Chapter 13: How Old Are You?

“A fifteen-yuan ice cream—why not just steal it...”

Su Yi stood before the supermarket freezer, increasingly pained as he looked. He truly couldn’t understand how these brightly colored, cheaply made, and only mediocre-tasting items could be sold at such exorbitant prices. It would be one thing if they just looked better, but some of the plain-looking ones were priced outrageously.

He reached into the freezer and rummaged around carefully, not daring to be too rough—his body heat could easily melt the ice cream inside if he wasn’t careful. Finally, in the far corner, he found the brand he wanted.

Little Pudding!

Worth only one yuan, with an even cheaper wholesale price—both affordable and delicious.

Su Yi took the chosen ice cream to the counter and scanned it. This convenience store was the same one where he had previously clashed with Lori Xi, but this time the person behind the counter was no longer the landlady; instead, it was a young boy.

The boy appeared very young, no older than a middle schooler. Without even looking at Su Yi as he entered, the boy’s phone kept ringing out sounds: “Those who invade Wu’s territory shall be dealt with...”

Su Yi approached for a closer look and found the boy engrossed in playing the top-ranked game on a certain platform, "Three Kingdoms Kill."

“Pay up.”

“...Wait.” The boy awkwardly tried to attack then defend, but before he struck, the opponent fled. Frustrated, he kept tapping the counter before finally looking up to ask:

“What did you buy?”

“Ice cream.”

“Little Pudding, huh... one yuan.” The boy rolled his eyes slightly as he observed Su Yi picking for a long while only to grab a Little Pudding. After receiving the money, he muttered quietly, “Poor guy, took so long just to buy a Little Pudding for a girl?”

His voice was low, but Su Yi’s sharp hearing caught every word clearly.

Short videos all said that these days, gifting a woman started with at least a fifteen-yuan milk tea. Compared to that, this was indeed a bit embarrassing...

Still, giving a girl a Little Pudding probably wouldn’t lead anyone to suspect he wasn’t a local. Daxia hadn’t gone completely mad yet.

Thinking this, he handed the ice cream to Lori Xi and even helped tear off the wrapper.

“Commander, is this the legendary ice pop? It tastes so good!”

Lori Xi’s almond-shaped eyes curved like crescent moons, her face full of enjoyment.

She loved the cool, refreshing sensation. Ever since being modified by her grandmother, though the self-destruct mechanism inside her was stable, a persistent burning sensation lingered in her chest.

After eating the ice cream, that feeling noticeably lessened.

“As long as you like it.”

“Commander, do you want some?” Lori Xi held the wooden stick with both hands and stood on tiptoe, lifting the bitten Little Pudding toward him.

“No need.”

Su Yi shook his head and turned away.

Only then did he realize his earlier worries were unnecessary.

On Blue Star, price represented quality and rarity, but in the wasteland, people cared only for practicality—whether something could satisfy them.

No matter if something cost one yuan, a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand, it only reflected its scarcity.

“Looks like at heart I’m still a Blue Star native...” Su Yi smiled faintly. He had changed a lot in these years in the wasteland, but some fundamental values remained.

So, saving money was the only true solution.

Money wasn’t just saved—it was essential. For Su Yi, not saving meant having no money at all.

“I’ll take you to buy a couple of outfits.”

His gaze shifted toward Lori Xi, who held the ice cream with only the stick visible outside her oversized clothes. She couldn’t keep wearing his clothes forever; the loose jacket and jeans dragging past her shoes looked downright odd.

He recalled a nearby women’s clothing store wasn’t far and there was a shortcut.

Turning at the red sign of a pork bone ramen shop, he walked 200 meters north through an alley, then right around a green space to reach the destination.

The midday sun was pleasant; the surrounding snow melted away. Su Yi pulled Lori Xi slightly inward to avoid dripping water from the eaves as they stood before a glass door marked “Fashion Women’s Clothing.”

“Once inside, don’t salute anymore. Just answer questions you understand. If you think the clothes fit, just nod,” he whispered.

Old Zhang was a carefree old man; a little joke here and there didn’t matter, and excuses were easy. But businesspeople were different.

“But Commander, Lori Xi’s battle suit is still wearable.”

Lori Xi scratched her cheek, holding the leftover wooden stick.

“Battle suits are for fighting, but they look strange on Blue Star. I’ll get you some casual clothes.”

Su Yi pushed the glass door open with Lori Xi.

“Creak—”

The mechanical sound of a door lacking lubricant echoed.

The female shop owner, who had been eating takeout, immediately came over, her eyes pausing on the tall man and the small girl before warmly ushering them inside.

Compared to the inquisitive Old Zhang, the shop owner was clearly professional—she didn’t comment on Lori Xi’s appearance and, after a brief inquiry about requirements, began recommending clothes suited to Lori Xi’s style.

According to wasteland preferences, clothing must never be flashy—simple, clear, and unburdened by excess. Based on these principles, the clerk selected a set of blue and white women’s sportswear. Apart from white edging on the zipper and hem, it bore no decoration—not even a brand label.

Compared to the gaudy, flashy, and cheap-looking alternatives, Lori Xi was very satisfied. The only downside was that the colors weren’t ideal for concealment.

Clothes and matching pants aside, Su Yi also bought her a pair of creamy-toned coconut shoes and several pairs of white socks.

Of course, Su Yi hadn’t forgotten the chest wrap Lori Xi had mentioned before. However, he was a bit embarrassed to pick that out himself.

He let the shop owner lead Lori Xi to the lingerie section, while he took a seat to rest.

The female clerk pinched her chin, sizing up Lori Xi, then pulled out several pieces of underwear.

“How old are you?”

“Sixth grade.”

After a long silence, Lori Xi finally heard a question she could understand and quickly answered.

“Sixth grade?!”

“At this age... that’s not young,” the clerk said, touching the slight depression in the garment, her voice tinged with a hint of sourness.

Then she laughed, patting her chest. “But I meant what size do you wear here?”

“Size?” This question overloaded Lori Xi’s processor. Her eyes flickered green, then she whispered her answer:

“Weight: 634.5 grams, area approximately 510 square centimeters.”

“...”

“Is this girl’s mind a little off...?”

The clerk was silent for a moment, utterly unable to fathom where that weight came from.