Ch 24: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Too much had happened in one day. It was only now, in the quiet of the night, when Shen Qing was alone, that he could finally sit down and carefully think things through.

That mysterious cave had been truly miraculous, and the world on the other side of it was even more so. The clothing, speech, and behavior of the people there were beyond Shen Qing’s understanding, and there were also terrifying zombies. But thinking about it, it was precisely because of those zombies that famine had broken out in that world, driving food prices sky-high.

A whole basket of wild fruits and mushrooms, which cost nothing to gather, could be exchanged for so much gold, silver, and jewelry—not to mention a crossbow that could save his life. It was practically like getting rich for free! It wasn’t an incomprehensible phenomenon either. The uncle from the south who had fled to Xiahe Village once told a story: when his hometown was hit by a great flood, even a two-ounce silver bracelet couldn’t buy three to five pounds of rice. A young girl or a ger in their prime, around sixteen or seventeen, could only be exchanged for half a sack of grain. In the most desperate times, some families had even resorted to trading children for food.

And what that world faced was something even more terrifying than a flood—zombies!

The fact that those zombies didn’t seem to attack him was an extra stroke of luck from the heavens! Shen Qing was determined to learn more about that world and seize this rare opportunity.

Once he saved up enough money, he would build a large house in the village. If he wanted to avoid any further entanglements with the Shen family, he could move far away and live with his uncles in Shiqu Village. Or better yet, he could buy a house in the county town! He could also find a husband to marry in.

In this world, not having a man to manage the household made things difficult. A widow and her child, no matter how much they tried to avoid trouble, would still attract it. There was a reason people said, “A widow’s doorstep is never quiet.”

If he had money, then no one would look down on his appearance. He might even be able to choose a decent husband. Shen Qing calculated in his mind—he wasn’t looking for someone particularly capable since he already had enough money to support a household. As long as the man had a good character, was responsible, and would care for his mother with him, that would be enough.

Of course, if he was taller and more handsome, that would be even better.

Shen Qing curled his lips. The village boys disliked him for being tall and refused to marry him, but did that mean he wanted a husband shorter than him? If they couldn’t grow taller themselves, what right did they have to complain about his height?

Someone like Song Kaiji—now, that man had the perfect height and looks! Maybe he could find someone who looked like Song Kaiji…

This sudden thought made Shen Qing freeze for a moment. Then, he silently pulled the blanket over his head.

Better to focus on the present before thinking about the future!

Shen Qing emptied the small bundle onto his bed, spreading out its contents. Besides gold and silver, there were also various jade bracelets and beaded accessories, some from his trades with Song Kaiji, and others he had picked up from abandoned shops. People often said gold had a set price, but jade was priceless—Shen Qing didn’t know how to distinguish the quality of jade, so he decided to keep those pieces for now. Instead, he picked out two finely carved silver bangles and a pigeon egg-sized silver longevity lock, tucking them into his money pouch. He would take them to the pawnshop tomorrow to exchange for money.

With so much on his mind, Shen Qing only slept for about three hours before waking up. Outside the courtyard, he could hear the rustling sounds of people—it seemed some villagers had come early in the morning to buy the leftover pork from last night. Miao Shi hurriedly got up, not even taking time to wash her face before tending to the customers.

Shen Qing also got up and headed to the village chief’s house to borrow the mule cart. He had arranged it yesterday—today, he needed to take a load of firewood to the county to sell.

It was still early, and only Madam Guixiang and her eldest daughter-in-law were awake at the village chief’s house, busy in the kitchen boiling water and preparing breakfast. Seeing Shen Qing arrive, Madam Guixiang immediately stuffed two bean buns into his hands. “Haven’t eaten yet, have you? You barely ate anything last night—everyone else ended up finishing it all. There’s nothing fancy at my place, not like your mother’s cooking, but have some to fill your stomach. I’ll go get the cart ready for you!”

That plate of snow vegetable braised pork last night had completely won over Madam Guixiang. After chatting with Miao Shi and Swcond Aunt Lian for half the night, she felt even closer to them. Now, seeing Shen Qing, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship.

“Thank you, Aunt,” Shen Qing accepted the food, unable to refuse. He made a mental note to buy some sweet cakes from the county on his way back as a token of gratitude. The village chief’s family was well-off, and their bean buns were generously filled—thin-skinned and stuffed with sweet red bean paste. One bite, and the rich sweetness melted in his mouth. It was just as delicious as those fancy sweet cakes!

Through the window, the village chief’s eldest daughter-in-law peeked at the scene and swallowed hard, envious of the treat.

Shen Qing ate one in a few quick bites and tucked the other into his pocket before heading home with the cart. Miao Shi was still at the door, weighing and cutting pork for the customers. Shen Qing handed her the remaining bean bun. “Aunt Guixiang gave me this. Now you don’t have to make breakfast.” There were quite a few customers, and who knew how long she would be busy?

“Oh, you child, always thinking about me. I’m at home, I can always find something to eat,” Miao Shi said, but her heart felt warm. Her son had always been like this—whenever he found something good, he always saved a share for her.

“That’s a good boy, so filial!” The villagers buying meat looked at Shen Qing with admiration. A capable young ger who could earn money, work hard, and was filial—what wasn’t to like, except maybe for his slightly rough looks?

In these times, filial piety was highly valued. People believed that a person who respected their parents was unlikely to have bad morals. Even if he had to support Miao Shi, how much could she really eat? Besides, she was known for her good temper.

Quite a few villagers started considering him in a different light.

Shen Qing, however, was completely unaware of their thoughts. He loaded all the firewood onto the mule cart. He hadn’t been to the county in three days and had accumulated four full loads of neatly bundled firewood. Sitting at the front, he slowly guided the cart toward Anping County.

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦