Blackstone Code

After leaving Mr. Fox's place, Lin Qi took a stroll down the street. After finalizing this deal, he would soon receive his first payment, and the amount of this payment would be directly related to how much he was going to invest.

The more he invested, the higher the profits; this type of business was actually coveted by even the top financial conglomerates.

During this period, he had been reading newspapers. Even with the whole world focused on extensive development and economic growth in finance, some funds had not promised an annual return rate exceeding fifteen percent.

In the first-quarter 'Trading Report' of this year, some detailed data from last year were disclosed. Even the funds with the highest actual return rate had an annual return of only 9.74%, which was less than ten percent. However, it still became one of the most lucrative funds in terms of profits from last year.

Hence, this deal was crucial. However, a new problem arose. He needed a "principal" to exchange for those coins and change.

Mr. Fox didn't mention this money, and given his thorough investigation into Lin Qi's background, it was impossible for him not to know that Lin Qi didn't even have a hundred bucks on him or in his bank account, let alone the scale of help he promised to Mr. Fox to swiftly accomplish the 'transition'."

He needed another sum of money, not too much—several hundred or maybe one or two thousand would suffice. Once this started rolling, its momentum would only increase. He planned to discuss it with Catherine when he returned home tonight.

Although he felt somewhat... doing this, for the future, it was an unavoidable act.

Time slipped away while he idled. Lin Qi returned home earlier than usual today, at half-past six in the evening. Catherine came back carrying a bag from the supermarket where she worked.

Inside were scraps of meat and some seemingly less fresh vegetables the supermarket intended to discard. These items would mostly be divided among the employees, as their purpose for enduring oppression and exploitation was to obtain these items for free.

As Catherine entered the apartment, she was surprised. Lin Qi had been returning home quite late lately. Today was the first time he came back so early during this period.

Initially, she had fantasies of Lin Qi finding a proper job, preferably in a factory. Though factory work was arduous and somewhat hazardous, the workers received better welfare benefits and social security.

While being looked after by those factory owners in all aspects, they could also join organizations like unions. Unlike them, supermarket employees like Catherine couldn't join organizations like unions because they weren't classified as workers. Besides, there was no non-governmental organization like a "Cashiers' Union."

Nightmares lingered, while pleasant dreams were easily disrupted.

For an entire week, Lin Qi, who seemed to have regained his momentum, returned to square one. However, this time, he didn't stay at home but used the excuse of job hunting to pass the time outside.

Thinking about this, Catherine grew despondent. She realized her past choices were not merely naive; they were outright foolish. Her eyes had been blinded.

It was through experiencing these things that she realized how correct her mother's words were—looks didn't matter; life required a foundation, not just appearances.

After taking a glance at Lin Qi, she changed her shoes and then carried the bag into the kitchen, starting to clean up those bits of minced meat.

These were bits of meat scraped from bones, shapeless and mostly the size of fingertips. For some reason, they appeared darker than neatly displayed beef and were challenging to sell even at low prices. Most people bought them not for themselves but to feed dogs.

In reality, these meat scraps had no issues.

The room was saturated with a silence that harbored something discomforting, something spreading and undulating continually.

Lin Qi sat on a sofa they had salvaged from a trash heap, watching his girlfriend silently prepare food. Although the distance between them was less than ten meters, it felt as if a chasm had appeared between them.

"Do you… have any extra money?" Lin Qi asked.

Catherine's movements with the meat scraps paused slightly. She didn't turn back or say anything. After a brief pause, she continued with her work. "I have some, less than five hundred. It's what I've saved this year."

Saving money wasn't easy, especially for young people with only a high school education.

Rent, electricity, water, heating expenses, along with other necessary expenditures, coupled with only one person working to support the livelihood of two, saving more than four hundred bucks was already an extremely challenging feat.

Suddenly, the atmosphere took on an eerie heaviness, weighing on the chests of both individuals.

Neither of them spoke until Catherine finished preparing dinner.

As usual, the scraps accompanied by fried eggs, some tattered vegetable leaves, and pieces of broken noodles. These were the items the supermarket discarded daily, now sustaining many impoverished families.

"My mom came to see me today," Catherine broke the silence while eating. "She doesn't want us to continue like this, but I couldn't convince her..."

Lin Qi put down his fork and knife, watching Catherine add some fresh "seasoning" to her plate—transparent, slightly bitter, and mildly salty.

In fact, Catherine had made herself quite clear. She couldn't persuade her mother, indicating that one of them had to convince the other. And it seemed likely that she was the one being convinced.

The already unappetizing meal became even less appealing on the plate. Lin Qi sighed. "When are you leaving?"

Catherine was on the verge of breaking down. "Tomorrow. My mom and brother will come to pick me up. I'm sorry; I don't want this, but..."

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing." Lin Qi reached out, touching Catherine's tear-stained cheek. He needed to take responsibility for the actions done by the previous owner of his current body.

For over two years, all the burdens of life had been weighing down on this young girl of only twenty.

Undoubtedly, Lin Qi was a scumbag, a terrible one at that.

This kind of life gradually eroded the girl's romantic ideals and dreams for the future. She had undergone these experiences and began bowing down to reality and fate, although somewhere deep down, a shred of fantasy might still linger.

Like...

There were no "likes." Lin Qi wouldn't ask the girl to stay. Whether she decided to leave first or they continued with a life filled with uncertainties and danger, it didn't suit this girl.

Although it might sound cruel, it was the truth.

After an unforgettable night, the next morning, Catherine left early, leaving something behind for Lin Qi.

A passbook and the key to the apartment.

Thanks to the bank's lack of concern about who accessed the money in the passbook, this became a testimony to Catherine bidding farewell to her past life.

After tidying up, Lin Qi withdrew all the money from the passbook in the morning—Four hundred forty-nine bucks and thirty-five cents. Afterward, he found the landlord and chatted with them for about half an hour. In the end, he managed to get a hundred bucks refunded for the remaining half-month of the rent. Originally, it should be seventy-five bucks, but Lin Qi didn't take any of his belongings. The landlord felt this deal wasn't too much of a loss, so he eventually agreed, giving an extra twenty-five bucks.

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