Author Archives: Thandar

Cai Mansion Flower Appreciation Party

On this afternoon, Yu Qingze was in the shop watching the plastered stove being whitewashed by the master mason. While halfway through the task, they suddenly heard the sound of gongs being beaten outside. After a while, the sound gradually faded away.

The two of them walked to the door to see what was going on but didn’t find any particular reason. However, they noticed that people on the street were excitedly discussing something.

After listening for a while, Yu Qingze learned that the results of the provincial examination had been announced, and Jiang Tianrui, the second young master of the Jiang family in the southern part of the city, ranked sixth, making him a top scorer. The person beating the gongs was bringing the good news.

The mason sighed and said, “Boss Liu will be proud. His son-in-law has become a juren!”

(T/N: The following is the breakdown of scholar rankings, from lowest to highest, per wikipedia.

Tong sheng – child student; an entry-level examinee who had passed the county/prefecture exams.

Shengyuan / Xiucai– student member; an entry-level licentiate who had passed the higher level (like college) exam.

Juren – recommended man; a qualified graduate who passed the triennial provincial exam.

Gongshi – tribute scholar; a recognized scholarly achiever who passed the triennial national exam.

Jinshi – advanced scholar; a graduate who passed the triennial court exam.)

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze was delighted and said, “Yes, I will go congratulate him later!”

While they were talking, another round of gong sounds rang out.

The mason poked his head out to see and asked in confusion, “Did someone else pass?”

After a while, the news came from the intersection.

It turned out that the eldest young master of the Cai family, Cai Chenxi, had achieved the highest score and became the top scholar. The person delivering the good news had already reported it in Yunzhou, but since Cai Chenxi had been staying in Tongshan City recently, he asked the person to come and report the news again at the Cai residence in Tongshan City.

“The top scholar! Boss Yu, did you hear that? Young Master Cai from the Cai family has done remarkably well. His father, Master Cai, was also the top scholar in his year!” The mason was particularly excited.

“Really?” Yu Qingze asked in astonishment.

The mason nodded, then went back inside and continued working while talking to Yu Qingze. He said, “Yes, indeed. Master Cai was quite a prominent figure in our Tongshan City. He was the youngest among the candidates in his year’s provincial examination. I remember he was around seventeen or eighteen at that time. However, his grandfather passed away, and he had to observe mourning, so he didn’t go to the capital for the metropolitan examination the following year. Then, a few years later, his younger brother also passed away, causing further delays. It’s a pity. Otherwise, he might have become the youngest Zhuangyuan.”

Yu Qingze sighed in contemplation, “Is that so? Master Cai didn’t have much luck when he was young.”

The mason nodded and continued applying plaster with a trowel, saying, “Fortunately, he eventually passed the examination and was assigned to serve as an official in Tongshan City. I heard that he could have stayed in the capital, but for some reason, he chose to return.”

Yu Qingze didn’t respond to that comment. The world of officials is indeed complex.

“By the way, Boss Yu, once this stove is finished being whitewashed, we’ll need to open the windows in this room for ventilation. The smell of the lime isn’t pleasant. Once it dries, it’ll be ready for use, and after some time, the smell will dissipate,” the mason said to Yu Qingze.

“Alright, thank you for your help.”

It didn’t take long for the mason to finish applying the plaster. After tidying up his tools, he noticed there was still a little bit of mortar left in the bucket and said to Yu Qingze, “Boss Yu, I noticed a large patch of wall plaster has come off in your backyard. I have some mortar left here. How about I patch it up for you?”

Yu Qingze’s eyes lit up. There was an unsightly patch on the exterior wall of his storage room, so he replied, “Sure, thank you.”

The two of them moved to the backyard, and the mason scraped off the loose plaster, prepared the surface, and began applying the mortar.

After the worker finished and left, Yu Qingze took a good look at the newly plastered stove.

The stove had an L-shaped design, divided into two parts. Inside was the stove for cooking, which would be used for keeping food warm. On the side facing the guests, there was a platform that was fifty centimeters wide, where guests could place their plates. The height of the platform was about ten centimeters higher than the overall height of the stove inside. In between, there was a low wall about ten centimeters high to separate the two sections.

Looking at the white countertop, Yu Qingze found the color unappealing and easy to get dirty, making it difficult to clean. He thought about asking his grandfather to weave some bamboo mats to place on the outside of the countertop at home, so it wouldn’t get dirty easily.

Having made up his mind, he tidied up a bit, opened the windows facing the courtyard, and locked the door before heading back to his snack stall.

Jiang Tianrui and Cai Chenxi both passed the imperial examination, so he needed to prepare some gifts to congratulate them.

For such a significant occasion, it wouldn’t be suitable to always give pastries as gifts. After discussing with his friend Brother Le, Yu Qingze went out to buy presents.

After buying the gifts, Yu Qingze went to Liu’s place.

“Congratulations, Boss Liu! Your son-in-law has achieved the title of juren!” Yu Qingze congratulated Boss Liu upon seeing him.

Boss Liu had already received the news and was overjoyed. He looked completely different from his usual stern expression. When he saw Yu Qingze, he couldn’t help but smile openly, without any pretense. “Brother Yu, thank you, thank you! It’s all Tianrui’s own merit! Today is truly a great day! Hahaha…”

Yu Qingze handed him the gifts, and Boss Liu didn’t hesitate to accept them, saying he would give them to Jiang Tianrui. Then the two of them chatted and laughed together for a while before Yu Qingze returned to his snack stall.

The next day, taking advantage of the morning when there weren’t many people around, Yu Qingze first went to congratulate the Cai residence, and then he was invited to stay by Madam Cai.

“Xiao Yu, I was just looking for you,” Madam Cai said as he gestured for Yu Qingze to take a seat.

Yu Qingze asked, ” Madam Cai, is there something you need from me?”

Madam Cai replied, “Since Xiaoxi has achieved the title of juren, various families in the city sent congratulatory gifts yesterday, all from prominent families in Tongshan City. I’m planning to host a flower appreciation gathering tomorrow, inviting the heads of these families to gather and show our gratitude. Originally, Xiaoxi should have been in charge of this, but he is still in Yunzhou, so I had to take over. That’s why I want to ask you to prepare some snacks to entertain the guests.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze immediately responded, “That’s great. What kind of snacks does Madam Cai want?”

After thinking for a moment, Madam Cai said, “We’ll need a variety of sweet and savory snacks. Since everyone loves the snacks you make, you can decide on the specific types. Around eight or nine varieties should be enough.”

Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and said, “Alright. How many people are expected to attend?”

Madam Cai answered, “There will be around fifteen or sixteen madams of esteemed families, and they might bring their children along as well. So we need to prepare for about twenty to thirty people.”

Yu Qingze further inquired, “Will it be in the morning?”

Madam Cai nodded and said, “Yes. The flowers will bloom beautifully in the morning.”

“Alright, Madam Cai. Tomorrow morning, I will bring Brother Le with me,” Yu Qingze agreed with a nod.

Upon hearing that Brother Le would be coming, Madam Cai asked, “If Brother Le is coming, what will happen to your snack stall tomorrow? Will it affect your business?”

“No worries, there will be someone taking care of it,” Yu Qingze shook his head. With the madams of various prestigious families present, it was a great opportunity to promote the snacks.

Hearing his reassurance, Madam Cai felt relieved and said, “Alright then, thank you for your hard work, both you and Brother Le.”

“No problem, please don’t mention it,” Yu Qingze replied politely.

“When will your shop be open? We’ll have to come and take a look then.”

“It will take a few more days, probably around the 22nd.”

“Alright, once you’re sure, let us know. I and the old man want to go and see.”

“Sure.”

On the same day, Yu Qingze went to the kitchen to communicate with Uncle Fu, ensuring that all the necessary ingredients were prepared, and then he returned.

In the evening, they prepared three dishes that could be served cold, and the rest would be prepared at the Cai residence.

In the middle of the night, Yu Qingze got up and soaked the white fungus. Just before leaving, he also soaked the lotus seeds and brought them along.

He planned to showcase the white fungus dessert, making a red jujube and lotus seed sweet soup at Madam Cai’s flower appreciation gathering.

Early in the morning, as the sky was just getting bright, he set off with Brother Le. They had already arranged for Uncle Chang, Brother Chang’s father, to oversee the snack stall in the morning, and once they finished their tasks, Uncle Chang would return.

With the help of Uncle Fu and the kitchen staff, they prepared all the snacks before the flower appreciation gathering began. They even made extra as suggested by Madam Cai, so that the guests could take some back home.

In the back garden of the Cai residence, preparations had been made for the flower appreciation gathering.

Various chrysanthemums were blooming brightly, the scent of osmanthus filled the air, purple butterfly orchids swayed gracefully, and red roses and begonias showed off their charm…

The madams of various prestigious families, dressed elegantly, arrived one after another, just as Madam Cai had expected. They also brought many young gers with them, of all ages, creating a lively atmosphere.

Cai Chenxi was of marriageable age and still unmarried, so it was likely that each family had some thoughts in that regard.

Madam Cai led them into the garden, where tables, chairs, and refreshments had already been set up.

The esteemed guests chatted and laughed while enjoying the flowers for a while.

Two young boys noticed the snacks on the table and mentioned it to their mother. They went over and started eating the snacks.

“Mother, these snacks are so delicious. Can we buy them when we go back? Please?” One of the boys held a snack in his hand and asked his mother.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the red bean cake in the boy’s hand and realized that these snacks were not available in the market.

“Ah, these snacks… Madam Cai, are these made by Yu’s Delicious Delights?” one of the esteemed guests asked.

Madam Cai nodded and said, “Yes, I specifically asked him to make them. Everyone, please have a seat and taste his craftsmanship.”

As soon as they heard that it was made by Yu’s, their interest was piqued. They sat down in different places and started tasting the snacks.

Recently, they had tried several kinds of snacks from both the Cai residence and the Zhao residence, all made by Yu’s. The taste was much better than the snacks from other pastry shops in Tongshan City. However, Yu’s usually took custom orders and rarely sold their products directly.

An esteemed guest from the Zhao residence tasted a sticky rice cake and said, “Yu Qingze, the owner of Yu’s, is truly talented. The snacks he made for our patriarch’s birthday banquet were all exquisite. Especially the longevity peach buns, they looked and tasted just like the real thing. The patriarch was delighted.”

Another esteemed guest who had also attended the banquet replied, “Yes, I tasted them at the banquet too. They were not only visually appealing but also delicious.”

Everyone discussed these snacks for a while.

“Today, Boss Yu also made a new dessert called Silver Ear Red Date Lotus Seed Sweet Soup with goji berries. Everyone should give it a try,” Madam Cai said when he saw that it was almost time. He waved his hand, signaling Mi Ge’er to have the final dessert served.

Mi Ge’er brought the dessert, silver ear sweet soup, and placed it on the table before stepping aside.

Madam Cai called out, “Everyone, please try it. Boss Yu said that this dessert is especially beneficial for us gers. It promotes beauty, nourishes and moisturizes the skin, nourishes yin, and moistens the lungs. Drinking more of it is good for your health.”

Curious, everyone started tasting the dessert.

The lotus seeds were soft and sticky, the red dates were rich and sweet, and the cooked silver ear was tender and smooth.

They instantly fell in love with it.

“It’s delicious.” “Not bad at all.”

They had seen lotus seed, red date, and goji berry combinations before, but they had never seen transparent and smooth silver ear before.

“What is this transparent and smooth thing? I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it,” one of the esteemed guests asked.

Madam Cai replied, “Boss Yu said it’s called silver ear, also known as white fungus.”

“White fungus? Oh, white fungus is not edible, right? I know about it. It makes your skin itchy when you eat it,” one of the esteemed guests immediately exclaimed, a little startled, and put down his spoon.

Upon hearing this, the others were also frightened and put down their spoons, looking at Madam Cai with confusion. How could Madam Cai give them something that is not edible?

Madam Cai calmly continued drinking, taking two more sips before saying, “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Boss Yu said that if you pick it, eat it immediately, and go out under the sun afterwards, it would make you itchy, just like Madam Huang said, but after drying and soaking it in water, it’s safe. Look, I ate it and nothing happened, right?”

Uncle Fu had recognized the white fungus when he saw Yu Qingze taking it out earlier. Later, Yu Qingze explained and then drank it in front of them. He even went to sunbathe for fifteen minutes, and nothing happened.

Seeing that Brother Le was indeed fine, Uncle Fu finally reassured the guests.

Seeing their skeptical expressions, Madam Cai smiled and said, “This is a good thing. Don’t blame me if you regret not drinking it later. If you want to drink it later, you’ll have to spend money at Boss Yu’s shop.”

Upon hearing Madam Cai’s words, a few bolder individuals, like Madam Zhao, continued drinking. Madam Cai had already drunk it, so what were they afraid of? Besides, Madam Cai wouldn’t harm himself.

The taste was indeed good, and Madam Zhao asked Madam Cai, “Madam Cai, is Boss Yu still here? Can I buy two pounds from him to try at home?”

Madam Cai looked at him and nodded, saying, “You have a discerning eye. However, he mentioned that the quantity is limited, and he doesn’t sell silver ear separately. It’s only used in the desserts at his shop. When his shop opens, you can go there and have it.”

“When will his shop open?”

“They said it will be in a few days, probably around the 22nd.”

“…”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Since the incident with the teenagers near the pond last time, the military has taken control of that area and strictly monitored it. On one hand, this is to prevent that area from becoming a weak spot for the base, and on the other hand, it is to increase the base’s production resources.

Ji Cha followed Zhao Tiankuo to catch fish, but he didn’t need to do anything. He just went along to watch.

“We’ve already dealt with some zombie fish before, but we still can’t clean them all up. So catching fish is not entirely safe,” Zhao Tiankuo told Ji Cha. “But we caught some safe and edible fish before and stored them in another pond. They should be okay.”

A total of about 700 kilograms of fish were caught after the two nets were pulled in. Because the mesh size of the fishing nets was relatively large, only larger adult fish were caught. This ensured that many young fish would remain in the pond, and also avoided overfishing, which laid the foundation for long-term development.

However, even with over 700 kilograms of fish meat, when it was divided up as dishes, each person only got less than one or two. Compared to other New Year’s dishes, it was still relatively simple.

Ji Cha thought and thought, and still wanted to find a way to make the first year of the base better.

As for meat, it was still not being produced in large quantities, so each piece was precious to Ji Cha. He stood in the pigsty and counted several times. With only ten adult pigs left, after several months of pregnancy, seven sows were left with their young. The number of piglets born to each sow in the first litter is usually less than the subsequent litters. Originally, the person in charge of the pig farm told Ji Cha that a sow could give birth to around 12 piglets in the first litter, but on average, the seven sows only gave birth to nine each. Now, there are more than sixty piglets that are barely a month old, looking cute and chubby as they suckle milk.

Although the prospects are good, at the moment, there is still not much meat available. Ji Cha calculated that the only usable meat was from a fully grown male pig. The male pig had been well-fed and was estimated to weigh around 500-600 kilograms.

“If we take one pig and make it into braised pork, everyone should be able to get a few pieces, right? That’s not a bad idea,” he thought carefully and told Zhao Tiankuo about the proposal.

Zhao Tiankuo was somewhat surprised, but more happy. “That’s a great idea!” he said. “Also, the troops want us to kill two more sheep that we retrieved last time to supplement the food supply. They can take the male sheep, right? You said there were a lot of male sheep last time.”

Although there were many, it still made him feel sorry to kill a few more. At this time, Ji Cha was almost like a penny-pincher, calculating things for the long term. Even eating a little more now made him feel distressed.

But Zhao Tiankuo was right. In his opinion, seven male sheep were too many, and from a breeding standpoint, too many male sheep would be difficult to manage in the long run.

Ji Cha selected two of the older male sheep and a male pig, and had them transported by the troops. The two male sheep weighed a total of 400 pounds, and the male pig weighed over 550 pounds. So counting sheep meat, pork, and fish, there were at least three meat dishes for the New Year’s dinner.

In addition, a batch of vegetables produced from the outside fields could also be put on the table. Before nightfall, Ji Cha gathered the workers to pick the last batch of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and bok choy before the New Year’s Day. Because of the large planting scale, the thousand pounds of vegetables required by the troops were also provided.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The vast majority of the New Year’s Eve dinner was also provided by the factory, including tofu, bean sprouts, and even soy milk, which was served as a beverage. None of it was wasted and all was sent to the cafeteria for final processing.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was completely free, with the cafeteria staff assigning dishes and unlimited rice provided. Of course, this kind of welfare was only for this one meal. Ji Cha heard that the base cafeteria would also provide free porridge the next morning, but the accompaniments such as side dishes would have to be prepared by oneself.

In these difficult times, the New Year is a time of hope. The base also wants to take this opportunity to boost morale. What comes after the New Year may not necessarily be bright. In fact, the current environment of the base cannot be considered completely safe and stable, with many external threats, including zombies.

S city originally had a population of one million. Apart from the nearly ten thousand people in the base, there are likely still many scattered survivors outside. However, based on conservative estimates, the number of uninfected humans still alive outside may be less than 100,000. Each person is struggling to survive, and it’s very possible that they may not see the sun tomorrow.

Putting aside these heavy factors, the atmosphere in the base today is indeed high.

Starting from three in the afternoon, many public places in the base were covered with curtains and projected comedy movies and TV shows. Except for a few areas such as the factory cafeteria that are still working, other places have started to rest before the New Year.

People in groups carry stools or cushions and find a place to sit and watch TV. The cafeteria not far away has already started to be busy, sorting out and cooking the dishes allocated to their side.

It takes some time to stew the lamb soup, so it was put into the pot early. The clear stewed lamb soup uses simple ingredients other than the lamb itself, all of which are supporting spices. It takes some time, but after simmering, the aroma is delightful.

After the apocalypse, who can smell this kind of aroma a few times? Suddenly, it aroused the appetite of everyone.

“I remember the announcement said that the New Year’s Eve dinner is free today, right? Wow, what is this stewed so fragrant? It must be meat!”

“Give me two mouthfuls of soup. I can eat three big bowls with white rice! No, I’m starving now…”

While watching TV, everyone discussed enthusiastically, with joyful smiles on their faces, feeling so comfortable in their hearts for the first time.

They didn’t expect this to be only the first wave of aroma. After the pig was slaughtered and divided into two halves, it was transported to two different canteens. Before, they could only smell the scent, but now they could see the half pig being carried in, and everyone couldn’t help but salivate, wishing to pounce on the raw meat and take a few big bites.

The aroma of braised pork was even more tempting, and there was also stewed fish with pickled vegetables, spicy tofu, stir-fried bean sprouts, and oyster sauce vegetables. There was no shortage of ingredients in the base, and there were even some leftovers. After all, these seasonings have an expiration date, and it would be a waste to leave them unused.

Three meat and three vegetable dishes might have been considered inadequate for a New Year’s feast before the apocalypse, but now it was a feast. When the canteen door finally opened, people rushed in, afraid of missing out on the good food.

The staff in the base had already hastily eaten their own portions or set aside their own portions in advance. Now they quickly poured the pre-portioned amount into the bowls and plates brought by the people, and then quickly measured the next portion. With dozens of staff members needing to serve hundreds of portions, it was a tiring job.

But there wasn’t a single person on either side without a smile on their face. In the apocalypse, who could ask for more? Having enough to eat and warm clothes was already a great privilege that countless people outside couldn’t even dream of.

The first year of the apocalypse ended in the relaxed atmosphere of the base, but the second year of the apocalypse was about to begin.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: I’m a little confused by the number of people in the base. A few chapters back, I remember it was 5,000 but now it’s 10,000. Did the population doubled during this time?

A special shoutout and heartfelt thanks go to SheungMun for their generous support on Kofi. This chapter is dedicated to you, dear reader.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Even in the apocalypse, the meaning of the New Year still has significant importance for people in Country C. Especially for those who can live a stable life in the base, they want to reward themselves after more than half a year of exhaustion and running around.

The army is also very thoughtful. Not only have they increased the number of personal limit purchases in the supermarket ten days before the New Year, but the labor income during these ten days is also 1.5 times more than usual. Even in many places, notices have been posted on the job board stating that people can take a break after the New Year, and those who have reserved their work before the holiday won’t lose their job because of choosing to take a break.

Some people want to take a break, and some people want to make more money during this time. It’s a win-win situation, and nobody loses.

Ji Cha also has no time to spare. A large amount of farmland must be prepared before spring arrives, and it’s not just Ji Cha who’s busy. Many workers are also busy. However, due to the recent intensive work in the farm, the points have increased a lot. It’s much better than many other jobs, so even though it’s tiring, countless people are still eager to get in.

“Now we need to figure out what crops to plant on each of these plots of land and what to plant after the first harvest,” Ji Cha sat under the desk lamp, constantly scribbling on a piece of paper and carefully recording each set of data in his notebook.

Liang Jincheng sat beside him, propping his chin with one hand and focusing his gaze on Ji Cha’s face.

After about ten minutes of calculations, Ji Cha couldn’t help turning his head to look at Liang Jincheng and said, “You should go to bed first.”

“I can’t sleep alone,” Liang Jincheng leaned on the table. “When will we finish?”

Ji Cha flipped through the materials he had prepared for the evening and replied, “Hmm, it’ll probably take about two hours.”

Liang Jincheng glanced at his phone, which was still lit up, and showed that it was already one o’clock in the morning.

“You have to leave at six tomorrow, right?” Liang Jincheng frowned. “You should go to bed now, or you won’t have the energy.”

Ji Cha shrugged, “Don’t you always stay up like this?”

“Are you me?” Liang Jincheng rubbed Ji Cha’s head forcefully. “The shortest time I’ve slept is half an hour. What about you?”

Ji Cha’s face turned red immediately, and he kicked Liang Jincheng in frustration. But Liang Jincheng’s stomach was as hard as a rock, causing Ji Cha’s foot to hurt.

Unable to convince Liang Jincheng, Ji Cha could only say, “I don’t have to leave early tomorrow, so I can sleep until noon.”

Since Liang Jincheng was always busy and had been working long hours for the past month, Ji Cha doubted that his statement would make a difference. Liang Jincheng laughed, “That’s perfect. I don’t have anything to do tomorrow either. Let’s sleep together.”

“Dare to touch me again and I’ll chop off what’s between your legs.” Ji Cha covered Liang Jincheng’s face with his hand.

Although it was supposed to be a day off the next day, neither of them really got a break.

Ji Cha was barely able to take it easy and got up at eight o’clock to check the progress of the record work everywhere. Liang Jincheng didn’t have to lead the ability team out of the base for tasks like usual, but he wasn’t really idle either. He was supervising the personnel outside the base to collect and store items from the missions from before the Chinese New Year until the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Because the absorption of external personnel had caused three or four incidents at the entrance of the base recently, and basically only those with abilities could react immediately and solve violent issues.

The entrance of the base was full of ragged people, thin enough to reveal their ribs in the harsh winter weather, waiting for the base’s review and striving for a slim chance to enter.

There were many preparations to be made before entering the base, and reporting work ability or age was only a few of the simplest items, but the key was to pass the base’s health check. If even a trace of the zombie virus showed up on the body, they would be executed without hesitation.

Fortunately, the base was still humane overall. At this time, considering the harsh weather, many fire points were set up outside to prevent refugees from freezing to death in the cold.

Another reason why Liang Jincheng was there was to quickly identify the people with abilities.

The ratio of people with abilities to ordinary people was disproportionate, and during the long period of expanding the population of the base, only six more people with abilities were added, all of whom were recruited by Liang Jincheng to work in the ability team. Compared with ordinary people, people with abilities had stronger abilities and naturally received better treatment. One person with abilities could easily support five people.

Now, there were few elderly and children anxiously waiting outside the base, and the vast majority were young men, with very few women.

After completing a series of audits and being granted entry to the base, one still hasn’t truly obtained the status of a resident. First, one must be taken to a corner of the base, to a house that has been isolated. They must live there for three days, during which the base provides food and shelter. Only if there are no health problems after three days can one enter the identity registration process. Anyone who has any problems during those three days will undoubtedly be dealt with.

“In addition, the house is provided by the base,” explained the staff member in charge of assigning rooms. “Different houses have different specifications, and the number of points that must be paid each month is also different. This is something that everyone can choose for themselves.

The first type of house is the most expensive, requiring 150 points per month. It is the largest in size and has a kitchen where one can cook, as well as bathroom facilities and the ability to charge electronics. Of course, water and electricity bills must be calculated separately.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The second type of house is cheaper, requiring 90 points per month. It is of medium size and does not have a kitchen, but it does have bathroom facilities and cannot charge electronics.

The third type is a collective dormitory, requiring 50 points per month. It is small in size, does not have a kitchen, has a shared bathroom, and cannot charge electronics.

Currently, the total number of points earned by the average worker in the base is only about 300 per month. Obviously, not many people can afford the first type of house, but if it is shared by a family, it is not considered expensive. Many people choose to rent the first type of house together for convenience, but most still live in collective dormitories.

Regarding charging electronics and such, first of all, hardly anyone has electronic communication devices. Second, in public places like recruitment points, paid charging services are available, so it’s not necessary to charge electronics at home. Many people consider this a waste of money.

As for things like charging, firstly, there are basically few people with electronic communication devices, and secondly, in public places such as recruitment sites, paid charging services are provided, so there is no need to get electricity at home, which is considered a waste of money by many people.

It seems that the dormitories in the base have become very scarce. Although construction projects have never stopped, the influx of more people is a problem that construction projects cannot keep up with. Some people with flexible minds who entered the base early have ideas. Recently, the village houses where early people live are relatively large and have more open space. Some people have started to rent out their houses, living in one room and letting others live in the remaining rooms, at a slightly cheaper price than the base.

For a while, such “commodities” are also very scarce.

Ji Cha stood by the farmland, carefully recording something on his notebook, and then took a long breath.

It is estimated that the population of the base will reach 8,000 after the year, and it is estimated to reach at least 12,000 when the first batch of crops is harvested. The current farmland is designed to produce enough food for at least 15,000 people, so there will not be a shortage of food at least.

In addition, there is a strong tendency to nationalize the breeding industry in the base.

Ji Cha didn’t think too much about this. Instead of taking credit for it later, he might as well maximize the benefits of the resources he currently has and try to get more benefits from the army.

For example, breeding can be publicized, but the decision-making and management rights he holds must be the largest. Feeds and other necessities should all be provided publicly, and the final decision-making should not be forced by the military.

Currently, the troops have not fully agreed to the requirements proposed by Ji Cha, but Ji Cha believes that the base will still agree to this requirement, as it is not a losing deal for either side.

Two days before the Chinese New Year, Zhao Tiankuo found Ji Cha.

“I inquired about the condition you proposed, and there have been some doubts about it from higher up,” Zhao Tiankuo said. “But I’m here for another matter today.”

“What is it?” Jicha asked.

“We don’t have much meat to eat during the New Year,” Zhao Tiankuo said. “Those pigs, sheep, and chickens are being kept for breeding, so we plan to go out and catch some fish from the river behind us. It’s also a way to have some meat during the holiday.”

The military plans to have a big pot of free food in each cafeteria during the New Year, and it seems they want to use this opportunity to improve their meals.

After all, everyone wants to have a good time during the New Year.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Shop Concept

What did Yu Qingze think of?

He thought of Cantonese-style dim sum.

Steamed buns, dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, meat buns, taro buns, red bean buns, mantou, red bean rolls, glutinous rice chicken, glutinous rice balls, chicken feet, glutinous rice ribs, and some refreshing side dishes like cold marinated wood ear mushrooms, cold marinated seaweed, and jellyfish…

In addition, there would be Guangdong style hot pot, cold noodles, liangpi, a variety of congees, and a few stir-fried dishes. Well, let’s skip the noodles and not compete with Liu’s for business.

Then, a few desserts would be added as well.

There would be a wide variety of choices with different flavors. In the future, more desserts could be added or reduced as needed, such as lotus seed paste buns, crab roe buns, and so on. It would be absolutely perfect.

Various delicious desserts, paired with tea, adopting a semi-self-service format, would make full use of the shop space.

Customers would come in and choose their own meals. Once they made their selection, they could start eating without waiting for the dishes to be served. They would pay first and eat later, and once they finished, they could leave. For people in a hurry, it would save time. For those who were not in a hurry, they could sit and enjoy the delicious food slowly, which would be a kind of indulgence.

Moreover, this new business model might also attract people’s attention.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

And one more crucial point: the training for making dim sum is much easier compared to stir-frying dishes. Yu Qingze noticed that Brother Le seemed to learn dim sum much faster than stir-frying. During their usual breakfasts, Yu Qingze had already taught Brother Le many types of dim sum, and Brother Le could make them all.

In addition, Brother Chang and Jiabao had also learned three types of dim sum after their visit to Zhao Mansion. If it would be possible to have Brother Chang’s father and mother work at the small shop, it would be even better. However, only one of them might be able to come since there would still be work to be done in the fields.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Yu Qingze excitedly began planning the layout of the shop space.

First, on the right side of the entrance, a space of about three to four meters would be set up as the pick-up area. After the dim sum was steamed in the kitchen, they would be placed here. So, they would need to install two long stovetops with burners here. In the winter, they could use them to keep the food warm, so they would need to hire someone to build the stovetops. Well, the functionality of the stovetop area would need to be carefully planned.

Next, they would need to order customized tables and chairs and purchase kitchen utensils.

Then, there was the issue of settlement.

In the past, some of the morning tea shops used small round stamps to mark the corresponding prices on the guests’ bills, which made settlement very convenient.

Yu Qingze thought this format was great. However, paper was quite expensive here, so they could use small bamboo or wooden plaques instead. They would mark the prices on the plaques, and when customers picked up their meals, they would place the plaques in their trays. The settlement would be calculated based on the prices indicated on the wooden plaques, and then the plaques would be returned to the staff for reuse…

Oh, there were so many things to consider. Afraid of forgetting something, Yu Qingze locked the door, went to a snack stall to get the writing materials for Jiabao to keep the accounts, bought a small notebook, and then returned to the shop to start thinking and jotting down ideas.

From then on, except for the busiest hour during lunchtime at the snack stall, Yu Qingze helped out and spent the rest of his time in the shop, thinking about things.

In the afternoon, he thought of something else and hurriedly went to Zhao Mansion to ask Steward Zhao to inquire with the shop’s owner whether it would be possible to build a stove in the house.

Since their food was all steamed and wouldn’t produce smoke in the main hall, and considering the owner’s respect for Old Master Zhao’s reputation, it was approved.

Having obtained permission, Yu Qingze felt relieved.

In the evening, after dinner, he shared his ideas with Grandpa Chang and Brother Le, showing them the layout plan he had drawn for the shop. He explained his thoughts on how to arrange things, what to do here and there, and so on.

After finishing, Yu Qingze asked them, “Grandpa, Brother Le, what do you think?”

Grandpa Chang and the two brothers looked at him in shock.

The shop could be run like this? Without waiters taking orders, the customers would just go and pick up their own meals, and then they would settle the bill directly?

After they recovered from their shock, they carefully pondered it for a while and realized that if this format could really work, it would be very convenient. At least they wouldn’t have to personally take orders and serve the dishes!

Grandpa Chang thought for a moment and asked, “What if some customers take advantage of the chaos and start eating without paying?” He pointed to the dining area.

Yu Qingze pointed to the cash counter and said, “Grandpa, look, the entrance is almost facing the kitchen door. We can place the cash counter directly on the right side of the kitchen door. When they pick up their meals, they have to pass through here to reach the dining area. If someone hasn’t paid, the staff can remind them. With so many people around, the customers wouldn’t have the audacity to eat without paying. Even if someone does, our staff can be quick-witted and remind them.”

“Hmm, that works,” nodded Grandpa Chang, saying, “It’s quite innovative.”

Yu Qingze smiled and noticed that Brother Le had been staring at the blueprint. He asked, “Brother Le, do you have any concerns or questions?”

Brother Le looked up and gestured, saying, “Do we need to hire more staff? We’ll need someone here for meal pick-up, someone here for placing the wooden plaques, someone for handling the cash, and someone in the kitchen. Altogether, we would need at least five or six people.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze nodded with a smile and said, “Yes, we need to find at least four more people. They should be quick and agile, specifically responsible for greeting customers. Two for the meal pick-up area and placing the wooden plaques, two for clearing tables and washing dishes. Additionally, we’ll need two people in the kitchen, one for handling the cash, and the last one can be more flexible, helping out wherever it’s busy. When it comes to handling the cash, Jiabao and I can take turns.”

Grandpa Chang nodded and said, “This method works. However, we’ll have to teach the new hires how to read, at least recognize numbers.”

Yu Qingze agreed, saying, “Yes, numbers should be relatively easy to learn. And we can try to group the items with the same price together and place price labels in front of them. Then it will be easy to match them with the wooden plaques.”

Upon hearing this, both Grandpa Chang and Chang Le felt that it was feasible and didn’t have any major issues. They hadn’t run a shop before, let alone seen one operated like this, so they couldn’t think of any other problems. However, they trusted Yu Qingze’s decision. Whatever he said to do, they would cooperate.

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and continued, “Grandpa, I want to ask if Brother Chang’s mother would be willing to come to the kitchen and handle making the dim sum. I’m not sure if they will agree since they have a lot of household chores to take care of.”

“I’ll ask them tomorrow,” replied Grandpa Chang. He then asked, “What about the other three people? Should we continue hiring from the village or look for people in the city?”

Yu Qingze pondered and said, “We can still hire people from the village. Their main responsibility will be outside, which won’t be a problem. As long as they are obedient and follow the rules, and are quick and diligent, it should work. In the kitchen, we’ll have me and Brother Le. If Brother Chang’s mother is willing to come, we’ll include him. If he can’t make it or when it gets too busy, Brother Chang can help in the kitchen with the dim sum. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Alright. Should we look for younger men or older ones? Any other specific requirements?” Grandpa Chang asked.

Yu Qingze replied, “Both younger men and older ones are fine. In addition to what I mentioned earlier, it would be preferable if they are relatively young, between sixteen and thirty-five years old. However, we need to make it clear to them about the rules. If there are any fundamental issues, we can dismiss them at any time. We absolutely cannot tolerate someone like the previous employee from Liu’s place.”

Grandpa Chang nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll think about it and see if there are suitable candidates in the village.”

The group continued to discuss other matters. It was suggested that tomorrow, on the tenth day of the month, they should all go to the shop together and see it in person. It would be easier to understand with a practical demonstration.

The next day, the family arrived at Beida Street early in the morning. Inside the shop, Yu Qingze explained the layout once again, giving the three a more visual impression.

As they looked at it this way, the three became even more convinced that Yu Qingze’s approach was a good one. They all agreed to proceed with the shop as planned.

Without further ado, they divided the tasks and worked together.

Grandpa Chang took Chang Hao back to the village to recruit people. Chang Le followed Yu Qingze’s instructions and bought a stove, a regular pot, and a large pot used for cooking large quantities of rice.

Yu Qingze immediately went to find Boss Liu and asked if he knew a skilled mason who could build the stove. Boss Liu introduced him to a mason he had used when he opened his own shop.

Then, Yu Qingze, along with Chang Le and the mason, measured the length, width, and height of the long stove and determined the distances between each stove burner. They then went together to buy the necessary materials for building the stove and arranged to start the construction the next day.

After that, Yu Qingze and Chang Le had lunch at Liu’s place and then went to order custom-made tables and chairs.

They took reference from Liu’s restaurant, which had twenty-four tables for four people each. Apart from the area for food collection, they estimated that they could accommodate approximately ten tables for four people and four tables for ten people. They initially placed an order based on this quantity and planned to add more if necessary.

This time, they didn’t go to the village chief’s house for the furniture. The village chief and others were busy making rice beds, and they wouldn’t have been able to handle such a large number of tables and chairs. Additionally, they wanted slightly more upscale furniture that required painting, so they found a larger carpentry workshop in the city. The workshop already had some finished products, and they selected the style. The shop assured them that the order would be ready for delivery in seven days.

With the tables and chairs ordered, it was getting dark, and the two hurried back.

While halfway there, a heavy rainstorm began, forcing them to take shelter in a pavilion outside the city.

“The rain came down so suddenly.”

The torrential rain arrived swiftly, leaving both of them drenched.

Yu Qingze wiped his face and turned to Chang Le, asking, “Brother Le, are you okay?”

Chang Le shook his head and took out a handkerchief to wipe Yu Qingze’s face.

Yu Qingze took it from him but didn’t wipe his own face. Instead, he extended his hand to wipe Chang Le’s face, saying as he wiped, “Sigh, it’s all my fault. If I had paid more attention to the weather and returned home earlier, I wouldn’t have let you get wet.”

Chang Le shook his head. He had intended to take the handkerchief and wipe his own face, but Yu Qingze didn’t allow it. Chang Le had no choice but to tilt his head back slightly, squinting his eyes, allowing Yu Qingze to wipe the rainwater off his face, bit by bit.

After Yu Qingze finished wiping Chang Le’s face, Chang Le quickly grabbed the handkerchief and started wiping Yu Qingze’s face.

Yu Qingze smiled and cooperatively lowered his head, letting Chang Le wipe his face. He whispered teasingly to Chang Le, “Brother Le, look at us now, don’t we resemble an old married couple who have been together for many years?”

Chang Le’s face turned red as he heard that, and he gestured, saying, “Old married couple? We should be wiping our own faces!”

“Oh, you’re right! Then we’re an engaged couple in the midst of passionate love,” Yu Qingze chuckled and continued, “But when we become an old married couple, I’ll still be the one wiping your face.”

Blushing, Chang Le awkwardly gestured, “I… I’ll also wipe your face.”

Yu Qingze looked at him, pulled Chang Le’s waist with one hand, embracing him, and pressed his forehead against Chang Le’s, whispering softly, “Alright. When we grow old, we’ll still be a loving old married couple.”

With that, Yu Qingze kissed Chang Le’s forehead and held him tightly.

Hearing these words, Chang Le’s heart thumped heavily. He loved this statement, and in his mind, he could already envision two old men wiping each other’s faces affectionately.

He nodded gently and, seeing that there was no one around, he wrapped his arms around Yu Qingze’s waist, resting his face on Yu Qingze’s shoulder, gazing at the pouring rain outside the pavilion, quietly savoring the romantic tenderness and tranquil emotions of this moment.

The heavy rain lasted for about two quarters of an hour before turning into a drizzle.

The two of them found some branches by the roadside to partially shield their heads from the rain and hurried home.

In the following days, Chang Le focused on the snack stall while Yu Qingze stayed busy at the shop.

However, before their shop was ready to open, a piece of great news spread throughout the entire Tongshan City.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Damn, that restaurant idea sounds amazing

The situation that he learned is far worse than what Ji Cha had anticipated. It is not just an isolated case he saw today, but rather an ongoing behavior that has been happening in secret for some time. When he recalled passing by some places, he did see some young women with fearful expressions.

He immediately went back to inform the military, and Zhao Tiankuo promptly reported the situation. To his slight comfort, Ji Cha knew that the military did not tolerate human trafficking even in the end times.

The next morning, the military conducted a surprise investigation of the population in every household. Those without identification were singled out for processing. Most of the girls were abducted, but there were also two young boys. In Ji Cha’s eyes, the middle-aged and young men were disgusting and sordid, and the boys and girls had no power to resist being caught without identification.

Even if they were rescued from the clutches of the traffickers, they could not react for a while, and some of them were tortured so badly that their eyes were hollow and lifeless.

After sorting out the details, even more disgusting facts were revealed. The so-called human traffickers would often kill the guardians of the targets they were looking to abduct. To make them obedient, they would resort to r*pe and gang r*pe, among other means. After losing their loved ones and suffering physical and psychological harm, they would be dragged to the black market for trafficking, and after being sold, most people would face even more tragic fates and have to live a miserable existence to survive.

A solution was quickly developed, but the approach was relatively brutal. Those who had participated in human trafficking or r*pe more than once were ordered to be executed. This type of punishment was intended to deter those who were motivated by profit and considering entering this line of work. Those who bought the abducted individuals were also subjected to high fines and permanent recordkeeping on their information card. Those who were punished in this way could not work in many industries and were essentially limited to the bottom level of the base.

Finally, for the victims, as long as they were willing, they could obtain proof of identity within the base and become official members of the base. They could earn a living by working in the base.

For those young boys, this was undoubtedly great news. When they were rescued earlier, they were still worried about being kicked out of the base. Although life was very difficult now, nobody wanted to be exiled and face death. Now that they had an official identity within the base, they had a treatment that many outside could not obtain.

However, this incident also reflected a problem: there were too few women in the base. Ji Cha queried through the computer and found that the male-to-female ratio in the base was almost eight to one, with only a few people having wives and daughters. The majority were single men. This was definitely not a good thing, as an imbalanced gender ratio often leads to many violent crimes. The good public security in the base was due to the high proportion of security personnel. Without them, there could be a high incidence of crime.

However, in the long run, this problem will eventually lead to conflict. When Ji Cha recalled his last visit to the base, this issue seemed less apparent, perhaps due to the introduction of population control measures.

However, there is currently another thorny issue: the young people who have been rescued do not have any particular skills and cannot find work in the short term. As the work in the base is mostly fixed and quantitative, those who have been there longer have become skilled at their jobs, leaving the young people at a disadvantage when it comes to recruitment.

Ji Cha wanted to help them out. The advantage of young people is that they are quick learners when it comes to many things. Ji Cha helped to contact the scheduling team and managed to secure some positions for them. In the future, as more people arrive, the military is preparing to operate some machines that have been brought back, such as textile and processing products.

At the same time, the expansion of the base must also begin. Skilled workers are given priority, followed by physically fit young people. In fact, in the end times, it is rare to see people over the age of fifty. If there are capable people who can support their elderly relatives, the military will still allow them to come in.

By the end of January, the population of the base had expanded to 5,000 people, and various projects had to be accelerated to meet the needs of housing and daily life. Many of the newly constructed dormitories could not provide cooking facilities, so the military built two large canteens near the center of the base. This not only solved many job vacancies, but also solved the problem of food.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

During their breaks in the day, people can go to the canteen for all three meals, and all they need is to swipe their information card for payment. The information card now has a transfer function, so people can transfer their points to family members who need them at the recruitment or settlement points. However, when using the information card, personal and card information must match to prevent the card from being stolen.

Ji Cha harvested most of his vegetables in December. He dried some of the peppers into dried chili peppers, while selecting fresh red peppers to make chili sauce. Chili sauce is well-known in S city, but not as famous as in other provinces. In times of scarcity, chili sauce is actually a very practical and convenient food preservation method.

By January, the last peppers in the greenhouse had also stopped growing. After counting, Ji Cha had produced more than 100 kilograms of chopped peppers, not including the dried peppers and those used for regular consumption.

The radishes were also harvested early. Some were preserved to extend their freshness, while others were dried into radish shreds for longer storage. A small portion of the radishes were pickled for eating.

The new batch of crops was not limited to the factory. In fact, besides the few hundred square meters of small vegetable plots in the factory, most of the vegetables were no longer planted. The original farmland areas were left for factory use, such as processing soy products and other foods.

After two months of cultivation, the farm’s land had been divided into an area sufficient for a planned population of 10,000. Although it was currently the off-season for farming, Ji Cha did not plan to waste this time. He covered the greenhouse and planted some cold-resistant crops.

After this period of time, the chicken farm had bred five batches of chicks. The first batch had grown to the size of adult chickens. Currently, there were a total of 300 chicks of different sizes in the farm, and soon the first batch of chicks would also be able to breed. At that time, the chicken farm would truly be on track.

The breeding speed of the meat rabbits was indeed as crazy as described. The previously born baby rabbits had also grown up. The situation with the piglets was the same, except that their numbers could not compete with the chicks. However, once the piglets grew to a sufficient scale, pork would undoubtedly be the main source of meat for the base.

Ji Cha had been thinking about how to maximize his resources when the military brought him a surprise. When they were patrolling and searching outside, they found more than a dozen sheep from a dilapidated farm. The workers in the farm had turned into zombies and were wandering outside the farm, deterring anyone from getting close. Most people assumed that any living creatures in the farm had been eaten by the zombies, but surprisingly, the quality of the fence and the feed inside the farm were both excellent. The more than a dozen sheep not only did not turn into zombies, but also lived well. The numbers were uneven, with seven male sheep and five female sheep. Female sheep meant breeding, and the more the better, but given the current situation, Ji Cha was satisfied with what he had.

Sheeps are amazing, their whole being is basically a treasure. Aside from the fact that sheep milk can be consumed, sheep meat can be eaten, and the regularly sheared wool is an excellent material for textiles and warmth, sheep horns and hooves have countless benefits.

However, overall, Ji Cha really wants cows. It would be great to have dairy cows and cattle for meat. Dairy products are really important. With milk cows, there are more things that can be processed and produced. Not to mention, beef is also an excellent type of meat. In some areas where machines cannot work, cows are also great companions.

Zhao Tiankuo listened to Ji Cha’s vision and patted him on the shoulder. “You should first try to get some sheep’s milk. I’ll have someone help you find cows.”

“I know,” Ji Cha smiled. He knew that rushing things wouldn’t help. “One step at a time.”

From the beginning of the apocalypse to now, it has been almost half a year, and everything has finally begun to enter a stable state after bidding farewell to chaos. The first New Year after the apocalypse is just around the corner.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: I’m glad Chacha brought out those disgusting people’s deeds. Why are some people so bad!!!!

I Want You to Marry Me in Style

Yu Qingze returned to the snack stall, and Chang Le noticed the disappointment on his face, guessing that things didn’t work out.

He pulled him aside and gestured, asking if it didn’t work out.

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yeah. Someone else rented it. The owner said he only informed them yesterday that he was closing, and in the afternoon, someone came to view the place and ended up renting it.”

Chang Le opened his mouth wide in surprise and gestured, expressing how fast it happened.

Yu Qingze also nodded helplessly and said, “Yes, I don’t know who it is. The news spread quickly.”

Chang Le sighed as well and consoled him, saying, “Then let’s wait a little longer and see.”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “We can only do that.”

He looked at Chang Le while thinking.

Chang Le’s bangs had grown longer lately. Unlike when he first got them cut and you could still see traces of the haircut, now they looked more natural and even better. Moreover, Chang Le had become more outgoing and confident. The gentle and warm expression on his face, coupled with his bright and radiant eyes, often left Yu Qingze mesmerized.

My Chang Le, becoming more charming by the day. Yu Qingze thought proudly.

He reached out and brushed Chang Le’s cheek, then gently tousled his bangs, sighing with regret, “It’s such a pity about that place. I wish we could find a good location soon and start earning more money.”

Chang Le comforted him, gesturing, “No need to rush, take it slowly.”

Yu Qingze sighed and leaned close to Chang Le’s ear, whispering softly, “But Chang Le, I’m really anxious. I want to marry you soon.”

Chang Le’s eyes flickered, and he blushed slightly, not knowing how to respond. He couldn’t just tell Yu Qingze directly, “I also want to marry you soon!” Although that’s what he thought in his heart, he felt too shy to say it outright.

After thinking for a moment, his face still red, Chang Le gestured, “It doesn’t matter if we don’t have a house. Neither I nor my grandfather care about that.”

That was already quite bold and obvious! It was almost the same as saying, “I don’t mind not having a house, we can get married soon!”

Yu Qingze felt as if something had struck his heart, a tingling sensation. He really wanted to hug Chang Le, but there were too many people around, and Chang Le was shy. If he hugged him, Chang Le would probably get flustered.

So he simply held Chang Le’s hand and said earnestly, “I know you and Grandpa don’t mind, but I don’t want to make you feel deprived. I want you to marry me in style, in front of the whole village!”

He wanted Chang Le to no longer be someone others pitied and overlooked, but rather someone everyone in the village envied!

Upon hearing these words, Chang Le’s heart raced like a beating drum. His eyes were filled with intensity, feeling that at this moment, Yu Qingze was exceptionally tall and made his heart flutter.

“Half a year, Chang Le, wait for me for half a year, okay?” Yu Qingze asked softly, his hand gently caressing Chang Le’s captivating eyes, longing to kiss him.

Chang Le nodded firmly. Half a year, one year, two years, it didn’t matter. After all, he had already chosen Yu Qingze for the rest of his life.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Brother Yu!”

At that moment, Boss Liu saw Yu Qingze returning from afar and approached to ask about the situation.

As soon as Chang Le heard Boss Liu’s voice, he quickly pulled his hand away and grabbed an empty bucket nearby, running to the back of Boss Li’s shop to fetch water.

Yu Qingze:…

“Oh, am I interrupting you? Sorry about that,” Boss Liu walked to the back and happened to see Chang Le pulling his hand away. A hint of embarrassment flashed across his usually serious face, and he immediately turned away, saying, “I, I’ll come back to find you later.”

Yu Qingze:…

“Hey, it’s fine, no worries,” Yu Qingze caught up to Boss Liu in a few steps and asked, “Are you here to ask about the shop?”

Boss Liu nodded, saying, “Yes.” Then he discreetly glanced back at Chang Le and said, “Or should I come back later? It’s not urgent anyway.”

“…,” Yu Qingze touched his nose and helplessly said, “It’s okay, I just mentioned the matter to Brother Le.”

Chang Le had already left, and the atmosphere was completely ruined. What’s the point of coming back later?

Boss Liu looked embarrassed and said, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault for not noticing.”

Yu Qingze sighed and said, “It’s okay. Brother, the shop has already been rented out. I was too late, it was rented out yesterday afternoon.”

“What? So fast?” Boss Liu asked in surprise.

Yu Qingze nodded, feeling regretful as he said, “I don’t know who took it, but they acted quickly.”

Boss Liu sighed as well and reassured him, “It’s alright, I’ll keep an eye out for you and let you know if there’s any news.”

“Okay, thank you, Brother.”

In the evening, when they closed their stall and returned home, they saw the previous owner of that shop directing people to move things out. It would probably be empty today.

Yu Qingze sighed and pushed the cart back home.

The next afternoon, Steward Zhao came to find Yu Qingze and said he wanted him to go somewhere with him.

“Steward Zhao, where are you taking me?” Yu Qingze asked, puzzled.

Steward Zhao smiled and said, “Just come with me, I promise it’s a good thing.”

Yu Qingze nodded and looked at Steward Zhao, asking, “Are you going to introduce a business opportunity to me?”

Steward Zhao chuckled and said, “There’s also a business opportunity. In a few days, the mansion will have esteemed guests visiting. Our master wants to host a garden party, and we’ll need you to make some pastries for the occasion.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze agreed, “Sure, no problem. Just let us know two days in advance.”

As they walked and talked, they arrived at a shop, where Steward Zhao stopped.

Yu Qingze looked up and realized that it was the same shop that was emptied yesterday. Why did Steward Zhao bring him here?

Just as he was about to ask, he saw Steward Zhao walk to the entrance of the shop, take out a key from his pocket, and open the door.

Yu Qingze:…

“Steward Zhao, did the Zhao Family rent this shop?” Yu Qingze asked.

Steward Zhao nodded and said, “Yes. Come in and take a look.”

Yu Qingze didn’t know what to say for a moment and walked into the shop in a daze.

The interior was empty, with only a cash register counter standing lonely in the corner. Without tables and chairs, the shop appeared larger than it actually was.

Steward Zhao stood in the middle and asked, “What do you think of this shop?”

Yu Qingze nodded awkwardly and said, “It’s very nice. I heard yesterday that Boss of Man Tang Xiang was quitting, so I hurried over to take a look, but it had already been rented out.”

Upon hearing this, Steward Zhao was momentarily stunned and asked, “You came to see it yesterday?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yes. The layout of this shop is good, quite nice. There’s a water well, a storage room, and a small rest area at the back. It’s pretty good. Oh, Steward Zhao, what kind of business are you planning to do here?”

Steward Zhao chuckled and said, “We’re not doing any business.”

Yu Qingze looked puzzled and asked, “Then why did you rent it?”

Steward Zhao walked over and handed the key to Yu Qingze, saying, “We’re not doing any business here, but you are.”

Yu Qingze:…? Does that mean it’s for him?

Steward Zhao explained, “This shop was instructed to be rented to you by Master Zhao. It’s a gesture of gratitude for your assistance during the birthday banquet.”

Just as he suspected!

Yu Qingze’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and then he widened his eyes, pointing at himself, displaying utter astonishment. He said, “Rented to me?”

The Zhao Family really knows how to repay a favor…

Steward Zhao nodded and affirmed, “Rented to you. We’ve already paid three months’ rent. The rest is up to you.”

Yu Qingze was momentarily stunned, then shook his hand and said, “Steward Zhao, I’ve mentioned it before. That day was just a coincidence, and besides, you have already paid for the birthday peach buns. This gesture of gratitude is too valuable, I can’t accept it.”

Steward Zhao smiled and said, “Boss Yu, you don’t have to be polite. You were just looking for a shop, weren’t you? If you don’t accept it, we don’t know what to do with this shop either. Moreover, this shop belongs to a branch of the Zhao family. On that day, the head of the branch happened to be visiting the main family, and I overheard him saying that a shop here was vacant. I mentioned it to our master, and he requested the shop from the head of the branch. It wasn’t much trouble at all, so just accept it.”

“Well, this is…,” Yu Qingze hesitated.

“It’s not like we’re giving it to you for free. You’ll still have to pay rent. It will be nine taels of silver per month.”

Naturally, Yu Qingze really wanted it in his heart, but accepting it outright didn’t feel right. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Steward Zhao, how about this? I’ll repay you for the three months’ rent in advance.”

Steward Zhao immediately waved his hand and said, “That won’t do. The old master said it’s for you, and if you give it back, he’ll be angry. Just accept it, so I can report it as done.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze had no choice but to accept the key and said, “Alright then. I’ll thank the old master for this.”

Steward Zhao saw him accept the key and smiled, saying, “That’s the way to go.”

“Steward Zhao, thank you too,” Yu Qingze sincerely expressed his gratitude.

Steward Zhao waved his hand and said, “No need to be polite. Last time, you helped me in a way too. Otherwise, if the birthday banquet had gone wrong, I wouldn’t have felt good either.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “It was just a coincidence.”

Steward Zhao laughed heartily, appreciating Yu Qingze’s character. Then he took out the lease agreement from his pocket and handed it to Yu Qingze, saying, “This is the lease agreement. It starts from yesterday, and the monthly rent will be nine taels of silver. If you continue to operate afterward, you can renew the contract, and the rent can be negotiated at that time. But don’t worry, at most, it will be based on the market price. He won’t overcharge you.”

Yu Qingze accepted the lease agreement, nodded, and thanked him, saying, “Alright. Many thanks to Steward Zhao. Please also thank the Old Master Zhao for me.”

“Alright, I will convey your gratitude,” Steward Zhao readily agreed.

The two of them chatted about the shop for a while and then bid farewell.

With that, the matter of the shop was settled.

Returning to the stall, Yu Qingze shared the good news with Chang Le and the others.

They were all very happy, especially Chang Le, who kept smiling. With the shop secured, the day of his marriage with Big Brother Yu was one step closer!

In the evening, Yu Qingze personally cooked a delicious meal to celebrate the successful rental of the shop.

The next day, Yu Qingze specially brought a few boxes of pastries to express his gratitude to the Zhao family.

Afterwards, he took the key and went to the shop to have a good look around.

Originally, he planned to rent a small shop and sell cold noodles, Liangpi, Guangdong hot pot, and teppanyaki, gradually teaching Chang Le and the others how to cook stir-fried dishes and eventually open a small restaurant.

However, now that the shop turned out to be much bigger than expected, it would be a waste to stick to the original plan. But if he opened a small restaurant, Chang Le’s cooking skills wouldn’t be sufficient to handle everything. It would be impossible for him to handle all the cooking alone.

How should he arrange things? What should he do?

He walked back and forth in the shop, going through the hall, kitchen, backyard, lounge, and storage room multiple times. Suddenly, a bright idea flashed in his mind!

Yes, that’s it!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: What is it? What’s the plan? Fine dining? Buffet?

The arrival of winter has made many people’s lives difficult.

With the withering of plants and the cold weather, people need more food to maintain their energy and body temperature, but the source of food is becoming increasingly scarce.

The competition outside the base has become more intense, and of course, there are people who covet the base. However, within the current scope of S City base, no force can shake the base, and with the army stationed there, their weapons are far superior to scattered militias. Moreover, S city Base has basically formed a self-sufficient chain.

However, after the incident involving the young boys, the army was indeed alerted. There are still many refugees in S City, and if they are all banished outside, they will inevitably pose a threat to the base. It is better to organize some of them to be incorporated.

Around the time when the chicken coop was completed and the second batch of chicks hatched, the army issued a new decree: to expand the quota for population recruitment and expand the scope of the base.

New planning drawings are being rushed, but Ji Cha knows that after the expansion, the place where they are now will become the inner city of S city Base in the future, and it will be the most prosperous and safest place.

So he is very happy with this decision.

Although the army does not encourage residents to leave the base, it is not prohibited either. After all, in the current environment, there are always people willing to try their luck outside. There are also many vendors active in the black market, many of whom are willing to form their own teams to leave the base and take risks. Although this is a life-threatening situation, the gains are often objective.

In this regard, the management of the base is strict on the surface, but as long as an adult wants to leave the base, after registering the departure time and identity information, they will be allowed to leave.

Ji Cha has never been to the black market, and although he occasionally thinks of going to see it, he has never had the time.

When the time quickly approaches January, the weather becomes even colder. Going out is almost torture. The cold and dampness of southern cities in the first winter after the apocalypse is even more apparent.

To prevent people from freezing to death due to the cold, the army has set up some public coal heating points, with chimneys burning many places warm and cozy. However, this is also the extreme that can be achieved under the current scarce resources.

Ji Cha no longer needs to go to the recruitment point every day to announce the recruitment information. He can now publish the information through his computer connected to the internet. However, sometimes he still needs to personally go to the recruitment point to select the final candidates.

On this day, after finishing the recruitment, Ji Cha rode his electric scooter home. While passing by the black market, he unexpectedly found it very lively inside. This made him curious, so he stopped his scooter and walked over to take a look at the black market for the first time.

The black market was set up in a maze of old rural houses, with stalls distributed at a distance from each other. Each stall was manned by more than one person to prevent uncontrollable situations such as riots and looting.

There were all kinds of things sold in the black market, some of which were limited items sold in military supermarkets, but could be bought here without limit at a higher price. There were also some things that the military didn’t sell, such as small appliances, toys, precious resources and even medicines.

Ji Cha walked around and even found some potatoes and vegetables that had flowed out from his own farm. Due to the winter season, they could be stored for a longer time, and some workers might have bought them in the black market in exchange for more food.

After looking around, Ji Cha planned to leave, but at this moment, he suddenly heard a small cry in a secluded corner.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

He turned his head and saw a skinny little girl about twelve or thirteen years old being pulled by a tall man to one side.

There were hardly any women in the black market, let alone a little girl like her. Ji Cha instinctively felt that something was wrong. He took two steps forward but didn’t act rashly. Instead, he carefully observed the situation there.

In troubled times, women’s status often tends to decline, and this is even more evident in the end times. Compared to the relatively better situation in the base, where there is still supervision and people who can eat their fill are not willing to exchange their women for anything, the women in the base can also find a job to support themselves and avoid falling to that level.

“Come with me, you won’t go hungry in the future.” The middle-aged man grabbed the little girl, but his expression was not that of an elder’s kindness.

On the contrary… Ji Cha felt that it was a man’s desire towards a woman. This made him feel disgusted.

The vendor then spoke harshly to the little girl, “If you don’t behave, there won’t be any record of your identity in the base. If I decide to kill you, no one will know.”

After being threatened, the little girl immediately stopped talking.

Ji Cha couldn’t bear to watch this anymore, so he stepped forward to stop the middle-aged man who was about to take the little girl away. He said to the vendor, “Human trafficking is against the management of the base, you can’t do this.”

Immediately, people around him gathered, staring at Ji Cha with hostility, “Who are you?”

These people were obviously a group protecting each other. Ji Cha didn’t know how many such deals they had done. The military didn’t have much knowledge about the black market’s activities. Perhaps they thought it was just a market that sold various small products. Or what Ji Cha didn’t dare to think deeply about was that the military might know of such things but didn’t take much action to control it.

“I am in charge of the processing plant,” Ji Cha frowned. This identity was well-known in the base, but it was not certain if people could match him with his identity.

The processing plant had a high status in the base, and the farm was also connected to it. Most people knew that it was a lucrative job.

As expected, when Ji Cha finished speaking, those who were eager to take the girl away immediately backed off a bit, but not very pleased, one of them said to Ji Cha, “We are doing business here. What does it have to do with you? If you know what’s good for you, don’t get in our way.”

Ji Cha wanted to say something more, but suddenly someone in the crowd reached out and pulled him back. He turned around and saw that it was a man who had worked for him for a few days. He whispered to Ji Cha, “Xiao Ji, don’t act tough. These people have done things like killing and arson.”

In the blink of an eye, the little girl had been forcefully taken away by someone, and she didn’t even cry at this point.

This made Ji Cha feel uneasy. Even after experiencing ten years in the apocalypse, he still couldn’t bear to see such things happen directly in front of him. Moreover, he still felt that he should be able to change some of the behaviors that he was powerless to change before.

“These girls were all abducted from outside and hidden in the car and brought back. The military seems to be unaware of this, and even if they know, they don’t really care. After all, identity verification isn’t checked every day. After they are bought, they won’t be registered, because once registered, they can find work to support themselves, and they won’t be controlled anymore.”

The man told Ji Cha some information he knew.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: omg scummmmmm

The Shop

Jiabao’s home was located at the innermost part of the alley. They bypassed a front yard and entered through a small side door.

Inside, there was a narrow courtyard, roughly seven to eight square meters in size. There were two rooms: one served as the kitchen, and the other had two beds made of bricks, separated by a curtain in the middle.

Taking a look, Yu Qingze noticed that the position of this house in the courtyard was different from the other houses in the alley. It seemed more like an original west wing or a shed. He also observed the wall in front of the house, which was only about two meters away from the entrance. Yu Qingze thought that it was probably a partition within the courtyard.

Jiabao took out a long bench from the room, wiped it clean, and arranged it somewhat awkwardly. He said, “Boss Yu, Brother Le, please have a seat. The house is small, so it’s more spacious here. Let me pour some water for you.”

Yu Qingze stopped him and said, “No need to pour water. We’re just a bit concerned that those ruffians might cause trouble for you. We should head back now. Take care of yourself, and if the ruffians come, don’t open the door, alright?”

Jiabao nodded and replied, “I understand. Thank you for escorting me home.”

Yu Qingze patted his shoulder and, together with Chang Le, headed back.

The next day, after closing their stalls, Yu Qingze and Chang Le accompanied Jiabao home and brought him some vegetables from their food stall.

Seeing the young boy buying steamed buns yesterday, they guessed that he probably ate steamed buns every night and saved the money to repay his debts. They pretended not to know and gave him ten wen every day, acting as if he was eating well.

Sigh, this child…

As they reached the alley where the ruffians had confronted Jiabao yesterday, they unexpectedly encountered those two ruffians again.

The two ruffians glared at Jiabao fiercely when they saw Yu Qingze and Chang Le with him. They then walked away leisurely.

Yu Qingze frowned, realizing that these two individuals hadn’t been properly educated by their parents.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

On the third day, they ran into those two individuals again.

By the fourth day, things took a turn. This time, it wasn’t just two people; it was four.

The more aggressive ruffian spotted them turning the corner and said to one of the other two people walking ahead of them, “Big brother, it’s them!”

“Oh? Is that so? I’d like to see who dared to hit my good brother! They’re asking for trouble!” The two individuals turned around, both appearing to be in their twenties. One of them had a piece of straw in his mouth, exuding a thuggish aura.

Upon seeing the two individuals, Yu Qingze and Chang Le were slightly taken aback, feeling a sense of familiarity.

Chang Le recognized them first and gestured, “Big brother Yu, these two are the ones who robbed us before!”

Now Yu Qingze also recognized them. He narrowed his eyes, pulled Brother Le and Jiabao behind him, and picked up a large stone from the ground, preparing for a fight.

Chang Le tightened his grip on his pole, ready as well. These past few days, just to be safe, he had been carrying his pole when accompanying Jiabao.

On the other side, the two accomplices the ruffians brought along were also taken aback upon realizing it was Yu Qingze and the others.

One of the accomplices said to the person next to him, “Hey, isn’t this the person the boss mentioned before, the one who has a good relationship with the Cai Family? The one we robbed before?”

The “big brother” nodded, spat out the straw from his mouth, and said, “Yeah. Damn, why are we so unlucky to run into them?” He had wanted to show off in front of the new recruits, but now that he encountered this person, how could he boast? He could only retreat in disgrace!

The other person asked, “So, should we still go?”

The “big brother” smacked him on the head angrily and said, “Go? You go if you want to! The boss already said he’s connected to the Cai Family. If we encounter them in the future, we better steer clear; otherwise, we’ll end up empty-handed!”

“Then?”

“Let’s go!”

They were about to leave when the two individuals stopped them. These two young ruffians, who had recently joined the gang at the age of seventeen or eighteen, quickly intercepted them and asked, “Big brother, didn’t you say we should teach these guys a lesson? Why are we leaving just like that?”

The “big brother” scolded them, “How the hell did you guys provoke them?! Don’t you know who that tall man is?”

The two ruffians were dumbfounded. “Who? Isn’t he just a guy running a food stall?”

The “big brother” curled his index and middle fingers, tapping each of their heads with a knock, and said, “He’s the benefactor of the Cai Family in the southern part of the city. If you dare lay a finger on him, you’ll end up rotting in jail!”

Saying that, the accomplices brought by the two ruffians left. As they passed by Yu Qingze and the others, they even smiled ingratiatingly at Yu Qingze and said, “Hehehe, it was a misunderstanding, mistook the wrong person, hahaha…”

Yu Qingze and Chang Le: …

“Halt!”

“What, what’s the matter?”

“Let’s settle the score!”

Just now, Yu Qingze had heard their entire conversation clearly. He didn’t expect these small-time ruffians to be so well-informed. This was truly great!

Saying that, Yu Qingze dropped the stone from his hand and rushed forward, giving those two individuals a good beating.

Those two individuals were nervous and didn’t dare fight back against Yu Qingze. They were no match for him in the first place, so they could only passively endure the beating. In the end, they were unilaterally pummeled before rolling away in pain and humiliation.

The two ruffians who had brought the hired help were stunned by their cowardice. Then they saw Yu Qingze approaching them, and in a hurry, they quickly turned tail and fled.

The two ruffians never expected that the owner of the food stall had quite a powerful background and was not to be messed with. What’s more surprising to them was that Tian Jiabao, this little guy, actually knew him!

Damn it!

They couldn’t exact revenge for the beating they received from their family!

Jiabao still hadn’t figured out what was going on when he saw four people approaching to corner them, but they were quickly driven away by Boss Yu.

Admiration sparkled in his eyes.

Boss Yu is so amazing!

In the following days, when they accompanied Jiabao home, they didn’t encounter those two ruffians again.

On the other hand, during these days, apart from Jiabao’s situation, Yu Qingze had another worry—he couldn’t find a shop space.

He would wander around in the morning and wander around again in the afternoon, but there were no vacant shop spaces on North Street.

He even went to South Street to have a look, and there was a shop space that was barely suitable, but it was clearly not as good as North Street, so he didn’t consider it and decided to wait a little longer.

However, during these days, quite a few guests who received gifts at Zhao Mansion’s old master’s birthday banquet came to the food stall and placed orders for some snacks. It was an additional gain for him.

One afternoon, he went out again and saw that a previously vacant shop space was now being filled with goods. It seemed like someone was going to start a fabric business there.

With this shop space rented out, there was only one vacant shop space left on North Street.

Yu Qingze felt a bit anxious.

“Oh, Boss Yu? What a coincidence to meet you here.”

Yu Qingze turned his head and saw Zhao’s steward walking over with one of his subordinates carrying many things.

“Oh, Steward Zhao, what a coincidence. Are you out shopping?”

Steward Zhao smiled and said, “Hey, isn’t it Boss Yu! And Yes, we’re buying a few stuff for the mansion. What are you up to?”

Yu Qingze sighed and said, “I came to check out the shop spaces, but I haven’t found a good one.”

Following Yu Qingze’s gaze, Steward Zhao asked, “Boss Yu, are you looking to rent a shop?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and replied, “I don’t have enough money to buy a shop now. I want to open a restaurant, but there are no suitable options here. The only two available shops have already been rented out.”

Steward Zhao glanced at the shops and said, “It’s not easy to find a shop here.”

“You’re right,” Yu Qingze sighed.

“But isn’t there one more?” Steward Zhao asked.

Yu Qingze shook his head and answered, “That one isn’t suitable either. It’s similar to this one, long and narrow, not suitable for a restaurant. I’ll have to keep looking.”

Steward Zhao then asked, “What kind of shop are you looking for, Boss Yu?”

Yu Qingze replied, “I want one with good lighting, a somewhat square shape, not too big. It should be able to accommodate around fourteen or fifteen tables. It’s really difficult to find.”

Steward Zhao smiled and said, “This is North Street, of course it’s difficult. Have you ever thought about opening on South Street?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “The foot traffic there isn’t as high, and besides, North Street is close to the wharf, attracting more merchants and customers. With my food stall, I don’t earn much per item. I mainly rely on a high customer flow to make some sales, otherwise, I won’t earn much money.”

Steward Zhao nodded thoughtfully and said, “Then you’ll have to wait for now.”

Yu Qingze helplessly replied, “Yes.”

They chatted for a few more moments before parting ways.

Two days later.

On this day, Boss Liu was waiting at the door early in the morning. When he saw Yu Qingze and his group arrive, he quickly went over and whispered to Yu Qingze, “Brother Yu, I heard that Man Tang Xiang Restaurant is closing down. They’re planning to shut their doors in a couple of days. Do you want to take a look? The shop space there is quite good, just a bit bigger than mine, I reckon.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze immediately became energized and hurriedly asked, “Really? Man Tang Xiang, is it the one next to Wang’s Noodle House, next door to next door?”

Boss Liu nodded and said, “That’s the one. If you’re interested, go and take a look. Don’t let someone else snatch it away if you’re too late.”

“Great, great, great! I’ll go right now. Thanks, Brother!” Yu Qingze happily parked his cart in place and quickly informed Brother Le and the others before rushing over to Man Tang Xiang Restaurant.

Man Tang Xiang Restaurant hadn’t opened for business yet, but they had one door open for people to enter and exit.

“Is anyone here?” Yu Qingze knocked on the door from outside.

“Hey, coming! Who is it? Come in, I’m in the kitchen!” A voice from inside responded loudly.

Yu Qingze entered the restaurant and casually looked around the dining area. It was about the same size as Liu’s place. However, at this hour, there weren’t many people inside. All the chairs in the dining area were still flipped upside down on the tables. It seemed like they were truly closing down.

He then proceeded to the kitchen and saw only two people in there, packing up – the kitchen utensils?

“Do you need something?” a middle-aged man looked up and asked.

Yu Qingze snapped back to reality and quickly asked, “Excuse me, is the owner here?”

The middle-aged man replied, “That’s me. Do you have any business with me?”

Yu Qingze responded, “Oh, hello, boss. My surname is Yu, and I sell snacks over there. Are you planning to close down?”

The middle-aged man glanced at Yu Qingze and said, “Oh, I know you, Boss Yu. Yes, we’re not operating anymore. We’re actually in the process of packing up.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze felt delighted and asked, “Then, boss, do you know if someone will be renting this place next? Or could you recommend me to the landlord? I would like to discuss renting this space.”

The middle-aged man asked, “You want to rent the place?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yes.”

The middle-aged man sighed and said, “It’s too late. Someone has already rented it.”

“What? But didn’t you just decide to close down?” Yu Qingze exclaimed in surprise.

The middle-aged man nodded and said, “Yes. I informed the landlord just yesterday morning, and in the afternoon, someone came to view the place.”

Yu Qingze:!

He hurriedly asked, “Do you know if they have already paid and signed the contract?”

The middle-aged man nodded and said, “They signed on the spot and even paid three months’ rent in advance.”

Yu Qingze:…

“…Boss, thank you anyway,” Yu Qingze said with a dejected tone as he left the premises.

Sigh, he was a step too late.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Hmmmmm I have a feeling!!!

The first thing Ji Cha did when he got up early in the morning was to run downstairs and find the leftover crayfish from yesterday in the fridge. After heating it up a little, he pinched one and ate it.

When he lightly twisted the head and tail of the crayfish, the juicy meat was revealed. Heating it up did not affect the texture of the meat at all, and Ji Cha’s teeth could feel the springiness of the meat.

Perhaps it had been ten years since Ji Cha last ate crayfish, so he thought the taste of the meat was surprisingly good.

His grandmother walked in from outside and saw Ji Cha eating crayfish early in the morning. She said he was gluttonous and brought out breakfast, “Eat this, don’t eat crayfish. It’s oily and greasy.”

Ji Cha followed her advice and ate two bowls of porridge. Just as he was about to ride his electric scooter out, the boys he met outside while catching crayfish appeared at the factory gate. They looked a little confused at first, but as soon as they spotted Ji Cha, their eyes lit up and they came over to talk to him, “Have you eaten that crayfish? We ate it on the day we brought it back…”

They seemed afraid that Ji Cha would blame them and quickly added, “We didn’t bring back much food that day and were a bit hungry. But fortunately, there was no problem with the crayfish meat. We plan to go out and catch some more later. Do you want some? We can bring it for you.”

Ji Cha didn’t have time to go out and deal with this today, and their offer was tempting, but he didn’t want to trouble them for nothing.

“You haven’t had breakfast, have you? Wait for me here for a while.”

Ji Cha went back to his room and took out four steamed buns from the steamer, which were still warm. He handed them over and said, “Fill your stomachs first.”

Two boys didn’t hesitate and immediately took the steamed buns and ate them hungrily. One of them even put a steamed bun in his pocket, saying that he wanted to bring it back to his sister.

The boys left, saying that they would be back around noon, but Ji Cha didn’t think too much of it. He spent the day supervising the farming area and checking on the construction of the chicken coop, everything going smoothly.

Unexpectedly, something happened in the evening.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The two boys who were supposed to be back at noon had not returned even when it was almost dark outside. Ji Cha suddenly remembered and was startled. He stood up to go out, ready to search for them.

Liang Jincheng grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”

“There were two kids who said they’d be back at noon, but they haven’t returned yet.” Ji Cha frowned. He had a feeling that something had happened to them. “I have to go out and look for them.”

Since it was not completely dark outside, and the place they were going to was not far from the base, the danger was relatively small.

The world outside was in a state of chaos, and there were all kinds of people with ulterior motives. Ji Cha didn’t want to think about the worst, but he couldn’t help but think about it. Although the boys seemed to have some experience, they were still relatively innocent.

After hearing the whole story, Liang Jincheng stood up too. “I’ll contact the military.”

“Will they help?” Ji Cha hesitated, because the military strictly forbade anyone from leaving without reporting it.

“Let’s go and see.”

The two quickly found Zhao Tiankuo, who took the matter seriously and immediately said, “I’ll inform the higher-ups and send people out to look for them.”

He saw the surprise on Ji Cha’s face and continued, “Everyone in our base is registered with a status and they are all our people. We cannot lose anyone.”

Without Liang Jincheng saying anything, the army also dispatched a six-person team to search for the missing kids. Ji Cha originally wanted to go with them, but Liang Jincheng didn’t allow him to go. Besides, Ji Cha knew his own weaknesses and realized that he would most likely only cause trouble for Liang Jincheng if he went out, so he didn’t insist and instead found the residential addresses of two of the missing teenagers in the system.

The address showed that five children lived together, four teenagers and a girl around ten years old who was probably the sister of the teenager from earlier that morning.

When Ji Cha arrived, the three of them were planning to venture out to find someone but were stopped by Ji Cha.

“The army has already gone out to look for them, and there should be results soon.” He brought some food with him, enough to feed the teenagers for a meal.

“You should make some food first. They might come back to eat when they’re found.”

His words were obviously meant to comfort them, but they still had a reassuring effect on the three children since there was an adult present. The little girl thanked Ji Cha for bringing the food and went to start a fire and cook.

The house they lived in was an old one, and they used a stove inside. This was actually more convenient since those who were assigned to modern houses didn’t have access to natural gas anyway.

The little girl was skilled at cooking and quickly put the rice in the pot to cook. She then carefully washed the bean sprouts and potatoes that Ji Cha brought and stopped working, sitting on a bench with the other two teenagers to wait.

Ji Cha couldn’t bear to leave and waited with them.

They waited until midnight, and the little girl silently wiped away tears. The other two teenagers also had red eyes. When Ji Cha stood up, not knowing what comforting words he could say at this point, the sound of a car engine suddenly came from a distance.

The four of them looked at each other and immediately stood up, quickly running outside.

To Ji Cha’s surprise, the two teenagers who went out didn’t have any major injuries, despite their disheveled appearance. They both had a look of relief on their faces.

While the teenagers were catching their breath, Ji Cha learned from Liang Jincheng, who was driving, what had happened. It turned out that some outsiders had come to the base, and they had been coveting the resources here for a long time. They had just happened to run into the two teenagers when they were exploring the area.

Five or six people had chased and tried to capture the teenagers, but they were familiar with the terrain and managed to evade them until the afternoon. Fortunately, the outsiders did not have firearms, so the teenagers were unharmed.

Just when the teenagers were feeling hopeless, the people from the base happened to go out to search for them. Liang Jincheng’s team ran into the outsiders who were searching for the teenagers, and a fight broke out. In the end, four of the outsiders were killed and two were captured alive, with some minor injuries on the base’s side. The two captured outsiders were brought back for interrogation to find out more about their situation, how many people they had, and whether the base was in danger.

“Thank you so much.” When Ji Cha was about to leave, the disheveled teenager caught up with him and took out a large bag of crayfish from behind, looking a bit embarrassed. “We caught a lot of them on the way back.”

They had brought all the rewards they had risked their lives to get back to Ji Cha. The teenagers had also learned from the military that Ji Cha had remembered them, and that was how the military found out about what had happened. They were also very grateful that they had mentioned going to Ji Cha’s place before they went out, or they might not have made it back alive today.

Ji Cha took the bag and poured half of the crayfish into the bag he had left in the car, then gave the rest back to the teenagers. “Remember to go to the medical station later to check your injuries.”

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: I feel so sad for these kids … damn apocalypse!!!