Chapter 201: Zombies and Outing.
Yan Laojin watched the two leave again and did not move for a while. Only when their footsteps faded did she turn back toward the kitchen. She was tired, yes, but it was the kind of tired that came with relief instead of despair. She had lived long enough to understand that small gains mattered. A few bags of rice could carry a family through a week. A few bottles of oil could turn plain food into something that felt like home. A few pairs of clean socks and underwear could make people feel like life had not fallen apart completely. In times like these, all of it counted.
She also thought about the little bit of awkwardness she had seen when she entered the bedroom and saw the underwear and birth control pills. Her lips twitched again. Young people nowadays really had their own ideas. She did not want to pry, and she also knew better than to say something too bluntly. But as a mother, she could not help worrying a little. Bai Li and Yan Cijin were both young, both healthy, and now that they were living together, feelings would naturally get closer and closer. That in itself was not a bad thing. In fact, it was a good thing. Having someone to depend on was what kept people alive. But there were still some things that needed to be considered carefully, especially for the body.
The little girl on the sofa did not stay focused on the cartoon for long. After a while, she turned her head and looked toward the kitchen, then toward the bedroom, as if trying to figure out where everyone had gone. Her attention span was still small, and every sound in the apartment could pull her in a different direction. When she saw Yan Laojin walking back and forth carrying things, she slid off the sofa and padded over with tiny steps, her hands held out as if she wanted to help.
Yan Laojin saw her coming and quickly bent down to stop her. "No, sweetheart, you don’t need to carry anything. Just stay here and watch your cartoon."
The little girl blinked and tilted her head. "Can I help Grandma?"
Yan Laojin smiled and stroked her hair. "You can help by being good."
That answer made the child think for a moment, and then she nodded in a very serious way, as if this was an important job she had been assigned. She climbed back onto the sofa, hugged the cushion, and looked at the screen again, but her eyes still drifted now and then toward the adults. Yan Laojin saw that and felt her heart soften even more. In the past, she had been too busy worrying about survival to enjoy such tiny scenes, but now she could finally pay attention to them. A child who was healthy, a home that was still warm, a kitchen with food, and a daughter who was no longer walking this path alone. These things were small only on the surface. In truth, they were what made a person feel like they still had a life worth guarding.
As Yan Laojin finished tidying the kitchen, she also took a look at the little pile of daily items Bai Li had brought back from downstairs. The seasonings alone were enough to make her feel grateful. In ordinary times, people never paid much attention to a bottle of soy sauce or a can of oil. They grabbed them, used them, and forgot about them. But now, every item had to be counted carefully. One bottle could be stretched into many meals. A spoonful of oil could brighten a pot of plain noodles. A pinch of salt could turn something bland into something edible. That was the sort of thinking people in the apocalypse had no choice but to learn.
She opened one of the bags and checked the rice again, even though she had already seen it twice. The grains looked clean and full, and the bag was tightly sealed, which made her feel even more at ease. Flour was more troublesome, but it could also last a long time if stored properly. As for the oil, she decided to keep them in a shaded corner and avoid moving them around too much. She was already thinking ahead to the next few days. With these supplies, she could make noodles, porridge, simple fried food, and maybe even a few better dishes if they were lucky enough to find vegetables later. People might say such thoughts were too small for a world that had gone to hell, but Yan Laojin knew better. If a family could still plan meals, that meant they had not completely broken down yet.
She found herself thinking about Bai Li again.
The young woman had not said many dramatic things. She had not made big promises either. Yet every time she acted, she was practical and direct. She did not waste time. She did not look confused when things got difficult. Most importantly, she was willing to share what she had with Yan Cijin and LiLi. That alone meant a lot. In hard times, many people became very careful and very selfish, not because they were born bad, but because fear made them clutch at everything. Bai Li, however, seemed to have a very clear sense of what mattered. If something could keep the family fed, she brought it. If something could make life safer, she arranged it. She did not make a fuss, and she did not ask for praise. People like that were rare.
Yan Laojin also thought about the way Bai Li had looked at Yan Cijin earlier, especially when they were standing in the bedroom. It had not been loud or obvious, but it had been there. She had looked at her daughter as if she was important, as if she was worth being careful with. That kind of gaze could not be faked easily. Yan Laojin was old enough to tell the difference between temporary interest and genuine concern.
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To be continued.
