Helen stood outside the front door after returning from the interview, waiting for a while before asking her father with a sigh once the people from the second-hand goods recycling company had left, "What have we lost this time?"

The elderly man standing on the yellowed lawn was her father; the lawn beneath their feet hadn't been replaced in over half a year.

The community had specifically talked to them about this; if they couldn't afford the money to replace the yellowing lawns, the community company could lend them some money to do it.

In the Federation, apart from low-end and disreputable communities, mid-to-high-end communities have very strict requirements for residents. It's not just by buying a house in such a community that you become a true member; you must adhere to the community's rules to be considered a part, or else everyone will unite to expel you.

The appearance of the house, the vegetation in the yard, and the lawn are basic requirements for residents. You don't have to buy a house here, but you must abide by the rules here.

Some of the content is written in the purchase contract, while others are newly signed upon moving in. In any case, everyone must comply.

But soon, the community company stopped mentioning it because they realized more residents couldn't afford to replace the lawns. If the community service company fronted the money for one household, others might also demand it, and they were almost going bankrupt themselves; where would they find so much money to take care of everyone?

Now, entering the community's main road from the avenue, both sides are lined with yellow, wilting lawns, and the community's image has plummeted, accompanied by some "For Sale" signs stuck in the lawns. This once mid-range community seems particularly bleak.

The elderly man standing on the yellowed lawn smiled, "We've just lost our washing machine and lawnmower..." His face full of apology, "Sorry, the new batch of bills will arrive soon, and I must pay them, and we can't quite use those things now."

"I've noticed there's a laundry room and coin-operated washing machines at the community service company nearby, so washing clothes won't be too troublesome. As for the lawn..." The elderly man kicked the ground, kicking away some dirt clumps, looking for any green thing here is impossible.

This was originally a relatively affluent family, but a sudden economic recession immediately overwhelmed them. While they barely paid Helen's university tuition, the outbreak of the recession directly stripped them of their ability to counter family risks.

Continual unemployment and the youngest daughter's need for medication already forced them to replace weekly physical therapy in the hospital by a specialist doctor with home therapy done by Helen, yet their situation showed no improvement.

Constantly selling off possessions almost became the only way similar families could survive now. TV always said the economy was improving and factories were operational again, but there were always people who seemed to be overlooked by these good news.

When they couldn't find anything else to sell, they would cheaply sell their house, possibly for less than a third of the price they bought it for.

Then they'd move to a less decent community or simply move to Lower City, find some connections to rent a relief house, and the family would huddle in a cramped room waiting for the economic winter to end.

This bleak, heart-wrenching, yet helpless situation happened to countless people.

The elderly man was silent for a few seconds, feeling guilty, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault," Helen walked over to give him a hug, "Let's talk about something happy, have you heard of Billion Man?"

As they spoke, they walked towards the house. The elderly man said while walking, "Of course, Mr. Lynch, the youngest Billion Man. The TV has been constantly reporting on him lately. What's up with him?"

"I went for an interview!" Helen decided to share this, she'd only mentioned to her family she was going for an interview but hadn't said where, thinking the chances weren't high and not wanting them to be excited then disappointed.

But now she realized she needed some good news to cheer up the family, so she chose to share it. Nothing was more motivational than attending an interview with Billion Man, even if it didn't pan out; it wasn't a bad thing.

At least she attended, which itself is an experience that makes her resume look better.

The elderly man showed some interest, "So how did it go? Did you get the job?"

Helen shook her head, "I don't know. But Mr. Lynch said my interview left a deep impression on him, and he would prioritize considering me when making his choice!"

"That's truly good news; I must tell your mother so we can have something delicious tonight!" The elderly man seemed very excited. His guilt towards the family didn't continue to affect him. Maybe there won't be further news about this, but at least the family would have a brief relaxation and joy amidst this silent and gloomy life.

At dinner time, there was some beef on the dining table, Helen's mother gave a brief introduction, "This is what we bought together, I snagged the best piece!"

The situation wasn't limited to Helen's family alone; in this financial disaster, Bupen's plight was worse than elsewhere!

It's known that in other places, the main economic pillars are industry and a small amount of agriculture and animal husbandry, but in Bupen, most people engage in finance and service industry jobs, making the financial disaster's impact even greater and more direct.

Thus, phenomena like "group purchasing" began to emerge. The ladies in the community pooled money to buy bulk-packaged food, which is cheaper and more plentiful than simply processed goods.

One person couldn't afford it, but several people could buy it. Of course, dividing these foods also requires strength and insight. Helen's mother was particularly satisfied with her trophy today; she snagged the fattest piece of meat.

This made Helen's father feel even guiltier. He could only smile reluctantly, nervously rubbing his hands under the table. He was smiling, but it was more painful than crying.

Everything on the dining table seemed so good, like returning to a few years ago, when neither of Helen's parents were unemployed; they had ample income to support Helen's university education and had enough money to treat their youngest daughter's illness, never worrying about these things.

Just waiting until next month, everything would be resolved smoothly.

Towards the end of dinner, Helen's younger sister asked a question, "Will you get the job?"

Everyone's gaze focused almost simultaneously on Helen; in an instant, she felt a weight she had never experienced pressing down on her shoulders.

She looked at her father, the elder's eyes filled with an indescribable color, a mix of despair, anticipation, and some contradictions.

Helen nodded subconsciously, then nodded forcefully again, assuring with words she couldn't even believe, "I will, I will!"

The brief and suffocating silence at the dining table was abruptly broken by the little girl's laughter. She might not know how difficult this was; she simply indulged in the innocent belief that everything would be better, just like on TV.

After dinner, while Helen's mother tidied the table, her father called her aside, wanting to say something but ultimately only smiling and saying, "Don't push yourself too hard, we'll hold on until things get better!"

That night, Helen felt a weight she had never felt before, a sense of responsibility, and something suffocating.

They had nothing left to sell; perhaps next time, they'd sell this house.

The next morning, Helen went to Lynch's residence, a house on the slope near Inner Bay in Bupen, which was the best part of Bupen.

On one side was the bustling metropolis, the other side the distant sea; there's no better location, though its price was a despair unto itself.

Many locals occasionally or frequently pass by here, but they never had the qualification to enter, even as guests.

Money drew a line in the Human World, inside the line is Heaven, outside the line is Hell.

Helen sought assistance from the guard, hoping to meet Mr. Lynch, but unfortunately, Mr. Lynch didn't seem to want to see her, which filled her with despair.

If she didn't get the job, what should she do; what would her family do, her sister do, and she herself do?

Very confused, sometimes people simply feel this way when they're at a pivotal point.

But once that crucial moment passes, suddenly the whole world becomes unfamiliar, everything leaves one unable to cope, unable to face.

She didn't want to go home because once she did, she'd have to face her family's disappointment. She continued searching for opportunities outside, but unfortunately, in this current environment, most companies weren't recruiting; it'd be commendable if they didn't lay off some staff.

Thus, after wasting a whole day's time, Helen ultimately had to gather courage and return home to deliver the disappointing news to her family. She didn't even know how she managed to get back to the front door!

After a long mental preparation, she opened the door, and the scent wafting from the dining room made her even more hesitant. This was originally prepared to celebrate her landing a good job, but she'd come back with bad news.

She walked heavily into the living room, ready to tell everyone she let them down, but unexpectedly, she saw Lynch there.

Lynch was eating her mom's specialty beef ribs; he sat casually by the table, holding a bone with his hand and gnawing on it, his mouth covered in grease.

As if noticing the girl, Lynch put down the bone, greeted her with a widely smiling face, "Hi!"

The girl's eyes glistened, and she hesitated for a moment, "Hi..."

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