Chapter 53

Grandma Jiang quickly said, "Come in, come in."

Upon hearing this, the young men worked together to carry the car inside.

Their tricycles are bigger than usual. Luckily, they made the gates extra grand when they were built, otherwise these tricycles wouldn't have been able to get in.

Once inside the courtyard, everyone glanced into the tricycle and couldn't help but secretly praise Han Lei and his team for their meticulousness.

Several tricycles were covered with loose branches, and because it was dark, it was difficult to see what was inside without careful observation; they were just seen as branches and wood.

As soon as the door closed, A-Yu said, "Sister Zhi and Brother Shu, all the things you bought today are here. Please check them."

Jiang Shu: "Hey, how could we not trust Brother Lei? No need to count anymore."

Ayu quickly said, "That won't do. Brother Lei said that even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Brother Shu, please don't put us in a difficult position."

Jiang Wen smiled and said, "Ayu did a good job, that's how it should be."

Seeing that even his second brother, who was closest to Tan Lei, had said so, Jiang Shu had no choice but to say, "Alright, let's unload the goods first."

Seeing that Ayu and the others were still delivering goods for them late at night, Yuan Ying poured them each a bowl of water.

Jiang Hai and Jiang Wen, along with several other men, helped unload the items.

Jiang He went to get the weight.

After Jiang Zhi and her siblings and Ye Qingyun counted the items one by one, they weighed and tested them for Jiang He and Wu Xiu.

50 jin each of eggplant, green bell pepper, carrot, baby bok choy, spinach, lotus root, and bean sprouts.

Four or five baskets were crammed full! The glistening purple eggplants were squeezed together, the green peppers gleamed in the night, and the carrots were as thick as a person's thigh.

Looking at the baby bok choy, the outer layers of wilted leaves conceal a tender yellow core, and the leaves feel incredibly juicy to the touch. Meanwhile, the spinach is vibrant green and tender, with roots and stems so long they could fill half a basket.

In another basket, lotus roots were covered in mud, while bean sprouts stood out crisply, looking incredibly fresh.

Everyone was astonished, "How do you keep your vegetables so fresh?"

"These vegetables were all placed in a refrigerated display case specially rented by Brother Lei, and the rent was all paid by Brother Lei himself—" Before he could finish speaking, A Yu bumped into him and stopped him.

Jiang Shu's eyes widened: "Brother Lei, you didn't personally pay for the discounts for us, did you?"

Ah Yu laughed and said, "No, don't listen to him. This is one of our company's special services. As long as the grain is consigned here, it will enjoy free preservation if it can be sold. If it can't be sold, we will charge a preservation fee of 10 points per day."

Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief.

You shouldn't take advantage of your friends, or you'll feel guilty.

Wu Xiu looked through the vegetables, becoming more and more delighted. "These vegetables are so fresh, just like the ones we picked ourselves that day. Even if they're a bit pricey, it's acceptable."

Grandma Jiang, fearing that Ye Qingyun would blame the two children for wasting money, chimed in, "That's right. There are so many vegetables; we couldn't find them all by ourselves, let alone the ones with moderate toxins."

Ye Qingyun's expression improved when he saw so many kinds of dishes.

The two children were the happiest, especially Jiang Si, as she was seeing many of the dishes for the first time.

They asked Wu Xiu this question, and then Xu Na that question.

Jiang Zhi asked, "What kind of refrigerated display case are you talking about?"

Ayu scratched his head. "It seems to be made with special tools that can maintain a temperature of 0-15 degrees Celsius. They come in various sizes, the largest being the size of an old double-door refrigerator, and the smallest being the size of a bedside table. I don't know much about the others, but Brother Lei knows where to buy them."

Ginger Branch: "Do you know the price?"

Ayu was a little embarrassed. "I don't know. How about I ask Brother Lei for you?"

Jiang Zhi wanted to buy one. Although they usually use palm leaves for preservation, they can only keep things fresh for a day or two at most, which is still not enough.

Their family has more and more food now, so having a refrigerated display case would make things much more convenient.

Grandma Jiang knew what she was thinking as soon as she heard this, and quickly pulled her aside, "Azhi, what else do you want to buy? Didn't you say that winter is coming soon, and then you won't need a refrigerator?"

The old lady practically said she was wasting money.

Jiang Zhi touched her nose. "Grandma, I was just thinking that we have too many fresh vegetables at home, so I bought them to use. Besides, after winter comes summer again. Even if we don't use them this summer, we can use them next summer. The sooner we buy them, the sooner we can use them."

The old lady was amused. "You child, you always have a point."

Ayu's call was quickly answered, and after communicating with Han Lei, everyone learned about the refrigerated display case.

The cabinet is actually just an ordinary wooden cabinet, but as long as a temperature-regulating mineral is placed inside, the enclosed space can maintain a specific temperature.

In other words, even at temperatures tens of degrees below zero, the temperature inside this insulated cabinet can still be maintained at 0-15 degrees Celsius.

Upon hearing this, Grandma Jiang muttered, "This is still somewhat useful."

The price isn't cheap; a refrigerated display case the size of a double-door refrigerator costs 15,000 points.

They didn't have many points left, so Jiang Zhi had to sell an energy stone for 50,000 points, which allowed her to buy a refrigerator.

After agreeing on the refrigerated display case, the group continued unloading the goods.

As soon as Ayu carried the baskets full of fruit down, the whole yard was filled with the sweet fragrance of fruit.

This revitalized everyone's spirits.

It smells so good, it's absolutely delicious.

Jiang Shu couldn't resist running over to take a look.

The bright red mutated apple smelled sweet, like a refreshing mix of rock sugar syrup and green apple. Taking a deep breath, the sweetness went straight into your nose.

Moreover, they are quite large; one apple weighs seven or eight pounds, and three or four will fill the basket to the brim.

In the basket next door, three large bunches of mutated small bananas smelled like a mixture of ripe mango, honey, and bananas, so rich and sweet, like a freshly opened sweet porridge, that you could smell it from afar, its sweetness making your mouth water.

Compared to the mutated fruits mentioned earlier, the blueberries seemed much more normal, and their aroma was much milder. Each blueberry was only about the size of a ping-pong ball, and the 20-odd kilograms filled half a basket. Tan Lei and his team even used soft cotton cloth to line the bottom of the basket.

Jiang Shu couldn't resist picking one out.

This mutated blueberry smells like a mixture of ripe grape juice and mint, with a sweet and sour aroma and a refreshing feel, like a freshly opened jar of fruity hard candy, and when you get close, it also has a natural wild fruit scent.

He tried to pop it into his mouth to taste it while Ye Qingyun wasn't looking, but Jiang Hai shoved his head at him and said, "You little rascal, you haven't finished yet."

Ye Qingyun immediately glared at them.

Jiang Shu put it down sheepishly.

Ah Yu laughed and said, "These are all yours, help yourselves."

Jiang Hai carried the blueberries to Jiang He's place to be weighed; they weighed a total of thirty-five jin.

"Alright, eat up."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu chuckled, popped a blueberry into the mouths of each of the two little ones who were watching eagerly, and then popped one into his own mouth as well.

One bite and the blueberry juice bursts forth, a delightful blend of sweet and sour, with a refreshing kick, like chewing on a small berry-flavored popping boba. It's so addictive!

Jiang Shu asked the two children, "How is it? Is it delicious?"

Jiang Sui and Jiang Si answered loudly with sparkling eyes, "Delicious!"

Jiang Shu was delighted; he also thought it tasted delicious.

Ye Qingyun glared at him.

They also took out six and gave one to each of Ayu and the others.

Ayu quickly waved his hand: "Auntie, no, this fruit is too precious, we can't eat it."

Ye Qingyun stuffed the fruit directly into their hands, saying, "Just take it, it's not like you're short of money for a few pieces of fruit."

Jiangzhi gave her mother a thumbs up—"As expected of my mother, she does things with such generosity."

Ah Yu took it in his hand, feeling too embarrassed to refuse again.

Ye Qingyun gave one to each of his family members. "Eat up, eat up. Food is meant to be eaten, otherwise what's the point of buying it if we just want to look at it?"

Wu Xiu, Jiang Hai, and the others tasted it with smiles and were immediately amazed by the sweetness of the blueberries: "Wow, I didn't expect this dark thing to be so delicious."

Jiang Wen chuckled, “Auntie, blueberries are blue, not black.”

Late at night, only the house was lit. Although the yard was illuminated by moonlight, it was impossible to distinguish any colors.

Ye Qingyun had eaten blueberries before, but he never expected that the taste of this mutated blueberry would become... how to describe it? It should be said that it has become more intense.

It's so delicious that you'll want to savor it for a long time.

Compared to this, it doesn't seem so painful to have spent those points.

The people behind Ayu exchanged glances, looked at the blueberries in their hands, and then looked at Ayu longingly: "Brother Yu..."

Ah Yu felt a warm feeling in his heart.

Those in their line of work are essentially selling information asymmetry and physical labor. In the eyes of others, they are mostly "dog crawlers," the lowest of the low.

But the Jiang family's attitude made them feel comfortable.

Ayu: "Since you gave it to us, let's eat it."

The young people were overjoyed.

This is a mutated fruit, something more precious than meat. It's a mutated fruit that they might not be willing to buy even after working for several years!

This was their first time eating it, and some of them didn't even dare to eat it all at once. Instead, they broke it open and tasted a little bit, planning to take the remaining half back for their families to try as well.

Ah Yu broke off half a blueberry and popped it into his mouth, the juice splashing onto his nose. He wiped it off, savoring the taste.

Behind him, Xiao Li whispered, "Brother Yu, these blueberries are so sweet and juicy. They taste just like drinking chilled blueberry juice."

Ayu wholeheartedly agreed.

Jiang Shu, still savoring the taste, smacked her lips and went to lift the cloth covering the next basket.

Suddenly, a sweet aroma burst out, like honey mixed with cream melted, even dispelling the original smell of dinner dishes in the yard.

This caused everyone to look over, and they involuntarily swallowed.

Under the moonlight, the mangoes were still clearly yellow. Apart from being a bit larger, they looked no different from usual. But when you got closer and smelled them, you could smell that they were much more fragrant than ordinary mangoes. It was as if the juice of twenty ripe mangoes had been concentrated. Even if you were just a little closer, everyone felt that even the strands of hair were covered with this alluring sweet fragrance.

Everyone in the Jiang family had already eaten dinner, and their bellies were quite full, but the smell of this aroma made them feel like they could eat another pound or two.

The remaining jackfruit, the size of a domestic pig, mutated to be larger than a basket, with its skin covered in shiny, dark brown bumps.

Sticky glue seeped from the crack, and it was swollen so much that it looked like it was about to burst open, even before it was cut open.

With so much fruit, it should last for ten days to half a month.

Everyone was delighted, their joyful mood as if it were Chinese New Year.

After the Jiang family finished taking inventory and testing, Ye Qingyun wanted to treat them to a cup of sweet soup, but Ayu refused.

The group felt bad about staying any longer and said they would bring the refrigerated display case over tomorrow.

Before leaving, Grandma Jiang remembered something and quickly said, "Ayu, wait a moment."

"What's wrong, Grandma Jiang?"

"Can you consign these to your place?" Grandma Jiang asked, taking out her pickled cowpeas. "Can I consign these to your place? I don't need points. I just want to exchange them for something."

Ayu asked, "Grandma Jiang, what do you want to ask?"

Grandma Jiang was stumped by the question and looked at Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi then reminded her, "Grandma, Big Brother doesn't have enough materials for the fan he made."

Grandma Jiang slapped her thigh and said, "Yes, yes, if you have any of those old, worn-out parts, you could give us some to replace them."

Jiang Jun, who was sitting in a wheelchair nearby, was deeply moved.

He knew that his family wanted him to realize his own value, which was why they brought this up.

Ah Yu smiled and said, "No problem, we'll keep an eye out for you."

Ayu and his friends bought a whole vat of cowpeas to take back with them.

Jiang Wen casually remarked with a touch of melancholy, "If only we could create a group chat like before, where everyone could exchange things they no longer need at home."

Ayu and Jiang Wen are also very close, although not as close as Han Lei, they are still like brothers.

But what Jiang Wen said is clearly unlikely.

After the cataclysm, radiation destroyed all signal base stations, so the fact that current detectors can still communicate is an extremely significant research breakthrough.

But Jiang Wen's words still made Jiang Shu's eyes light up. "Brother Wen, that's a great idea!"

Jiang Wen, puzzled, asked, "You can't do that now, can you?"

Jiang Shu was very excited: "It certainly won't be as convenient as before, but Brother Lei and his group have a lot of people, so we can rely on manpower. Brother Lei has a wide network of connections, so we can start by getting 20 households to register what they want to exchange. If it's suitable, they can exchange it, and you can charge a small handling fee. That way, even if no one consigns the items, you can still make a profit! And you don't have to pay taxes!"

The last sentence was spoken by Jiang Shu to A Yu.

At this time, many families do not want outsiders to know their financial situation, and there are certainly many people willing to sell things they no longer need in this way.

When the Jiang family heard this, they all thought it was a good idea. Jiang Hai said, "Da Shu's idea is great! Usually, people exchange things among acquaintances. If your company organizes it, the masses will trust you, and many people will definitely be willing to participate."

It's just a matter of charging a small handling fee to get what you want. Even if you can't get it, someone else can buy it with points. It goes without saying how much business opportunity there is in this. Even a fool can see it.

Ayu and the others were very excited when they heard this.

"We'll go back and discuss this with Brother Lei!"

If this works out, I'll be able to earn an extra penny in the future!

They also want to have their own piece of land in the self-built housing area!

Thinking of this, everyone felt a surge of excitement.

Ayu and his companions left the Jiang family with great excitement.

Someone couldn't help but say, "Did you smell that? They must have just finished eating. I smelled it as soon as I went in. It smelled amazing. I almost drooled."

“I can smell it too,” another person said enviously. “They live such a good life, with all that delicious food and fruit. When will we be able to live such a good life…”

"That would be great. If it weren't for them, Brother Lei wouldn't be able to lead us to continue in this line of work."

Listening to their discussion, Ayu gave them a warning look, "Don't you dare say anything out loud outside."

The group immediately replied, "Don't worry, Brother Yu, we know the rules and won't say anything out of line."

After seeing A-Yu and the others off, Jiang Hai said with a smile, "Da Shu really has a quick mind."

Jiang Shu chuckled, "I'm doing this for ourselves too."

But they only mentioned it casually; whether it will work out depends on what Han Lei and his team do.

Wu Xiu and his group, in particular, didn't take it seriously at all, and were worried about the fruit scattered all over the ground.

"At the time, we were only thinking about buying the fruit and forgot about the storage. Luckily, there was a refrigerated display case available, otherwise the fruit we bought would have spoiled in less than two days."

Grandma Jiang was also very worried, "Will all these vegetables and fruits last until tomorrow? What if they all spoil as soon as we bought them?"

Jiang Hai then said, "One day won't matter. Let's work hard tonight and dig out the cellar tonight."

Jiang He nodded: "I think it's a good idea."

Before eating, the men had already dug about half of the soil. Without taking a break, they picked up their shovels and started digging again, shoveling soil up one shovel at a time.

The women in charge of the household were also busy. Wu Xiu took the children to wash up first.

Now that our family's financial situation has improved, we need to pay more attention to our health.

Children shouldn't go to bed too late; it can stunt their growth.

Yuan Ying and Xu Na were responsible for clearing away the dishes.

Grandma Jiang and Ye Qingyun then tidied up all the fruits and vegetables that had arrived that day.

Fortunately, in the past few days, Jiang He made several shelves similar to those in supermarkets to prevent having too many things at home and not having enough space. The two of them then used the palm leaves they had collected to fold up and put them in baskets to keep the vegetables and fruits fresh.

As soon as they moved their things into the living room, they saw the things that Jiangzhi and her brother had brought back during the day.

Especially the mutton soup, the smell is so strong that it makes you feel intoxicated just by getting close.

Ye Qingyun almost threw up. "Azhi, what did you bring back? It's so pungent! Throw it away right now!"

"And what's the point of bringing back these wilted morning glories? They're just taking up space!"

Jiang Zhi quickly said, "Mom, don't throw these away! They're valuable! Each one is worth five hundred!"

Ye Qingyun looked disgusted, pointing at the goat's milk pudding and saying, "This stuff costs five hundred? I wouldn't even take it if it were given to me for free!"

Jiang Zhi was afraid that her mother would lose the things she had worked so hard to get, so she said, "These are all special props, very valuable!"

Grandma Jiang endured the smell and leaned closer to take a look. "What kind of special props are so cheap? What are they used for?"

Jiang Zhi said, "This is the udder of a mutant sheep. As long as there is enough energy, it can keep producing milk. Moreover, this milk can also improve immunity, so we will all have fewer headaches and fevers in the future."

Ye Qingyun was shocked: "Really? There are such special props?"

She had always thought that special items were just for assisting in battle, but she never expected there to be such a thing; it was truly an eye-opener.

Grandma Jiang said happily, "Oh, then we'll have goat milk to drink from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyun was no longer so disgusted with the goat's milk udder. "How are we supposed to use this? Just squeeze it out?"

Jiang Zhi laughed awkwardly, "I don't know either, and I don't know how to milk a goat..."

"Hey, what's so difficult about this?" Old Mrs. Jiang rolled up her sleeves. "Let me do it."

Jiang Zhi quickly reminded her, "Milk, this goat's breast has been coated with preservatives."

Upon hearing this, Grandma Jiang turned around, scooped some water from the water vat, washed the sheep girl's head, and then dried it.

The old woman pinched the base of the goat's breast with her thumb and forefinger, then squeezed the breast with her other fingers in turn, rhythmically pulling it down. Soon, goat milk flowed out in spurts.

Amazingly, the freshly squeezed goat milk is still warm from the goat's body, as white as glutinous rice porridge mixed with lard, with a thin layer of milk skin floating on the surface, and you can smell a milky aroma mixed with the muttony smell when you get close.

Grandma Jiang squeezed out a large bowl of milk, and was overjoyed to see the bright white goat milk.

"Oh my, now I know why this special item is so valuable. It's just a goat's udder, yet it can still produce hot goat milk. It's like seeing a ghost."

Jiangzhi: ...Her grandmother's description is quite humorous.

Ye Qingyun was also amazed and immediately said happily, "I'll make you double-skin milk pudding later!"

Jiangzhi: "Don't rush, Mom. Test it first to see if it's safe to eat."

She hadn't forgotten that this stuff was highly toxic.

If the wool extracted is also highly toxic, then it's all for nothing.

Ye Qingyun slapped his forehead. "Look at me, I almost forgot about this. I'll test it now."

Ye Qingyun brought the detector closer:

"—Drop, moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

They can really eat!

The mother and daughter couldn't help but exchange a glance, both seeing a hint of excitement in each other's eyes.

"This is great stuff!" Ye Qingyun was overjoyed. "Now we can make some desserts at home."

He then took the bowl of milk to the cupboard and locked it.

When they returned to the lobby, Ye Qingyun saw Jiang Zhi helping to pack up the newly bought vegetables and said, "Azhi, your grandma and I can take care of things here. Go and deliver food to your dad. The address is in the research institute building you went to this morning, in room 607."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi asked curiously, "The research institute allows people to come and go as they please?"

When the brother and sister arrived in the morning, the research institute didn't allow ordinary people to move around freely.

Ye Qingyun said with a smile, "It's not as strict over there as you imagine. Your dad said that researchers can rest for half an hour every night after 8 o'clock."

Jiang Zhi was overjoyed when she heard this.

I haven't seen my dad in a long time, I miss him terribly.

She responded and left with the lunchbox Ye Qingyun had prepared.

Area C is quite far from Area D. When I went there during the day, I was looking forward to it but didn't feel it that way.

It took Jiangzhi half an hour to get back to Area C.

At her current pace, it would take her two or three kilometers in half an hour.

On the way, Jiang Zhi noticed that there was a significant difference between the self-built housing area and the low-rent housing area at night.

Every evening, every household in the self-built housing area closes their doors, fearing that someone might spy on their homes and attract unwanted attention.

The low-rent housing area is the complete opposite. Because the temperature is too high, the space is too small, and there are too many people, everyone wants to sleep outside as much as possible, with the doors wide open for ventilation.

Fortunately, the base's security is very good. Even if a girl like Jiang Zhi goes out alone at night, no one dares to openly follow her.

When Jiang Zhi returned to the research institute, she found it still brightly lit, but the main door was closed.

Only the side iron gate remained open, where a security guard, who looked just like the dormitory supervisor, sat.

"Young lady, who are you looking for so late at night?"

Since its establishment, the research institute has always been powered 24 hours a day.

Many research institutes have staff working overtime on projects.

It's only a little past 7 o'clock now, and most of the regular employees have already left work. Some of them who live nearby will go home for dinner before coming back.

And those researchers almost always lived in the research institute while working on projects.

Jiang Zhi smiled sweetly: "Hello, Auntie, I've come to bring my dad his lunch."

That's quite rare.

The staff of their research institute come and go every day, and no one has ever come to visit them.

The security guard asked curiously, "Who is your father?"

His name is Jiang Shan.

The security guard immediately said, "So you're Comrade Jiang Shan's family. You're here to see your father, right? Register here and you can just go up to the 6th floor via the stairs."

The security guard was very enthusiastic. While Jiangzhi was registering, she explained the precautions one by one: "By the way, our rule is that outsiders cannot stay after 8:30. Remember to come down on time. Don't go to other buildings. You can't get in without a card. When you get to the 6th floor, just call your dad and ask him to open the door for you."

Jiang Zhi wrote them all down.

After thanking the security guard, Jiang Zhi went straight upstairs.

When Jiang Zhi stepped inside, she realized that the structure of the side door was completely different from what she had seen at the main entrance that morning.

This place is more like a standalone office building attached to the research institute, without even a decent elevator.

Moreover, each floor has only one door, which looks like it was made of some special mineral, so tightly sealed that there is no way to break in.

There was only one card reader for access control next to it.

When Jiang Zhi reached the sixth floor, she called Jiang Shan.

Unfortunately, no one answered.

She could only stand there and wait.

There was a tin window next to it.

The sixth floor of the research institute is as tall as ten floors before the disaster.

She looked out the window.

As darkness fell, a patch of orange-scented sunset lingered in the west. The moon had just peeked over the horizon, and the stars, like grains of rice not yet wiped clean, hung sparsely. A few gray clouds drifted in from afar, carrying a sultry breeze that occasionally blew in.

Jiang Zhi suddenly realized, how long has it been since she stood on a high place?

In addition to numerous training bases for mutants, the area surrounding the research institute also boasts a number of entertainment facilities available only to mutants.

The rows of bungalows resembled an overturned box of building blocks, with colorful LED strips, unseen for a long time, wrapped around the doors.

The colorful entertainment area was flashing with dazzling neon lights.

Jiang Zhi was stunned for a moment.

She never imagined that these forgotten forms of entertainment would still exist in reality after the cataclysm.

Just as she was peering out the window, trying to get a closer look, someone came out from inside.

Jiang Zhi quickly stood up straight.

The other person was also surprised to see Jiang Zhi. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Jiang Zhi glanced at the other person's name tag.

He must be a researcher.

She explained about the visit, a hint of embarrassment on her face: "I called my dad several times, but he didn't answer..."

Upon hearing Jiang Shan's name, the other party relaxed their guard.

"It turns out she's Uncle Jiang's daughter; he just finished work—"

Before the researcher could finish speaking, Jiang Zhi's detector went off.

The researcher chuckled, "It's probably your dad on the phone."

He opened the electronic door for Jiang Zhi: "Go in, don't waste time."

Jiang Zhi quickly thanked him and went inside.

Jiang Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief once the electronic door closed.

The sixth floor has many offices, and the layout is similar to that of the old office buildings, except that most of the offices only have one door.

Jiang Zhi guessed that these places were all related to the experiment.

Jiang Zhi walked over slowly.

Only the light was on in room 607 of the entire floor, and even the door was open.

As Jiang Zhi walked to the door, she saw Jiang Shan sitting at his desk, drawing something with a pen.

A ceiling fan was humming and swaying overhead, its blades spinning so fast that only afterimages remained, and the wind it generated made the newspapers on the table rustle.

"Dad!" Jiang Zhi called out.

Jiang Shan was taken aback, but when he saw who was standing at the door, he immediately exclaimed happily, "A-Zhi, what brings you here?"

"My mom asked me to bring you food."

"Come in quickly."

Jiang Shan tidied up the surveying papers on the table, and Jiang Zhi pushed the lunchbox over.

"Dad, eat up! Mom really went all out today."

Jiang Shan opened the lid, and a rich aroma of vegetables wafted out. He took a bite and immediately felt all the fatigue of the day relieved.

"This must have been made by your mother."

How did you know?

Jiang Shan said confidently, "After eating your mom and grandma's cooking for so many years, how could I not tell the difference? Your grandma uses less ingredients and makes more conventional dishes. Your mom is different. Her cooking tends to be more flavorful, and she always likes to try new recipes. Every time she messes up her cooking, it ends up in my stomach."

Listening to her father's eloquent speech, Jiangzhi felt happy, as if she had returned to the time before the great catastrophe when her family of four lived a peaceful life.

But seeing the graying hair at Jiang Shan's temples, Jiang Zhi felt a pang of sadness. "Dad, isn't your job tiring?"

Jiang Shan quickly shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice: "I'm not tired. To be honest, it's similar to my previous job, and the research I'm doing now is also very interesting. It would be even better if I could go out of the city and see more of the world—" At this point, Jiang Shan paused, "You can't tell your mother this, or she'll get angry."

Jiang Zhi thought about why Jiang Shan came to work at the research institute, and her feelings were somewhat complicated.

"Dad, my brother and I both went for medical checkups today."

Jiang Shan swallowed the food in his mouth. "How is it?"

Jiang Zhi recounted the situation to Jiang Shan.

He frowned when he heard Professor Yan's reaction.

Jiang Shan was not surprised that his siblings were called mutants, but he did not expect that his children's mental strength was higher than the degree of their physical mutation.

Jiang Zhi: "Dad, don't worry, my brother's situation isn't too outrageous. At most, he'll be considered exceptionally gifted. Nothing will happen to him."

Jiang Shan clearly considered things more thoroughly.

"You guys should be careful lately and try to use your superpowers as little as possible."

Jiangzhi agreed.

The father and daughter exchanged a lot of information they had received from each other.

Jiang Zhi then realized that the powerful mutants in the base were now using the training program designed by Professor Yan.

However, after comparing the training room, Jiang Zhi roughly understood why the mental strength of the people in the base was improving slowly.

In Jiangzhi's practice, mental strength still needs to be practiced with mutated creatures to improve quickly.

However, it cannot be said that the training methods for mutants in the base are wrong; they are simply more conservative and safer in comparison.

After Jiang Shan finished eating, Jiang Zhi took out the blueberries from her pocket.

Jiang Shan was somewhat surprised, "You bought mutated fruit? It must have been expensive!"

Although the women in the family manage the money, Jiang Shan is not very clear about the price of mutated fruits. But from the time he has worked in the research institute, he has seen that even mutants and researchers rarely have access to such things, so how could they be cheap?

He certainly didn't think he was going to a gathering area to pick them.

As far as Jiang Shan knows, no large-scale fruit orchards have been found in the 15 sampling areas so far.

Jiang Zhi did not deny it, and then told Jiang Shan about her family situation.

Jiang Shan was both happy and gratified. He knew his children were promising, but he hadn't expected them to be this promising.

Jiang Zhi then seized the opportunity to say, "Dad, why don't you quit this job? We can't see each other every day while you're here. My brother and I miss you and Mom very much."

Jiang Shan came here to work for the sake of his official position. Jiang Zhi felt that no matter how precious this job was, it couldn't compare to being with her family. Besides, they didn't know when the harsh winter would arrive, and they didn't know what tasks the base would give the researchers then.

Jiangzhi didn't want her father to take this risk.

To everyone's surprise, Jiang Shan shook his head and said, "Not yet. Do you remember the woman who framed you before?"

Jiang Zhi was stunned for a moment: "Dad, you mean Feng Yan? Isn't she dead?"

Jiang Shan nodded. "She is dead, but she had a husband. A couple of days ago, someone told me that he was inquiring about our family."

Jiang Zhi was startled.

Thinking about that woman's behavior before, he couldn't help but grit his teeth.

"Could it be that he wants to help that woman get revenge?"

Jiang Shan sighed, neither denying nor admitting it, "The fact that they are probing our information is not good news."

Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "What's that person's name?"

Jiang Shan: "Gu Kaizhi."

He patted his daughter on the shoulder. "He's been promoted to captain of a squad."

Jiang Zhi frowned, a bad feeling creeping into her heart—"Dad, is this guy planning to cause trouble for us in the wild?"

It's perfectly normal for people to die in the wild.

Jiang Shan paused for a moment, then said, "Very likely."

Jiang Zhi was both angry and anxious. "Dad, what should we do? We can't just wait for him to make a move before we fight back, can we?"

Since the other party has not yet done anything harmful, rationally speaking, they cannot do anything to the other party based on their own assumptions.

But if the other party really wants to attack them, it will be too late to retaliate then.

“Ah Zhi, I know you’re anxious, but we don’t have any evidence right now, so we can’t act rashly, or we’ll be the ones who suffer.”

In fact, Jiang Shan had already inquired about Gu Kaizhi's situation privately.

The other party was very good at pretending and acting. He always claimed that he and his wife had a bad relationship, but Jiang Shan discovered that the other party always carried a photo of Feng Yan.

Jiang Zhi looked dejected. "Dad, if you're staying here because of this..."

Jiang Shan interrupted her, "It's not just because of that. This morning, the higher-ups gave a notice that the base has temporarily suspended land reclamation."

Jiang Zhi was taken aback.

As far as she knew, the base had been preparing to accept more ordinary people over the years, so it had never stopped building and expanding the collection area.

Every year, quite a few people join the base from surrounding smaller settlements.

The fact that it has suddenly stopped can only mean that something even bigger has happened.

Jiang Zhi immediately thought, "Dad, could it be a problem with the climate?"

Jiang Shan nodded. "Although it wasn't explicitly stated above, it's pretty much a done deal. All departments will be reorganized, but the specific procedures haven't been finalized yet."

Jiang Zhi let out a breath.

It seems my dad wants to stay here so he can gather more information in advance.

Jiang Shan then asked, "How is the situation at home now? How's the food storage going?"

Jiang Zhi: "Still a little short."

Their stockpiling standard is based on a three-year plan.

From the start of the cataclysm, they experienced more than three years of summer.

Normally, winters are unlikely to be short.

Their current food supply is sufficient in the short term, but compared to a three-year period, it is still not enough.

"Dad, you don't need to worry about things at home."

Jiang Shan smiled and said, "Our Azhi has grown up."

The father and daughter chatted for a while longer. Later, as employees returned to work overtime, Jiang Zhi got up and went home.

While Jiang Zhi was delivering food, Grandpa Jiang returned home. Seeing his children and grandchildren digging a cellar, he said, "Didn't we say we wouldn't start for a few days? Why the rush?"

Grandma Jiang said with a smile, "Your grandchildren are doing a great job. They bought a lot of grain. Ahai and the others are worried that the grain will spoil, so they plan to rush out a cellar tonight."

Grandpa Jiang didn't say anything after hearing this.

"Qingyun, here are the points you earned from today's house call. Keep them."

Ye Qingyun quickly refused: "Dad, in the past, when the family was in difficulty, everyone worked together and you valued me and let me manage the household. But now that the family has some spare money, you two should keep these points for yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Jiang's face hardened. "Qingyun, do you look down on the little money I earn?"

Ye Qingyun smiled wryly, "Dad, how could I dare?"

Grandpa Jiang's expression softened, and he lowered his voice, saying, "I remember all the help you gave to this family before. You can't be the ones who always help when things are tough, and then forget your roots when things are easy. I, Grandpa Jiang, am not that kind of person."

Grandma Jiang also said, "Yes, Qingyun, you keep these points. Your father and I don't need them."

Although Old Man Jiang didn't say it, he always remembered the debts that Jiang Shan's family had helped them pay off.

Jiang Shan and his wife initially said the family wouldn't hold a grudge because their son and daughter-in-law were filial and the brothers were respectful and loving. But he couldn't just let it go so easily; the two elders had actually been keeping a secret all along.

Anyway, Old Man Jiang planned to give all the points he earned to his third son's wife, as a way of repaying the kindness Jiang Shan and the others had shown to the family.

Seeing that the two elders had gone this far, Ye Qingyun had no choice but to accept it.

She laughed and said, "Mom and Dad, you two are really something. I just received the points my second brother earned from carpentry today, and now I'm receiving Dad's too. I'm going to become a rich woman."

Grandpa Jiang laughed and said, "That's just part of your destiny."

Grandma Jiang served him a bowl of barley rice. When Grandpa Jiang saw the dishes and the blueberries on the side, he was surprised again. "Have we struck it rich? So many good dishes? And even fruit?"

Grandma Jiang said irritably, "I told you that Ah Zhi and her brother bought these. Eat up, you've been asking questions and the food is getting cold."

Grandpa Jiang muttered, "It seems like I've missed so much in just one day..."

Several large men in the yard were still huffing and puffing as they dug in the dirt.

The cellar was twelve square meters in size. After Jiang He and his men dug to a depth of more than two meters, the four walls had to be leveled before steps were dug out.

Jiang He and his group used hemp ropes to carry soil up and down.

Once the excavation is complete, a roof will be built using wooden planks and cement. A small skylight will be left for ventilation, and finally, dry grass will be laid on top to prevent moisture. Only then can the cellar be considered complete.

The group worked until well past midnight.

The power was cut off at the base, so they continued working using kerosene lamps.

The women had to get up early the next day to process the vegetables, so they all went to bed early. Their most important task these next few days was to properly store all the food in the house, otherwise it would all spoil, and they'd have no one to blame but themselves.