NOVPUBChapter 107: Chapter 107: Still Being Sentimental
Chapter 107 -107: Still Being Sentimental
When the meal started, seeing the table filled to the brim surprised everyone except Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng. They were mainly stunned by the dishes; it had been so long since they had seen such food.
Duan Shumei said, “Eat less of these dishes today, they are too precious.”
Gu Pan replied, “It’s also poorly grown, and if we don’t eat, we might die anyway, so let’s eat it all. If we wait longer, I fear it will be worse than now.”
Indeed, that was true. The vegetables they grew barely survived a few days after sprouting. There might have been some green left if they ate them sooner, and they could have tasted a bit of it, but who could bear to? By saving them, in the end, they turned completely inedible.
So, the vegetables, yellowed and dried, couldn’t be kept any longer. They might as well eat them.
Dipping it in the sauce, Chen Lang took a bite of the meat and stood up, “My goodness, how can there be such deliciousness in the world?”
Duan Shumei frowned slightly, “This child isn’t mine, listen to what I say, when we first came home, we saw a baby next to a garbage bin…”
Gu Pan and the others couldn’t help but laugh.
Chen Lang didn’t mind, “Even if I was picked up from a pile of trash, the hot pot is delicious.”
Lu Ruisheng laughed and scooped two meatballs for Chen Lang with a ladle, “Eat more, you’re still growing.”
Chen Shaonan looked at Lu Ruisheng and said, “If he hadn’t been with us, this kid definitely wouldn’t have grown tall. Being strong in the apocalypse, he must be one of the few.”
Duan Shumei also said, “Though it might sound cliché, I really am thankful to everyone for their tolerance towards Chen Lang.”
Gu Pan, changing the topic with a smile, said, “Teacher Chen and Teacher Duan, hurry and eat some meat, or else Chen Lang and Cheng Yang will finish it all.”
Knowing Gu Pan’s demeanor, Chen Shaonan and Duan Shumei smiled and did not pursue the topic further, focusing instead on enjoying their meal.
Today, everyone ate very satisfactorily. Although there were no beef rolls or lamb rolls like before the apocalypse, having a flavorful hot pot at this time, with rich dipping sauces, what more could they ask for?
However, Old Master Lin’s household was starving, their backs sticking to their bellies from hunger. Since arriving in the apocalypse, they had lived quite comfortably in the Inner Circle for a while. Even though they later controlled the use of resources and rationed food and clothing, they never had to go without dry rice or thin porridge, and if there were no vegetables there were vitamins, no meat or eggs but calcium tablets.
But now, they had nothing, and the family sat in the living room, their faces sallow. 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
The only consolation was that they had managed to unlock the water source. Now, people in the Inner Circle could also fetch water, ensuring they wouldn’t die of thirst.
Now that they had all moved out and were scattered, Old Master Lin didn’t dare gather the people of the Inner Circle again. If the occupiers found out, they might think he was attempting a revolt, which would spell trouble.
And what use was there in gathering those people anyway? Half of them were old, sick, or weak. Though some were skilled with their hands or excellent in archery, what was that against firearms?
He now regretted one thing deeply, why hadn’t he recognized the true abilities of Xiao Gu and Xiao Lu earlier? If he had formed an alliance with them sooner, he wouldn’t have been breached.
But what use was regret? Now was not the time to dwell on that, he needed to face the current problems.
Lin Feifei’s stomach growled with hunger once again, and she looked at Old Master Lin, “Grandpa, shall we ask Brother Yuan Jiang for some food?”
Old Master Lin outright refused, “Who has extra food now? Aren’t they also out searching? It’s getting dark; you and your dad go out again, and don’t come back so early today. Go farther. The nearby places have been searched countless times; the farther you go, the more likely you’ll find something.”
Hearing this, Lin Feifei’s face was full of reluctance, “Grandpa, I haven’t eaten all day. If I go out to search for food and have to walk all night, I’ll starve to death.”
Old Master Lin didn’t hesitate, “Given your current condition, you’re bound to starve sooner or later—another day or two won’t make much difference.”
Lin Feifei couldn’t believe her usually indulgent grandpa would say such a thing, and she felt resentful inside, “Grandpa, you let Mengmeng stay with Brother Yuan Jiang, and he looks after her well without her worrying about food and drink. But what about me? I have to go find food with dad and take care of this family. Why is that?”
Old Master Lin’s eyes widened, “Because Lin Ran is your dad, and Song Yiru is your mom.”
Lin Feifei responded, “But when dad and I bring back food, isn’t it also for you to eat? We’re both your granddaughters, why don’t you ask Lin Meng…”
Before Lin Feifei could finish, Lin Ran slapped her across the face, “Shut up, he’s my dad.”
Dazed by the slap, Lin Feifei, already weak from hunger, saw stars and squatted on the ground, clutching her face, momentarily stunned.
Song Yiru, distressed, went over to embrace Lin Feifei, and mother and daughter wept together. To an outsider, it might seem they had suffered great injustices. Clearly, Song Yiru’s tears also spoke of her dissatisfaction with Old Master Lin.
Lin Ran looked at his hand regretfully, thinking he might have gone too far. He then went over to comfort his wife and daughter.
Old Master Lin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then said to Lin Ran, “I stayed in this house because I was worried about you all. Now that your daughter resents me, there’s no need for me to stick around. From now on, you’re on your own.”
Having said that, Old Master Lin went to pack his belongings. He planned to live elsewhere—there were vacant houses around, and he was not worried about survival. He had prudently hidden plenty of supplies in the basement of the local substation, a generally unknown location as substations don’t usually need basements. This particular one was elevated due to the terrain, so he could sneak in.
Old Master Lin often went for walks in the morning and had seen maintenance work happening there. Standing by, he struck up conversations and learned about the basement.
So, after the apocalypse, Old Master Lin had discreetly moved some items there, as a safeguard for his family, especially since resources within the Inner Circle were shared by all. These were his ultimate safety measures for his children and grandchildren.
Initially, his plan was to train Lin Ran and Lin Feifei for a while, until they could handle responsibilities and Lin Ran could take charge of the household. He would then reveal the location, and could die peacefully knowing he had ensured their safety.
But given Lin Feifei’s current attitude, Old Master Lin declared he was moving out and wanted to see his son’s final stance.
At that moment, Lin Ran didn’t immediately stop Old Master Lin. Instead, he said, “Dad, why don’t you stay with Mengmeng for a couple of days? I’ll share any food I find with you, so you don’t have to be upset with us here.”
Old Master Lin smiled wryly, understanding his son’s response. He packed his things and moved next door, grateful that he still had one last ace up his sleeve.
