Chapter 225: Bathing
Chapter 225: Bathing
At some point, Little Mint silently walks over to Anran’s side. She tugs at the corner of her clothes, motioning for her to look in a certain direction.
Following her gaze, Anran sees a storefront on the other side of the children's playground. The sign above reads "Qinbao Baby Swimming Pool."
Through the transparent glass door, she spots several small pools designed for babies. Surrounding them is a much larger pool in the center—big enough for several adults to swim in.
The pool is still filled with water, clear and pristine. It’s obvious that it has been there since before the apocalypse.
Many baby swimming pools operate this way. To save costs, they fill the large pool and use the same water for several days as long as it remains clean. In the world before, it was a common practice.
But now, in the apocalypse, where water has turned murky and yellow, a pool this clean is practically a luxury.
"Do you want to take a bath?" Anran asks.
Little Mint nods.
Anran hands Doll in her arms to her, picks up a fire axe, and smashes the glass door of Qinbao Baby Swimming Pool. The sound echoes through the stifling afternoon air.
The moment Little Mint jumps in, the crisp splash of water fills the space. She cheers, her slender body moving through the water like a fish, darting and diving in the huge swimming pool.
Anran stands by the edge, holding Doll as she watches. She rummages through a nearby disinfection cabinet and finds a clean towel. Wetting it in the large pool, she gently wipes the fine, soft hair on Doll’s head.
It has been about two months since the child was born, and this is the first time her hair has been washed. Her scalp is still covered with thick fetal flakes that haven’t fallen off. Anran carefully wipes her tiny head, then undresses her to clean her little body.
Doll squints her eyes in comfort, letting out a soft hum as she moves her hands and kicks her chubby legs. She looks so content that Anran can’t help but smile.
She considers giving her a full bath, but the water is too cold. With the mall’s power completely out, there’s no way to heat it. Although the air inside is warm, Doll has never touched water before. A sudden cold bath might be too much for her.
After tending to Doll and Little Mint, Anran finds a set of clean clothes for both of them. Then, she turns to the large swimming pool.
She needs a bath too.
The moment she steps into the water, the once-clear pool turns murky. Having fought zombies in close combat for so long, her body is covered in filth.
Despite the cold, the feeling of washing up is indescribably refreshing. She scrubs her body vigorously, rubbing away layers of grime. She scrubs so hard it feels like she’s about to peel off a layer of skin.
By the time she finally climbs out of the pool, she is clean and rejuvenated.
The only problem? The water left behind is now a pool of yellow filth.
There’s no way she can bathe here again. Who knows when she’ll get another chance to enjoy a proper bath like this?
Feeling much better after cleaning up, Anran dresses and carries Doll, leading Little Mint behind her. Together, the three of them search for crystal cores in the white flower field.
Before leaving the first floor, they also stop by the clothing stores, picking out some summer clothes.
The weather is growing hotter by the day—unnaturally so. In the past, Xiangcheng’s winters were bone-chillingly cold. But now, it’s already warm enough for short sleeves.
Anran frowns, glancing around.
If her flowers can’t keep the mosquitoes at bay, the entire mall will soon be swarming with them.