Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 19 – Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Consumption

Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Consumption Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Consumption Suddenly receiving such a large sum of money, Jiang Ning definitely needed to buy some necessities.

The first thing he did was go to the telecommunications office and installed a 20m broadband connection.

The mobile card he usually used at home was too slow, too slow. In the age before the 4G network came out, even videos couldn't be loaded.

Nowadays, broadband prices are expensive; a 20m broadband costs 2,500 yuan a year, unlike later generations where a 200m broadband only costs 360 yuan a year.

A bit more expensive, but WiFi is an essential part of life. Accustomed to the convenient internet of later generations, Jiang Ning was willing to spend more money.

He also planned to change his phone. The phone he was holding, given for free with a 300 yuan phone credit top-up, began to lag when running a background QQ and a music player, frequently crashing.

Even though Jiang Ning was generally tolerant, he was at a loss for words facing such a phone.

Jiang Ning wanted to switch to a Xiaomi 2s, but after asking several phone stores, none had it. Instead, the clerks enthusiastically recommended Oppo and Vivo, which Jiang Ning politely declined, as both brands were still over-priced and under-equipped at that time.

However, one small store owner said he could order a Xiaomi phone, but it would cost an extra 300 yuan. After all, Xiaomi phones were hard to get, and one could easily sell them at a higher price once acquired.

Many scalpers did just that; they'd buy a Xiaomi phone and easily resell it for a 200 yuan markup.

Jiang Ning was speechless and couldn't help but recall the times he tried to buy Xiaomi phones, only to be consistently tricked by the company. Now that he wasn't short on money, he wouldn't make that foolish mistake again.

He turned and went to the adjacent Apple store. During his student days, watching his classmates use iPhones, praising how user-friendly and smooth the system and animations were, Jiang Ning had been quite envious.

Online, countless Apple fans treated the brand like a deity. Dare to criticize Apple, and they would furiously rebuke you, attacking your ancestors.

In that era, in the small city of Yuzhou, Apple was still a symbol of quality. Young people who used iPhones felt a subtle sense of superiority.

Jiang Ning wasn't that fanatic. To him, an iPhone was just a regular phone, although there was a time when he desperately wanted one during his youth. Even though he later bought the latest model, it never reclaimed the nostalgia of his initial desires.

Jiang Ning spent over four thousand yuan and bought a white 32GB iPhone 5. As for why not the black one?

Because the black paint chipped off.

He carefully considered that the iPhone 5s was also released during this time, but it would still be another two months before it reached the domestic market. He could always buy one then.

Jiang Ning didn't apply a screen protector or put on a case. With his Divine Sense reaction speed, he would never drop the phone.

As for screen scratches, he mastered various magic arts and kept himself clean at all times, so there was never any dust.

For those who treated their phones like family heirlooms, a cultivator's skills were something they could only dream of.

Jiang Ning then went to the neighboring store and bought two outfits. The Adidas clothes his uncle had bought him were becoming too short as he grew taller.

Jiang Ning didn't buy Adidas. Given the brand's array of unwise decisions in later generations, he had a poor impression of it: high prices, average quality, just like other brands—it was all outsourced.

Mainly, it was good marketing that justified such a high markup.

Jiang Ning wasn't someone who cared much about brands. The iPhone's markup was justifiable in this era, as its screen, performance, system, camera quality, and tactile feel were all superior to Android phones. He felt it was worth it.

But Adidas, to him, wasn't worth it. There were decent domestic brands available, from which he picked two outfits that were cheaper than a single Adidas outfit—truly a bargain.

Next, he went to the supermarket and stockpiled rice, flour, oil, a large bag of snacks, and various nuts and preserved fruits.

He then visited the market and bought ribs, beef, and fruits, not too much, just enough to last him a couple of days.

The rental house didn't have a refrigerator, but Jiang Ning saw no need to buy one needlessly. He had some knowledge of magical arrays and could easily set up an Ice Element array, which worked much better than any fridge.

Jiang Ning packed the items onto the rear seat and handlebar of his mountain bike, effectively arming the bike for a journey.

Today's expenses totaled less than 10,000 yuan.

On the way home, Jiang Ning saw a street vendor selling candied haws and bought two skewers of mixed fruits including hawthorn, oranges, and kiwifruits.

He also saw a stall selling crystal sugar water with taro and sago in ice water, which looked thirst-quenching and tempting. Jiang Ning grabbed two servings, paid quickly, and cast two Ice Element Magic Formations, ensuring it would remain cold until he got home.

Then, without further hesitation, Jiang Ning rode off.

As he crossed the dam, from afar, he saw Xue Yuantong sitting at her doorstep, enjoying the cool breeze.

Xue Yuantong noticed the prominently displayed staples and oil on Jiang Ning's bike and wanted to help, but hesitated upon seeing the snacks: “What if he thinks I'm helping him just because I want the snacks?”

“Am I that kind of person?”

Seeing Xue Yuantong's indecisive demeanor, Jiang Ning called out,
“Xue Yuantong, come give me a hand; I've bought some sugar water.”

“Uh, alright.” Xue Yuantong tied her hair into a ponytail, rolled up her sleeves ready for work, only to realize she was wearing short sleeves, rolling them up to no effect.

She picked up the oil bucket, and after two trips, everything was in its place.

Xue Yuantong naturally didn't linger for the sugar water or the candied haws; was she that kind of person?

Xue Yuantong walked slowly forward, hoping Jiang Ning would call out to her. Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Ning still hadn't said anything, which made her anxious.

Under her breath, Xue Yuantong hastened her steps, and at that moment, Jiang Ning shouted,
“I bought too much sugar water, I'll share some with you.”

It felt like walking in an endless desert and suddenly stumbling upon an oasis. Jiang Ning's words made Xue Yuantong swallow uncontrollably.

Holding the cup of sugar water Jiang Ning gave her, she felt the chill from the cup against her skin, lifting her spirits suddenly.

“Alright, then I'll taste this sugar water for you to verify its authenticity, save you from being cheated.” Xue Yuantong spoke calmly, nonchalantly.

“Okay, okay,” Jiang Ning said. “I'll give you a skewer of candied haws too.”

He handed her one, having bought two with Xue Yuantong in mind. Selling the gold from under her house had netted tens of thousands of yuan, so spending ten-plus yuan on her was no big deal, right?

Xue Yuantong's expression remained light and cloud-like, but inside, she was touched. Lately, Jiang Ning had been very caring towards her, a kind of care she had never felt before apart from her parents. This made her recall the past, memories that were not so pleasant.

The continuous cold sensation from the cup of sugar water cut off those memories. The sugar water and candied haws remained ice-cold, unaffected by the summer heat, showing how fast Jiang Ning must have ridden, and while she was happy to have something cold in the summer, she began to worry about him.

“Next time, ride your bike a bit slower. I know you're good at cycling, but speeding is dangerous; there are often kids darting onto the dam.”

Xue Yuantong spoke sternly, earnestly reminding him.

“Okay, I'll remember that,” Jiang Ning nodded seriously, as if taking Xue Yuantong's words to heart.

Xue Yuantong was very pleased, arranging a small stool for Jiang Ning, and the two sat at the doorstep, sipping sugar water and eating candied haws together.

Inside, Aunt Gu, busy with chores, saw this scene and couldn't help but smile. She suddenly felt that her Tongtong and Jiang Ning were quite well-matched.

“Mom, have some candied haws, given by Jiang Ning,” Xue Yuantong said as she trotted over.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on N𝘰vgo.co

Chapter end