"I need you to help me find someone. Are your contacts still usable?"
Mouse wiped the tears from his face and nodded firmly. "Yes. Although some people have kicked me while I was down, there are still things only I can do, and my network is intact."
"It's just..." Mouse's expression turned troubled.
Xu An asked, "Just what? Are there any other difficulties on your end?"
Mouse shook his head. "No, it's just that clearing the path now will likely cost more than before. So, you'll need to give me money first. I don't have any money on me right now, nor anything to trade."
After saying this, Mouse blushed with shame. He had never been in such a predicament, even reduced to asking Xu An for supplies.
Xu An thought it was no big deal and, without batting an eye, transferred the remaining 1500 contribution points from her card to Mouse.
"Take this for now. I'll find a way to get some money. Don't worry about the rest."
Mouse looked at the received contribution points, his eyes welling up with tears.
When she was in trouble, the friends who claimed they would share life and death with her had vanished without a trace.
Some people, afraid she would ask them for money, had even blocked her contact information.
That was the most difficult period of Mouse's life, and the time she truly saw the nature of humanity.
Those who used to fawn over her.
Some of them were people Mouse had personally helped to establish themselves on the Lighthouse. Yet, instead of showing gratitude, these people...
When Mouse went to collect debts, their unscrupulous natures were fully exposed.
Those people cursed Mouse as a pauper, saying that she shouldn't have helped the poor when she had no money herself, that she was just putting on a show, and now that she was in trouble, she wanted the money back.
It was then that Mouse realized that doing good deeds and helping others doesn't always guarantee gratitude.
Sometimes, excessive kindness not only fails to earn gratitude but can also invite jealousy and hatred.
The old Mouse didn't understand; what teachers don't teach you in school, society will tell you.
Now, Mouse truly understood this saying.
After briefing Mouse on the details of the former laboratory and their current situation, Xu An left the lower level with Ze Yuan.
"Let's go check out the auction house."
Ze Yuan looked curious. "What is an auction house?"
Xu An replied, "I heard it's a place on the Lighthouse where they auction off items not available for public sale. I wonder if there are any good things. We can go and try our luck."
Xu An had quite a few treasures in her spatial storage, collected over the years. Just the food alone included many items that people on the Lighthouse hadn't tasted in a long time.
She heard that pre-apocalypse carbonated drinks like Coke and Sprite had reached exorbitant prices.
Not to mention food items and daily necessities in good condition.
"I also heard that various cutting-edge new weapons will be sold at the auction."
"It's Sweet Friday today! Let's go, I want to grab a ticket for lunch with brother."
Xu An's shoulder was bumped. Before she could see who it was, a girl with long, slightly curly hair turned back from ahead.
She apologized with a contrite expression, then winked playfully.
"Sister, I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry. I'm leaving now!"
Behind the girl, several other girls in lavish clothing and elaborate attire followed, chasing after the first girl, panting, "Ning Ning, slow down! We can't keep up with you."
Xu An looked at the way these children were dressed, and a sense of being in a different era washed over her.
"Even at a time like this, people are still chasing celebrities?" Ze Yuan shook his head, looking bewildered.
Xu An's curiosity was piqued. "You know about chasing celebrities?"
Ze Yuan puffed out his chest. "Of course, I know! I know a lot more than you think. Don't look down on me, okay?"
Xu An covered her mouth and smiled. She hadn't expected that even at this time, there would still be fans.
She didn't really mind; it was everyone's freedom.
But were there still any big stars on the Lighthouse?
Xu An hadn't heard a peep. Although she didn't chase celebrities, she had liked many stars in her previous life.
However, after the incident, most celebrities were among the most difficult to escape, as they were at their event venues.
Xu An's favorite movie actor died in the mouth of a zombie. When she found out, she felt it was a great pity, but then she thought about her own days of hunger.
And she felt her worries were completely unnecessary.
The intermittent voices from behind were all discussing the topic of "Sweet Friday."
Xu An was really curious, so she stopped a cute little girl nearby.
"Little sister, can you tell me where you're going?"
The girl looked at Xu An with impatience. Her chubby, baby-faced cheeks were a little anxious. "Sister, I'm in a hurry! It's at the auction house over there. Today, we can get a chance to have dinner with Brother Yun Che. Don't ask me any more questions, I'm leaving now. If I'm late, it'll be too late."
Xu An was surprised.
Watching the little girl's retreating back, she fell into thought.
In just these few minutes, almost all the girls who ran past Xu An were girls. The few men in formal wear who walked towards the auction house were rare.
It was obvious they weren't going for dinner with some "Brother Yun Che."
"I have to say, that saying of you humans is really true."
"What?"
"When people are full and warm, they think of lewdness."
Xu An remained silent, but Ze Yuan was speaking the truth.
She had just come up from the lower level, experiencing the hellish scene there.
Down there, one bread could buy a person's cheap labor for a day.
But back here, it was peaceful and tranquil again.
Even the entrance ticket to the auction house was enough to cover the living expenses of the lower class for a month.
But Xu An was powerless to change it. All she could do was to ease her own conscience.
"But what do they mean by Sweet Friday? Is it similar to your 'Crazy Thursday' before the apocalypse? Does it have a lot of delicious food?"
When Ze Yuan mentioned food, his big, watery eyes twinkled.
Ever since he gained a physical form, Ze Yuan would ask Xu An for a taste of anything delicious he saw.
If Xu An hadn't stopped him,
Ze Yuan would have tasted all the food stored in the spatial storage.
But some foods had long been discontinued, and even for Xu An, finding those foods again was very difficult.