Chapter 409

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

"Manman, look outside, what is that?"

"Waa waa waa waa waa"

"......"

Shen Yao held her daughter, who was several months old; the first thing she did every morning upon waking was point at the scenery outside the window.

Manman was a very active child, but her temper was excessively good.

When hungry, uncomfortable, or unwell, she would only hum twice, and most of the time this child wouldn't cry or throw tantrums, saving Shen Yao who knows how much trouble.

Whenever Manman slept, Shen Yao would organize the supplies Cheng Qi had stored in the space; since they could share the same space, the benefit was that Shen Yao could know what was lacking at home without stepping outside.

"There are plenty of wild vegetables recently, and quite a few are stored in the space, but meat is still more needed."

Vegetables can only serve as side dishes; to feel full, one needs starch-rich crops and meat, as supporting human physical activity requires more energy.

"I plan to rent a carriage to go hunting in the wild in two days," referring to the place where they hunted wild goats last year.

Cheng Qi took a sip of water and added that the base had officially put the limited supply of Gene Stabilizer on the agenda, and barring accidents, it would be implemented after the Mild Season ended.

Shen Yao:......

"The Mercenary Team isn't causing trouble?" It was understandable that the base's Patrol Team wouldn't cause trouble, because Gene Stabilizer was prioritized for them, and it wasn't yet time to turn hostile.

But what about the Mercenary Team? Those were private in nature; although the people were still the base's people, they didn't work for the base, and the relevant notifications issued by the base were directed at them.

"The base has already placated them in advance; as long as the people above agree not to cause trouble, the bottom layer won't be able to cause trouble."

Cheng Qi pointed upward, explaining that before the base officially issued the notification, they had made many preparations in advance, which was also why the base dared to stir things up.

Shen Yao was speechless, thinking that the people above wouldn't lose out, perhaps even profit after calculating, but what about those below? Truly wanting the horse to run without wanting it to eat more grass.

If this continued, the base would sooner or later have an accident; they still had to leave as early as possible.

The two tacitly avoided discussing the base's notification, instead focusing their gazes on the supplies in the space.

Not only meat, Cheng Qi also planned to pick some fruit at Chang Le Town; after all, although fruit couldn't serve as staple food, it was a rare tasty snack.

Children in the Mutated World lived harder lives; Cheng Qi and Shen Yao wanted to, within their abilities, provide the best living conditions for their own child.

Whatever snacks or toys, as long as they could be made or bought, Cheng Qi wouldn't miss any of them.

"Chang Le Town comes later; I'll accompany you then," at worst bring the child along; don't look at Manman being only several months old, but with her chubby little flesh and overly healthy body, going out once wouldn't have much impact.

In other people's homes, some had already been carried out as ornaments.

Everyone was busy surviving, threatened by the long sword hanging over their heads; who would consider so many possibilities, only knowing that without food they would starve to death—the logic was that simple.

A few days later, Cheng Qi brought back half a wild goat openly.

In reality, the space was piled with two large and two small portions, nearly a thousand jin of raw meat.

"Encountered a small tribe," Cheng Qi didn't make a scene, but used the tools he brought to set traps, first filling the space, then finding people to do the follow-up cleanup.

Because they were lucky, they returned early, and Cheng Qi had time to deal with that pile of meat in the space.

For this reason, the neighbors living around them, upon smelling the distinctive muttony stench, complained in various ways; it was just half a side of meat, why was it being processed so slowly?

"I think what they brought back must be more than what we've seen; can a family of three finish eating it?" A busybody couldn't help but mutter.

"What are you standing at the doorway dawdling for? Didn't you hear the child is hungry? Hurry up and cook for me, old man!" A more irritable voice came from behind, causing the woman who was speaking to fall silent for a moment before starting to complain.

"You say it so easily; there's no rice or flour at home, what do we eat? Let us starve to death!"

"......"

Shen Yao was washing minced meat; through the window she heard the quarrel drifting in from outside, and quietly muttered to Cheng Qi, "The couple next door are fighting again."

Basically, they had a small quarrel every three days and a big one every five days, occasionally even a full-blown brawl; despite all this fighting, they hadn't separated, and they'd already had three or four children.

Shen Yao couldn't understand it; at first, when they met, she would politely advise them a couple of times out of courtesy, but later she gradually got used to it and just let them be.

Now, just by listening to the noise, she could tell why this couple was quarreling; it could be considered a skill she had developed.

"Those living in B District aren't exactly at ease, let alone ordinary people in the other districts."

Cheng Qi put the cut wild goat meat into the space, stacking them neatly by location, with distinct pieces of wild goat meat piled together, ready to use whenever they wanted to eat.

"Tomorrow Ma will rest at home alone; shall we send Manman over?"

Without the child tying them down, no matter where they went, they could reap an abundant harvest.

"Send her over, bring some wild goat meat; whether stewed or hot pot, it's very nourishing." This hunt was Cheng Qi acting with the Patrol Team; the Cheng Family and Shen Family hadn't participated, so naturally they didn't get any meat.

Cheng Qi nodded with an "en," "Also send some bean sprouts from home; this year's soybean harvest was relatively large, and a bowl of beans can sprout quite a few bean sprouts."

Moreover, the soybean grains were also large; just sprouting a few beans could make a plate of stir-fried dish.

Compared to most wild vegetables with a rather astringent texture, bean sprouts were sweet and crisp, whether served cold or stir-fried hot, they went well with rice and were filling.

The two of them, busy processing the meat they brought back, didn't stop until evening.

The raw meat that should have been left alone was now cut into pieces of various sizes; Shen Yao took the opportunity to stir-fry two dishes and made a big pot of fragrant rice, and the family of three ate very satisfied (the child drank milk).

Early the next morning, Shen Yao and Cheng Qi, after waking up, packed their things for going out; before leaving, they quickly sent the still-sleeping Manman to the Cheng Family to be cared for by Cheng Ma.

"Ma, this is the milk and milk powder Manman needs to drink," Shen Yao wouldn't be able to return until evening, so she certainly couldn't feed the child in time all day.

Fortunately, the base sold children's milk powder, which she alternated with the milk she expressed; Manman drank heartily and wasn't picky.

Cheng Ma told them to pay attention to safety when going out, "Manman is here with me to take care of; don't worry."

Cheng Ma was an old hand at raising children; whether it was Cheng Dage and Cheng Qi, or the two children born to Zhao Xuesheng, all were raised single-handedly by Cheng Ma.

Now entrusting Manman to Cheng Ma was a small matter.

Shen Yao reached out and touched Manman's rosy cheeks, then turned around and went out with Cheng Qi.

They planned to go to Chang Le Town, first collecting the fruits already ripe on the mountain; after all, fruit was expensive, and even in a new place it could be used as currency.

"We'll visit those few places above; inside there are apples and autumn pears," we picked quite a lot last year, so presumably this year's harvest won't be too bad either.

Cheng Qi had no objection; Chang Le Town had many fruits, and the surroundings also had many uncommon scarce fruits such as grapes, persimmons, and longans.

The space they could use was large enough; picking them would definitely be the more the better.

"I know a place where walnuts grow; we'll go take a look together then."

"Wait a few days and go to the pine forest to pick mushrooms, and there are hazelnuts, chestnuts..."

Shen Yao counted on her fingers while muttering, discovering they had quite a lot to pick; just the above was enough for daily chewing, and even if sold privately, it wouldn't affect anything.

Looking out the window through the glass beside her, Shen Yao felt a fire in her heart.

Indeed, no matter when, hoarding goods could make people feel happy.

In recent years, more and more people had been visiting Chang Le Town; the fruit trees in the surrounding mountains had originally been destroyed, but if not for the high germination rate of mutated seeds and new fruit trees constantly growing, this place would long have had no picking value.

Parking the car at the mountain foot and locking it, Cheng Qi and Shen Yao picked several relatively secluded collection points, harvesting several hemp sacks of fresh fruits.

They didn't take them out, but put them into the space, only leaving a few separately in the back basket as a decoy.

Because of their 'meager income', they attracted sympathy from many people; a kind auntie told them not to enter the forest, but to go to the open area to pick tangerines and oranges.

Although tangerines and oranges were somewhat rampant in Chang Le Town, they were at least fruit, tasted not bad, and were better than nothing.

Shen Yao and Cheng Qi:.........

The two thanked the auntie for her reminder with embarrassed faces, then resolutely plunged into the deep mountains and old forests.

The kind auntie:.........

"These kids just won't listen to advice; what good things could there be in the mountains," they were all rotten fruits no one else wanted; the auntie sighed a couple of words, then turned around and got busy with her companions.

Everyone was a chance acquaintance; saying a couple of words was already considered having sentiment and righteousness; who had so much time to meddle in others' business.

Shen Yao and Cheng Qi entered the mountain; first they picked two hemp sacks of wood ear mushrooms, then dug some herbs that could stop bleeding and had the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying.

Walking further ahead were two not-so-tall persimmon trees; the persimmons hanging on the trees were red like small lanterns, but those on the ground that could be reached had been picked clean; to pick the others, one had to climb the tree.

This work suited Cheng Qi; besides, relying on the space's automatic collection effect, Cheng Qi had just finished picking above, and Shen Yao could finish checking below.

The two cooperated tacitly; inedible ones were thrown away directly, and soon they had swept the persimmon tree before them clean.

Continuing forward, they collected whatever they encountered; occasionally there were wild chickens and birds and beasts jumping out, and Cheng Qi didn't let any go; his homemade male crossbow arrow hit the core, adding quite a lot of meat and vegetables for home.

"Did you hear any movement?" Shen Yao grabbed Cheng Qi's wrist, tilting her head to look up.

Cheng Qi remained calm; the two looked at each other, walked forward a bit, and suddenly saw a beehive half a person tall.

Unconsciously licking her mouth corner, Shen Yao thought of the honey she had unintentionally obtained while picking cotton last year; it wasn't yet time for cotton picking this year, but she didn't expect to encounter a beehive elsewhere.

"Be careful; I'll go do it; you find a place to hide yourself."

Although bee stings hurt a lot, the taste of honey was rare; neither of them wanted to miss the benefit before them, so they simply made a big haul.

Putting on a thick hemp sack over their bodies, covering and blocking the exposed skin tightly.

Cheng Qi cautiously climbed the tree beside the beehive, then used his own long blade to chop once; before those bees could react, the fallen beehive had already been put into the space.

Buzz buzz buzz—

Shen Yao knew nothing; she shrank her body as much as possible hiding in the bushes; until the sound by her ear gradually diminished, she poked her head out.

First she looked at Cheng Qi's position, then confirmed the area of the beehive in the space.

Wow!

Struck it rich! Struck it rich!

Bigger than the beehive chopped down last year; the harvested honey must be even more.

"How is it? Are you injured?" Shen Yao helped remove the hemp sack on Cheng Qi's body, then took out ointment from the space to apply for him.

After all, they were stung twice, respectively on both sides of the arm.

Seeing the surface already red and swollen; fortunately the barbed stinger was not inside; otherwise they would have to dig it out first before applying medicine.

"If we pick fruit later, I'll climb the tree;" the original joy at seeing the beehive turned into heartache.

Shen Yao supported Cheng Qi to leave the place of right and wrong quickly, afraid that group of bees would come back for revenge.

"It's fine; applying medicine will make it better in two days;" Cheng Qi moved his arm, confirming basic movements were not affected.

Shen Yao glared at Cheng Qi, thinking that even with thick skin and rough flesh, one couldn't do this.

"Listen to me; you just stay under the tree to check;" they soon came to several autumn pear trees; the back basket was placed beside Cheng Qi's feet; Shen Yao hooked the branches with both hands, flipped over and kicked her leg to climb up.

Autumn pears as big as two palms were heavy; soon a large pile was placed beside Cheng Qi, all highly mutated and inedible.

Collecting the edible autumn pears on the tree, Shen Yao jumped down to prepare lunch; the space had abundant supplies; besides, Cheng Qi had just been injured.

Taking out the meat already stewed soft in the basin, then taking out a small stove for making fire, placing the basin on top to light and slow heat; Shen Yao took the opportunity to wash some vegetables and put them into the basin, waiting for the vegetables to boil before eating.

The staple food was steamed buns and flower rolls made in advance at home and steamed; when taken out, they were soft.

Most of the food went into Cheng Qi's belly; Shen Yao was an ordinary person, but had a normal appetite.

There was water in the space; the subsequent cleaning work was also done by Shen Yao; then she took out a woven mat; the two lay on it and slept simply for a while.

After resting well, the two left in the afternoon along the direction they came.

However, they did not return the same way; instead they chose a route they hadn't walked; encountering fruit trees or medicinal herbs, they all packed them up and took them away.

When the two walked out of the mountain forest and returned to the place where they parked at the mountain foot, Shen Yao secretly took out two back baskets of fruit from the space and put them into the rear carriage; then Cheng Qi drove the car back to the base.

Connecting Manman full one way back home, simply made a simple dinner like at noon.

After eating and drinking enough, Shen Yao collapsed on the sofa holding the child, feeling that they should do this again when they had time later, prepare meals in advance, and take them out to eat directly when busy; it was trouble-free and convenient.

Cheng Qi took a hot water bath; the marks from the bee sting on his arm had faded quite a bit, but still looked somewhat red and swollen.

Shen Yao took out two anti-inflammatory medicines; believing that with internal and external use, they would be fine by tomorrow.

Lately the big ones have all been busy going out to gather and scavenge; we can't delay matters.

"How could we delay anything? Tomorrow the base's Planting Garden will open up some sites—are we going or not?"

"Go, go, go, bring Manman along; with us taking care of her, nothing will happen."