Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Huge debt
How was she supposed to bathe with this little water? It was only enough to wet her feet.
Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. The urge to cry became very strong. She had never suffered like this. Just what kind of hellhole had she arrived in?
Was she being punished here for being a lazy bum in her past life? Was this some sort of hell designed to punish people like her?
Minutes later, Liora stepped out of the bathroom, her hair damp and glistening with tiny water droplets, her face freshly scrubbed, and her body clad in a clean outfit that had mysteriously appeared along with the bath supplies.
The scent of lavender clung to her skin, and she looked as if she had just walked out of a spa rather than the tiny washroom, which lacked even enough water for washing.
Zhou Yinuo, who had been waiting in the living room, looked up and nearly dropped the cup she was holding. "Liora?" she gasped. "How... how is this possible? You look—"
Liora smiled mysteriously, brushing a lock of wet hair behind her ear. "I managed to clean up in that water," she said cryptically, choosing not to mention the absurd loan hanging over her head.
Even she knew that it was a lame lie that even a child would not believe. And she was not in the mood to give an explanation when she was dead tired.
But in her mind, the scene in the bathroom replayed vividly.
Flashback
Liora sat down in the cramped bathroom, glaring at the half-filled bucket of water as if it were the enemy of her soul. Her hair clung to her dirt-streaked face, and her skin itched from days of grime and sweat. She let out an exaggerated groan of frustration.
"This is impossible!" she muttered, throwing her hands up. "How am I supposed to clean myself with this? A birdbath would be more effective!" Her voice rang inside the cramped washroom.
Suddenly, an idea struck her mind.
"Stingy system, help me! How am I supposed to bathe like this?" Liora pouted her small mouth.
[Of course, Host. Allow me to help you.]
A holographic screen appeared before her, glowing faintly in the dimly lit bathroom. Rows upon rows of items appeared, each labeled with prices in "Survival Points."
Liora's eyes widened. "Wait, this is a shop? You have stuff I can buy?"
[Correct. Everything you need to survive can be found in the Mall.]
She scrolled through the items, her excitement growing. Soaps, shampoos, fresh towels, hot water dispensers, and even luxurious bath kits were listed. But as her eyes fell on the prices, her excitement died a quick death.
"Two hundred survival points for a shampoo bottle?!" she shrieked. "This is daylight robbery! And I only have thirty points!"
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The system didn't miss a beat. [Host, if you are low on points, you can always take out a loan. Survival loans are available at a reasonable interest rate.]
"Loan?" Liora asked warily, her brows furrowing.
[Yes, Host. With a simple signature of approval, I can credit your account with the required points. You will have time to repay the loan. If you fail, interest will be added to your debt, and you may face... complications.]
Liora bit her lip, torn between her desperation for a proper bath and her instinctual mistrust of the system. "What kind of complications?"
[It's best not to dwell on that, Host.]
She groaned. "Fine! I'll take the loan. Just give me enough for a decent bath. But I swear, if you try to scam me—"
[Transaction approved! Loan credited: 500 survival points. Remaining balance: 530 survival points, including interest.]
Before Liora could fully process what she had just agreed to, the screen disappeared, and a series of items materialized beside the bucket: a steaming hot water dispenser, a fragrant bar of soap, a bottle of shampoo, and a fluffy towel.
She stared at the items, relief and exasperation washing over her. "At least I'll be clean when I die of debt," she muttered.
Flashback Ends
Stingy system? I will show you how stingy I can be, the system snorted to itself with a glint in its eyes and shut down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, Liora woke up with a yawn. She felt refreshed after a night of good sleep. She never thought that she would be able to sleep in that small bed, especially when she had to share it with Zhou Yinuo.
But surprisingly, she had fallen asleep just as she hit the bed.
"Morning."
Zhou Yinuo came from outside the room and greeted Liora with a cheerful smile. "Wash up quickly. Breakfast is ready. Chen Wei and Liang Zihan are already at the table."
She said and left a small cup on the bedside table. "Here is some tea. I hope you won't dislike it." Liora put down the tea cup, and Zhou Yinuo immediately ran away from the room before getting any response from Liora.
Liora did not feel strange. She was still groggy after waking up, and everything was taking time to register in her mind.
But after looking at the steaming tea, her expression brightened. In the past, she had a habit of drinking tea after waking up so her day would go smoothly. It was another addiction of hers.
She blew gently on the surface and enjoyed the comforting ritual. Then she took a big sip without hesitation.
Instant regret.
"Pfft—ugh!"
"What the hell?"
Her body reacted before her mind could process the taste. She spat the liquid out with enough force to water the potted plant in the corner. She coughed hard as her lungs protested against the awful liquid she had just swallowed.
"What is this?" Liora gasped as she clutched her chest. "Is this even tea? Who drinks this and calls it tea?"
Her eyes watered as the bitter metallic aftertaste stayed on her tongue. She glared at the innocent-looking cup as if it had personally wronged her ancestors.