“As pets? They’re not buying them to eat?” Milo was puzzled. “What a waste! All of the meat on this is great!”
“You won’t understand the world that the rich live in.” Old Bane laughed and said, “I heard that rich people used to keep eagles as pets a few hundred years ago. But haven’t the eagles gotten too big and dangerous now? So the next best thing is the sparrows. Just look at how menacing this sparrow looks. It’s exactly what the rich like.”
Milo thought about it for a while. So while there were still a lot of people who didn’t have enough to eat, some people had started keeping sparrows as pets.
“But I’ll have to sell it for a higher price if they want it alive.” Milo said, “When this bird is still alive, it can even kill people if you aren’t careful! It’s too dangerous!”
All of a sudden, Milo thought that if the refugees outside the stronghold were contaminated, wouldn’t the sparrows be contaminated as well?
Or did the people in the stronghold only need these refugees to work for them?
And the walls, did they naturally divide them into a hierarchy?
“You can only get rich by taking risks.” Old Bane smiled and said, “Since you can wait an entire night hunting, you’re no ordinary person. If you make an effort to catch a live sparrow, you can probably afford to stop working for the next six months. Besides, haven’t you thought about making some money so that you can get a wife?”
“Get a wife? My ass!” Milo said petulantly.
Old Bane purposely said in a mysterious tone, “Old Saul, who lives next door, has a daughter who’s studying at the same school as your little brother, Donti. She’s a really decent girl….”
“Based on what you said, wouldn’t it be better if I just sold this sparrow to Old Saul directly? Would I still need your introduction then?” Milo turned his head to Donti and asked, “Is Old Saul’s daughter your classmate?”
“Yes…” Donti nodded. “She’s quite big…”
“Shoo, go play over there,” Old Bane snapped. “Pretend I didn’t say anything since you’re mistaking my kindness for ill intent!”
Seeing that favonovel.com almost got caught between Milo and Donti’s bantering, Old Bane decisively stopped them by changing the topic. “Remember, the next time you catch a live sparrow, you must bring it to me.”
“Sure!” Milo nodded.
Although catching it alive was dangerous, it was not impossible.
He looked around the grocery store and asked, “How much are you selling the cotton-padded jacket for?”
“The jackets are new arrivals, and they cost 500 perak apiece! You should know that I bought them for 490 perak each. I’m not looking to profit from selling these cotton-padded jackets at all.” Old Bane said, “One less death is one life saved, after all…”
“How kind of you,” praised Milo nonchalantly. “I’ll buy one. Check and see what size Donti should wear.”
“Bro, buy one for yourself too,” Donti quickly said.
“Don’t interrupt when adults are talking.” Milo frowned. “I’m not cold…”
Money was a good thing. The organizations that controlled the strongholds issued money to ensure the distribution of goods and materials. Although it was convenient, without it, nothing could be done.
The winter here was freezing, but favonovel.com had to put some money aside in case of emergencies. As there was still over a month left until winter, Milo thought that it would not be too late to buy another cotton-padded jacket by then if favonovel.com could catch another sparrow. More importantly, it was time for Donti to pay for his monthly tuition.
Milo glanced around the grocery store again, his gaze arresting at the counter behind Old Bane. “How much are you selling the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs for?”
“You want to buy medicine?” Only then did Old Bane notice the bloodstained bandage wrapped around Milo’s hand. “You’re injured? You really must buy some medicine then. If not, you could get an infection and die!”
“I’m asking you how much it is!” Milo said impatiently.
“210 perak each.” Old Bane said, “Antibiotics must be taken for three days straight. I’ll sell you three pills for 620 perak and give you an application of iodopovidone 1 for free. I only have 10 pills left in stock here.”
Milo thought for a while before saying, “How about rounding it down…”
“If by rounding down, you mean removing the zero, shut it,” Old Bane snapped.
Milo smacked his lips and reluctantly looked away. “Forget it, I’m not buying them. Inflammation is uncommon during winter.”
He turned around and led Donti to school.
When they passed by the grain store, Milo went in and bought a long loaf of black bread. The black bread was mixed with something that would make their throats uncomfortable when swallowed.
Donti said as favonovel.com chewed on the black bread, “Bro, why don’t you also pay for the tuition and come to school since you want to attend classes so much.”
“I still have to go out to hunt.” Milo said, “About what Old Bane said earlier, there are quite a few well-to-do girls in your school, right? You had better not fall in love at such an early age.”
“I heard that people in the past used to get married when they were around 13 to 14 years old,” Donti retorted.
Although favonovel.com had never given such matters any thought before, favonovel.com found it fun and enjoyable to bicker with Milo.
Finding joy amid hardship was probably one of the greatest skills that humans had.
Milo feigned a slap upside Donti’s head. “How can we compare what people did in the past? You’re still young. The women you get into a relationship with now will end up becoming someone else’s wife in the future.”
Milo marveled at the thought. “A relationship with someone else’s wife sounds quite exciting for some reason….”
“Bro, what are you talking about? Why can’t I understand?” said Donti while blinking.
“Get lost! Stop acting innocent with me,” Milo said peeved.
***
The school was the cleanest and tidiest place in the entire town. It was also the only residence that had its own individual yard.
Walking in from the outside, properly spaced crops grown in the yard could be seen, scallions, garlic sprouts, potatoes, cabbages, and many others.
Milo felt that a place like a school should have bamboo trees growing around it instead. But then again, with food not easily accessible these days, it was quite fortunate to have a place to grow these vegetables. As such, Milo’s wish was for Donti to become a teacher when favonovel.com grew up.
It was not because favonovel.com had a lot of respect for teachers, but that favonovel.com felt that being a teacher was safe. They also had the privilege of having their own yard to grow some vegetables in. Furthermore, no one would ever steal their crops.
It was such a wonderful thing.
Generally speaking, Milo’s wishes had always been very “simple”.
Donti took his tuition money and went to class.
Milo squatted on top of the wall and listened to what was being taught inside the classroom. As favonovel.com could not afford to pay the tuition, favonovel.com had to eavesdrop like this.
The teacher would sometimes tell the students stories about how glorious human civilization was in the past. Frankly, however, the teacher had not witnessed such a time either. Whatever favonovel.com was telling them now were details passed on by word of mouth, so the truth had probably been distorted already.
Although it was not very reliable, Milo was still fascinated by it.
At times, Milo would ask Donti questions about information favonovel.com didn’t understand or hear. This greatly troubled Donti because if favonovel.com could not answer him, it would show that favonovel.com did not pay attention during the lessons. Hence, whenever Milo was present to attend the lessons, Donti would be exceptionally attentive during class.
For some reason, Donti had to admit that his brother looked rather charming when favonovel.com was seriously learning. It was no wonder Milo would throw herself at him.
The teacher was holding a book in the classroom as favonovel.com stared with melancholic eyes at some of the sleeping students. Then favonovel.com looked at Milo, who was on top of the wall outside the window.
He said to Donti, “When you get back today, tell your brother that favonovel.com can come into the yard and listen to my lessons in the future.”
“Alright!” Donti smiled happily.
