"Click."
"Click."
Several camera flashes popped, capturing a kindly middle aged man pointing warmly at the frogs, then a few mischievous kids crouching to count them. Parents and children interacted. Director Niu Mou gave a talk on "how to grow vegetables in the dark," which moved countless staff families. These precious moments were all recorded.
With her pant legs rolled up, Jing Shu stood in the field transplanting seedlings. In front of the camera, she kept a graceful, polite smile until Director Niu Mou said, "Thank you for your hard work. You can go write your pieces now."
Only after the photographers left did everyone exhale. Curiosity about the frogs burst out. Quite a few school was out kids had been brought along to visit. They dropped their restraint. If not for the guardrail, they would have jumped in to grab frogs already.
The aunties came with their kids. A cluster of men, treating cigarettes like precious treasure, headed outside to smoke. Even cigarettes had become rare.
"How do you sell these frogs? Ever since we ran out of mosquito repellent, carrion scavenger keeps flying in. If I do not watch closely, they lay a whole clutch of larvae. It gives me a headache."
"My fish tank got an outbreak of carrion scavenger. If only I had had frogs earlier, it would not have turned out like this."
Everyone chimed in with complaints. It was obvious they all knew one another. Director Niu Mou even winked at Jing Shu.
Her eyes lit up. These families still lacked for nothing at the moment. Keeping a few frogs would be easy. It was not like the community, where people could barely get drinking water.
Since Director Niu Mou gave a hint, Jing Shu needed to deliver.
"My frogs tolerate heat and endure cold. They are bearing pressure no one their age should bear. I care for them every day like little grandchildren, with good water and good bugs."
Jing Shu had just started to sell with a sob story when an auntie cut in. "Just say whether you want grain or what."
"One little frog costs three bottles of mineral water." Jing Shu's soot darkened face split into a big white grin as she raised three fingers.
Director Niu Mou's mouth fell slightly open. This black hearted girl really dared to ask.
Buying and selling means the seller opens sky high, the buyer hacks down until the owner feels pain. Only then does the buyer feel accomplished and satisfied. Jing Shu knew these aunties too well.
"The frogs are good, just a tad pricey. With so many of us, give us a discount."
"I will take two more. Give us a group price, buy one get one."
"If your frogs work, we will come back for more."
Director Niu Mou's mouth fell open again. This black hearted crowd really dared to bargain. Just like his own terrifying spendthrift tigress at home.
With a pained face, Jing Shu finally set a group buy price. One small frog for two bottles of water, including a bundle of frog tether rope and a container, with after sales service and a seven day free exchange. Everyone was happy.
Jing Shu taught them how to adjust the rope and shared frog raising tips. The aunties added Jing Shu on WeChat and promised that if the frogs worked, they would spread the word. Almost every family bought a little frog, even the usually high and elegant aunties.
They happily carried off glass jars with several meter lengths of frog tether rope dangling. In a blink, Jing Shu transformed from online anchor to frog seller.
Jing Shu looked at the more than one hundred bottles of mineral water that Director Niu Mou fronted and felt very satisfied. Worried that Director Niu Mou might think Jing Shu's price was too high, Su Lanzhi deliberately scolded, "You child, those are for… could you not sell cheaper? Do you not know water is scarcer than grain now?"
Jing Shu countered, "I am saving frogs. If I sell them cheap, they will not be cherished. They will think, it is cheap, if one dies, just buy another."
Director Niu Mou laughed. "Jing Shu is right. I was about to ask you to sell some frogs to the research department so we can scale up frog breeding. Every pesticide is being used at the infested fish farms and at the reservoir. Wu City's only remaining reservoir must not be polluted. And we will run out of insecticides one day." Director Niu Mou hesitated, then said, "You know what happened in Xinshi District yesterday. An emergency meeting decided to push mushrooms mass production as soon as possible. In half a month, these experimental oyster mushrooms will be provided free to the public. The news will be released today. The hope is that once people have food and drink, they will stop rioting."
Thinking of that moldy oyster mushroom, Jing Shu shivered. In this life, she must never touch it again.
"I understand. If I can contribute, I am honored."
In the end, Director Niu Mou took thirty small frogs from Jing Shu, paying sixty bottles of mineral water, and also preordered her next batch.
Beaming, Jing Shu carried the last twenty plus frogs and a whole carload of mineral water home. Half a year into the apocalypse, water would only grow scarcer. Jing Shu had underestimated the household's water use.
The water truck's ration had become one liter per person per day, down another 0.5 liters. Before, people in the community cooked with miserly water. Now even drinking meant tiny sips. People were dying of thirst. Never mind the mushroom and vegetable grows at home, they all withered and died.
As for washing pots and bowls, before, people could still wipe them down with tissue. Now that food was tight, everyone was encouraged to use tongues to lick them clean.
They said that if you train this skill long enough, it makes that part more flexible, increases your partner's pleasure, and strengthens marital affection. Jing Shu did not understand why anyone said so.
The Zhetian Gang incident had only been a fuse. It tempted countless people who were itching to act. The next day came news that more than a hundred people had suddenly rushed the You Hao Supermarket. But after they broke in, they discovered it was empty. To prevent exactly this, the supermarket had been quietly shipping in grain day by day.
Even so, the city of Wu City was thoroughly shocked and terrified. There is no law anymore. The world has completely descended into chaos.
[Wang Qiqi, No. 13]: "@everyone Last night, there were hundreds of casualties at You Hao Supermarket. All big supermarkets in Wu City are closed now. There are many more people robbing on the roads today. It is a mess out there. Do not go out if you can help it."
Wang Cuihua sent a voice message. "Those damned bastards. Now we cannot even buy grain. What are we supposed to do?"
[Fat Girl, No. 25]: "Does anyone have mosquito repellent left? Another sack of my rice got eaten by carrion scavenger. If this keeps up, the stores at home will be gone."
[Zhang Bingbing, No. 4]:"A new batch of carrion scavenger flew out from the farm. They are everywhere in our house. No matter how many we slap dead, more pop out in the blink of an eye."
Thinking she should move the remaining frogs quickly, Jing Shu posted, "@everyone I am selling a batch of carrion scavenger eating frogs, in exchange for energy truck tires, shock absorbers, engine oil, and other parts."