After finishing a day's work, Hexia welcomed the moment of clocking out.
"Okay, you've been with me all day, now stay in your nest honestly." The girl stood in front of a tree branch in the jungle, pressing her hand against the white-scaled snake rearing up before her.
After speaking, the girl stood up, looked around, and now that the time was nearing 6 o'clock, the simulated sky overhead was also slowly changing to the twilight hues of blue and purple.
It's time to head back, she thought, but she still walked a few more steps inside and found the big spider squatting in a box.
The box was temporarily placed by Botis; it had a slight function of accumulating Aijieka particles. Although the effect wasn't strong, it was still effective in containing the overflow of Magic Power from the big spider.
After petting the much happier creature, Hexia finally left the jungle.
Arriving at the changing room on the 38th floor, she changed back into her usual attire before departing.
On her way home, Hexia remembered that today seemed to be Friday, which meant Lisha would also be staying over at Grandma He's place.
I should buy something tasty on the way home, the girl thought to herself, things are not as tight as they used to be.
Passing by the supermarket, she left the dim streets and entered the brightly-lit store, continuing to select and examine as usual.
[T6-grade White Line Rice, 6.53 Federation Coins/500g, T6-grade Snow Pattern Cabbage, 5.04 Federation Coins/200g, T6-grade Fresh Red Meat, 22.12 Federation Coins/500g, T5-grade White Strawberries, 39.52 Federation Coins/200g, T5-grade Sugar Litchis, 35.06 Federation Coins/500g, T5-grade Yellow Watermelon, 15.31 Federation Coins/500g...]
The prices of basic rice and vegetables had not changed much from the past, some seasonal fruits were coming into the season, her favorite white strawberries had gone up a bit in price, but the quality watermelons were not as expensive as she thought.
After considering for a few seconds, Hexia decided to buy a box of strawberries and two boxes of litchis, costing about 162 Federation Coins, then she bought a bottle of T6-grade fizzy drink, spending another 15 Federation Coins.
"No need, I'm almost done here. You've been at work all day, and now that you're off, you can watch TV or take a rest." Grandma He insisted she need not help.
Unable to convince her otherwise, Hexia took out the fruits she had bought and washed them, then placed them in a glass basket.
Returning to the living room, the TV was turned on, Hexia placed the glass basket on the table, and started nibbling on the white strawberries she had just bought.
Compared to T6-grade standard red strawberries, the T5-grade white strawberries had an improved taste, and thoughtfully had their leaves removed before packaging; after rinsing, one could eat them whole.
"As June comes to an end, the corrosiveness of acid rain weakens, the northern areas reopen for the first time, and with the approaching scorching summer vacation, traveling has become a hot topic of discussion..." The news broadcasted scenic spots, captivating viewers in front of the TV.
While traveling across Star Domains was an even better option, considering the economic situation of most Federation residents, having a trip around nearby areas was already a great choice.
After the meal was ready, Grandma He and Hexia sat down together, patiently waiting for the rest of the family to return.
As the clock approached seven, the sound of the door sliding open was followed by the lively sounds of conversation outside, then by Lisha's cheerful call.
"I'm home, Grandma!" She entered the living room with a spring in her step and saw that Hexia was also there today.
"Hi, Hexia!" She leaped into the girl's arms, hugging Hexia for a while before finally letting go.
"Lisha's especially happy today; she placed third in the school event." Lisha's mother, He Cheng's sister He Xiang, followed her inside.
The couple set aside their belongings, changed their shoes, and then joined everyone in the living room. They chatted about Lisha's school performance, occasionally bursting into laughter, and did not begin dinner until just past seven-thirty.