AWB Chapter 686 Extra (8)
Chapter 686 Extra (8)
Yan Zhen and Xu Songfeng hesitated for only a few seconds before they began to feast.
Fluffy, soft steamed buns dipped in braised chicken broth, paired with tangy and spicy shredded potatoes and fresh baby bok choy—the simplest two dishes and one soup before the apocalypse became a luxurious delicacy afterward. Yan Zhen and Xu Songfeng ate without any regard for decorum.
The shelter was short of supplies, and various seasonings became scarce after the apocalypse. Due to various reasons, the meals in the shelter canteen were either potato stew with white radish or white radish stew with green vegetables, mainly to fill the stomach and not kill people.
Yan Zhen was almost sick of eating.
Although they have their own independent residence, Yan Zhen is too busy to spare any extra energy to refine the details of daily life, and Xu Songfeng follows her example, so the mother and son live a very rough life.
The two of them hadn't eaten this kind of food in a long time.
The food was devoured in a whirlwind, and the dishes on the table were completely wiped out.
After finishing his meal, Yan Zhen put down his chopsticks, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and let out a long sigh of relief.
Food is the most important thing for people. After eating to her heart's content, she felt her tense nerves relax.
Compared to the mother and son who ate voraciously, Jing Chen, sitting opposite them, slowly finished the last bite of his steamed bun, patted the crumbs off his hands, and said, "I want to move in."
Yan Zhen frowned and subconsciously sat up a little straighter: "Hmm?"
“I want to move in,” Jing Chen repeated. “The water is cut off at night in the second-class area, there are no windows, and it’s not suitable for cooking. I can’t stand the cafeteria food. If I move here, I’ll give you a room, and I’ll take care of all the housework and cooking from now on. As long as I don’t go out, I’ll provide you with three meals a day. How about that?”
Yan Zhen and Xu Songfeng exchanged a glance, but neither of them answered immediately.
If this had happened before last night, Yan Zhen might have agreed after considering it.
Having a good-looking, highly skilled cook, and extremely strong subordinate is a sure win for anyone.
But this subordinate wanted his life.
“No,” Yan Zhen said.
Jing Chen seemed surprised by her refusal and pressed, "Why?"
Yan Zhen patted Xu Songfeng next to him: "My son doesn't like other people coming into my house—right, Xiaofeng?"
Xu Songfeng was wiping the last bit of braised chicken broth from the plate with a steamed bun when he heard this. He looked up at Jing Shen, glanced at him, and nodded perfunctorily, "Mhm."
After stating his position, Xu Songfeng added, "I can't stay here, but I can come over every day to cook."
Yan Zhen: "..."
She slapped Xu Songfeng on the back of the head.
No prospects!
I won him over with just one meal.
After a moment's thought, Jing Chen said, "That works too."
As he spoke, he stood up and began clearing the dishes: "How about noodles with minced meat sauce for dinner?"
Yan Zhen: "..."
What exactly is this person trying to do?
Jing Chen began to enter and leave Yan Zhen's courtyard every day—although he didn't live there, Yan Zhen could see him almost every morning when she woke up, and he wouldn't leave until he had finished eating dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. He spent more than thirteen or fourteen hours a day at her place.
While cooking, he also "casually" did other housework. At first, he just swept the floor, tidied the house, cleared the wild weeds growing in the yard, and sorted out the supplies that Yan Zhen brought back from outside.
Yan Zhen initially thought that Jing Chen was just "doing it on a whim," until he started going in and out of the room to wash her and Xu Songfeng's clothes, fold their blankets, and brush their shoes.
Yan Zhen watched as Xu Songfeng went from being wary and cautious of Jing Chen at the beginning, to being won over by his cooking, to gradually getting used to and accepting his presence, and then to repeatedly asking Jing Chen when he would return when he was away on missions. She sensed a conspiracy.
Jing Chen was using this method to subtly and silently infiltrate her and Xu Songfeng's lives.
Could it be that Jing Chen wants to gain entry into the inner circle, make her fall in love with him because of these small details, and then kill her after he becomes her partner and Xu Songfeng's stepfather in the eyes of outsiders, so that he can rightfully take over the shelter?
Yan Zhen stroked his chin, trying to guess Jing Chen's thoughts, but felt that such a possibility was unlikely.
The Ark Shelter is not wealthy. It is mostly inhabited by women. In addition to their daily search for supplies, the survivors in the shelter tend to farm and raise chickens to be self-sufficient.
However, this gradual approach means that the development of shelters is destined to lag behind the development speed of other bases that rely on violence, arson, murder, and looting.
If Jing Chen wanted to seize a base and become the boss, with his strength, he could easily set his sights on other bases instead of being a subordinate during the day and a nanny at night in the Ark Shelter, spending more than ten hours a day revolving around himself.
We need to observe him further to figure out what he's up to.
More than a month has passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Yan Zhen led the team out of the shelter several times to find supplies, and Jing Chen actively participated each time.
His skills speak for themselves; whether it's slaying zombies or dealing with survivors who try to rob him, he's always at the forefront. On one occasion, he even saved a teammate who was almost killed in an explosion.
Despite several collaborations, Yan Zhen remained wary of him, but the other team members and Xu Songfeng were won over by him.
The team members treated him like one of their own, and Xu Songfeng followed Jing Chen around all day, calling him "Brother Jing Chen" repeatedly.
With nothing much to do in the shelter these past few days, Jing Chen has been teaching Xu Songfeng how to use nunchucks.
Jingchen was incredibly patient when it came to teaching children, repeatedly correcting Xu Songfeng's gestures.
After practicing for two hours, it was almost time to cook dinner. Jingchen called for a stop, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to go to the backyard to cook.
Xu Songfeng immediately followed up: "Brother, I want to eat sesame seed cakes tonight."
Jing Chen turned around and flicked him on the forehead: "I've told you hundreds of times, don't call me brother, call me uncle."
Xu Songfeng retorted, "You're only a few years older than me, what kind of uncle are you calling me?"
Jing Chen: "..."
He simply ignored Xu Songfeng.
Xu Songfeng followed behind him, saying, "I want to eat sesame seed cakes, I want to eat sesame seed cakes!"
Jing Chen paused, a plan forming in his mind. He put the noodles back and adopted a negotiating stance, saying, "If you want to eat sesame cakes, you can, but only if you promise me one thing: I'll make you sesame cakes every two days, and yours will have double the meat. How about that?"
Xu Songfeng's eyes lit up, but he didn't rush to agree. He cautiously said, "Tell me what it is first."
Jing Chen glanced around furtively, making sure Yan Zhen wasn't home, before whispering, "Go and convince your mom to let me stay here. I'll cook whatever you want to eat from now on."
Xu Songfeng immediately became wary: "No."
"Why?" Jing Chen shouted, "Don't you want to eat sesame seed cakes anymore?"
"I'm not eating it. Do you think I can't see through your scheme to get my mother?" Xu Songfeng sneered. "I would never betray my mother for a worthless pancake. Forget about it."
After saying that, Xu Songfeng turned and left.
"Hey you brat..." Jing Chen was both angry and helpless, and shouted at Xu Songfeng's back, "I'm never making pancakes for you again."
Xu Songfeng didn't even turn his head: "Fine, I won't eat it! Who cares!"
Jing Chen: "..."
What a bastard!