Rhodes Island's Psychologist

Ch 42: Half A Box Of Bullets

"Dr Lin?" In the dorm 9F, Jessica serves Lin Yie tea timidly, "Please, have some tea. How about some crackers too?"

"No need for hospitality ." Lin Yie waves, "and thank you for the tea."

"It doesn't matter. People rarely visit me anyway." Jessica sits in front of Lin Yie, 

"Usually, it is just Dobermann-sensei... Ah, have some crackers then?"

"Thank you, but there's no need for that too." Lin Yie says, "I don't eat crackers."

"Oh, really? Al-Alright then." Jessica feels somewhat regretful, "My family sent me some and they are chocolate-flavoured too. I guess I have to eat them alone then."

Chocolate-flavoured crackers.

Lin Yie pauses.

"Although I don't eat crackers that much... You know, I have been taking care of someone." Lin Yie says, "Maybe she might like them so..."

Jessica stands up immediately, "Miss Night-Nightingale? Sure, no problem at all!"

Lin Yie can't help but think, 

(What a kind kid. Now I have to give them to her. I can't let her down.)

Lin Yie tries some crackers and the taste makes him feel so happy that he is almost crying in joy. 

Although crackers are not rare or luxurious, they are not cheap and their taste is quite simple, so Lin Yie hasn't spent money on them. 

The closest thing he tried was a bag of dog crackers he sometimes sneaked out of the hospital to try at home. For something like chocolate-flavoured crackers, he hasn't tried that after coming to this world.

After eating three crackers in quick succession, Lin Yie still wants more. He even wants to lick his fingers clean, but he thinks it is too embarrassing to do that, so he pushes those desire away.

Jessica gave him a bag of six crackers and he said he would bring it to Nightingale, so he can't just eat all of them. He isn't a scumbag 

Lin Yie says, "On behalf of Nightingale and me, I thank you for this."

"Uh. It is nothing." Jessica whispers when she sees the crumbs on Lin Yie's mouth, "How about another two boxes? It seems you like crackers."

Lin Yie almost nods immediately but he remembers that he came here for something else, so he forces himself to shake his head.

"No, thank you. I don't really like crackers anyway." Lin Yie coughs a few times to change the topic, 

"Actually, I came here to ask about bullets."

"Bullets?" Jessica seems surprised.

"Um. Shining told me." Lin Yie takes out his python and takes the cylinder out, 

"I heard you use guns, so I want to ask if you have bullets of this size. If you do, please sell some of the bullets to me."

Jessica is more surprised when she sees the gun, "You even have a gun. But you don't look like a Sankta."

"Um. I am not a Sankta." Lin Yie says, 

"I got this gun by accident. Its owner gave me three bullets, and I already used them all."

"Oh. Is that so?" Jessica stutters," Then, le-let me take a look of it."

She takes the python and examines it. Then, she takes a bullet out of her pocket and tries it.

"It seems my gun uses a different size."

Lin Yie feels disappointed, "That's unfortunate. Sorry for troubling you."

"I-I haven't finished yet." Jessica says, "I wanted to say, I have some bullets of the same size."

Lin Yie pauses, "But you said you don't use this kind of bullets. Do you mean your family sells arms?"

"Of-of course not." Jessica says, "I bought them with my allowance."

(....Using allowance to buy bullets?)

Lin Yie falls into deep thought. 

From what he learned, bullet production is almost monopolized, so bullets are much more expensive here than in the world he lived in but Jessica only used her allowance. Does that mean this cat is actually rich?

Jessica comes back with a small box.

(How much I can get if I sold this... No! Bad Lin Yie!!) 

"This should be it." Jessica puts the box on the table and opens it, 

"I only have these."

The box is half full of silver bullets and the tips of the bullets are engraved with strange patterns.

Although there are fewer than what he had hoped, Lin Yie is still satisfied.

"These should be enough." Lin Yie says, "Can you sell them to me?"

Jessica shakes her head, "I can just give them to you for free."

"How can I do that to you?"

"There's really no need." Jessica refuses again, "I don't use them anyway. The seller gave them to me as a bonus, and there aren't that many. Combined, they are only worth a few boxes of crackers."

"No, I need to pay you."

Even though Jessica is rich, Lin Yie has his own principles to follow. He may be poor, but he should be able to afford something that is worth some crackers.

Jessica gives up and nods, "Alright."

Lin Yie feels quite content.

People who take advantage of others are despised. Lin Yie doesn't want to be despised by Jessica, who is much shorter than him.

"How much?"

Jessica gives him a number.

Lin Yie is stunned, 

"......How much?"

Jessica repeats the price.

"..."

After a while, he asks, "Uh, can I pay in instalments?"

...

(Why are people so different here?! Are all people here filthy rich!!)

Lin Yie feels really depressed as he walks out of Jessica's dorm. He just wanted to leave a good impression in their first meeting, but he never thought he would almost be bankrupt.

(It's just half a box of bullets...)

Lin Yie clutches the box tightly. On the inside, his heart is bleeding.

He didn't pay because he really couldn't afford it, but he also really needs the bullets. After all, he can't use Arts. That's why he suggested payments by instalments to Jessica in order to get the bullets.

Lin Yie can only hope his salary will be higher when he gets the job offer. He doesn't want to spend decades paying for half a box of bullets.

Suddenly, his phone rings.

It is from Hibiscus. When he answers the call, he can hear how her anxious voice.

"Dr Lin, is Nightingale next to you?"

....*Sigh*