"I’m leaving." Guan Kunling received the answer and said indifferently.
"Wait, wait a moment, doctor." Zhou Zheng called out to her, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes. "Doctor, where did these things come from?"
"I don’t know." Guan Kunling replied, "I passed by here, same as you... made a quick stop, and these things were just lying on the ground."
"Oh." Zhou Zheng rolled his eyes and asked, "And you’re not going to take them to eat?"
"Since they’re not mine, how could I dare to use them carelessly?" Guan Kunling’s expression was calm. "I don’t have the time, so goodbye."
"Are there really fools in the world?" Zhou Zheng watched her receding figure, laughing inwardly. These things are all mine now. He picked up a large watermelon and smashed it on the ground. The fresh watermelon split open, and a fragrant sweetness wafted into the air, revealing vibrant red flesh with some juice trickling out.
Zhou Zheng was overjoyed. He tore into the watermelon, shoving chunks into his mouth, crunching loudly, "Delicious, absolutely delicious."
After finishing the entire watermelon, Zhou Zheng’s mouth was stained red. He opened the other bags, and upon doing so, found himself deeply disappointed. Besides oranges, the rest of the items were raw, not ready to eat: cabbage, pork belly, and the like. He wouldn’t take them even if they were given to him for free.
His eyes darted around as he propped his chin, contemplating where to bury the watermelon. Suddenly, his face lit up with sheer excitement!
"Stupid, Zhou Zheng, you idiot!" He smacked his head, his heart pounding wildly, as he murmured with fervent enthusiasm, "This is an incredible opportunity! A chance for promotion and wealth!"
These things were useless to him. Even if he buried them, they wouldn’t last long. Tomorrow, he’d be leaving with everyone else. He didn’t have any particular skills and was likely destined to remain a mere teacher—or perhaps he wouldn’t even have that. He’d be treated like any other disaster survivor. Rumor had it that the kitchen was running low on supplies. If he reported this to the soldiers and offered these items to the kitchen, wouldn’t that count as a great service? Making a contribution during the earthquake would surely earn him praise. He would become a hero of the party and the people!
The more Zhou Zheng thought about it, the more excited he became, and he started running ahead. After a few steps, he stopped, reverted to his usual composed demeanor, wiped his mouth, and straightened his clothes. He glanced down, then returned to the scene to dispose of the watermelon fragments further away before continuing on his way.
"Well, well." Tian Sangsang appeared from the shadows, a slight smile curving her lips. "Like the saying goes: ’Leave quietly after finishing the deed, hiding your name and accomplishments.’ Zhou Zheng, I really ought to thank you." Now she didn’t even have to figure out a way to inform others—someone would naturally draw attention to it for her. Moreover, this contribution was too significant. The military wasn’t full of fools; she wasn’t sure if Zhou Zheng could handle what was coming.
Thinking of this, Tian Sangsang’s mood improved greatly. Swiftly, she slipped into the jungle and darted toward the medical clinic.
"Chen Ming, Chen Ying." Chen Ying’s leg was immobile, and she lay confined to the hospital bed.
"You’re here." Chen Ying’s cheeks bore an unnatural flush as she waved Chen Ming away and extended her hand toward Tian Sangsang.
Chen Ming rubbed his nose and stepped aside.
"Where’s Yanyan?" Tian Sangsang held her hand, taking the opportunity to ask.
Chen Ying chuckled, "Taken by his dad. Ye Jiang has really come back. I’m truly happy for you and Yanyan."
Though she’d once harbored a crush on him, he was her friend’s man and the father of her friend’s child. Her crush had gradually faded—not because she didn’t want to think about it, but because she couldn’t. A friend’s husband was off-limits; that was her boundary when it came to friendships.
"It’s not Ye Jiang—it’s Jiang Jinghuai," Tian Sangsang corrected.
"So sneaky, using a fake name," Chen Ying wasn’t upset, just smiled and said, "Tomorrow, will you go with us or with him?"
"Yanyan needs his father," Tian Sangsang replied calmly.
So it would be with Jiang Jinghuai. Chen Ying let out a hearty sigh, "This should’ve happened long ago. In my opinion, you sometimes seem more perceptive than the rest of us, but in reality, you overcomplicate things and trap yourself in dead ends. It’s so simple—your child needs a father, you need a partner, and it’s time to build a family. But you insist on overthinking it. What’s the use of thinking so much? If you don’t act on it, you’ll never know if it’s worth it."
"Wrong, you’re wrong," Tian Sangsang deliberately glared at her in mock irritation, "Yanyan needs a father, but *I* don’t need a man."
"Fine, keep being stubborn."
"But, Yingzi..." Tian Sangsang teased with a smile, "I didn’t expect you to be so full of wisdom, lecturing me in full paragraphs."
"Maybe the earthquake changed my outlook." Chen Ying said, her once sharp brows now relaxed and softened. "In the future, wherever I end up with my brother and the others, I’ll write to let you know once I’ve settled down."
They were starting anew; what was there to fear about the future?
Tian Sangsang truly felt that Chen Ying had changed a lot, and she sincerely admired her newfound ease. "I’ll leave you an address for the military camp later, so you can visit me anytime."