Chapter 3: The Golden Finger Finally Arrives
“Lin Xiaohe?” Lin Tieshan’s expression was complex.
For a moment, he didn't know whether to first ask Lin Xiaohe why she wanted to apply to the Federal Central Military Academy, or where she got the gun.
Lin Jingqiu pursed her lips, pushed the wheelchair into the house, then pulled Lin Xiaohe in, and firmly shut the door, cutting off the villagers' curious gazes.
Lin Xiaohe saw Lin Jingqiu’s frosty face and thought, oh no, Second Sister is angry!
Lin Xiaohe stood at the doorway, not daring to go inside.
The Lin family’s home had four rooms and a living room. The sofa in the living room was unfolded, with a messy quilt bundled on it.
The window was a bit small, and the sunlight shining through it landed directly on the sofa.
Lin Xiaohe sighed inwardly, gaining a new understanding of the Lin family's poverty.
If the Lin family's home were in the 21st century, it would be a very ordinary apartment.
But in the interstellar era, this was a desperately poor family that couldn't even afford a simulated electronic roof or a household robot!
“Lin Xiaohe, well, if we didn't do well on the exam, we didn't do well. Don't worry, as long as our family is together, even if we're driven out of the city, we can all die together, neatly and completely, without leaving anyone behind!”
Lin Tieshan stammered out his comfort.
Seeing Lin Xiaohe’s face turn as black as coal after hearing his words, he quickly added, “Don’t be afraid, Lin Xiaohe, I’ll definitely let you die first, and Dad will be the last to die! Dad will dig a pit and bury you, ensuring your remains won't be used as nutrients by mutated plants.”
Lin Xiaohe’s face grew even darker with lines, and she grumbled inwardly.
Was this a threat?
It definitely was a threat!
“Thank you, Dad, but I don’t want to die.”
Lin Tieshan looked troubled and whispered, “Lin Xiaohe, it seems we don’t have a say in this matter.”
Lin Xiaohe sneered, “Who does have a say?”
Bang!
The door was kicked open, and a boy with hair fixed like a hedgehog with gel swaggered in, grabbed Lin Xiaohe, and said menacingly, “star coins have the final say!”
Lin Xiaohe glanced at her eccentric older brother, Lin Chiyang, “Big Brother, where did you go?”
“To bag people.”
“Hmm? Who did you hit?”
“Whoever cursed you for not getting into university, I hit them!” Lin Chiyang released her and plopped down on the sofa.
Finding the quilt uncomfortable, he bundled it up and tossed it to the corner of the sofa.
Lin Xiaohe hadn't expected her older brother to be so protective. Feeling immense pressure, she cautiously probed, “Not many people cursed me, right?”
Lin Chiyang twisted his mouth, adopting an arrogant demeanor, “The whole village was saying you wouldn’t get into university!”
Lin Xiaohe’s vision went dark, and she was breathless, “So?”
Lin Chiyang put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly, “I beat them all up!”
Lin Xiaohe, Lin Jingqiu, and Lin Tieshan all gasped simultaneously.
Things seemed to have gotten serious!
Indeed, the ominous premonition had come true!
The Lin family happily received a bill and a fine, not for many star coins, just a mere eighteen thousand!
The already struggling family was now in an even worse situation.
Lin Xiaohe was on the verge of tears. It turned out that being a farmer after transmigrating to the interstellar era wasn't the worst; being a destitute farmer was even worse!
The gentle Lin Jingqiu’s eyes changed, and she rolled up her sleeves, walking towards the sofa. As soon as she grabbed Lin Chiyang’s collar, his eyes instantly cleared, and even his tone of voice became soft and cute.
“Second Sister, what’s wrong? You’re gripping too hard, your hand must hurt, right? Big Brother will blow on it for you.”
With that, Lin Chiyang puffed out his cheeks and blew on Lin Jingqiu’s hand.
What a perfect image of a simple-minded son from a destitute farming family!
Lin Jingqiu helplessly let go of his collar, patted Lin Chiyang’s head, and then patted the sofa.
Lin Chiyang obediently lay down on the sofa, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
Lin Jingqiu then pushed Lin Tieshan into the master bedroom. Only then did she pull Lin Xiaohe into the kitchen, open the refrigerator, and take out two tubes of nutrient solution.
The two sisters sat at the dining table, raising their nutrient solutions in a toast!
Lin Jingqiu made a pistol gesture, asking Lin Xiaohe where she got the gun.
Lin Xiaohe swallowed the nutrient solution with difficulty. The lowest-grade nutrient solution was indeed as awful as she remembered, tasting like lime.
Lin Xiaohe placed the touchscreen pen hidden in her sleeve on the table: “There was no gun. It was a pen for the exam. I was just bluffing him.”
Lin Jingqiu understood, gave a thumbs-up, then pointed to the master bedroom and made a zipper-over-mouth gesture.
Lin Xiaohe: “I understand. I won’t tell Mom, Grandpa, or Grandma that I chose the wrong major.”
Lin Jingqiu smiled, rubbed Lin Xiaohe’s head, took the garbage station recruitment application form from Lin Xiaohe’s pocket, waved her hand, and went back to her room.
Lin Xiaohe sighed inwardly. Although the Lin family was poor, with some members disabled and others ill, they were truly good to the original owner!
Knowing that Lin Xiaohe had wasted her last chance to turn her life around, they didn't even say a harsh word. Lin Jingqiu even felt sorry for Lin Xiaohe's hard work during the exam and didn't want Lin Xiaohe to go pick up garbage; she wanted to go in Lin Xiaohe's place.
Lin Xiaohe sighed as she walked into the bathroom and took an air shower.
Science told her she was clean, but Lin Xiaohe always felt that without even a drop of water, she had showered for nothing.
Purified water was very expensive, one hundred star coins per liter.
Of course, the Lin family couldn't bear to use purified water for bathing.
Lin Xiaohe rubbed her face, returned to her bedroom, and her yearning for star coins reached an unprecedented peak!
Lin Xiaohe’s room was empty, with only a bed, a wardrobe, and a vase on the windowsill containing a yellow plastic flower.
This was the only splash of color in the room.
Looking out the window, one could see the drooping stardust wheat.
This was the stardust wheat the Lin family grew, infected with star dust disease.
Lin Xiaohe looked at the fields of sick wheat, unable to breathe from the pain.
Was it the wheat that was sick?
No, it was star coins, it was her hope that was sick!
【Here! I’m here.】
Lin Xiaohe paused. She seemed to have heard things just now!
【Sister Lin, take your child home. I am your long-lost sister, from a different father and mother.】
The voice sounded again, humorous with a hint of weakness and despair.
Lin Xiaohe’s heart pounded incessantly, almost leaping out of her chest!
She was sure this wasn't an illusion; there really was wheat talking!
Her golden finger had finally come online.
Lin Xiaohe put on long sleeves and pants, donned a helmet, and, carrying an iron rod, quietly opened her door.
She planned to follow the sound to see what was going on!
Could this be a mutated wheat plant?
However, according to Federal propaganda, mutated plants should not have subjective consciousness; they mutate under the influence of star dust.
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes became firm. Fortune favors the bold. Whether it was mutated wheat or not, she had to take a risk!
Because the Lin family was too poor! The kind of poor that truly killed people!
In the fields, the stardust wheat was over a meter tall, with many ears, but all were shriveled.
If these wheat plants hadn't been infected with star dust disease, the yield would certainly not be low!
Unfortunately, the Lin family was unlucky; only the wheat they grew in the entire village was infected.
Lin Xiaohe stopped. The voice had come from here.
Lin Xiaohe scanned the surrounding stardust wheat. Which one of them was the talking wheat?