128 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Chen Wan turned around and saw the lead large mutant dog already at her feet, nuzzling her leg with its damp, sizable head as if seeking affection. A few little puppies had gathered around as well, their tails wagging like propellers, as they brushed against her and her companions' legs. Reaching down to pet the large dog on the head, Chen Wan asked, "Didn't we set you free? Why have you followed us again?" The big dog responded with two soft howls, eyes shining brightly as it stared at the RV, its head still playfully nudging Chen Wan. Then, it moved over to Jiang Yan Xin, gently rubbing against her, carefully avoiding her wound. "Do they want to come with us?" Jiang Yan Xin watched as the dogs enthusiastically sought their attention, asking somewhat puzzled. Shen Ming Yan had already picked up a fluffy white puppy, which was mostly snow white except for a black patch on its left buttock. The puppy always seemed to wear a cheerful smile and whimpered adorably, making it impossible for Shen Ming Yan to resist these little creatures. Seeing the eager mother dog, Chen Wan felt a bit helpless and glanced at Qin Ke for her opinion. Finding the puppies adorable and noting Shen Ming Yan's affection for the white fluff balls, Qin Ke suggested, "Why not keep them? Yang Yang hasn't seen many small animals, and who knows what the world will become in the future. We might not have any animals left." Shen Ming Yan nodded in agreement. Chen Wan looked down at the big dog, stroked its head with a smile, and said, "Alright, you guys can stay. Keep your little master company and behave, okay?" The big dog nudged Chen Wan affectionately, indicating it understood. As Chen Wan opened the RV door, the dogs—one big, three small—excitedly bounced in, more thrilled than Chen Wan and her friends, happily heading towards Ye Lan. With tails wagging like propellers, the dogs frolicked in the RV, full of excitement and affection. Zai Zai, seeing the group of fluffy white bundles of joy, couldn't contain his happiness, pointing at them with his little finger, "Doggy~ Mommy, there're puppies~" Chen Wan chuckled and reassured him, "Yes, there are puppies. They've been in the rain, which wasn't quite clean. Mommy will give them a bath first, then you can play with them, okay?" "Okay, play with puppies!" Zai Zai's large eyes sparkled with excitement. Chen Wan crouched down, ruffling the dogs on the head while the other fluffy little pups nestled beside her, wagging their tails pleadingly. The big dog playfully pounced on Chen Wan, wanting to be cuddled. Qin Ke suggested that Chen Wan stay with Jiang Yan Xin to tend to her wounds, taking on the task of bathing the dogs herself. Amused, Qin Ke and Shen Ming Yan carried the fluffy pups to the bathroom, and Yi Yi fetched a large tub from the storage space to give the dogs a thorough wash. Shen Ming Yan and Qin Ke washed the smaller pups first, then handed the clean, fluffy ones to Yi Yi and Jiang Wan Ning, who dried their fur. Finally, it was the mother dog's turn for a bath. The large white bundle was quite docile, snuggling up to Shen Ming Yan with a goofy grin, making her want to cuddle the dog even more. Once the big white dog was clean, Yi Yi and Jiang Wan Ning took over to blow dry her, allowing Shen Ming Yan and Qin Ke to wash themselves. The rain carried sulphuric compounds, and they had spent quite some time in it, so even Chen Wan had faint pink marks on her skin. She took out a first aid kit to disinfect Jiang Yan Xin's leg wound with iodine, applied a yellow sandstone strip, and finally bandaged it. Seeing how concerned Chen Wan was, Jiang Yan Xin patted her head, smiling, "It's alright, it's just a small scratch." "Even small wounds need proper care in the apocalypse. Without doctors, any minor injury can become a big problem," Chen Wan said cautiously. Jiang Yan Xin gently touched Chen Wan’s shoulder, inferring about the slight burns from the acid rain on her skin, "Does it hurt?" "It's fine," Chen Wan replied with a smile, touching Jiang Yan Xin’s neck. "It's just normal acid rain. It'll heal in a couple of days and isn’t severe enough to scar. You have some marks as well, don’t you?" "Yes, but I worry about you," Jiang Yan Xin murmured, leaning in to kiss Chen Wan’s lips. Just as Chen Wan was about to say something, they heard Zai Zai's voice from outside, where Jiang Wan Ning and Yi Yi were playing with him and the little puppies. The RV had automatically cleaned itself, and the floor was dry. The fluffy white bundles nestled against the little one, seeking affection, while one pup with a black patch under its chin whimpered, wagging its tail fervently. Zai Zai, surrounded by the puppies, laughed delightfully, his tiny hands busy petting them. They were so endearing and clingy that when he focused on grooming one, the other two whined for his attention. Meanwhile, the mother dog lay obediently in front of Yi Yi and Jiang Wan Ning, resting comfortably as they groomed her. As Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin exited the bedroom, they saw Zai Zai sitting on a mat, encircled by the three white pups seeking his attention and trying to get him to play. Despite being termed small, the combined size of the three pups dwarfed Zai Zai, who could barely be seen in the heap. Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin also joined in, playing with the puppies, delighting Zai Zai further. As he petted the pup with the black patch, he excitedly told Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin, "Mommy, the doggies like me!" Chen Wan stroked Zai Zai’s little face, laughing softly, "Of course, they do! Our baby is so adorable, how could the doggies not like you?" Praised by his mommy, Zai Zai was overjoyed, putting even more effort into petting the puppy's belly. The pup relaxed and lay back, eyes squinting blissfully and legs twitching lazily in contentment. Watching the four new members of the RV, Chen Wan asked with a smile, "Do you have names for them? Would you like to name the puppies, Yang Yang?" "Yes!" Zai Zai eagerly raised his tiny hand, patting the black-spotted pup’s rump, and announced to Chen Wan with a grin, "We’ll call it Hua Hua~" Chen Wan continued petting the puppy with Zai Zai, laughing, "Perfect! All their coats have black patches. The mother will be Da Hua, the one with the butt spot can be Er Hua, the one with the chin spot can be San Hua, and the one with the black patch on her front leg can be Si Hua. How does that sound?" "Good! All of them are Hua Hua." Zai Zai concluded excitedly, petting the puppy. Chen Wan leaned in to kiss Zai Zai on the face, "Perfect. You've played all night, let Mommy take you to sleep. You can play with the puppies again tomorrow." "Okay." While Zai Zai obediently nodded, his eyes lingered longingly over the puppies, some of whom struggled to keep their eyes open. Seeing them sleepy, Da Hua gently picked the pups up, carrying them one by one to the empty spot behind the couch. Once all three pups were moved, Da Hua attempted to pick Zai Zai as well. With a gentle laugh, Chen Wan lifted Zai Zai, patting Da Hua, "This is my baby, not yours to take. Alright, go rest with your little ones, and we’ll play more tomorrow." Hearing Chen Wan’s words, Da Hua seemed to understand. She glanced back at Zai Zai in Chen Wan’s arms before returning to her puppies, settling down beside them, ready to sleep. The RV was warm, far more comfortable than the cold car they'd found earlier, and there was no worry of the pups being taken by bad people. Da Hua relaxed, appreciating being a loved pet more than a fierce mutant animal. Chen Wan took Zai Zai for a quick wash-up, removing the dog hairs accumulated after an evening of play. Once Zai Zai was clean and fragrant, he was ushered out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, Jiang Yan Xin had tidied Zai Zai’s small bed in the room, placing plush toys. Zai Zai became captivated by it as soon as he came out. Jiang Yan Xin smiled, taking Zai Zai from Chen Wan, and asked by the small bed, "Baby, do you want to try sleeping in your little bed tonight? You’ll have so many fun toys to keep you company." Zai Zai hesitated, his small hand scratching his head before he whimpered sweetly at Jiang Yan Xin, "But I also want mommy, mama~" "Oh, you little sweetheart," Jiang Yan Xin chuckled, deciding that since Zai Zai was still young and clingy, he could sleep with them for now. "How about you sleep with mommy and mama tonight?" Zai Zai nodded, returning to his spot on the big bed and soon falling fast asleep. As the hours crept towards midnight, the RV gradually grew quieter. Yi Yi lay down for a while before getting up. She carefully made her way past the snoozing puppies to the driver's seat, peering outside. The rain had intensified once again, and there was even some flooding. Yi Yi furrowed her brow, recognizing the potential danger. With rain continuing unabated and the city's infrastructure no longer operational—no one tending to the drainage systems—the likelihood of clogged pipes increased, putting the city at risk. Level 3 mutant animals were rare encounters; coming across those four small creatures was sheer luck. Yi Yi sighed, uncertain whether they'd be fortunate enough to find a level 3 mutant animal anytime soon. The next morning, Chen Wan awoke early. After a quick tidy-up, she exited the room and noticed the relentless rain. Frowning, she walked toward the RV's windshield. Although the downpour had eased somewhat from the previous night, the streets were beginning to flood, with rainwater already creeping over the curbs. "Has it been raining non-stop?" Chen Wan asked, frowning as she gazed out the window. "Yes, it's lighter now, and visibility has improved slightly. We've collected truck and car parts, but we urgently need to find level 2 zombie crystal cores and level 3 mutant animal cores," Yi Yi replied, her gaze meeting Chen Wan’s, seeking her opinion. Chen Wan nodded, her brow still furrowed. They indeed needed to secure the RV’s second transformation. If flooding truly occurred, the consequences would be catastrophic, and they couldn't afford such a risk.