Qiao Xuejun went back to her room alone, fetched some water to wash up, and applied a hot towel to her hands. After she was done, Zhao Xian still hadn't returned, so she took out her notebook and looked at it.
After reading the day's records, she began to feel sleepy, but Zhao Xian had not returned yet, so she went to bed.
She didn't know when she heard a little movement.
First, there was the rustling sound of someone sitting on the kang, and then he got into the quilt.
Zhao Xian got on the bed, took her right hand and began to massage her gently.
Qiao Xuejun was already half asleep. When she felt the movement, she half-opened her eyes, saw his outline, and asked, "...What time is it?"
Zhao Xian came in very quietly, and there was no sound when he washed up, so she didn't hear anything. It was only when she went to bed that she realized that he had returned.
Zhao Xian: "12 o'clock."
Qiao Xuejun pulled her hand back from Zhao Xian's, twisted his nose, and complained, "Didn't you say you'd come back early?"
Zhao Xian was speechless, and took her hand back. He bent down and kissed the tip of her ear, and whispered, "I'm sorry, I was delayed by too many things. You sleep, I'll give you a massage."
Qiao Xuejun still complained: "I've been waiting for you."
Zhao Xian: "Yeah. I'm late."
Qiao Xuejun snuggled into his arms, accusing him, "You squeezed me awake while I was asleep."
Zhao Xian said obediently: "I was wrong."
He admitted his mistake, but he didn't stop his hands at all and continued to massage her.
Qiao Xuejun had no choice but to let him continue pinching: "..."
Suddenly, Qiao Xuejun whispered, "I went to Grandpa Fang's house to mend my shoes today, and he confiscated my payment."
Zhao Xian: "Oh? Confiscated the reward?"
Qiao Xuejun was quiet for a moment, her tone a little complicated, and her voice gradually became lower and lower: "They thanked me and said that the food I grew made them feel at ease."
Zhao Xian touched her hair: "Hmm. Teacher Qiao doesn't know? This is the consensus of the base."
The person in my arms is quiet.
He paused, realizing something, and asked in a low voice, "Do you think this gratitude is too much?"
Qiao Xuejun nodded gently: "Zhao Xian, I didn't think so much at first, and I didn't think about the life and death of ordinary survivors in the base. I just wanted to exchange blue oil with you."
Zhao Xian said: "Baby, it has nothing to do with that."
His tone was relaxed, as if he was stating something that was a matter of course: "The food you grow actually feeds everyone in our base. That's the important thing."
He chatted slowly: "Grandpa Fang and his family survived the early natural disasters, and some of their family members starved to death. Naturally, they can feel the weight of this food. So, they are sincere in thanking you. You deserve it."
Qiao Xuejun: "...Yes. I will farm well."
Zhao Xian: "Just focus on growing crops, I'll take care of the rest."
After Qiao Xuejun said this, she suddenly felt much more at ease. No matter what, she was still growing food for the base, so she wouldn't let anyone go hungry. That was all that mattered.
Zhao Xian smiled again: "Doesn't this align with your ideal? When the weather is bad and the ground is bad, people can still grow food and keep everyone from going hungry."
Qiao Xuejun was a little embarrassed: "Don't keep talking about this, I haven't done it yet. I feel guilty."
Zhao Xian raised his eyebrows: "You have very high standards for yourself, but you haven't even achieved this?"
Qiao Xuejun: "Not really. It will only count when the mountains and fields are covered with crops."
Zhao Xian nodded: "Okay, okay, I believe our teacher Qiao can do it. Then I will wait for the day when the mountains and fields are covered with crops."
Qiao Xuejun looked up at him and said, "By the way, why did you come back so late today?"
Zhao Xian: "Reviewing the situation, we held a meeting with the meteorological team. The closer the time gets, the more accurate their predictions are. The temperature far exceeds our expectations and is close to what you told me before."
Qiao Xuejun was silent.
It’s too cold. Many survival plans that were previously designed to cope with -50℃ temperatures have to be changed.
So there was a delay.
"Are you still going hunting tomorrow?"
Because of the approaching temperature drop, Zhao Xian had reduced the patrol team's guard duty by two-thirds over the past few days, sending the rest off hunting. He needed to save some blue oil.
The main energy sources for the base's operation are biogas and blue oil.
Qiao Xuejun: "How long will the blue oil last now? If it's not enough, I actually have some diesel in the shelter."
Zhao Xian was surprised: "You still have diesel?"
Qiao Xuejun: "Yeah, I stockpiled it during the early days of the natural disaster."
She said with a hint of pride: "I have a lot stored. 20,000 liters! I only used one-fifth."
We didn't use much, because we initially relied on solar power during the high temperatures. We barely used any diesel, but we started using it after the floods moved us up the mountain. We primarily used it for farming, and later for water filtration. We cooked on a wood stove.
Now that the base has a well and lighting, there aren't too many scenes where it's used to generate electricity.
Zhao Xian: "As expected of Teacher Qiao, you are truly foresighted."
Qiao Xuejun: "But... diesel has a shelf life of only one year. Even though I've kept it well, its combustion efficiency probably isn't as high as before."
She said, "Will you find time to move here when the time comes?"
Zhao Xian was so soft-hearted that his voice was gentle: "No, you keep it. The blue oil in the base is enough for five or six months."
Qiao Xuejun: "Really?"
Zhao Xian: "Teacher Qiao, have you forgotten that I still owe you a lot of blue oil, and I even exchanged it for a medal of honor?"
Qiao Xuejun: "Okay, as long as it's enough for you."
The two talked for a while, and after Zhao Xian had massaged her hands, he held her and fell asleep.
·
But the sleep was not peaceful. In the middle of the night, Qiao Xuejun heard some noises. After struggling to wake up, she found that it was Zhao Xian's intercom ringing and someone was talking. He had already gotten out of bed and was getting dressed.
"I know. I'll tell you later. Wait until I get out."
Qiao Xuejun sat up from the bed and looked in Zhao Xian's direction: "What happened?"
Zhao Xian was helpless and looked at her: "Sorry, did I wake you up?"
Qiao Xuejun sat up straight. "I heard the voice of the duty team? Wu Haifan?"
Zhao Xian nodded: "Yes, someone came to ask for help. Someone from Haibao."
Qiao Xuejun frowned: "What?"
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