Chapter 56 Providing Food for the Workers
“The new house…only my sister and An’an…” An’an murmured, repeating the words, the broken light in her big eyes gradually gathering together, like stars lighting up the night sky again.
Overwhelmed by joy and a sense of security, he instantly broke down the dam of fear and threw himself into Xu Zhili's arms again, bursting into tears. But this time, it was a release of pent-up frustration and the ecstatic joy of regaining a treasure.
"Wow—! Great! An'an will stay with her sister forever! We'll never be apart! An'an has a home now! An'an isn't an unwanted child anymore! Waaah..."
Xu Zhili held the little boy in her arms, who was crying uncontrollably. She felt his hot tears and his trembling with dependence. Her heart, which had been frozen, hardened like iron, and cursed by countless people as a "madman" and "inhuman" in the forty years of the apocalypse, was strangely enveloped and soaked by a strange, hot current.
The heartwarming scene before their eyes suddenly twisted and shattered, replaced by broken steel and concrete, a gloomy sky, a pervasive stench of decay, and howling zombies.
And then there were those faces, twisted in despair and greed, that approached her only to become corpses or betrayers.
For forty years, a full forty years, she struggled to survive alone amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, devoid of warmth and trust, only by constant vigilance and slaughter.
Every seemingly "kind" approach hides a poisoned dagger behind it.
She was used to the cold, used to loneliness, and used to crushing all threats with the most ruthless methods.
Humanity? Warmth? What are those? They are nothing more than the most luxurious and deadliest poison in the ruins of the apocalypse.
She was called a "madwoman," cursed as "inhuman"... but she didn't care.
All she needed to do was live, like a sharp blade born only to kill.
At this moment, the unreserved dependence and scalding tears conveyed by the small body in her arms were like a thunderclap tearing through the gloom of the apocalypse, fiercely splitting open the thick icy shell deep within her soul.
So... this is what blood ties are?
Is this what it feels like to be needed and completely trusted?
It wasn't scheming, it wasn't exploitation, it was simply the purest form of attachment.
Xu Zhili closed her eyes and buried her face deep into An An's soft hair, which smelled of soap, greedily absorbing this unfamiliar yet precious warmth.
When she opened her eyes again, the frost that had never melted in her eyes seemed to have melted a little, but deep inside, the mad obsession with protecting this warmth, which was willing to destroy everything, burned even more fiercely.
She gently patted An'an's back, her voice softer than ever before, yet carrying a barely perceptible hoarseness, as if she had survived a catastrophe.
"Alright, you little crybaby, if you keep crying you'll turn into a little kitten. Come on, let me take you to wash your face, and then... we'll go have breakfast."
"Mmm!" An'an nodded vigorously, her little face still wet with tears, but she had already given a big, dependent smile and held her sister's hand tightly.
Xu Zhili led him to his feet and walked towards the well.
The sunlight shone on them, casting a warm golden hue on her slender yet upright back.
The construction site near the cowshed was dusty and noisy.
After settling An'an in and having breakfast, Xu Zhili led him to the bustling construction site.
The foundation had been dug, with rough stones and damp soil piled up to the side. Several men were chanting as they tamped the foundation, the air thick with the smells of sweat, mud, and fresh wood. The progress was faster than expected, thanks to the effective organization of the team leader, Xie Jianguo.
Xu Zhili's gaze swept across the busy crowd, and a familiar figure suddenly caught her eye—Xie Yunce.
He was wearing a green vest, revealing his well-defined, bronzed arms covered in a thin layer of sweat, and carrying a thick log on his shoulder as he walked steadily toward the foundation.
Sweat slid down his taut cheeks, reflecting a shimmering light in the sunlight, exuding a vibrant, untamed power.
Seemingly sensing the gaze, Xie Yunze put down the log and turned his head precisely to look at him.
Upon seeing Xu Zhili and her brother, he grinned, revealing his signature little tiger teeth. His smile was so bright it was dazzling, and he even raised his hand to wave.
Xu Zhili shifted her gaze expressionlessly, as if she had only seen a moving wooden stake.
The name "Xie Gou Dan" flashed through her mind, causing her frozen lips to twitch almost imperceptibly upwards before returning to their straight state.
She walked straight toward Wang Xiuying, who was carrying a bucket of water and distributing rough porcelain bowls to the men working. Aunt Wang's face was flushed from labor, and her hair was damp with sweat and stuck to her temples.
"Aunt Wang," Xu Zhili said calmly, "would it be convenient for you to look after An'an for a while?"
Wang Xiuying looked up and saw that it was Xu Zhili. Her face immediately lit up with a warm smile that also carried a hint of barely perceptible awe: "It's convenient! Xu Zhiqing, don't be so polite. Leave An'an to me, and I guarantee that not a single hair will be missing."
She put down the bucket, wiped her hands on her apron, and asked, "Where are you going?"
Xu Zhili's gaze passed over the busy crowd and the simple cowshed, landing on the rolling, lush green mountains behind them.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting dappled patterns. The air seemed to carry the fresh scent of grass and trees, and... the lurking aroma of prey.
"Go up the mountain."
Xu Zhili spoke succinctly, her voice carrying a hint of hunter's certainty, "Get some meat and vegetables for the uncles and brothers who are helping, so they can replenish their strength and the houses can be built faster."
She just wanted a stable home as soon as possible, so that An'an could feel completely at ease and no longer feel as panicked and helpless as she did in the morning.
"Up, up the mountain?!"
Wang Xiuying's smile froze instantly, and her voice suddenly rose, filled with deep horror.
"No, no, absolutely not, Xu Zhiqing. That back mountain is very dangerous. It's a deep, old forest, and I've heard there are wild boars and wolves. You're just a young girl with delicate skin. How can you go to a place like that? It's too dangerous. If we're short of meat, we can find a way to buy some. There's no need to risk your life."
Xu Zhili tilted her head slightly, calmly looking at Wang Xiuying's face, which was flushed with worry, and simply asked, "Aunt Wang, have you forgotten?"
Her gaze drifted almost imperceptibly to the broken wooden stake, as thick as a bowl, that had been carelessly discarded not far away. "My strength is still alright."
Following her gaze, Wang Xiuying remembered the table with a missing corner and the mound of earth on the south slope that had been cleared away by one person, and her heart skipped a beat.
The words of advice stuck in my throat, leaving me only able to gasp for breath.
Yes, this person in front of us... cannot be judged by common sense at all.
At this moment, An'an, who had been tightly clutching Xu Zhili's clothes, suddenly looked dejected, her big eyes quickly filling with tears, filled with deep anxiety and grievance: "Sister... don't leave An'an behind... please take An'an with you, okay? An'an is scared..."
The fear of not seeing my sister when I woke up in the morning had not completely dissipated.
Xu Zhili's heart melted instantly.
She immediately crouched down, looking An'an in the eye, her movements gentler than ever before, to comfort An'an.
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