Chapter 21 A place where you can get a response just by reaching out your hand...
As Fu Qing was about to leave the cafeteria, she was attracted by a commotion coming from not far away.
A girl who looked noticeably younger than the people around her, and who was small in stature, was surrounded by the crowd and was speaking eloquently: "It's not enough to just rely on the shelter; we have to be prepared for both possibilities... Although I know that everyone wants to protect their parents and keep them away from danger as much as possible, there will always be unexpected situations after the apocalypse, and our capabilities are far from being able to turn danger into safety at every moment."
"If a crisis really comes and we fail to appear in time to help, then the previous protection will only put them in greater danger."
“We are not even twenty years old yet, and most of our parents are only in their forties, in the prime of their lives. With a little training, they can definitely become a fighting force. At the very least, we should make sure they have the ability to protect themselves.”
The people around her listened intently, nodding repeatedly, clearly also thinking of their own parents.
“My dad has such a beer belly, he gets out of breath just climbing a few stairs. If it were a zombie attack, he wouldn’t even be able to run… He needs to drink less.” A girl said with a worried expression.
“My mom usually loves listening to audiobooks on her phone, but she only listens to CEO romance novels. I’ll recommend some apocalyptic novels to her later,” another boy said, then sighed, “I’m afraid she won’t listen to me.”
Upon hearing this, another girl offered him a suggestion: "I'll teach you. You can secretly take her phone and search for apocalyptic novel recommendations on various platforms several times, then delete the search history. The big data system will recommend them to her in a couple of days."
She added proudly, "This is my secret weapon, I don't usually tell anyone. Last time I wanted to buy an e-ink screen to read novels, I secretly sent my dad several articles about how e-ink screens protect the eyes, and also articles about how buying a high-end laptop can improve learning productivity..."
The most lethal form of promotion is the invisible kind.
The boy was dumbfounded: "I was so ignorant, I never knew it could be like that!"
I've learned something new.
The group chatted animatedly, offering each other advice, unaware that Fu Qing was standing to the side, listening for an unknown amount of time before his brows relaxed slightly.
She looked at the petite girl in the center and realized why the analysis she had just heard sounded so familiar.
It's Su Huaijin.
That 16-year-old liberal arts champion.
After they had finished their conversation, Fu Qing interrupted, specifically calling out Su Huaijin's name: "Do you have time?"
The girl was clearing away the dishes when she looked up and saw Fu Qing. Her expression froze for two seconds before she suddenly stood up.
Su Huaijin's hand unconsciously loosened, and the stainless steel bowl fell onto the plate with a clattering sound. She hurriedly caught it again, looked at Fu Qing, and stammered, "Yes, yes, Principal."
Her behavior was exactly like someone who was sitting in the back row of the classroom during evening self-study and was suddenly called out by a school leader who was passing by the back door during a patrol. Fu Qing couldn't help but fantasize about her student days.
I never thought even a top student could have such a moment.
This was the first time since the start of the semester that Fu Qing had called out a student's name. Su Huaijin's roommate was startled by what she heard, fearing that she would be implicated. She quickly bent down to wipe the table with a tissue and whispered, "You go ahead, I'll take your tray."
The others all bowed their heads with serious expressions, some wiping tables, others picking up trash, looking very busy.
Su Huaijin swallowed and obediently walked towards Fu Qing.
Fu Qing found it amusing: "Let's talk in my office."
"Huh?" Su Huaijin was confused again. "I have to go to the office?"
Fu Qing nodded: "Do you have something to do next?"
Su Huaijin: "N-nothing..."
Her voice was hesitant, completely unlike her previous confident and energetic demeanor. After thinking for a moment, she took something from the table and hid it behind her back before leaving with Fu Qing.
As Su Huaijin entered the principal's office, she couldn't help but secretly glance around the room.
She used to frequent the offices of school leaders in junior and senior high schools, which were always filled with a suffocating leather smell that made her dizzy and nauseous, and sometimes with lingering cigarette smoke. But Fu Qing's office was different; it had a faint fragrance.
It doesn't feel like you're using aromatherapy or perfume, but it's still refreshing and invigorating, like a breeze blowing through the mountains.
Su Huaijin unconsciously relaxed a lot and sat down on the sofa at Fu Qing's prompting: "Principal, did you need to see me?"
"Hmm." Fu Qing cut to the chase, "Could you transcribe what you just said and post it on the forum?"
The forum was originally created for exchanging information, but so far, students seem to mainly use it as a place to chat, gossip, and spread rumors.
Fu Qing had a similar idea while organizing things in the afternoon: to use the students to give their parents apocalyptic hints, and then subtly spread this influence through their parents' friends.
If we can have as much influence as possible, then we can consider it a small contribution to "changing the fate of humankind's extinction."
She needed someone to take the lead, and Fu Qing originally planned to do it herself if she couldn't find a suitable candidate, but at this moment, this candidate just happened to appear in front of her.
Su Huaijin has clear logic, a sharp mind, and most importantly, a strong desire to share, making him the most suitable person for this task.
Fu Qing could tell that Su Huaijin enjoyed the praise from everyone—every time she heard similar words, she would puff out her chest like a proud little hen, and that undisguised little conceit made this smart girl seem even more vivid.
She thought Su Huaijin wouldn't refuse this opportunity.
Su Huaijin did not disappoint Fu Qing.
She quickly replied, "I'd love to!"
“My roommates and I have discussed many ways to prepare for the apocalypse in private. When other classmates ask me about it during meals, I also talk to them about it, but I always feel that this method of sharing is too inefficient.” Su Huaijin pondered, “You are right, I can post it on the forum.”
"How about we start our first conversation by talking about preparations for the apocalypse?" she asked Fu Qing for her opinion.
Her speed of acceptance and execution exceeded Fu Qing's expectations.
Fu Qing nodded: "Okay, after you finish writing the article, send it to me via private message for review. Open your bracelet, and you'll find my contact information there."
"After approval, post it on the forum using your own account. You can also discuss future topics with me via private message."
Each student's wristband contains a contact book for all teachers and students in the school. To avoid disturbing others, this contact is not real-time, but is sent to the recipient's backend via private message, waiting for the recipient to check it when they have time.
The bracelet can only make real-time communications when both parties agree, including but not limited to sending messages, real-time location, documents, and photos and videos, and can even make phone calls and video calls like a mobile phone.
Students could see the small envelope icon after the principal's name, "Fu Qing," but few dared to send her private messages, or even open them, for fear that she would use them to locate them.
The impact of the mock drill and subsequent speech at the start of the school year still lingers in the minds of every student.
But now, the principal has allowed her to send him private messages and said he would personally review her articles.
Realizing this, Su Huaijin's eyes lit up with excitement, and he straightened his back even more: "Great! I'll be able to write the first article soon."
Fu Qing smiled at her, realizing the benefits of having a large group as a "golden touch".
They exist not only as a whole, but also include many talented individuals within the group.
Perhaps a survey of the students' family circumstances should be conducted beforehand. If any of them are doctors, nurses, electricians, or similar professions, they would be invaluable after the shelter is established…
Fu Qing's thoughts wandered for a moment, but she quickly came back to her senses: "If you think it's too difficult to do it alone, you can find someone to share the task. For example, you can make up the outline, and find a few other writers. They can also send me private messages directly."
Let's treat it as a group project.
Fu Qing knew how heavy Fang Zhou's workload was. The five-kilometer run every day would be a huge burden for many people, not to mention that the other teachers were ruthless when assigning homework.
They all knew that to transform students and adapt them to the brutal changes after the apocalypse within just one year, the teaching methods had to be ruthless.
Fu Qing had stumbled upon countless times that Grandma Liu's room light was still on in the middle of the night. The white-haired old woman sat hunched over at the table, her reading glasses perched on her nose, struggling to decipher the bold characters in the students' homework on her bracelet.
She specifically asked the system to add the function of zooming in and out of the page for this purpose.
However, what Su Huaijin did was purely a requirement outside of her studies, and it also took up her personal time...
Fu Qing pondered for a moment: "At the end of the semester, everyone who participated in this group will receive five points."
Su Huaijin hesitated instead: "Wouldn't that... be a little unfair?"
After all, she was assigned by Fu Qing personally, so it felt like she got the points through connections.
“If the way to recruit people is by posting on the forum, then no,” Fu Qing said. “You will do the initial review, and I will do the final review. Only those who pass the review will be added to the group. As for you, you have already passed my interview.”
The implication is that the forum is open, and everyone has an equal opportunity to compete. Su Huaijin was not a "pre-selected candidate through connections"; she was simply the first person to pass the interview.
Su Huaijin thought for a moment and accepted the explanation: "Okay."
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent. Su Huaijin obediently placed his hands on his knees and blinked at Fu Qing.
Fu Qing sensed a sense of guilt about employing child labor from that young face. She coughed lightly and said, "If there's nothing else, you can go back to your dormitory."
"Ah, oh." Su Huaijin reacted a beat late, "Um, Principal..."
"Um?"
"Could you sign my book?" Su Huaijin asked somewhat shyly.
She slowly pulled out an e-reader and a pen from behind her back.
Fu Qing looked at the white leather protective cover on the book strangely: With the development of the times, even the books used for signing have now evolved into electronic ones?
This is the first time someone has asked her for an autograph... And what's her connection to the books inside? Why would she sign here?
Su Huaijin explained shyly, "I've collected a lot of post-apocalyptic novels. But when I think about it, it seems like you're the only post-apocalyptic survival expert around me."
Fu Qing had never told the students that she was a reborn survivor from the apocalypse, but her apparent knowledge of the apocalypse and zombies was enough to spark the imaginations of the students.
As for what they're guessing, everyone has a different answer.
Ever since the hoarding course opened the door to a new world for Su Huaijin, she has fallen in love with post-apocalyptic novels. She secretly collected many of them, her bookmarks were almost full, and she would stay up late every night under the covers to study them.
As a result, their dormitory has recently been frequently filled with lingering "hehehe~" sounds in the middle of the night.
If my roommates weren't all night owls, it might have been spread as a paranormal event, or even caused a social crisis in the dormitory.
Fu Qing was helpless against the little girl's longing gaze, and awkwardly wrote his signature for the first time in his life.
Holding the two large, flowing characters in his hand, Su Huaijin stood up happily: "I will definitely keep them safe!"
After a pause, Su Huaijin said, "Hehehe, hehehe..."
Fu Qing: "..."
*
With the added bonus of a signature, the top student's efficiency skyrocketed. That very night, he sent Fu Qing his first article, which was quickly published on the forum after passing the review.
Title: [Starting from the classroom: Besides attending classes and exercising, what can we do in our daily lives to prepare for the apocalypse?]
Su Huaijin chose a little girl wearing glasses as her profile picture. Instead of using an anonymous account, she created her own ID: Cheese is Power.
When replying to posts elsewhere later, she can choose to continue using this ID or hide her ID and reply anonymously.
Main post: [It's been half a month since school started, everyone should have calmed down by now, right? I think the forum shouldn't just be used for chatting. We should explore more uses for it, and ideally, it should become a place for exchanging information.]
I've compiled this information myself and decided to share it on the forum, hoping it will be helpful to everyone.
(Ideally, this could be a starting point to encourage more people to voice their opinions XD)
Here are a few key points to remember, and it's best to start implementing them now: 1. Stock up on supplies, 2. Get a medical check-up, 3. Take a driver's license test.
First, it's about stockpiling. Food items with expiration dates, such as canned meat, can be bought at the last minute. However, items that are difficult to obtain, such as knives and prescription drugs for special groups, should be prepared now to avoid attracting the attention of relevant departments. Take it one step at a time.
Secondly, physical examinations. This doesn't need much explanation, right? Many students will have an "aha!" moment when they see this. We're too young, and we rarely have health problems. Unless the school organizes one, we almost never think of going to the hospital for a check-up.
It's important to note that health checkups are even more crucial not only for yourself but also for your parents and elders. Even if your workplace offers routine health checkups, the specific items included may vary depending on the company's benefits. It's advisable to pay for any items not covered by the company's plan to ensure peace of mind.
Our parents' age group is precisely the peak period for various diseases. When the end of the world comes, even common diseases or chronic diseases that are not fatal may greatly shorten their lifespan, so we must not take it lightly.
Finally, get your driver's license. Learning to drive takes time, and enrolling in a driving school and taking the test is indeed troublesome and expensive, but I suggest you don't try to save that money. Of course, we could do what some post-apocalyptic novels say and just find a car on the street after a short training session, but we're not the main characters... After the apocalypse, the medical system collapses, and a car accident would basically mean certain death. I still recommend practicing your driving skills beforehand.
These are all things that require time to prepare; there's no way to cram at the last minute. Besides, you can encourage your parents to exercise, and students from rural areas can try to reinforce their yard walls, etc. After all, there's no guarantee you'll get points and a shelter spot, so you have to do both. But I think the above three points are the most important.
If anyone has a different opinion, please feel free to add your thoughts. After all, the purpose of this forum is to unite students and help each other.
To write this article, Su Huaijin researched a lot of information and even indirectly inquired about workplace physical examinations from her parents.
Only after making thorough preparations did I dare to show it to Fu Qing.
And reality did not disappoint her efforts; within five minutes of posting, there were already many replies.
[Oh my god, the poster is such a good person!!]
[dd, this kind of post is much more important than gossip. Let it stay on the homepage a little longer so more people can see it.]
Thanks for the reminder! I'll book my medical checkup right away and try to get it done this weekend.
[I'm going home now to check my parents' medical checkup reports from this year...]
[Anyone want to form a group to learn to drive? I found a driving school in S city. There's a discount for two people signing up together, and there are also discounts for four or six people. It's safe and convenient to travel together on weekends. DM me on the forum to form a group.]
The other students weren't lacking in intelligence or ability to think of it; they were simply preoccupied with their heavy workload and temporarily overlooked it.
With Su Huaijin's slightest prompting, everyone's minds immediately became active.
53L: [My family are all doctors, so I specifically asked my parents, and they sent me a very detailed list of physical examination items for different ages. I'm sharing it here as a small contribution.]
The follow-up medical examination reports are out. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to message me privately, and I'll send them to my parents. They both work at top-tier hospitals, so they should be quite reliable.
[Code]
60L: [Thanks to 53L for the selfless help. A family of doctors is so cool, angels in white in the apocalypse.]
Reply from 63L to 60L: [We're classmates, it's only right. Actually, I originally applied for medical school too TAT... My family's medical tradition ended with me, I hope my parents won't beat me when I go home for vacation.]
66L (Cheese is power, OP) replied to 53L: [Marking this for everyone, someone shared their medical examination report here.]
After posting the message, Su Huaijin didn't go about her own business. Instead, she turned on her computer and continued writing the post looking for teammates while refreshing the forum from time to time.
Students can easily sync text edited or photos taken on other devices to their watches using Bluetooth-like functions, which is very convenient for submitting assignments or posting on forums.
When Su Huaijin encounters a helpful reply, he will also bump it again as the original poster, making it easier for students using the "only show original poster" function to quickly grasp the key points.
Su Huaijin once again remarked that after the principal initially expelled those troublesome students, the atmosphere on campus and in the forums became exceptionally harmonious.
With the principal "quietly watching" everyone from behind, there was little quarreling in the dormitories, and the forum lacked the hostility often found in anonymous communities, making communication so comfortable.
...
After nearly half an hour of heated discussion, the post took a turn for the better.
[Help me, everyone! I just called my parents and tried to persuade them to get a medical checkup, but they wouldn't listen to me. They said kids shouldn't worry about adult things. What should I do? No matter what I say, it's no use, and they even get angry. I'm about to cry.]
They always tell me I should grow up and become more sensible after starting university, but at times like this, they treat me like a child again, being incredibly stubborn.
[Ugh! I had the same experience. I offered to pay for their medical check-up myself, but they wouldn't let me, and even scolded me for wasting money...]
Su Huaijin was stunned; he hadn't expected such an unexpected turn of events.
She was precocious and intelligent from a young age, skipping grades early. Her parents respected her ideas and listened to her opinions on everything, big or small. So when Su Huaijin wrote this post, she even considered the possibility of review by relevant departments, but she never expected that her parents would disagree.
What should we do?
She froze for a moment, her fingers tapping on the virtual keyboard in mid-air, unable to type a single word for a long time, unusually stumped.
Before she could even reply, someone else jumped out.
101L: [Isn't that simple? Just wait, I'll write a few articles for my WeChat official account, and you guys can pretend you stumbled upon them and forward them directly to your parents.]
What happened?
Su Huaijin was bewildered.
However, just an hour later, the original poster reappeared.
[I wrote a short piece using a WeChat official account that I registered a long time ago but never used. I decided to use it specifically for posting articles like this.]
Share link: "A Must-Read for Middle-Aged and Elderly People! 108 Health Tips You Didn't Know! First, Get a Physical Examination at a Reputable Hospital..."
Upon seeing this floor, Su Huaijin was speechless: "???"
Su Huaijin: "!!!"
There are many hidden masters among ordinary people!
That familiar tone, that convoluted and predictable routine...
A figure inexplicably popped into her mind, and she suddenly realized that this person posting the comment was probably the girl who had enthusiastically taught the boys how to use big data in the cafeteria earlier that day...
This is the benefit of brainstorming! Su Huaijin deeply felt that she had made the right decision in posting this article, and she promptly shared it on her WeChat Moments as well.
Returning to the forum, Su Huaijin found that his post was still floating on the homepage, followed by a red stamp with the words "Featured".
She perked up: It's the principal.
...
Ten minutes ago, Fu Qing used her forum administrator privileges for the first time to mark this post, which she had reviewed, as a featured post.
The title of a post that has been selected as a featured post turns red, making it more eye-catching and increasing its weight. As a result, it often appears on the homepage and has a much higher exposure rate.
The chat panel's administrator section only had a gray initial avatar with an unknown ID, but everyone quickly guessed who it was.
Who else could be the only administrator besides the principal?
The original poster, "Cheese is Power," quickly replied:
[!! I want to announce to the whole world that I am the first lucky person on the forum to be selected!! (spins) (jumps)]
Although she and the principal were actually "secretly colluding"... it's unlikely that anyone else in the entire school had ever obtained the principal's signature. It's not good to talk about the signature openly, but showing off other things is certainly acceptable, right?
Su Huaijin thought this with a clear conscience.
The post was flooded with question marks.
[I was just admiring the original poster for offering rational advice when the whole world was indulging in pointless posts, but my positive impression has suddenly shattered.]
[I've seen that look in your eyes, another fangirl.]
[(Send video) Once you've seen the video of the principal climbing the building, you'll understand; admiring strength is a human instinct.]
[Holy crap, this is the first time I've seen this video. Is this Spider-Man? How did he leap three or four meters in the blink of an eye?]
[No, I was completely stunned at the time. You actually thought of taking pictures secretly. You're a tough guy.]
[I'm saving this to watch repeatedly. Why can't I share it with friends outside of school? Ugh! I'll feel sorry for everyone who hasn't seen this video.]
A perfectly good sharing thread suddenly went off track by dozens of floors.
Su, the calm and collected poster and the culprit who led this thread astray, coughed, feeling inexplicably guilty.
She sent the completed post to the account with the gray profile picture via private message. After it was approved, Fu Qing posted it directly using the administrator account and pinned it to the top of the thread.
Pinned: [A forum maintenance and external publicity team is being established. Approval is required. Members will receive points as a reward. Interested parties are welcome to join.]
The main post concisely lists the requirements: preferably with experience in creative work or self-media, all platforms are acceptable, an active mind, and the ability to dedicate extra time to creative work, etc.
As a side note, those interested in registering can send a private message to @CheeseIsPower.
—All applicants will undergo a preliminary review by Su Huaijin, and those deemed eligible will be submitted to Fuqing for further review.
Upon receiving the @ notification, Su Huaijin quickly responded to the post, making it easier for students to find her.
Seeing this, Fu Qing nodded slightly, feeling that he had found the right helper.
Whether it's occasionally bumping the thread to collect effective replies or now responding quickly, it all shows that Su Huaijin is doing this wholeheartedly.
...
This was Fangzhou University's first official extracurricular activity, and the forum exploded as soon as the post was published.
[What did I see? Points rewards??]
[I've been running around like a dog all semester for only 5 points as a reward, and joining this group will give me 5 points right away? I'm here! I'm willing to be your slave QAQ]
[The administrator is indeed the principal]
Without knowing the exchange rate between points and spots, 5 points might mean a shelter spot, a chance to save the life of a friend or family member.
No one would let such an opportunity slip by.
Su Huaijin received a massive number of private messages instantly.
She stared at her inbox, dumbfounded.
After thinking for a moment, she cautiously sent a message to Fu Qing: "Um, Principal, could I find another helper to assist me with the preliminary review?"
The person with the grayed-out profile picture replied after a while: "Okay, send me their information for review first."
“Any official member has the right to review.”
Su Huaijin breathed a sigh of relief, found the unknown big shot who wrote the article on the official account, and after careful consideration, sent her a private message: "Hello, would you be interested in joining an extracurricular group?"
...
In a dormitory room on the same floor as Su Huaijin, a girl with slightly dark skin and freckles on her face was browsing a forum.
If Su Huaijin were here, he would definitely recognize her as the "big liar" he had bumped into in the cafeteria at dinner.
The four girls in their dorm were all sitting at their respective desks, browsing the forum in the same posture.
"I'm so envious!" one roommate lamented. "Who is this cheese guy? How did the principal get him directly pulled into the publicity team?"
“However, her post today was really useful; I’ve already booked medical checkups for my family members,” another person said fairly.
The third roommate spoke up: "But... that's a 5-point card, and once you get in, you'll have a chance to talk to the principal. The principal doesn't teach classes, so you rarely see her."
Roommate #2 curled her lip: "You talk as if you have the courage to talk to the principal."
Roommate number three stuck out her tongue and then asked, "Have you all signed up?"
"I signed up, but with so many people signing up, I probably won't get a turn."
"Me too."
Just as the girl with freckles was about to reply, the bracelet suddenly vibrated, and a small red dot appeared in the upper right corner of the projected forum page.
Someone sent her a private message.
The girl opened the private message, read one line, and her eyes widened immediately.
Extracurricular groups? Is that the one she's thinking of?
Let's look at the sender's name again—Cheese is power.
she:"!!!"
She could imagine the other person's inbox exploding with emails, with countless people sending inboxes. Although she tried sending one herself, she had no expectation of receiving a reply.
But now, cheese has actually offered her an olive branch.
Happiness came so suddenly that the freckled girl felt completely bewildered.
Could it be... because of the article she wrote today?
Cheese's reply confirmed her thoughts: "Your method of 'faking' the article on the official account to persuade the elders is excellent. Your participation is a great help to us."
The girl was stunned to receive 5 points as a reward for simply helping her classmates.
Coming to her senses, she quickly replied, "I do!"
...
On the other end, Su Huaijin felt a sense of satisfaction as he looked at the other party's decisive reply.
That sense of satisfaction comes from the joy of seeing kind people receive the rewards they deserve.
She suddenly realized that the principal had found her because of her sharing in the cafeteria.
"..." Su Huaijin pursed his lips, then suddenly smiled brightly.
Fangzhou is a place where as long as you're willing to lend a helping hand, you'll receive the same response.
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