Author Archives: Thandar

This chapter is dedicated to Qiwi and SOS13 for their Kofi support. The translators and I will continue to work hard (∩˃o˂∩)♡

Love,

Thingyan (Editor-in-cheese)

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Helping

After the young boy left, Yu Qingze asked the old tea egg seller next to him, “Old man, do you know that child?”

The old man nodded and said, “Yes, I know him. He lives in the same alley as us. He’s also a poor child, sigh.”

Yu Qingze asked, “What happened? Yesterday, I saw him at the medical clinic, begging the doctor to treat his mother. According to the doctor, it seems his mother may not last much longer.”

Old man Huang nodded and sighed, “Yes, he has been sick for a long time. Last night, my son told me that the doctor said he only has a day or two left.”

With that, Old man Huang explained the situation of the young boy to Yu Qingze and Chang Le.

The boy’s name was Tian Jiabao. About seven or eight years ago, he and his mother came to Tongshan City. No one knows where they originally came from as they never told anyone. They rented a room in the most rundown alley in the west side of the city.

His mother would go out to work during the day and do laundry and sewing for others at night to support the family, barely making ends meet. Jiabao was also responsible. When he grew a little older, around seven or eight years old, he started running errands and delivering messages for others. By the time he was around ten years old, he was washing dishes at restaurants and doing any kind of work available. However, because of his young age, the wages he received from the establishments were meager, and he couldn’t earn much money.

Two years ago, his mother fell ill due to excessive labor. The illness came on strong, and despite consulting many doctors and taking medications, he couldn’t recover and could only focus on resting. His mother knew that he was becoming a burden to his child, so he refused to take the medicine. But Jiabao didn’t care about his mother’s protests and continued to fetch and prepare medicine every day. His mother couldn’t resist his persistence and eventually took the medicine.

Gradually, the small savings they had in the house were all spent on buying medicine. Later, Jiabao heard that there were lucrative opportunities at the dock, so he went there. However, due to his small build and limited strength, he could only earn a limited amount of money each day. His income couldn’t cover their expenses, and often he struggled to gather enough money for his mother’s medicine. He also tried borrowing from neighboring families, but everyone around them was in similar conditions and had no extra money to lend. Nevertheless, he saved enough money to buy medicine for his mother. He often survived on just two steamed buns a day and even fainted from hunger several times at the dock.

Now, his mother’s health had reached a critical point.

After Old Man Huang finished speaking, he let out a long sigh and said, “The child is a good child, just unfortunate. His mother was a good wife too, appearing gentle and refined. I heard he could even read. Who would have thought… sigh, they are all unfortunate souls.”

Yu Qingze and Chang Le both sighed upon hearing the story, realizing how difficult the child’s life had been.

Old Man Huang sighed again and said, “The liangpi he bought from you was probably for his mother. I suppose he wanted him to taste something he had never eaten before.”

Yu Qingze let out a sigh, not knowing what else to say, so he could only sigh.

In the afternoon, the sky became overcast, and soon it started drizzling.

After half an hour passed, with no sign of the rain stopping and no customers due to the rain, Yu Qingze decided to close the stall early and go home.

As the three of them, wearing raincoats, pushed their snack cart and trolley towards the West City Gate, they encountered a group of people coming out from the adjacent alley.

The first two individuals were wearing raincoats and carrying a simple stretcher made of branches. On the stretcher lay a body covered in a simple grass mat. Behind the two individuals, there was a man carrying three shovels on his back, also wearing a raincoat. There was also a young boy who had no umbrella or raincoat, not even a bamboo hat, just getting soaked in the rain as he followed behind.

Chang Le stopped in his tracks and looked at Yu Qingze, gesturing for him to look in that direction.

Yu Qingze looked over and immediately recognized the young boy following behind. It was Jiabao, the one who had bought liangpi from them in the morning.

His mother, just as the doctor had predicted, couldn’t hold on any longer.

The young boy’s eyes were red, and it was hard to tell whether the wetness on his face was from tears or rainwater. He just stared blankly at his mother’s body on the stretcher, mechanically walking behind the two men in front.

Chang Le couldn’t bear to see it and took a bamboo hat, catching up to them and putting it on the boy’s head.

The boy raised his head in a daze, seeing Chang Le. His gaze showed a hint of confusion, unsure if he recognized him or not. As Chang Le tied the strings of the hat, the boy saw the people carrying his mother getting further away. He panicked and quickly ran to catch up, following closely behind.

Before leaving the city gate, he glanced back once, then turned his head and continued walking away.

“Brother Le, let’s go,” Yu Qingze approached and patted Chang Le’s shoulder, taking his hand and leading him back.

The three of them returned home, silent throughout the journey. Chang Hao had also learned about the boy’s situation and felt deeply moved.

The whole evening, Chang Le was visibly distraught and didn’t have much of an appetite. Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao were worried about him and asked what had happened.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze saw that Chang Le remained silent and proceeded to tell Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao about what had happened during the day.

After hearing the story, Chang Hao widened his eyes and asked, “Is it the same young boy we encountered yesterday, Jiabao?”

Yu Qingze nodded in confirmation.

Chang Hao fell silent upon hearing this.

Grandpa Chang let out a sigh, unsure of what to say.

Yu Qingze, worried that Chang Le might think of his own parents’ passing and feel even more saddened, noticed his low spirits.

Knowing that Chang Le had a soft heart, Yu Qingze was certain that he wanted to help the unfortunate young boy. However, he didn’t know how to assist him.

After some thought, Yu Qingze spoke up, “Grandpa, Brother Le, with just the three of us at the snack stall, including Brother Chang, we’re already quite busy. In a few days, we’ll be making desserts for the Zhao Family, and afterward, I plan to introduce another food item, which will require hiring an assistant. So, why not invite Jiabao to work with us? He can attend to customers and help with dishwashing. We can try it out for a few days, and if he is quick-witted and suitable for customer service, we can pay him 60 wen a day. If he is more suitable for dishwashing and general tasks, then 50 wen a day. What do you think?”

Chang Le’s eyes brightened upon hearing this proposal, and he turned to eagerly nod at Yu Qingze. He wholeheartedly agreed!

“It’s a good idea,” Grandpa Chang also agreed.

Chang Hao nodded as well and said, “In that case, the young boy won’t have to work at the dock anymore.”

Yu Qingze nodded and added, “Furthermore, Brother Chang is very capable, hardworking, and intelligent. I plan to increase his wages. When we open our own restaurant in the future, I want to train him as a supervisor. If we have more assistants, he can also help with management. Grandpa, what do you think?”

Grandpa Chang nodded and said, “That’s a good idea. Brother Chang is reliable.”

“In that case, Grandpa, how much of a wage increase do you think is appropriate?” Yu Qingze asked.

Grandpa Chang waved his hand and said, “You have a better understanding of this than us. Whatever amount you think is appropriate, go ahead and increase it.”

Yu Qingze looked at Chang Le, who also nodded in agreement.

After some thought, Yu Qingze said, “Then let’s increase it to 80 wen per day. What do you think?”

Grandpa Chang and Chang Le both nodded in agreement.

With the matter settled, Yu Qingze patted Chang Le’s head and said, “Don’t worry anymore, okay?”

Chang Le blushed slightly and nodded.

Chang Hao and Grandpa Chang smiled silently.

The next day, Yu Qingze informed Brother Chang about the wage increase. Brother Chang was overjoyed and worked even harder. He was smiling throughout the morning, and the customers teased him, asking if he had encountered something good. Brother Chang happily confirmed the good news with a beaming smile.

Early in the morning, Yu Qingze asked Old Man Huang about Jiabao’s situation from the previous day. Old Man Huang said that Jiabao didn’t have money to hire someone for the burial. Even the money to buy a coffin for his mother was unavailable. A neighbor helped him carry his mother’s body outside the city for burial.

Upon returning home, kind-hearted neighbors brought him food. However, when they went to check in the morning, the food was still there. Jiabao had been sitting on the bed, holding his mother’s memorial tablet.

“Ah, poor child. Now he’s all alone, and he doesn’t know what to do,” sighed Old Man Huang.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze said to Old Man Huang, “Old Man, can you take me to his house later after we close the stall in the afternoon? I have something to discuss with him.”

Old Man Huang asked, “What do you want to talk to him about?”

Yu Qingze explained, “I want to offer him a job as an assistant. I think he’s suitable, so I want to talk to him and see if he’s willing to come work at my snack stall.”

Upon hearing this, Old Man Huang immediately became happy and said, “Good, good! After we close, I’ll take you there. Let me tell you, Boss Yu, this kid is hardworking. He can do all sorts of household chores and has worked on various jobs outside. He’s very capable.”

Yu Qingze said, “That would be best.”

“You’re truly a good person, Boss Yu.”

…

However, they didn’t have to wait until closing time in the afternoon. At noon, Tian Jiabao arrived at their snack stall.

He lowered his head, holding a bamboo hat in one hand and something wrapped in the front of his clothes with the other, walking up to Yu Qingze.

When Yu Qingze saw him, he was somewhat surprised and asked, “I was just looking for you. You’re Tian Jiabao, right? Are you doing okay?”

Chang Le also looked at him and raised his head in their direction.

The young boy lifted his lowered head, his eyes red and swollen, with only a narrow slit left where his once big eyes were.

“Boss, I’m sorry. I accidentally broke your bowl. I don’t have money to buy a replacement for you. I…” The young boy anxiously glanced around and quickly said, “Can I compensate by washing dishes for you? I know how to wash dishes and can do other tasks. Can I work to repay the debt?”

Hearing this, Yu Qingze finally noticed that the broken fragments of the bowl were tucked in the front of the boy’s clothes. He smiled and silently nodded in his heart. This young boy had a decent character. Yu Qingze said, “You don’t need to compensate now. I want to hire you to work for me, washing dishes and serving customers, for a trial period of a few days. I’ll pay you 50 wen per day. Are you willing to do it?”

The young boy widened his eyes, looking at the boss in disbelief.

“How about it? Are you willing?” Yu Qingze patiently asked again.

The young boy nodded dazedly and said, “Yes, I’m willing.”

Yu Qingze patted his head and introduced him to Chang Le and Brother Chang, saying, “I’m Yu Qingze. You can call me Boss Yu or Big Brother Yu. The one washing dishes over there is Chang Le, and the one serving customers is Brother Chang.”

The young boy hadn’t realized that Chang Le was the one washing dishes, but now he recognized him as the big brother who gave him the bamboo hat yesterday. His eyes brightened, and he walked up to Chang Le, handing him the bamboo hat and said, “Big Brother Chang Le, this is your bamboo hat. Thank you.” As he spoke, the young boy bowed to Chang Le.

Chang Le wiped his hands and took the bamboo hat, shaking his hand to indicate no need for thanks.

Yu Qingze waved and called the young boy over, saying, “Since Brother Le can’t speak, if you have any questions or don’t understand something, ask me or Brother Chang.”

Upon hearing that Chang Le couldn’t speak, the young boy’s face showed a mix of surprise and understanding. No wonder earlier…

“Go home and rest for today. Tomorrow, come here at the hour of Chen (7:00 am to 9:00 am),” Yu Qingze instructed.

The young boy nodded and turned to leave, but Yu Qingze called him back.

“Have you had lunch?” Yu Qingze asked.

The young boy covered his stomach and shook his head.

Since yesterday noon, when he had bought liangpi and returned home to find his mother had passed away, he hadn’t eaten anything. He couldn’t eat. The thought of his mother made him too sad, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Yu Qingze looked at him, told Chang Le something, and then took the boy’s hand, leading him towards Liu’s Noodle House. “Come, I’ll take you to have a meal.”

He wanted the boy to have something easily digestible and warm.

“Boss Yu, I… I can’t eat. And… I don’t have money,” the young boy anxiously explained when he heard they were going to have a meal.

Yu Qingze turned to him and asked, “Have you not eaten since yesterday?”

The young boy looked at Yu Qingze in surprise and nodded gently.

In response, Yu Qingze said, “If you don’t eat, how can you work if you faint?”

The young boy remained silent.

“Let’s go. Lunch is on the house, no need for money,” Yu Qingze said.

The young boy was pulled into the noodle house and was seated at an empty table by Yu Qingze, who instructed him to wait. Then he saw Boss Yu enter the kitchen.

He looked at Yu Qingze’s back with a sense of confusion. How could this boss be so kind?

Yu Qingze ordered a bowl of hot soup noodles for him. After he finished eating, Yu Qingze gave him money for dinner and breakfast the next day, emphasizing the importance of eating on time.

At first, the young boy refused to accept it.

Later, Yu Qingze said he would deduct it from his future wages, and only then did the boy take it.

Yu Qingze patted his shoulder and said, “Alright, go back and rest well. We have a long way ahead, so we must live well. We can’t let your mother worry, understand?”

With tears in his eyes, the young boy bowed to Yu Qingze and thanked him before leaving.

Yu Qingze returned to the snack stall, where Chang Le asked him how it went.

“Don’t worry, I gave him money for dinner and breakfast. He agreed to come and work as an assistant tomorrow morning,” Yu Qingze patted Chang Le’s head, reassuring him and letting him focus on his work.

Chang Le breathed a sigh of relief and got back to work.

With the matter of Tian Jiabao resolved, Yu Qingze went to the market in the afternoon to buy steaming baskets and ingredients for pastries.

This time, there were many orders for pastries from the Zhao Residence, but they had to be prepared well in the next two or three days. Otherwise, if the pastries turned stale, it would tarnish their reputation.

With so much to do, Yu Qingze would need the help of Brother Chang’s father and mother when he went to the Zhao Residence to make the pastries. He needed to train them in advance so they could catch up in time. Moreover, Brother Chang’s parents had to learn how to make jujube the pastries.

The next few days are going to be busy!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Awww so nice of them to help the boy.

This chapter is dedicated to SOS13 for your Kofi support. The translators and I will continue to work hard (∩˃o˂∩)♡

Love,

Thingyan (Editor-in-cheese)

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It is allowed for individuals to recruit workers in the base, but few people can afford to pay wages now, or there are no construction projects to be carried out.

Ji Cha rode his electric scooter and arrived at the recruitment site after traversing half of the base. Although the weather outside was very cold at this moment, there were still many people standing. There was a large electronic screen horizontally in the middle of the hall. The bustling crowd walked back and forth, carefully checking the constantly looping recruitment information displayed on it, signing up for suitable jobs themselves or signing up for others.

He passed through the hall and found the staff behind it. After showing his ID, he filled out an information form, and about five minutes later, Ji Cha’s recruitment information appeared on the electronic screen.

“Construction workers, all day, one portion of staple food plus half a pound of potatoes and either half a pound of tofu or one portion of bean sprouts (optional), work location…”

A long string of information appeared on the electronic screen, immediately attracting everyone’s attention. However, the information above is simply too good to be believed.

“Potatoes? Fresh potatoes?”

“You can also choose tofu or bean sprouts, and it even comes with a staple food?”

One portion of staple food is the current universal measuring unit in the base, which can actually feed two people for a day. According to the workload, there are also one and a half portions and half portions.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Many elderly people will choose relatively easy half portions of food.

In addition, many jobs do come with supplementary food like tofu, but having potatoes is something they have never seen before. Although half a pound of potatoes is not a lot, it is still a very good side dish when fried, let alone many people have not eaten fresh vegetables other than bean sprouts for a long time.

“This can’t be a mistake…” someone whispered, but before the words were finished, they found that the person who was standing next to them had already rushed to the window to sign up. Whether it is right or wrong, sign up first and figure it out later, it is better than missing this opportunity for nothing.

The chicks grow very fast, and Ji Cha needs to speed up the construction pace if he wants to start production as soon as possible. He plans to recruit ten workers at once, hoping to build the house as quickly as possible.

Each worker can work three shifts a day. Many people will choose two guaranteed shifts and try their luck with one that has better treatment, so as not to end up with no job at all.

Ji Cha offers good benefits, but he also has certain requirements. He wants workers with some experience in the construction industry, but this is not too difficult to find now, as even inexperienced workers have learned a lot from the construction of the wall and collective dormitory projects.

The next day, the recruitment officially began. Ji Cha woke up early in the morning and rode his electric scooter to the recruitment site at 6:30 a.m. However, he was still a bit late, as most of the recruitment had already ended. Those who signed up yesterday thought they had been played, complained to the staff, and left in a hurry to find other jobs.

There were only five workers waiting for Ji Cha, but fortunately all of them had construction experience. Ji Cha led them back, told them about the work for the day, and then asked Wang Qin to drive them to the construction site with the electric tricycle. The materials and tools were almost ready, and it was time to start working today.

Recruitment will continue on the other side. Workers who already have jobs will not participate in the recruitment, and will only look for new jobs when their current job ends.

Since the base started operating, there have been many problems big and small. The biggest one, of course, is the constant threat of large-scale zombies outside, while the other small problems, although not as troublesome, can also cause constant trouble.

The first issue is the communication problem within the base. The troops have communication tools, but the signal base stations that were originally used have been destroyed and are not being maintained, so they cannot function as they did before. There are still some operational tools within the military, but for ordinary people, it’s like going back to primitive society.

The second issue is the currency problem within the base. Initially, the circulating currency of Country C was no longer usable, and it’s very difficult to recreate currency without preventing counterfeiting. However, it’s too inconvenient to rely solely on food as a barter without circulating currency.

Other issues like education and entertainment are impossible to exist in S base. None of the children in the base are continuing their education. They either help their parents with tasks they are capable of, or stay at home.

Of course, there are some exceptions. For example, some children have lost other relatives during the zombie wave and have to come up with various ways to survive.

For example, when Ji Cha went out to check on the progress of the construction site in the afternoon, he saw a group of children trying to climb over the wall in a weakly guarded area.

“Hey, what are you doing? It’s very dangerous outside,” he quickly stopped them.

The older boy who led them quickly ran over and said, “Lower your voice. We’ll get the soldiers over here.”

“We’re going to catch fish outside. They said there are fish in the river two miles away,” he continued.

“Can you eat the fish there?” Ji Cha frowned. “We don’t even know if the fish outside have mutated. What if they make you sick?”

“That’s just the way it is. We don’t have enough food to eat,” muttered a few teenagers.

Many of the job sites around here do not allow minors to work. If it wasn’t for them sticking together to survive, they might have passed out from hunger by now.

Ji Cha couldn’t persuade them, nor could he stop them. Unlike before, there’s no such thing as the lawful protection of minors or anything like that. He also wasn’t charitable enough to take these kids back home to take care of them. If he did that, his home would be cleaned out by the people from the base in just two days.

But what Ji Cha didn’t expect was that when he returned to the construction site and it was almost dark, he happened to meet those teenagers again. They each held two fish in their hands, laughing and walking towards the center of the base.

They recognized Ji Cha and took the initiative to talk to him, raising the fish in their hands and saying, “Look, aren’t these fish great? And they’re easy to catch.”

Ji Cha couldn’t help but ask, “Where did you catch them?”

“We found a small pond, half-hidden in a cave in the mountains. There were a lot of fish there, and they were easy to catch. They also looked the same as they did in the old world, but the others…”

“What about the others?”

“The others changed and became very aggressive. I threw a rock at them, and they almost jumped up to bite my hand. Later, when they fell on the grass, my brother and I used rocks to kill them.”

Another person interjected, “Because of this, we didn’t dare to catch any more. We were going to come back empty-handed, but we walked a little further and found some normal fish.”

Ji Cha knew that the fish they described as aggressive were probably already infected with the zombie virus, and the fish in the hands of the teenagers were probably still alive and healthy because they were in a relatively safe location that isolated them from the virus. Or perhaps, their evolution was just suitable for human development, like an apple tree.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: Will there be any fish farming later, Chacha?

New Activities and Treasure of the Family

With Brother Le, Yu Qingze prepared a table full of delicious dishes. While in the kitchen, he noticed a new chef introduced by Fu Bo. He was told that the chef came from the Cai Family in Yunzhou and was specially brought over by Cai Chenxi to learn.

During the meal, Cai Yunwei and Chang Hao arrived late. They had been playing all morning and were covered in sweat. They quickly freshened up before joining the others, their faces still flushed.

“Xiao Hao, what did you do with Second Young Master? Why are you sweating so much? Second Young Master hasn’t fully recovered yet, so you shouldn’t play too vigorously, understand?” Yu Qingze asked Chang Hao. Chang Hao had plenty of stamina, but he was concerned that Cai Yunwei might not be as physically strong and didn’t want him to overexert himself and end up catching a cold.

Chang Hao glanced at Cai Yunwei and nodded, “I understand, Brother Yu. We were just catching grasshoppers in the backyard.”

Cai Yunwei added, “Brother Yu, it’s okay. I’m feeling much better now.”

Madam Cai also chimed in with a smile, “It’s fine, let them play. Usually, no one plays with Wei’er, and he gets bored.”

Cai Chenxi also said, “Yes, Wei’er should be more active. Physical stamina needs to be trained.”

Madam Cai reassured, “Indeed, Xiao Hao, don’t listen to your Brother Yu. Wei’er knows his own body, and if he’s uncomfortable, he will let us know. Don’t worry, Xiao Yu. Wei’er has improved a lot since his appetite got better. His energy is increasing day by day, so let him play, it’s fine.”

Hearing their words, Yu Qingze felt relieved and asked, “What activities does Second Young Master usually engage in at home?”

Cai Yunwei replied, “I read books, write, and take walks.”

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and said, “I know something that can be both entertaining and help you exercise. You can play it alone or with a group of people. It can be a fun activity for you to stay active.”

“Oh? What is it?” Cai Yunwei asked curiously, followed by Chang Hao echoing the same question.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “It’s called a shuttlecock. If you’re interested, I can teach you when you wake up from your nap. We’ll need to make some preparations as well.”

“Great!” Both boys exclaimed in unison, and the others looked at Yu Qingze with curiosity.

Old Master Cai chuckled and said, “Alright, let’s eat first. The dishes will get cold if we wait.”

“Yes, let’s eat! I can’t wait!” Cai Chenxi immediately agreed.

Everyone sat at the table and enjoyed a delicious and satisfying lunch.

Cai Chenxi finally tasted the delicious food and sighed, “I envy Brother Le and Xiao Hao. They get to eat such delicious meals every day.”

Chang Lei pursed his lips and smiled, feeling pleased as if he was being praised.

Chang Hao also grinned and replied, “Young Master, Uncle Fu and the others have learned well. The food they cook for you is almost as good as what we eat. These days, Brother Yu rarely cooks by himself at home. He gives the opportunity to my brother to learn cooking.”

“Oh, really?” Cai Chenxi asked.

“Yes, Brother Yu gives instructions, but he only uses his mouth. It’s my brother who does the hands-on work,” Chang Hao nodded and added, “But my brother’s cooking is also delicious!”

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.

After finishing their lunch contentedly, Yu Qingze called for Mi Ge’er and asked him to bring some needles and thread. He also borrowed tools and some small pieces of wood from the carpenters in the mansion. Then he went to the kitchen and took the rooster feathers he had plucked in the morning.

Chang Hao and Cai Yunwei were curious and wanted to follow, but Yu Qingze sent them back with a remark.

“This will take some time. You should take a nap so that you’ll have energy to play in the afternoon.”

The two boys obediently went to take their nap. Otherwise, considering Cai Yunwei’s current stamina, he might not have enough energy to continue playing in the afternoon.

Old Master Cai, being of old age, sat for a while before going to rest as well. Cai Chenxi had been studying for so many days and hadn’t rested enough, so he also went to take a rest.

Thus, Yu Qingze, accompanied by Brother Le, stood at the kitchen door and selected clean chicken feathers. He saw Mi Ge’er bringing the carpenter’s tools with him.

Yu Qingze picked a relatively thick piece of wood and told the carpenter to shape it into a round shape the size of a copper coin, with a small hole in the middle without piercing the bottom. The skilled carpenter quickly completed the task.

Then Yu Qingze inserted the chicken tail feathers into the wood, with three feathers pointing in different directions. He used fine pieces of feathers to fill the empty space in the hole at the bottom, securing them tightly to prevent the feathers from falling out. A simple shuttlecock was made.

He kicked it a few times, adjusted the direction of the feathers, and said to Brother Le and Mi Ge’er, “Watch closely, this is how you kick it.”

Saying that, Yu Qingze skillfully started kicking. His shuttlecock skills were quite good. Sometimes he kicked it high, sometimes he performed tricks, alternating between his left and right foot. He even showed off some soccer-style moves, leaving the two ancient gers astonished.

Brother Le and Mi Ge’er: Wow, that’s amazing!

“I want to try, I want to try!” Mi Ge’er eagerly volunteered.

Yu Qingze taught him some basic postures, and Mi Ge’er started learning on the side.

Meanwhile, Yu Qingze asked the carpenter to continue making more wooden blocks so they could have multiple shuttlecocks to share. Unfortunately, they ran out of rooster feathers, so they could only make two good ones. The feathers of the other shuttlecocks were not long enough, making them harder to kick. Mi Ge’er sent someone to the market to find more rooster feathers, and eventually they made five or six shuttlecocks.

Directly inserting the feathers made them easy to kick out, so Mi Ge’er and Brother Le wrapped the entire wooden block with cloth, sewing and securing the bottom part to prevent the feathers from slipping.

By the time Cai Yunwei and Chang Hao woke up from their nap, Mi Ge’er and Brother Le could kick the shuttlecock continuously.

Cai Yunwei and Chang Hao were both interested and started practicing, but at first, they couldn’t kick the shuttlecock and ended up in many funny situations.

In the afternoon, the entire Cai mansion immersed themselves in shuttlecock kicking activities. Even Old Master Cai, the elderly patriarch, enthusiastically watched and sometimes joined in with a few kicks.

Yu Qingze taught them different kicking techniques—individual kicks, kicks by pairs, dividing into two teams with a rope in the middle—and when their legs got tired, they could even play a feathered ball game using two wooden boards.

He even had the carpenter make two wooden racket-style paddles, wrapping the handle part with cloth, and demonstrated the game to them.

From then on, shuttlecock kicking became a new form of entertainment in the Cai mansion. It not only provided amusement but also improved the physical well-being of Cai Yunwei and the elderly Old Master Cai, making them feel more energized and revitalized.

Then, through the Cai mansion, shuttlecock kicking quietly became popular among some wealthy households in Tongshan City. It gradually spread to the common people and became a popular recreational and fitness activity. But that’s another story.

In the evening, Yu Qingze and his family happily returned home. They had been kicking shuttlecocks all afternoon, and though their bodies were a bit tired, their spirits were still high. They chatted and laughed all the way home.

When they reached the middle section of West Street, they suddenly noticed a crowd gathered in front of a medical clinic, curious about what was happening.

Curiosity piqued, they went over to take a look.

They saw a young boy, about twelve or thirteen years old, kneeling at the entrance of the clinic, holding onto the leg of an elderly man in his sixties. The boy was crying and pleading for the doctor to come and check on his mother.

“Doctor, please, I beg you, go and see my mother. I have money, look, I earned some!” The boy spoke while tightly gripping the doctor’s leg. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth bag. Opening it, there were possibly ten to twenty coins inside. He held it up and offered it to the doctor.

The doctor sighed and said, “Child, I’ve told you before, there’s nothing more I can do for your mother’s illness. It’s incurable, and even if I go, it won’t make a difference. He might only have one or two days left. You, instead, should go back and take good care of him, see if there’s any unfulfilled wish he has and help him achieve it.”

The boy didn’t know if he understood the doctor’s words or not, he just cried, “Doctor, please come and see, I’m begging you, I’m begging you. I’ll kowtow to you, I’ll kowtow to you…”

Saying that, the boy started kowtowing, his head banging on the ground, making loud thumping sounds. Before long, his forehead turned red.

“Oh, you child, get up quickly, stop kowtowing like this.” The doctor hurriedly bent down to pull him up.

Someone nearby couldn’t bear to see it and said, “Doctor, just go and take a look. This child is pitiful; his forehead is already red.”

The doctor sighed and said, “Ah, going won’t make a difference. There’s no cure, it’s just a matter of one or two days. It’s better to take the money and use it to prepare for his mother’s funeral.”

Upon hearing this, everyone shook their heads and sighed.

Chang Hao, seeing this, held onto his brother tightly, reaching out to grab his brother’s arm. Chang Le patted his younger brother’s hand and wrapped his arm around his shoulder.

Yu Qingze noticed the actions of the two brothers and extended his hand to hold Chang Le’s shoulder, comforting him.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Finally, the doctor had no choice but to say, “Alright, alright, child, I’ll go and take a look.”

Upon hearing this, the boy who had been kowtowing on the ground immediately stood up, wiped his tears, and grabbed the doctor’s hand, ready to go.

“Oh, wait, let me grab my medical kit.” The doctor went into the clinic to fetch his medical kit and then followed the boy.

Gradually, the crowd dispersed.

The three of them walked slowly towards the city gate. The excitement they had before quickly faded, and they were still thinking about what they had witnessed.

Life is unpredictable, with aging, illness, and death that cannot be prevented. All they can do is cherish their lives while they are still alive.

The next morning, they set up their stall. The steward of the Zhao mansion came over and informed them that the master of the house had agreed to Yu Qingze’s offer and instructed them to do a good job.

They were all thrilled as it was another big order. Yu Qingze was already thinking about how to arrange things afterward.

Not long after, Chang Le came out carrying water and noticed someone standing not far from their stall, continuously staring at their food but not coming over.

Chang Le took a closer look and realized it was the same boy he had seen yesterday evening at the entrance of the clinic.

He walked up to the boy and asked if he wanted to buy something.

The boy seemed startled and didn’t understand Chang Le’s gesture. He turned around and ran away.

Chang Le:…

He sighed and went back to his work, but he couldn’t help but worry. He occasionally glanced in that direction, feeling that the boy probably hadn’t gone far and might come over eventually.

Sure enough, after a while, he saw the boy again, gazing at their snack stall with one hand in his pocket, seeming hesitant.

Chang Le set down the bowl in his hand, wiped his hands, and walked over to Yu Qingze, gesturing to explain the situation.

Yu Qingze understood and looked in that direction, indeed seeing the boy.

He waved at the boy, and the boy seemed to have finally made up his mind and walked up to the snack stall.

Yu Qingze asked softly, “Do you want to buy something to eat?”

The boy glanced at their stall, where there were liangpi, cold noodles, and Guandong style hot pot. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then raised his head, looked at Yu Qingze, and said, “Boss, I want to buy a bowl of this.”

The boy pointed at liangpi.

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Sure, just wait a moment.” He was about to serve liangpi.

“Wait, boss,” the boy called out to Yu Qingze again, feeling embarrassed as he reached into his pocket and took out three coins, saying, “I, I only have three coins. Just give me an amount worth three coins.”

Yu Qingze smiled and nodded, saying, “Okay.” With that, he still served the usual portion worth five coins. If he served too little, he was afraid the boy would notice and feel embarrassed.

The boy looked at liangpi cooking in the hot water, blushing, and said to Yu Qingze, “Boss, um, can I take it home to eat? I forgot to bring a bowl, but I promise I’ll bring it to you by this afternoon, at the latest tomorrow morning.”

As he spoke, the boy raised his right hand and made a three-fingered oath gesture.

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “That’s fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you, boss.” Upon hearing Yu Qingze’s agreement, the boy smiled, looking forward to eating the liangpi made by Yu Qingze.

Once the bowl of liangpi was ready, the boy handed over three coins happily and prepared to leave.

At that moment, the boy was stopped by the person who sold tea eggs next to Yu Qingze’s snack stall.

“Jiabao, come here. Have you eaten yet?” the stall owner called.

Jiabao, the boy, carefully held liangpi and replied, “Grandpa Huang, I haven’t eaten yet.”

“Here, take these two tea eggs and eat them,” the stall owner picked out two tea eggs from the pot and gave them to the boy.

Tears welled up in the boy’s eyes as he took them and thanked, “Thank you, Grandpa.”

“You’re a good child, now go ahead.”

The boy put the tea eggs in his pocket and carefully held liangpi as he walked away.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

This chapter is dedicated to Lenette for your continuous Kofi support. The translators and I will continue to work hard (∩˃o˂∩)♡

Love,

Thingyan (Editor-in-cheese)

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

However, he didn’t expect that when Liang Jincheng returned, he already knew about what happened to Ji Cha at the supermarket during the day.

Ji Cha was eating dinner and organizing various notes he had taken during the day upstairs. He also thought about the potatoes he had harvested today. Because he was not sure if the preservation method could really keep the potatoes for a long time, Ji Cha divided the 320 kilograms of potatoes into two portions of 120 kg each and one portion of 80 kg. The first 120 were intended to carefully select good potato pieces from them and save them for seed storage. The second 120 were for Ji Cha to store and slowly eat himself.

There are too many ways to cook potatoes, not to mention other various cooking methods. Ji Cha remembered the plate of shredded potatoes he had eaten at night and felt his mouth watering.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

As for the remaining 80 kg, Ji Cha didn’t plan to waste them either. He had a plan.

There are still some bricks stored in the compound, and he had also negotiated with the military to send some building materials. The chicks are growing day by day, and new chicks are hatching. The space in the factory building is definitely not enough.

Ji Cha had planned to build a new breeding farm long ago. After all, the existing breeding farms in the factory compound were only designed to meet the needs of the people in the factory and could not adapt to the eventual expansion of production. However, because most of the ownership of the breeding farms belonged to Ji Cha, although the military provided building materials, they were not willing to reimburse Ji Cha’s workers for their food expenses.

In addition, the treatment provided by the military is not bad now, and there are many projects coming in one after another. Ji Cha may not even be able to attract workers accidentally. Ji Cha had a plan in mind, and these 80 kilograms of potatoes would be distributed as a kind of food provided by himself to the workers. Fresh ingredients are currently the most lacking in the base, and occasionally one pound of vegetables on the black market is almost fried to a sky-high price.

Thinking of this, Ji Cha leaned back on the back of his chair tiredly and stretched his waist. However, his hands were held from behind by Liang Jincheng, and then slid down from his chest all the way down in one breath.

“The door is not closed yet,” Ji Cha pushed away Liang Jincheng’s hand in panic. He exerted too much force and almost lost his balance and fell.

Liang Jincheng easily held his waist with one hand, and without even looking, he kicked the door shut. With a smile on his face, he lowered his head and kissed Ji Cha’s lips hard, to the point where Ji Cha could feel his lips trembling slightly.

“Why are you laughing?” Ji Cha struggled to squeeze out these few words between their lips and teeth, but he couldn’t help but laugh along with Liang Jincheng.

But when his eyes caught the bottle at the head of the bed that had been torn off the label and only had the bottom of the lubricant left, Ji Cha immediately became serious.

“Don’t laugh. Either speak or sleep well.” His hand pushed against Liang Jincheng’s forehead as he spoke seriously.

Liang Jincheng liked to do the most intimate things with Ji Cha and also enjoyed the feeling of holding each other quietly and talking seriously.

“Did you go to the supermarket today?” Liang Jincheng asked.

Ji Cha tilted his head and lay in Liang Jincheng’s arms, using his foot to reach for the table lamp. When he heard the question, he was a little surprised. “Hey, how did you know?”

“I met Zhao Tiankuo before you came back,” Liang Jincheng said. “I helped you bring back the things you wanted to buy and put them in the small warehouse downstairs.”

“Oh, then I’ll go pay for them tomorrow,” Ji Cha thought Liang Jincheng had brought back the things he had reserved.

“No need, I already paid,” Liang Jincheng rubbed Ji Cha’s head, knowing that he had been restless these days and decided to suppress his desire tonight, just holding him to sleep.

Although Ji Cha was still half asleep at midnight, Liang Jincheng had worn him out.

He never expected that the next morning when Ji Cha went downstairs, the small warehouse was piled up full. This wasn’t just the things he had reserved, it was everything he wanted and even double the amount.

Ji Cha ran back upstairs in a hurry, but Liang Jincheng hadn’t left the house today and was currently in the bathroom washing up.

“What’s going on downstairs?” Ji Cha widened his eyes, at first because he was surprised, but then he paused and really stared in shock.

Liang Jincheng was wearing a very ordinary pajama. As the stubble on his cheeks came out, he was shaving, and his eyelids drooped slightly due to drowsiness. He supported himself with one hand on the washstand and heard the sound of Ji Cha behind him. Looking at himself in the mirror, his eyes almost instantly became focused and smiling when he saw Ji Cha.

“What’s wrong?” He put down the razor, splashed some water on his face with his hands, wiped his face casually with a towel, and turned around to face Ji Cha. While he was still stunned, he reached out his thumb to wipe the corner of Ji Cha’s mouth, then lowered his head and quickly kissed Ji Cha’s lips.

“Good morning.”

Ji Cha’s face suddenly turned red, but since there was no one else upstairs now, he wasn’t too flustered. “It’s those things downstairs. How did you manage to get so many of them back? They ignored me when I went over there yesterday.”

“If anything like this happens in the future, you should tell me.” Liang Jincheng didn’t directly answer Ji Cha’s question. “I’ve already talked to them over there. If you need anything, just go over and give them your name. They’ll know what you need and put it on my account.”

Ji Cha was a bit confused, but he suddenly felt Liang Jincheng’s boyfriend power emanating from him.

At this point in time, Liang Jincheng’s words and actions were equivalent to a rich boyfriend telling his girlfriend, “Take my credit card and spend as much as you want!” in the pre-apocalyptic world.

It was from this moment that Ji Cha couldn’t help but reevaluate Liang Jincheng’s position in the base. Although he didn’t have any official position, he was at least on par with many junior officers and even higher than them.

But before Ji Cha could fully understand this, Liang Jincheng hugged him and pressed him against the wall, kissing him until his lips went numb. They almost got caught by Zhang Qinqin, who was coming upstairs midway.

In the end, Ji Cha just gave Liang Jincheng a dark face and treated him as if he was air, following behind him.

Liang Jincheng, as always, followed behind Ji Cha with a good temper. Even a god in the eyes of others will always meet their nemesis.

On the other hand, since the plan to build a new husbandry was put on the agenda, Ji Cha immediately began various preparations.

He first found construction personnel in the military to help design the building blueprints and then referenced architectural styles from many documentaries to determine the internal structure of the chicken coop and pig farm.

Next, he needed to recruit people. There was a place in the base similar to a job market where the positions requiring workers for the next day would be announced in advance every night. People would then use their identity cards and skill certifications to sign up at night, and come the next morning to confirm where they had been assigned.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: What was that shirt Jincheng was wearing? Oh, it was boyfriend material hahaha

Business Comes Knocking

In the afternoon, as it was nearing closing time, a customer who had previously purchased mooncakes from the stall arrived. It was the middle-aged man who had placed the first large order. However, Yu Qingze was not present at the moment as he had gone to buy flour.

“Excuse me, is Boss Yu here?” the middle-aged man asked.

Brother Chang still remembered this customer and approached him, asking, “Sir, our boss has gone to buy flour. Do you need to buy something or is there something you’d like to discuss with him?”

Upon hearing that Boss Yu was not available, the middle-aged man looked disappointed and inquired, “Is there someone else here who can make decisions?”

Brother Chang immediately responded, “Yes, please wait a moment. I’ll go fetch him.”

Boss

In the meantime, Chang Le, who was fetching water at  Li’s house, overheard that their previous important customer had arrived. He swiftly put down the water bucket and hurried to the front of the food stall.

Brother Chang explained, “This is our boss’s fiance, and although he cannot speak, he can understand. I’ll help translate for him. Is that acceptable to you?”

The middle-aged man nodded and said, “That’s fine. I am Zhao Zhong, the steward of Zhao Mansion in the southern part of the city. Our master recently visited the Cai Mansion and tried various pastries, finding them delicious. We heard that they were made by Boss Yu. Coincidentally, our master’s birthday celebration is on the 30th of August, and we would like to place an order with Boss Yu for a batch of pastries. Are you willing to take on this order?”

Upon hearing that there was a business opportunity, Brother Chang and Chang Le’s eyes lit up. Brother Chang looked at Chang Le, waiting for his response.

Chang Le pondered for a moment and gestured, asking which specific pastries they needed.

Brother Chang translated the question for Zhao Zhong.

After considering for a moment, Zhao Zhong took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read, “Shumai, crystal dumplings, jujube and yam cake, pumpkin pancakes, donkey rolls, and various flavors of mooncakes that were previously offered.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Le nodded. They were capable of making all these pastries as they had prepared them before for the Cai Mansion.

He then asked, “How much quantity do you require, and when do you need them?”

Brother Chang translated the question for Zhao Zhong.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com by Brother Chang.

Zhao Zhong replied, “We need everything to be ready by August 29th, and some of them are for reciprocation. As for the quantity, I’ve written it on this list.”

He handed over the paper.

Brother Le took it, but neither of them could read. Although he had been studying with Yu Qingze and Xiao Hao in the evenings, he still hadn’t learned many characters and couldn’t understand the list.

He shook his head and gestured that he couldn’t read.

Realizing that they couldn’t read, the steward took back the paper and began reading aloud, “350 shumai, 350 crystal dumplings…”

Just then, Chang Le’s keen eyes spotted Yu Qingze not far away, returning with a cart. He quickly interrupted Zhao Zhong and asked him to wait.

Yu Qingze saw Brother Le waving at him from a distance, so he hastened his steps, dragged the cart over, and walked up to wipe his face with the cloth towel. He asked, “What’s going on?”

Brother Chang explained the situation.

After listening, Yu Qingze asked Brother Chang to attend to things while there weren’t many customers. He would go with Zhao Zhong to the back and discuss the business, with Brother Le listening on the side.

Seeing Boss Yu return, Zhao Zhong was delighted. It was naturally better to discuss such matters directly with the boss, so he conveyed his requirements.

Yu Qingze clarified the types and timeline needed. Looking at the items on the list, he said, “We can make them.”

With Yu Qingze’s assurance, Zhao Zhong was pleased and asked, “How much will it cost?”

Yu Qingze glanced at the list and then at Zhao Zhong, saying, “The price for the mooncakes will be the same as before. By the way, I forgot to ask, are they for immediate consumption or for reciprocation? If it’s for reciprocation, they will need to be packaged, right? Of course, if you prefer to package them yourselves, you can buy them in bulk and package them at home.” However, Yu Qingze guessed they wouldn’t choose that option.

As expected, Zhao Zhong shook his head and said, “No, you should handle the packaging. Pack them in sets of five. And for the donkey rolls and jujube and yam cakes, they should be packaged in sets of four.” They wanted the reputation of Yu’s stall, so they didn’t want to package them themselves.

Yu Qingze nodded and asked, “In terms of packaging, do you want the luxury type or the boutique type?”

Zhao Zhong said, “Use the boutique type for all of them.”

Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and said, “In that case, the donkey rolls will be 98 wen per box, and the jujube and yam cakes will be 108 wen per box.”

Zhao Zhong was surprised, “Why are they so expensive? The jujube and yam cakes are as expensive as four boxes of mooncakes!”

Yu Qingze calmly replied, “There’s nothing we can do. The ingredients are expensive, and these items are considered healthier, so they naturally come at a higher price.”

Zhao Zhong began to negotiate, “Boss Yu, since we’re placing such a large order, can you offer us a discount?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “Zhao Zhong, as you know, we operate on a small scale and only earn a small profit. How about this: for each type of pastry, I’ll include four boxes for your mansion as a gift. If you calculate it that way, it’s almost like offering a discount.”

Zhao Zhong then asked, “What about the other three types?”

Yu Qingze replied, “Based on your plan for a table of ten, the other three items will be calculated per plate. Each plate will contain ten pastries: the shumai will be 30 wen per plate, the crystal dumplings require more effort and will be priced at 50 wen per plate, and the pumpkin cakes will be 20 wen per plate.”

Zhao Zhong considered for a moment and said, “Hmm, I need to report this to the master of the mansion and let him make the final decision.”

Yu Qingze responded, “Sure, no problem. Also, there’s another issue I need to clarify with you, Zhao Zhong.”

Zhao Zhong asked, “What’s the issue?”

“These three types of pastries can all be prepared for you on the 29th, but it’s best to consume the shumai, crystal dumplings, and pumpkin cakes on the same day for the best taste. Especially for such an important occasion as the birthday celebration, I recommend that these three items be consumed fresh for optimal flavor.”

Hearing this, Zhao Zhong frowned and asked, “Can you deliver them in time for the noon banquet?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “Even if we prepare them at home and deliver them, the taste won’t be the same.”

Zhao Zhong became worried.

Yu Qingze continued, “Are these three items meant to be consumed immediately? It wouldn’t be suitable for gift-giving purposes.”

Zhao Zhong nodded and said, “Yes, they are meant to be consumed immediately as post-meal snacks. Some guests may also keep them for the evening banquet and require afternoon tea.”

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and suggested, “If that’s the case, why don’t we come to your mansion and prepare them on-site? I’m not sure if it’s convenient for your mansion, though.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhong asked, “Can Boss Yu come to our mansion?”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “The 30th happens to be our snack stall’s day off, so we won’t be operating there. We can come to your mansion. It’s not as convenient on regular days, though.”

“Alright, we’ll have you come to our mansion!”

Yu Qingze added, “In that case, I hope your mansion can provide us with a separate kitchen to prepare the pastries.”

“Sure,” Zhao Zhong agreed. After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Do you need us to provide the ingredients, or…?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and replied, “No need, we will bring our own ingredients. However, we will need your mansion to provide the kitchen utensils, firewood, and water. These will not be included in the price.” If Zhao Mansion provides the ingredients, they would have to deduct the cost of the ingredients. By bringing their own, they could keep the cost somewhat concealed.

Zhao Zhong nodded to indicate his understanding and asked, “Are there any other questions?”

After thinking for a moment, Yu Qingze originally wanted to ask if they could provide steaming baskets as well, but it seemed a bit too much. They would probably need them themselves that day, and they only had one large steaming basket at home. It would be better to have a few more custom-made, as they would also need them in the future.

He said, “No need, we will prepare the rest ourselves.”

Zhao Zhong nodded and said, “Alright, I will inform you once I have received confirmation from the master.”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Okay, but please be quick. I need to prepare in advance for some things.”

“I understand. I will give you a definite answer no later than the day after tomorrow. Goodbye.”

“Oh, Zhao Zhong, wait.” Yu Qingze remembered that they would be visiting the Cai Mansion tomorrow, so he said, “Tomorrow, we won’t be operating the stall as we will be visiting the Cai Mansion. You can come the day after tomorrow.”

When Zhao Zhong heard that they would be visiting the Cai Mansion, he was somewhat surprised but still nodded and said, “Alright, I will come the day after tomorrow then.”

After Zhao Zhong left, Chang Le’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Yu Qingze with admiration.

Yu Qingze turned his head and noticed Chang Le’s gaze. He felt pleased in his heart but still smiled and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Chang Le happily gestured, expressing, “Brother Yu, you’re really skilled at negotiating business. Zhao Zhong will come the day after tomorrow, right?”

Yu Qingze looked at him and chuckled, “Am I that impressive?”

Chang Le nodded and gave him a thumbs up as praise.

Yu Qingze pinched his finger and said, “Let me tell you, I’m not that amazing. If I fail, you’re not allowed to laugh at me.”

Chang Le pulled back his finger, shook his head, and gestured, “Still, you’re impressive!”

Yu Qingze laughed and leaned in close to Chang Le’s ear, whispering, “Do you know that when you look at me like that, I really want to kiss you?”

…Kiss? Kiss me?

A gentle breath brushed against Chang Le’s ear, tickling him slightly. He immediately thought of something embarrassing, and his entire face turned red. He quickly turned his head and ran away.

Brother Yu is being naughty again. We were just talking about business, why did he have to bring up kissing? It reminded him of that time when he was drunk and kissed him.

It’s so embarrassing.

Yu Qingze watched his retreating figure and chuckled softly. He then unloaded the flour from the cart and prepared to rearrange things for closing time.

The next day, on the 20th of August, was the day they had agreed to visit the Cai Mansion. Yu Qingze took Brother Le and Chang Hao and brought the gifts before heading over.

Grandpa Chang didn’t come this time because he had to tend to the cows in the afternoon.

When they arrived at the Cai Mansion, Chang Hao went to play with Cai Yunwei.

After a while, Cai Chenxi arrived in the hall. Yu Qingze was surprised and asked, “Young Master Cai, have you finished your exams?” Last time they met, they had mentioned that Cai Chenxi would be taking the provincial examination in August. If he was in Tongshan City now, it was likely that he had finished his exams.

Cai Chenxi smiled and replied, “Yes, I finished two days ago. When I got home, my mother told me that you would be coming to the mansion today, so I immediately took a carriage back.”

Old Master Cai jokingly teased his eldest grandson, “He, after days of exams, he didn’t even rest properly. He quickly freshened up and rushed back, afraid that he would miss out on the food you cook. Fortunately, he has a strong constitution; otherwise, he would have fainted.”

Yu Qingze smiled, realizing that they still remembered his culinary skills.

He said, “Then I’ll make a nourishing soup to help Young Master recover.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Xiao Yu.” Madam Cai walked over, took Brother Le’s hand, and smiled, “By the way, I heard from Mi Ge’er that you two are engaged?”

Blushing, Brother Le nodded.

Madam Cai happily exclaimed, “That’s wonderful! Come here, Brother Le, this is a betrothal gift from us. Congratulations to both of you!” As he spoke, Madam Cai took out a jade pendant and tried to put it into Brother Le’s hand.

Seeing this, Brother Le quickly shook his hand to refuse. This Madam Cai, why did he always bring him gifts every time they met, and such valuable ones at that? It was too overwhelming.

“Take it. Engagement is a big event, a joyous occasion. Keep it well,” Madam Cai insisted, taking Brother Le’s hand and placing the pendant in his palm.

Helplessly, Brother Le looked towards Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze was also helpless, and he said to Madam Cai, “Madam, this gift is too valuable…”

Before he could finish, Madam Cai joked, “Xiao Yu, this is just a small token of affection from us. The marriage hasn’t happened yet, and you’re already trying to manage everything?”

“Madam, please…” Yu Qingze sighed helplessly and said, “Alright, I won’t say anything.”

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. Brother Le could only accept the gift reluctantly.

Madam Cai then asked, “When will the wedding be? You must let us know so we can attend.”

“Not so soon, probably around February or March next year,” Yu Qingze replied. He scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and said, “Earlier, I spent all the money I earned recently on buying land for registration. I need to save up again. Once I have enough money to build a house, then we can get married.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Cai asked, “How much silver did you spend on buying the land?”

Yu Qingze replied, “Eighty taels.”

Madam Cai and Cai Chenxi exchanged a glance upon hearing this. Cai Chenxi subtly shook his head, and the grandfather and grandson secretly exchanged information.

Madam Cai frowned and said, “Why didn’t you come to us for help? If the old man had intervened, you wouldn’t have needed so much.”

Embarrassed, Yu Qingze answered, “Madam, I appreciate your intentions. But this matter is a small one, and I can handle it myself. It’s not necessary to trouble Old Master.”

Madam Cai sighed and said, “You’re too honest, really.”

Yu Qingze chuckled in response.

After Yu Qingze took Brother Le to the kitchen, Old Master Cai called Cai Chenxi into the study and asked, “How is your father’s side? Tongshan City is getting out of hand. Are they not ready yet?”

Cai Chenxi shook his head and replied, “I’m not sure about that. It should be almost ready, at the latest within a year.”

Old Master Cai sighed and said, “They have been preparing for quite a long time. Is everything secure this time?”

Cai Chenxi answered, “It should be. My father said they will uproot them completely this time.”

Old Master Cai nodded and said, “That’s how it should be. Tongshan City has become so chaotic that I dare not go out for a stroll, fearing to hear all sorts of things.”

Cai Chenxi stepped forward to comfort his grandfather and said, “Grandfather, don’t worry. Father and the others will handle it.”

Old Master Cai felt a little relieved and asked, “How did you perform in the examination?”

“It was alright.”

“What about Tianrui?”

“It’s also pretty good.”

“That’s good. Why didn’t he come with you?”

“His health isn’t as good as mine. After the exam, he went back to rest.”

“Oh.”

“…”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Maybe MC should start a catering business.

Currently, due to limited number of hens, it’s impossible to establish large-scale breeding. Only by expanding the breeding stock, can the subsequent breeding develop more smoothly.

However, everything is very hopeful fortunately. The chicks are growing day by day and they look cute and have good growth. The egg production efficiency of the hens has not been greatly affected by the weather. In the middle of the season, eighty eggs were selected and placed into the incubator. When the chicks are over a month old, the second batch of chicks will hatch.

By that time, the chickens can be sent to the slaughterhouse and transformed into food that can be served on the table.

When Ji Cha was working hard with full motivation, Zhao Tiankuo brought him some good news. The army opened a supermarket, which has almost the same product inventory as before. The former currency has completely lost its circulation ability, and now everything is exchanged for food. The prices of goods in the army supermarket are cheaper than those on the black market, but there are corresponding purchase restrictions. Even if you have enough food, you can’t buy whatever you want or as much as you want.

In addition, several doctors and nurses have moved into the hospital, and the machines and equipment have been transported from the first hospital of s city. They are basically well equipped, but the only thing that is lacking is talent. Currently, people who are injured at work do not need to pay much for medical expenses, and the expenses are still borne by the military.

Thanks to the establishment of the power plant, many electrical appliances can be restored to use. However, not every household can have access to electricity. To have electricity for one month, one must spend almost half a month’s grain income, so only some large families or small group alliances can afford it. Many people have not seen what a television looks like since the end of the world.

The army set up a screen for showing movies and TV shows a few days ago, which only costs a few points per day and runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., featuring various classic movies and TV dramas. After Ji Cha learned about this, he made copies of all the resources he had and gave them to the person in charge of this area in the army.

Originally, when the public movie viewing area was not set up yet, most people would go to bed after dinner. But now, the majority of people bring their own stools to the public TV area located in the four corners of the base to watch TV. The TV dramas are aired until 10 pm, and the rest of the programs are mostly sketches, or occasionally some military attention notes for the next day.

Here, people can relax after a day of hard work, and the tense atmosphere in the base has also dissipated quite a bit.

Sometimes, Ji Cha also feels that he has an advantage, living a more comfortable life than most people. However, he is not a person who dwells on such things, at least his comfortable life is not taken from others.

Since the supermarket has opened, Ji Cha plans to go there to take a look during the day. However, when he wakes up in the morning, Wang Qinxiang comes to tell him that they can start digging the potatoes.

Ji Cha quickly washes his face and brushes his teeth, and then heads to the field with a steamed bun in his mouth. Wang Lixin has already started digging. They have planted a total of 100 square meters of potatoes, which should yield more than 300 kilograms according to the estimate. However, no one knows what the actual result will be. If they fail, they may only get around 100 kilograms.

Wang Lixin stands in the greenhouse, loosening the soil with a hoe, and then lifting it up. The potatoes hidden beneath the soil are exposed. They have only dug up one potato so far, but when they lift the soil, they find five or six fist-sized potatoes underneath. Wang Lixin puts down the hoe and picks them up. There are several more hidden beneath them, and each one is not small. In total, they count ten, and the output from this one potato alone is estimated to be seven or eight kilograms.

After a busy morning, they carefully pick out the potatoes that are accidentally damaged, and weigh them. They have harvested more than 320 kilograms in total. If stored properly, they can be stored for several months.

Originally, Ji Cha wanted to send some to the military unit, but then he thought that if they got used to receiving good things from him, they would naturally expect him to send more in the future, which he couldn’t afford. So he decided not to send any and kept some for himself, leaving about 100 kilograms for other uses.

When all these things were almost done, there wasn’t much time left in the day. Ji Cha hurriedly rode his electric scooter towards the military supermarket as the evening sun was setting.

He didn’t bring anything with him, planning to make a reservation at the supermarket first, inquire about the prices, and then come back to pick up the items later.

Although it was called a supermarket, it was actually more like a large warehouse with few items on the shelves. They were all samples, and if someone wanted to buy something, they would have to inform the staff inside, who would then send a staff to assist them. Ji Cha felt that this measure was not only to prevent theft but also to conceal the true inventory of goods.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The military unit would not be short of inventory, but to ensure the long-term operation of the base, they would not distribute it freely to everyone without any restrictions. This was also necessary to avoid causing resentment among the people.

Ji Cha spent the afternoon browsing through the supermarket, mostly picking up small items such as daily necessities. He found that some of the seasonings he needed were not well-stocked, but they were readily available at this supermarket.

However, there was a problem when he wanted to place his order.

“You’re buying too much,” the staff member counted the items Ji Cha wanted to purchase. “We can’t ship them all at once.”

“Can I buy half now and come back later to buy the rest?” Ji Cha asked.

“You can only buy once a month, and the limit is set,” the staff member replied.

Ji Cha took out his identity card issued by the base, thinking that it might help him, since almost half of his factory buildings were working for the military now.

But the staff member still shook their head.

Ji Cha had no choice but to follow the staff’s advice and only pick up a few of the most necessary items, and then come back the next day to collect the rest.

The next morning, he met Zhao Tiankuo, and specifically inquired about the rules of the supermarket.

Zhao Tiankuo shrugged and said helplessly, “This rule is set by the higher-ups. We can’t do anything about it either. Yesterday, our boss wanted to exchange something and was refused. Hey, but you can ask to Brother Liang to go with you.”

“What?” Ji Cha was a little confused.

Although Zhao Tiankuo’s level of authority was not particularly high, he was not low either, and yet he was still stopped. What difference would it make if Liang Jincheng went? It wasn’t like in his previous life when Liang Jincheng was so powerful.

“Don’t you know that Brother Liang now has some real power in the army?” Zhao Tiankuo looked at Ji Cha in surprise. “Even our superiors have to be polite to him. Brother Liang’s skills are really incredible, almost beyond belief.”

Zhao Tiankuo’s tone was full of admiration, and he respectfully referred to Liang Jincheng as “Brother Liang.”

Ji Cha was skeptical. Liang Jincheng had been quite busy these days, and he really didn’t want to bother him with something trivial.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: Liang Jincheng = very powerful on and off bed

The Big River

Matchmaker Liao went to Chang Le’s house for a marriage proposal and even had lunch there. When he returned, many villagers saw him. Upon inquiring, it turned out that Yu Qingze had invited him to propose to Chang Le and they had already agreed on it.

As a result, the news of Yu Qingze and Chang Le’s engagement quickly spread throughout Niutou Village.

After the villagers’ initial surprise, some were happy for Chang Le, like other Chang families. Some felt sorry for Yu Qingze, thinking that with his current conditions, he could find a better and healthier match, at least ensuring a secure future for their children. Others envied Chang Le, especially those who had previously set their sights on Yu Qingze. They had hoped for a chance, but now they had to put away their own desires and find another suitable spouse.

Upon hearing the news, Brother Chang came to see Chang Le in the afternoon.

Inside the room, the two sat on the edge of the bed, whispering to each other.

“Brother Le, congratulations on getting engaged to your beloved! That’s wonderful!” Brother Chang happily expressed his congratulations.

Brother Le gestured his thanks and blushed, but he was genuinely happy.

“I was wondering why Boss Yu didn’t set up his stall today, turns out he came to propose to you! Hahaha, he kept it a secret really well!”

Thinking of this matter, Chang Le remembered his embarrassing moment earlier in the morning. He quickly shook his head, trying not to think about it. It was too embarrassing, and he didn’t want to remember it anymore.

Seeing his reaction, Brother Chang asked, “What’s wrong? Why is your face so red?”

Chang Le quickly shook his head, indicating that there was nothing.

Brother Chang looked at him with suspicious eyes, clearly sensing that something was amiss.

Chang Le held strong and refused to disclose the embarrassing incident to Brother Chang.

Seeing that Chang Le wouldn’t speak, Brother Chang changed the subject and asked, “Hey, Brother Le, what kind of betrothal gifts did Boss Yu give you?”

Chang Le gestured: food, pastries, cloth, a silver hairpin, and a gold ring.

“Silver hairpin and gold ring too?” Brother Chang widened his eyes and then smiled, “Brother Le, Boss Yu values you a lot! I’m genuinely happy for you! Those people in the village are just gossiping! They would be so jealous if their faces were swollen.” In the village, betrothal gifts were not usually as valuable as these, but of course, it was because Boss Yu had earned a lot of money.

Brother Chang patted Chang Le’s shoulder and asked, “Are you overjoyed?”

Chang Le blushed and nodded, saying he was very happy, especially happy!

He got engaged, and the other person was Brother Yu, who he had mutual feelings with. The heavy burden that had been weighing on his heart for so many years was suddenly lifted, and his heart felt bright. His whole body seemed to relax, and he felt a warm sensation.

He thought, maybe that’s what happiness feels like.

“Hey, Brother Le, what gift did you give in return?”

Chang Le: New clothes and a belt.

Brother Chang was surprised and said, “Didn’t you prepare new cloth shoes?”

Chang Le shook his head and gestured: Didn’t have time to prepare.

Brother Chang nodded and said, “Yeah, who knew Boss Yu would come so suddenly. Hey, what do you think, should I make a pair of cloth shoes now? What if one day I find a partner and don’t have time to prepare?”

Chang Le covered his mouth and chuckled.

Brother Chang saw him and playfully punched him, “What are you laughing at? Even though I don’t have a suitable partner right now, who knows, maybe one day I’ll find someone I like!”

Chang Le quickly raised his hand in surrender and then gestured: You don’t even know how big the person’s feet are, how can you make shoes? Even if you make them, they might not fit.

Brother Chang deflated instantly and sighed, “You’re right. Sigh, I really want to meet that person soon.”

Chang Le comforted him: You will meet them.

Then, Brother Chang helped Chang Le try on the silver hairpin and gold ring that Yu Qingze had given him. The two friends enjoyed themselves in the room for a while.

“Hey, where are your grandpa and Boss Yu?” Brother Chang asked.

Chang Le gestured and said, “Grandpa went up the mountain, and Brother Yu went to the foot of the mountain to tend to the cows.”

Brother Chang raised an eyebrow, “Boss Yu is tending to cows?”

Chang Le nodded and gestured again, indicating that he would go chop some firewood later. He asked if Brother Chang wanted to come along.

Brother Chang nodded and said, “Sure, wait for me a moment. I’ll go home and get the machete.”

Saying that, Brother Chang went home to prepare.

The two quickly met up and walked towards the mountain.

On the way, they encountered several villagers who congratulated Chang Le, but there were also a few who made sarcastic remarks.

Chang Le thanked each of them, but when it came to those making sarcastic comments, he pretended not to hear. After all, he didn’t want them to affect his good mood.

However, Brother Chang couldn’t stand it by his side. He had a sharp tongue and skillfully retorted back at those people, leaving them speechless.

At the foot of the mountain, they happened to come across Yu Qingze, who was tending to the cows. Brother Chang congratulated him.

Brother Chang noticed that Chang Le still didn’t dare to make eye contact with Yu Qingze and just sneakily glanced at him, but unexpectedly, Yu Qingze caught him in the act.

Chang Le quickly walked a few steps to pass by.

Yu Qingze chuckled, “The fiancé is getting shy again. Hahaha, my fiancé…”

Walking a distance away, Brother Chang chuckled from behind.

Chang Le turned his head and looked at him in confusion.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Brother Chang laughed and said, “No, you two are already engaged. Why does it still feel like the first time we met? You can see each other every day, so why are you still shy?”

Chang Le blushed instantly upon hearing this and became embarrassed and angry. He chased after him to tickle him.

Brother Chang quickly begged for mercy and ran away. The two of them continued playing and teasing each other until they reached the mountains and stopped when they started chopping firewood.

That evening, there was a big argument at Yu Qiangsheng’s house in the west of Niutou Village. The nearby households went over, and even the village chief was called to mediate.

The Chang family, who lived in the east of the village, were far away and didn’t even hear the sound of the quarrel.

The reason for the argument was that Yu Qiangsheng’s eldest son, Yu Dahe, wanted to separate from the family and live independently.

Although it was called an argument, it was actually a one-sided scolding from Yu Qiangsheng and his wife. Dahe didn’t argue back, but only knelt in front of the ancestral tablet in their house.

When the village chief arrived, he saw Dahe kneeling in front of the ancestral tablet while Yu Qiangsheng was hitting him with a stick. His wife was swearing on the side.

The village chief quickly intervened and angrily said, “What are you doing? Do you want to kill him?!”

“I want to kill him! He’s a freeloader! Village chief, stay out of this. I’ll kill him today!” Yu Qiangsheng angrily exclaimed, shaking off the village chief’s hand and attempting to strike again.

“You, stop him!” The village chief pointed at two people, instructing them to restrain Yu Qiangsheng.

The village chief furiously said, “How many times do you argue in a month? What happened today?!”

Yu Qiangsheng pointed at the kneeling Dahe and said, “Ask him, this bastard. He actually thinks that he can do whatever he wants now that he’s grown up, and I can’t control him anymore!”

The village chief cast a sidelong glance at him and scolded, “You call him a bastard, but what are you? You’re his father!”

The village chief walked over to Dahe, bent down, and asked him softly, “Dahe, what’s going on? Tell Uncle Village Chief.”

Dahe lifted his lowered head and calmly said, “Uncle, I want to separate from the family and establish my own household.”

As soon as the village chief heard this, he understood what was happening. It was clear that this child couldn’t bear living with Yu Qiangsheng and his wife, so he made this decision.

The village chief sighed inwardly. Dahe was a pitiable child. He was honest, hardworking, and a good kid, but he ended up with such a father and stepmother.

Yu Qiangsheng used to be a drunkard with a volatile temper. When he got drunk, he would beat his ex-wife, often leaving him with bruises and even once breaking his arm.

When Dahe was three years old, his mother couldn’t bear it anymore and wanted to divorce. Yu Qiangsheng refused, and he endured it for another six months. After being violently beaten once again, he became desperate and threw himself into the river. After that incident, Yu Qiangsheng seemed to have learned a lesson and improved slightly, swearing off alcohol.

Two years later, Yu Qiangsheng found another wife. However, this wife treated Dahe, his stepson, very poorly, treating him like a servant, making him do all the work and subjecting him to physical abuse. When Dahe turned thirteen, his stepmother instigated Yu Qiangsheng, telling him to send Dahe out to earn money, with all the earnings being confiscated by the two of them, leaving him with just a few coins to buy steamed buns for lunch the next day.

Meanwhile, Dahe’s younger brother, born to his stepmother, was already seventeen and did no work at home. His stepmother was busy arranging marriages for him, but despite Dahe being twenty-two, his stepmother had never mentioned anything about his marriage.

The two husbands completely treated Dahe as a money bag, earning money to spend on themselves.

Many people in the village disapproved of the behavior of the couple, but it wasn’t their place to interfere in other people’s affairs. Even the village chief could only advise the two to treat Dahe better.

But it was useless.

The village chief sighed, lowered his head, and said, “Dahe, you’re not married yet, so you can’t establish your own household. There’s no precedent for this.”

When the topic of marriage came up, Dahe’s eyes became slightly red.

He had liked Brother le for many years, but he knew that with his family situation, he couldn’t give Brother le happiness.

So, he had made plans. He had worked hard these past few years, and the foreman noticed his diligence and gave him a raise. He didn’t tell his father, but secretly divided his wages into two halves. He secretly saved the extra part outside, while bringing the rest home, all in order to save enough money to get married and establish his own household.

He had almost saved enough money for marriage, planning to propose to Brother le in two months and then establish his own household. At that time, he could borrow some money from the foreman and rent a house in the city, where he and Brother le could live happily together.

But today, when he returned from work, he heard that Brother le and Yu Qingze were engaged.

He felt like he had been struck by lightning and stood outside Brother le’s house for a long time. But when he saw Yu Qingze and Brother le in the yard, picking vegetables and laughing together, he slinked back home with a heavy heart.

When he arrived home, he told his father and stepmother that he wanted to separate from the family and establish his own household.

“Uncle, I must separate from the family. Otherwise, what am I going to do in the future?” The tall man’s face was filled with sadness and a resolute determination.

“Well…” The village chief didn’t know what to say. It was common for families to separate after marriage, but he had never encountered a situation where someone wanted to separate from the family before even getting married.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qiangsheng started swearing again and wanted to hit Dahe, but he was stopped by the two men.

Ignoring his father, Dahe asked the village chief, “Uncle, is there no way to establish my own household before marriage?”

The village chief shook his head and said, “There’s no precedent for that.” Unless you sever ties with your family and establish yourself elsewhere. But the village chief couldn’t bring himself to say those words.

After hearing this, Dahe fell silent for a moment. He bowed three times to his ancestors, stood up, went into his room, packed a few clothes, and then came out, walking towards the door.

His actions left everyone dumbfounded.

“You bastard, where do you think you’re going?” Yu Qiangsheng cursed.

Dahe stopped, turned to look at his father, and calmly said, “Since I can’t establish my own household, I won’t come back to this home anymore. The money I’ve earned all these years will be considered as repayment for your years of raising me. Treat it as if you never had a son like me, as you never cared for me as a son either. From now on, we’ll go our separate ways.”

After saying that, Dahe walked away without looking back.

The villagers who were spectating automatically made way for him. As they watched him walk further and further away, no one approached to advise him, no one tried to stop him, not even the village chief made a move.

Everyone thought that he would surely have a better life living on his own.

Yu Qiangsheng chased after him to the door, cursing loudly, “You bastard, don’t you ever come back! I don’t have a son like you!”

Yu Qiangsheng’s wife rushed to the door and scolded Yu Qiangsheng, “What are you cursing for? Go after him! He’s leaving, who will go out to earn money now?”

The village chief sighed, completely speechless about the couple, and no longer wanted to intervene. He walked to the door, waved his hand, and said, “Everyone, disperse now, go back.”

The villagers finally dispersed, shaking their heads as they went back to their homes.

The next morning, when Chang Le and the others set up their stalls, they were shocked to hear the news.

No one had expected such a thing to happen.

Yu Qingze remained silent, lost in thought.

He didn’t have much knowledge about Dahe’s family situation before, but now that he heard about it, he felt that what Dahe did was right. Compared to his own lousy father, Dahe’s actions were commendable.

In the morning, while they were busy with their stalls, they didn’t expect Dahe to come to their stall.

“Brother Yu, Brother Le.” Dahe, carrying a bundle, stood next to their small stall and called out to them.

Yu Qingze and Brother le saw him and quickly walked over.

Brother le gestured, asking how he was doing.

Dahe shook his head and looked at Brother le with nostalgic eyes. He whispered, “Brother le, I’m fine.”

Seeing this, Yu Qingze immediately asked, “Dahe, what are your plans for the future?”

Dahe looked at Yu Qingze with complex emotions in his eyes and said, “…I plan to work on a boat with my boss. I came to say goodbye to you.”

Dahe glanced at Brother Le again, clenched his teeth, and said, “Brother Yu, Brother le, I wish you both happiness.”

After saying that, Dahe resolutely turned around and walked towards the north city gate.

Brother le watched his figure with great concern. When he was young, Dahe was the only child in the village who wouldn’t mock him. He always remembered that kindness.

Yu Qingze looked at Dahe’s figure and felt a sense of emotion. It was true that Dahe liked Brother le. He probably heard about Brother Le’s engagement yesterday and was deeply affected, which led to his final decision to completely break free from that family.

“He is hardworking and capable. He will be better off on his own. Don’t worry, he will be fine,” Yu Qingze patted Brother le’s shoulder and comforted him.

Brother Le could only nod in response and glanced towards the city gate a few more times before getting back to work.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Great job, Dahe. Others have power over you only if you give it to them.

In the blink of an eye, December arrived and the weather in S city base began to get really cold. The temperature difference between morning and evening gradually decreased, and those who had the means wrapped themselves up in thick winter clothes. It was also around this time that a new thing appeared in the S city base – a trading market.

It’s not that this kind of thing had never existed before, it’s just that it gradually became more organized from this time on. The reason for this was simple – winter had come and keeping warm became a big problem. Some residents were prepared for the winter, perhaps benefiting from clothes left by the previous occupants of their homes, or perhaps bringing their own, but in any case, those who had extra clothes like scarves, shoes, coats, and sweaters, were in demand.

Ji Cha had prepared a lot of clothes, enough to fill two rooms. If the people in his factory wore them themselves, they would never wear them all out. Ji Cha planned to take some out later and exchange them with others using their productivity. Currently, the most popular “currency” in the market was food.

The army is now more generous with food than it was at the beginning, and even some of the people who used to live hand-to-mouth can save some now, accumulating a small resource over time. However, when Ji Cha asked around and found out that it would take nearly a month’s worth of rations to buy a winter coat, and the price was still rising, he was startled.

Fortunately, the purchase of winter clothes was made possible by the fact that the army had already issued some warm clothes, and so far, no major problems had arisen due to the cold.

During this time, various clever people showed their abilities by using the still-unrestricted buying and selling to make a lot of profit, even though they started with almost the same resources. But as long as a social environment is established, people will eventually be divided into different classes, and this cannot be changed.

Ji Cha is currently focused solely on farming and has turned a deaf ear to outside affairs. From the mechanical preparations to the basic completion of land cultivation, to the final report with the army to determine the crops and area to be planted after next spring, the farm is taking shape.

As a place that needs to provide food for thousands of people, and even larger bases in the future, the farm requires more than just a few people. The army has entrusted Ji Cha with all remaining tasks, and he has considered the future of the farm. Laziness is the biggest fear among farm workers, so relying on collective labor like in the past is not allowed. More work equals more rewards, that’s a must.

Since Liang Jincheng brought back the items he found outside, Ji Cha has been busy with farming during the day and product processing, and dealing with Liang Jincheng at night.

Unfortunately, since Liang Jincheng started eating meat, his thick skin has gotten even thicker, and Ji Cha has kicked him under the bed a few times at night. But Liang Jincheng always manages to stop him with his sweet talk. Whenever he sees Liang Jincheng’s face, Ji Cha can’t get angry anymore.

He’s angry at himself…

Recently, Liang Jincheng has been going out less and spending most of his time at home, following Ji Cha around. Whenever there’s work to do, he rushes to do it, and when there’s nothing to do, he just watches Ji Cha.

At first, Ji Cha found it annoying, but he got used to it later on. The soldiers who came over to the farm used to come to see him, but now they all go to Liang Jincheng. Ji Cha is a bit puzzled and asks Liang Jincheng at night while kicking him, “Why do they keep coming to see you?”

Liang Jincheng hugs Ji Cha tightly, not caring about his weak struggles, and kisses his cheek and ear while answering, “There are many ability users in the army now, and they don’t have much experience in dealing with them, so they sent me over.”

“Ability users…”. Ji Cha is too used to Liang Jincheng acting like an ordinary boyfriend in front of him, and has completely forgotten that his primary identity in the eyes of others is a powerful ability user.

“At present, the abilities manifested by the current stage of ability users are different from the initial ones,” Liang Jincheng knew that Ji Cha was very interested in this topic, so he continued, “According to our investigation, some soldiers who exhibited mutations during the zombie clearance earlier had outstanding performances, but their abilities are relatively less significant compared to the first mutated individuals.”

The first batch, represented by Liang Jincheng, could be described as possessing supernatural abilities. However, the current ability users are only relatively superior to ordinary people, but the gap between them and the members of Liang Jincheng’s team is still significant.

“However,” Liang Jincheng said, “the good news is that based on our current experience, abilities can slowly improve in various practical combat situations. Especially for those ability users with lower starting points, it means that they have a lot of room for improvement.”

Since the base is large, it requires more talented individuals and powerful ability users to maintain order here. Therefore, having more ability users in the base is almost never too many.

Nevertheless, what worries the leaders of the base is that the emergence of ability users has begun to threaten their leadership position.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

There are about fifty ability users in the base, but if calculated by Liang Jincheng’s standards, these fifty individuals can almost wipe out the entire army. Fortunately, Liang Jincheng is almost invincible, but the same cannot be said for the other members of his team. However, with this momentum, worries about their leadership position have dissipated.

The top leaders of the base are still former military leaders, and they are already old. Even a new recruit can easily defeat them in terms of strength. However, their position is still there, and even in the apocalypse, they still live a life similar to before.

This goes against the emerging law of the jungle in the current apocalypse, where those who are strong are revered.

The base leaders know this, and so does Liang Jincheng.

If it weren’t for Ji Cha and his family around him, Liang Jincheng would probably not be in his current position without any restrictions or backing.

If Ji Cha could understand this, he would probably understand why Liang Jincheng was able to quickly take the leadership position of the base in his past life.

However, at this moment, Ji Cha is already sleeping soundly in Liang Jincheng’s arms, completely unaware of these thoughts.

After a while, Liang Jincheng lowered his head and looked at Ji Cha, who had closed his eyes and fallen into a deep sleep. He let out an almost inaudible sigh and then gently kissed Ji Cha on the lips before holding him tightly and falling asleep together.

***

Ji Cha was awakened by the sound of chickens outside. He sat up in bed, and found that Liang Jincheng was no longer in the room. Just then, his phone rang, almost at the exact time he woke up. He picked it up and saw that the alarm clock showed 6:30am, and sure enough, there was a message from Liang Jincheng.

“It’ll be a whole day outside, sleep a little longer.”

Even though Liang Jincheng slept with him every day, Ji Cha thought the little bed was almost crushed by his big body. He grumbled inwardly, put down his phone, and began to get dressed slowly. With the arrival of winter, people became lazy, and the factory was using electricity day and night, and even the solar panels were not enough. Fortunately, the military’s electrical circuit was going to be taken over in the next two days.

Thinking about it, Ji Cha thought it was still better to sleep with Liang Jincheng. At least he was warm like a stove, while sleeping alone would be freezing.

After washing up, he went downstairs and found something to eat in the kitchen. The workers outside started to arrive one by one, and without any instructions, they each went to their respective places to work.

Ji Cha’s first thing every morning was to check on the little chicks. They were now half a month old, full of energy and lively, and much larger in size compared to when they were born.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: So, there are actually a lot of ability users but compared to other apocalypse novels, this number is still very unremarkable. Is that why Ji Cha wasn’t aware of their existence in his previous life?

Ji Cha fed the chickens in the morning and then went to the warehouse to take out the apples.

Although he had already decided to make apple jam, Ji Cha was still hesitant to use all the ingredients at once. He first picked three apples that had relatively lost their freshness, peeled and cored them, and cut the rest into small, fine pieces.

The information Ji Cha found stated that he also needed some lemon juice, but he couldn’t find any lemons at the moment, so he had to use a little white vinegar instead, hoping it would have a similar effect. In addition, although the apples were already sweet, he still took out some white sugar. Adding an appropriate amount of sugar can increase the shelf life of the apple jam.

Those were basically all the ingredients he needed. Ji Cha then took out a milk pot, added some water to it, and slowly boiled the apple pieces and sugar over medium heat. After about half an hour, the apples had become soft and slightly translucent and sticky, but still not enough. Ji Cha lowered the heat and continued to cook for another fifty minutes or so. He used a spoon to press down, and the apple pieces were easily crushed into small, transparent pieces mixed with the sticky syrup.

Ji Cha tasted a small spoonful of the apple jam, and the added sugar did not increase the sweetness of the apples, probably because the apples were already very sweet. In terms of results, the apple jam was indeed successful, which made Ji Cha relieved.

He spent the rest of the morning making the remaining apples into jam, and then put them in sealed jars and returned them to the warehouse. Although there was a lot of apple jam, it was enough to finish them in three months.

Ji Cha had just finished washing his hands and was about to go see the little chicks when he bumped into Liang Jincheng at the stairwell, who had just returned from outside with a big bag.

Liang Jincheng often went out, but it was rare to see him carrying such a big bag when he came back. Ji Cha couldn’t help but ask, “What did you bring back?”

Liang Jincheng pinched his fingers that were hanging by his side, loosened them before Ji Cha could grab them, and then shook his head with a smile, “Nothing.”

Grandma Ji was cutting vegetables in the kitchen nearby, so it was not appropriate to say anything.

Ji Cha was a little afraid when he saw his eyes, and then he guessed what was probably in the bag. His face changed slightly, and he turned and walked away without saying anything to Liang Jincheng.

Liang Jincheng was in a good mood, smiling to himself as he went upstairs and placed his things in Ji Cha’s room.

In the afternoon, Ji Cha finished his daily chores and spent some time in the chicken coop. Watching the energetic and chirping little chicks running around made him happy, and he couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear.

He thought the day would pass uneventfully until someone suddenly came looking for him.

It was the familiar soldier named Zhao Tiankuo, who frequently came and went.

“Hey Ji Cha, do you have any food to spare? There’s someone outside who’s starving and the army canteen is too far away.”

“Yes,” Ji Cha stood up quickly. “Who’s starving?”

He didn’t usually pay much attention to what was happening outside, and he didn’t know that people came to the base every day trying to get in. But as soon as Zhao Tiankuo spoke, he understood. From past experience, he knew that the base was still relatively easy to get into, but it would be much harder once more people showed up.

“He looks pitiful, but we can’t just let anyone in,” Zhao Tiankuo said. “The standards were too loose in the beginning, and we almost had a big problem in the south corner. After they got in, they even tried to rob us, and three people died in the fight…”

“I heard about that, but I didn’t know it started like that,” Ji Cha said.

He ran to the kitchen, where there were still plenty of things. Zhao Tiankuo followed him in and was amazed. “Hey, your food is really good.” He then reminded Ji Cha, “Just take a little bit, don’t make it too obvious, or people will remember and come back for more.”

“Okay.” Ji Cha nodded and took out the steamed buns and baozi that his grandmother had made in the morning. He thought for a moment and took out the remaining nine, putting them in the microwave to heat up. He also took some pickled vegetables to go with the porridge and put them in a container. “Let’s go together.”

He wanted to see what was happening outside.

Zhao Tiankuo smiled and said, “It’s perfect that you’re going there. I have to go for a shift change, so I’ll give you the documents. I’ll come back to get them tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Ji Cha took Zhao Tiankuo’s documents, tidied up a bit, and prepared to leave.

Just as he left the factory gate, Liang Jincheng appeared out of nowhere. Although the road outside was almost deserted, Ji Cha took a step back when he saw Liang Jincheng, “What are you doing here?”

“It’s not safe outside. I’ll accompany you,” said Liang Jincheng.

Ji Cha was surprised, “Did you hear our conversation just now?”

He remembered that Liang Jincheng was taking a shower upstairs just now.

Liang Jincheng’s hair was still dripping with water, but he didn’t feel cold in the almost December weather. “Of course, I heard it clearly,” he said.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Ji Cha had always known that Liang Jincheng’s five senses were evolved, but he didn’t expect them to have evolved to this extent. Before he could say anything, Liang Jincheng continued, “So every time you breathe next to my ear, your voice is the only thing I hear in the whole world… It drives me crazy.”

Ji Cha blushed and wanted to slap the lunch box in his hand on Liang Jincheng’s face.

They were about two kilometers away from the guard post gate. Ji Cha rode the small electric scooter from home with Liang Jincheng to the gate.

With Liang Jincheng there, it seemed unnecessary to show the documents to the soldiers at the guard post. Ji Cha carefully put away the documents, took the lunch box, and followed the soldier’s directions outside. There were four small groups gathered together outside, probably four small families. Except for a man and a woman with a child, all the others were couples.

Zhao Tiankuo was not exaggerating when he said someone had fainted from hunger. The child in the group of three was tightly closing their eyes, and the others were not much better. All of them had a pale complexion and obvious malnutrition.

Ji Cha stepped out of the door and immediately received everyone’s attention. The lunch box in his hand was too conspicuous.

However, with Liang Jincheng and the soldiers with guns standing beside Ji Cha, no one dared to approach him.

Ji Cha sighed in his heart and opened the lid of the lunch box, distributing a steamed bun and a stuffed bun to each person. The stuffed bun was filled with meat, but the steamed bun was even larger. Everyone who received them wolfed them down regardless of what was inside.

Ji Cha then divided the pickles into four portions and gave each person a share.

“Thank you, thank you,” the woman in the group of three, whom Ji Cha guessed was the mother, kept thanking him. She then carefully woke up her child and opened the stuffed bun to feed him the filling.

Ji Cha turned his face away, feeling uneasy about the scene.

Later, he inquired with the soldiers at the gate and was relieved to learn that these people had all been admitted to the base after inspection. A few days later, Ji Cha even saw the father of the group of three at the construction site nearby. The man recognized Ji Cha at a glance and came over to thank him personally.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: Awww Chacha, you’re too sweet :’)

Proposal

Chang Le stood frozen at the doorstep with the washed clothes in his hands.

Didn’t Big Brother Yu already tell Matchmaker Liao that he had someone he liked? Why did Matchmaker Liao come again?

Whose son is it this time?

Chang Le was getting angry.

Matchmaker Liao’s ears must be useless. Big Brother Yu already told him not to come, yet he still came. How shameless can he be?

Moreover, Big Brother Yu clearly said that he liked him, but other gers still come to pursue Big Brother Yu.

Frustrated! Unhappy!

He grumpily carried the bucket of clothes and walked to the clothesline in the courtyard. While hanging the clothes, he eavesdropped on the conversation in the main hall, his ears pricked up.

But the voices were intermittent, and he couldn’t catch the words clearly. So, he quickly finished hanging the clothes and went into the kitchen, pressing his ear against the door to listen.

“…He looks good, has good abilities, can earn money, and most importantly, he has a good character. He is a great match for marriage.”

No matter how good he is, it still depends on whether Big Brother Yu likes him or not!

“You see, they are of similar age and appearance. They are extremely compatible.”

Who cares about compatibility? Big Brother Yu doesn’t like that person!

“You see, don’t they look suitable as well? Are you satisfied?”

Whether they are suitable or not, why ask Grandfather? It’s up to Big Brother Yu to be satisfied! Hmph, Big Brother Yu will definitely not be satisfied! He likes me!

By the way, where did Big Brother Yu go? Why don’t I see him?

“The other party will come over later. I invited the village chief as well. You’re familiar with each other, so you can have a good conversation.” Matchmaker Liao said and noticed his arm peeking out behind the door. He quickly called out, “Oh, Brother Le, you’re back? Come over here quickly.”

Hearing that he was discovered, Chang Le got startled and quickly scurried back to the cutting board, pretending to take the vegetables to wash.

But Matchmaker Liao had already walked over and directly pulled him to the main hall, smiling and saying, “Oh, why are you still outside? They will arrive soon. Go to your room and wait there. Fix your hair and dress up. But don’t come out yet, okay?”

Chang Le was puzzled. Why does he have to hide when talking about proposing to Big Brother Yu? Oh, it seems that the other party saw that there’s another ger in the house, which is not a good sign, so he needs to avoid suspicion.

But why does he have to hide? This is his home!

He looked at Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao sitting at the table, but they were both smiling at him. His little brother even winked at him! They didn’t seem to have any intention of helping him!

Oh, why didn’t Xiao Hao go to school?

He asked, “Why didn’t you go to school?”

Chang Hao replied, “I heard that Matchmaker Liao came to our house, so I asked the teacher for half a day off. When the teacher saw that I had memorized the article he taught, he let me come back.”

Chang Le pursed his lips and gestured, “What about Big Brother Yu?”

Chang Hao smiled and answered, “Matchmaker Liao said he will come soon.”

So Big Brother Yu knew that Matchmaker Liao was coming to propose to him?

Hearing this, Chang Le felt slightly relieved. Big Brother Yu would definitely reject the proposal!

Chang Hao rushed over to his brother and asked, “Brother, are you happy?”

Happy my ass! Are we still brothers or not?!

Chang Le’s eyes turned red, glaring at his brother. It was the first time he wanted to spank his little brother, despite always being protective of him.

Usually good at reading people’s emotions, Chang Hao unexpectedly didn’t understand his brother’s mood this time. He thought his brother’s teary eyes were tears of excitement!

He chuckled and said, “I’m also very happy! Grandpa is also very happy!”

Chang Le looked at his brother, suppressing the bitterness in his eyes, and gestured, asking which family’s son it was.

“Huh?” Chang Hao was momentarily stunned.

At that moment, Yu Qingze arrived with the village chief.

“Oh, here they are! Brother Le, quickly, go to your room. You can’t show yourself now,” Matchmaker Liao said when he saw the man with the gifts, urging Chang Le to go to his room.

But Chang Le didn’t want to move at all. He lowered his head, biting his lip, feeling as if his feet were rooted to the ground. He wanted to hear Big Brother Yu personally reject Matchmaker Liao.

Big Brother Yu said he liked him!

“Oh, why is Brother Le here?” The village chief entered the room and was surprised to see Chang Le in the main hall.

Yu Qingze also looked at Brother Le with surprise. According to the local customs, wasn’t Brother Le not supposed to show himself at this moment?

Chang Le looked at the expression in Yu Qingze’s eyes and was momentarily stunned. What’s wrong with Big Brother Yu…

Seeing the situation, Matchmaker Liao quickly intervened and said, “Oh, it’s my fault for causing this misunderstanding. It’s alright, it’s alright. You’ve met each other before, you’re familiar, it’s fine.”

Saying that, Matchmaker Liao pulled Chang Le again and said, “Brother Le, quickly, go back to your room. Come out once they’ve reached an agreement.”

Chang Le didn’t move, biting his lip as he looked at Yu Qingze, tears welling up in his eyes.

Why were they all telling him to avoid, even Big Brother Yu didn’t want to see him.

Yu Qingze noticed that something was wrong and saw that Brother Le seemed on the verge of tears. He quickly stepped forward, touching the corner of his eye, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chang Le gestured and said, “Matchmaker Liao wants to propose to you.”

Yu Qingze was momentarily stunned.

Chang Hao, who had been stunned for a while, finally reacted. He looked at his brother and asked, “Brother, you didn’t think Matchmaker Liao was coming to propose to Big Brother Yu, did you?”

Chang Le was stunned, staring blankly at his brother. Wasn’t it?

The others were also stunned.

Chang Hao was surprised and then explained to his brother, “Brother, Matchmaker Liao and the village chief were invited by Big Brother Yu to propose to you.”

Chang Le widened his eyes, looking at Yu Qingze in disbelief.

Yu Qingze patted his head, feeling helpless and fondly said, “Silly boy.”

However, he felt a little happy in his heart. Just now, Brother Le insisted on staying here. Was it because he was afraid that Yu Qingze would agree to someone else’s marriage proposal? Was this his way of showing possessiveness towards him?

Haha, he felt oddly happy.

Chang Le turned his head to look at his grandfather.

Grandpa Chang nodded with a smile and said, “They’ve come to propose to you.”

The village chief and Matchmaker Liao also looked at him with smiles on their faces.

Matchmaker Liao waved his handkerchief and said, “Oh, it’s my fault, it’s my fault. I didn’t explain it clearly to Brother Le and made him misunderstand.”

Chang Le glanced around, finally confirming that what his younger brother said was true. He had misunderstood. He thought Matchmaker Liao was invited by someone else to propose to Yu Qingze. But it turns out, it turns out…

Oh dear, how embarrassing!

Chang Le covered his face and hurriedly ran into the room, quickly closing the door.

Once inside, he leaned against the door and covered his face, motionless.

It’s so embarrassing!

He felt so ashamed!

But…

He was so happy—!

Brother Yu invited a matchmaker to propose to him!

A marriage proposal!

A proposal!

Thinking of these two words, thinking that it was Yu Qingze who proposed, he couldn’t stop smiling. His eyes formed crescent moons, and the previous blush was nowhere to be seen.

He secretly turned to the side, pressing his ear against the crack of the door, wanting to hear what they were saying outside.

Outside, everyone was speechless, laughing and crying at the same time. Matchmaker Liao kept blaming himself, saying that he didn’t explain it clearly to Brother Le, causing such a misunderstanding.

Grandpa Chang comforted him, saying, “It’s okay, none of us thought about it either. We thought he already knew.”

Seeing that they didn’t mind, Matchmaker Liao breathed a sigh of relief and started using his unparalleled matchmaking skills to exaggerate both sides. He described them as a perfect match, as if it was a match made in heaven. They were destined to be together, and it would be a betrayal to the heavens if they didn’t get married.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze and the others listened, with happy smiles on their faces. Both sides had already agreed in advance, so today was just going through the formalities according to the marriage customs.

As the representative of the groom’s side, the village chief, entrusted by Yu Qingze, responsibly proposed to Grandpa Chang, “Uncle, since both of them have mutual affection for each other, why not finalize this matter today?”

Yu Qingze turned his head, looking at Grandpa Chang expectantly. Chang Hao also looked at Grandpa Chang with anticipation.

Grandpa Chang calmly replied, “Well, let me go and ask Xiao Le first. You all arrived so quickly, and I haven’t had a chance to ask him yet. Just wait a moment.”

Saying that, Grandpa Chang went to knock on Chang Le’s door.

Chang Le inside the room blushed upon hearing their conversation. Wasn’t it just a proposal? How come it was being finalized today? It was too soon, he wasn’t even prepared yet, and he hadn’t even prepared gifts for the other party.

He opened the door and let Grandpa Chang into the room, with Chang Hao following closely behind like a little tail.

Grandpa Chang always prioritized his grandson’s wishes. He looked at his blushing grandson and asked, “Xiao Le, we’ve all seen how Aze is as a person, and he really likes you. Do you also like him?”

Chang Le nodded.

Admitting their feelings in front of family made him feel a bit embarrassed. But at this point, shyness was completely irrelevant. What mattered was making it clear to his grandfather that he also liked Yu Qingze, agreed to be with him, and was willing to be his wife!

Grandpa Chang nodded with a smile and said, “Well, now Aze wants to directly proceed with the engagement. Are you willing?”

Chang Le looked at his grandfather, nodded, and even gestured with his hand to indicate agreement. But after making the gesture, he blushed and lowered his head.

Grandpa Chang chuckled and said, “Good, I’ll go and inform Aze then.”

Chang Le gently nodded his head.

Chang Hao smiled at his brother, and they both raised their thumbs, gesturing a loving and affectionate action.

Chang Le, feeling embarrassed, patted his younger brother’s shoulder and ushered him out of the room!

With Chang Le’s approval, the next steps became straightforward.

In the countryside, there weren’t as many formalities, especially since this couple had already decided to get engaged. Matchmaker Liao simplified everything, took their birthdates, glanced at it briefly, matched their horoscopes, said some auspicious words, and considered it done.

Then Matchmaker Liao handed over the gifts bought by Yu Qingze to Grandpa Chang, and went to Chang Le’s room to retrieve the return gift.

Chang Le hadn’t prepared anything, but coincidentally, the new clothes he had made for Yu Qingze were ready. So he gave the clothes to the matchmaker as a return gift. The matchmaker also asked for a waist belt from him and gave it to Yu Qingze together.

The new clothes phonetically sounded like “heart” in Chinese, symbolizing the sentiment behind the gift, while the waist belt represented firmly binding the two together, making it a thoughtful return gift.

According to Yu Qingze’s plan, they would get married after building a new house, and Grandpa Chang had no objections. So, the events of the day concluded at this point.

Afterward, Chang Le, who had become the subject of a joke, could finally come out of his room. Afraid of being teased by everyone, he directly hid in the kitchen.

They had lunch together, everything was settled, and the village chief and the matchmaker Liao went home.

For the rest of the day, Chang Le blushed every time he looked at Yu Qingze, feeling an unprecedented sense of shyness. As for Yu Qingze, he would just smile foolishly whenever he saw Chang Le.

Even Chang Hao was happy throughout the day.

In the afternoon, Grandpa Chang went up the mountain alone and spent a long time talking in front of the tombs of his eldest son and his son’s wife. The essence of his words was that Xiao Le had found someone trustworthy to spend his life with, and they could rest assured.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜