“On a date?” Qinling asked, hands in his pockets.
Even he didn’t know why, but seeing her walking with another guy made him feel inexplicably uneasy.
“I’m heading off first, Tang Mo. You two talk.” True to his role as class monitor, Shi Xuan was tactful and left promptly.
Once Shi Xuan was gone, Tang Mo spoke.
“Buying fish. Shall we eat it tonight? Three packs of beef jerky too.”
“We’ll eat. When?” Qinling’s eyes lit up. He wasn’t sure whether his excitement came from the fish or from seeing Tang Mo clear things up with the other guy.
“Alright, wait for my message tonight.” Tang Mo said, then turned and went upstairs. She still had two red carps, and she wasn’t ready to share the silver fish with Qinling.
Qinling’s family was so wealthy that when he went out, rare treasures would come to him without cost. Her small offering couldn’t compare.
Tang Mo didn’t get cocky; she knew her own abilities well.
She was well-prepared, but against families with centuries of accumulation, it wasn’t enough.
Her focus was on improving her strength as soon as possible.
If she wanted to be with Qinling in this life, she had to become strong enough to stand beside him.
Thinking about Qinling’s position on the previous life’s leaderboard gave Tang Mo a headache.
Slowly, slowly—the road ahead was long and arduous.
Her brief pride in her improved stats quickly cooled; it still wasn’t enough.
But first, she needed to eat the silver fish she had just obtained.
By now, the fish was clearly weakened. If she waited until it died, she wasn’t sure if the 10-point attribute bonus would be discounted.
In the evening, Tang Mo went out early to train. After finishing her routine, she still had time. She took out the portable gas stove and her cooking utensils from her space.
She cleaned the silver fish, put it in a pot, added various seasonings, poured in a bottle and a half of water, and started cooking.
Stewed fish might not be the tastiest, but it preserved the nutrients perfectly. Tang Mo wouldn’t allow a single bit of nutrition to be wasted.
The fish soup became thick and creamy, steam rising temptingly. Tang Mo’s mouth watered.
She then took out a block of tofu from her space, sliced it, and added it to the pot.
If the fish smelled this good, she wanted to use it to the fullest.
As night fell, Tang Mo’s clearing was secluded and spacious—otherwise, the aroma could have caused trouble.
When the fish soup was done, Tang Mo grabbed a steamed bun and finished the pot completely.
The silver fish was large, but for Tang Mo—whose body had lacked proper food and had high activity—it was only about 60% full.
After finishing, she checked her stats:
ID: Tang Mo
HP: 15
Strength: 14
Agility: 26
Mental Power: 42
Space: 0
Overall Power: 97
After tidying up, Tang Mo pulled two barbecue racks from her space and set them on the stove. She then began preparing the last two red carps.
“Old spot, hurry, or there’ll only be bones left.”
Once ready, Tang Mo sent Qinling a message. After their first trade, they had exchanged contact info for convenience.
Qinling arrived quickly; Tang Mo suspected he might have been nearby the whole time, waiting for the fish to be ready.
“This fish smells amazing.”
Qinling sat boldly beside Tang Mo, sniffed the fish, and began eating heartily.
Of course, the fish Tang Mo grilled smelled incredible. With scallions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and salt, no one else could match her seasonings.
He took a bite—crispy outside, tender inside, fragrant and savory. Tang Mo nodded in satisfaction; her cooking skills were undeniable.
All for just three packs of beef jerky—he got a real bargain.
After finishing one fish, Qinling clearly wasn’t full and kept eyeing the half-eaten fish in Tang Mo’s hands.
Tang Mo turned her head away, deciding she’d intermittently “ignore” him until she finished eating.
“How can a girl eat so much? Didn’t you eat lunch today?” Qinling asked indignantly, feeling Tang Mo showed no consideration for her benefactor.
“Nope. Wen Qing didn’t leave any for me.” Tang Mo ate the last piece of meat from the tail, eyes half-closed in satisfaction.
“You offended her too?” Qinling raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean ‘too’? Didn’t leave any for you either?” Tang Mo didn’t yet know Qinling had issues with Wen Qing.
“Oh, nothing major. She once handed me a love letter, and I casually tossed it to my roommate.”
Qinling didn’t care—he had received dozens of letters like that. If Wen Qing hadn’t put him on her blacklist, he might not have remembered.
“You should go beg her forgiveness now; maybe it’s not too late.” Tang Mo teased.
Wen Qing’s influence was massive; countless boys in school followed her, hoping for a little food or drink from her. That was the real “simp” behavior.
“What’s so worth begging her for? I’ll grab your leg instead. My standards aren’t high—just feed me one fish a day.”
Qinling leaned in, feigning a flattering expression. Tang Mo’s heart skipped a beat at his peach blossom eyes and the familiar mole under his right eye.
“Get lost.” She pushed him away mercilessly. “Hand me the beef jerky. I’m leaving.”
“So heartless.” Qinling sat properly, hiding his mischievous side, and handed her the beef jerky.
“If it’s not enough, come find me,” he added as she collected it.
“And if anything happens, come find me. I’ve got your back.” For some reason, Qinling added this line.
He wasn’t usually one to meddle, but today, he just wanted to say it.
“Okay.”
Tang Mo lowered her head, gathering the beef jerky, her face buried in the night’s shadow.
“I’ve got your back.”
This was the second time Qinling had said this to her.
It felt wonderful—she could meet him again and hear it from him directly.
Before, she didn’t know the purpose of reliving such a harsh post-apocalyptic life.
But now, it seemed the apocalypse wasn’t so bad, and the future could be quite pleasant.
Tang Mo secretly lifted the corners of her mouth in a smile.