In the past, his day always began with staring blankly into space.
He would sit in his wheelchair at the doorway, gazing at the tall city wall.
To be honest, even he didn’t know what he was thinking about.
But life suddenly changed.
There was now a small figure squatting by the water basin outside the hut, washing up.
The morning sunlight crossed over the wall and shone upon Shen Guoguo.
She muttered that her hair was in the way.
The original owner of this body had never left the base, so without wind or sun, her skin was fair and her long black hair sleek and well-kept.
She brushed her hair behind her ear, tied it into a low bun, and fixed it with one of yesterday’s stainless steel chopsticks.
Worried she might mix it up with the ones used for eating, she picked up the kitchen knife, hammered one end of the chopstick flat with the handle, and made a mark.
After washing up, she pinched her soft, tender cheek.
Perfect—smooth and bouncy.
She was as decisive when hammering the chopstick as she was adorable now.
Huo Tao couldn’t help but curve his lips in a faint smile.
When Shen Guoguo turned her head and saw him sitting by the door, she flashed him a bright smile. “You wash your face and brush your teeth first. I’ll make breakfast.”
In Windsoil City, “defectives” like them didn’t need to work. They couldn’t go outside to fight or gather supplies, and there were no suitable jobs within the city either.
They could survive on nutrient solutions alone.
But Shen Guoguo refused to live that way.
So what if she was a farmer who went into business?
This life offered her another kind of freedom—a chance to start over.
Everything was a new beginning.
She scooped a bit of chicken fat into the pan, took out the leftover ingredients from last night, and placed them in one by one.
It was early morning—no need for deep-frying.
A simple pan-fry would do.
Inside the wild chicken’s belly were unformed eggs—fist-sized, golden yolks that were soft and springy.
She placed them into the chicken fat and fried them into golden rounds.
“Here, these are very nutritious. You should eat more.” She put both yolks into Huo Tao’s bowl.
“What’s this?” Huo Tao asked, staring at the yellowish color and crisp brown edges, unsure where to begin.
“This is an egg—or rather… a phoenix egg,” Shen Guoguo said, sprinkling a pinch of salt over it.
“An unformed phoenix egg. Try it.”
As she spoke, she scooped a bit of yolk with her spoon and tasted it.
The yolk was as soft and rich as cheese sauce—delicate and delicious.
Honestly, the mutated beast’s meat and texture far surpassed any animal she’d eaten before.
It seemed that in this wasteland world, even the simplest cooking brought out incredible flavors.
“Tastes good. Then let’s start from here,” she murmured with narrowed eyes, a random thought slipping out.
Following her example, Huo Tao took a bite of the fried egg. “Start from where?”
Shen Guoguo opened her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling in the morning light. “From finding ingredients!”
Huo Tao half understood but still nodded in support. “Alright, whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.”
“Great!”
Bracing her hands on the table, Shen Guoguo stood up straight, her eyes gleaming.
“Then let’s go collect trash!”
Huo Tao: “…???”
“You agreed just now, no backing out!” Shen Guoguo declared.
She didn’t care—picking up trash was nothing to be afraid of.
Given their current situation, should they give up money just for the sake of pride?
She wasn’t that kind of person.
And besides, she just wanted company. Otherwise, Huo Tao would be home alone all day—it’d be too boring.
Huo Tao sighed helplessly and nodded. “Alright.”
He wasn’t afraid of being laughed at. Having barely survived five years ago, he was long used to the cold looks of others.
The two of them ate excitedly while planning where to collect trash.
The more they talked, the more enthusiastic they became.
Just as they were getting into it, someone cleared their throat at the door.
Ahem!
Shen Guoguo turned around and saw Shen Tianliang and Mother Shen standing at the entrance.
“Father, Mother, why are you here?”
After spending one night adapting to this new world, Shen Guoguo could now greet them naturally, without the awkwardness from yesterday.
Seeing their daughter smile like that for the first time, Shen Tianliang sighed quietly.
He looked around the shabby little hut, his heart aching even more.
Poor child.
He stepped forward, took out a small cloth pouch, and placed it on the table—it jingled with a metallic clink.
“These are for you two. Take them.”
Shen Guoguo blinked, puzzled, setting down her chopsticks. “What is it?”
She opened the pouch—and inside were fifteen nutrient vials.
Mother Shen dabbed at the corners of her moist eyes. “You two are having a hard time. These are from your father and me. When your elder brothers return, we’ll bring you more.”
Uh…
Who would’ve thought? In her past life, Shen Guoguo had always been strong and proud, never once receiving understanding or support from her family.
Yet here, in this desolate world, she felt genuine parental love.
Shen Tianliang and Mother Shen were only low-level warriors; each could receive at most five nutrient vials per week.
To save fifteen, they must have tightened their belts to the limit.
Faced with such affection, Shen Guoguo didn’t know how to react.
Huo Tao reached out to stop her. “Father, Mother, we already have nutrients. Please take these back. If we ever need more, I’ll have Guoguo come get them.”
He neither accepted nor outright refused.
“You two, don’t be so polite,” Shen Tianliang insisted.
Seeing their hesitation, Huo Tao wheeled himself to the cabinet, retrieved the nutrient vials Shen Guoguo had received yesterday, and showed them.
That reassured Mother Shen a little. Her eyes then fell on the strange food on the table, and she couldn’t help asking, “What are you two eating?”
“These are eggs,” Huo Tao replied with a smile.
“Perfect timing. Why don’t you taste our cooking too?”
Shen Guoguo moved the table beside the bed, inviting Mother Shen to sit while giving her chair to her father.
Then she ran outside to the small stove, frying more eggs—and the remaining chicken intestines and liver.
Inside, Mother Shen looked at the messy bed and smiled faintly—it seemed last night had gone smoothly enough.
Her expression softened, and she regarded Huo Tao with a gentler gaze.
“Guoguo… she may be a defective, but her two elder brothers adore her.”
“The government-assigned marriage was unavoidable. Otherwise, we would’ve gladly supported her for life…”
“Oh, enough of that,” Shen Tianliang interrupted worriedly, glancing at Huo Tao.
They knew a bit about his situation—believing that, with his current condition, he might not be able to support a family.
But they’d also seen the nutrient vials earlier; Shen Guoguo’s weekly quota was only two, so the rest must have come from Huo Tao.
Apparently, he wasn’t as poor as they’d thought.
Still, Mother Shen’s words made Shen Tianliang worry that Huo Tao would take offense.
Of course, Huo Tao caught the implication behind her words and quickly smiled. “Guoguo is wonderful—kind, smart, brave, and very talented in cooking.”
Uh…
Was he talking about their daughter?
A talented cook?
Shen Tianliang and Mother Shen exchanged a glance filled with disbelief.
No need to lie through your teeth, young man.