I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 717: “Unworthy to Be My Son’s Match”

Mrs. Niu smoothly took over a large bag of nougat wrapped in paper and said, "Don’t bother with the gift exchange. We’re so close, why bother with all that formality?"

Liu Sheng, tasked with writing the gift list, found it a bit difficult. "Sister-in-law..."

Jing Shu raised an eyebrow as Mrs. Niu eagerly tried to take the gift, clearly not wanting others to know about it. It seemed this banquet definitely had something fishy going on.

"Hey, isn’t this Niu’s most trusted subordinate? What’s with this tightly wrapped package? Is it something precious enough for you to keep it hidden? Let us have a look," Luo Dan, a middle-aged woman, strode over from the main area.

With things having come to this point, there was no more time to hide. Mrs. Niu cheerfully turned to Mrs. Jing with a smile. "This is the wife of Luo Jiwei, Niu Ji’s former boss, also surnamed Luo."

Then, turning to Luo Dan, she said, "I didn’t know either, did I? Let’s open it up and have Liu Sheng add it to the gift list. Regardless of what’s inside, we’ll have to return the favor later."

Ordinarily, as the host, if anyone had dared to be so nosy as to ask about someone else’s gift in the past, Mrs. Niu would have slapped them. It was a matter of face; what others gave was none of their business. But this time... things were different.

Luo Jiwei used to be Niu Ji’s superior. However, since Luo Jiwei’s transfer, they had become equals.

Mrs. Niu could only hope Lan Zhi understood the crux of the matter and wouldn’t bring anything too ostentatious. However, considering the relationship between their two families, that seemed a bit difficult. Lan Zhi’s family was well-off, and in the past, they had generously given fresh strawberries, fruits, and even luxurious items like honey.

Of course, with their mutual exchange of gifts, her family didn’t skimp during holidays and festivals either. Mrs. Niu also enjoyed her dealings with Lan Zhi’s family.

"Auntie, let me do it. This is how you untie it." Jing Shu stepped forward, deftly untying the four-sided string, revealing a pile of creamy white nougat.

Jing Shu handed a piece to Mrs. Niu, blinking. "It’s just some nougat. Last time I heard Niu Yanben say he liked it, so my mom had me make some. It’s nothing much, really, just whipped up from some ordinary ingredients we had at home."

Mrs. Niu was stunned for a moment, then took a bite of the nougat. In that instant, the rich, sweet flavor of milk, the syrupy sweetness of honey, and the crispness of the peanuts exploded in her mouth. It was slightly chewy, and after a few gentle chews, she licked the lingering sweetness from her teeth, savoring the taste with reluctance.

These were made from ordinary ingredients?

Just by looking, one couldn’t really tell.

Mrs. Niu saw that besides peanut, there were other flavors, but every single one was definitely made with good ingredients. Crucially, with the migration imminent, and everyone needing to pack as much food as possible for the journey, this kind of candy made from milk, honey, and nuts was the best food to have on hand!

Hungry? Eat a piece, and you’d instantly replenish various kinds of energy.

Not to mention, these were made from pure milk. Niu Yanben was precisely in need of nutrition, and she had been worried sick about it these days. She had even wondered if she could somehow get some milk for Niu Yanben on the road. She hadn’t expected Lan Zhi to send this; it was exactly what they needed, a gift straight from the heart!

The key was, this stuff didn’t violate any rules; it wasn’t over the top!

"Good, good, I understand your kindness. You’ve all been so thoughtful. Niu Yanben likes this, he absolutely loves it!" Mrs. Niu exhaled, a genuine smile finally gracing her lips. All of Niu’s subordinates combined aren’t as thoughtful as Su Lanzi! This spot has to be reserved for Su Lanzi; otherwise, I’ll never unlock new positions with Niu again! No, wait, that’s wrong. We’ve already unlocked all the positions. I thought since Niu’s son is already in his teens, Niu himself wouldn’t be so young at heart, but unexpectedly, he still is. Niu actually likes trying new things. Sigh, he’s not a young man anymore; can’t he be more restrained? Mrs. Niu subconsciously tightened her legs, pulling her thoughts back to the present.

Luo Dan caught a whiff of the delightful milky fragrance. It wasn’t that her home lacked sugar—in fact, they had never run out. She often brewed brown sugar ginger tea for herself. But this aroma was so fragrant that she couldn’t resist reaching out to take a piece.

Mrs. Niu quickly scanned the nougat again, even mentally calculating how long it would last if she gave Niu Yanben two pieces a day. She and Niu wouldn’t eat any; they’d save it to nourish the child... Just as she was thinking this, Luo Dan’s somewhat chubby hand reached over. Mrs. Niu swiftly closed the paper box, almost catching Luo Dan’s hand!

Pah! I’m not even willing to eat this myself, so how could I possibly give any to Luo Dan?

Luo Dan was suddenly very embarrassed! But she had thick skin. When Mrs. Niu said nothing, she muttered, "What lousy candy. I don’t even care for it."

Mrs. Niu smiled at Liu Sheng, who was writing the gift list. "Su Lanzi, one pack of nougat."

It was indeed all nougat. In this era, one couldn’t hide gold bars inside, not that gold bars were worth much anymore—they were less valuable than sugar.

Liu Sheng hesitated again. "Value?"

Mrs. Niu said, "One jin of sugar is 8,000 Virtual Coins. This isn’t pure sugar, as it has peanuts, but there are about two jin here. Just write down a value of 20,000."

Writing a higher value, Liu Sheng was no longer troubled; he was in charge of this, and his main concern was Mrs. Niu undervaluing it. Mrs. Niu was being quite fair, and everyone was watching.

Of course, if the pure milk, honey, cashews, and fruits inside were known, the value wouldn’t be calculated like this. A single jar of pure honey was so expensive that even their family couldn’t afford it; after all, its nutritional value was undeniable. And sugar, aside from the places of origin, was mostly from stockpiles elsewhere, making its price very high. The crucial point was that it was a seller’s market; many people would rather hoard it than sell, as those who had sugar weren’t short of Virtual Coins.

Mrs. Niu’s family had even given out several packs of brown sugar last New Year. In terms of reciprocal gifting, her family and Lan Zhi’s were about on par. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Today, some fool had sent over a hen, which really infuriated Mrs. Niu—a hen nowadays was comparable to a luxury car. Sending a luxury car for a leader’s birthday? Isn’t that just asking for trouble? And so, Niu had been pulled away to explain the situation. What a nuisance!

After the gift list was completed, Mrs. Niu comfortably arranged Jing Shu’s family at their seats. Luo Dan sat next to Jing Shu, and Mrs. Niu sat next to Luo Dan. It couldn’t be helped; status dictated it.

Luo Dan had noticed Jing Shu early on. Her first impression was that the girl was beautiful. Whether it was her aura, appearance, or attire, she seemed like someone from before the apocalypse, utterly unaffected by these end times, her skin still tender and supple.

Luo Dan quietly asked Mrs. Niu, "That’s Su Lanzi’s daughter, isn’t it?"

Mrs. Niu nodded. Wasn’t it obvious?

"Then, to be a match for my son, her status is still a bit low," Luo Dan said, somewhat conflicted. Su Lanzi’s daughter was beautiful and vibrant, and her son liked beautiful girls. Unfortunately, he had never met the right one and had remained single all this time.

Mrs. Niu’s expression became a bit strained.

Luo Dan whispered again, "If she gets promoted to minister this time, that would barely be sufficient."