Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 220 Forced Bundling

On the morning of the fifth day, Xu Xiaoyan was wearing a slightly worn, dull-colored dark gray down jacket. Her scarf was the most common type of machine-knitted wool, pulled up high, almost covering most of her face, leaving only a pair of calm, observing eyes visible.

She mingled in the sparse but hurried crowd and reappeared on the outskirts of a large official points redemption point in the southern district.

The scene here was even more chaotic than the exchange points she had visited a few days ago. If a few days ago there was still a glimmer of hope in people's eyes that they "might be able to exchange for a little something," now, many people's eyes had dimmed, leaving only numbness, anxiety, and a kind of reckless rage.

The queue was crooked and haphazard, with people frequently cutting in line and arguing. After a few shoves, they were stopped by those around them or by staff. The air was filled with the stench of sweat, dust, and a faint, strange smell, like something that had gone bad and frozen.

People were talking in hushed tones or suddenly raised their voices, sometimes with sobs or angry shouts. A sense of panic, as if "time is running out and we're going to miss it," permeated the air, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Just like the previous days, Xu Xiaoyan slowly swept over every corner of the crowd, every face, and every pile of carried items at an inconspicuous speed and angle.

She was looking for suitable "targets"—people who didn't seem like professional dealers, who might be carrying items she needed, and who were eager to get rid of their stock while being extremely dissatisfied with the official price.

Soon, a figure crouching in the corner caught her attention. It was a middle-aged woman around forty years old, with her hair tied in a tight bun at the back of her head. She was wearing a dark blue cotton-padded jacket that had been washed until it was faded and had dark patches on the elbows.

But her eyes were not as unfocused and numb as those of many people around her. Instead, they held a stubborn light as she scrutinized every passerby. Her lips were tightly pursed into a downward-curving line, revealing a sense of frustration at having to give in despite her unwillingness to admit defeat.

There were two cardboard boxes at her feet. The boxes were quite large, and the printed logos were faded and blurred. The corners were worn, but the boxes were still relatively intact.

Next to it, there was a square object, about the size of two shoeboxes, carefully wrapped in faded dark red velvet, and it was well protected.

The woman would glance at her two items from time to time, then look up and scan the crowd. Her fingers would unconsciously pick at the edge of the cardboard box. Beneath that deliberately tough demeanor lay an unconcealable panic and helplessness.

Xu Xiaoyan observed silently for a moment. The old woman had no companions, and no one seemed to be particularly interested in her belongings. She didn't seem like a shrewd, calculating person who had been struggling at the bottom of society for many years. Instead, she seemed more like an ordinary person who originally had a relatively stable livelihood but was now at a loss due to the changes in her life.

These types of people often have some "out-of-place" inventory on hand and are more likely to make unconventional trading decisions driven by emotions.

After confirming there was no obvious risk, Xu Xiaoyan slowly walked over. She didn't go directly to the old woman, but stopped about two or three meters away from her on the other side, which was also close to the wall. She squatted down and took out a water bottle from her backpack, pretending to drink water, as if she was just tired and looking for a place to rest.

She kept an eye on the older woman's movements out of the corner of her eye. After about a minute or two, the older woman's gaze swept over her again, scrutinizing her, but she didn't say anything.

Xu Xiaoyan felt the time was right, and then, as if by chance, she glanced at the two cardboard boxes and asked in a slightly curious tone, "Big sister, these boxes of yours... look quite heavy, what's inside...?"

The older woman raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Xu Xiaoyan's heavily wrapped face. Seeing that she was an unfamiliar girl who looked young, her expression softened slightly, but her tone remained sharp, carrying a venting resentment:

"Thirteen Spices! A whole case! Unopened!" She slapped one of the boxes hard, making a dull, heavy "thump-thump" sound, raising a cloud of dust. "Leftover stock from when my family ran a small restaurant! Stockpiled for years, originally thinking... Humph!" She snorted heavily, whether at the fickle nature of the world or at her own past plans, it was unclear. "This damn weather! This stupid notice! What's the point of taking it down there! Hurry up and replace it! Out of sight, out of mind!"

Thirteen Spices! Xu Xiaoyan's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face. This was indeed a rare and good product! It was a compound spice that could be stored for a long time and had a wide range of uses. Whether it was stewing meat, seasoning fillings, or even just sprinkling a little on a simple soup, it could greatly improve the flavor.

In the underground cities of the future, this "non-essential commodity" that can directly enhance the flavor of food may have a potential value far exceeding people's current estimates, and two whole unopened boxes are even more rare and hard to come by.

She crouched down, moved closer, and pretended to examine the outer packaging of the cardboard box very carefully. Indeed, the plastic film was still there, and the seal was intact, but it was covered with a thick layer of dust. The production date was probably quite early, but in this dry and cold environment, as long as it was properly sealed, the flavor substances of the spices could be preserved for a long time. She gently wiped away the dust with her finger, revealing the blurry lettering underneath.

"Um... how many points would you like to exchange?" Xu Xiaoyan raised her head, her voice still low, carrying a tone of discussion and probing.

The woman had clearly already calculated this in her mind. Perhaps she had been refused by the official redemption point or had been pressured to lower the price too much, so she held her breath and directly quoted a number: "10 points for one box, 20 points for two boxes! Not a single point less!"

This price is a bit higher than Xu Xiaoyan's "bargain hunting price" based on her observations over the past few days. If it were just ordinary bulk seasonings, she probably would have bargained directly.

But these were two whole boxes of unopened compound spices. According to her private estimate, combined with the "strategic value" of future scarcity, the price was still within her acceptable range, and even considered "good value." But she couldn't show too much delight.

Xu Xiaoyan's face immediately showed a very troubled expression. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her eyes revealed struggle and hesitation. She did not directly refute or bargain, but softened her tone even more:

"20 points... Sister, to be honest, it's not easy for me to accumulate points," she sighed, her gaze fixed on the box, simply explaining her "non-practical" motivation for buying it and the difficulty of paying for it.

The older woman was initially very impatient and waved her hand to interrupt her, saying, "What's the use of saying all this! Who cares about this now! Points! Points are what really matter!" Her face was tense.

The two went back and forth like this, one insisting on a high price, the other pleading softly. After several rounds, Xu Xiaoyan never pushed the price too hard, occasionally tentatively asking, "How about 16 points? That's the most I can come up with..."

The woman's attitude gradually changed from being firm at first to a mixture of hesitation and frustration.

Just as the price was gradually approaching 18 points, and a balance point that both sides could barely accept was about to be reached, the aunt suddenly made a move that Xu Xiaoyan did not expect.

She abruptly raised her hand, pointing to the square object beside her that had been carefully wrapped in red velvet, her tone hardening again, even carrying an undeniable decisiveness:

"You have to take this too!" The woman's voice was firm. "Two boxes of Thirteen Spices plus this! 20 points! All bundled! Otherwise, I won't sell it! I won't sell the Thirteen Spices separately either!"

Xu Xiaoyan was taken aback, and looked in the direction the woman was pointing at the red cloth bag. "Big sister, what... what is this? I only need the seasonings, the rest I..."

"What is it? It's a treasure! It's something good!" Without waiting for a reply, as if afraid that Xu Xiaoyan would refuse, the woman ripped open the dark red velvet cloth with a rough and reckless gesture.

The velvet slipped off, revealing a dark brown sandalwood box with fine wood texture and faded brass corner protectors along its edges and ridges.

The box is about the size of two thick dictionaries stacked together. It is quite exquisitely made and its original value can be seen. However, the surface is now covered with small scratches and traces of time, and the copper fittings have oxidized and turned black.

Without even glancing at it, the old woman snapped open the small brass clasp on the front of the box, then grabbed the lid with both hands and yanked it up—in an instant, even in this dim and oppressive morning with only the distant lights of the exchange point and the pale daylight, a dazzling, multicolored light still caught Xu Xiaoyan's eyes off her unexpectedly!

The box was lined with dark red silk that had turned slightly yellow but whose soft texture was still visible. On top of the silk, it was densely covered and stuffed with all kinds of jewelry!

A thick, somewhat gaudy gold necklace was tangled together; rings and brooches inlaid with huge rubies, sapphires, and jade were askew; several jade bracelets of varying quality, some smooth and some dry; a silver necklace inlaid with pearls the size of rice grains; and many silver rings, silver lockets, gilded hairpins... all sorts of things, crammed full, almost overflowing.

Clearly, the items were hastily stuffed in by the owner in a panic, with no regard for organization. Their value also varied considerably, with some likely being cheap tourist souvenirs or gold-plated goods. However, the quantity was quite substantial, filling the entire box. Even in the dim light, the items still reflected the unique, cold, and dazzling luster of gold, silver, and gemstones.

"See that? Gold and silver jewelry! Things that used to be worth a fortune!" The woman's voice rose slightly, carrying a mixture of boasting, reluctance, and the heartache and resolve of finally having to part with it. "They were all passed down from my mother-in-law, given to me by my mother, and saved up when I was young... Now, hmph!"

She let out a heavy snort, a white puff of breath that seemed to mock the world or these now useless, beautiful but worthless creatures. "Useless! Can't eat, can't drink, can't burn! Take it with you? It takes up space! It's so heavy! Trade it? Those heartless guys at the base won't give you any points? You'd be losing money hand over fist! Girl, I think you're easy to talk to, so trading spices with you is fate. Here, take all of this! Two boxes of top-quality Thirteen Spices, plus this box... this box of treasures! 20 points! You've hit the jackpot! Be happy!"

Xu Xiaoyan was indeed taken aback by this sudden scene, and for a moment she even forgot to respond.

In the apocalypse, the value of precious metals and jewelry has plummeted, a fact that is widely acknowledged. They cannot provide warmth, fill the stomach, or ward off the cold; in the face of a stark survival crisis, they are practically equivalent to the most beautiful junk.

The fact that official redemption points explicitly state in black and white that they do not accept these "non-useful items" also corroborates the ruling class's official assessment of their value.

For ordinary people about to enter the underground city, who need to carefully calculate every inch of carrying space and every gram of weight, this box full of dazzling things is indeed an extremely heavy and useless burden.

She instinctively wanted to refuse, and the words that came out were, "Sister, this... I really don't need these. I just need the seasonings. You should..."

"No way!" The woman's attitude was unusually firm, even bordering on tyrannical. She pressed down on the box, as if afraid Xu Xiaoyan would change her mind or defile her treasure. "If you want to buy, you have to buy it all at once! It's a bundle! Otherwise, I won't sell this Thirteen Spices! You think it over!"

She glared at Xu Xiaoyan, her eyes reddening, whether from excitement or the chill of the morning wind. "20 points! Two boxes of top-quality seasonings, enough for you to use for a long time! Plus this box... this whole box of stuff! In the old days, in peacetime, how much would this be worth? So many women would dream of getting this! You definitely won't lose out! Let me tell you, I'm losing a fortune! My heart is bleeding!"

As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion. Her fingers, gripping the edge of the sandalwood box, turned white from the force, and the veins on the back of her hand bulged slightly. It wasn't just the haggling in a transaction; it was more like the body language of someone experiencing intense emotional turmoil.

Looking at the old woman's complex eyes, a mixture of stubbornness, heartache, grievance, and a desire to get rid of the goods while also feeling unwilling, and then at the two boxes of Thirteen Spices lying quietly on the ground, which were indeed of good quality, Xu Xiaoyan suddenly understood something in a flash.

For this middle-aged woman who once owned "decent" jewelry that many women admire, selling this box of jewelry that had accompanied her for half her life, possibly carrying wedding anniversaries, gifts from elders, youthful dreams, and even an ordinary woman's understanding of "beauty" and "value," was a spiritual sacrifice, a complete farewell to an important part of her past.

She needed a reason, a way out, a psychological balance and compensation. The forced bundling was less about coveting the extra, insignificant points, and more about a projection of a complex psychology—she couldn't bear to see these once-cherished "treasures" being discarded like trash.

She wanted to convince herself that these things were "sold for a good price along with the seasonings," and "taken away by a girl who seemed reasonably pleasing to the eye," rather than being abandoned. This was an obsession to give useless things a final sense of ritual and dignity, and also to find a barely acceptable reason for her inner reluctance and pain.