Chapter 71
That night, they had another lively hotpot meal.
People here still ate more beef and lamb. After asking in advance and learning that Jiang Qingyu did not eat lamb, they simply brought out a custom-made oversized four-section hotpot and prepared four different soup bases, making sure not to put lamb into his pot.
Jiang Qingyu was originally a little embarrassed, but after Duan Yu heard about it, she sat down beside him and said very calmly, “I don’t like lamb either.”
All right then. Having one more companion was always better than being alone.
Around the pot, plates of sliced beef and lamb were arranged in layers. Afraid of mixing them up, Auntie even prepared two different kinds of plates to avoid confusion.
Aside from that, all kinds of hotpot vegetables, tripe, duck intestines, and other offal were placed in the outer circle, along with seafood, vegetarian dishes, various fried snacks, fruits, and desserts. Almost everything one could think of was there.
As expected, this meal lasted very late again. After dinner, one of the uncles really brought over the family dog to play with Tangyuan. It was a very beautiful merle border collie, with bright blue eyes, even livelier than Tangyuan. The two dogs greeted each other, sniffed each other, decided they were willing to play together, and began chasing each other around the living room.
They were also very in sync. When they got tired, they would run back to their owners and lie down nearby for a rest. Once they recovered their energy, they took the initiative to find each other again, darting around and playing in the living room. Their two fluffy tails wagged wildly in everyone’s sight.
Jiang Qingyu felt that all he did here was eat, sleep, and play. There was basically nothing that needed them to do. Whenever he wanted to volunteer to help with something, Uncle and Auntie would stop him, and that silly child Duan Cheng would even come over personally to physically block them. They were only allowed to enjoy themselves and play, not allowed to lift a hand to help.
It even made Fu Jingqiu a little at a loss.
Fine, fine. Since they had come as guests, and the hosts had arranged things this way, they would just do as they were told.
These past two days, Jiang Qingyu was practically having so much fun he forgot about leaving. During the day, he slept until he woke naturally. Once he got up, there was a lavish lunch waiting. In the afternoon, he followed the Duan siblings to the neighboring contracted apple orchard and took Tangyuan for a walk. They also went to a nearby sheep farm to look at the plump little lambs. Because of the extreme cold, they had all kept their wool coats, with only a bit around their behinds shaved. They looked round and fluffy, as if they would feel wonderful to touch.
Jiang Qingyu did not like eating lamb, but he still liked little lambs very much. They were soft and fluffy, their hooves going tap-tap-tap as they kept moving closer to them.
At this moment, however, Tangyuan seemed to awaken some kind of talent. It lowered its body and growled softly at the flock of sheep, continuously shortening the distance between itself and them, as if it wanted to herd them to the other side.
Meanwhile, the shepherd’s border collie stood to the side and looked up at its owner in confusion.
What did this mean? They even hired outside help?
The family of four all had an absolute blast.
Meimei actually also ran out of the bedroom, tail held upright as she patrolled her territory around the villa. Her winter coat had fully fluffed out, and her tail was fluffy like a fox’s. Her posture was extremely elegant, and her beauty was beyond question. Auntie adored her so much that she followed behind calling her “Baby Meimei,” lying on the sofa and taking eight hundred photos of her.
Jiang Qingyu had to admit that his days here had been truly happy. One afternoon, he even went to the factory and operated the machines himself to make several quilts. Holding the fluffy yet weighty quilts, he found the scent of cotton difficult to describe specifically, but it made people feel extremely at ease.
Originally, they had planned to stay for one or two days, then delayed it to three or four days. Uncle and Auntie repeatedly urged them to stay, persuading them to remain for at least a week.
With such warm hospitality, Jiang Qingyu could only agree.
That day, the factory shipped goods to the shelter. Jiang Qingyu and Fu Jingqiu helped load the goods onto the truck together. In any case, it was just carrying and lifting, and with machine assistance, it was not very tiring.
This batch of goods was not small. Jiang Qingyu casually asked a couple of questions and learned that a new shelter seemed to have been built. Travelers previously trapped in nearby counties or towns could all go to the shelter to register and move in. If they had difficulties, they could even contact the shelter to have someone pick them up. It could be called very humane.
Oh, right. This place was no longer called a shelter now. Some people had protested that it sounded like a refugee shelter, so the authorities changed the name. It was now called a safe station.
Naturally, even after the name changed, some people were still unsatisfied and suggested calling it a base instead. In any case, people were stuck at home with nothing to do, and the internet had not been cut off, so the arguments online were endless.
But construction still continued, and it was not easy either. In weather this cold, people still had to work outdoors. If not for all kinds of large machinery being brought over, who knew how long it would take to complete the work.
Aside from this, Uncle had heard something else too. He had learned it through a friend of a friend, saying that the current shelters—oh no, safe stations—were only temporary.
At first, they borrowed existing places and modified them. Later, they built new ones themselves. Now, these were temporary residences. The real major project was elsewhere, and it sounded somewhat sci-fi: an underground city.
Jiang Qingyu said in surprise, “Wouldn’t that take a long time?”
Uncle said, “They say subway stations can be modified. Those are already there, and it’s indoor work, so it’s much more convenient.”
So that was how it was.
If it was to deal with the disasters that would come afterward, this speed could be considered fast. It was always better to prepare for danger in times of peace than to be caught off guard. Besides, the national grain reserves collected grain steadily every year. The major problems on the surface could currently be solved.
After the transport truck drove out, Uncle called the children back inside to sit. He served snacks and hot tea again, telling them to rest for a while and chat.
Auntie brought frozen pears and frozen persimmons for them to eat. Jiang Qingyu had eaten frozen pears before, but never frozen persimmons. He curiously tried one and was immediately conquered. It could almost be said that he was astonished.
After all, the heating inside was turned up enough that they were only wearing ordinary hoodies and long pants. Suddenly eating such icy, sweet persimmon satisfied him so much that his eyes narrowed along with it. Slurping it up was incredibly satisfying.
After finishing one persimmon, he and Fu Jingqiu went to wash their hands together. When they returned, they heard Uncle on the phone, his tone extremely wrong. “Send me the location quickly! Have you called the police? Don’t worry about the goods. Give them everything if you have to. Keep the vehicle safe and drive back first!”
Jiang Qingyu glanced at the siblings, who had originally been leaning against the sofa playing with their phones. In perfect unison, they set down what they were doing and stared straight at Uncle’s serious face until he hung up. Then they asked together, “What happened?” “Did something happen?”
Even Uncle himself found it unbelievable. “…Our transport truck was robbed.”
What did he mean, robbed? What was there worth robbing in a truck full of cotton quilts???
Fu Jingqiu asked, “What’s the situation now? Leave the goods to them and let the people come back?”
Uncle said, “Yes. We’re having them negotiate with the road robbers right now. My thought is that losing money to avoid disaster is fine. In any case, we still have goods. The most important thing is that the people are safe.”
Duan Cheng said, “Morals really are declining. There are road robbers everywhere.”
Jiang Qingyu asked, “You’ve encountered them before?”
“Yeah!” Duan Cheng said. “My sister and I ran into them once before. My sister didn’t bother with them and drove straight into them. They said they were going to call the police, and my sister said there was a dashcam, the kind with audio. Hey! They didn’t even know what a dashcam was. I was seriously speechless.”
Jiang Qingyu murmured, “…So you can do that.”
Fu Jingqiu: “…”
Before he could say anything more, Uncle’s phone rang again. He had only spoken for a couple of sentences before his expression darkened. He immediately stood up and said, “Hold on! Hide inside the truck and don’t come out. I’ll drive over right away to meet you!”
As he spoke, he jogged out of the living room to grab his coat and was about to rush out in a hurry. Fu Jingqiu stopped him, his posture very firm. “What’s the situation?”
Uncle said anxiously, “The road robbers punctured the tires and are trying to force the truck open and drag them out!”
Duan Cheng was shocked. “Isn’t that trying to kill people?”
Uncle said, “Yes, but before those people could break the window, one of them suddenly turned into a zombie and started biting their own people!”
Jiang Qingyu was stunned too. Wait, what kind of development was this? Instant karmic retribution right on the spot??
Duan Yu took the initiative and said, “Uncle, don’t panic yet. Those vehicles of yours don’t have high chassis. Never mind whether the road is easy to drive on. If all those robbers turn into zombies and rush over together, smashing your windows, you might not be able to knock them all away. There have already been cases online of zombies opening car doors and smashing car windows!”
“How about this? Duan Cheng and I will drive over. You wait at home. I…”
Fu Jingqiu interrupted her. “Wait. I’ll go.”
Uncle froze and turned to look at him. Without hesitation, he said, “No! We still don’t know what the situation is. Those workers were so frightened they couldn’t describe things clearly. How could I let you children go?”
Fu Jingqiu stared at him, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “I am a retired soldier. During my service, I participated in countless rescue missions. In this situation, I cannot stand by and do nothing. Besides, none of you have experience fighting zombies. You don’t even have proper weapons. How are you going to rescue anyone? Are the workers supposed to climb from their truck into your vehicle? That is completely unworkable.”
He had never told the Duan siblings or Uncle and Auntie’s family about his background, and they had never probed into Fu Jingqiu and Jiang Qingyu’s privacy. They maintained a good sense of boundaries. So when Uncle suddenly heard Fu Jingqiu say this, he froze in place for several seconds. “Ah?”
Duan Yu, however, had an expression that said “just as expected.” She took the initiative and said, “Brother Fu, I’ll go with you.”
Fu Jingqiu said, “You stay too.”
“If the rescue doesn’t go smoothly, you’ll still need to arrange backup. Someone must remain at home.” When he said this, Fu Jingqiu’s gaze swept briefly over Duan Cheng’s face, the implication very obvious: surely you are not expecting your younger brother to arrange the rescue?
Duan Yu understood, but still said, “But this is our family’s matter. I can’t let you go alone to do something this dangerous.”
Uncle and Auntie had been so good to them. If there was something they could help with, they could not stand by and do nothing. Jiang Qingyu stepped forward at exactly the right moment. “Who said he’s going alone? I’m going too!”
Duan Cheng widened his eyes. “Huh? You were also a soldier before!” He really could not tell.
Jiang Qingyu: “…”
Fu Jingqiu lowered his head to look at him. Jiang Qingyu happened to look over too. When their eyes met, he gave Fu Jingqiu an almost imperceptible nod, his gaze very firm.
Fu Jingqiu instantly understood what he meant.
Other vehicles might not be able to withstand those zombies carrying “weapons,” but Jiang Qingyu’s vehicle definitely could.
“All right.” Fu Jingqiu spoke very quickly. “We’ll set off now. You stay in contact with the workers at all times and stabilize them. Tell them not to act impulsively. Even if zombies are outside trying to break the door open, they must ignore them. We’ll arrive soon.”
Then he turned to Duan Yu. “Send me their location. Be quick. Also include the number of people and their names if possible.”
As he spoke, he had already moved quickly. Clearly, he had been trained before. Once he entered this state, his whole person became different, as if he were about to go to the battlefield. Uncle had not even reacted before the two young men had already finished dressing and were rushing outside.
Of course, more than half of Jiang Qingyu’s gear had been buckled on by Fu Jingqiu.
The RV swiftly drove out of the factory. Duan Yu, face tense, immediately took out her phone and sent Jiang Qingyu the location and worker information. Uncle frowned. “I should have gone with them. Xiao Yu, has your vehicle frozen?”
After sending the message, Duan Yu rapidly went to get her coat. “I’ll go confirm its condition!”
Duan Cheng scratched his head. “If it’s to kill zombies, we don’t have much skill. If we force ourselves to go with them, wouldn’t we just be causing trouble?”
Uncle: “…”
The current situation was indeed chaotic. Duan Cheng looked at Uncle, then at Meimei, who had come down from upstairs at some point. He hugged her, then placed the little cat on the sofa. “Forget it. I’ll go with my sister to check the vehicle.”
They had made a mistake. Once they came back, they should have kept the vehicle warm the whole time!
Jiang Qingyu was rummaging through his equipment bag, taking out the straight blade and placing it somewhere easiest to draw. Seeing this, Fu Jingqiu said, “Don’t get out of the vehicle later.”
Jiang Qingyu said, “I know. I won’t drag you down. This is just in case. You go ahead and deal with the zombies. I’ll be responsible for rescuing people. We’ll act according to the situation. As soon as I transfer everyone from the truck over here, you immediately return to the RV. My vehicle can easily ram a few zombies.”
He glanced at the WeChat message and said, “Oh.” Then he added, “Sorry, it’s a dozen or so.” After thinking about it, although he felt it was unnecessary, he still reminded him, “Don’t clash with them too hard. Anyway, we’re here to save people. There’s no need to insist on killing all the zombies before leaving. If you get scratched or bitten…”
Jiang Qingyu said, “Actually, that’s hard to say. After all, we’re wearing so much now.”
He wondered aloud, “Then what’s the deal with Uncle saying one of the robbers was infected?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “The situation changes in an instant. If only one or two were infected, things might be even trickier.”
Jiang Qingyu humbly asked, “What do you mean?”
Fu Jingqiu turned his head and glanced at him. “If it really reaches the point of settling accounts, those who weren’t infected can also be called zombies. In any case, the dead cannot testify.”
Jiang Qingyu froze for a few seconds, then a layer of cold sweat rose on his back.
That was too—too dark!
Jiang Qingyu said, “But you can tell when someone turns into a zombie!”
Fu Jingqiu said lightly, “They can say the person had just been infected, or that the symptoms hadn’t appeared yet, but they had already started biting people. The temperature is so low now. Who knows how many surveillance cameras have broken down? As long as they refuse to admit it after killing them, what can anyone do?”
“Besides, this group definitely isn’t doing this for the first time. Compared to them, the black-mink man we met before was practically playing house.”
They even dared to rob goods meant for the safe station. They really were outrageously bold.
Because the transport truck had cleared the way ahead, the route to rescue the people could almost be called a high-speed rush. In any case, there were practically no people or vehicles on the road now, and with the system helping to maintain control, there was no risk of overturning.
They arrived faster than Duan Yu had estimated. Once they reached the scene, Jiang Qingyu finally understood why the workers had not simply rammed through and fought it out. It turned out there were road spikes buried in the ground. Their vehicle had been disabled because of those. Hidden under the snow at first, they could not be discovered at all.
Quite sinister.
The moment the transport truck saw them arrive, it began honking frantically. Seven or eight zombies were surrounding the truck. Two had climbed onto it, and another was hanging upside down by the window, holding a brick and rhythmically smashing the glass. The truck was practically covered in zombies.
Aside from that, there were some eating on the ground. Seeing their vehicle drive over, they turned their heads to look. Their faces and hands were covered in snow that had already frozen on their skin, their mouths full of bloody ice scraps, biting with crunching sounds.
The scene was extremely impactful. Jiang Qingyu immediately let out a “Holy shit,” hugged his arms, and rubbed them hard. “How did it turn into this?”
Fu Jingqiu pulled up his face covering. “Do exactly what you said just now. I’ll go draw them away. You rescue the people. When you’re almost done, honk to remind me.”
Jiang Qingyu said, “Okay!”
He reached out and gripped Fu Jingqiu’s arm. “Be careful in everything!”
The two split up. Fu Jingqiu got out of the vehicle first and ran in another direction. Jiang Qingyu turned the steering wheel and approached the transport truck. He took a loudspeaker from his space and lowered the window. “People in the truck, listen! Once all the zombies are drawn away, evacuate immediately! All of you come to me! If your legs are weak, support each other. Say anything and handle anything after you’re in the vehicle. Don’t waste time!”
The workers had seen the two of them before. Earlier, they had been taken to tour the workshop, and that afternoon, they had even helped move goods. Knowing they had come to save them, they naturally obeyed whatever Jiang Qingyu said. They waited for Jiang Qingyu’s command, ignored everything else, jumped down from the truck, and rushed toward the RV door Jiang Qingyu had opened.
Jiang Qingyu turned his head and looked—whoa! Fu Jingqiu really had not held back. Most of the zombies were already lying on the ground, and zombie heads were rolling to the roadside. The one that had originally been eaten had already finished the mutation process and was crawling up from the ground in scattered pieces. Jiang Qingyu did not want Fu Jingqiu to get contaminated by it, so he pressed the horn repeatedly to call him back.
Fu Jingqiu did not linger in battle either. Once he received the signal, he retreated. But that scattered, broken thing was actually very fast, loosely chasing after him like that. Some parts had been frozen stiff, falling and flinging off as it ran. The image was truly sanity-draining.
Fu Jingqiu was quick-eyed and quick-handed. Grabbing the vehicle door handle, he rushed into the RV in one stride. The door instantly closed behind him. Several workers inside the RV had already been frightened limp on the floor, unable to say a single word.
This was probably their first time encountering zombies too.
Fu Jingqiu asked, “Did any of you fight them directly? Even if you only faced them without glass in between?”
The workers took half a minute to react. They looked at one another and shook their heads. “Why are you asking this?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “We’re not certain whether those people were all carrying the zombie virus. If they had contact with you, even if it was just a scratch from a fingernail, there would be a risk.”
If something like that had happened, they could not return directly to the factory. Otherwise, they would be harming the other workers and their families.
The workers shook their heads again, clearly still badly shaken. Fu Jingqiu said, “The heater is on in the vehicle. Please take off your clothes and check. I’m doing this for everyone else’s safety too.”
As he spoke, he also began taking off his own clothes, throwing his coat and garments one by one onto the chair.
While fighting the zombies just now, he had discovered that after mutation, the zombies’ nails were extremely sharp. Their teeth also seemed to have already mutated. To be safe, it was better to check carefully.
Jiang Qingyu was shocked by Fu Jingqiu’s speed. He grabbed the man and pulled him to the front without turning back. “I’ll check him!”
He had only blinked a few times, and Fu Jingqiu was almost stripped, okay!
Fu Jingqiu said seriously, “This matter cannot be taken lightly. If my arm or the back of my hand was accidentally scratched just now, all of you would be in danger.”
If Fu Jingqiu turned into a zombie… maybe he could wipe out the entire factory.
Jiang Qingyu had seen it just now. His cold-weather clothes had not affected his state when attacking. Even his running speed had been extremely fast. If he were chasing people like them wrapped up like bears, would it not be even easier?
Jiang Qingyu glared at him. “Then I’ll check you. Why are you undressing in front of them?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “Fairness. This way, they won’t think you’re shielding me.”
Jiang Qingyu said, “You’re really stubborn.”
Helpless, he opened the electronic door again. “Um, if you’re not reassured, you can come in and check too.”
The workers had just come out of their frightened state. Their hands and feet were weak. How could their movements be as quick as Fu Jingqiu’s? They were still slowly taking off their clothes and had not managed to remove their coats even after quite a while.
Jiang Qingyu took out his phone and had Fu Jingqiu turn around in front of him while recording. “Um, I’m saving a record. We can’t have him standing here like this waiting for all of you. You can watch the video later.”
However, Fu Jingqiu’s current state was really… He had indirectly saved a half-naked video of the other man on his phone. Belatedly realizing this, Jiang Qingyu inevitably felt his face heat.
Jiang Qingyu cleared his throat and said awkwardly, bracing himself, “This is a serious matter. Check carefully. Check each other.” He did not forget to give them a warning in advance. “Uncles, if there really is a situation, absolutely don’t cover for anyone.”
“All right, all right…” They had just been rescued by these two young men, and they had also seen Fu Jingqiu fighting outside just now. Naturally, they agreed to whatever he said.
The warm RV soothed their emotions. Jiang Qingyu was lazy. When he had gone out earlier, he had directly copied the layout he had seen in Duan Yu’s RV, so there was nothing unusual about everything inside the vehicle. Jiang Qingyu felt very reassured.
Although Fu Jingqiu was not completely stripped and had left some cover, still, in broad daylight… Jiang Qingyu felt a little embarrassed as he brought over Fu Jingqiu’s clothes, not quite daring to look at him. “Put them on. You just fought outside and then took your clothes off. Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?”
Fu Jingqiu, however, was very serious. “Confirming safety first is more important.” He said, “I can’t see my back. Help me look. Are there any signs of scratches?”
Jiang Qingyu helplessly circled behind him. Beneath the firm muscle lines, there were only some old scars from years past, fierce and clawing across his back. When they had showered together before, they had either faced each other honestly, or Jiang Qingyu had turned his back while Fu Jingqiu covered him from behind. He really had not seen Fu Jingqiu’s back like this before.
Looking at it now, his shoulders were even broader, and the inverted triangle shape was very obvious. His waist was narrow and strong, clearly the type who looked slim in clothes but had muscle underneath. The dimples at his lower back were also very visible. His muscle structure was perfect enough for him to be a figure model.
Jiang Qingyu was silent for a few seconds. “Nothing on the back.”
Fu Jingqiu turned around again. “What about the front?”
“…Nothing there either.”
Only then did Fu Jingqiu feel relieved. “That’s good.” He checked his arms and legs again himself before picking up his clothes and putting them back on piece by piece, hiding those muscles away again.
The return journey did not take too long. Jiang Qingyu had already sent Duan Yu a WeChat message telling her not to worry; they had successfully picked up the people. As for the goods and the truck, they could think of a way later. They could see if the safe station could arrange for people to repair the truck and retrieve the goods.
After all, now that something like this had happened, they could not abandon everything at the factory to deal with zombies or road-robbing villains. That was not their job either.
Duan Yu had been waiting anxiously at home. Although it did not show on the surface, in reality, she had almost driven out several times to meet them. Fortunately, Jiang Qingyu’s message came in time. Otherwise, she might really have done it.
No matter what things were like outside, the moment the vehicle drove into the factory, everyone let out a long sigh of relief. Just now, Fu Jingqiu had checked them all and confirmed there were no problems, but there had not been time to ask what exactly had happened. Now was the perfect time for everyone to sit in the reception room, drink a cup of milk tea to calm their nerves, and explain the whole story in detail.
Jiang Qingyu finally relaxed too and leaned naturally against Fu Jingqiu.
