Author Archives: Thandar

The car smoothly drove out of the base, but suddenly stopped after about a kilometer.

Ji Cha was sitting in the back seat reading a book, but now he closed the book and asked the soldier driving in front, his gaze shifting to Liang Jincheng.

Liang Jincheng was leaning back on his chair, but he didn’t look nervous. He held a communication device that the base had given him in one hand and held Ji Cha’s wrist in the other, indicating that he should stay calm.

“What’s going on? Why did you stop the car?” the soldier sitting in the front asked the driver in confusion.

“I don’t know,” the driver replied puzzledly, looking back.

Suddenly, all the soldiers in the car froze, their eyes staring blankly ahead without focus. Although the three soldiers with abilities struggled for a short time, they soon fell into confusion.

Before Ji Cha could ask what was happening, the car door was pulled open from the outside. Ji Cha was so scared that he leaped into Liang Jincheng’s arms, and he reached into his pocket to pull out a sharp knife, tightly gripping it towards the direction of the car door.

The member of the ability user team who was about to come in lowered his head and saw his boss holding someone in his arms, “Oh, hello, sister-in-law.”

They occasionally went to the factory to eat and were familiar with Ji Cha.

Seeing them, Ji Cha wanted to get out of Liang Jincheng’s arms, but Liang Jincheng didn’t let go, making Ji Cha feel embarrassed. He greeted them vaguely, “Hello.”

The car they were in was a modified small truck, with a large space in the back, but it was crowded with ten people. Liang Jincheng used the excuse of making room for the ability team members and whispered in Ji Cha’s ear, “Let’s squeeze and give them a spot.”

Three more members of the ability team came up, making a total of four people including Qin Shuang. Under Qin Shuang’s consciousness manipulation, the soldiers in the car seemed completely unaware of the ability team members coming in and still remained motionless. The team members took advantage of this opportunity to knock them out, tie them up, and throw them into the back of the car.

Although Liang Jincheng spoke so self-righteously, Ji Cha couldn’t help but push him and say, “There’s a place to sit over there…”

Liang Jincheng chuckled, his eyes lowered and his profile was extremely handsome. It’s unclear whether he took Ji Cha’s words to heart or not.

However, the team members, including Qin Shuang, were very understanding of Ji Cha’s embarrassment, and they all tacitly avoided looking at them. As time went on, Ji Cha gradually relaxed and fell asleep in Liang Jincheng’s arms.

For some reason, he slept particularly soundly this time. When he woke up, it was already late at night.

The weather at night was still a bit cold, and Ji Cha realized that they were no longer in the car but sleeping in a tent.

“Hey?” He propped himself up with his hand and sat up halfway. It was windy outside, and it was silent. Qin Shuang heard the movement and opened the tent to poke her head in, smiling and saying to Ji Cha, “You’re awake.”

“Why are we in a tent?” Ji Cha stood up and followed her out of the tent.

Liang Jincheng and the other members of the ability users team were standing at the entrance of the tent, but their car was nowhere to be seen.

Cheng Feng sent those people to take care of Liang Jincheng and Ji Cha outside. His intention was to eliminate them away from the base. Everyone knew the danger outside, so if something happened during their trip, no one would be too suspicious. Even if they were suspicious, what could they do? Without evidence, who could investigate what happened outside?

In this way, not only could they take Ji Cha’s farm as public property, but they could also firmly grasp the ability user team in their hands. From then on, they would have complete control over the base without worrying about anything else.

However, Cheng Feng didn’t expect that the people he sent out were no match for Qin Shuang’s mental control. By nightfall, they were foolishly fed with the image of Liang Jincheng, Ji Cha, and Qin Shuang all being killed. They thought the mission was complete and happily returned to the base to report.

After Liang Jincheng explained this to Ji Cha, he asked in confusion, “So we can’t go back for now…?”

“There is indeed a cattle farm here,” Liang Jincheng said with a smile. “We can take a look and then go back.”

Ji Cha nodded and turned back to look at the tents. There were three of them. He remembered that when he woke up earlier, he was still covered by a blanket, and there were many things around him. It seemed that Liang Jincheng was well prepared, making it look like a complete camping trip.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“I made some food,” Liang Jincheng squatted down and pulled out a pot that was buried in the ground for insulation.

There was rice stewing inside, and there was also some pork with sauce on the side. Qin Shuang even magically took out two bottles of drinks.

“The pork with sauce was prepared by grandmother,” Liang Jincheng mixed the rice and pork together and helped Ji Cha twist open the drinks.

When Ji Cha heard about his grandmother, he felt a bit anxious. “They went back to report the bad news first. My grandmother might really think that we are in trouble. What if she gets worried and angry later…”

“I told grandma before I left that no matter what others say, she shouldn’t believe it as long as she hasn’t seen us in person,” Liang Jincheng said.

Hearing this, Ji Cha felt relieved.

The three tents were set up in a hidden area of the dense forest. Since the apocalypse, some mutated plants had quickly taken over the inadequately greened city, and there were basically dense forests everywhere.

After Ji Cha finished eating, Liang Jincheng took out a handgun and a magazine from his pocket. “You carry this. We will have some action later.”

“Okay,” Ji Cha nodded. Liang Jincheng had taught him how to use a firearm before, although he was not very familiar with it, he could still use it properly.

But the cold metal touching his palm still made him feel a bit uneasy.

Seeing him nervous, Qin Shuang tried to comfort him. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Ordinary zombies can’t even get close to us. It’s the same with people. Just don’t accidentally shoot us, haha.”

Liang Jincheng held Ji Cha’s hand and taught him how to use the gun again, while giving Qin Shuang a warning glance.

Qin Shuang shrugged and went to the side.

They had already left the cowshed behind when they got off the car, and after leaving the camp, they walked for about 20 minutes before seeing a row of buildings in front of them.

The surroundings of the buildings were very desolate, and the vines and plants on the outside immediately twisted and turned when they saw people coming.

However, when Liang Jincheng approached, those vines immediately sensed the danger and shrank back, pretending to be ordinary plants.

The team was too lazy to provoke these plants and simply climbed over the wall to get in.

“There are people living inside,” Qin Shuang said, closing her eyes to sense for a while and confirming, “There are probably five people living inside.”

At the same time, Ji Cha lowered his head and saw that there were some vegetables planted in the courtyard, which was obviously a sign of someone who lived a serious life.

As soon as the words fell, a voice came from inside, “Who, who is outside?”

Then, there was a rush of footsteps, and two young men carrying large machetes rushed out of the house, with an aggressive and unfriendly look.

Qin Shuang raised her hand to stop their actions, “We have no ill intentions, relax.”

The two men calmed down instantly with her words.

“Why don’t you take us in and have a look?” Qin Shuang continued to ask.

The two men nodded together and obediently led them into the house, which shocked the people inside.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Wang’s New Specialty

When he saw Yu Qingze and Chang Le return, Chang Hao couldn’t be happier. Even though they had only been away from home for a few days, Chang Hao felt like it had been years since he last saw them.

“Brother! Big Brother Yu! I missed you so much! And Jiabao, I missed you too!” The young boy spoke playfully and rushed over to hug his brother’s arm, his eyes shimmering with “touching” tears. It was clear how much he missed them!

Well, mainly he missed them because his stomach missed them. Nothing wrong with that.

Chang Le looked at his younger brother and patted his shoulder with affection. His eyes had a filter, and he felt that his brother had lost some weight in just a few days?

He gestured, asking, “Did you lose weight? Your chin looks sharper.”

Clearly, his cheeks had gained some flesh before.

Chang Hao embraced his acting skills and vigorously nodded, pitifully saying, “Yes, Brother, you don’t know. Since you started living at the shop, my stomach hasn’t been full for a single day. Grandpa probably hasn’t eaten enough either.”

During these few days, he and his Grandpa took turns cooking and tried to recreate the dishes that Yu Qingze and Chang Le had made before. However, even though they used the same methods, the taste was miles apart. While he didn’t go hungry, he couldn’t say he had eaten well.

Grandpa Chang watched with a smile and insisted on joining in.

Upon hearing this, Chang Le truly felt sorry for him. He gestured, “I’ll make something delicious for you tonight!”

“Yes, yes! What delicious food did you bring back?” Chang Hao eagerly asked.

Chang Le gestured, “Pork ribs and pork belly.”

“I want braised pork belly and sweet and sour pork ribs!” Chang Hao immediately made his menu request.

Chang Le nodded, put the groceries in the kitchen, and then went back to his room to put away the bags.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Chang Hao started talking non-stop. Jiabao didn’t even have a chance to greet Grandpa Chang yet. Finally, seizing an opportunity, he said to Grandpa Chang, “Grandpa Chang, I asked Big Brother Yu and Big Brother Le to bring me along. Sorry for bothering you.”

Grandpa Chang liked Jiabao as soon as he saw him. He found him particularly well-behaved. He smiled and said, “It’s no problem. It’s livelier with more people at home, and now Xiao Hao has someone to play with. It saves him from annoying me every day.”

Upon hearing this, Jiabao didn’t say anything, just shyly smiled.

“Grandpa, I’m not annoying. It makes me really sad when you say that. Hmph, I won’t play with you anymore. I’ll play with Jiabao!” Now that dinner was sorted out, Chang Hao finally started paying attention to his new playmate. But just as he turned around, he heard Grandpa say that he was annoying. He grabbed Jiabao’s arm and said, “Jiabao, come on, let’s go put away the bags. We’ll sleep together tonight, not with Grandpa…”

Saying that, Chang Hao pulled Jiabao into the house.

Grandpa Chang couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

After putting away the bags, the two young boys played shuttlecock in the courtyard.

Yu Qingze went into the house and saw a brand new rice bed in the main room, exactly the one he wanted. He went over to take a look and found that it was well-made. He smiled, went into his room to put away the bags, and then went to the kitchen to personally cook, to comfort the stomachs of Chang Hao and Grandpa Chang.

At dinner, Chang Hao finally tasted the long-awaited dishes and ended up eating two big bowls of rice. He still felt a bit unsatisfied, but his stomach was already full.

“Mmm, it’s so delicious! I still want to eat more,” Chang Hao exclaimed.

Grandpa Chang asked, “You’re not full after eating two bowls?”

Chang Hao felt a bit resentful and wondered if his stomach was too small, saying, “I’m full, but I still want to eat…”

Upon hearing this, Chang Le directly took away his bowl and chopsticks.

Chang Hao: …

Jiabao looked at him and pursed his lips, suppressing a smile. Chang Le and his family were so interesting and kind-hearted.

After dinner, Grandpa Chang, Chang Le, and Yu Qingze discussed the harvesting work. The discussion didn’t last long, and they quickly finished.

Later, Chang Hao started doing his homework, while Yu Qingze began teaching arithmetic to Chang Le and Jiabao.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Chang Hao listened attentively from the side and found it very interesting. He joined them and listened together.

Seeing his interest, Yu Qingze took the opportunity while Chang Le and Jiabao practiced and told Chang Hao to finish his homework first. Chang Hao quickly completed the homework on three sheets of paper. Yu Qingze then taught him the basics of numbers.

After studying for an hour, they took turns to wash up. They planned to sleep early tonight because the harvesting work would be tiring for several days.

Now that it was autumn, the weather had become cooler, and there were no more mosquitoes. The two young boys finished washing up first, and Chang Le prepared a sleeping area for them on the floor. They laid thick straw at the bottom, followed by cool mats, and then a layer of winter blankets and sheets. It was soft and comfortable.

Yu Qingze was the last to take a bath, following behind Chang Le. When Chang Le finished and came out, Yu Qingze asked him to wait until he finished bathing before returning to the room to sleep.

Chang Le blinked his eyes, guessing what Yu Qingze had in mind. However, he hesitated a bit because they were at home, and Grandpa and Chang Hao could come in at any time. But deep down, he also wanted it very much. Over the past few days, they had kissed each other every morning and night, and it had become a habit. If they didn’t have a goodnight kiss, he would feel empty, as if something was unfinished.

As he hesitated, Yu Qingze finished bathing and came out.

Seeing that Brother Le was still in the kitchen, Yu Qingze smiled and put down the wooden bucket and oil lamp he was holding. Then he pulled Brother Le into the shower room at the back and kissed him.

In the pitch-black shower room, with some dampness in the air, the two embraced and kissed passionately. The darkness provided a sense of security for Chang Le because he couldn’t see anything, making his senses more heightened. The possibility of a family member coming in at any moment also made him feel a bit nervous and excited. This conflicting feeling heightened his senses even more, and he passionately responded by tilting his head. Before long, he felt his body responding.

Yu Qingze also noticed that Brother Le was unusually enthusiastic today. When he held Brother Le tightly, he keenly sensed the strong presence of Little Chang Le. He became excited and reached out to greet Little Chang Le.

However, just as his hand was about to touch Little Chang Le, a shout from outside instantly froze Chang Le’s body.

“Brother?!” Chang Hao’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

Chang Le buried his face in Yu Qingze’s chest, motionless and unable to move. He could only tightly grasp the back of Yu Qingze’s shirt.

Yu Qingze reluctantly withdrew his hand, embracing Chang Le tightly. He reached out to stroke his back, trying to relax him, and kissed his ear, whispering softly, “It’s okay.”

“Huh? Where did my brother go? And where’s Big Brother Yu?” The young boy couldn’t find his brother and didn’t see Yu Qingze either, so he hurriedly ran back to the room.

Hearing Chang Hao’s footsteps fading away, Chang Le finally breathed a sigh of relief and lifted his head.

Yu Qingze kissed his nose and chuckled softly, whispering, “See, I told you it’s fine. Are you still up for it?”

Chang Le playfully patted his chest, feeling startled. Little Chang Le was even scared stiff. Why would he still want to continue? He just tidied his clothes and intended to leave.

Yu Qingze didn’t want to let him go so easily. He held him back and kissed him once more before finally letting him go.

“Sleep tight, goodnight.”

Chang Le returned the kiss, using this as his latest way of saying goodnight.

The two of them quietly left. As Chang Le was returning to his room, he coincidentally encountered Chang Hao, who had come to find him.

“Brother, I want to switch to that long pillow, but… huh? Brother, are you feeling hot? Your face is so red,” Chang Hao curiously looked at his brother.

Chang Le gestured, indicating that he had just gone out and had a bit of an incident, which made him feel hot.

“Oh. Can I change to the long pillow then? I want to sleep with Brother Jiabao.”

Chang Le felt guilty in his heart but nodded, then went to find the long pillow for him.

After Chang Hao went back to sleep with the long pillow, Chang Le turned around and saw Yu Qingze standing at the doorway, smiling at him.

Chang Le glared at him and then returned to his room. Yu Qingze touched his nose, chuckled, and went back to sleep.

Due to the autumn harvest, the school also had a few days off.

Four days of harvesting were indeed exhausting, but with the introduction of rice beds, threshing became much easier than before. Jiabao experienced his first harvest and initially found it quite exciting. After spending an entire afternoon threshing grains, his arms were so sore the next day that he could hardly lift them. However, he persevered and didn’t complain.

Many people in the village bought rice beds from the village chief’s house, some even pooled their resources to purchase them together. Everyone was discussing these rice beds during threshing, amazed at how much easier they made the process. It was said that Yu Qingze came up with the idea, which surprised everyone.

This Yu Qingze not only knew how to cook and do business but also had woodworking knowledge!

Upon hearing these comments, Yu Qingze just smiled and brushed it off.

Chang Le’s family finished harvesting their rice on time in four days, but half of the rice in the other helpers’ families still remained unharvested.

Yu Qingze and the others waited for another day. During this day, Yu Qingze took care of the paperwork for his residential land.

After five days, most of the helper families had almost finished harvesting, and the remaining ones could complete it as well. Yu Qingze notified them to prepare to return and reopen the shop.

On the afternoon of October 2nd, Yu Qingze, Chang Le, and Jiabao returned to the city. They bought the necessary ingredients, soaked what needed to be soaked, and cleaned the kitchen utensils. They completed some preparation work beforehand.

That evening, Yu Qingze took the opportunity to have a passionate moment with Chang Le. These few days at home, they had been sneaky, like having an affair. While it was thrilling, it wasn’t satisfying enough. Chang Le seemed to feel the same way, and he reluctantly let go only when his lips were swollen. That night, Yu Qingze finally fulfilled his wish of meeting Little Chang Le and also saw the appearance of Big Chang Le, which made his heart tremble with desire.

On October 3rd, the snack shop opened on time.

Early in the morning, Cai Chenxi and Cai Yunwei, the two brothers, told them that Wang’s Noodle House next door, had introduced a new dish called “liangpi” a couple of days ago. Many customers who were craving liangpi had gone there to eat.

Cai Chenxi asked, “Brother Yu, did your recipe get leaked?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “I don’t think so. The person who supplies us with liangpi now sells dry liangpi in the vegetable market in the west city. It should be from them.”

“Oh, that’s good. But there are still many people who want to eat cold noodles and liangpi. Don’t you plan to continue making them?”

“We don’t have time to make it, and there aren’t that many customers specifically looking for liangpi. Plus, the number of customers will decrease over time. It’s not cost-effective. Instead, we should focus on our snacks to attract more customers, which is more profitable. Besides, as the weather gets cooler, eating cold food can easily cause stomach issues.”

With that, Cai Chenxi and the others no longer dwelled on the matter.

However, within two days, Wang’s Noodle House introduced another new dish, which made Yu Qingze have to take it seriously.

Because the new dish they introduced was… Silver Ear Soup.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Dammit HOW!!!!!!!

The panic caused by the zombie incident in the base also gave Cheng Feng a headache. On the one hand, there were more troubles to deal with, and on the other hand, the zombies that were originally supposed to be transported in couldn’t be obtained.

“What’s the situation outside now?” he asked the guard.

The guard had just received the report, “Five zombies have been cleaned up and are now being sent for disposal.”

The zombies contain toxins, and even after they are killed, they need to be specially disposed of to completely eliminate the hidden dangers.

Cheng Feng closed his eyes in annoyance and walked quickly towards the inner room.

Although the military quickly provided an explanation, anyone with common sense knows that zombies appearing on military vehicles cannot be an accident. But because the base is usually well-managed, even though the public is dissatisfied with this kind of concealed behavior, no one can take the lead in demanding an explanation.

As long as life is peaceful, no one wants to cause trouble.

Even though Ji Cha had many doubts about this matter, he was too busy with other things to focus on it. His schedule was already full, and he couldn’t spare any extra energy to pay more attention to these things.

Ever since the apple trees mutated a long time ago, various vegetables have also undergone positive evolution. This made Ji Cha start observing the evolutionary direction of various livestock. Negative effects must be immediately eliminated, and positive effects must of course be protected as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, currently there haven’t been any positive mutations in the various livestock being raised on the farm. However, surprisingly, the fish in the river outside, which had not been given much attention, have evolved very rapidly.

Due to the large breeding of edible fish, fish in the ponds outside the base have always been a fixed source of meat. However, the management of the fish ponds is nothing more than slightly expanding them and adding some protective measures, with someone feeding them daily.

Evolved fish are not precious, basically no different from cows and sheep. They are easy to feed, grow fat and strong, and their growth rate has also increased significantly. The only downside may be that they have become more resilient and powerful, making it a hassle for chefs to slaughter them. Fortunately, these fish do not carry the zombie virus, and even if they are bitten, they will only feel pain without any other discomfort.

The fish farm is not usually under the management of Ji Cha. First, it is at a certain distance from the farm, and secondly, it is difficult to manage. However, because the relevant experts and technicians are usually at the farm, when the army asked them to go and see the fish, Ji Cha followed along.

“Originally, we would wait until they were three or four catties before catching them, but today we caught one that weighed thirty or forty catties in the corner of the fish pond. We identified it as the same species, it’s just that it has grown for half a year longer,” the soldier explained. “We didn’t expect its growth rate to become so fast. We also thought that three or four catties was about their normal weight, but we didn’t expect them to grow so big.”

Ji Cha and several technicians went to the scene to take a look, and the fish caught was placed in a basin, calmly eating its feed without struggling or jumping, seeming very composed.

Different creatures with different body shapes may have different tastes. If it were before the apocalypse, people who pay attention to diet would be very particular about this. However, now that it is after the apocalypse, as long as something can give the maximum return with the minimum investment, who cares about the taste.

After several technicians confirmed it, it was preliminarily believed that the fish was a non-toxic fish that could be eaten. However, to be safe, a small piece of its flesh needed to be taken and tested. The base currently has related experts and relatively complete scientific equipment. Although the conditions cannot compare to before the end of the world, at least the level from about ten years ago has been retained.

Ji Cha returned home with this good news, only to find another piece of good news waiting for him.

“There is a fish farm to the east of here, about four hundred kilometers away. It used to be a dairy farm, and there seemed to be some cattle as well. Although it is currently unclear about the situation over there, there is a high possibility of a harvest,” Zhao Tiankuo said.

Ji Cha washed his face in the bathroom, walked out refreshed, and asked in confusion, “Has anyone been sent to check the situation over there?”

This kind of action was usually carried out by the ability user team to determine the degree of danger, but he did not hear about this task from Liang Jincheng.

Liang Jincheng sat on the sofa, holding a bowl of hot chicken soup in his hand. When he saw Ji Cha looking at him, he immediately raised a spoonful of chicken soup and brought it to Ji Cha’s mouth, saying, “I haven’t received this task.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Zhao Tiankuo didn’t actually know why Cheng Feng suddenly personally issued this task, but he had already accepted it and naturally wanted to sell it to others. “It should still be safe over there. The superiors want Captain Liang and Mr. Ji to bring some manpower to take a look. Mr. Ji, you know a little bit about livestock, so you can take care of it better.”

The words sounded reasonable.

Ji Cha poured Liang Jincheng a mouthful of chicken soup, and Liang Jincheng swallowed it before he could even say anything. Liang Jincheng had already agreed, “Got it. The manpower is ready, and we can leave at any time.”

Zhao Tiankuo didn’t expect things to go so smoothly, but he didn’t think much of it and left happily.

After he left, he thought back to the interaction between Liang Jincheng and Ji Cha just now, and couldn’t help but wonder if Boss Ji and Captain Liang were too intimate.

“Do you think this is reliable?” Ji Cha asked Liang Jincheng when they were alone in the room.

“Not reliable,” Liang Jincheng shook his head after finishing the remaining chicken soup.

Not only was it unreliable, but it was also very dangerous, probably even life-threatening.

“You think Cheng Feng chose us on purpose?” Ji Cha said.

“It may be a bit dangerous,” Liang Jincheng leaned over and kissed Ji Cha’s cheek, then rubbed his nose against Ji Cha’s nose, whispering, “But as long as you trust me, it’s okay.”

“Okay,” Ji Cha nodded, feeling the warmth in the palm of his hand held by Liang Jincheng.

Early the next morning, Zhao Tiankuo brought several soldiers over. Although Grandma knew they were going out, she didn’t expect it to be so sudden.

Liang Jincheng glanced at the elite soldiers who usually guarded Cheng Feng, then withdrew his gaze. He leaned over and whispered something to Grandma’s ear, and after hesitating for a moment, she nodded, allowing them to leave.

“For safety reasons, I called some members of the ability user team,” Liang Jincheng stood by the car and said, “Is that okay?”

Zhao Tiankuo originally wanted to say that it was okay to bring more people with higher combat effectiveness when going out. Who would have thought that one of his elite soldiers would say, “Bring only one more person, there won’t be enough seats in the car.”

“Oh,” Liang Jincheng neither agreed nor disagreed, and in the end, he only brought Qin Shuang on the car.

When they left the base, there were eight elite soldiers, Qin Shuang, Liang Jincheng, and Ji Cha. Liang Jincheng could sense that there were three ability users among the elite soldiers, and one of them had a high level of ability, but they had never revealed themselves in front of the ability user team.

It’s not hard to see that the reason why Cheng Feng sent so many people to follow them, didn’t let Liang Jincheng bring his own people, and requested that Ji Cha go out with them is for a certain purpose.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: time for that Cheng Feng to be gone, he’s getting annoying.

The Assault of New Specialties

The sweet kiss filled their hearts with memories and satisfaction, even when they went to sleep, a smile lingered on their lips.

This kiss was like an invisible signal, bringing the two closer in their emotions, as if they had become more intimate.

Where there is a first, there will naturally be a second. After taking the difficult first step, the second time becomes much more natural.

The next morning, after washing up and before starting work, Yu Qingze hugged Brother Le and gave him a good morning kiss. Although Brother Le’s face was still blushing, it was evident that he welcomed and liked the kiss. Not only did he welcome it, but he also imitated Yu Qingze’s actions and attempted to kiss him back.

Yu Qingze clearly felt the change in Brother Le, and he was delighted by it.

Previously, although they had expressed their feelings for each other, due to Brother Le’s personality, he held back a lot. Whenever Yu Qingze teased him, Brother Le would feel shy for quite a while and even hide from him. Yu Qingze also didn’t dare to tease him too much, fearing that it would scare him away. Therefore, their interactions were limited to holding hands, hugging, and occasionally kissing on the forehead, with the drunken kiss being an unexpected incident.

Finally, after a long time, Brother Le gradually became more cheerful, gained some confidence, and through Yu Qingze’s deliberate teasing, he became accustomed to his occasional flirtatiousness. Although he still felt shy at times, Brother Le could now also counterattack besides feeling shy!

Just like a few days ago when Yu Qingze mentioned staying at the shop, Brother Le fought back. In the past, Brother Le wouldn’t have even responded, let alone engage in a conversation about sleeping together. He probably would have wished to immediately retreat into his shell.

This version of Brother Le, who could stand up for himself compared to the previous shy one, made Yu Qingze’s heart flutter even more.

Flirting back and forth makes things more intriguing, after all.

Moreover, they were meant to be together for a lifetime, and the more natural their interactions, the stronger their relationship would become.

A good morning kiss filled both of them with energy, and they enjoyed a good mood throughout the day.

The three-day promotion period for the opening was over, and Jiabao took over the cashier’s work. Yu Qingze watched him for a while, making sure he was doing fine, and then went to help in the kitchen.

Starting today, he planned to introduce a new item every three days to attract customers. As more items were added, he would replace the ones that didn’t sell well, constantly changing to maintain freshness.

Today, he decided to introduce pan-fried dumplings as the first new item.

They had Brother Le and the others wrap regular meat dumplings. The stoves in the kitchen were all in use, so Yu Qingze pushed the snack cart back into the backyard. He lit the coal balls in the stove, placed a pot on it, and it was ready to use. Frying dumplings would inevitably produce smoke, so it was better to do it in the backyard where the odor would dissipate faster, and it wouldn’t dirty the main hall.

He heated up the pan, added oil, and placed the dumplings in it. After frying them for a while until the bottom turned golden brown, he added some water and covered it to steam. When the water was almost evaporated, he poured in a mixture of flour and water, cooked it until dry, and then uncovered it. The pan-fried dumplings with a crispy golden brown bottom were ready.

The fragrant smell of the crispy dumplings wafted through the corridor and entered the already aromatic main hall.

“Mmm, what’s that smell? It smells so good!” In the main hall, a customer who was picking up their order caught a whiff of the strong aroma and asked.

“Is Boss Yu making some new dish again? What is it?” Another customer who had tried all the current dishes in the shop and didn’t recognize this smell asked Brother Chang.

Brother Chang didn’t know either, so he followed the aroma to the backyard and saw that Yu Qingze was frying dumplings on the snack cart.

“Brother Chang, you’re just in time. The pan-fried dumplings are ready. Take them to the main hall. You don’t need to put them in the steamer. Serve them separately and charge two extra wen per plate compared to steamed dumplings. Also, let the customers know that from now on, we’ll introduce a new dish every three days, continuing until November. After that, we’ll release new items irregularly.” Yu Qingze packed the pan-fried dumplings into plates of three while talking to Brother Chang.

“Okay.” Brother Chang carried the pan-fried dumplings and went to the main hall, immediately starting to advertise to the customers.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Esteemed customers, attention please! Freshly cooked new dish here! Fragrant and delicious pan-fried dumplings, only seven wen per plate! Come and have a look, have a taste! First come, first served! If you’re slow, you’ll have to wait!”

Upon hearing this, the customers thought to themselves, “Oh, there’s a new dish again. It must be good, judging by the enticing aroma. But I still have plenty left on my plate. What should I do?”

One customer who happened to be ordering acted quickly and took a plate of dumplings before Brother Chang even placed them on the stove.

“Hey, sir, you’re too fast! Don’t rush, let me put them down first…” Seeing this, Brother Chang smoothly took a bamboo token worth seven wen from the basket tied around his waist and placed it in the customer’s plate. Then he placed the plate on the vacant spot near Xiaoshu and instructed him on the arrangement before setting up the price sign. Afterward, he went to the center of the main hall to announce the regular release of new dishes every three days.

The customers widened their eyes in astonishment and excitement.

Just how many new ideas does Boss Yu have?! These dishes are already delicious enough! They were fortunate to be in Tongshan City; otherwise, how could they taste such delectable food?

The bottom of the dumplings was fried to a golden brown, already enticing to the eyes. Taking a bite, the crispy and fragrant texture combined with the flavorful meat filling, creating an absolutely fantastic taste!

The customers couldn’t help but salivate as they looked at the pan-fried dumplings on the plates of those who got them first. They just had to have a plate!

Their eyes were fixed on Brother Chang’s figure, watching as he went inside. Those who couldn’t buy one yet stood by the stove, waiting eagerly. As soon as Brother Chang came out, they would pounce and snatch!

The pan-fried dumplings were being smoothly introduced. Whenever Yu Qingze fried a batch, Brother Chang would bring them out, and they would immediately be snatched up.

During a break from making the dumplings, there were still two left from the previous batch that hadn’t been plated. Yu Qingze carried them into the kitchen and approached Brother Le, using chopsticks to feed one to him.

“Brother Le, open your mouth.”

Chang Le was busy making shumai, but when he saw the dumpling near his mouth, he took a bite and nodded while chewing, giving a thumbs up to indicate that it was delicious.

“Tasty, right?” Yu Qingze smiled and finished eating the other half.

Chang Le nodded, his eyes flickering, and he smiled, feeling pleased that Brother Yu ate the other half of the food he already took a bite.

Yu Qingze smiled as he put down the plate and then turned to Brother Chang’s mother who was kneading dough behind him. He said, “Uncle, you should taste these pan-fried dumplings too. I’ll bring another plate in later.”

Brother Chang’s mother turned his head and smiled, saying, “Alright.” One of the great benefits of working for Boss Yu was being able to eat delicious snacks every day!

The pan-fried dumplings were warmly welcomed.

After closing up shop in the evening, Yu Qingze specifically went to Liu’s place and had him write a promotional sign to display tomorrow.

Before going to bed that night, Yu Qingze and Brother Le hugged each other and exchanged kisses for a while, satisfying their cravings. They also endured the strong resistance from Little Aze and Little le before finally falling asleep.

The next morning, Cai Chenxi and Cai Yunwei arrived before the store even opened. As soon as they arrived, they saw a wooden sign placed at the store entrance with the words: Today’s Special: Pan-Fried Dumplings.

Cai Chenxi asked, “Big Brother Yu, I heard there’s a new dish? Is it these pan-fried dumplings? I didn’t get to taste them yesterday, so I want to be the first today!”

Cai Yunwei also looked at Yu Qingze with bright eyes.

Yu Qingze saw the two brothers and smiled, “Why are you so early today?”

Cai Yunwei replied, “To eat pan-fried dumplings!”

Yu Qingze laughed and sighed, “There’s no need to be this early. Rest for a while first, and we’ll open the shop later. You’ll have the first portion.”

The two brothers happily went to the backyard to freshen up and rest. These days, they almost considered the backyard as their own.

When the shop opened, regular customers noticed that the Cai brothers from the Cai family had indeed arrived again. Looking at Second Young Master Cai’s body, it was getting better day by day, and his appetite was also good. Look, he was enjoying the food so much!

You can’t tell at all that he used to have trouble eating.

But thinking about Boss Yu’s culinary skills, they naturally understood.

The business at the snack shop was steadily rising. On the third day, the village chief sold all the rice beds and earned more than sixty taels of silver. The whole family was overjoyed.

Brother Le and Jiabao also did well in arithmetic.

As for Yu Qingze and Brother Le, they kissed each other good morning and good night every day. If they didn’t exchange affection, it felt like something was missing. They were becoming closer and more intimate, just like honey mixed with oil.

In their peaceful, busy, and happy days, time unknowingly reached the end of the month. After closing the shop on September 27, a notice was hung outside the snack shop announcing a four-day closure.

The rice in the fields was ready to be harvested, and everyone would take a break and go home to harvest the rice!

When Yu Qingze and Chang Le finished packing up, Jiabao said to them, “Brother Yu, Brother Le, can I go with you? I want to help you harvest the rice.”

Yu Qingze said, “Harvesting rice is very hard.”

Jiabao shook his head and said, “It’s okay, I’m not afraid of hard work. You’ve been so kind to me, and I want to help you with something too.”

Yu Qingze glanced at Chang Le and saw him nodding. He said, “Alright, then pack your clothes and come back with us.”

“I’ve already packed!” Jiabao pulled out a bundle from under the counter and happily exclaimed.

Yu Qingze and Chang Le smiled when they saw it.

Yu Qingze patted the young boy’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”

The next day, when the customers who usually came to the snack shop saw the sign, they could only shake their heads helplessly and wait for the delicious food.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring Wang’s Noodle House, the son of the owner told Boss Wang something that instantly brightened his eyes, which had been despondent for quite some time.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: There he goes again. Can’t he create his own damn recipe instead of stealing shit?

Ji Cha never expected Liang Jincheng to be removed from his position like this.

“This is too much.” He was somewhat annoyed. Since the establishment of the base, Liang Jincheng had been risking his life with the team of ability users both inside and outside the base, and now Cheng Feng had just wiped it all out with a casual remark?

“It’s nothing.” Liang Jincheng sat opposite Ji Cha, restraining himself from trying to appease Ji Cha because of the presence of Grandma Ji. “I had a bit of a feeling about it earlier, and it’s only temporary. Let’s just treat it as a vacation.”

“That’s right,” Grandma Ji chimed in. “Jincheng is always running outside, and I’m always worried sick every time. Now that he doesn’t have to go on adventures, I think it’s better for him to work at home. There’s no shortage of positions here.”

“Grandma is right.” Liang Jincheng smiled and spoke in a relaxed tone.

But inside, he knew that the situation was not so easy. Everything Ji Cha had now seemed stable, but it required effort to maintain. Especially in a post-apocalyptic world like this, it all depends on who has the stronger fist. Wealth and power are assisted by force, and if he wants to protect Ji Cha, being an ordinary person is far from enough.

At night, Ji Cha was still angry, not because of anything else, but because a military notice suddenly popped up on the computer screen, sent to various recruitment offices, stating that Liang Jincheng had been dismissed and the reason for his dismissal.

As for the incident on the farm today, other than the dead little leader, nothing had happened to the others. Ji Cha checked their files later and found that those people had been assigned to a very lucrative section of the construction department.

“What the hell is going on!” Ji Cha closed the laptop and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Liang Jincheng came in after taking a shower, saw his angry appearance, and smiled again, coaxing him, “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, and the weather in May wasn’t too cold yet, but Liang Jincheng seemed to not be afraid of the cold, with his hands propped up, he leaned over and kissed Ji Cha’s lips. “I have a plan, and the captain’s position doesn’t matter much.”

Ji Cha pried off the hand that was on his waist and stood up in one go, closing the door.

“Actually, I also think Grandma has a point, but it’s still this time, and I always feel like Cheng Feng has a plan to take back all the dispersed power.”

“Everyone is on their own.” Liang Jincheng threw the towel under the bed and firmly pinned down Ji Cha, not allowing any objections.

Being dismissed didn’t affect his mood for doing business at night at all.

***

Day and night passed.

Liang Jincheng’s dismissal is notified on the electronic display boards at the recruitment office. Therefore, Liang Jincheng being fired became known to everyone the next day.

Some employees on the farm were uneasy, and some even came to apologize to Ji Cha, saying that if they could have tolerated it yesterday, they might not have caused trouble for Liang Jincheng.

“What does it have to do with you? Just focus on your work. Yesterday’s incident has nothing to do with you. It’s a good thing that you stand up to defend the farm,” said Ji Cha.

Perhaps because yesterday’s incident was a bit embarrassing, Zhao Tiankuo even sent his subordinates to hand over his work. Ji Cha didn’t dwell on these things too much and continued to do what he needed to do.

As for Liang Jincheng, who was dismissed, he now had twenty-four hours of free time, all of which he spent to be Ji Cha’s assistant. This made some people who had wanted to cause trouble for Ji Cha back off.

However, just because they accepted the dismissal didn’t mean that others did. The members of the special abilities team were the first to push back.

In the apocalypse, the most convincing people are those with high combat power and reliable character, not to mention this group of ability users. No one can command them to do tasks except for Liang Jincheng. So the mission planned for the ability users team on the second day after the dismissal notice came out was now in a paralyzed state.

Even many ordinary soldiers in the army were very dissatisfied with this decision because they admired and respected Liang Jincheng very much. Although Cheng Feng anticipated this result, he did not expect it to cause such a widespread reaction at first.

This instead made him feel that he couldn’t relax the development of Liang Jincheng’s power.

As for the ability users team, let them throw tantrums if they want. After all, the power of the base is in his hands, and those who want to stay in the base must listen to him.

Everyone wants to maintain the appearance of peace, but the secret dealings never stop.

At two in the morning, during the curfew period of the base and the time when guards in various places start changing shifts, the defense inside and outside the base is the weakest, and it is also the best time to fish in troubled waters.

A car slowly approached the entrance of the base, and the driver poked his head out and greeted, “Hey, Xiaoliu, open the gate.”

The driver is also a small guard on duty, and he is usually familiar with them. He was inexplicably transferred to be a driver at the beginning of the year, and occasionally he brought some things back during this shift change. He didn’t know what was inside, but because he had a pass from his superiors, it was not easy to check, so he was directly allowed to enter every time.

Seeing the gate of the base open, the car restarted. When it passed by several guards, someone seemed to hear a noise in the car.

“Hey,” the guard named Xiaoliu stopped the driver, “What are you transporting? Why is there still sound?”

“I’m transporting a car full of living dead, hahaha.” The driver laughed heartily.

Everyone laughed, “You’re just talking nonsense!”

Two jokes dispelled their original doubts, and soon the car disappeared into the night, heading towards the depths of the base.

The driver hummed a song and listened to the panting sound coming from the back of the car. Suddenly, a figure stood in front of the car. The driver was scared in the darkness and stepped on the brake hard, but when he looked carefully, there was no figure in front of the car’s headlights.

“It’s really strange…” he muttered to himself, just as he was about to restart the vehicle, a hand suddenly smashed through the car window and grabbed his throat, causing him to faint.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Later, a large hole was kicked through the partition between the cargo compartment and the driver’s cab. The hungry undead, who hadn’t eaten for several days, were now tantalized by the scent of fresh human flesh. After all this, the shadow disappeared again into the darkness.

Five hours later, the first wave of workers leaving for work discovered the vehicle parked in a crooked position. Originally curious, they were shocked to find a skeleton that had already been half-devoured by zombies. The driver had also been infected and could no longer feel pain. Even if he had been eaten alive and only half a person remained, his mouth continued to open and close, his eyes staring blankly around him.

“Zombies, zombies!”

Most of the people living in the base had not faced zombies directly for a very long time. However, they had a very deep and natural fear of this cruel and ruthless species, which was now strongly stimulated.

Immediately, someone notified the security department, and the security staff quickly called in members of the ability users team to capture the zombies.

When they finally caught the zombies, they were shocked to find that there were five of them in the relatively small cargo compartment, of all ages and genders, all still alive and kicking.

The military vehicle, driven by a soldier, had left tire tracks from the outside all the way into the base. How could a vehicle like this transport five zombies?

Those with weak nerves were now terrified, and their emotions exploded. They demanded an explanation from the authorities about what was really going on.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: was it Jincheng who did it?

Sweet Moments during the Dragon Boat Festival

Feeling thoroughly satisfied, Yu Qingze lay back on the bed. He felt like a weight had been lifted off him, especially in terms of his mood, which had brightened considerably.

Once he caught his breath and regained his strength, he got up, put on his pants, opened the door, and cautiously peeked at the neighboring door. He listened carefully and heard nothing but silence. He figured that Chang Le must have fallen asleep. Holding an oil lamp, he stepped outside into the courtyard to clean up.

He poured a bucket of water into the wooden basin, washed his hands, wiped away the remnants from his abdomen and chest, emptied the water, poured in a fresh basin of water to wash his face, and then wiped his upper body clean. Finally, he returned to bed and went back to sleep.

Once he entered his room and closed the door, on the other side, Chang Le leaned against the back of his own door, finally letting out a sigh of relief and exhaling deeply.

He didn’t dare to turn on the light. Slowly, in the darkness, he made his way back to his own bed. He lay down gently, curling up on his side and clutching his chest. His heart was pounding heavily, almost jumping out of his chest. He touched his face, feeling the heat radiating from it, as if his face was about to burn.

He had been on the verge of falling asleep earlier when he heard a muffled groan from the next room, as if someone was enduring something. He was worried that Big Brother Yu might be feeling unwell or sick, so he quickly got up, put on his shoes, and was about to go and check on him.

However, as he reached the entrance of Big Brother Yu’s room, he heard rustling sounds from inside. He was about to knock on the door when he heard another groan, followed by a long sigh of relief…

Because he was standing at the door, he could hear a bit more clearly than if he were inside the room. At this moment, he suddenly had an eureka moment, as if something clicked in his mind, and he realized what that sound from Big Brother Yu meant.

Chang Le:…

In a panic, he hurried back to his own room, gently closing the door and leaning against it, not daring to breathe heavily.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

He listened as the door next door opened, heard Big Brother Yu walk out of the room, heard the sound of water being poured twice, and then heard him return to the room.

How did he happen to encounter this?

Chang Le felt both embarrassed and awkward. The sleepiness he had earlier was completely gone, and his eyes were wide open, unable to find any trace of drowsiness.

Unconsciously, his mind echoed with the sounds from when Big Brother Yu was… doing that. When he hadn’t realized what it was, it seemed like a sound of pain. But now that he knew what it was, it automatically transformed into moans that made his face blush and his heart race. He could even imagine the image of Big Brother Yu lying on the bed…

Oh my, Chang Le, you’re shameless!

He hadn’t experienced this kind of thing much himself. Throughout his life, he could probably count the number of times on one hand. One reason was embarrassment, and the other was that he was always busy with work. He was too tired at the end of the day to have much energy to think about such matters.

The first time he felt this desire, his mother had already passed away, and he was the only ger left in the family. There was no one to teach him. The first time he experienced an erection, which happened not because he needed to pee but because it wouldn’t go away, he was terrified, thinking that he might be sick. Fortunately, it subsided on its own after a while. He didn’t dare to talk to his grandfather about it, after all, it was such an intimate matter.

After that, he lived in constant fear for a long time.

It wasn’t until one time when Brother Chang’s mother took him to the mountains to chop firewood and on the way back, they happened to come across a pair of wild Mandarin ducks. Chang Le was stunned, and Brother Chang’s mother quickly pulled him away.

Later, when Brother Chang’s mother saw him constantly looking back, realizing that his mother might not have had time to teach him these things and that he didn’t understand, he asked Chang Le if he knew what they were doing.

Chang Le shook his head.

Brother Chang’s mother knew that there was no one in his family who could teach him, so he stopped and, treating him like his own son, taught him some knowledge. It was then that Chang Le learned that his erection wasn’t an illness but a sign of growing up.

Since he developed feelings for Big Brother Yu, there were times when Chang Le would think about it before going to sleep, but the content of his thoughts was still quite innocent. He would just imagine the way Yu Qingze kissed and hugged him. Mainly because he couldn’t imagine anything more explicit.

Now, because he had just heard Yu Qingze’s moan, his mind was filled with it and the scenes he had imagined. It made his heart race, and to his surprise, he noticed that Little Chang Le had become quite spirited without him realizing it.

Chang Le:…

He endured for a while, but in the end, he buried his face in the pillow and gripped onto Little Chang Le.

…

So, after Yu Qingze opened the door, fetched water, and closed the door, Chang Le quietly followed suit, opening the door, fetching water, and closing the door.

However, by that time, Yu Qingze was already sound asleep and didn’t hear a thing.

The next day, not long after the fifth watch drum sounded, Yu Qingze got up.

He had been up for a while when Chang Le also got up.

They met by the well.

“Brother Le, good morning. You can sleep a bit longer. It’s still early,” Yu Qingze said cheerfully now that he had a good night’s rest.

Chang Le shook his head. He had moved here precisely to wake up early and start working. Besides, he had actually slept quite well last night.

Thinking about last night, Chang Le lowered his head and quickly washed up, not daring to look at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze didn’t pay it any mind either. After finishing his ablutions, he went to the kitchen to work.

Outside, it was still dark, probably around four in the morning.

Two oil lamps were lit in the kitchen. Yu Qingze was kneading dough while Chang Le was cooking and steaming sticky rice and red beans. They both arranged firewood in the stoves and started preparing vegetables and stuffing for dumplings and shumai.

They were both busy with their respective tasks. Although there were no words exchanged, their movements were perfectly synchronized.

When Yu Qingze finished kneading the dough, Chang Le had finished preparing the dumpling filling. One of them rolled out the dumpling wrappers while the other started wrapping the dumplings, getting them ready first.

The dumplings were done, and the sticky rice and red beans had finished steaming. They took them off the stove. One person started making red bean paste while the other sautéed the stuffing for shumai and mixed it with the sticky rice…

They were busy until daybreak, and they had almost finished the first batch of dim sum needed for opening. They were already steaming on the stoves, with only a few side dishes and congee left to be prepared.

At this moment, Brother Chang and his mother also arrived. They had bought fresh spare ribs from the market on their way and joined in to help with the preparations.

After the word spread from the previous two days’ customers, Yu’s Snack Stall had transformed into Yu’s Snack Shop, and the two elderly gentlemen from the Cai and Zhao families had even come to participate in the opening, which quickly spread throughout the town.

That day, Yu Qingze noticed that there were noticeably more customers, many of whom were not ordinary people. Most likely, they had come to see for themselves after hearing the rumors, while others came specifically to taste the snacks he made.

On that day, Cai Chenxi and Cai Yunwei came running over again for breakfast, just like yesterday.

Some of the customers in the shop were surprised to see them being so familiar with Yu Qingze. After all, the Cai family had a prominent status, and Cai Chenxi had even passed the imperial examination. It was rare to see them interact with a snack shop owner so casually, disregarding their respective positions.

Then, Old Master Zhao came with his two grandsons and Steward Zhao. Yu Qingze personally greeted them and led them to a private booth to dine. When they left, Yu Qingze gave them the silver ear fungus that Grandpa Chang had brought, along with the instructions for making silver ear fungus soup.

Those who hadn’t seen the opening day now believed that the two prominent families indeed held Yu Qingze in high regard and treated him differently.

Everyone had their own thoughts and considerations.

Before closing time, the village chief and Dajian came to the snack shop.

Seeing their joyful expressions, Yu Qingze smiled and said, “It seems like there’s good news.”

The village chief nodded with a smile, “Yes, we sold all the rice beds today. We sold more than 80 of them. We used three carts and a cow-drawn cart to transport them. The ones we brought in the morning sold out before noon, so we went back and brought another batch, and they sold out too. If the rice beds weren’t so big, we could have brought them all at once.”

Yu Qingze chuckled, “Congratulations. There are still a few days until harvest, but I’m sure they will all sell out by then.”

The village chief nodded, unable to hide his joy, “It’s all thanks to you for telling us the method. The three city gates are indeed the best selling spots.”

“Hahaha, I just shared my thoughts. Come, have a seat and have some dim sum. You must be exhausted after a busy day.”

Saying that, Yu Qingze had a few plates of dim sum brought to them.

The rice beds sold well on the first day, and they fetched a good price. The village chief and his family finally felt relieved. After eating a steamed bun, the village chief said, “When I go back, I’ll have your rice bed delivered to you. Which style do you want?”

Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and replied, “Let’s go with the one I initially drew for you.” It looked simple, but it was the most efficient.

“Alright.”

After closing, Yu Qingze and the others had dinner. Jiabao went to take a bath first, while Yu Qingze and Chang Le tidied up. They soaked the red beans and seaweed, then the three of them sat down at a table and started learning arithmetic.

Yu Qingze took a wooden board and wrote a row of Arabic numerals on it. Below, he wrote the corresponding Chinese numerals. He then explained, “The arithmetic method I’m teaching you is based on these numbers. You need to memorize these ten digits first, and then I’ll teach you the rest.”

With that, Yu Qingze taught them the Arabic numerals one by one, starting from the units and then the tens, having them practice writing them. Grandpa Chang brought over the sandalwood tray that Chang Le used at home and another new one made by the village chief. Both Jiabao and Brother Le had one, and they began writing on them.

After half an hour of memorizing and writing, Yu Qingze started giving them dictation tests.

The three of them learned, wrote, and were tested simultaneously. In less than an hour, Jiabao and Brother Le had successfully memorized the ten Arabic numerals and knew how to write numbers in the tens place.

Jiabao learned faster than Brother Le because he knew more characters and had a better memory. Fortunately, Brother Le had also learned many characters with Chang Hao at home before, so he recognized the Chinese numerals and managed to keep up with Jiabao’s progress.

“It’s okay, Brother Le, you’re doing great!” After seeing Jiabao off, on their way back, Yu Qingze comforted Brother Le.

Brother Le nodded and gestured, “Test me now, and I’ll learn more.”

“Alright, then I’ll give you one off the top of my head. Seventy-eight.”

Chang Le raised his hand and wrote two numbers in the air.

“Correct. Fifty-three,” Yu Qingze walked to Chang Le’s left side, took his left hand, and continued.

Since they had become accustomed to holding hands, Chang Le didn’t think much of it and used his right hand to write two numbers.

“Correct…”

After going through the numbers, Yu Qingze gave him addition and subtraction problems to solve mentally.

The two of them happily made their way back home like this.

After returning home, they each freshened up and busied themselves for a while until it was time to sleep.

Just before Brother Le entered his room, Yu Qingze stopped him and spoke earnestly, “Brother Le, to strengthen our bond, starting from today, we’ll give each other a goodnight kiss every night.”

Chang Le blinked, a goodnight kiss?

Like the kind Grandma used to give him on his forehead before he went to sleep?

He also remembered that time when he was drunk, before he went to sleep, Big Brother Yu seemed to have kissed his forehead and then let him sleep.

Thinking of that, he nodded.

He also wanted to improve his relationship with Big Brother Yu, make it even better.

Seeing him nod, Yu Qingze curved his lips, placed the oil lamp they were holding on the windowsill, then he pulled Chang Le closer by his waist, cupped the back of his head with one hand, and lowered his head to kiss Chang Le’s lips.

Chang Le: …

Unexpectedly, a kiss on the forehead turned into a kiss on the lips, and Chang Le was a bit stunned, staring wide-eyed at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze sighed helplessly, pecked his lips once, and then gently released them, saying, “Brother Le, be good, close your eyes and open your mouth.”

Chang Le’s face turned red, and reflexively, he obediently closed his eyes and slightly opened his mouth.

Seeing this, Yu Qingze kissed him again. Worried about startling Chang Le, he was gentle in his movements, softly sucking and then tentatively exploring with his tongue, capturing the shy tip of Chang Le’s tongue, enticing it to dance together.

…

After the kiss, Chang Le tilted his head back, tremblingly opened his eyes, his eyes moist, his face unbelievably red. He seemed to be holding his breath, a mix of frustration and shyness.

Yu Qingze gently stroked his lips with his thumb and asked in a hoarse voice, “Did you like it?”

Chang Le stared at Yu Qingze, his gaze seemingly ignited by a fire, his voice like a hook that captured his very soul.

And the feeling of the kiss just now, it was so good.

So, this is what a kiss is like? He couldn’t remember the previous time when he was drunk, but it must have been like this, dizzying and sweet, as if soaking in warm water or stepping on cotton, soft and fluffy. He wanted nothing more than to collapse into Yu Qingze’s embrace and be held forever.

Blushing, he nodded gently.

This feeling made him feel close to Yu Qingze, and he liked it very much.

“Would you like more?” Yu Qingze leaned closer, their foreheads touching, their noses affectionately brushing against each other, and he asked in a soft voice.

Chang Le unconsciously nodded. Though feeling a bit shy, he wanted more.

In the next moment, Yu Qingze’s lips descended once again.

They both savored the wonderful taste of the kiss and became somewhat immersed in it.

Until Yu Qingze felt that if he continued kissing, he would lose control, he quickly released Chang Le. “Mmm, I really want to devour you right now.”

Yu Qingze let out a soft sigh, lightly nibbled on Chang Le’s ear, then let go and kissed his forehead, saying, “Go to sleep now. Goodnight.” He couldn’t delay Chang Le from going inside to sleep any longer, fearing that he wouldn’t be able to resist pushing Chang Le directly into his own room.

Chang Le had already sensed the change in Yu Qingze’s body a moment ago, and now upon hearing his words, he quickly took the oil lamp and entered the room.

His little Chang Le was also awake; he couldn’t let Big Brother Yu discover him…

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Did you two brush your teeth properly before doing all this?

Those people are just bullies who are afraid of the strong and prey on the weak. Liang Jincheng’s shot scared them. No one expected that someone would come forward and use such violent means, even when no one in the army dared to take action.

“Jincheng,” Ji Cha still felt the sound of the gun ringing in his ears. He couldn’t come back to his senses, but he still worriedly supported Liang Jincheng’s arm and stood up straight. “Here…”

Liang Jincheng stood in front of him, saying calmly, “I know what I’m doing. You take care of the other workers first.”

He then casually twirled the gun in his hand and put it back into the holster on his waist, and then looked coldly at the other people who were causing trouble. “Do you also want to taste the feeling of being shot?”

Those people didn’t dare to stay and ran away, but they still said as they ran that they were going to report to their superiors and have Liang Jincheng, the murderer who killed people openly, arrested.

After all, the person Liang Jincheng killed was just a small character in their base of a thousand people, which was not a big deal. The backbone of the base had not been affected yet.

Zhao Tiankuo, who was standing on the side, felt a bit awkward at this time. It was an undeniable fact that he had retreated earlier.

“Brother Liang, you were a little reckless,” Zhao Tiankuo understood Liang Jincheng’s desire to protect Ji Cha, but he also knew the severity of the situation. The leader of the base of a thousand people and their own military leader had some relationship, and the orders also came directly from Cheng Feng himself. Now, Liang Jincheng’s direct action was almost like hitting Cheng Feng’s face.

“I know what I’m doing,” Liang Jincheng said.

Ji Cha had now completely regained his senses, and he had confidence in Liang Jincheng’s words and actions, so he wasn’t too worried about him. Now, when he looked at the damaged rice seedlings, he felt the most heartbroken for them.

“Ah, I could have made several more meals with these rice seedlings,” Ji Cha squatted down, holding up the rice seedlings that had been trampled in the mud. He called over the workers who weren’t hurt to help clean up and see if any of the seedlings could be salvaged.

Meanwhile, Liang Jincheng didn’t want to make things difficult for Zhao Tiankuo, so he went with him to the military camp to explain the situation.

Ji Cha rode his electric scooter back to the factory with a sigh, and Zhang Xing and Wang Qinxue happened to come in from outside.

Zhang Xing now had his own repair shop, not far from the factory. He called it his own repair shop because he also repaired electronic and mechanical items for civilians, but his main job still included a lot of military affairs.

Wang Qinxue and his parents took care of the livestock for Ji Cha. They all came back together to have lunch with Zhang Xing.

Ji Cha didn’t want to worry his grandmother, so he didn’t mention the fact that Liang Jincheng had shot someone earlier. Zhang Xing complained a bit, “I don’t know why, but I’ve had several plans that haven’t been completed yet, and I’ve been working day and night with them. Cheng Feng sent over a drawing for me to follow, and I don’t know what use a semi-automatic iron cage is at this time. If I could, I would throw a box from the chicken farm at them.”

The name Cheng Feng made Ji Cha a bit sensitive, but the iron cage didn’t catch his attention for long, and he quickly turned to another topic.

“Once the weather gets a bit warmer, we can try to produce some rabbit fur in bulk,” Wang Qinxue said. “The production of the last two batches of rabbits has been quite smooth, and the empty rooms in the breeding area will be used soon.”

“It would be best if we could use all of them,” Ji Cha thought greedily. “We still need meat in the base, and we’re all being so stingy here. We haven’t even been able to form a self-sufficient cycle system.”

According to Ji Cha’s plan, the farm’s production and management should be able to supply the daily needs of the Grain Department’s base with a slight surplus. Some of the by-products from grain production, such as straw and corn stalks, can be recycled as fodder in the breeding area. Many animal feces in the breeding area can be turned into excellent fertilizer after composting, which can help with grain production.

“A single meal won’t make you fat.” Wang Qinxue smiled and said, “We’re already doing quite well now. In the second half of the year, conservatively speaking, our base will definitely have enough meat to eat every day.”

Ji Cha remembered the chaos of the last few years before the apocalypse. It took several years for S city base to truly stabilize last time. Would it happen so quickly this time? He wasn’t optimistic due to many external and internal interferences, but he couldn’t show it now.

In the high-end apartment area of the base, at Cheng Feng’s place, Liang Jincheng walked steadily through the corridor. The guard at the door bowed slightly and respectfully said, “Hello, Captain Liang!”

Liang Jincheng nodded slightly, “Is General Cheng inside?”

The guard nodded and went in to inform Cheng Feng. Zhao Tiankuo stood far away from the apartment building’s security room, feeling very uncomfortable like ants crawling in his heart. He hoped Liang Jincheng could help him turn back, even if he didn’t mention it. He could try to avoid getting involved in this matter as much as possible, so as not to have a bad outcome later.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

It took about ten minutes for Cheng Feng to let Liang Jincheng in, making the guard at the door very uneasy. He looked apologetic as he watched Liang Jincheng.

However, Liang Jincheng didn’t seem to care at all during these ten minutes. He stood straight, looking into the distance as if he were looking at something but not focusing on anything. It didn’t look like he was being left hanging by someone, but rather like he was coming to enjoy the view.

In fact, as long as he wanted to, Liang Jincheng’s ears could clearly hear the sound behind seven or eight walls. For example, during these ten minutes, he could clearly hear the low groaning of zombies coming from the basement, but he didn’t know how many.

In this heavily secured high-end apartment building, someone like Cheng Feng lives there, and there’s an unknown number of zombies locked in the basement near his residence.

Thinking of this, the guard happened to open the door and invite him in. Liang Jincheng looked at his watch and saw that the minute hand was pointing at three, so he calmly walked into the room.

“I almost know everything about this matter. What you did was too impulsive,” Cheng Feng still had the same look, and it was hard to tell if he was angry or not. “There should be consequences for making mistakes. So for now, you’ll have to temporarily hand over the position of captain of the ability user team, rest for half a month, and then we’ll see how to deal with the matter later.”

Although Cheng Feng’s words were eloquent, the main point was to make Liang Jincheng hand over his position as captain of the ability user team.

Liang Jincheng and Cheng Feng looked at each other, and Liang Jincheng caught the emotion in Cheng Feng’s eyes, but Cheng Feng couldn’t tell what Liang Jincheng was thinking. After a moment of silence, just when Cheng Feng was about to break the calm, Liang Jincheng finally spoke up.

“Okay.”

Then he added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now.”

Cheng Feng was surprised by his straightforward attitude, and by the time he regained his senses, Liang Jincheng had already walked to the door.

Liang Jincheng looked at his watch again, and only two minutes had passed. Now he quickened his pace to rush back, so he could still make it to have lunch with Ji Cha.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: this Cheng Feng doing some shady shit I can tell

Living Together Happily

When they returned home, Yu Qingze told Grandpa Chang about his plan to stay at the shop. It would save time and allow him to watch over the store.

Chang Le also mentioned that he would stay at the shop, visiting home every few days. He couldn’t let Brother Yu handle everything alone and work so hard.

Grandpa Chang agreed.

Yu Qingze initially disagreed, but Chang Le insisted, saying that if he didn’t agree, he would still go to the shop every midnight. It would be even more unsafe and tiring for a young ger to walk alone at night. Yu Qingze naturally wouldn’t let that happen, so he reluctantly agreed.

Seeing their discussion come to an end, Chang Hao looked speechless and sighed for his own stomach and mouth.

His brother and Brother Yu were going to stay at the shop, which meant there would be no delicious food for him and Grandpa every day…

But he also knew that if his brother and Brother Yu didn’t have to travel back and forth every day, they wouldn’t be so tired. So he didn’t say anything. He couldn’t bear to see them exhausted every day.

Otherwise, should he try to learn cooking too? He had been watching for so long, he should be able to make something tastier than before, right?

The young boy pondered with his chin resting on his hand, worrying about his and Grandpa’s empty stomachs.

That night, Yu Qingze and Chang Le packed a few clothes and necessary items, getting ready to bring them over to the shop the next morning.

The following day, they still woke up early, and the three of them set off together to the shop.

Upon seeing them carrying bags, Brother Chang’s mother asked them about it. Yu Qingze informed him that he and Brother Le would be staying at the shop and advised him to leave at daybreak for safety reasons.

Brother Chang’s mother still expressed concern, “Can you two manage with all the different types of dim sum? Maybe I should go early?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “It’s not necessary. We can handle it. You can leave at daybreak, it’s safer.”

Brother Chang’s mother agreed.

On the second day of the shop’s opening, Cai Chenxi arrived early with Cai Yunwei.

Yu Qingze noticed that Cai Yunwei’s forehead was sweaty, he was panting and his face was flushed. He asked, “Did you run all the way here?”

Cai Yunwei was still trying to catch his breath as he leaned on Yu Qingze’s counter.

Cai Chenxi nodded and replied, “Yes, you mentioned that Yunwei should get up in the morning to jog and exercise. Since we were already running, we decided to come over and have breakfast as well.”

“… ” Yu Qingze pointed to the backyard and said, “Go wash up in the backyard. You can’t have breakfast now. Wait for Second Young Master to rest for a while and catch his breath before eating, otherwise, he might choke.”

Cai Chenxi nodded and took Cai Yunwei to the backyard to freshen up and rest.

There was an osmanthus tree in the backyard, and under the tree, there was a stone table. The scenery was quite pleasant, so the two of them washed up and sat in the backyard to rest.

In the front, many customers had come for breakfast. Most of them were those who had come to try the food yesterday, and some came with their families, young and old, to enjoy a meal together.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot come.

Yu Qingze also noticed several guests who had attended the flower-viewing event at the Cai Residence. They came with their children and servants. Among them was Madam Zhao, who came with his two children and a servant.

Yu Qingze went over to greet them and led them to a private booth while a servant went to fetch food.

“Boss Yu, congratulations on the opening. The shop looks great,” Madam Zhao congratulated with a smile.

Yu Qingze smiled and thanked him, “Thank you, Madam Zhao. It wouldn’t have been so smooth without the support of your esteemed residence.”

Madam Zhao chuckled and said, “You’re too modest. It’s also because of your excellent culinary skills that our whole family loves it.”

Yu Qingze humbly exchanged a few polite words and then turned to the two children, “Young Masters, what would you like to eat? I’ll have it brought over.”

The older child, a little boy of about seven or eight years old, said, “I like ribs. Grandpa says ribs are delicious.”

The younger child, a boy of three or four years old, was playing with a wooden carved bird. When he heard Yu Qingze’s question, he looked up and cutely said, “Bean, red bean bun.”

The older brother glanced at him disdainfully and said, “You always want red bean buns. Aren’t you tired of them?”

The younger brother, feeling challenged, retorted defiantly, “You always have ribs. Aren’t you tired, tired of them?”

The two children started arguing with each other.

Yu Qingze laughed and said, “The young masters are really adorable.”

Madam Zhao chuckled helplessly and said, “They’re like this every day. By the way, Boss Yu, do you have the silver ear fungus soup that we had at the Cai Residence?”

Yu Qingze replied, “That will be introduced in a few days. Once the staff here become more familiar with their tasks, we will gradually introduce desserts. Do you enjoy silver ear fungus soup, Madam Zhao?”

Madam Zhao nodded and smiled, “Yes. I couldn’t forget it after tasting it that day. If it’s available, I’ll have to come here every day.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “You’re most welcome. Madam Zhao, young masters, please take your time. I’ll have some refreshments brought over.”

Madam Zhao replied, “Boss Yu, you can go about your business. Don’t worry about us, we have a servant here.”

Yu Qingze stepped back and instructed Jiabao to bring a plate of ribs and a plate of red bean buns. Meanwhile, he made a mental note to ask Grandpa Chang to bring some silver ear fungus tomorrow to send to Madam Zhao.

In the afternoon, the village chief came to the shop to find Yu Qingze. With the autumn harvest approaching, they were preparing to sell the rice beds. The village chief wanted to discuss with Yu Qingze and see if he could offer any suggestions.

“Aze, what do you think would be a suitable price for the rice beds?” The village chief was troubled by this question. Each member of his family, including his eldest son, second son, and himself, had different opinions and couldn’t reach a consensus.

After listening to the village chief’s intentions, Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and asked, “What is the approximate cost for each rice bed?”

The village chief thought for a moment. The rice beds were relatively easy to make, so he replied, “With the cost of wood and labor, it’s less than 200 wen, close to that amount.”

Yu Qingze further asked, “How much disposable income do the villagers usually have?”

“That’s hard to say. Some hardworking families with lighter burdens manage to save seven to eight taels of silver, while others, especially those with sick family members, are so poor that they can’t even afford to eat enough. They can’t save any money. It varies. Generally, an average household would have around two to three taels of silver saved,” the village chief explained.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze thought for a moment and asked, “How many rice beds have you made?”

The village chief chuckled, “There are around two hundred.”

Yu Qingze was surprised and exclaimed, “So many?!”

The village chief replied with a smile, “They’re all piled up here.”

After some consideration, Yu Qingze calculated the village chief’s costs, including the purchase of the blueprints for 30 taels and the production cost of about 200 wen per bed. Altogether, it amounted to around 70 taels of silver.

After estimating, Yu Qingze said, “Then let’s set the price at around 600 to 700 wen. Most farming families should be able to afford it. If they find it expensive, you can suggest joint purchases between two households. In this way, after deducting the costs, you can earn around 50 to 70 taels of silver.”

After giving it some thought, the village chief found it appropriate and said, “Alright, let’s go with what you said.”

Yu Qingze then asked, “Where are you planning to sell them?”

The village chief replied, “At the vegetable market, where there are many people.”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “Don’t go to the vegetable market. The people who buy vegetables there are city dwellers, and they don’t need rice beds. The farmers who sell vegetables are too busy with their own business and won’t have time to pay attention to your products.”

“Then where do you suggest we go?”

“Go to the city gates. With your large group, split into three batches and sell at the east, west, and south gates. The people entering and exiting there are mostly farmers, and they are your target audience.”

“What about the north gate?”

“No need for the north gate. Outside the north gate is the wharf, and there are no villages nearby. Moreover, most people who go to the north gate are coming from the other three gates, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Alright! We’ll do as you say!”

“Also, village chief, when you sell, remember to demonstrate to others. Bring some rice grains or other grasses with seeds. Let others see the benefits of using these rice beds and allow them to try it out. Once they see the benefits, they will be more likely to buy.”

“Got it! I’ll remember that!” The village chief was excited and felt that coming to Yu Qingze today was the right decision.

The two of them discussed for a while and finalized the plan. Before leaving, the village chief remembered one more thing and said, “By the way, what are your plans for that piece of land after the autumn harvest? The families renting that land asked me to inquire whether you plan to cultivate it yourself or do something else.”

Yu Qingze shook his head and replied, “I won’t cultivate it myself. I don’t have the energy. If they want to continue renting it, they can rent it at the same price as before.” The shop keeps him busy every day, and Grandpa Chang is the one managing Brother Le’s fields most of the time. It’s exhausting, and he’s even thinking about having Grandpa Chang cultivate two fewer fields next year. It’s too tiring.

“Okay, I’ll go back and inform them,” the village chief nodded, then added, “Have you chosen a site for your residential land yet? It’s been quite some time, and I haven’t seen you coming to me.”

“I’ve chosen one! Isn’t there a large empty space about thirty zhang to the right of Brother Le’s house? It’s not far from there, near an old locust tree. Let’s go with that location.”

“The location is a bit far from the village,” said the village chief.

“It’s fine, it’s not too far. And, village chief, I also plan to buy another mu of land. Please keep an eye out for me and make sure no one else takes it.”

“Alright, I understand. No one else will buy the land. I’ll go back now and have them cut some dogtail grass and reed stalks.”

“Okay, if you have any business, come find me.”

“Alright. You take care.”

Busy as always, another day went by.

After closing the shop, Yu Qingze held the usual summary meeting with everyone.

After a day of training and the post-closing summary meeting, the staff performed even better today. The number of issues noticeably decreased, and everything became much smoother. They were becoming more proficient in all aspects.

After the summary meeting, they all packed up and went home together.

Initially, Yu Qingze wanted Brother Chang and his mother to finish making the snacks and then go off work, but they didn’t leave either. Seeing everyone so busy, they decided to stay and continue helping.

Yu Qingze felt helpless about this. If Brother Chang and his mother continued to behave like this, he would have to give them a raise next month. They were working from dawn till dusk, much harder than the others.

Since opening the shop, Yu Qingze changed the daily settlement method of the snack stall to a monthly payment system. At the end of each month, he would pay everyone their wages, making it easier to manage.

After everyone left, Yu Qingze called Jiabao over and asked him to wait for a moment because the beds he had asked Grandpa Chang to buy had arrived. They assisted the shopkeeper in installing the beds. The quilts that Grandpa Chang had also bought were here, so they could finally settle in.

After Grandpa Chang left, Yu Qingze said to Jiabao, “Jiabao, starting from today, Brother Le and I will be living in the shop. You’ll have dinner with us in the evening. Also, do you want to learn arithmetic?”

Jiabao’s eyes lit up. “You mean multiplication and division?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yes. Do you want to learn?”

Jiabao nodded, “I want to learn!”

“Great, starting from tomorrow, bring a change of clothes when you come in the morning. Have dinner here, take a shower, and then I’ll teach you. There’s always hot water on the stove here, so you won’t need to heat water for bathing when you go back.”

Jiabao happily nodded, “Okay!”

“Brother Le, didn’t you also mention wanting to learn?” Yu Qingze asked.

Chang Le nodded.

“Then you can learn together.”

Chang Le gestured, indicating that he is not very fast at addition and subtraction, and it might slow down Jiabao’s progress.

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “It’s alright. I’ll teach you a new algorithm, and Jiabao will start from the beginning too.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Le also happily nodded.

Afterward, the three of them began to prepare dinner. Jiabao took the initiative to light the fire and cook rice, watching Chang Le cook the dishes while Yu Qingze watched from the side, occasionally giving some instructions.

Jiabao realized that Yu Qingze was actually teaching Chang Le how to cook.

Yes, after spending some time together, Jiabao started calling Yu Qingze “Big Brother Yu.” He felt that Yu Qingze and Chang Le were truly like older brothers to him, teaching him everything and taking care of him, which touched the young boy’s heart.

When it was time to eat, Jiabao took a bite of the food and exclaimed, “It’s so delicious!”

Chang Le smiled and picked up a piece of meat for him with his chopsticks.

Yu Qingze also picked up a piece of meat for himself and another for Chang Le, saying, “Eat more meat and grow taller.”

“Mm!” Jiabao happily ate his meal. He had never tasted such delicious food before, well, except when he was with Big Brother Yu, that is!

After dinner, Yu Qingze and Chang Le escorted Jiabao back home. They held hands while walking back and together tidied up the rest area and storage room. They also made preparations for the next day. After washing up, they washed their clothes together, sat under the osmanthus tree for a while to enjoy the cool breeze, and then went to sleep.

From today onwards, Yu Qingze and Chang Le would live alone together.

Apart from not having that particular intimacy, it didn’t feel much different from living together before marriage. Thinking about this, Yu Qingze felt a faint sense of happiness filling his chest, sweet and content.

During this time, he had to seize the opportunity to make Chang Le accustomed to intimate actions with him as soon as possible! That way, their married life would be smoother and sweeter! Hehehe…

Previously, Yu Qingze used to sleep in the same room with Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao. Due to the inconvenience, he hadn’t relieved himself since coming here and had been suppressing it, even developing some pimples as a result.

Now, knowing that Chang Le was sleeping next door, with no one else in the room, Yu Qingze felt a bit excited. That indescribable little flame in his heart ignited, burning stronger and stronger, impossible to suppress.

Of course, he had no intention of suppressing it.

With that in mind, he let himself go.

Bliss!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: LOL somebody beating meat after hours

In mid-April, the mutated vegetables that were discovered earlier were finally put into the second round of production to see the results. The traditionally edible leafy part was tested and found that although various growth data were surprisingly impressive, the edible function was not affected.

In other words, under the premise of absorbing almost the same nutrients, the mutated vegetables can grow to three to four times the size of ordinary vegetables. If the seeds of such vegetables can be popularized and planted, the same piece of land will become as productive as three to four pieces of land in the past.

The planting of spring wheat has begun. As the most important and anticipated staple food in the base, after the appearance of mutated vegetables, Ji Cha also pays special attention to rice seedlings with obvious differences in growth. Even though the rice seeds in their hands are already the highest-yielding super rice per mu, it is always good to produce the most food with the least land in the end times.

The weather in mid-April began to warm up really, and the temperature at least at noon was much milder. The big event in the base these two days was the inclusion of a base with a considerable scale, with a total of about one thousand people.

Although the absorption of new residents has been ongoing, this is the first time that a large-scale and large number of people have been included.

Having a large number of people in the base is a good thing, but it may also be a bad thing. This hidden concern was soon revealed shortly after the inclusion of the thousand-person base.

Individuals entering the base usually have to quickly change their habits and abide by the rules of the base in order to be able to live in the base. But the entry of the thousand-person base was very different.

They have their own living habits, and because of the huge group, they are unwilling to change at will. Shortly after entering the base, some very bad habits were revealed due to their strong group mentality.

For example, disrespecting the female workers in the base, or bullying other ordinary residents by relying on their large number of group members, causing trouble and unrest, and so on.

Just listening to it made Ji Cha feel a headache. Although there was some management by the military, it was only treating the symptoms rather than the root cause. Often, once they left, the common people would be treated even worse, and after a certain number of times, no one would dare to report their behavior and could only silently endure it.

As a result, even though the farm was getting bigger and needed more manpower, Ji Cha basically didn’t recruit personnel from the thousand-person base.

Unexpectedly, the day after he cancelled their job application, someone from the military came to inquire, asking if he had biased behavior against the personnel from the thousand-person base.

The leader of the thousand-person base has now become a small backbone of the military, and even the soldiers who came to inquire about Ji Cha were unfamiliar, who knows if they were their own people. The other side looked fierce, making Ji Cha uneasy.

“I decide who to recruit or not. There are countless people applying for work every day, and there are always people being rejected. They are all joining the base. What’s the difference?”

The other party was also annoyed by his counter-question, “When we joined the base, it was agreed that we would have housing and work. What’s going on now?”

“Whoever promised you that, go find them. I only welcome people who work peacefully and don’t cause trouble. You can leave now.”

At this time, Ji Cha didn’t realize that these few words would cause him so much trouble the next day, or rather, he underestimated the courage of this thousand-people base.

Around eight or nine o’clock, when the farm had been busy for a while and it was time to take a break, Ji Cha saved the data collected from various blocks into the computer and hadn’t even had time to do the comparison when someone suddenly called him outside.

He went downstairs and saw a capable staff member from his farm, Cheng Fang.

“Ji Cha, there’s trouble in the rice paddies. A group of people came and insisted on working. They even started hitting people and trampling on the rice seedlings,” Cheng Fang said.

Upon hearing that people were being beaten and the rice seedlings were being damaged, Ji Cha’s mind exploded. He immediately took out his electric scooter and hurried back with Cheng Fang.

“I’ll be back in a bit!” he said without looking back.

Liang Jincheng was talking to Grandma Ji in the kitchen when he heard the news. “Grandma, I’m going to check on Cha Cha,” he said, before chasing after them.

Ji Cha rushed all the way back on his scooter and stopped to jump off. He hadn’t walked two steps when he saw the rice paddies. A large patch of rice seedlings had been trampled, and three familiar workers had bruises on their faces and bodies. The attackers were sitting on the side, looking indifferent and pleased with themselves.

These were the kind of people who were used to being arrogant and thought no one could control them. They were prone to violence and wrongdoing, and they had no sense of restraint when they entered someone else’s territory. Instead, they believed that everyone in the world should respect them.

Ji Cha despised these people the most.

“Cheng Fang, go notify and ask the security department to send people over to arrest all those who beat people and damaged the rice paddies,” he said.

He pointed at those who were committing crimes and said bluntly.

“Earlier when you came to find me, I already sent Xiao Zhang over, people should be coming soon,” said Cheng Fang.

The original workers gathered around as soon as they saw Ji Cha, as if they had found their backbone.

“Boss Ji, they’re really arrogant. They said even the army can’t do anything to them.”

“Xiao Li, take the injured workers to the medical room for treatment, don’t let the wounds get infected,” Ji Cha comforted the injured workers, “You can take a paid leave today, I’ll arrange for other people to handle things here.”

The injured workers then left gratefully and at ease.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Boss Ji, we just came here to find a job to support our families. Why are you making things difficult for us?”

“Is this how you look for a job?” Ji Cha frowned, “Even bandits and robbers don’t act like this.”

“But there’s no other way. Why doesn’t Boss Ji hire us and instead give us some hard and low-paying work?”

“Who says that as soon as you enter the base, you can find an easy and lucrative job to do? No matter what others say, there’s no such rule here on my farm,” Ji Cha replied.

The troublemakers, however, seemed fearless and did not take Ji Cha’s words seriously.

“Either Boss Ji arranges work for us brothers, or we’ll stay here every day. What do you think?”

Ji Cha was amused by this and said, “Do you think this is my private farm?”

As he spoke, he heard voices approaching.

Zhao Tiankuo walked in with five or six soldiers, with a fierce look on his face. “Arrest him,” he ordered.

The soldiers immediately stepped forward to make the arrest, but they did not expect the courage to be so great that they would lay their hands on the soldiers in the base. Zhao Tiankuo was stunned for a moment, and then pulled out his gun and aimed it at the leader’s head.

“You’re asking for it!”

The man laughed and said, “Come on, shoot me in the head. Let’s see if you dare.”

This hit a sore spot for Zhao Tiankuo. There were indeed orders from above not to use excessive force against these people, and his behavior was immediately exposed as a show. He didn’t want to offend his superiors and ruin his own future, so he could only compromise.

Ji Cha widened his eyes in disbelief as Zhao Tiankuo slowly lowered his gun in the face of the other party’s smug expression.

However, unexpectedly, a gun suddenly appeared from nowhere and without hesitation, it was aimed at the man’s forehead and blew off half of his brain.

Ji Cha turned to look at Liang Jincheng, who had pressed his ear and was holding him in his arms, and saw his cold face and the gun still in his hand.

“He wouldn’t dare, but I would. Who else wants to try?” Liang Jincheng coldly scanned the room.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thandar: Boyfriend to the rescue and as he should 😌

Sleeping Together?

After finishing their meal, the Cai family didn’t stay for long. With so many customers in the shop, they didn’t want to occupy the seats for too long. They bid farewell to Yu Qingze and prepared to go back.

Cai Yunwei didn’t want to go back yet. He wanted to play a little longer, but seeing Chang Hao and Jiabao busy with their work, it was impossible for them to accompany him. So, he looked at his brother with hopeful eyes, hoping that his brother would take him out to play.

Cai Chenxi also felt sorry for his younger brother, who had been confined at home for more than ten years. He discussed with his grandfather and uncle, and then took his brother for a stroll before returning.

After seeing off the Cai family, Yu Qingze noticed that the shop had become livelier than before.

Yu Qingze chuckled. He presumed that the customers who were familiar with Old Master Cai and Old Master Zhao subconsciously lowered their voices while dining in the same hall as them, so as not to disturb their tranquility.

Now that they had left, the customers relaxed, and the volume of their conversations increased.

Yu Qingze listened to their discussions, which mostly revolved around Old Master Cai and Old Master Zhao. Some were planning to come to the restaurant for breakfast in the future, impressed by the delicious food.

The unexpected visit of the two elderly gentlemen today pleasantly surprised Yu Qingze. It was indeed a good thing.

The prestige of the Cai Family in Tongshan City went without saying, and the Zhao Family was also a renowned aristocratic family in the city. Many shops on the street belonged to them, and they were either the richest or the second richest family in Tongshan City.

Today, the two elderly gentlemen not only participated in the shops’s opening lion dance performance but also unveiled the signboard, which was clearly showing their support. Moreover, there were Old Master Cai’s grandson, Cai Chenxi, and Old Master Zhao’s grandson, Jiang Tianrui, both newly appointed jurens.

In the future, within Tongshan City, other aristocratic families would have to consider the face of the Cai and Zhao Families and show them deference. Even those who were dissatisfied and wanted to interfere with his small shop would have to carefully weigh their own influence and consider whether it was worth risking the wrath of these two prominent families.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

It can be said that the two elderly gentlemen have provided him with a protective umbrella. Although he didn’t know why Old Master Zhao from the Zhao Family also came, it was definitely more than just making longevity peach buns for him at the birthday banquet. Yu Qingze pondered and speculated that it was probably related to the Cai Family.

Just as he was thinking, a customer approached to settle the bill.

“Boss Yu, are you not making Liangpi anymore?” a regular customer who operated a snack stall asked Yu Qingze while paying for his snacks.

Yu Qingze shook his head and replied, “It’s getting colder now, so we’re not making it for the time being. The restaurant is too busy.”

It was already late September, and the weather was changing every day. In a little while, people would have to start wearing two layers of clothing.

The customer expressed some regret and said, “I really liked eating it.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “You can buy dried liangpi at the West Street market and make it at home. It will satisfy your craving.”

Previously, when they were hiring, Wen Li wanted him to hire his younger son Brother Yue to work at the restaurant. However, Yu Qingze firmly rejected the idea. He had decided not to make Liangpi in the restaurant anymore because he was afraid Wen Li would bother them every day. Instead, he allowed Wen Li to make and sell Liangpi in the city, but he was not allowed to reveal the recipe.

Wen Li was also worried. When he made Liangpi before, he promised to supply only to Yu Qingze and not sell it in the city, and he kept his word. But now that Yu Qingze’s snack shop no longer served Liangpi, wouldn’t they revert back to square one?

Upon hearing that Yu Qingze permitted them to sell on the street, Wen Li stopped mentioning Brother Yue’s matter and happily went home. If they could sell Liangpi, they would still have income. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to sell the recipe. If everyone knew how to make it, how would they make money?

Upon hearing Yu Qingze’s words, the customer was pleasantly surprised and asked, “Really? Liangpi is available in the market?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yes, you should be able to find it if you go to the market tomorrow morning.”

“Great!” The customer settled the bill and went off to find a seat.

During lunchtime, the snack shop experienced a peak in customers.

Some passing merchants noticed the crowded shop and assumed that the taste must be good, so they decided to eat there. They traveled extensively, facing hardships along the way. The only consolation in each city they visited was the local delicacies. They needed to reward their stomachs so that they would have the motivation to continue their arduous journey.

Yu’s Delicious Delights truly lived up to their expectations by serving incredibly delicious snacks and dim sum. Having traveled to many places, they could confidently say that this was the best they had ever tasted.

After finishing their meal, they packed some snacks for the next two meals. Having too many would cause the snacks to spoil.

On the long journey, only good food could ease their worries.

As for the locals who didn’t enter the shop in the morning because they weren’t hungry or were still hesitant, they immediately decided to come and try the food after hearing the feedback from those who had already eaten.

After tasting the food, they couldn’t help but praise it. Boss Yu’s creations never failed to impress! They quickly bought more to take home and share with their families.

The advantage of these snacks compared to Yu’s Delicious Delights’ previous dishes was that they could be easily packed. Previously, whether it was cold noodles, Liangpi, or Guandong style hot pot, it was inconvenient to pack as they needed a bowl. Now, most of the dishes were snacks, so as long as they didn’t pack congee or Guandong hot pot, they didn’t have this worry. A package of oil paper was enough.

The buns here were tastier than the ones outside. How could they not buy some to take home for their families to try!

As a result, Yu Qingze’s initial estimate that the oil paper for the day would be enough was proven wrong as it was used up by late morning. He had to go to the storage room to get more.

As for the helpers, after a busy morning, they had become quite proficient in their respective positions.

Although they had rehearsed before, facing actual customers, especially such a large number, brought about different pressures and situations than during the rehearsal.

Initially, they were a bit nervous and made some mistakes or became flustered. These were inevitable problems that arose at the beginning. Yu Qingze observed and didn’t blame them. Instead, he reassured them not to worry, take their time, and make sure they got the right snacks or bamboo tags.

In the kitchen, it was equally busy. Grandpa Chang, Brother Le, and Brother Chang’s mother had been working non-stop, making dim sum. They took turns having lunch in the afternoon.

It wasn’t until Yu Qingze noticed that it was around 3:30 PM that he told them to stop making more. By the time they sold the remaining snacks and the ones still steaming, it would be close to closing time.

Grandpa Chang and the others finally took a break. After resting for a short while, Brother Le and the others went outside to help clean the tables, serve food, and wash dishes.

After a busy day, they sold out all the snacks in the afternoon, and the sun hadn’t even set when they closed the shop.

After seeing off the last customer, Yu Qingze gathered everyone together and they ate the reserved snacks to fill their stomachs. Then, Yu Qingze began the meeting.

“Today was our first day of business, and I want to thank you all for your hard work! We had more customers than I expected, which is a good thing. Everyone performed well today, although there were some minor issues in the beginning, things went smoother by noon.”

Everyone was pleased to hear this. They had been busy and on edge all day, and now they could finally relax.

Seeing that everyone was in good spirits, Yu Qingze continued, “In order to make our work smoother in the future, I want everyone to reflect on today and share your thoughts. Talk about where you did well, where there are still problems, and how you plan to solve them. Let’s discuss and learn from each other.”

Nobody had much experience speaking openly about their thoughts and problems in front of others, so they felt a bit embarrassed and no one spoke up at first.

Yu Qingze anticipated this and knew that it wasn’t easy for individuals to change their mindset.

He encouraged them, saying, “Don’t be shy, this is work. We can only help you solve the problems if we identify them together. By doing so, we can avoid making the same mistakes and facing the same issues in the future, don’t you think?”

With his words, everyone felt more comfortable.

Yu Qingze then said, “I’ll start with an example.”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at him curiously and with anticipation. After all, Boss Yu was the big boss. Could he have problems too?

Yu Qingze cleared his throat and said, “On our first day of business, I didn’t expect there to be so many customers, especially during lunchtime. It caused some of you to have lunch late, and that was my mistake. From now on, we will take turns having lunch during noon and make sure we don’t upset our stomachs.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was touched. The fact that Boss Yu’s first concern was about their lunch was heartwarming.

After Yu Qingze finished speaking, Brother Le gathered the courage to be the second one to share his summary. He wanted to support Brother Yu.

Under Yu Qingze’s encouraging gaze, Brother Le gestured and explained his points, which Yu Qingze then translated for everyone.

Brother Le pointed out that there were times when the kitchen didn’t coordinate properly with the front of the shop. Sometimes, they didn’t start steaming certain types of dim sum even though they were already sold out, while in other cases, they made too much of a certain type that didn’t sell well. He concluded by saying that tomorrow they should carefully observe the sales situation and make timely adjustments to ensure a seamless supply, avoiding any disconnects between the kitchen and the front of the shop.

After Brother Le finished speaking, Brother Chang followed and shared his own issue with welcoming guests and the remedies he thought of.

With someone taking the lead, everyone started speaking one by one, and even Chang Hao shared his own problem.

Yu Qingze listened and felt pleased. The problems they spoke of were the practical issues he had observed throughout the day.

Finally, Yu Qingze summarized their discussions and further optimized the solutions they proposed, providing them with more effective ways to address the problems.

Everyone agreed and was convinced by Boss Yu’s suggestions. They unanimously decided to make efforts to rectify the issues they encountered today and make their work smoother.

After the meeting, they tidied up and locked the door before heading home together.

Yu Qingze and Chang Le accompanied Jiabao home as usual, and then the two of them slowly walked back.

When they reached the city gate, Yu Qingze said to Chang Le, “Brother Le, starting tomorrow, I plan to stay at the shop. There’s a resting area in the shop where I can stay overnight.”

Chang Le was surprised and looked at him in astonishment.

Yu Qingze turned around, looked at him, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chang Le hesitated and gestured, asking why and if Yu Qingze wasn’t comfortable living at home.

For so long, Yu Qingze had been sleeping on that makeshift wooden bed and never changed it.

Yu Qingze walked back, tapped his forehead, took his hand, and said, “What are you thinking? What I meant is that if I stay at the shop, you and Brother Chang don’t have to come so early in the morning. I can wake up early and prepare the dim sum.”

The shop opens at 7:30 am, and Brother Chang and the others are supposed to come to work around 7 am. If they want to sell breakfast, the few of them who make dim sum need to prepare at least two to three hours in advance and then spend an hour commuting. They would have to wake up in the middle of the night every day, or they won’t make it in time. After thinking it through, Yu Qingze decided to stay at the shop so he could start working earlier.

Also, from tomorrow on, after finishing the afternoon dim sum, he would let Brother Chang and the others go home and rest. Otherwise, if they work for too long, their bodies won’t be able to handle it. It’s reasonable for those who start working in the morning to finish early.

Upon hearing this, Chang Le pursed his lips, pondered for a moment, and then gestured, saying, “Then, I’ll stay at the shop too and make dim sum together.”

Yu Qingze blinked and said to Chang Le, “Brother Le, there’s only one resting area in the shop with a single bed. Are you saying you want to sleep together with me?”

Sleep together…

Chang Le’s face turned red upon hearing that and he quickly withdrew his hand, walking ahead.

Sleeping together… He hadn’t even thought about it. They weren’t married yet, it’s too embarrassing…

As he was thinking, a thought crossed Chang Le’s mind, making him flinch: Could it be that Brother Yu has been thinking about that for a long time? But they haven’t married yet, so it’s not right, that thing…

Yu Qingze chuckled lightly, catching up to him in a few steps and reaching out to tease him.

Blushing, Chang Le quickly opened his hand and walked forward, afraid that Brother Yu would notice what he had been thinking just now. How embarrassing! How did he even let his mind wander in that direction?

After walking for a while, Chang Le suddenly stopped and turned to look at Yu Qingze.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Qingze asked when he suddenly stopped.

Chang Le gestured, saying, “There’s also a storage room! Just add another bed!”

Yu Qingze: …How did he suddenly become so clever? Not fun at all.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸