Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 1150 - 554: Beggar (End)

Although An Youyou was tempted by Jiang Weiguo's proposal, her pursuit of the beggar's profession ultimately outweighed her desire for stable money. An Youyou neither agreed nor refused; she just pretended to be very sleepy, went to bed after eating her steamed bun and drinking cold water.

Since the boss was going to sleep, the younger brothers naturally didn't dare disturb her and all crawled under the covers to sleep.

Only the outsider Qin Huai could vaguely see through the not-so-bright moonlight outside that An Youyou wasn't really asleep; she pretty much kept her eyes open until dawn.

The result of staying up all night meant being very tired the next day, severely affecting her work.

During prosperous times, An Youyou could drink millet porridge every morning until she was full. In poor times, An Youyou didn't have such good treatment; dreaming of millet porridge, she could only fill her stomach with cold water, and even then could only drink two bowls.

Many families lived in the bluestone tile houses, and river water was not as clean as well water. So many families depended on well water for daily use that fetching two extra buckets of water would get you scolded and into an argument.

Seeing the weary An Youyou gulp down two bowls of cold water, Qin Huai knocked on the neighboring door to confirm Sister Chen wasn't starving, then instructed Sister Chen's son to make sure she at least ate two bites of rice today before heading out to beg.

The times really weren't good now.

As An Youyou said, even though there was no war, and Jiang Weiguo's salary even increased, their beggars' group was getting poorer. The begging group's poverty was because the whole city was poor. An Youyou, whom Qin Huai remembered for playing pitiful and loitering at rich people's businesses, saw all those good shops shut down.

The silk shops, snack shops, bookstores, and grocery stores selling mainly soy sauce had all closed. Even the bun shop An Youyou often rewarded herself from before knowing Jiang Weiguo could make buns had shut down.

The large number of closed shops made the street look desolate, and indeed it was. Previously, when Qin Huai followed An Youyou to her begging spots, the streets were full of people—women running errands, workers, rickshaw pullers, students rushing for trams, and drunk young nobles... all gone now.

Just like the shops, they disappeared in the past two to three years.

Even the number of beggars on the streets decreased considerably.

Kind-hearted shopkeepers were also gone. As a beggar with ambitions, An Youyou usually wouldn't beg from the charitable shopkeepers who regularly distributed food to beggars. She liked challenging the difficult ones, specifically targeting wealthy sons young beggars dared not approach.

Even the decadent young masters followed by several bodyguards—An Youyou dared to roll to the young master's feet, using her nimble moves to dodge the bodyguards' strikes and earn two coins as a reward.

Now, the world had changed. Bodyguards only hit without paying, and charitable shopkeepers vanished, replaced by fierce ones who'd chase beggars with sticks, adults kicking young beggars in displeasure, and gang members everywhere.

These gang members captured territory, extorted protection fees, and targeted beggars like An Youyou as well. Most of An Youyou's day was spent running after a short honest begging session. She was also exhausted from last night's poor sleep, not fully mastering her dodging skills, and took a few hits.

She finally limped home.

The leader's injury stirred anger among the younger brothers. After a fruitless search for an abandoned temple in the suburbs, Little Ninth, with anger and two stolen vegetables plus a few wild roots and grass, shouted about avenging the leader. But after An Youyou mentioned the gang's name, he forgot the grudge and praised the leader instead, amazed she only got kicked twice and wasn't beaten to death against such a gang.

"Little Ninth, if you can't speak properly, close your mouth. No wonder you haven't gotten any alms for months." Slightly annoyed, An Youyou glared at Little Ninth, clutching her pained stomach as she sat on the hay pile in a huff.

"Did you find a place?" An Youyou asked.

Little Ninth immediately adopted a dejected demeanor: "Boss, it's not that Little Ten and I aren't trying, but it's hard to survive in the city now. Many city beggars are fleeing, and the ruined temples are almost full."

An Youyou then looked at Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi immediately mimicked Little Ninth by lowering his head: "Bo...boss, there's even less space in the city. But Little Seven heard that a factory opened in Hankou, hiring workers who just need to know a few characters, and didn't we all learn a few from Brother Shun?"

Little Seven quickly said, "Yes, they said... there's some kind of test, just to see if you're suitable for the job. They say if hired, you'll get one silver coin, with a monthly salary of two silver coins, working seven hours a day, with meals and accommodation included."

"Bo... boss, Xiao Yi and I weren't serious when learning to read, and they may not want us, but Ninth Brother knows a lot of characters, so he could definitely get that one silver coin if he goes!"

Upon hearing Little Seven, Little Ninth's eyes lit up, and he excitedly said, "Boss, I can try! Once I get to Hankou, I'll send all my salary to you every month without keeping a cent!"