Chapter 531: Talent
Chapter 531: Talent
Oh my god. Wang Wei suddenly sees Xu Li’er in a new light. How has he been so blind as to fall for such a woman?!
It is late at night, but Fatty’s group bustles with activity. Women with babies are sent to bed by Fatty, while the rest are handed hoes and hammers by Zhan Lian.
Everyone’s enthusiasm is unprecedented. Digging for earthworms has turned into a form of entertainment. Even little Hengheng runs to the edge of the field, eager to join in.
The distant laughter resembles fireworks, and to Wang Wei, the snow seems even thicker than the day before.
He stares at the resentful Xu Li’er for a long, silent moment, then turns away, picks up his acoustic guitar, and sits down beside Liang Ziyu.
Liang Ziyu is sorting supplies in the last carriage of the truck. He pulls out a bag of glutinous rice, preparing to make rice dumplings, but when he glances at Wang Wei, he pauses and says, “Want some zongzi later? I’ll ask An Ran for some leaves and make a batch for you guys.”
They say a bad mood pairs best with zongzi. Wang Wei’s spirits lift slightly. Sitting on the carriage’s hood, he watches the snowflakes fall and asks, “Are we leaving early tomorrow morning?”
“About the right time,” Liang Ziyu replies. “They want to find the next gathering place of survivors before the snow blocks the road.” He hands the glutinous rice to Wang Wei, then rummages through the carriage, muttering, “No red dates… I can make some preserves with them. I’ll have Fatty’s people grow some.”
As if struck by a sudden idea, he scurries off toward Fatty’s location, like a busy little hamster eager to prepare a delicious meal.
In the distance, Xu Li’er lingers, hiding behind the car. Watching An Ran and the others, her expression gradually darkens.
The next morning, despite her reluctance, the team sets off. Snow falls harder, and they need to find the next large gathering of human survivors quickly. Otherwise, the large packs of mutant animals will pose a serious threat in the icy, snowy landscape.
The ice on the road thickens, and the weather grows colder. An Ran’s mutant plants grow more slowly. Seeing that the environment is relatively safe, she conserves her vines, reserving the remaining wood crystal cores and mutant plants for emergencies.
After leaving the town, they follow the directions provided by Zhan Lian and Luo Feifan, passing through several locations, collecting supplies, and eventually reaching the Beijing–Tibet Expressway.
Along the way, they encounter a few scattered survivors—some in cars, others frozen along the road. Travel is extremely difficult, but Fatty eagerly picks up anyone he can. Yet, as if by unspoken agreement, these survivors show no interest in joining the team. Once the cars are repaired and they’ve caught their breath, they immediately run off, unwilling to shoulder the burdens that come with such a cumbersome group.
Fatty is a talent in his own right. He recruits some young men, and before they even settle in, he is already chatting them up, explaining the immense difficulty of leading the team, how pitiful their situation is, and how heavy the burdens are—the number of elderly needing medicine, pregnant women about to give birth, and children needing formula…