"Where is Xiao Lingfeng? Have we heard anything from him?" Jian Ning asked.
"I wrote a letter and had someone deliver it to him, saying that he still has some finishing work to do over there, and he will definitely be able to come over before the New Year. Please take good care of Aunt Wang and Tian Tian."
The letter is in your bedside drawer. This time you're back, you'd better rest for a while and not go out. It's freezing cold outside.
"I really don't know how you've been living these past few days! You must not have been eating properly, look how thin you've become!" Jian Anping's words were full of concern.
Jian Ning touched her face. She hadn't had a chance to look in the mirror since she got back, and she didn't feel any changes. It was probably because Jian Anping was thinking of her.
So I assumed she wasn't eating or drinking well while she was away, but I never imagined that she hadn't eaten anything for the past few months. The effects of the fasting pills were amazing!
"Brother, shall we have something nice for breakfast this morning? Did Aunt Li cook?"
"I've already made it. We're having porridge and eggs for breakfast now, and there should be some leftover steamed buns from yesterday's two-part dough. Or should I ask my mother-in-law to steam some egg custard for you?"
"No need, I'll take some dishes downstairs in a bit. Braised beef, roast duck, fried chicken, how about that?" Jian Anping swallowed hard every time Jian Ning named something.
Jian Ning was in charge of taking care of all the family's livestock at the time.
She'd been gone for months, and the family had long since run out of meat, with only a few chickens left to lay eggs. Aunt Li simply couldn't bear to kill them so they could eat meat. She treated them like her precious treasures every day.
No one is allowed near. These days, Ba Wang hasn't been able to get any meat or bones to eat, and his fur looks dull; the dog looks quite haggard.
With Xiao Ning back, he'll finally have meat to eat. How could he not be happy?
"Anything is fine, I'm not picky, as long as there's meat. Xiaoning, I'll go downstairs and tell my mom not to cook."
“Okay,” Jian Ning said as she watched him open the door and go downstairs. She then took out a large stainless steel basin used in the cafeteria from her spatial storage, along with the other items she had just mentioned.
He prepared a whole big basin of braised chicken feet, braised pork hock, and roasted chicken. He figured it would be enough for the family, then carried the basin downstairs.
"Jian Ning! You're back!" She had just come downstairs when she bumped into Cao Xue, who was returning home.
Wearing a thick cotton-padded coat, clearly Aunt Li's, she had gained quite a bit of weight. Seeing Jian Ning carrying a large basin of cooked food, she was pleasantly surprised and came over to help carry it.
"No need for you, this isn't heavy. You look well, do you have a job now?"
Jian Ning could tell at a glance that Cao Xuehe had changed a lot since she first arrived. It was as if a wilted little plant had suddenly come back to life. She looked energetic and vibrant.
"Yes, Jian Ning, you guessed right. I'll be helping out in the research lab for now, basically washing test tubes and bottles and taking notes."
You get fifty points every day. That can be exchanged for a lot of food.
Now our hydroponics has been successful, and the potatoes, yams, and sweet potatoes in the base can be supplied to the people. Although the taste is a bit rough, it is still much better than having no food at all.
Moreover, they are all freshly picked, and the supply is limited every day. The price is also reasonable, and every household can afford them, so at least they won't starve.
"Yes, it must be Commander Gao! He seems to value agriculture quite a bit."
"It's a blessing for the base to have a leader like him." Jian Ning immediately guessed who had given the order. She still had a very good impression of Commander Gao.
"Yes, Jian Ning, you're amazing. Even when you're not home, nothing here can be hidden from you."
Cao Xue praised her while still supporting the bottom of the basin for Jian Ning.
Together they took all the cooked food to the kitchen, then washed their hands and helped cut and plate it. Jian Ning didn't know how to do it, so she simply went back to the living room and sat at the table to wait.
When Uncle Li arrived, Jian Ning was boredly eating sunflower seeds. Tian Tian had Huang Fugui and no longer wanted to play with Jian Ning. The three of them—one person, one cat, and one dog—were together.
Meowing and barking in a language that no one can understand, it's a mystery how the three of them communicate so seamlessly, but they all seem quite happy.
"Xiao Ning, you've been away for quite a while this time. You're not going out again before the New Year, are you?" Uncle Li asked, sitting down on the sofa.
"That's not certain yet, we'll see. You guys are quite safe here now, so I feel much more at ease going out," Jian Ning said, pouring Uncle Li a glass of water and handing it to him.
"Yes, it's much safer here than in Jiang City. At least there are soldiers maintaining order. Although there are some troublemakers who don't obey, they can't compete with the fact that the soldiers have guns."
Yesterday they even threw two people out of the base. I heard they were caught stealing. But why did they have to do that? There are plenty of jobs available in the base now. As long as you're willing to work hard, you definitely won't starve.
At least you can get a full meal every day.
This is much better than before, but some people are just not satisfied.
Even an old man like me can understand these things, but they can't. They always think they have great abilities, but these people are just always looking at the grass on the other side.
They hadn't even considered leaving the base. How could they survive? Putting everything else aside, with this outside temperature, if they couldn't find a suitable place to stay, they'd freeze to death.
Once Uncle Li started talking, he wouldn't stop, probably because he hadn't chatted with Jian Ning for a long time.
He started talking as soon as he sat down and didn't finish until Aunt Li came out of the kitchen and called everyone to eat.
Li Mengyao and Jian Anping took turns eating. She stayed inside watching the two children. When she came out and saw Jian Ning sitting in the living room, she happily ran over and hugged her.
"Xiao Ning, you're finally back! I've missed you so much!"
"Sister-in-law, I'm doing well, and I miss you and the children."
Seeing Li Mengyao's genuine happiness, Jian Ning felt that she had made the right choice in selecting her sister-in-law. Jian Anping might not be good at much else, but he definitely had excellent taste in choosing a wife.
"Sister-in-law, eat more meat to nourish yourself. I'll get some raw pig's trotters later and have Aunt Li make you some soup. Do you have enough milk for the two babies?"
Because Li Mengyao had been breastfeeding, she smelled especially good, and Jian Ning couldn't help but sniff.
"There's enough to eat. You wouldn't believe it, my mom cooks me all sorts of delicious meals every day. The little fish and meat we have at home has been reserved for me these days, so I haven't been shortchanged at all."
Li Mengyao felt genuinely guilty when she talked about it, as her whole family had always been so accommodating to her. Her parents were already so old; it pained her to even think about it.
"Sister-in-law, don't be sad. I'm back now, so you'll definitely have plenty of meat. Come on, let's eat. Have a pig's trotter to start with. It's good for your complexion and helps with lactation."
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