Chapter 93

Li Qingxuan quietly waited for Li Feifei to finish her water before speaking, his voice calm, not wanting to break this rare tranquility.

"How is the Storage Room organized? Not too tiring?" Li Feifei set down her teacup, the corners of her mouth curving in a reassuring arc: "Everything's in order. The Vegetables have been sorted, placed in baskets by type and shelved; the rice is stacked neatly, bag openings sealed and checked, placed in a dry corner."

She paused, her tone lightening a bit: "Ling'er is quick with her hands and feet, Shuang'er learns fast too—she's been a big help."

Zhao Ling'er heard this, a blush rose on her face, she lowered her head slightly embarrassed: "It's thanks to Feifei sis's teaching—I can tell apart everything in the Storage Room clearly, I've memorized it all."

Zhao Shuang'er nodded firmly, her small face still flushed from moving heavy objects, eyes bright: "Yeah! Feifei sis said tools should be returned after use, medical supplies are for taking as needed, and those Energy Stones……"

She suddenly stopped, realizing she'd said too much, and shyly edged closer to her sister.

Li Qingxuan gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the three, a warm feeling welling up in his chest.

The fortress's daily operation relies precisely on the accumulation of trust and cooperation in these small matters.

"You've worked hard." He paused, then naturally turned the topic upstairs: "Huang Rong's mood has eased a bit, but her injury still needs time to heal. She mentioned wanting to help, but we'll wait until she recovers."

Li Feifei rubbed the rim of her cup thoughtfully: "The upgrade of Panshi Fortress is lacking only Energy Stones. I've gathered the Bodhi Fruit these past two days—remember to eat it. The fruit works so well, it might give you another boost."

Her eyes full of concern, recalling how Li Qingxuan looked after eating the Bodhi Fruit—"his mind felt very comfortable"—she added: "In the greenhouse, I'll regularly speed up the crops' growth, so we'll have a steady supply of Vegetables for trade."

"Alright, you handle it." Li Qingxuan replied, then took another sip of water.

The tea had a slight astringency, then turned sweet; the flames in the hearth crackled, firelight stretching the four shadows long against the wall.

Zhao Ling'er interjected softly: "That Huang Rong sister… sounds very brave. Feifei sis, can we go help in the greenhouse tomorrow? Shuang'er also wants to have a look."

"Of course," Li Feifei replied with a smile, "though there isn't really much to do—it's all fully automated. Let's rest today; after the Storage Room is tidied, you'll also be tired."

The two sisters exchanged a smile; Shuang'er pressed her lips together and murmured softly: "Not tired! As long as I can help, that's fine."

In the Living Room, the mixed scent of tea and woodsmoke drifted about; Li Qingxuan leaned back against the sofa and decided to give himself some relaxation.

Li Feifei continued busying herself with transactions, the exchanged items mostly centering on Energy Stones.

Li Qingxuan and the Zhao Ling'er sisters chatted about everything under the sun; after a short while, Li Qingxuan took out the playing cards obtained from the trade, and began playing Dou Landlord with the two sisters, the winner assigning a punishment to the loser.

The playing cards rotated among the three hands, the hearth's firelight flickering across the card faces.

Li Qingxuan played his cards steadily, fingers lightly tapping the table as if victory were assured; Zhao Ling'er's gaze was focused, she occasionally pursed her lips in thought, her brows slightly furrowed.

The landlord was Zhao Shuang'er; she clenched her cards nervously with both hands, her small face flushed from excitement.

"Pair of K!" Zhao Ling'er called out crisply, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly with a hint of smugness.

"Pair of 2……" Zhao Shuang'er excitedly waved her last card in hand.

Li Qingxuan gave a faint smile, pulled two cards from the three: "Bomb."

"Ah!" the two sisters exclaimed in unison; Zhao Shuang'er even stomped her foot in frustration, then slapped her own forehead.

"Haha, Qingxuan bro is awesome!" Zhao Ling'er laughed, looking at Zhao Shuang'er.

"The winner decides," Li Qingxuan lightly tapped his own cheek, tone relaxed, "the punishment… Shuang'er, you kiss me."

Zhao Shuang'er's face instantly flushed crimson; she shot Li Qingxuan an annoyed glance, but under her sister's teasing gaze and laughter, she quickly pecked his cheek, then covered her face.

Zhao Ling'er laughed until she doubled over.

Although Li Feifei was focused on the Trading Panel before her, her fingertips swiftly swiped across the light screen, filtering Energy Stone–related information, yet the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up; the cheerful atmosphere in the Living Room was like an invisible warm current, warming everyone's spirit.

She swiftly completed a small trade, exchanging a water purifier and food for a considerable amount of Energy Stones, only then diverting her attention to the three playing.

"Shuang'er's luck isn't so great," Li Feifei teased, her gaze sweeping over Zhao Shuang'er's pouting little face.

"Next round! Next round I'll definitely win!" Zhao Shuang'er puffed out her cheeks, unwilling to lose, she began shuffling the cards, her small hands striving to mix them evenly, her movements childish yet earnest.

Li Qingxuan lifted his water cup and took another sip, leaving the sisters to reshuffle the cards.

The hearth crackled, warmth suffusing the air; this brief, ordinary‑person leisure time proved all the more precious in the apocalypse.

He leaned against the sofa back, his gaze sweeping over the playing sisters, then landing on Li Feifei's focused profile, finally turning to the window where a thick mist shrouded a peril‑filled world.

At that moment, the boundary between inside and outside the fortress was clearly drawn by the hearth's warmth and the girls' laughter.

"Who called the landlord?" Zhao Ling'er's voice pulled his thoughts back to the card game.

"Me." Li Qingxuan withdrew his gaze, his fingertip pointing to the three bottom cards.

Amidst the laughter, time slipped away like fine sand through fingers; in the blink of an eye, the dusk of six o'clock in the evening had quietly fallen.

Li Feifei closed the Trading Interface, rubbed her slightly sore eyes, and said: "Alright, today's 'business' ends here. Ling'er, Shuang'er, tired? After dinner you should rest early."

"I'm fine, Feifei sis," Zhao Ling'er said quickly, and Shuang'er also strained to keep her eyes open, indicating she wasn't sleepy.

Li Feifei smiled, rose to her feet: "I'll go tidy up the supplies and check the Energy Stone reserves while I'm at it." She said this, heading toward the passage to the Storage Room.

In the Living Room remained Li Qingxuan and the three sisters.

Li Qingxuan watched Zhao Shuang'er trying to stay alert, and spoke gently: "If you're tired, just nap a bit; the sofa is big enough."

Shuang'er's cheeks flushed slightly; she gave an embarrassed smile, then curled up obediently into the sofa, her little head lightly resting on her sister's shoulder, like a kitten that has found a warm nest, her breathing gradually becoming even and long.

Zhao Ling'er adjusted her sitting posture to let her sister rest more comfortably, then settled down herself, her gaze soft as she watched Shuang'er's sleeping face, occasionally glancing up at the contemplative Li Qingxuan, her face bearing a satisfied tranquility.

Li Qingxuan rose and walked toward the Kitchen; immediately, the faint clatter of pots and pans mingled with the tempting 'sizzle' of food hitting hot oil, spreading through the air and infusing this cold fortress with a hint of warm, homely atmosphere.

Zhao Ling'er gently patted her sister's back, feeling Shuang'er's steady breath, her gaze falling on the warm‑yellow light spilling from the kitchen doorway.

(PS: Please send some love‑powered electricity; the author will be more motivated, thanks!)