Fresh green bok choy, napa cabbage, crisp cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, and all sorts of other vegetables—everything was available here.
The farmer was absolutely delighted and quickly led Qin Muxue to the granary to see the rice.
“These are all from this year’s harvest. I guarantee they’re fragrant and sweet.”
Qin Muxue ran her hand through the rice and indeed caught a fresh, clean scent rather than the musty smell of aged grain.
The farmer explained, “That granary over there has last year’s rice. Feel free to compare. We’re in the business of selling, so we can’t disappoint our customers. We keep the aged rice for ourselves.”
“I’ll take all the new rice! I’ll find a truck to come load it up.”
Seeing that the rice was of good quality, Qin Muxue didn’t hesitate at all and paid on the spot.
The farmer was overjoyed—after all, with such a large transaction, he could finally afford to take his daughter for surgery. He insisted on having Qin Muxue stay for dinner.
“No need, no need. You don’t have to be so polite. This is just business—money in hand, goods delivered. That’s only natural.”
The farmer shook his head. “Young lady, you didn’t even try to haggle the price down. I’m truly grateful for that.”
He had never met such a straightforward buyer before. In the past, people who called themselves big bosses would come to buy rice, purchase only small amounts, and still bargain endlessly.
Just then, Qin Muxue’s stomach began to rumble loudly after her long dusty journey. She scratched her head sheepishly. “I am actually hungry.”
So she stopped declining and stayed for lunch at the farmer’s home.
The farmer treated her to the best food the household had—fragrant steamed cured pork, cured sausages, pork ribs from a neighbor who had just slaughtered a pig, old duck soup, and some stir-fried organic vegetables.
Every dish tasted of the ingredients’ natural flavors. She felt that fresh ingredients were truly the most delicious.
With just the simplest preparation, the old duck soup was incredibly savory, and the ribs were tender and flavorful.
“In that duck soup, I put some wild mushrooms from the mountains and a bit of salt—nothing else. How does it taste?”
Qin Muxue drank a big bowlful. “It’s delicious! Thank you so much for your hospitality.”
From the adjacent room, a pale-faced little girl walked out. She stared longingly at Qin Muxue eating the meat and swallowed her saliva.
“Big sister, I want to eat meat too.”
“Then come and eat with us!”
The farmer shook his head. “Ah, my daughter has a malignant tumor. She throws up whenever she eats meat, so she can only manage plain porridge and simple dishes. I’m truly sorry.” As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and he wiped them away, not wanting the other to see.
Qin Muxue didn’t know how to help him. She just thought the little girl was very well-behaved. The girl even picked a handful of wildflowers and gave them to Qin Muxue, saying it was the first time she’d seen such a beautiful big sister.
“Uncle, do you sell these cured meats? I’ll take all of them. If you have chickens, ducks, fish, or these ribs, you can sell those to me too.”
“Really, there’s no need…”
“It’s fine. These are exactly the things I need anyway. Since I have to buy them regardless, and seeing how good your ducks and meat taste around here, I might as well buy them while I’m at it!”
The farmer said, “Most of the farmers around here have fully grown pigs for sale, along with beef, chickens, ducks, geese, and the like. If you want, young lady, I can point you to some reliable households.”
Qin Muxue didn’t stand on ceremony—having help was more than welcome, as it meant she could buy meat that was both fresh and reasonably priced.
Besides, her Space had preservation functions, so anything stored inside wouldn’t spoil. Naturally, the more the better.
She purchased dozens of slaughtered pigs from the village, along with plenty of chickens, ducks, and fish. Even as she was leaving, the villagers saw her off, even gifting her a good amount of fruit.
Before departing, Qin Muxue slipped a note to the farmer. “This is my contact information. If you ever go to a major hospital in the North City, you can reach out to me—I can help you get in touch with an oncology specialist.”
“Thank you so much. You’re truly a kind person.”
Regardless of what profession someone was in, Qin Muxue never looked down on those who earned their living through their own efforts. She had simply purchased the fruits of their labor, and connecting them with a specialist was no more than a small favor. She was more than happy to help others.
Gazing at the rolling mountains of the mountain village, she let out a sigh. It was just… that all this beautiful scenery would be destroyed by natural disaster half a year from now.
Qin Muxue then went to the neighboring county, a place renowned for its abundant fruit production, and bought several tons of assorted melons and fruits—watermelons, strawberries, oranges, tangerines, and grapes—everything one could want.
Before leaving, she reminded the simple villagers, “Typhoons have been frequent lately. You should stock up on supplies at home too.”
The villagers waved it off dismissively. “Don’t worry, we farmers have plenty of grain at home. Besides, we’ve got the fields, and we still have a few piglets.”
Qin Muxue nodded. “That’s good to hear.”
She had the driver transport all these goods to a location near a warehouse.
Only after everyone had left did she stuff everything into her Space in one go.
And the Space seemed bottomless—even after storing so much, it still stretched endlessly beyond the horizon.
After finishing these tasks and returning to Xuanwu City, she hurried home first and found that Manman was already there feeding the cats.
Baozhu saw her return and immediately bounded over, rubbing against her feet and nuzzling her pant legs affectionately. Qin Muxue patted her head, and then the little kitten hiding in the corner also came forward. It was a calico cat with three mixed colors on its coat—most likely a female kitten.
“Manman, you’ve taken such good care of them. Thank you so much!”
“It’s no trouble at all. Besides, I really love cats and dogs. Your Baozhu and Little Mi are very well-behaved too. Oh, by the way, has Little Mi gotten a name yet?”
“I haven’t had the chance to think of one! How about you give her a name, Manman?”
Ding Manman looked at the harmonious sight of Baozhu and the kitten together, pondered for a moment, then said, “Since the dog is called Baozhu, why not name this cat Zhenzhu? What do you think?”
Qin Muxue smiled softly. “Alright, Little Mi, from now on you have a name! This is your big sister Baozhu, and from today on, you’ll be called Zhenzhu~”
Zhenzhu let out a gentle “meow, meow, meow,” as if she was quite satisfied with the name.
She looked up at her tall owner, then at Baozhu beside her—who looked fierce and imposing but was actually very caring toward her—and felt warmth in her heart.
She had been on the verge of death when they saved her, feeding her goat’s milk and canned food.
Ding Manman checked the time and saw it was almost five o’clock. “I need to head back to school soon. Xiao Xue, it does seem a bit lonely living here all by yourself.”
Ding Manman looked around. It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, perfect for two girls. There was a spacious living room, a balcony with a wide view, and all the furniture was complete. Though not name-brand, it was practical. Honestly, she was quite tempted by Qin Muxue’s invitation.
But she hesitated, holding back her words. After all, it was still a bit of a distance from the school, making daily commuting quite troublesome, and she couldn’t make up her mind.
“Muxue, don’t you think this is a bit far from school?”
Qin Muxue had actually considered this point and deliberately chosen a secluded location.
“It’s not that bad, really. Besides, I just bought a car, so it’s very convenient. I’ll drive you to school!” Qin Mu took out a brand-new set of keys.
“When did you buy a new car?”
When Ding Manman saw the car, her eyes sparkled with delight. “Isn’t this the RV we said we’d save up for together to travel in? Did you really buy it?”
“Mm, take a look inside. How is it?”
Inside the RV, Qin Muxue had already made some modifications. Cute girly decorations were everywhere, and she had also installed a projector, so even when resting by the roadside, they could watch movies.
The RV was top-of-the-line, equipped with almost everything—solar power system, water recycling system, flush toilet, a shower stall just big enough for one person, and a small table that could be folded down into a bed. Everything was absolutely perfect.
At the rear, there was also a small compartment for cooking outdoors. Once folded down, it could shield from wind and rain, and it came with some basic kitchen supplies.
“It’s perfect! Xiao Xue, you’ve really made it big. This car must not have been cheap!”
A top-tier luxury RV naturally wasn’t cheap, but it was far better value than that sports car. “It wasn’t expensive. Besides, didn’t we agree to travel together? So I bought it.”
Ding Manman looked at her best friend excitedly. “So you never forgot our promise.”
They had attended the same school in high school, and their relationship had been very close back then. The wish they wrote in each other’s graduation yearbooks was to travel around the world together.
So Qin Muxue had never forgotten their promise.
“Let me take you back to school first!” Qin Muxue flashed a smile.
She had gotten her driver’s license back in the summer after high school graduation, but she’d never had much chance to drive. Just now, driving all the way back, she realized that as long as you were careful and bold, driving wasn’t that difficult at all.
In the car, Ding Manman chattered on and on about her dreams for the future. Qin Muxue couldn’t bear to tell her that the apocalypse was coming.
Better to let Manman adjust for a while first. At least during this time, she should spend it happily, without any burdens.
When they arrived at the school gate, Qin Muxue also bought a big bag of Manman’s favorite snacks from the supermarket and handed them to her. “Don’t stay up too late. Eat whenever you want, no need to feel burdened.”
She knew that Manman was actually quite strapped for money. Her uncle and aunt were very stingy, and she usually got by on tutoring jobs, student loans, and scholarships.
But even so, Manman was very generous with her. “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours”—kindness was mutual. Manman was good to her, so naturally she was good to Manman.
“Xiao Xue, I can’t accept this.”
“Are you still my good friend? You have to accept this!”
Seeing the firm look in the other’s eyes, Ding Manman could only take the bag, feeling a warmth in her heart in that instant.
After seeing Ding Manman off at the school, Qin Muxue made another trip to the food street near the school.
It was a scene of bustling prosperity, but who would know that five months later, this place would become ruins? The tsunami would be the first to reach this coastal city, and everything here would be submerged.
Young couples holding hands, children hopping and skipping, elderly with white hair, and even more so, vibrant college students full of energy.
Smelling the aroma of barbecue from the food street, Qin Muxue sat down at a stall. “Boss, give me ten lamb skewers and ten beef skewers.”
The boss looked at the frail, slender girl. “Little girl, can you really eat that much all by yourself?”
“Don’t worry, boss, I can finish it all, I promise I won’t waste any!” Barbecue skewers were simply a delicacy of the world; even more, she could eat them all.
The boss laughed heartily. “This is the first time I’ve seen a little girl who can eat so much.”
The aroma of lamb skewers filled the air, and Qin Muxue’s mouth watered. Ever since she had been reborn, she wanted to eat everything she saw. In her previous life, to maintain her figure, she dared not eat this or that, and in the end, during the Apocalypse, she even ate bugs. Now, these lamb and beef skewers were simply heavenly delicacies.
“Little girl, they’re done, and I threw in an extra skewer for you. Come back often!” Qin Muxue looked at the boss’s warm smile and felt a pang of reluctance, knowing all this was about to disappear.
Perhaps she would never get to eat such delicious lamb skewers again.
“Boss! Give me a bottle of beer too!” Qin Muxue called out.
“Coming right up.”
“Boss, where’s your hometown?”
“My hometown is in the Northeast. Winters there are freezing cold, nothing like here where it’s summer all year round.” The boss wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The Northeast—that was a good place. Even in the Apocalypse, the people there had extremely strong survival abilities. Also, being in an inland region, it wasn’t hit by the tsunami. And the winters in the Northeast were exceptionally cold; the extreme cold weather would at most drop to around minus eighty degrees.
“Boss, don’t you miss your wife and kids?” she asked lightly.
“Of course I do, but isn’t this all for making money?”
Yes, it was all for making money. If not for that, who would be willing to drift far from home?
“I’d advise you to go home early. Making money is important, but spending time with family is even more important.” If he stayed here, he might not even keep his life.
The lamb skewers were absolutely delicious—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, just perfect. Qin Muxue gnawed on the lamb skewers while sipping her beer.
“Boss, give me a thousand skewers each of lamb and beef!”
“Huh?” The boss looked stunned, wondering if he had heard wrong.
“I think they taste great, and I want to buy more to store at home. That way, I won’t have to go out looking for food.”
Though the reason was far-fetched, the boss still asked again: “Little girl, don’t mess with me. That’s as much as I sell in several days. Why would you store so many? When would you ever finish them?”
Qin Muxue said nothing more, scanned the QR code on the table to make the payment, “This is half the deposit. I’ll come pick it up in a couple of days. You can start preparing—I’m not joking with you.”
The shopkeeper’s mouth fell open, and only when the payment notification sounded did he snap back to reality. “Oh, oh, oh, alright. Actually, why don’t I just deliver it to you directly? Save you the trip.”
Qin Muxue left him an address and was about to leave when she spotted an uninvited guest.
It was the same burly man who, in her previous life, had tried to force himself on her and ended up killing Baozhu. She clenched her fists, staring at the man not far away, unable to calm herself for a long time.
“Shopkeeper, do you know that man?”
“Oh, him? Yes, I know him. He’s a notorious thug on this street. Because he’s strong and good at fighting, we all give him a wide berth—you don’t want to provoke him,” the shopkeeper said in a low voice, then glanced in the burly man’s direction before adding, “That guy especially likes to mess with young girls. Finish your meal and leave quickly.”
Seeing that the young woman before him had fair skin and delicate features, the shopkeeper feared she might come to harm.
Qin Muxue smiled and said, “Thank you for the warning, shopkeeper.”
Sure enough, the moment the burly man spotted Qin Muxue, he sauntered over and blocked her path. The shopkeeper pleaded from the side, “Brother, please, for my sake, don’t bully this young lady. She’s a regular customer of mine.”
“Who the hell do you think you are, trying to order me around? Get lost!” The burly man shoved the shopkeeper aside, sending him crashing to the ground, blood streaming from a gash on his head.
Qin Muxue frowned deeply. Before the Apocalypse, she had loved wearing heavy makeup; after the Apocalypse, she had smeared mud on her face. She never expected that now, bare-faced, she would catch this man’s attention.
“Little sister, are you a student at the nearby university? How about keeping big brother company for some fun?” The burly man walked up to her with a lecherous look.
“Oh? What kind of fun?” she asked calmly, betraying no emotion.
“The kind of fun adults have, of course. There’s a bar over there—how about I treat you to a few drinks?” Get her drunk, then make his move—that was his usual tactic.
“Sure. And what might your surname be, big brother?”
This college girl was indeed educated—she even spoke in such a refined manner. The burly man replied, “My name’s Yu Cheng. Come on, little sister.”
“Wait a moment.” Qin Muxue helped the shopkeeper to his feet. He was still signaling her with his eyes, urging her not to follow the man to the bar.
Qin Muxue remained perfectly composed and said lightly, “Shopkeeper, it’s fine. Go to the hospital and get that wound bandaged. Go now—I’ll cover the medical expenses.” In truth, she was just making an excuse to get the shopkeeper to leave quickly.
She followed behind the burly man and stepped into the garish, neon-lit bar.
This was a bar that students from the nearby university frequented, and the moment she walked in, she saw many familiar faces.
But Qin Muxue had no friends at school besides Ding Manman, and everyone just watched her like she was a spectacle, none of them willing to help.
Inside one of the bar’s private rooms, a group of senior biology students were celebrating their upcoming graduation. Only Sheng Xingyuan sat alone in the corner, not drinking, his laptop open as he analyzed biological data.
“This doesn’t make sense. Why is this algae evolving at such a rapid pace?”
A classmate sidled up beside him, pouring him a glass of wine. “Sheng Xingyuan, campus heartthrob, you’re still poring over that? Our projects are all done. Stop thinking about those irrelevant things—we’re about to graduate! Come on, let’s have a drink together!”
A rowdy, raucous bunch. Sheng Xingyuan pushed up his glasses and said in a low voice, “I’ll just go to the restroom first.”
When he came out after washing his hands, he noticed that the junior girl on campus who loved to show off and always wore heavy makeup was standing beside a burly, rough-looking man. He vaguely recalled that his relationship with the junior girl wasn’t very good—they’d had several unpleasant exchanges and were basically sworn rivals who went after each other.
The big man kept forcing drinks on her, and even tried to secretly slip something into her glass…