Chapter 2: Madam, I Do Not Charge (Second Update: Please Recommend and Add to Favorites)

While Li Yian was still exhilarated from earning his first bucket of gold, he suddenly froze, motionless. He was startled—before him, a luminous screen appeared out of thin air, visible only to himself, displaying the streets of London with crystal clarity. Yet everything seemed suspended in time.

A double-decker bus stood still in the middle of the road, pedestrians were as immobile as wax figures, even the smoke he had just exhaled hovered motionless in the air.

On the translucent screen, words began to appear.

[First transaction completed, activating learning skill 'Business.' Would you like to learn it?]

It was actually a system?

Not fear, but delight surged in him—was this the golden finger of a transmigrant?

I knew it, crossing over would surely come with perks.

What kind of skill is "Business"?

Was there any need to hesitate? If not now, when?

"Learn."

Noticing Li Yian’s immediate selection, a cascade of basic business knowledge flooded into his mind.

It truly was a system!

Then another string of words flashed across the screen.

[First transaction completed: Sold 12 Camel cigarettes and one ZIPPO lighter. Current black market price: 4.5 pounds, premium of 120 pence, reward: 2 experience points! Current experience: 7 points.]

There were rewards as well!

[In this transaction, you raised the price by leveraging the buyer's urgency. Storage space can be activated. Activate?]

Storage space too? Of course, it had to be activated. Upon activation, a house-shaped icon appeared in the upper right corner of the screen.

He tried using it with his backpack, and, accompanied by a flash of white light, the heavy pack on his back vanished, replaced by a red dot on the warehouse icon.

At last, his shoulders were liberated—

What a marvel!

What other functions did this system have?

But now was not the time for further exploration.

Exiting the system, Li Yian, whose stomach was already sticking to his backbone with hunger, strode toward a nearby restaurant.

Now that he had money, he ought to treat himself to a steak at least!

...

Moments later, Li Yian stood dumbfounded at the roadside, not even a single strand of beef to his name.

"Sir, may I see your food ration book?"

What was this nonsense?

"Damn it, it’s just a ration ticket! I don’t have any!"

Looking up at the barrage balloons floating overhead, the lingering scent of gunpowder in the air reminded him—this was wartime, and everything was radically different.

Otherwise, why would a few cigarettes fetch such a high price?

No wonder people were willing to pay so much for smokes. Without a tobacco ration, money couldn’t buy them...

In truth, even with a tobacco ration, Camels and ZIPPOs would be impossible to find. Britain’s foreign currency reserves had long been spent, and most of the Camels and ZIPPO lighters in the market were procured by British women trading their bodies to American soldiers.

Clearly, Li Yian, unfamiliar with the local conditions, had no clue that in Britain now... money was useless—what mattered were goods.

Shaken by the magnitude of the era, Li Yian, though now flush with cash, had no solution but to continue trudging down the street, stomach grumbling, even rummaging through his backpack for anything edible.

Seeing it full of women’s items, he casually took out a sample bottle of perfume, his heart sinking.

In these chaotic times, who would want perfume?

Just then, a brown-haired woman approached, and what caught his eye wasn’t her figure, but the paper bag she cradled against her ample chest, from which half a loaf of bread protruded. Whether the bread was tasty or not was irrelevant to Li Yian; his gaze, full of longing, locked onto it, and his mouth watered uncontrollably. His hunger was so intense, he felt as if his hands might reach out from his belly and snatch the bread right in.

He hadn’t had a drop to drink or a crumb to eat for a whole day—he was both parched and famished.

The woman, dressed in a red and blue floral dress, sensed the desire in the man’s eyes. Yet she neither shied away nor felt embarrassment, instead boldly meeting his gaze and sizing him up from head to toe.

Though he was Asian, he was undeniably young and handsome.

The yearning in his eyes made her lips curve in a slight smile, and her elegant brows seemed to quiver gently. Their eyes met, moving slowly together.

Like that, the two brushed past each other, and just as they were about to miss their chance, Li Yian inhaled deeply, catching a faint... peculiar scent mingled with the aroma of bread.

Suddenly, clarity returned to Li Yian’s gaze. He spoke up.

"Hello, miss."

The sudden voice behind her made Stana’s heart tremble instinctively, but she quickly turned around, responding with her sweetest smile.

"Sir, is there something you need?"

Though she tried to maintain composure, she couldn’t help feeling a touch nervous. This wasn’t her first time being approached by a man, but previous experiences had been disappointing. Those men—yes, most were bald old men. It was the tragedy of the times. Young men were either in the army or buried in graves.

But this man was young, his eyes and posture brimming with vitality. More importantly, he wore that irresistible smile on his face. For a moment, Stana’s heart raced like a startled fawn.

"Miss, do you need perfume?"

What? Her eyes widened slightly, emotions surging wildly within. Was this what he meant?

He stopped her just for this?

"Actually, I have some perfume."

He raised the small bottle in his hand and continued,

"I thought you might like it."

Stana frowned slightly; this sample bottle was clearly not a common commodity. In these times, the supply of perfume had long dried up. Ever since Prime Minister Churchill ordered the cessation of all cosmetic production three years ago, perfume had become extraordinarily rare and expensive.

"It’s Madam!"

Stana, a bit displeased, flashed the ring on her finger—so he was a fake perfume salesman.

Li Yian, thinking it was merely a slip of the tongue, hurriedly corrected himself.

"Apologies, Madam."

With mixed feelings, she straightened a little, her wedding ring catching a faint glint in the sunset.

"No, I don’t need... these fakes."

"Fake? How could it be?"

Though he’d never sold the real thing, Li Yian felt it couldn’t possibly be called a fake at a glance.

He picked up the perfume and sprayed it lightly. Instantly, a delicate floral and fruity fragrance filled the air, leaving Stana speechless, completely stunned by the sudden scent. She breathed deeply, savoring the fresh fruit aroma and the gentle touch of flowers—something no cheap imitation could ever replicate.

Breathing in the unique fragrance that wafted through the air, she softly repeated, "Pink Encounter," and once more, the man’s yearning gaze flashed through her mind, as passionate as the scent itself.

"This perfume does smell wonderful, but..."

Stana bit her lip gently, her beautiful eyes filled with struggle and helplessness. She savored the scent, her heart a tumultuous mix of emotions.

"But I only have a few pounds left..."

She sighed—such perfume must be extravagantly expensive, and she simply couldn’t afford it.

Li Yian, reading the complexity in her expression, smiled gently and said,

"Madam, I’m not asking for money."

Stana was momentarily taken aback, noticing the desire flicker in his eyes. So that was his true aim...

Men, after all, are all the same.

While Stana’s thoughts tangled, the man’s voice came again.

"Madam, could I exchange some food with you?"