23. Riots broke out
Perhaps the system heard Fu Yunong's thoughts, because the next day, she actually drew the [Grain Gift Pack (Beginner)].
Upon opening it, I found ten pounds of rice, ten pounds of rice noodles, ten pounds of soybeans, ten pounds of sweet potatoes, and ten pounds of potatoes neatly stacked inside.
They could hold on a little longer, and Fu Yunong's anxiety eased somewhat.
For breakfast, I ate the freshly made rice noodles.
The water was bubbling in the iron pot. Fu Yunong first added the chopped minced meat, then sprinkled on a handful of tender green chives, then scooped in a spoonful of chili oil, and finally poured in the pre-soaked rice noodles and stirred them apart.
The aroma of the food filled the room, and the three of them ate with their bowls in hand, sweat dripping from their noses.
Lin Songsong used to go hungry all the time, but now that he can eat his fill every day, he feels like he's living in a dream.
The cold wind was still howling outside, carrying snowflakes and ice pellets that rattled against the walls. Shi Dong glanced out the window; everything was a white blur, with visibility less than five meters. She then looked away and walked back to the brazier.
The sweet potatoes buried in the brazier were just cooked through. Fu Yunong used a stick to dig them out, and the three of them each received one. The skin of the sweet potatoes was roasted until it was charred black, and when you squeezed them, the sweet and soft flesh would ooze out. Lin Songsong held the hot sweet potato in her hands, blew on it gently, and squinted her eyes happily.
Fu Yunong was peeling a sweet potato when she glanced at the little nest next to her. Usually at this time, Hua Hua would be whining for milk, but why was it so quiet today? She put down the sweet potato and looked closely, then burst out laughing. The little kitten in the nest had actually opened its eyes!
Hua Hua's eyes were still veiled with a thin mist, wet like two glass beads, looking at her timidly, making soft meowing sounds.
Fu Yunong's heart melted instantly. This was a kitten she had raised herself, how was it any different from one she had given birth to!
She carefully held the flower in her hands, gently stroking its soft fur with her fingertips, and then handed it to Lin Songsong, saying, "You can touch it too."
Lin Songsong held the flower in her hands, feeling its soft warmth and a faint milky scent. She remembered how small and thin the little one was when it was born; she was almost certain it wouldn't survive. Now, however, it was healthy and had opened its eyes, all thanks to Fu Yunong's meticulous care!
She lowered her head and nuzzled Hua Hua's little head, whispering, "That's great, it can see us now."
"When will it be able to walk?" Shi Dong also came over to take a look and gently touched Hua Hua's paw with his finger.
Fu Yunong thought for a moment, "It will take two or three weeks, kittens are all like that."
Normally, Huahua needs to drink milk for a full month before weaning, but buying a single box of lactose-free milk is not cheap, and buying it by the case is also expensive. Moreover, the weather is frighteningly cold, and the milk will freeze after a short time, making it undrinkable.
She tried feeding Hua Hua some minced meat and liquid food, and to her surprise, the little guy wasn't picky at all and digested it quite well, so she felt at ease letting it eat with them.
Fu Yunong had moved the obstacle blocking the stairwell, but not completely. Instead, she moved it to the entrance of the stairwell on the 10th floor, just enough to block people from coming in.
Once the obstacle was gone, they busily carried the tables, chairs, and cabinets downstairs. Occasionally, some curious ones would tiptoe up to the 10th floor to peek out, but they couldn't see anything and had to sheepishly pull their heads back down.
A few days passed peacefully like this. Hua Hua grew very fast. Although she was only twenty-odd days old, she looked like a two- or three-month-old kitten, a fluffy ball of fur, and she could even wobble and take a few steps on the ground.
At first, Fu Yunong was worried that its rapid growth would affect its health, but seeing that it ate well and was in good spirits every day, constantly chasing after people's trouser legs, she stopped worrying.
The peace downstairs didn't last long. That afternoon, Xiao Linfang was approached again by the men from apartment 802. The leader of the group wrung his hands and pleaded, "Sister Xiao, please beg Miss Fu one last time! We're almost out of food!"
Xiao Linfang frowned and said unhappily, "I already said last time, that was the last time. Miss Fu doesn't have any extra food!"
"What do you mean there's no food!" a woman suddenly shouted. "I saw you secretly hiding food! Hand over the food!" As soon as she said this, the others echoed her, their eyes fixed on Xiao Linfang's room, their eyes full of greed.
Xiao Linfang's head buzzed as she looked at the people in front of her, her heart filled with disappointment.
At this moment, Chen Yin suddenly rushed out of the house, pointing at them and cursing, "Have you no shame? Sister Lin helped you get food, and you ate it all, and now you're trying to steal from us? If you're so capable, go ask the people upstairs for some! All you do is bully us!"
A man in the crowd lowered his stance, his voice pleading, "Sister Xiao, we're really starving. So many mouths are waiting to be fed, please help us out again..."
Xiao Linfang closed her eyes briefly, her tone firm, "If you want to go, go yourselves. I won't go again." Before they could react, she grabbed Chen Yin and quickly closed the door, leaving them all outside.
The people outside the door cursed and swore for a while before dispersing. Only Wang Xiaogang stood still, a sinister glint in his eyes.
He had long disliked Xiao Linfang. Last time, she had instigated him to attack, and he had been in pain for several days. Now, he wanted to let her taste what it was like to be beaten and see if she could fight back to the death! He quietly called over Wenming and a few others and whispered in their ears.
Just as dawn was breaking, the door to room 802 was quietly pried open, and several dark figures crept in furtively. As they searched for grain, a woman's voice suddenly screamed.
Xiao Linfang and Chen Yin immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed their weapons. Wang Xiaogang, caught off guard, was instantly enraged and slapped Wang Xiaoqin across the face, yelling, "You treacherous bastard!"
Wang Xiaoqin covered her face and sobbed, tears streaming down her face through her fingers.
In a blur, the two sides instantly grappled, the sounds of overturned tables and chairs mingling with screams. Two fists couldn't fight four hands, and just as the two were about to be defeated, Chen Yin clung tightly to a man's leg, shouting to Xiao Linfang, "Run! Go upstairs and get help!"
Xiao Linfang slashed down one person, gritted her teeth, and stumbled towards the door. The short two flights of stairs felt like an eternity to her. But just as she reached the 9th floor, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
Wenming caught up with her, still holding a fruit knife, and stabbed her hard in the back!
Xiao Linfang gasped in pain, but didn't stop. She climbed to the 10th floor with all her might, shouting, "Miss Shi! Help! Miss Shi!"
Wenming watched her retreating figure, fearing that Fu Yunong and the others would come out, so he could only spit angrily and hurriedly run downstairs.
"Miss Shi! Help!"
A piercing cry for help pierced the cold wind.
Shi Dong suddenly stood up, his eyes instantly sharpening. Fu Yunong also stood up, the two exchanged a glance, and quickly got up to put on their clothes.
The obstacle was still blocking the stairwell to the 10th floor. With a thought, Fu Yunong saw the heavy stone disappear, and the next second she saw Xiao Linfang lying on the steps, a knife still stuck in her back. It was too cold, and although not much blood had flowed from the wound, it had frozen into a dark, hard lump on her clothes.
Xiao Linfang's face was deathly pale, her breathing weak, and she was still calling out intermittently, "Save...save Chen Yin..."
"Quickly, carry it inside!"
Fu Yunong and Shi Dong carried the person inside together.
Shi Dong checked it briefly, then turned to Fu Yunong and said, "I'll handle it. You and Lin Songsong go downstairs and check carefully."
Fu Yunong nodded and went out with Lin Songsong, who had already gotten up.
As soon as they stepped out the door, Lin Songsong erected a metal shield, a pale golden light membrane enveloping the two of them before becoming transparent. Having eaten and drunk her fill these past few days, and having absorbed crystal cores to level up, her powers were far stronger than before; the shield's hardness and range had doubled.
Fu Yunong casually blocked the stairwell again and followed Lin Songsong down the stairs. Looking at her tall figure, he felt very at ease.
Just as they reached the corner on the 8th floor, several dark figures suddenly darted out, weapons in their hands, and pounced straight at the two of them.
Immediately afterward, all attacks were forcefully blocked by the shield, and the person at the forefront was even knocked back several steps by the force of the rebound. Everyone was stunned on the spot, and before they could react, a rusty iron nail had already floated in Lin Songsong's palm.
With a flick of his finger, the iron nail shot out like an arrow, piercing the hearts of several people in succession.
The bodies fell one after another. The remaining people were so frightened that they turned and ran. Wenming hid in the corner and looked at Wang Xiaogang and the others lying motionless on the ground. His pupils shrank and his trouser leg was instantly soaked.
Fu Yunong ignored the limp Wenming and walked straight to 801. The door was wide open, and the moment she entered, a strong smell of blood hit her.
Chen Yin lay by the door, a knife stuck in her chest, her eyes wide open. Beside her, Wang Xiaoqin lay curled up, her face purple, and she was no longer breathing. Fu Yunong walked over and gently closed Chen Yin's eyes with her hand, a heavy feeling settling in her heart.
The two went to room 802, which was in a mess.
The remaining people were terrified when they saw them come in and begged for mercy.
Fu Yunong glanced at it, her voice as cold as ice, "Song Song!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Songsong fired the iron nails from his palm again, and after a short while, there was no more movement in the room.
After dealing with things downstairs, the two returned to the 10th floor. Shi Dong had already bandaged Xiao Linfang's wounds. Fu Yunong walked to the stairwell and forcefully wrote the words "I will find you" on the wall with charcoal.
Unbeknownst to her, after they closed the door, several people hiding upstairs quietly crept down. Upon seeing the words on the wall and the horrific scene on the eighth floor, one person with a weak constitution suddenly screamed and rushed downstairs like a madman, plunging headlong into the swirling snow. In no time, he was frozen solid.
The remaining people hid in the stairwell, without food or water, cold and afraid, and within a few days they gradually stopped breathing.
Xiao Linfang wasn't seriously injured, and they thought she would pull through safely, but unexpectedly, she developed a high fever.
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