Once they were alone, Zhou You asked Shao Qi, "Do they have an official rank too? Does the government take care of military families?"

"What kind of care do you mean?" Shao Qi responded, hailing a taxi and giving an address. "The government will certainly provide for children. Every child is a treasure now. Families that can't afford to raise them can send them to government relief centers. The state takes care of their upbringing. But if a single woman can't contribute to society, she's reassigned to remarry."

Zhou You frowned, "So, are all women reduced to mere breeding tools?"

"The state has indeed taken measures for the birth rate. In this post-apocalyptic age, nurturing a child to become successful takes at least a decade or two. There are too many uncertainties in between, and there's a general shortage of people." Knowing the topic was heavy, Shao Qi inquired, "Do you have siblings?"

"No, just my parents. I don't even know where they are now." Zhou You realized in these times, taking care of oneself was already a massive challenge.

—————

The title has been changed to: "The Marshal's Wife is the True Boss". Thank you for the support!

Chapter 046: From a Pauper to a Minor Wealth-holder

The inner city's nightlife was bustling. Streets were filled with vendors, patrolling guards walked by occasionally, and in the square, older women danced while others practiced martial arts. Aside from the noticeable lack of trees, it seemed not much different from pre-apocalypse.

Shao Qi led Zhou You to a commercial street. The most prominent shop at the entrance was one that purchased mutant beast materials.

"Have you been to the Jiangnan Base? You seem to know this place well." But if he had been here before, why didn't the big shots recognize him?

"Why would I need to have been here to know it? This 'Beast Hunter' is a nationwide chain; it's even marked on the map." Shao Qi showed him the 3D electronic map, which displayed a clear view of nearby shops and pedestrians.

As they entered the shop, a clerk approached to assist. While not overly friendly, the clerk's demeanor didn't make Zhou You uncomfortable.

"Gentlemen, are you here to buy or sell materials?"

"Sell!" Zhou You replied, holding up his suitcase.

"Please follow me." Probably assuming Zhou You couldn't have anything of great value, the clerk merely led him to a counter and casually called for a staff member to assist.

Just as Zhou You placed his suitcase down, Shao Qi held onto it and said, "Call your manager and prepare the VIP room. The contents of this suitcase won't be of much use to your regular staff."

That day, Shao Qi had caught a glimpse of the suitcase's contents and knew they were valuable. The average employee wouldn't be able to appraise them correctly.

Zhou You whispered, "Is it really that valuable?" He worried Shao Qi was overplaying his hand, fearing they'd lose face if the contents didn't match the hype.

Shao Qi glanced at him sidelong. Zhou You obediently retrieved the suitcase, displaying an attitude of utmost deference to Shao Qi.

The shop attendant, having seen many overconfident customers, was about to dismissively reject the request. However, upon seeing Shao Qi twirl his ring, the attendant's demeanor changed to one of warmth and said, "Please wait a moment; I'll fetch the manager."

Zhou You, having also noticed the deliberate gesture, commented, "Pretentious!"

Shao Qi leaned in, presenting his ring-clad hand and asked, "Do you like it?"

Zhou You remained silent. Shao Qi then produced another ring of the same design—the one he'd taken from Xiong Yi. Due to the high demands of the material and chip, the design wasn't particularly striking—it was simply a plain band.

"If you don't find it appealing, I won't gift it to you. It'll look just as good on me."

The attendant returned, not only with the manager but also with two material appraisers. Hearing Shao Qi's words, everyone cast curious glances at Zhou You, wondering who this individual was to receive such an extravagant gift.

In these times, beautiful men and women were often kept close by the influential. Given Zhou You's appearance, it wasn't surprising that he'd caught the eye of an affluent individual, especially one as young, handsome, and generous as Shao Qi. Who wouldn't want to align themselves with such a figure?

Observing the incoming crowd, Zhou You quickly pushed down Shao Qi's hand. The man had a knack for causing misunderstandings. Though both were men and largely indifferent to reputation, being misinterpreted still felt uncomfortable.

"Sir, you wish to sell materials? Please, come with us," the manager directed at Shao Qi, who didn't correct him and gestured for Zhou You to follow with the suitcase.

Upon entering the VIP room, Zhou You was taken aback by the display cabinets. Lined against three walls were cabinets containing full-bodied specimens of mutated beasts. Their lifelike presence exuded an oppressive aura.

Seeing Zhou You's reaction, the manager proudly boasted, "These three mutated creatures were acquired at great expense—all of them high-grade and in pristine condition. They'd be priceless treasures even outside."

Inside Zhou You's backpack was a living young white tiger cub, undoubtedly more valuable than these deceased mutants. Still, he politely remarked, "It's indeed impressive."

Only after the appraisers donned gloves and face masks did they open the suitcase. Some materials were intrinsically toxic, while the value of others lay in their unique patterns—so caution was paramount.

They had anticipated a single mutated creature's materials inside, given the suitcase's size. However, upon opening it, they found a mishmash of various materials. It was unclear which creatures they originated from, but they were certainly diverse.

Zhou You sheepishly remarked, "Apologies for the mess. I'm not sure which parts are valuable; I just grabbed a bit of everything." He had hunted numerous beasts during his half-month stay in the mountains but lacked knowledge about their most prized parts.