The sun is setting, it's lunchtime.
Dry food turns into mush when soaked in water, pickled vegetables and canned food are standard fare, and salted duck eggs are a must-have for a big meal. Yan Shi laid out all the food in his car, much like an animal displaying its hunting skills during courtship.
Zhuang Zhao was stunned; it was incredible that she could fit so much stuff into such a small car.
By the time we finished tidying up, it was already dark, so it was time to go to sleep.
Yan Shi only had one sleeping bag, so Zhuang Zhao had to wrap himself in a blanket and huddle in the cart bed. The blanket was left to Yan Shi by Bu Ke.
Yan Shi felt extremely ashamed. She should have offered better conditions. But then again, she didn't know she would get Zhuang Zhao as well, otherwise she would have ordered two more sets of the cups that she thought took up too much space.
The two chatted for a while, but Yan Shi fell asleep after only a few words.
After Yan Shi fell silent, Zhuang Zhao clung to the carriage and peeked around. Only when she confirmed that Yan Shi was truly asleep did she lie down.
I never expected to be able to travel with her. I thought I would miss out. In the end, I really have to thank those bastards who pushed him out as bait.
In the latter half of the night, Zhuang Zhao vaguely heard strange noises. The moon emerged from the clouds, and the hazy moonlight shone down. Who would have thought that in such a beautiful scene, what he saw when he opened his eyes was not something that should exist in the mortal world.
A zombie that appeared out of nowhere was above Yan Shi's sleeping bag. He could even hear the zombie making a gurgling sound in its throat. He had heard this sound many times before; it was the sound a zombie made when it found food.
Zhuang Zhao was unaware that the faint scent on his body suddenly became stronger, somewhat like the gas released by a weasel when it was running away. The zombie looked up, glanced at Zhuang Zhao, and then continued to rush towards Yan Shi.
Just as Zhuang Zhao was about to jump down and kick the zombie away, his foot was already on the railing and he was about to jump down when he saw Yan Shi's left hand reach out. After a gust of wind, the zombie disappeared into thin air, and a pebble shone slightly in the moonlight.
Her hands can even swallow zombies while she's sleeping! That's amazing!
Zhuang Zhao stared at her hand for a while, then reluctantly lay back down when he felt cold. He wished he could hold her hand while he slept.
Zhuang Zhao's wish came true in his dream, but he forgot what he dreamed about after he woke up.
"Did you sleep well?" Yan Shi asked.
"It's alright, I think I heard something last night and woke up for a moment," Zhuang Zhao said tentatively.
"I slept soundly until dawn. I haven't slept this well in a long time." Yan Shi was completely unaware of what was happening. He stretched and then took out the food again.
"That's good." It seems she knew nothing about eating zombies last night.
"Let me tell you, my tomato and cabbage fried rice is absolutely amazing."
Break up the leftover rice from last night, dice the tomatoes, shred the cabbage, heat oil in a pan, add the tomatoes and stir-fry for a few seconds until they release their juices, then add the cabbage, crush some dried chili peppers and sprinkle them in, stir-fry for a while, add some soy sauce, stir-fry until softened, then add the rice, press it down a bit, stir it a few more times and it's ready to serve.
The tomatoes are tangy, the cabbage is sweet, and because the tomatoes make a broth, it's not dry at all. This is the best version that Yan Shi figured out step by step during countless lazy days.
"If only I had salad dressing, I could drizzle it on a few times. Salad dressing is sweet and a little salty, which would improve the overall taste. It's a pity I couldn't find salad dressing in Japan, otherwise it would be quite convenient to make sushi."
"It's delicious, the sour taste is very appetizing. I didn't expect you to cook so well. I was thinking of showing off my skills."
"You sound quite confident in your cooking skills. What are your signature dishes? By the way, do you eat spicy food? What are your dietary restrictions? What don't you like to eat? Let's check and make sure we don't make any mistakes."
After breakfast, they continued their journey. Zhuang Zhao and Yan Shi took turns riding the bikes. Yan Shi thought it would be fine to take turns, but Zhuang Zhao got on and wouldn't get off.
"Let me do what I can, otherwise I'll feel guilty."
Yan Shi was easily persuaded. When he got bored during the carriage ride, he would follow behind the carriage to practice his walking speed.
The two of them strolled around like they were on a picnic, digging for sweet potatoes and picking wild fruits to eat. Every now and then they would take a bird's egg or catch a chicken to eat. They couldn't catch any wild chickens, but they could find a few domestic chickens, ducks and geese around the village.
Yan Shi considered the long-term perspective and hung two cages behind the cart to hold chickens, ducks and geese, fearing they would go hungry and have to cut grass and find food, determined not to let them lose even half a pound.
The thought of not having to worry about not having meat to eat along the way made Yan Shi laugh in his dreams.
With Zhuang Zhao, the culinary genius, around, even wild vegetables can be made delicious. He's so happy every day, like he's on an autumn outing, that Yan Shi has completely forgotten about his trip to District Seven.
Finally, the dark clouds urged them onward, and the howling wind made it difficult for the tricycle to move. The two had no choice but to turn back to the town they had just passed through and find a hotel that looked quite upscale to check into.
"There's no electricity in this town, and I don't know how long the rain will last." Yan Shi sighed. Without electricity, he couldn't use his phone, and some of the kitchen utensils were unusable, so there wasn't much he could cook, making the recipes monotonous. He was unhappy.
"There's a section of road ahead that's still under construction. If it rains heavily, it might take several days before we can travel on it," Zhuang Zhao added.
"I just remembered something. Isn't there a bridge ahead? My classmate used to live around here, and he said that the bridge gets flooded whenever it rains. Sometimes, when it rains heavily, the bridge piers are washed away, so they have to repair it before you can cross." Yan Shi suddenly remembered this. She was glad at the time that it didn't concern her, but now it's her turn.
"How about taking another route?"
"This is the shortest route. If we take a detour, it will take several more days. Every autumn rain brings a chill, and who knows how cold it will be in a few days? Neither of us has warm clothes. It would be ridiculous if we died of a cold."
Where are we going?
"In District Seven, if I'm lucky, I might even run into my friend."
"Are they the two people you went to see that day?"
"Um."
"I think that guy seems to like you. Do you like him?"
"No, it's just that his sister seems to like me quite a bit." Yan Shi really didn't sense that Bu Qing was interested in her.
If Bu Qing really likes her, and his sister likes her too, they might actually get together.
Yan Shi was lost in thought. Who wouldn't want a sweet romance when they're in their twenties?
"So what kind of guy do you like?"
"Good-looking, with similar values to mine, and someone I can get along with—it's hard to explain in a few words. Even if I like someone at first impression, it doesn't necessarily mean we'll get along. I'm quite individualistic and have a bit of a princess complex." Yan Shi had a pretty clear self-awareness.
"Your sister will definitely meet a suitor who loves you very much."
"I believe in love, but I don't believe it will happen to me. We're all just ordinary people, so let's not talk about love. Most people's so-called love is just a momentary impulse, a rush of hormones, and it fades away over time."
"True love should be the result of careful consideration; what you're saying doesn't count."
"Exactly! It's laughable that people mistake a fleeting feeling of affection for love. Love isn't that cheap. The correct order is: attraction, getting closer, liking, understanding, and then love."
The cold wind and raindrops pattered against the window, and the two chatted more and more enthusiastically. Yan Shi rarely met someone who shared similar views on all aspects and was willing to listen to her indignant ramblings. As a result, she was in a state of excitement and even forgot the time, not eating dinner until midnight.
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