8. The Red Lantern Fruit and the Purple Bamboo Tree

Ning Xuan stared at the food images displayed in the mall's storefront: slabs of unidentifiable meat still streaked with blood, rows of dark, dripping chunks of flesh, and beverages that appeared murky, viscous, and pitch-black. Just looking at them made her knit her brows. What kind of nightmarish cuisine was this?

Disappointed by the finished products, Ning Xuan clicked on a shop that sold only raw ingredients. It was filled with nothing but bloody chunks of meat still covered in fur, harvested from various exotic beasts or wild animals. It seemed as though one could still feel the residual warmth of the blood on them while they were fresh. A piece of meat the size of a palm cost between 500 and 3,000 star coins. As she scrolled, she came across an image of clusters of bright red fruit. The description labeled them as "Red Lantern Berries," noting they were spicy, bitter, and astringent, priced at 100 star coins. The things looked remarkably like bell peppers. She flipped two more pages and saw another image: a cylindrical, purple-skinned plant, segmented and described as being as thick as an arm. The plant profile identified it as "Purple Bamboo Wood," noting it was sweet but possessed a hard, thick rind. In appearance, this plant was identical to the sugarcane she had eaten in her past life. It was priced at 1,000 star coins. She was dying to buy some to see if it really was sugarcane, but she didn't have enough money.

Ning Xuan then checked the clothing store. A simple dress cost between 100 and 1,000 star coins. The white dress she wore daily was the cheapest option; any garment with even a slightly complex design doubled in price.

After reviewing the various shops in the mall, she checked her account balance: 312 star coins. Ning Xuan was speechless. What kind of life had the original owner been living?

It was no wonder this body was so frail. Between malnutrition and being exploited by others, it was a miracle she had survived at all.

She rubbed her growling stomach and resignedly bit open a packet of nutritional paste. Her body was in urgent need of energy, and she had no choice but to endure the taste.

Ning Xuan forced herself to swallow the viscous sludge, suppressing her nausea. Although it was foul, it finally quelled the hunger pangs.

Ning Xuan realized that if she wanted to avoid starving to death, her top priority was to make money. Only by earning enough to secure proper nutrition could she strengthen her physical condition, allow her body to adapt to the growth of her mental power, and eventually awaken the dormant Ghost-Faced Red Vine.

Just as Ning Xuan was searching for ways to make money on her optical computer, she received a voice call. The caller was labeled "Hu Tao," who seemed to be the original owner's best friend and classmate.

Ning Xuan answered the call, and a girl’s excited voice erupted from the device: "Xuanxuan, your optical computer finally connected! Are you okay? Ning Fei said you went to the Foggy Lands to find Purple Gold Vine for Luo Meng, and she even made the letter you wrote to him public. Is that why you're too embarrassed to come to school?"

"You're afraid your classmates will laugh at you, right? Xuanxuan, please don't overthink it. Everyone had already figured out how you felt anyway; making the letter public didn't really change much. Just come to school with confidence; I promise no one will dare to mock you!" Hu Tao’s booming voice echoed throughout the living room.

Ning Xuan suddenly realized that she was still a student—a minor enrolled in school. According to Federation law, she had to complete her education or reach the age of twenty before she could leave school to choose a profession based on her personal circumstances.

Otherwise, she was not permitted to engage in any work.

Some students might be able to use their parents' identities as cover to participate in social activities, but for this body—whose parents were both deceased—there was no one left to provide such cover.