An'an pointed at the things in the basket and showed them off to her younger sister, but when Nuannuan reached out with a piece of bread, An'an shut up.
"Thank you, little sister!" An'an ate a third of it in one big bite.
Nuannuan smiled and said "You're welcome," then moved her hand to Shen Yanming's mouth.
An'an stared blankly at the departing bread. She pouted, looking aggrieved, but didn't say anything.
Shen Yanming watched An An suppress a laugh, praised Nuan Nuan, and then finished the rest of the bread.
Bi Qiaoan quickly took out other snacks from her bag. They were all taken from her spatial storage and were at the perfect temperature. An'an and Nuannuan ate them happily.
"The situation is not optimistic," Shen Yanming said, frowning as he avoided the two children.
Bi Qiaoan nodded without saying anything.
This is Yunling Mountain. Two years ago, they sowed so many high-quality seeds that had undergone spatial modification, but none of them could adapt to this strange weather. I really don't know where humanity should go from here.
"Perhaps only spiritual seeds can adapt to this low temperature," Shen Yanming said, his thoughts drifting away.
The guards had taken over Wensheng Mountain, so even if he wanted to know something, he was too embarrassed to ask.
"Alright, stop thinking about it, we can't control that. Eat up." Bi Qiaoan nudged Shen Yanming, waking him up, and took out some jerky for him to eat.
Shen Yanming smiled, took it, and started chewing. The meat was very chewy, but it felt like a bellyful of cold air had been swallowed.
After the family finished eating, the two babies started hiccuping not long after. The couple patted their backs and gave them hot water to drink.
"It's still cold," the couple remarked.
After the two babies recovered, the family wandered around the mountains for two hours, picked some mushrooms, and then went home.
Today's outing wasn't very fruitful, and we're all freezing. An'an and Nuannuan are both a bit listless; as soon as we got back, they hid under the covers and wouldn't come out. The couple didn't force them and let them play around as they pleased.
The next day was their birthday, and Bi Qiaoan made a cake for the two children herself, and even put five small candles on it.
"Oh my, our little darling is five years old this year! She's all big kids now. Mommy and Daddy wish An'an and Nuannuan eternal happiness and a smooth life!"
The two children smiled broadly, a little shyly. They nodded, "Thank you, Mommy! Thank you, Daddy!"
"Come on, let's blow out the candles!"
"Would you like to make a wish?"
The two children imitated Shen Yanming and Bi Qiaoan, clasped their hands together in front of their chests, gently closed their eyes, and made a wish.
"I hope I can always be with my mom and dad."
The couple smiled, thinking that their children wouldn't think that way when they grew up. But in the atmosphere, they remained silent.
After making a wish and blowing out the candles, the two little ones happily ate their cake. Shen Yanming took out steamed hairy crabs, cooked sweet and sour fish, some fresh vegetables, and a small plate of rice from his spatial storage.
"Come on, let's eat. Have a little cake, and you can eat more after you finish your meal."
The two babies were very obedient and stopped eating after three or five bites.
There was just too much delicious food on the table, and there was no need to give up any of it. They're just kids, of course they're greedy!
The family enjoyed their meal. After they finished eating, the two children huddled together to watch the movie, while Shen Yanming and Bi Qiaoan spoke in hushed tones.
"They're both five years old. Before the apocalypse, they should have been in school by then."
Bi Qiaoan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there a school at the base now?"
"Not yet, but we can't go on like this forever. It's okay for kids who went to school before, but we can't let them become illiterate. Our two kids, although they can read, their literacy is limited."
As parents, we can't hold our children to the same standards as schools. They're both lively and haven't been disciplined much. Although social order is different now, education is still essential.
Furthermore, I think they need friends their own age; having them constantly by our side limits their room for growth.
Bi Qiaoan knew this, but, "The outside environment is unstable. What if, what if something unexpected happens?"
Shen Yanming also fell silent. "They can't hide in that space forever. As people grow up, they have to learn to face things on their own."
Bi Qiaoan blurted out, "But they're only five years old!"
Only after saying that did I realize I had been a bit too indulgent. I was constantly worried they would encounter danger when they weren't around. But danger isn't necessary.
"Don't think too much about it. The base doesn't have a clear plan yet. Maybe they don't intend to restart education."
Bi Qiaoan nodded without saying anything, but she was clearly somewhat absent-minded.
Shen Yanming sighed, staring blankly at the two children.
The next day, he went to see Lord Wen and shared his thoughts.
Wen Mengguan remained silent after hearing this. They had discussed this issue before, but every household needed their children to work, and even basic necessities like food and clothing were a problem. Who had the time or energy to think about education?
Shen Yanming knew this, but he didn't want his child to become illiterate. Besides, his family wasn't short of food.
"Are you getting impatient because An'an and Nuannuan are all grown up?" Wen Chaohui asked with a smile.
Shen Yanming nodded, not hiding his own selfish motives: "Indeed, I hope they are knowledgeable and have diplomas. The alliance might return to normal at any time, and I can't let my two children be without education."
Wen Chaohui: "...What if it can't be restored?"
"Education is needed at all times. Just like in a training base, you can't select people who can't read much to enter management. Currently, the backbone of the organization has at least a bachelor's degree, but if the next generation can't keep up, there will be a gap in the talent pool. This is not conducive to social development."
Wen Chao smiled, feeling that Shen Yanming was forcing him to make a choice. But what Shen Yanming said made sense, so he could only listen.
"Alright, I'll discuss it with the higher-ups. Or, I'll ask the Imperial Capital for advice on how to do it."
Shen Yanming nodded: "I'm not exaggerating. After all, my two kids are still young. Maybe the planet will return to normal before they even grow up. Don't you agree?"
Wen Chaohui's face hardened, his eyes widened, and he looked like he wanted to punch him.
I thought to myself, this guy clearly wanted me to do something, but then he washed his hands of it all afterward. What a jerk!
Shen Yanming chuckled, cupped his hands in greeting, took out a packet of fried mushrooms from his bag, and placed it next to the other person.
"Boss, I'll head back now. Please think it over carefully; there's no rush!"
Wen Chaohui's nostrils twitched as he felt a domineering fragrance assaulting his senses. He wanted to refuse, but remembering how he had just been threatened, he snorted, "Get lost!"
Shen Yanming wasn't angry; he simply opened the office door and left.
Wen Chao glanced outside the door, but it was closed and he couldn't see anything. Still feeling uneasy, he got up and locked the door before sitting back down and opening the oil paper package. The crispy fried mushrooms inside looked quite tempting.
He glanced at his hands, felt they were a bit dirty, and didn't touch them. He opened a drawer, took out a pair of chopsticks, picked one up, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and then happily squinted his eyes.
"Wow, this is delicious!"
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