122 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

When Chen Wan woke up in the morning, she was still sulking and unwilling to speak to Jiang Yan Xin, who had teased her the night before. Seeing that her alpha was still upset, Jiang Yan Xin seized the moment while their little one was still asleep. She quickly wrapped her arms around Chen Wan’s waist and pulled her back as she was trying to get up, not forgetting to coo and plead, “Honey? Still angry? I was wrong, okay? How about this: today we’ll pamper Yang Yang nicely, let her sleep with Mom for the night or in her own little bed, and I’ll be all yours, how about that?” Chen Wan let out a humph and responded pitifully, “That's what you said last night, made such promises, and then you bullied me.” Jiang Yan Xin buried her face into Chen Wan’s shoulder and suppressed her laughter for a few seconds, thinking how adorable and endearing her alpha was, especially now with that aggrieved look. Still, she didn’t dare laugh too much for fear of truly upsetting Chen Wan. She quickly leaned over and kissed the corner of her lips, “I was wrong. How about we not engage in mental wrestling today, and you can do whatever you want, so don’t be angry.” After speaking, she continued to nuzzle against Chen Wan, who, hearing Jiang Yan Xin’s words, felt slightly appeased. “This is on you, Yang Yang will have to be dealt with by you,” Chen Wan grumbled, thinking she needed to assert herself more, lest she forget she was meant to be the strong one here. “Alright, I’ll talk to our baby. Don’t be mad.” Jiang Yan Xin gently rubbed Chen Wan’s back, leading to her finally getting out of bed with resignation. After Chen Wan washed up, she felt a bit better and, stepping outside, saw Qin Ke just emerging from the elevator. For some reason, Chen Wan noticed that Qin Ke didn’t look well either, with prominent dark circles under her eyes. Her instinct was to show concern, “Did you not sleep well last night? Your dark circles are quite noticeable.” Qin Ke hesitated for a while, feeling embarrassed to utter the truth, and awkwardly replied, “It’s alright, maybe I’m just not used to a new place.” “Oh.” Chen Wan acknowledged in response but felt something was off—weren’t they all sleeping in the RV? Should changing parking spots really disrupt sleep? But she didn’t press further. For breakfast, everyone had wontons prepared by Jiang Wan Ning and Ye Lan. Qin Ke, sitting opposite Chen Wan, seemed off as well. As Chen Wan was eating her wontons, inadvertently glancing at Qin Ke, she noticed Qin Ke’s hand shaking as she handled her spoon. Concern arose, and she asked, “What’s wrong with your hand?” Qin Ke’s ears turned red in embarrassment, noticeable on her pale skin, visibly reddening at an observable rate. Seeing this, Shen Ming Yan hurriedly interjected to save Qin Ke from further discomfort, smiling as she explained, “Last night, as I came out of the bathroom, I almost twisted my ankle, but I didn’t. Qin Ke twisted her wrist trying to catch me.” “Oh, be careful then. Don’t lift anything heavy with that hand today.” Not prying into the roommates’ private matters, Chen Wan simply reminded Qin Ke. “Mm, I’ll be careful.” Qin Ke’s ears remained a shade of pink as she buried her face back into her bowl, focusing intently on her wontons. Jiang Yan Xin, seated next to Chen Wan, nudged her thigh with a gentle finger, prompting Chen Wan to face her. Jiang Yan Xin, with a soft and gentle voice, suggested, “The weather’s nice today. Shall we take Yang Yang to play in the backyard for a while? It’s been a while since our little one’s had some sun.” “Alright, let’s take Yang Yang out to play.” Chen Wan nodded, agreeing that indeed the little one hadn’t had fresh air in quite a while. After breakfast, a group of young ones led the little one out to play in the yard. Having stayed in the vehicle for days, the little one was thrilled to run around, showering affection upon Qin Ke one moment and seeking out Jiang Yan Xin the next, clearly overjoyed. Chen Wan caught the little one up from behind, sat on a chair she had brought out from inside, and enjoyed the sun with the little one in her arms, while Jiang Yan Xin entertained her nearby. Meanwhile, Jiang Wan Ning and her friends also relished this chance for fresh air, setting up a table in the yard and starting a card game. As for Han Qi, he was at the village committee early that morning, coordinating with Zhou Da Ye, Fatty, and others who had arrived. Many villagers had joined them. Seeing most attendees present, Han Qi began organizing, “Our village saw two new groups arrive yesterday. To lower their guard, we’ll hold a welcome banquet as usual at the village hall. Fatty and Yidan, you’ll handle the supplies for this banquet. When the time comes, you’ll get the first pick of the newcomers.” Fatty and Yidan quickly expressed their gratitude. “Thank you, Brother Qi, we’ll do our best,” Fatty pledged his loyalty. “Me too, I’ll definitely follow Brother Qi’s directions,” Yidan chimed in. “The rest of you, don’t worry. You’ll get your turn eventually. This time we have two female alphas, one’s already promised to Yiniu’s sister, so whoever wants the other may take her,” Han Qi mused. “The female alpha seems quite good-looking; let’s share her among us,” a handful of middle-aged Omegas suggested. Han Qi nodded, “Alright, you can settle that among yourselves. In the meantime, those without duties guarding the gate should head to the hall to help. The warehouse folks haven’t eaten for days, so send a few people there first.” “Got it.” Everyone agreed enthusiastically. Around 11 AM, Han Qi visited Fei Ming and Chu Lili, knocking politely on their courtyard gate before calling out, “Anyone there?” “Coming!” Fei Ming rushed to open the door upon recognizing Han Qi, apologetically saying, “We planned to ask you today if there’s work we can do in the village, but we slept in. It’s been so long since we’ve had such good sleep.” “It’s alright, everyone understands. It’s rare to sleep peacefully, so a little extra rest is fine. Regarding work, alpha and Omega tasks differ, so after lunch, I’ll have someone show you where to work and get familiar with the village,” Han Qi replied with a smile. “That’s great, we’ll work hard. Sorry for the trouble.” Fei Ming felt awkward, as they had nothing upon fleeing the base and had eaten two free meals, feeling guilty. “It’s no trouble at all. Lunch is almost ready at the hall, so call everyone out and come join us. From today, we’re all family.” Han Qi assured, having come alone this time to be less intimidating, fostering trust easier. “Alright, please wait a moment, village chief. Hey, Lili, Wan Kun, Hao Jie, wake up! The chief’s here to invite us to eat, let’s not keep him waiting long, it’s rude,” Fei Ming called out joyfully. “Coming,” came the hurried response from the rooms, and five minutes later, four individuals emerged outside the courtyard. Xu Wan Kun hastily apologized, “Sorry, sorry, we kept you waiting. We slept too soundly last night, it’s been ages since we found such a nice place, and we slept longer.” “No worries, you’ve had a tough journey, but it’s over now.” Han Qi reassured them, continuing, “I still need to fetch the other group. If you don’t mind, join me, and then we’ll all head to the hall together.” “Of course, we’ll follow your lead, village chief.” Xu Wan Kun replied agreeably. “Alright then, let’s head over as I share more about our village’s nuances.” Han Qi commented as he led the way. As they reached the home where Shen Ming Yan’s grandmother lived, they heard the joyous laughter from the yard. Han Qi proceeded to knock gently on the door, thinking that since he was with other survivors, Shen Ming Yan and the others might be more amenable to joining them. Upon hearing the noise, the gate was again opened by Chen Wan, who walked over while commenting, “Some people just can’t sit still.” Opening the gate revealed Han Qi standing there alongside four unfamiliar faces. Seeing Chen Wan open the door, he maintained his smile, “Today the village has prepared a welcome feast. These folks also joined yesterday seeking shelter, and we’re about to head to the hall. Since you’re friends of Ming Yan, why not join us?” “Hello, I’m Fei Ming. This is my wife, and these are my friends. Let’s follow the village chief and head over early. I feel a bit bad about staying in the village,” Fei Ming said with a friendly smile. Chen Wan nodded, giving Fei Ming a pointed look, “In these end times, it’s best to stay alert; lest you find yourself compromised before knowing what hit you.” Fei Ming's smile froze a bit at Chen Wan's blunt remark, surprised at her lack of deference to the village chief. He gave an awkward laugh, attempting to ease the tension, “You jest, my friend. Of course, vigilance is important, but not among friends.” “Really? You make friends this quickly?” Chen Wan retorted coolly, her gaze locking onto Han Qi. “We mean well, truly. Everyone has been up early preparing for the welcome banquet, and we hope everyone can join unless there's a specific reason not to,” Han Qi continued, glancing into the courtyard at Shen Ming Yan to persuade her further. “Ming Yan, we’re all acquainted. Even your neighbor Yiniu will be there, don’t let the villagers down, alright?” Chen Wan chuckled softly, speaking before Shen Ming Yan could respond, “In times of scarcity, I genuinely wonder where the village chief gets such leisure to frequently host welcome banquets.” “Precisely because it’s the end times. With spirits low, it’s a rare blessing to have new survivors join us. Such events help unite the village,” Han Qi explained. Chen Wan nodded, genuinely curious about what Han Qi’s intentions might be. She smiled and replied, “Alright then, although my parents aren’t up for socializing and it’s not convenient for the baby, us six young folks can accompany you to have a look.” Han Qi's face brightened immediately; after all, his primary objective was these six young individuals.