Chapter 128 - 126: Future Golden Meal Ticket

Hearing that his mother was taking him out, Zephyr instantly perked up. He dashed to the kitchen, drew some water, and meticulously washed his hands and face once more. Then, he quickly changed into his new clothes and followed his mother out the door with a radiant smile.

After climbing into the tricycle, he nervously tugged at the hem of Sev’s shirt, glancing around from time to time. Sev would occasionally look back. Seeing the boy’s awe-struck expression brought a pang of sourness to her heart, and she resolved to take him out more often whenever the opportunity arose.

Once Sev pedaled the tricycle through the gates of The Gilded Ward, Zephyr was instantly captivated by the wide, smooth paved roads beneath them. Soon, he spotted the impeccably dressed pedestrians, the beautiful wrought-iron fences enclosing the neighborhood, and the sprawling, towering architecture. It was a world away from The Slums. The more he saw, the more excited he became, until his little face flushed bright red.

After a long while, he declared with utmost solemnity, "Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to make a lot of money and buy our family a big house in The Gilded Ward!"

Sev glanced back, taking in the boy’s earnest little expression. She suddenly remembered that in the original novel, after the four children became the major villains, Zephyr was the solid financial backer for his three siblings. No matter what trouble they stirred up, he would always shell out the money and resources to settle it. Even though he had never directly harmed anyone from start to finish, he was undeniably their greatest accomplice.

At this thought, Sev’s gaze toward him grew heated. She wondered if she successfully corrected the other three children’s moral compasses, wouldn’t this future god of wealth become the golden ticket to providing a lavish life for his mother, brothers, and sister?

Feeling a bit shy under his mother’s intense stare, Zephyr asked bashfully, "Mom, do I really look that good in my new clothes?"

"Haha! Of course. Our Zephyr is the most handsome boy! Even your older brothers can’t compare!" Sev laughed aloud, ruffling his soft hair.

Passing residents of The Gilded Ward cast sidelong glances at them. They wondered how a woman from The Slums dared to be so flashy. In their experience, people from The Slums who entered The Gilded Ward usually kept their heads down, walking as close to the edges of the road as possible. Who would dare be as brazen as her, pedaling a tricycle right down the middle of the street?

A few indignant passersby were just about to step in and teach her a lesson when they saw her park her tricycle in front of a villa surrounded by a three-meter-high metal wall. They immediately dropped the idea and quietly slipped away. The owner of that villa was someone they couldn’t afford to offend; even if this woman from The Slums was just a maid working there, they wouldn’t dare bully her recklessly.

After Sev rang the doorbell, Artie Sawyer’s gentle and amiable face soon appeared on the intercom’s video screen. She picked Zephyr up and smiled at Artie. "This is my son. I brought him along to see the world."

Sev spoke with complete candor. Smiling, Artie pressed the button to grant them access. As the gate swung open, Zephyr clutched his mother’s sleeve, cautiously peering at Artie. She was so incredibly beautiful, and her smile was so gentle. The boy felt he had never seen such a wonderful woman; she was like a fairy from a storybook. He stared blankly at her. If an adult had looked at her like that, Artie would have been furious long ago.

"Little guy, what’s your name? How old are you?" Artie crouched down, asking him in a soft voice.

"My name is Zephyr, and I’m six years old!" the boy puffed out his little chest and announced loudly.

The people Zephyr usually saw were the Scavengers from The Slums, where the women were as tough and fierce as the men. This was his first time meeting a woman so beautiful and gentle. In that moment, Artie’s image was deeply engraved in his young heart. It was so profound that even in his adulthood, he would respectfully keep his distance from women who showed interest in him, as Artie had become the most perfect goddess in his mind.

"This child is quite adorable," Artie said to Sev with a smile.

"Miss, you’re the prettiest miss I’ve ever seen!" Zephyr gathered his courage to say.

"Look at this sweet talker. You already know how to make people happy at such a young age," Artie chuckled. "But I’m old enough to be your mother’s aunt. It’d be more fitting to call me grandma."

"Grandmas have white hair and lots of wrinkles. I’ll just call you Miss Sawyer," Zephyr said after blinking and thinking about it seriously.

"Alright then, Miss Sawyer it is. I don’t like being treated like an old lady anyway. Here, this is for you, a little meeting gift."

Artie took a woven rope pendant from her Space Button. The chain consisted of oval interlocking loops woven from silver thread, while the pendant was an openwork knot of the same material, enclosing a milky-white glass bottle. Though Sev didn’t recognize the material of the silver thread, she could tell it was of extraordinary quality. Even though the bottle was closed, a faint, lingering fragrance of vegetation drifted from it. Just breathing it in brought a sense of comfort and tranquility.

"Ms. Sawyer, this... is too precious!" Sev said.

"It’s just a small bottle of Concentrating Flower Dew. I extracted it from the plants in my own garden, so it’s not worth much. If a child wears it, it will calm their mind during sleep and keep nightmares at bay," Artie said, waving her hand with a smile.

"Thank you, Miss Sawyer!" Zephyr bowed deeply. He had never received a gift from anyone before. Seeing his mother finally nod her approval, he immediately took the pendant and carefully tucked it away in his inner pocket for safekeeping.

Sev hurriedly handed over her food container with a smile. "I made this myself. The taste is passable. If you don’t mind, please give it a try."

Artie leaned in, took a sniff, and immediately beamed. "It smells amazing! Your cooking skills seem great.

"It’s a pity I’ll be leaving soon, otherwise I’d definitely hire you as my personal chef."

She carried the food container into the kitchen, found an empty plate, and transferred the food. She casually broke off a piece of the shredded potato pancake, popped it into her mouth, and began to chew—CRUNCH CRUNCH.

Sev was a bit surprised. "Aren’t you... going to test it for poison first?"

"With something this delicious, I believe you definitely wouldn’t have the heart to poison it.

"I’ll tell you a secret: I have a Poison Element within my Wood Ability. The person who could poison me to death hasn’t even been born yet!"

Having said that, Artie gave her a playful wink. She looked so charming and vivacious, entirely unlike a middle-aged woman, leaving Sev in a momentary daze.

"By the way, after you left last time, I was sorting through some old things and found this bracelet. If you like it, just give me a few hundred points and take it," Artie said, digging out a date-red wooden bead bracelet from a drawer.

When Sev took a closer look, she discovered it was actually a string of Phoenix Eye Bodhi beads! What’s more, it was of premium quality, with each individual bead measuring less than one centimeter in diameter. Back on Azure, a bracelet like this would sell for at least tens to hundreds of thousands. She only knew a little about it because a classmate who was obsessed with bead bracelets had given her an extensive lesson on them.

In the Wasteland Era, the fact that former cultural relics had been reduced to dirt-cheap prices was truly lamentable. Ultimately, Sev transferred 999 points to Artie; she outright refused to accept any more. Sev thought Artie was quite an interesting person. It was obvious she viewed Sev as a kindred spirit and genuinely wanted to gift the item to her, yet she insisted on handing it over under the guise of a transaction.

This way, although Sev owed her a favor, she felt no psychological burden. After all, one was selling and the other was buying; she wasn’t just taking it for free.

Artie then took Zephyr for a stroll around her garden. Right before Sev left, Artie looked at her pleadingly. "This shredded potato pancake of yours is truly delicious, but it’s a pity its shelf life isn’t very long. Could you make some long-lasting food to sell to me? That way I can take it with me on my long journey."

"Sure. I’ll head back and figure something out. I’ll try my best to get it done before you leave," Sev agreed readily.

"Then you better hurry. I’ll be leaving within three days!" Artie said.

The mother and son left hand in hand. On the way back, Zephyr asked, "Mom, can I weave a cushion to give to Miss Sawyer as a return gift?"

"Of course you can. My son already knows the importance of returning a favor at such a young age. You really are a smart and sensible good boy," Sev smiled.