Chapter 17
Tying Up Some Small Braids (1)
The system said, “Host, bad guys don’t need a reason to do bad things. By completing this task, not only would you save 2,000 yuan, but you would also earn 20 points.”
Jiang Xiaoman did not say anything.
She lowered her head and her twintails also hung down as if they wilted, it wasn’t clear what exactly she was thinking.
“Host, what are you waiting for? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”
Go and earn points on some points, host!
Jiang Xiaoman said in a low voice, “But you said…repaying your debts is how it should be. If you don’t pay back your debts, you’re shameless.”
The system calmly said, “That is how a good person should be, but you’re not one of them.”
Jiang Xiaoman remained silent for a long time. After a long, long silence, she put her fingers together and whispered, “Then, can I not pay back the points I owe you…”
Hmmmmmm!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
The system experienced what people say by “having your whole body covered in a cold sweat”. It immediately said, “No, you must pay them back.”
“Why?” Jiang Xiaoman scratched her head and asked sincerely. “Bad guys do not need a reason to do bad things. If I do bad things twice, can’t I earn twice the points?”
Yes, not only could you earn twice the points, but you could also default on your debt! Host, you’re so smart!
“…Because I am the host’s friend. Towards your friends, you must have morals.
Jiang Xiaoman fell into another long inner struggle again and continued putting her fingers together. “But the grandma next door is also my Grandma’s friend.”
The system went silent and struggled for a long, long time. Finally, it gave in to save its points.
【Mission canceled】
【System will serve you wholeheartedly and customize the tasks for Host, helping you upgrade as soon as possible】
Jiang Xiaoman asked again, “Why?”
Why, why, why, and why again… you evil spirit!
The system’s cold and ruthless voice sounded like it was gritting its teeth, “Because… because this system has thought for a while, and decided that haste makes waste.”
“What does haste make waste mean?”
Why are kids so annoying!?!? Can you not keep asking why and why?
“Haste makes waste1 means…” The system glanced at the entry and explained, “Once upon a time, someone was planting some crops. The seedlings were just planted in the soil, but he felt that they weren’t growing fast enough, so he pulled them up himself to make them taller. Later on, instead of growing up, all the seedlings wilted and died instead. The later generations would have a saying, ‘you cannot become fat in one feast’. Everything has a process, you cannot go against the laws of nature, and being hasty would just lead to failure.”
Jiang Xiaoman started connecting the dots, and after thinking about them for a while she asked, “So Mr. System doesn’t want me to suddenly become a big villain. I have to take my time and start with small things, and become a little villain first?”
“Well, you can think of it like that.”
Jiang Xiaoman immediately clapped her hands and praised it. “Mr. System is so smart! Smarter than the person who tried to pull up the seedlings!”
In the system’s heart, “ …wuu wuu wuu!”
It didn’t want such praise!
In the end, the two thousand yuan were paid back.
Realizing that the system was not in a very good mood, Jiang Xiaoman tried comforting it. “Mr. System, don’t be sad. The grandma next door also gave me two wowotou.”
“What does it matter to me that she gave you two wowotou?”
“I can eat it for you to see.”
…You’re still like this!
The system shut itself down.
Jiang Xiumei had work to do at school, so she left Jiang Xiaoman at home for Jiang Xing to take care of.
She didn’t have to get up early, so Jiang Xiaoman was naturally happy. She could finally laze in bed and wake up naturally.
It was troublesome waking Uncle up every day. He was even lazier than her and often slept until the sun was already high in the sky. It was giving her a headache.
After two days, Jiang Xiaoman started being unhappy, because Grandma would usually tie her hair very beautifully.
On the other hand, Uncle’s handiwork was not as good.
On the first day, Jiang Xing tied her hair randomly and coaxed her by saying that it was called the high ponytail, and all the pretty sisters did their hair like this.
But Jiang Xing didn’t tell her that other people’s ponytails were called ponytails, but hers were called ‘sky-pointing’ ponytail. Her hair was tied once pointing straight to the sky, it was very rough and messy.
1. The idiom in Chinese is ‘pulling seedlings to help them grow’, but sounds a lot less mouthful to its literal translation in English.