97 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

陈晚 thought for a moment and a packet of pickled fish seasoning along with a can of luncheon meat appeared in her hand. Jiang Wan Ning couldn't eat beef, so she would have to settle for the luncheon meat, which at least was some form of meat. Chen Wan sliced the luncheon meat and lightly fried it in oil. She then poured the pickled vegetables into the pan and sautéed them briefly before adding water. Once it boiled, she cooked the noodles. Soon, the aroma of the pickled vegetables mixed with that of the stew beef wafted through the air, drawing the attention of everyone who hadn't eaten lunch. The hungriest among them were undoubtedly Chen Wan and Qin Ke, who hadn't even had breakfast. Chen Wan's own stomach was growling. The noodles prepared for Jiang Wan Ning were the first to be ready, so Chen Wan served her a big bowl full. Zai Zai watched from the side, practically drooling with envy, and whimpered in a childlike voice, "Mommy, I'm hungry too~" Chen Wan chuckled and reassured him, "Your aunt can't eat beef, so she'll have this pickled dish. We can have the meaty one later, does that sound good?" Zai Zai nodded his little head but still looked enviously at Jiang Wan Ning with his big eyes. Jiang Wan Ning gently patted Zai Zai's cheek and smiled. Standing up, she said to Chen Wan, "Do you have a small bowl? Let Yang Yang have a little to tide him over." Chen Wan smiled helplessly and handed Zai Zai's utensils to Jiang Wan Ning, who served him a small half-bowl of noodles with some soup. Zai Zai started eating with a spoon, his small head bobbing with delight. After preparing Jiang Wan Ning's noodles, Chen Wan started on the noodles to be paired with beef. She planned to cook them in two batches because the quantity was too large to fit in one pot. When the big pot of noodles was done, the beef she had prepared in the pressure cooker was fully cooked. Jiang Yan Xin helped Chen Wan with serving the noodles, adding beef and beef broth to them. Meanwhile, Chen Wan brought out the grilled beef she had also prepared, ready to share with everyone. Jiang Yan Xin served the noodles to Qin Ke, her parents, and Zai Zai, while she and Chen Wan waited for the next batch. Ye Lan, seeing the fragrant beef noodles before her, immediately started eating. The smell had already tempted her senses; now, with a bite, she froze momentarily. The beef was tender and flavorful, without any gamey taste, and paired perfectly with the noodles and beef broth. It was simply delicious. After the apocalypse, Ye Lan hadn't had a proper meal, and now, her eyes welled up with emotion. She reminded Jiang Zhao Yuan, "Old Jiang, give it a try, this meat is amazing." "Indeed, it's delicious, really delicious," Jiang Zhao Yuan remarked. "Chen Wan, is this regular beef? And how did you manage to get beef in the apocalypse?" "Dad, it's from a mutant cow we hunted that was as big as an elephant. Its meat tastes better than regular beef, and eating mutant animal meat is good for your health. You and Mom should eat more and try the grilled one too, it's delicious," Chen Wan explained as she continued to cook noodles. Jiang Yan Xin, worried that Chen Wan might still be hungry, placed a few pieces of grilled beef in her bowl, and, as Chen Wan was cooking spaghetti, she fed her with chopsticks. Chen Wan took a bite of the beef from Jiang Yan Xin’s chopsticks and looked at her, playfully, "Thank you, darling. When you feed me, it tastes even better." Jiang Yan Xin rolled her eyes with a smile, "Behave yourself. Everyone's still here, you know. If you keep being coy, I won't feed you anymore." "My darling would never abandon me," Chen Wan teased Jiang Yan Xin as she continued cooking. Jiang Yan Xin had no choice but to feed her grilled beef, playfully glaring at her. Zai Zai devoured two and a half bowls of noodles. The little fellow was very hungry, and before long, his bowls were empty. Then, he saw his two mothers feeding each other. Zai Zai opened his small mouth, eager to mimic them, "Mommy lets Mama feed her. Mommy is shy~" After saying this, he made a gesture of embarrassment on his face with his tiny hands. Chen Wan laughed at her little rascal and argued, "Sweetie, why is it shy if Mama feeds Mommy? Doesn't Mama feed you too?" Zai Zai tilted his head, thought for a moment, and continued in his playful tone, "That's still shy!" His words amused the adults endlessly. Yi Yi, seeing that Zai Zai had finished eating, wiped his mouth and held the little fellow in her arms to play. In the RV, without much else to do, the chubby little guy was quite entertaining indeed. Soon, the next pot of noodles was ready. Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin pulled up two chairs to sit at the dining table. With more people around, it felt a bit cramped. Jiang Wan Ning, finishing her meal, thought she'd take a walk. Noticing Yi Yi wasn't eating, she asked puzzled, "Aren't you going to eat?" Yi Yi continued amusing Zai Zai, smiling as she answered, "I'm a bionic person. I don't need to eat what humans do; I just need enough crystal nuclei for energy." "Bionic person? What's that?" Jiang Wan Ning's eyes widened. She'd assumed Yi Yi was just a regular beta; how did she turn out to be a bionic person? "There's not much difference, really, except I don't need food or sleep. Everything else is about the same," Yi Yi explained with a smile. Jiang Wan Ning nodded, partly believing the otherwise outlandish claim. Chen Wan sat down to eat her noodles, ravenous. She filled her bowl to the brim. Given the physical exertion she and Qin Ke had gone through today, they both ate a bit more. Even the grilled beef was devoured completely by the two of them. After eating, Jiang Yan Xin and Jiang Wan Ning competed over who would wash the pots and clean the stove thoroughly. Chen Wan sat on a chair to rest, exhausted from the day's events. By the time they finished eating, it was already six in the afternoon. Chen Wan suggested with a smile, "Everyone's tired today; let's rest early. We're on our turf, no need to worry. Mom, Dad, you should rest early too. Oh, and let me get some clothes and toiletries for you." With a thought, Chen Wan produced a few sets of men's and women's loungewear, along with toiletries such as face wash, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Ye Lan was amazed, "Chen Wan, you even have these?" Chen Wan explained with a smile, "Yan Xin, Qin Ke, and I gathered a lot from various places, so there's plenty of supplies in my space. Don't worry about running out; there’s still a lot left." "That's great, really great. Chen Wan, we really owe everything to you," Ye Lan sighed with gratitude. "It's nothing, Mom. Oh, and here's some mutant crystal nuclei. There are thirty here; ten each for you, Dad, and Wan Ning. Don't take more than that; it's the maximum safe amount. Eating them is good for your health and might even awaken abilities in the future," Chen Wan explained, handing the nuclei to Ye Lan. Chen Wan also distributed crystal nuclei to everyone else. The most excited was the little guy, who finally got the "candies" he'd been longing for. Carefully, he savored each one, relishing the taste between every bite. Ye Lan, holding the crystal nuclei, felt they were too precious. Having them eat was already an extra burden on Chen Wan, so accepting something so valuable seemed wrong. She hurried to return them, "Chen Wan, we really shouldn't accept these; they're too precious. You young ones should keep them. We're not much help anyway, and we wouldn't want to use up so much of your supplies..." Chen Wan quickly reassured her, "It's no trouble, we're family. You, Dad, and Wan Ning should follow my instructions to take these, and maybe one day you'll awaken abilities too, and that will be a big help." Jiang Yan Xin also hurried over to convince Ye Lan to accept the nuclei. In the time it took for them to talk, the little guy had already finished all of his. Chen Wan laughed, taking Zai Zai into her arms and kissing his cheek, "You ate those pretty quickly." "Mommy, the candies are yummy~" Zai Zai cooed, snuggling against Chen Wan, happy to be in the camper where he could speak and play loudly! "You little foodie, we have more candies for tomorrow, no rush." Chen Wan patted Zai Zai's belly, finding it round and full, "Sweetie, let's take a little walk around the RV. Look at your belly." Zai Zai nodded, obediently agreeing, "Okay~" The older folks, unable to withstand the long journey's fatigue, felt sleepy and returned to their rooms on the second floor to bathe and rest. The younger ones gathered around the dining table. Chen Wan shared detailed insights about abilities with Yi Yi. Sensing it firsthand, Yi Yi cheerfully explained, "It's a psychic ability, just controlling zombies. At level 1, you can control about 50 zombies. As you level up, you can control more zombies for longer periods." "Then why did I feel dizzy?" Chen Wan asked. "I think it's because you overused your mental energy," Yi Yi explained. "Since you haven't exercised your mental power before, it requires practice. Initially, you might only be able to control zombies for a few seconds. With continuous practice, you'll extend that to a few minutes, or even hours." "Then how come Qin Ke doesn't have this issue with her ability?" Chen Wan asked again. Qin Ke nodded, agreeing, "Yes, I've never experienced dizziness after using my ability." Yi Yi clarified further, "Qin Ke's ability is a level 1 firearms ability. It's not a mental ability, but a practical operational one. It enhances accuracy, allowing her to hit targets precisely without causing dizziness." Qin Ke nodded, seemingly satisfied with her ability. Chen Wan nodded in understanding. Yi Yi smiled and continued, "Yan Xin, you and Yang Yang might be close to awakening your abilities too, so keep an eye out for any changes." "Alright, I'll be attentive," Jiang Yan Xin replied with a smile. She was curious about what kind of ability she might develop. "Yi Yi, is there a way to enhance mental strength?" Chen Wan asked further. "You can engage in mental battles with another psychic ability user, or we could directly spar in our mental realm," Yi Yi suggested with a smile. "Sounds good, let's find time to practice together tomorrow," Chen Wan promptly agreed. "Sure, no problem." Jiang Wan Ning listened, grasping the general idea, but still puzzled about this mental realm sparring. Did this mean Chen Wan and Yi Yi could communicate telepathically? 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