For Professionals, contribution points are the most commonly used currency, but for the vast majority of ordinary people in human society, they still primarily use Longxia currency.
The official exchange rate is 1 contribution point for 10,000 Longxia currency, but there is no official channel to exchange Longxia currency for contribution points. Generally speaking, no one would be willing to trade precious contribution points for Longxia currency.
However, Fang Zhou had a small surplus of contribution points at the moment, so he was more than happy to use some to improve the lives of Grandma Yun and the children at the welfare institute. After some thought, he took out another five contribution points and exchanged them for some nutritional supplements from the Mythical World. Grandma Yun was getting older, and taking care of the children was strenuous work, so she needed to take better care of herself.
「Early the next morning」
Fang Zhou left Sea City Military Academy and took a bus from the south side of the city to the north. The Cloud Welfare Institute was a small, traditional courtyard house where Fang Zhou had lived for eighteen years.
The majority of human society's resources were allocated to Professionals for the purpose of resisting the invasion of Abyssal Demons. As a result, ordinary people lived rather frugal lives. Fortunately, the Longxia Federation placed great importance on nurturing war orphans. They provided special funding subsidies for welfare institutes and similar institutions, which was what had allowed Grandma Yun to support the small Cloud Welfare Institute by herself.
Looking at the main gate of the orphanage, Fang Zhou carried a large bag of supplements, a fond smile on his face. Just as he was about to step inside, he heard a fierce argument coming from the courtyard.
Fang Zhou frowned. Sea City's public order was excellent, and the welfare institute was a charitable organization, so people rarely came to cause trouble. Feeling a little worried, he walked quickly into the courtyard. There, he saw a tall, quiet-looking young woman with glasses arguing with a woman from the neighborhood committee in a uniform.
Fang Zhou recognized them both and relaxed. He stepped forward and asked, "Sister Rourou, Aunt Wang, what's going on?"
The young woman, whose name was Wen Rou, had been looking anxious. Upon seeing Fang Zhou, however, her face lit up with a pleasant surprise. "Zhou, why are you back?"
The woman from the neighborhood committee was also surprised. "Well, well, if it isn't our high-achieving military academy student."
Fang Zhou nodded and greeted Aunt Wang.
Aunt Wang explained, "Zhou, it's not that I want to give Wen Rou a hard time. She wants to buy a batch of the latest training equipment for the children at your welfare institute. However, she needs an endorsement from a Professional and a stable source of funding. According to our policy, the neighborhood committee can't approve it otherwise."
Wen Rou bit her lip and said anxiously, "But Nuannuan and Xingxing are at the perfect age to use training instruments. We can't afford any delays. If there isn't enough money, I can figure out a way to raise it..."
Wen Nuan and Wen Xing were a pair of seven-year-old twin girls and were the beloved treasures of the Cloud Welfare Institute.
Fang Zhou now roughly understood the situation. He glanced at Wen Rou and said with a helpless sigh, "Sister Rourou, why didn't you tell me about this?"
He then turned to Aunt Wang, produced his officer's ID, and said, "Aunt Wang, I have successfully Awakened and have been granted the rank of Junior Sergeant by the military academy. How much funding is needed for the training equipment? I can provide it. Is that in compliance with the procedures?"
Aunt Wang flipped through Fang Zhou's officer's ID, clucking her tongue in amazement. "Amazing, Zhou. Since you're willing to sponsor this, then there's no problem with the procedures. Wen Rou, just fill out the application form, have Fang Zhou sign it, and the paperwork will be processed quickly."
Wen Rou looked a little embarrassed. "Zhou, you're still a student. How can we let you take on this burden?"
Fang Zhou smiled faintly, handing a bank card and the bag of supplements to Wen Rou. "Sister Rourou, it's easy to make money after becoming a Professional. Besides, the Cloud Welfare Institute is my home, and Nuannuan and Xingxing are my little sisters. You don't have to be so formal with me."
Wen Rou nodded and went with Aunt Wang to handle the paperwork.
Fang Zhou, meanwhile, walked into the courtyard and shouted, "I'm back!"
THUMP, THUMP.
Amidst the ensuing commotion, a pair of rosy-cheeked little girls rushed out of the house, each grabbing one of Fang Zhou's legs in a tight hug. The one with the round face and bold personality was the older sister, Wen Nuan, while the one with the delicate chin and soft voice was her younger sister, Wen Xing.
"Brother Zhou is back!"
"Did you bring us anything to eat?"
Fang Zhou laughed heartily, scooping them both up and spinning them around. "You two little gluttons! The food is with Sister Rourou. Where's Grandma Yun?"
TAP, TAP, TAP.
Behind Fang Zhou, a white-haired, benevolent-looking old woman leaning on a cane walked out.
"Zhou is back."
Fang Zhou gently set the little girls down, took a few steps forward to support the old woman, and said warmly, "Grandma Yun."
Just then, Wen Rou returned after seeing Aunt Wang off. She explained to Grandma Yun that Fang Zhou had stepped in to purchase the training equipment.
Since she had raised all of them herself, Grandma Yun didn't stand on ceremony with Fang Zhou. She took his hand and sighed emotionally, "Now that you're a Professional, Zhou, you're destined for great things. It's a pity your sister Wen Jiu didn't stay at Sea City Military Academy after graduating. Otherwise, with her looking out for you, Grandma would feel much more at ease."
Wen Jiu... An image of a fiery, stunningly curvaceous beauty flashed through Fang Zhou's mind.
Wen Jiu and Wen Rou had both grown up in the welfare institute and were a few years older than Fang Zhou. The difference was that Wen Jiu had the aptitude to become a Professional and was admitted to Sea City Military Academy. After graduating not long ago, she had joined the military. Wen Rou, on the other hand, was an ordinary person. She attended a regular university and returned to help at the Cloud Welfare Institute after graduation.
At that moment, the two little girls, their mouths stuffed with snacks, pounced into Fang Zhou's arms and mumbled, "Brother, tell us stories from the military academy!"
Wen Rou pulled over a few chairs and brewed a pot of tea. The family sat down in the courtyard to listen to Fang Zhou recount his experiences over the past half-month.
"Wow! An Undead Mage! So scary!"
"So exciting! I want to summon little Skeletons, too!"
Afterward, the two girls clamored for Fang Zhou to demonstrate his Professional Skills. Skeletons were Undead Creatures and might be too frightening for little girls, so it wasn't a good idea to demonstrate that. Fang Zhou thought for a moment, then activated his Skeleton Flying Spear, Skeleton Shield, and Skeleton Shackles Skills, which left the little girls wide-eyed with amazement.
Grandma Yun sat in her rattan chair, watching the scene with a happy smile. Suddenly, she remembered something. "By the way, Zhou, shortly after you started at the academy, an instructor with the surname Lu from Sea City Military Academy came here. He pulled your file and asked me about your parents. He mentioned that he was a comrade-in-arms of your parents and that they were very close."
Fang Zhou immediately understood. The instructor must have been Lu Hu.
So Instructor Lu is a comrade-in-arms of my parents. No wonder he's taken such good care of me.