit," the boss said quickly. "Then it's five yuan a week. No matter how many days you stay, it's five yuan within a week. If it's more than a week, it's fifty cents a day."

The price is reasonable, and for businesses like this, the owner isn't worried about people taking the discs and not returning them.

After all, there's a deposit involved. Even if the deposit isn't equivalent to the price of a brand new item, it's not much different, so the boss won't lose money.

Moreover, this is something that needs to be done gradually over time. If you borrow one game and don't pay it back, do you even want to borrow it again next time?

"So, the first time I have to pay 23 yuan upfront?"

"Yes, we also need to pay an additional two yuan for damage."

"That's twenty-five..." Mo Xueyao hesitated. If Mo Xiaoxiao were here, she could definitely bargain, but now, after being embarrassed for so long, she could only ask a dry question, "Can... you make it cheaper?"

"Oh, girl, they're all the same price, everyone's the same."

"Hmm..." Mo Xueyao scratched her head, put the backpack on her back in front of her, then unzipped it and took out a bunch of loose change from the small pocket in the inner compartment.

There were 50-cent, 1-yuan, 2-yuan, and 5-yuan notes; there was only one 10-yuan note; and not a single note was over 20 yuan.

She scraped together twenty-five yuan from these loose bills and clutched it tightly in her hand: "Let me see which one is the first episode and which one is the second episode."

"Hmm, you can flip it over," the boss said casually, crossing his legs.

Mo Xueyao suddenly thought that opening a music and video store was not bad, as it was easy and profitable.

Keep renting it out and then bringing it back. Once you've made back the costs, everything else is free money!

When I grow up, why don't I open a shop like this?

She thought to herself with delight.

The store had a good selection of CDs, and she quickly found the first and second episodes. The small, exquisite box felt like it contained a whole world to her at that moment.

"OK, I'll write it down for you." The boss opened a notebook and started writing, mainly recording what was borrowed and when it was borrowed.

After Mo Xueyao paid the money, the other party handed her a note written on the white part inside a cigarette pack:

"Ultraman Gaia 1 & 2, borrowed on March 13th."

It also has a shop stamp on it, indicating that it is valid.

"When the time comes, just bring the CD and this note to me to get your deposit back." The boss handed her a piece of cardboard about the size of a tofu block.

"Mmm!" Mo Xueyao nodded vigorously, excitedly stuffing the CD case into her schoolbag, and skipped out of the music store like a primary school student who had been praised by the teacher.

A week is enough time. That way, I can go to my godfather's house to watch the DVDs on the weekend, then return them here afterward, and then exchange them for the next two episodes...

If we calculate based on two episodes per week and five dollars per week, it would take about three months and cost around fifty dollars to finish watching it!

This is much more cost-effective than buying the entire series directly.

Thinking this way, Mo Xueyao felt exceptionally cheerful today.

"What's wrong? Is there something good? Why are you so happy?" the mother asked, puzzled, while she was chopping vegetables.

"Hehe... It's nothing. Oh, right, Mom, a library opened next to the school!" Mo Xueyao remembered the important matter. "Can we get a library card? That way we won't have to go all the way to Xinhua Bookstore to read books. We can read books directly in the library."

"Sure, let's do it," the father readily agreed.

"How much is the deposit, and how are the book borrowing fees calculated?" The mother then asked more detailed questions about the pricing.

"The deposit was originally 200 yuan, but with a student ID it's only 100 yuan. As long as you don't overdue, there are no rental fees. And even if you do overdue, the maximum is only 3 yuan per book."

"How many books can I borrow at once?" The father tossed the scissors into the toolbox and gently kicked the candy blocking his way.

"Three books."

"Then you and Wanyan should both open one account."

"Hmm... I can borrow one with Wanyan, one card should be enough for the two of us."

“That’s right, one book for two people is enough. There’s no need to waste money on this. You’d be better off buying more clothes,” the mother agreed. “Besides, the library is right next to your school, so borrowing and returning books is very convenient.”

"Wouldn't that make us seem stingy?" The father coughed lightly. "Why bother? It's only an extra hundred yuan, and it would have cost two hundred yuan anyway if you didn't have a student ID."

Mo Xueyao was stunned for a moment, and suddenly felt that what her father said made a lot of sense.

Should we get two or just one?

……

Chapter 150 The Little Delinquent's Way of Making Friends

"One is enough." Li Wanyan, who had just finished grading papers for the teacher and returned home somewhat tired, overheard the conversation between the family of three and said with a faint smile.

"Hey, Wanyan, why are you here so fast today?" Mo Xueyao turned around in surprise and asked.

"With Xiaoxue's help, and it's just grading multiple-choice and true/false questions," Li Wanyan replied softly, having taken a slightly longer route and wasted a bit of time. "Anyway, I can borrow three books at a time, so one is enough for me each time."

"Don't force yourself," Mo Xueyao smiled and winked at her. "Anyway, Dad's paying for it!"

“That’s right, getting two tickets is no problem!” The father quickly patted his chest.

“One is enough. Thank you, godfather and godmother, for taking such good care of me.” Li Wanyan rarely showed a shy expression. “Well… actually, you don’t need to take such good care of me… I’m very easygoing about most things, I’m fine with whatever.”

The father and mother both smiled awkwardly. Although that's what Li Wanyan said, as adults, they couldn't understand it so simply.

Fortunately, Mo Xueyao, who is much simpler in her thinking, said: "Then let's just use a card! Anyway, it's very convenient to exchange books. It's right next to the school. I just went there. It's only a three or four-minute walk."

……

"Hey, Li Gutao, come here!" School was over, and the teachers left the classroom, leaving the place to the delinquent girls.

Recently, another girl who used to be her equal was forced to drop out of school for repeatedly violating school rules, and now she has become the real boss of the class—managing more than forty people by herself.

Li Gutao was grabbed by the collar and pulled over. He saw the much shorter delinquent girl glaring at him fiercely: "Call me boss!"

"...Are you an idiot?" As the only boy in the class who would rather die than submit, Li Gutao got used to it over time and had long since lost the initial hesitation about whether or not to give in.

But this also made him a target of the delinquent girls.

"Call me Boss!"

"Are you an idiot?"

The two of them repeated the same sentence like a broken record.

Now that all the other students in the class have left, I don't know why, but lately when the delinquent girl causes trouble after school, fewer and fewer students are left behind to defend her.

Today, she is all alone.

This made Li Gutao feel like he was being looked down upon.

Does she really think she can beat me all by herself? — This was Li Gutao's true thought at that moment.

"Call me Boss! Did you hear me?!" The young delinquent stood on tiptoe and tugged at his collar even harder.

"Lin Huihui, are you an idiot?!"

The name "little delinquent girl" doesn't fit her image at all.

Ignoring Li Gutao, Lin Huihui suddenly exerted force with her foot, tripping him and causing him to fall to the ground. She then pressed her entire body against him, making it impossible for him to get up.

That's impossible.

Li Gutao was only a little restrained because of the taboo against close contact between men and women.

Otherwise, I would have knocked her over on the spot.

"Should we call him or not!" Lin Huihui asked through gritted teeth.

"Ah!" For some reason, Li Gutao suddenly wanted to make a joke to show that he didn't care about her actions at all. After shouting, he said expressionlessly, "You've finished shouting, what else do you want?"

"Pfft."

Lin Huihui, who had been looking serious just moments before, suddenly couldn't help but burst into laughter. Her laughter grew louder and louder until her whole body began to tremble.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

"Are you crazy?" Li Gutao rolled his eyes, shoved her aside with his elbow, and stood up on his own. "I don't have time to waste with you. I have to go home."

"Don't you dare say I'm sick!" Lin Huihui suddenly grabbed Li Gutao's collar again, seemingly genuinely angry this time, rather than just feigning fierceness as before. "Call me Boss!"

"Are you ever going to stop, sis?" Li Gutao shook his head helplessly. "You've torn my clothes, are you going to pay for them?"

As it turns out, people are driven by necessity.

Being harassed by these rebellious girls for a long time naturally forges a strong heart.

He can now joke with the other person in a very relaxed manner—and doesn't care even if the other person is very angry.

"Pfft..." Lin Huihui was amused by Li Gutao once again, laughing so hard that she was shaking with laughter.

This was the first time Li Gutao had ever thought that the other person's smile was actually quite attractive.