Yun Tutu rubbed her chin, thinking to herself that if a random stone picked up in a mountain cave could be worth so much, maybe there were more treasures to be found…?

But before she could indulge in her fantasy, Song Song’s mocking laugh echoed in her mind. “That’s impossible! That cave only had that one valuable stone. You just got lucky.”

Yun Tutu sighed. “I guess I was being greedy. But still, with this unexpected windfall, I should treat myself to a nice meal. Tonight, I’m ordering lobster and barbecue.”

She reminded herself that she needed to buy some new clothes too. Before graduating, she’d focused on buying professional outfits to save on wardrobe expenses for work. But now that she was delivering orders on a motorcycle, she wanted something more comfortable and casual.

“Oh, by the way, Song Song, do we have a standard uniform?” Yun Tutu asked, always on the lookout for ways to save.

“Do you want a uniform like the other delivery services? Maybe a vest?” Song Song replied, seeming to consider the possibility.

Yun Tutu quickly shook her head. “Never mind, I’ll buy my own clothes.”

The shopping mall was a bit of a distance away, and since she wanted to grab some late-night snacks near her old school, it might get late. Not wanting to deal with the hassle of getting home afterward, Yun Tutu decided to ride her scooter to her destinations.

After parking her scooter in the mall’s lot, she treated herself to a few outfits from a casual brand she’d been eyeing for a while. Satisfied, she packed them away and headed outside.

Just as she stowed her purchases in the scooter’s storage compartment, she heard someone calling her name with a hint of excitement.

“Yun Tutu, it really is you!” The person approached so quickly that they almost bumped into her.

“Li Yuehua?” Yun Tutu was surprised to run into her. This girl had never really gotten along with her—not out of any serious grudge, but because Li Yuehua always had a snide remark ready. Yun Tutu wasn’t the type to take things lying down, so after a few clashes, an unspoken rivalry had developed between them.

“Yes, it’s me. I heard you’ve been struggling to find a job and thought about helping you out. But judging by your look, I guess you don’t need it,” Li Yuehua said with a tone dripping in false sympathy, mixed with a dash of condescension.

So what if Yun Tutu did better in school? So what if the professors praised her more? She still didn’t have a job as prestigious as hers.

“I heard you got a job in sales. How’s that going? Have you made it past your probation yet?” Yun Tutu raised an eyebrow at her. After all, Li Yuehua had only landed a temporary job at a luxury store—getting hired permanently was still up in the air.

Despite this, Li Yuehua had been flaunting her situation in their chat groups for over a month now. By now, she should be close to finding out if she’d passed probation.

Li Yuehua puffed out her chest. “Our store caters to high-end clients, and they’ve all been very impressed with me. The manager has promised to make me permanent as soon as this month ends. It’s a pity our store rarely hires, or I’d be happy to help you out.”

“By the way, do you know what the benefits are? After I’m permanent, I’ll be making over ten thousand yuan a month, plus commissions.”

She expected Yun Tutu to show some envy, but all she got was a cold smile and a dismissive, “That’s great, but I’ve found a job myself.”

Li Yuehua covered her mouth, laughing as she pointed to the scooter. “Your job isn’t delivering food, is it? You’re not a guy, Yun Tutu. What’s a girl like you doing in food delivery? As an old classmate, let me give you some advice. Running around in the sun and wind every day, your pretty face won’t last a month.

“As girls, our faces are our most important asset. If you get tanned and rough, it’ll be even harder to find a good match. If you really can’t make it here, you should just go back home. Let your family find you a husband. Staying at home and taking care of the family is a decent career too. It’s better than wearing yourself out for some petty cash.”

“I think my job is just fine. At least I’m earning my own living,” Yun Tutu replied. Nearby, a few other delivery riders had parked their scooters, and they weren’t too pleased with Li Yuehua’s loud and condescending remarks.

“But I’ll give you some advice too: in your luxury sales job, make sure you keep your wits about you and don’t let all that glitz blind you…”

The two parted on bad terms, as expected. Yun Tutu shrugged it off, happily stopping by a well-reviewed shop to pick up some spicy shrimp and barbecue. On the way home, she even grabbed a couple of beers to go with her feast.

After setting everything up and getting ready to dig in, her phone rang.

“Tutu, what’s going on with you? How could you end up delivering food?” Fang Wei’s loud voice blared through the phone, forcing Yun Tutu to hold it away from her ear.

“How do you know I’m delivering food?” Yun Tutu asked, surprised. She hadn’t told anyone—then it hit her. Of course, there was one big mouth who would’ve spread the news.

Sure enough, Fang Wei, her best friend and former roommate, had heard it from Li Yuehua. “How do I know? Li Yuehua posted a picture of you with the scooter in our group chat. You haven’t checked the chat today?”

“I did check at lunchtime,” Yun Tutu said, putting her phone on speaker as she scrolled through the chat. Sure enough, she found herself several messages deep in a discussion, with pictures of her loading shopping bags onto the scooter. “I was shopping at the time. I didn’t expect to run into her. I’m doing flash deliveries now, so yeah, the picture isn’t wrong.”

Fang Wei, who had moved back home to study for the civil service exam after graduation, was exasperated. “Why don’t you just come back home? We can take the exam together. You’re smart, Tutu—you have a much better chance than I do. Why stay up there, struggling to be a Beipiao? Here, you’d at least have a roof over your head and a hot meal every day. Out there, you have to do everything yourself.”

Fang Wei had known Yun Tutu for over a decade and still couldn’t understand why she insisted on staying in the big city. Sure, the city was nice, but it wasn’t for everyone.

“I studied so hard for so many years—I want to prove myself,” Yun Tutu replied, starting to peel a shrimp with a disposable glove. “You know how nosy people in our old neighborhood can be. Going back means constant gossip.”

“Tutu, afraid of gossip? I don’t believe it. You might look quiet and soft, but cross you, and it’s not going to end well for anyone,” Fang Wei said, unconvinced.

Yun Tutu chuckled as she continued peeling the shrimp. “You’ve never seen the combat power of those neighborhood aunties. I’d end up arguing with them every other day, and then no one at home would have any peace.”