Ch 82: Opening a Survival School Before the Zombie Outbreak

Zang Lijun stood there stunned for quite a while.

Her daughter’s hand was dry and warm, the palm covered with calluses that had appeared at some unknown time. Their roughness pressed painfully against her heart, filling her with a sour ache that almost brought her to tears.

Ever since Shen Qingqing returned home during winter break, she had noticed the changes in her daughter.

Although Zang Lijun did not know what Qingqing had gone through outside, she knew that in order to leave this small village, her daughter must have worked far harder than she could imagine.

“I want to go,” she said, forcing herself to meet her daughter’s calm gaze. “I want to see it.”

She wanted to see that world she had never once stepped into.

“Okay.” Shen Qingqing smiled.

A heavy weight in her heart finally lifted. She gently patted Zang Lijun’s hand in reassurance, stood up, and said lightly, “Then I’ll book the tickets later.”

“Do you have money on you? I still have a little here. I’ll transfer it to you first.” Zang Lijun hurriedly began searching for her phone.

“No need.” Shen Qingqing stopped her. “I have money.”

Before the college entrance exams, Shen Qingqing had planned to find part time work as soon as she started university. She had already researched student wages in S City. A job at a restaurant combined with tutoring would cover her daily expenses and allow her to save a little for life after graduation.

But after entering Fangzhou, those plans naturally fell through.

She had already told her family she would work part time and did not need living expenses from home. After enrollment she discovered her plans had changed, yet it was difficult to explain why she suddenly had no time to work.

Fortunately, food and housing cost almost nothing for financially disadvantaged students. Combined with the occasional small transfers from Shen Mingjiang and Zang Lijun, she managed to cover daily necessities and seasonal clothing, barely getting by.

Not long after starting school, Shen Qingqing noticed that her classmates were exhausted from training and did not want to move after returning to the dorms. An idea struck her, and she began offering services in the girls’ dormitory to pick up packages and fetch meals on behalf of others.

Her prices were low, with discounts for monthly subscriptions and even cheaper rates for entire dorm rooms signing up together. She quickly built up a large customer base.

After two semesters, she had actually saved quite a bit of money, enough to enroll in driving school and still have extra funds to stockpile supplies.

By the latter half of the semester, everyone had begun busily purchasing goods. Now, the small storage space Shen Qingqing kept at school was almost completely filled.

As for the money used earlier to rent a car and buy seeds for home, that had come from Shen Mingjiang.

The vegetable plot needed seeds anyway, and since Zang Lijun could not drive, buying supplies was usually inconvenient. When Shen Qingqing said she wanted to rent a car to go to the county town and could bring things back for the family at the same time, Shen Mingjiang readily transferred her the money.

Every cent Shen Qingqing earned was precious to her. Spending her own savings to stockpile supplies for the household was out of the question.

But she still had enough to buy her mother’s train ticket.

Mother and daughter sat together in rare closeness, discussing travel plans. Zang Lijun temporarily pulled herself out of the distressing feeling that her daughter was leaving and began imagining which places in S City they might visit.

She listed attractions one by one while Shen Qingqing listened with a smile, occasionally adding suggestions.

Grandfather and grandmother had the habit of taking afternoon naps. Not wanting to disturb them, and both feeling an unspoken desire to keep this conversation private, they sat instead on small stools beneath the eaves and chatted quietly.

Summer afternoons were the hottest time of day, but the mountain village was relatively cool. Shen Qingqing had built many trellises, now covered in layers of lush green leaves that rippled like waves when the wind blew. Sitting close together, mother and daughter spoke softly, finding a rare sense of peace and beauty within the vibrant scenery.

At that moment, Shen Mingjiang returned home, interrupting their conversation.

He had gone to the county town that morning and had not come back for lunch. As soon as he arrived, he gulped down a large jar of water and wiped his mouth, saying, “I rode back with Old Zhao. He said that once we move into the relocation housing, the government might give meal subsidies, basically covering food and lodging.”

His loud voice woke the two elderly people sleeping inside. Old Man Shen slapped the bedside table with a bang. “I told you we shouldn’t have done all this work. Now look, repairing walls and turning the soil, and we’re about to move anyway. Wasn’t all that effort wasted?”

Though he had not participated in any of the labor, he was the first to complain.

Grandma Shen also sat up, astonished. “Really? They give you a house and food too?”

She had originally been the most unwilling to move, but hearing this made her waver.

She was old and in poor health. If she could eat without farming, who would still want to work under the blazing sun every day?

Had she truly not wanted to move into a new house before?

It was simply to save money.

“Yeah. They said there are many elderly people in our village, and since the relocation housing doesn’t allow vegetable gardening, lots of people don’t want to move,” Shen Mingjiang said while serving himself a bowl of leftover rice straight from the pot, too hungry to even heat it before eating. As he ate, he shared the news he had heard. “If we don’t move, the policy can’t be implemented, so of course the government will have to come up with solutions.”

Listening to this, Zang Lijun felt both happy and worried. Translated on hololo novels. She secretly glanced at her daughter, afraid Qingqing would feel discouraged.

Unexpectedly, Shen Qingqing remained completely calm, showing none of the panic one might expect if plans had been disrupted.

Only after Shen Mingjiang finished eating and set down his bowl did she speak.

“Dad, where did Uncle Zhao hear this from? I checked the Housing and Urban Development Bureau’s official website before and didn’t see this policy. Maybe I should call them again to confirm?”

“It came from official sources. It can’t be wrong. Maybe Uncle Zhao just misunderstood.”

The Old Zhao Shen Mingjiang mentioned was Zhao Hailin’s father.

Shen Qingqing actually understood that the information most likely originated from Zhao Hailin. That uncle, like her own father, only knew how to work hard and understood nothing about policies. He probably did not even know which direction the local housing bureau’s entrance faced.

Rumors like this usually spread from one person to another until many people accepted them as truth.

Sure enough, when she asked further, Shen Mingjiang said, “Hailin told him. It should be reliable. He has lots of connections. Maybe he heard some insider news that hasn’t been officially announced yet. So don’t spread it around, alright? It wouldn’t be good for Hailin if rumors got out.”

Grandpa Shen nodded repeatedly, praising him. “Hailin has wide connections. Being able to learn news like this, the Zhao family is truly fortunate to have a grandson like him.”

After saying that, he shot Shen Qingqing a disappointed look, as though lamenting wasted potential, feeling that this granddaughter of his was like a sealed jar, dull and uncommunicative.

She had been home for so long and still had not gone around visiting neighbors. How could she possibly amount to anything in the future?

Shen Qingqing let out a cold laugh inwardly.

Zhao Hailin only worked odd jobs in the county town. When he was not working, he spent his time drinking and playing cards. The people he knew were either fellow laborers or unreliable drinking and gambling companions. Information coming from such channels could never be trustworthy.

And talking about “bad influence”… Zhao Hailin really knew how to flatter himself.

But the rumor had clearly already spread through the village.

She finally understood why, when she returned during winter break, many people like her grandmother had still resisted moving, yet in only half a year the atmosphere in the village had changed completely. Suddenly many families had stopped farming this year, lying idle while waiting to relocate. So this was the source.

People’s minds in the village had already begun to waver. The rumor must have circulated for quite some time before finally reaching the Shen family.

Shen Qingqing had seriously researched the relevant policies. It was true that many local governments provided meal subsidies for elderly people who had lost farmland, offering a few yuan per meal and even free meals after reaching a certain age.

But as far as she knew, no such policy had been introduced locally yet. Besides, the past was the past. Times were different now, and many things had quietly changed.

Ordinary people were unaware of those changes, but Shen Qingqing understood them better than anyone.

“I’ll go check,” she said immediately. “Don’t just believe rumors.”

Grandpa Shen snorted. “Check what? They already said it’s an unpublished policy. Without Hailin, you wouldn’t have any way of knowing.”

Finally having something that seemed to dampen his granddaughter’s confidence, he looked visibly pleased.

Shen Qingqing pretended not to hear him. After washing the dishes, she returned to her room, closed the door, opened her phone, and began searching keywords.

Half an hour later, her gaze stopped on a piece of local news.

*

Shen Qingqing had been shut inside her room for quite some time. Zang Lijun wiped the table while glancing worriedly toward the tightly closed door.

Just as she could no longer hold back and was about to knock, the door suddenly opened.

Shen Qingqing hurried out, eyes bright and shining, without the slightest trace of discouragement.

“Mom, I’m heading out for a bit,” she said quickly.

Zang Lijun asked, “It’s so hot outside. Where are you going?”

Shen Qingqing tossed back a reply as she left, “Going to ‘visit the neighbors.’ I’ll be back before dinner.”

The Shen family: “?”

Grandma Shen looked at the blazing sun outside and raised her eyebrows. “She’s been back for over a month and never visited anyone when it was cool. Now she picks the hottest time of day… did she get heatstroke and cook her brain?”

Or had Grandpa Shen’s earlier praise of Zhao Hailin somehow provoked this granddaughter?

Even Grandpa Shen himself felt surprised, never expecting his words to have such an effect.

Only Zang Lijun remained worried about her daughter. She turned and took out mung beans and rock sugar, preparing to cook some sweet mung bean soup for when Shen Qingqing returned.

…

As Shen Qingqing approached a certain house, her steps slowed.

Ahead was Aunt Li’s home.

She knew that some of the village women often gathered together when they had free time, chatting while working.

Aunt Li’s family grew melons and fruits, with vines climbing tall wooden frames that blocked most of the sunlight, making the courtyard the coolest place around. Every summer it became a popular gathering spot. As Shen Qingqing drew near, she indeed heard laughter and conversation coming from inside.

She deliberately walked slowly past the open gate. Sure enough, someone noticed her.

“Hey, Qingqing,” Aunt Li called warmly.

Shen Qingqing stopped and greeted them.

The other women smiled. “We heard you came back a while ago but never saw you. What have you been busy with at home?”

“Doing homework?”

“No, wait, I heard university students don’t really have homework.”

They talked over one another. Aunt Li went inside and brought out a small stool for her. “Sit down, Qingqing. I just cut some watermelon. Perfect timing, come have a few slices. Nice and cold, very sweet.”

Aunt Li had been one of the people chased by the wild boar before. Shen Qingqing had drawn the boar away, indirectly saving her, and since then Aunt Li’s impression of the girl had completely changed.

She deliberately placed a larger slice of watermelon in front of Shen Qingqing.

Shen Qingqing acted as though it would be rude to refuse. After thanking her, she sat down and answered their questions. “I haven’t been busy with much. I just opened up a small vegetable garden in our courtyard and have been taking care of it lately.”

One of the women looked surprised. “You opened new land? You’re moving soon anyway. Why bother? Haven’t you heard the relocation housing covers food and lodging?”

Shen Qingqing looked as though she were hearing this for the first time and shook her head firmly. “Food and lodging included? That’s impossible.”

Her tone was unusually certain. The women exchanged glances, and Aunt Li asked, “Why impossible? Did you hear something?”

Zhao Hailin was known as a young man with “many friends” and “connections,” so his words carried weight in the village.

But Shen Qingqing was no less credible. As a university student studying in a major city and someone who had even been praised by officials from the Forestry Bureau, her words were equally convincing to the villagers.

Perhaps she had heard some news while away from home.

Shen Qingqing indeed said, “The economic situation has been very bad lately. Haven’t you watched the news? Companies are laying people off, many are unemployed, and there have even been disturbances. Society is very unstable right now. The government’s money is all being used for unemployment subsidies!”

“Forget meal subsidies, which were optional to begin with. Right now, whether there’s even enough funding to continue building relocation housing is still a question!”

Her brows were tightly knit, her expression full of worry, as if she had been troubled by this matter for a long time.

As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, found the earlier news article, and showed it to them.

“Look, a county in a neighboring province had the same problem. The government tightened its finances and diverted funds elsewhere. The funding chain broke, and construction on relocation housing was suspended indefinitely. No one even knows what will happen next,” she said, letting them glance briefly at the headline before putting the phone away with a sigh. “You don’t realize how many people are unemployed or bankrupt right now. When people have no money, things go wrong. Quite a few people have already died in S City this year.”

“Compared to that, relocation housing is a small matter. In their eyes, whether we move earlier or later doesn’t really matter. But if unemployment payments fail to go out, that’s a matter of life and death.”

What Shen Qingqing said was not entirely wrong. With the current level of social unrest, the government would naturally prioritize more urgent problems, and relocation housing would likely fall lower on the list.

However, she could not easily find news matching the local situation, and the article she had just shown was actually an old report from several years ago, unrelated to current finances.

Fortunately, everyone had focused only on the headline and failed to notice the publication date.

Aunt Li slapped her thigh anxiously. “How can that be? They already promised food and lodging!”

“Exactly! If we can’t farm, are we supposed to live on air? We’re already in our fifties and sixties. Are we supposed to go out and find jobs as waitresses at this age?” the other women complained.

One woman, more clear headed, voiced a doubt. “But Qingqing, this news isn’t about our area, right? Maybe it won’t affect us.”

Shen Qingqing shook her head. Translated on hololo novels. After hesitating for a few seconds, as if finally making up her mind, she said, “You don’t understand. This is only what gets reported.”

“When they finally announced the funding collapse and construction halt, it was already close to the handover date. They only admitted it because they couldn’t delay any longer. Before that, they were trying to patch the funding gap. They could afford to wait, but we can’t. We’re the ones waiting to move into new homes,” she said. “So we have to notice changes in the situation ahead of time ourselves.”

The women nodded as they listened. Shen Qingqing continued, “As for the current situation… let me put it this way. A big city like S City should have better finances than our area, right? If things there are already this chaotic, do you really think our side is doing better? It’s just being kept quiet.”

She deliberately spoke vaguely. The evasive tone made her sound even more credible.

There was no helping it. People in the village responded well to this kind of delivery.

One aunt asked uncertainly, “Then Qingqing, what will you do in the future? Lijun said you might stay in S City.”

“That’s not certain anymore,” Shen Qingqing sighed. “Otherwise, why do you think I rushed to start farming?”

Hearing this, everyone suddenly understood.

Everything connected at once. No wonder Shen Qingqing had hurried to open a vegetable garden and renovate the old house. She had been preparing for the future all along.

So what was the point of going to university? In the end, she still had to come back to farm.

The thought flashed through their minds, then quickly faded. No, that was not quite right. At least she had gone to S City, gained knowledge, and even shared such valuable information with them.

They had thought Shen Qingqing foolish for repairing walls and planting crops right before relocation. Now they realized they themselves had been the foolish ones. Shen Qingqing must have learned some inside information about the relocation housing and was indirectly hinting to them through news from another county.

If they still failed to understand, then they would truly be stupid.

Thinking this, they secretly glanced at Shen Qingqing.

She said nothing, merely maintaining an inscrutable expression.

That only convinced them further.

She was definitely hiding something she had not said!

An aunt surnamed Zhang hurriedly stood up. “No, our fields have been lying abandoned since the start of the year. I need to go buy seeds right away.”

“Me too.”

“Qingqing, thank goodness for you. Otherwise we’d still be kept in the dark, waiting for blessings to fall from the sky.”

Someone else complained angrily, “That Zhao Hailin, spreading nonsense like that. Maybe he was paid off, lying to keep us from making trouble.”

Shen Qingqing quickly said, “Not necessarily. Maybe Brother Hailin was fooled too.”

“That’s true. He’s never been very reliable anyway…”

Perhaps recalling Zhao Hailin’s earlier performance dealing with the wild boar, the women all showed expressions of painful remembrance and suddenly felt it entirely plausible that he had been deceived.

Matters requiring careful thinking were clearly more trustworthy when explained by a university student.

They stopped dwelling on it. One by one, they left. After finishing her watermelon, Shen Qingqing also politely said goodbye.

Before she left, Aunt Li insisted on pressing the remaining half of the watermelon into her hands. “This is to thank you. You must take it!”

Looking at how mature and composed Shen Qingqing had become, Aunt Li suddenly sighed. “You’ve grown so well. The Shen family is truly fortunate to have a daughter like you.”

Words completely opposite to Grandpa Shen’s made Shen Qingqing’s emotions suddenly complicated.

Lowering her eyes, she bid Aunt Li farewell and began calculating quietly in her mind.

Given how fond the village women were of gossip, this news would spread throughout the village within a few days.

Those willing to believe it would naturally begin farming again. One month would be enough time for them to buy seeds and restore the now abandoned vegetable plots.

The Shen family would no longer be among the small minority with functioning farmland. At least when the apocalypse arrived, they would not become easy targets.

More than that, if enough families resumed farming, enough to outnumber those lying idle, they could even unite to protect their fields together.

At last, a solution to the problem had begun to take shape. Shen Qingqing let out a long breath of relief, her steps growing noticeably lighter.

₊˚.🎧📓✩