Chapter 327: How Beautiful the Stars in the Sky Are
Chapter 327: How Beautiful the Stars in the Sky Are
With that thought, An Ran finishes feeding Doll. The little one has just taken a nap, now full and comfortable, and brimming with energy. Although it’s already dark, Doll wants to go out and see the world.
An Ran takes Doll, her eyes wide with curiosity, out of the room and points at the stars in the sky. “Look, the stars are so beautiful and bright.”
Doll shakes her head, not looking at the stars but instead focusing on Zhan Lian, who is walking toward them. Zhan Lian claps his hands, wipes the oil from the corners of his mouth, and makes a “hug” gesture to Doll. He looks at An Ran and says, “Yun Tao made noodles. You should go eat some. Zhan Anxin will stay with me.”
An Ran hesitates for a moment, holding Doll, and looks into Zhan Lian’s eyes. Under the starlight, he’s smiling, gazing at her. An Ran takes a deep breath and moves Doll into Zhan Lian’s arms. She whispers, “Don’t give her to anyone, don’t take her away, or I’ll never forgive you.”
It’s a gamble—betting that Doll’s biological father is worthy of her trust.
Zhan Lian nods without saying a word. He gently holds Doll, pulls up a chair, and sits in the corner, talking softly to her.
An Ran watches him for a moment, suddenly realizing he might have some potential to be a doting father. She shakes her head and walks toward Yun Tao’s room.
The portable stove Yun Tao uses to cook the noodles is the same one Zhan Lian used at noon. The water has been bought from a water-based ability user by Zhan Lian with crystal cores. A candle flickers on the table, and Hengheng and Little Mint are already sitting there, eating noodles. Yun Tao grabs a disposable bowl and chopsticks and serves An Ran her portion from the pot.
Given their circumstances, being able to eat a bowl of hot soup noodles is quite a luxury compared to the days they spent eating on the road. Yun Tao and the others have no complaints.
After they finish, An Ran takes Little Mint with her and returns to Zhan Lian’s side to collect Doll, preparing to put her to bed.
Yun Tao has already set up a room, so An Ran doesn’t need to worry about it. As for where Zhan Lian will sleep, there’s no need for her to be concerned. He’s an adult and can take care of himself.
The night sky is pitch black, with countless stars scattered across the heavens. Not far from Gaoping, there is a two-story small building. A person stands by the window, holding a telescope, watching the area where An Ran is.
“Are you sure Zhan Lian arranged for you to perform surgery on that little girl?” Lei Jiang, holding the telescope, asks the woman seated behind him without turning around.
The woman, with a pretty face and intellectual demeanor, wears a slightly unpredictable expression. She watches Lei Jiang’s back and smiles. “In all of Tiesi Village, there’s no one else but me.”
Lei Jiang doesn’t respond directly to Zhao Ru’s answer. Instead, he asks, “Why doesn’t Zhan Lian lead the team to the city to retrieve the medical supplies and equipment? Why not perform the surgery in Tiesi Village?”
“I don’t know,” Zhao Ru replies. “But from my perspective, it’s too troublesome to get the medical equipment back. It’s better to just take people and perform the surgery. After all, the roads in the apocalypse are difficult to travel.”
Zhao Ru truly has no idea what Zhan Lian is thinking. All she knows is that Tiesi Village is in chaos and that Tang Jianjun is old. Though brave, he’s no longer the military leader he was before the apocalypse. Now, there are many in Tiesi Village who refuse to follow orders.