When Jiang Ning got home, Bai Xue was still angry from being wrongly accused. She completely ignored Coke when he came back.
Coke tried to get close but ended up getting bitten.
The two bared their teeth at each other like they were about to start a full-on fight.
The rich mother-in-law kept a neutral stance and didn’t interfere in the couple’s quarrel.
She just let them be.
She figured they’d probably give each other the cold shoulder for a few days, but to her surprise, by lunchtime, Coke had already smoothed things over. The two were back to being lovey-dovey again.
It was really… impossible to understand animals’ emotional behavior.
After a nap, Jiang Ning was in the kitchen making hotpot sauce when Zhang Chao, Lu Yu, and the other two arrived.
Bai Xue didn’t recognize them and bared her teeth fiercely, but was quickly held down by Coke.
Jiang Ning greeted them and let them in, but no one got to just sit around waiting for food. Everyone had to pitch in.
Some were in charge of killing chickens and ducks, others peeled ginger, green onions, and garlic. Some picked and washed vegetables.
While working and chatting, it felt like being back on the 18th floor, or maybe the villa district in the new city, or even those group meals at the southern military base.
Zheng Weili spaced out a bit. Just a while ago in the wasteland desert, they couldn’t even get coarse grain to eat. And now? They were butchering chickens and ducks like it was nothing.
Jiang Ning gently patted her shoulder. “What are you thinking about. You look so out of it.”
Zheng Weili smiled, “I just never thought I’d get the chance to pluck feathers off a chicken again in this lifetime.”
“Not only will you get the chance,” Jiang Ning said with a smile, “you’ll be eating well every day from now on.”
Even though the four of them were mentally tougher than most, the years of surviving through disasters had taken a toll. They still looked worn out.
Jiang Ning tried to cheer them up.
“Maybe you didn’t notice it out there in the wasteland, but the climate here is getting more stable.”
She told them about how Fengcheng had changed over the past couple of years. Her tone was relaxed.
“We all think the natural disasters might already be over, and things are gradually recovering.”
It was the same with the new continent. Sure, there were still sandstorms and unpredictable weather, but it wasn’t as bad as it used to be.
They’d just been too busy trying to survive and playing hide-and-seek with the Americans to notice the changes.
Now that they looked back, it actually made sense.
They were a little dazed. “Could it really be over?”
“Everything’s moving in a better direction.” Jiang Ning reassured them gently. “These past ten years… let’s just think of it as a long, long dream. But now we’ve finally woken up.”
Lu Yu, as carefree as ever, chimed in, “Yeah, exactly like Anning said. We’re still living in Fengcheng. Chao found his destined love, Aiqi. Anning has Brother Shen by her side. And my Lili still loves me.”
Everything still felt so wonderful.
The disasters had been brutal, but each of the three of them had gained something.
Zhang Chao still loved his older sister figure, but at least he was no longer cursed with the “auntie” complex.
Anning had also opened her eyes and stopped falling for manipulative jerks. Now she was in a sweet, healthy relationship with Brother Shen.
The three of them exchanged looks and suddenly burst out laughing.
Looking back at their past selves, it felt like they’d been under some kind of strange spell—completely ridiculous.
Ding Qi arrived a bit later and didn’t know what was going on. She quietly asked Zheng Weili, “What’s so funny? Why are those three laughing like that?”
There was something weird about it, like they were hiding something from her.
Zheng Weili didn’t dare bring up Zhang Chao’s previous ‘love history,’ so she brushed it off. “Nothing really. Probably just some silly memories from back when we were in the orphanage. It seems funny now when you think about it.”
The truth was… each of those three had their own unforgettable past.
Thankfully, Lu Yu had come clean a long time ago—Zheng Weili really was his one true love.
And over all these years, he’d proved it.
But time is cruel. It cuts deep with every passing year.
Nowadays, Zheng Weili didn’t even dare look at herself in the mirror. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning and Brother Shen were glowing.
Still, she was confident. As long as she could settle down in Fengcheng, good days would come.
With everyone helping out, things got done quickly.
Jiang Ning turned on the range hood and stir-fried the hotpot base.
Bright red. Spicy. Fragrant. It hit the nose like a punch.
Zhang Chao and Lu Yu stood right under the range hood, taking deep breaths. The spicy air made them cough, but their faces looked completely satisfied.
“That’s the smell! Haven’t smelled this in years.”
“Looks great!”
“It’s like the souls of the dead are rising.”
Zheng Weili and Ding Qi were speechless. Don’t let their usual smooth-talking fool you—whenever they teamed up with Jiang Ning, they revealed their silly side.
But that’s fine. At least they felt alive.
Lu Yu frowned. “Anning, what’s the brand of this range hood? It really sucks everything clean.”
“It’s made by Americans,” Jiang Ning casually mentioned her heroic deeds in the Arctic. “Too bad you guys weren’t there, or we would’ve taken down the fake American underwater base and gotten even more supplies. Instead, it all went to those damn Russians.”
She was bragging, but so was Lu Yu.
“Who’s to say not? We saw the Americans landing, in the middle of a storm on the sea, almost wiping out their entire army. If we’d had some super hardcore weapons at the time, they wouldn’t have been able to turn the tables and bully us.”
They had wandered across the New Continent, visiting many places.
On the other side of the New Continent were the Russian camps.
That’s right, they’d landed too—one in the south, the other in the north, thousands of kilometers apart.
Jiang Ning was surprised. The Russians and the Americans were both in the New Continent? This is getting interesting.
The day flew by, and before they knew it, evening came.
All the food was ready, just waiting for Huo Yishen and his sister to return.
As expected, they arrived on time, right as the sun set.
Doudou happily said, “Sister-in-law, I came back with Sister Yin.”
Jiang Ning asked, “How’s she doing?”
“She’s fine once she gets busy, no longer overthinking things,” Doudou reported, “She said she wants to come tomorrow, I’ll go call her when I go to work.”
Doudou knew that, aside from being her brother and sister-in-law’s superior, Yu Changzheng also took good care of her, and she wouldn’t hesitate to help out whenever possible.
After all these years, they got back together. Doudou has grown up, and there’s also Ding Qi with them now.
The usual routine, hotpot.
The dog still couldn’t eat spicy food, but Doudou had reached the age where she could drink.
They sat down, and the table filled with noise and laughter as the pot simmered.
Chicken, duck, tofu, vegetables, tomatoes, mushrooms…
The spice made them sweat and even cry.
As they ate and chatted, Huo Yishen was busy with the handovers, but still took a moment to inform everyone, “The Fire Seed Container you brought back from the submarine are fertilizer production equipment.”
Fertilizer production?
Zhang Chao and Lu Yu didn’t know how to react. They had sacrificed nine comrades for this, but it brought hope for survival to many.
Doudou was thrilled, “If the base can produce fertilizer, crop yields will improve, and many people won’t have to go hungry.”
Lu Yu wiped his face, unsure if it was sweat or tears. “Here’s to everyone being able to eat their fill and stay warm.”
They ate hotpot late into the night, and when it was time to send them off, Jiang Ning even packed a can of hotpot base for them.
Back in the house, she opened a can of pineapple beer and smiled.
Halfway through drinking, Huo Yishen took it from her and had a couple of sips. “Very happy?”
Jiang Ning leaned on his shoulder, “Mm.”
She was really happy.
Huo Yishen could feel it; she was in a relaxed state.
The arrival of Zhang Chao and Lu Yu made her not only satisfied with the present but hopeful for the future.
Unable to resist, she grabbed Huo Yishen’s face and gave him a kiss.
She was definitely happy, but Huo Yishen couldn’t help but think—Doudou was right next to them.
What could Doudou do? She turned her head and pretended she hadn’t seen, then went off to the backyard to shower.
As soon as her sister left, Huo Yishen scooped Jiang Ning up and carried her to the room, locking the door behind them.
Once inside, Jiang Ning playfully poked him in the ribs. “Not going to pretend anymore?”
Huo Yishen tossed her onto the bed and started undoing his belt. “Mm, not pretending anymore.”