After two days of hard work, Sinan felt sore and achy all over, and he did not sleep well that night.
The next morning, before dawn, she heard a commotion outside. She opened her eyes drowsily and wanted to go out to see what was going on. Cheng Suming kissed her forehead and said, "You continue to sleep. I'll go out and take a look."
He put on his clothes and went downstairs to check. Not long after, he came back with a chill on his body. He sat on the bed and said, "There is a large number of survivors outside. It is estimated that there are no less than 10,000 people. They were brought here by a legion. They are now queuing up in front of the government building to register."
"So many people are here?" Si Nan was no longer sleepy and struggled to get up. "I have to quickly find the housing management office in the government building to rent two houses. Otherwise, when the survivors finish registering and the houses are allocated, there will be no houses left to rent."
"Don't worry." Cheng Suming comforted her: "Although there are many survivors coming to Shishan recently, the existing housing is very tight, but the local town government staff and Shishan military must have anticipated this. Now it will not be like when we first came, directly allocating houses and then talking about paying rent. The new survivors should be placed in the newly built shantytowns, giving them the opportunity to work and earn points to build the Shishan base, so that they can earn enough points to rent a house, and then talk about living in the house."
"So, time is running out." Si Nan put on his coat and combed his hair with an ox-tooth comb. "Let's have breakfast. After breakfast, I'll go ask Sheng Youqing if they have any jobs they want to do. If they do, we need to give them an easier job before the survivors find good jobs. Once they decide what jobs they want to do, you can go to the Statistics Department to redeem your points, and then go to the Housing Management Office and the Human Resources Department to confirm the housing work matters."
"You worry too much. They will handle the work issues themselves." Cheng Su looked helpless.
"How can I not worry? There are more and more survivors coming to Shishan, and there are only a few good positions. If I don't decide on them soon, others will grab them." Si Nan rubbed his temples with a headache. "I have space, so I don't have to work. I won't have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of my life. Sheng Youqing and the others are different. They have nothing but the points given by the military. It's impossible for them to just sit back and enjoy the good life. They must work."
Cheng Suming couldn't argue with her, so he could only watch her comb her hair, scoop out two cups of clean water from the space, hand one cup to him, and the two of them went downstairs and squatted in the corner of the yard to brush their teeth and wash up.
After washing up, Si Nan took out two buckets of instant hot and sour noodles from the space, boiled a small pot of water on the alcohol stove, and soaked the two buckets of hot and sour noodles. The two of them ate the noodles in a slurry. Si Nan wiped his mouth, and rushed to the next door to ask Sheng Youqing's family, Cheng Wei and Yang Wentao if they had any jobs they wanted to do.
"I used to follow my parents to open a hotpot restaurant and work in the catering industry. Now that I can't open a store to do business, I really don't know what I am suitable for." Sheng Youqing ate the canned food he found yesterday with a confused look on his face.
Sheng Youbin, who was also eating canned food next to her, was a college student. He came to the end of the world before he graduated. He had no work experience and didn't know what to do.
Sheng's mother was in poor health and had heart disease. She could not do strenuous physical work. She wanted to find a job, but Sheng Youqing would not let her go and asked her to stay at home to recuperate, but she did not insist.
Cheng Wei is a spoiled brat who has nothing to do but ask her to work. Regardless of how she feels about it, Yang Wentao just can't bear to let her go out to work and suffer, so Yang Wentao has already made plans to support Cheng Wei by working two jobs at the same time.
Seeing that they had no plans for the future, Si Nan frowned and asked Cheng Su Ming who was following slowly: "Su Ming, what kind of jobs do you think are suitable for them?"
Cheng Suming thought for a moment, then said to Sheng Youbin, "I will report to the Shishan Military Hospital in a few days, and the higher-ups should assign me a medical assistant by then. Medical assistants were medical students or interns before the natural disaster, but there are not so many requirements now. As long as you understand basic medical knowledge, can record medical records, prescribe medicine, and follow me to see patients when necessary, and pass surgical instruments and equipment into the operating room, you should be able to be hired as a medical assistant. I will recommend you and show you some surgical books. If you are willing to do it, you must study hard."
"I do." Sheng Youbin didn't want to stay at home as a useless person, so he nodded immediately.
Cheng Suming looked at Yang Wentao again: "I know you can do a lot of work, such as repairman and electrician, but I prefer you to join the militia patrol team, so that you can patrol around our house at any time to protect the safety of Weiwei, Anan and others."
Yang Wentao did not object, but only asked: "I was in police station before the natural disaster and have a criminal record. Will the military accept me into the patrol team?"
Cheng Suming frowned: "Have you ever committed serious crimes such as robbery and murder, or rape, drug trafficking, corruption, etc.?"
"No, many years ago, when I was young and frivolous, I got into a fight with others for territory and resources and was put in jail." Yang Wentao did not hide anything.
"That's no problem." Cheng Suming took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his glasses, saying, "As long as you haven't committed a serious crime, you will definitely join the patrol team as long as I'm here."
Seeing that he had no intention of making arrangements for her, Sheng Youqing hurriedly asked, "Is the patrol team recruiting female members? I want to join the patrol team, too."
Cheng Suming paused while wiping his glasses. "The patrol team only recruits people who can protect themselves. You are powerless now..."
"I will learn!" Sheng Youqing said in a serious voice, "Once my family is settled, I will follow Brother Yang to exercise, learn fighting techniques, protect myself, and protect everyone!"
Cheng Suming slowly put his glasses back on his nose, said "oh" and did not deny it.
His lukewarm attitude made Sheng Youqing very angry. She knew that Cheng Suming was embarrassing her on purpose, probably because he resented her for always interfering in his and Si Nan's affairs.
She pursed her lips and thought to herself, if you don't want to help, then forget it. She will eventually find a way to join the patrol team. Once she joins the patrol team, she can hang around near home at any time like Yang Wentao, protecting her family and Si Nan's safety. Then we will see who cares about Si Nan the most.
Si Nan looked at his friend who was holding his breath, and then at Cheng Su Ming's fake smile. He was impressed by the bravery of these two children. He sighed and pulled Cheng Su Ming's sleeve.
Cheng Suming glanced at her, and seeing that she was staring at him unhappily, he said slowly, "Okay, I'll go to the Human Resources Department later and ask."
Just asking...
Sheng Youqing was so angry, but she couldn't show it because her friends had helped her to do something. She snorted coldly and turned around to continue eating the canned food.
Cheng Suming quickly walked to the government building, found the head of the Statistics Department, and said straight away that he wanted to exchange the points for other supplies.
"It's Doctor Cheng. Please wait a moment." Cheng Suming is now the most points holder among the survivors. The person in charge did not dare to neglect him. He worked in front of the computer for a while, then looked up and said to Cheng Suming: "According to the query, Doctor Cheng, you and your wife have a total of 7,800 points. How many points do you want to redeem for supplies?"
Cheng Suming calculated the materials needed. Sinan wanted to build a greenhouse on the rooftop of the second floor where they lived. It was about 100 square meters. If it was just a single wall, it would require at least 6,400 red bricks.
Si Nan needs to be a fire wall, so a double wall needs to be built. In addition, a chimney needs to be built to transfer heat from the downstairs to the upstairs. Three kangs need to be built indoors, and a 50-square-meter greenhouse and a 10-square-meter livestock house need to be built in the yard...
All in all, the bricks needed are at least 20,000, and one point can be exchanged for four bricks.
To exchange for 20,000 bricks, at least 5,000 points are needed, and in addition, cement, sand, stone and other supplies must be purchased. Most importantly, two houses must be rented for Sinan. With all this calculation, almost all of the points just obtained must be used up.
Cheng Suming sighed slightly: "Exchange them all."
"Doctor Cheng, there are actually a lot of usable old bricks in the ruins of this town..." When the person in charge saw that he had to exchange so many points, he felt sorry for him and advised him tactfully.
"Exchange all of them." Cheng Suming still insisted.
Although those collapsed abandoned old bricks can be used, their quality is far inferior to the newly fired red bricks. Sinan wants to build a greenhouse. If the old bricks leak air, all the vegetables she grows will be frozen to death. She would be so angry that she decided to forget it and spend more points to buy new ones.
At present, Shishan has not yet restored network communications. Most people’s points are simply registered in the Statistics Department’s notebook. A small number of large points, such as the points of Cheng Suming and his team, are registered using the military’s internal network. Therefore, if you want to use the points, you must get a certificate of how much points you have spent from the Director of the Statistics Department, and then stamp it before you can use them.
Cheng Suming walked out of the Statistics Department on the first floor with the points certificate with a red stamp on it. When he was about to go to the Housing Management Office and the Human Resources Planning Department on the second floor, he noticed that more than 50 people lined up in two long queues in front of the government building were all men.
They are strong and healthy, between 25 and 35 years old, with ruddy complexion and normal body shape. Each of them carries a bulging package on his back. Unlike the survivors around them who are pale, thin, listless, and unkempt, it is obvious from their aura that they are not to be trifled with.
Perhaps noticing his gaze, a man with shoulder-length hair and a beard, who looked like an artist from before the apocalypse, accurately locked onto his position, looked him up and down with interest, then raised his eyebrows at him and smiled, as if to say hello.
Cheng Suming frowned slightly, feeling that the man looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him.
The uncomfortable feeling in his heart made him secretly memorize the man's characteristics and decide to check his background when he had the chance.
He must not let go of anyone who arouses his suspicion, because there is a high possibility that he is one of the murderers who killed Si Nan in his previous life.
At present, the vast land under the stone mountain is under intensive construction of base walls, various houses, equipment halls, appliances, factories, etc.
Currently, two newly built large brick factories and cement factories are being built at the supply base. Other civilian uses must be ordered in advance. The bricks that Cheng Suming wants will not be delivered until three days later.
Si Nan was not in a hurry. She followed Cheng Suming to the area where the housing management office staff said there were houses that needed to be rented out temporarily, and finally decided on two adjacent blue brick and tile houses about half an hour away from her home.
Before, Si Nan had always wanted to rent a two-story house like the one she lived in for her uncle and aunt. Unexpectedly, the number of survivors coming to Shishan has increased exponentially in the past few days. All the houses near her have been rented out in exchange for points by people who arrived early or had certain supplies. Now only the remote and old blue brick and tile house below the stream is left.
Sinan wanted his uncle and aunt to live more comfortably so that they wouldn't have to squeeze with others in a cramped room in the future, so he gritted his teeth and rented the house no matter how shabby it was.
The two houses are not big, with a two-bedroom configuration of about 80 square meters, with their own kitchen and bathroom, and a very small yard.
The wall was crumbling. When I walked in, I saw that the house was full of various garbage and mud that had settled after the water receded. The windows were also broken. The only advantage was that the family lived here freely.
After the staff of the Housing Management Office confirmed that they wanted the two rooms, they made a registration in the rental book and told them: "If you want to renew the lease after the rent expires, you must go to the Housing Management Office to register again, and the points corresponding to the house will be deducted as rent before you can continue to live there. If you fail to register for more than three days, it will be regarded as abandoned. At that time, we will take over the house and rent it to someone else."
"I'll remember. Sorry for bothering you with the trip." Sinan stuffed a compressed biscuit into the staff member's hand and politely sent the staff member out.
In an era of material scarcity, even a piece of biscuit could become a favor.
The staff member accepted the cookies from Si Nan, but did not refuse or feel that he had been bribed. Instead, he said to Si Nan happily, "Mrs. Cheng, your husband asked my husband to ask about the well-drilling equipment. I know a few people who happen to have that equipment. If you want to drill a well, I can help you find them. It's just a matter of price..."
"The price is negotiable, as long as the fight is to our liking." said Sinan.
After the staff member left, Si Nan told Cheng Su Ming about the well. Cheng Su Ming was not surprised: "When the time comes, just give me some rice and flour according to the market price. Where do you plan to dig the well?"
"Let's build a location near the kitchen. We can build a greenhouse on the left side of the yard to grow herbs, and build a chicken coop on the right side near the gate. We can raise some chickens and lay some eggs for eating. But if we do that, our house will have to undergo a major renovation, and the yard might be a bit crowded."
"It doesn't matter whether it's crowded or not, the most important thing is to build it the way you want it."
"I like to hear that." Si Nan's eyes curved as he watched him go into the main room to clean up the garbage. He stopped him and said, "Didn't you finish your work and start working tomorrow? Take a good rest today. I'll clean up slowly tomorrow."
"There's no rush for work. It won't be too late for me to report in a few days. These two houses are too dirty. How long will it take you to clean them by yourself? I will do whatever I can." Cheng Suming rolled up his sleeves and started to work without minding the dirt.
He was so considerate that Si Nan felt a warm current flowing through his heart and his whole body became gentle. He took out two masks from the space, put one on him, and the two began to sort out the many garbage and debris in the house.
Half an hour later, Sheng Youqing's family, Yang Wentao and Cheng Wei also came to help.
Si Nan asked curiously, "How do you know we are cleaning here?"
"My mother said so." Sheng Youqing held a basin of water and wiped the wall covered with dry black ash. "She had nothing to do, so she hung out with the neighboring aunties. She heard from one of them that you followed the housing management office to Xiwei to look at houses, and she probably rented the house, so she brought us here to help."
"Sure, Aunt Sheng. It's only been a few days and you've already mixed up with the 'intelligence organization' in town. If we need to know something in the future, we'll have to ask you for help in finding it out." Si Nan wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled at Sheng's mother.
Where there are people, there are underworld, especially those elderly aunts and grandmas. After the labor force in the family goes out to work, they have nothing to do, so they go from house to house, walk around, and gather in groups of three or five by the stream to wash clothes and chat. They can find out everything that happens in the neighbors' homes, big and small. They are a natural intelligence organization.
"Xiao Nan, you're joking. I just have nothing to do, so I found two older girls of the same age to chat with, which made my life easier." Mother Sheng held the broom in her hand and smiled shyly at her: "But if you have anything you want to know in the future, Auntie can help you find out."
Si Nan waved his hands and said, "I was just joking, Aunt Sheng, don't take it seriously. If that day comes, I will definitely ask you for help."
The group spent an entire afternoon cleaning the two houses thoroughly.
Si Nan saw that the glass windows of the two houses were broken and there were no household furniture at home, so he discussed with Cheng Su Ming: "Let's give the furniture we got from Jilin County to my uncle and aunt. And if there is any glass left from the window..."
Cheng Suming walked side by side with her towards home, "Just make your decision. You don't have to tell me about these little things. You are the one who makes the decisions in our family."
Si Nan smiled and took his hand and said, "I'm not discussing all matters with you, but I think that husband and wife should be honest with each other and discuss things before doing anything. That's what husband and wife are."
"You're right." Cheng Suming raised his lips slightly and reached out to wipe the black dust off her cheek. "We are husband and wife, we should discuss everything before doing anything, so that we can understand each other's thoughts and avoid quarrels."
The two returned home, set up a large boiler to heat water and took a shower. Sheng Youqing came over and called them, "Don't cook. My mother made a pot of Northeastern hotpot and wants to treat you to a meal."
Si Nan wiped the water droplets on her hair with a towel, and walked with Cheng Su Ming to the Sheng family on the left. Seeing Cheng Wei and Yang Wen Tao were there, she said to Sheng's mother who was still busy, "Aunt Sheng, you've spent money again."
Sheng's mother set up a big pot in the yard, in which pork and vermicelli were bubbling. Sheng's mother was holding a basin of pre-mixed cornmeal, and she squeezed the cornmeal into palm-sized balls and stuck them to the edge of the pot, making a sizzling sound as they burned the edge of the pot.
She smiled and said, "What's the big deal? Compared to the jobs Dr. Cheng found for Youqing and Youbin, I'm afraid you'd despise this little bit of food."
Si Nan said hurriedly, "How could that be, Aunt Sheng? There is meat, vermicelli, pickled cabbage, potatoes, beans, and corn potstickers in this pot. It's so rich, how could we dislike it?"
"Aunt Sheng, where did you get the sauerkraut pork?" Cheng Wei asked curiously, drooling as she looked at the pot of stew bubbling in the pot.
"The pork was from the girls who told me to exchange points at the Statistics Department, and then exchange them for frozen pork at the military cafeteria." Mother Sheng shoveled the orange corn potstickers that were cooked on the edge of the pot into a large plate, and then continued, "The sauerkraut was pickled by the hostess of the house opposite the stone bridge, a married woman from the Northeast. I exchanged a pound of flour for two pickled Chinese cabbages and a handful of vermicelli. She also gave me a large handful of dried beans and told me how to make a delicious Northeastern hotpot. I happened to have some cornmeal and potatoes at home, so I followed her method."
It turns out that intelligence organizations are different. While they were still cleaning up the mess at home, Sheng's mother had already exchanged information with others and used the points of rice and flour to exchange for supplies.
Women’s ability to spread gossip should not be underestimated.
Cheng Suming suddenly had an idea. While Sheng Youqing and her brother were inviting everyone to the main room to move out the stools and start eating around the iron pot, he walked over to Sheng's mother and said in a low voice, "Aunt Sheng, a group of men came today. I want to know where they came from. If you have time, please help me find out."
Seeing his serious expression, Sheng's mother knew that this matter was not simple, so she hurriedly asked Cheng Suming for the information of the person he wanted to inquire about.
Cheng Suming briefly described some of the characteristics, and finally said: "I hope you can keep a low profile about this matter and don't tell anyone except me."
Mother Sheng said in a serious voice: "Doctor Cheng, don't worry, I will find out everything for you and won't tell anyone."
Cheng Su nodded with satisfaction: "Thank you for your help."
"Hey, what's the trouble? You've helped our family so much, and I'm glad I can do something for you."
When it was getting dark, Sheng Youbin lit a candle in the yard that he had exchanged for points. Everyone sat around the big iron pot and ate the steaming Northeastern stew, which was sour with the aroma of various meats and vegetables, and paired it with sweet and soft corn pot stickers. It was delicious and warming, and had a unique flavor.
Cheng Wei ate the pickled cabbage noodles in big mouthfuls, her mouth was stuffed like a little squirrel, and she mumbled, "That's great, it turns out that Northeastern cuisine can be so delicious without chili peppers and peppercorns. I used to live in the Cheng family, and my family never asked the chef to cook Northeastern cuisine for me. I always thought that Northeastern cuisine was just stewed with soy sauce and spices, and it looked colorless and tasteless, so it shouldn't be delicious. I didn't expect it to be so delicious."
Yang Wentao put a piece of stewed pork with fat and lean meat into her bowl. "My mother is from Northeast China. In my vague memory, she always cooked Northeast China dishes for me. I know a little bit. If you like it, eat more. I will cook different dishes for you in the future."
"Is your mother from Northeast China?" Cheng Wei's eyes widened.
"Why do you think I'm so tall and strong?" Yang Wentao reached out and wiped the oil stains from the corners of her mouth. "My father is a typical Xingcheng man, only about 1.7 meters tall, short and thin. If it weren't for my mother's strong genes and my inheritance of her height, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to protect you like I do now."
Cheng Wei murmured in a low voice: "I don't even know your parents' past."
"If you want to know, I can tell you in detail. I can tell you all my experiences from the time I was born to now." A gentle smile appeared on Yang Wentao's ferocious face.
"Okay, tell me everything when you get back. I want to know."
"Okay, let's eat first, and then we'll talk after we're full."
Si Nan gave Cheng Su Ming a look, meaning that if there was anything else he hadn't told me, it would be best if he confessed.
Cheng Suming thought for a moment and put down his chopsticks. "There is one thing I forgot to tell you."
Everyone paused and turned to look at him, with gossipy looks in their eyes.
"I had a nominal girlfriend abroad before, who was mainly there to help me fend off those tactless women. We have a commissioned partnership, but Qin Su is a bit crazy. If she is not dead and is in China, you should be careful if you meet her."
Si Nan raised his eyebrows and said nothing.
Cheng Wei exclaimed, "Brother, you actually asked that crazy Qin Su to pretend to be your girlfriend. She is famous for beating and fighting with anyone she dislikes."
Cheng Suming said, "I didn't look for her, she looked for me. You know, she is two years older than me. When I was a child and was bullied by Cheng Qiming in the Cheng family, she always came forward to help me. There is no relationship between her and me. She looked for me because she wanted to avoid the family marriage. I wanted to avoid those women who had other ideas about me. The two of us would appear together except for necessary occasions, and we had no contact in private. If I hadn't heard what Yang Wentao said just now, I would have almost forgotten the existence of this person."
Cheng Wei muttered, "She's not the type to easily find a boyfriend. Even if she's pretending, she has her own agenda. Unless she has feelings for you that she shouldn't have, she's making this suggestion. Otherwise, with her crazy personality, who would be able to stand her and be willing to be with her?"
In one sentence, the harmonious dining atmosphere became awkward.
Cheng Wei realized that she had said the wrong thing late, and secretly looked at Si Nan's expression, and added: "Sister-in-law, don't get me wrong, my brother is a mysophobe, and if they are not the ones he likes, let alone touching them, he will stay away from them even if they are close to him, so don't worry..."
"No need to explain." Si Nan ate the stewed potatoes in the bowl and said, "Everyone has an ex. Su Ming and I had an agreement before we got married that if we change our minds, we will part ways amicably and not get entangled. So no matter who his ex is or what kind of relationship he had with his ex, it has nothing to do with me. What I care about is how he treats me now."
These words made Cheng Suming feel mixed emotions. It turned out that Si Nan had always been sober and rational, and could let go of her feelings for him at any time. Although he felt a little uncomfortable, he had to admit that this was the Si Nan he knew.
The worry that had just come to his mind could now be put at ease.
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