The Gallagher House, Second Floor.
Frank found Carl and immediately grabbed his skinny arm, blocking him from entering the bathroom. He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Son, come here. I got a proposition for you."
Carl looked up at Frank. "What proposition?"
"Can't talk here." Frank dragged Carl toward a nearby bedroom.
Once inside with the door shut, Frank squatted down to eye-level and grinned at Carl. "Your grandma is taking you shopping later, right?"
Carl nodded. "Yeah."
"She's paying?" Frank asked.
Carl nodded again. "Yup."
Frank beamed. "Your grandma is loaded. How about we team up and make a killing?"
Carl was always interested in making money. He gave a cocky grin. "How do we team up?"
"You get your grandma to buy you a bunch of useless junk, make sure you secretly keep the receipts, and then we go back and return the stuff for cash..." Frank laid out his master plan. "Then, once we have the cash, you can buy whatever you actually want."
"I want to buy a handgun!" Carl smiled.
"No problem! I'll take you to buy one!" Frank promised without a second of hesitation—lying through his teeth, of course.
Carl giggled.
Meanwhile, in the Bathroom.
Debbie stared at Peggy, who was sitting in the bathtub, with a complicated expression. "Grandma, you're taking Carl shopping?"
Peggy had lived long enough to read a little girl's mind instantly. She gave a faint smile and nodded. "Yes."
Debbie was jealous and angry. She bit her lip. "Only Carl?"
Peggy kept smiling. "Carl pushes me around everywhere. I need to thank him."
Debbie bit her lip harder, unable to find the words. She just stared at Peggy.
Peggy chuckled. "If you were useful like Carl, I could buy you things too."
Debbie stayed silent.
Just then, Frank and Carl arrived at the bathroom door.
Frank slipped back into his cowardly persona, walked behind Peggy, sat down, and resumed scrubbing her back.
Carl shot Debbie a smug grin, then marched triumphantly toward his room.
Seeing Carl's attitude...
Debbie was consumed by hate. She instinctively clenched her fists, glaring daggers at Carl's retreating back until he disappeared. Then she turned her glare back to Peggy.
Debbie still couldn't decide if she wanted to suck up to Peggy or not. After thinking it over, she said nothing, turned around, and went downstairs, planning to talk to Fiona later.
About twenty minutes later.
Carl happily pushed Peggy, who was in her wheelchair, out the door to go shopping.
Debbie stood behind the window, watching them leave. She felt miserable and furious.
Meanwhile, Upstairs.
Frank stood in Peggy's room, looking around.
Frank was convinced Peggy had hidden her money somewhere in this room. If he spent some time, he'd definitely find it...
The problem was...
What would happen if he stole it?
Frank was torn.
He struggled with the decision for a long time!
Finally, Frank gritted his teeth. Screw it. He started searching.
I'll just take a hundred or two! It's what I deserve! Frank told himself silently.
---
Peggy was a woman of her word. She bought Carl two sets of new clothes, two pairs of new shoes, and a cell phone.
Playing with the new phone, Carl was overjoyed, grinning like an idiot.
"Carl, do you need anything else?" Having a grandson like Carl around made Peggy happy, even if it cost money. She asked with a smile.
Carl thought for a moment. "I want a game console."
"No problem," Peggy agreed instantly.
Before long, the game console was secured.
"Awesome!" Carl said excitedly. "Grandma, you're the best."
Peggy reached out and gently ruffled Carl's head. "Anything else?"
"A gun!" Carl said without thinking.
Peggy shook her head immediately. "No gun. You're too small. When you get a little bigger, then you can play with guns."
"Okay," Carl was a little disappointed, but he bounced back instantly. "Then I don't want anything else for now."
Carl hadn't forgotten what Frank said earlier; he just chose to ignore it.
"Good. You're not greedy," Peggy genuinely praised him. "Now, push me to the Alibi. I'm thirsty. I need a drink."
"Okay. I need to find Dexter anyway and swap numbers with him," Carl got excited just thinking about it.
Dex Restaurant.
Carl trotted up to Dexter, who was sitting on the sofa, clutching his new phone in a great mood. "Dexter, Grandma bought me a phone. What's your number?"
Peggy didn't come inside. She sat in her wheelchair outside the door, smoking a cigarette.
Dexter glanced at Peggy with a smile, then gave Carl his number.
Carl fumbled with the phone, and once he got it, he immediately dialed Dexter.
They saved each other's contacts.
"Where are you guys headed?" Dexter asked.
"Grandma wants to go drink at the Alibi. I'm pushing her over there," Carl replied.
"Come back later for dinner. My treat," Dexter smiled.
Carl hesitated. "Okay, I'll ask Grandma."
"Yeah, go ahead," Dexter nodded.
Carl left and pushed Peggy toward the Alibi Room.
---
Dex Restaurant.
Dexter leaned back on the sofa, smiling as he thought.
Peggy's existence was good for Carl...
But Peggy being alive was torture for Frank and Fiona.
How interesting.
Dexter pulled up the System interface.
He had over 400,000 Merit Points. Plenty to spare. He wasn't afraid of wasting them.
[You opened a Golden Chest. Congratulations, you received: Kidney Function +10 (Your virility now surpasses 95% of men).]
?????
Drew something improper.
[You opened a Golden Chest. Congratulations, you received: Abdominal Definition x2 (This item will be applied gradually over one week).]
Another weird cosmetic item.
[You opened a Golden Chest. Congratulations, you received: Length Increase +2cm.]
????
Drew something particularly good.
[You opened a Golden Chest. Congratulations, you received: Potion of Death's Gift (2 Drops).]
[Item Description: This potion is divided into a Yin Drop and a Yang Drop. All physical pain experienced by the person who consumes the Yang Drop will be transferred to the person who consumes the Yin Drop. Duration: One Week.]
Oh ho.
Heh heh.
Dexter was instantly amused.
This thing was too interesting.
Frank, are you ready?
Dexter laughed silently.
There was no doubt.
The person taking the Yang Drop (the source) would be Peggy. The person taking the Yin Drop (the receiver) would be Frank.
This way...
Peggy would get to feel like a normal, pain-free person for a week.
And Frank would be in agony for a week.
The physical pain of terminal cancer, plus whatever torture Peggy inflicted on him...
Tsk tsk.
This was going to be fun.
As for how to get Frank to drink the potion...
That was too easy. Just go to the Alibi tonight, buy a beer, slip the drop in, and treat Frank to a drink.
Piece of cake.