159 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

**Chapter 159 - Into the Wasteland** "Wife, how are you? Still feeling uncomfortable?" Chen Wan hurried over to support Jiang Yanxin. Jiang Yanxin leaned against the headboard, slightly covering her nose, and asked in confusion, "What is that smell on you?" Chen Wan looked at Jiang Yanxin somewhat aggrieved, explaining, "I just killed a big catfish. It's the fish's bloody smell, not me smelling bad." "The smell is quite distinctive," Jiang Yanxin said, nose still covered, looking at Chen Wan. Seeing that she was being shunned by her wife, Chen Wan had no choice but to sit a bit further away, her concern evident, "Are you feeling any better? Does your head still hurt?" "I'm okay, just a bit weak. How are things outside?" Jiang Yanxin asked with some worry. "The outside is flooded as high as twenty more floors. It's thanks to your abilities; otherwise, even the most powerful RV would have been swept away by the flood," Chen Wan recalled with lingering fear and continued, "I'll make you something to eat. Rest well before getting up." With that, Chen Wan, still reeking of fish, left the room. She got cucumbers and carrots from the sunroom, planning to make fried rice with pork. The smell was overwhelming, so much so that Chen Wan had to hold her breath to avoid gagging on her own scent. Taking shallow breaths, she steamed rice in a pot, chopped vegetables and pork into small pieces, and seasoned them in a pan. Soon, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Zai Zai lay cuddled in Shen Ming Yan's arms, looking at his mom with mixed feelings. Though his mom's cooking smelled delicious, the odor on her was quite the opposite. He was torn between wanting to be coddled by Chen Wan and being repelled by the smell. So he decided it'd be better to let his aunts hold him for now. Jiang Wan Ning came over to help Chen Wan serve the meal. Chen Wan took Jiang Yanxin’s portion into the bedroom, wanting to avoid affecting everyone's appetite. Meanwhile, she retreated to the sunroom on the second floor, eating by herself amidst the soil. Thinking of the catfish made her angry all over again. It had left her smelling so fishy that she couldn't cuddle her wife or Zai Zai. In hindsight, she wished she'd chopped it more just to vent. Forced to eat away from others, even her meal seemed to lose its flavor due to her own scent. After dinner, Chen Wan returned to the co-pilot seat, keeping an eye on the surroundings with Yi Yi. The sky remained overcast, but in the distance, they could faintly make out the silhouette of a few mountains. The plan was to head toward them and evaluate their options later. Jiang Yanxin, after another nap, was almost fully recovered by the afternoon. Seeing the vast expanse outside, she considered using Poseidon to channel the water back into the ocean. However, this required careful, gradual drainage to avoid sudden drops in water levels that could endanger people and boats above. When Jiang Yanxin shared her idea, Chen Wan was apprehensive. "Yanxin, can your body handle it?" "I'm mostly fine now, but it will probably take an hour or so and can only lower the water level by a few meters. But we have to move slowly. Otherwise, how else can we get out of here?" While she spoke, Jiang Yanxin had already manifested Poseidon, carefully channeling the water away. An hour later, the water level dropped about four meters. Exhausted, Jiang Yanxin soon fell back asleep. The good news was that the relentless rain had finally ceased, though debris, garbage, and corpses still covered the water's surface—ideal conditions for disease outbreaks, prompting Chen Wan and the others to proceed with extra caution. Their province was a basin, low in the center and high on the periphery. Chen Wan figured if they could drive out, perhaps other cities wouldn't face such flooding. Zai Zai nestled in Shen Ming Yan’s arms, observed the grim scene outside, his little mouth pouting as he stayed put obediently. Time passed, and night quickly enveloped them. To avoid being a target, they lowered the steel plates around the RV, blending into the silent darkness. Yi Yi and Shen Ming Yan took the night watch while the others rested. Chen Wan, not wanting to disturb Jiang Yanxin and Zai Zai with her lingering scent, slept on the lower bunk outside, hoping to freshen up before returning. As dawn broke, Yi Yi retracted the RV’s steel plates, and they continued toward the distant mountains. After breakfast, Jiang Yanxin reformed Poseidon and lowered the water level by another five meters. The mountain ridges began revealing themselves. Around 11 a.m., the RV reached the base of a mountain. The road snaked its way up in a zigzag pattern, but the part on this side was submerged. Fortunately, the RV had four mechanical arms. Chen Wan maneuvered them to cling to massive boulders, lifting the RV out of the water and setting it safely on the road. As soon as the RV got on the road, Yi Yi switched it back from water mode to regular RV configuration. Though the route up the mountain still had continuity, allowing them to drive, Yi Yi drove carefully onward. About 20 minutes later, they reached the opposite side of the mountain, and the sight stunned them. Unlike the watery landscape they had left behind, this side was experiencing snowfall, with snow accumulating half a car wheel high. Only a white expanse lay before them, obscuring road from slope. "Is this some post-apocalyptic natural disaster? How can it be snowing now?" Chen Wan wondered aloud in confusion. "After the apocalypse hit, it likely affected the climate and environment, leading to phenomena like floods and now snow. But we have the mechanical arms; if we can't drive, we'll use them to climb down," Yi Yi reassured while activating the RV's stabilization feature to keep everything and everyone in place within the vehicle. Being a system, Yi Yi could seamlessly control the RV, using the mechanical arms to ensure stability and safely embed them into the soil. Though the arms were extendable, making each step cover a good distance, they had to be cautious of what's beneath the RV. Zai Zai was curiously pressing his small hands against the window, eagerly watching the snowy world outside. Children always find delight in snow, especially since it seldom snowed where they used to live. His excitement was palpable as he asked, "Auntie, what's that? Is it fun?" Jiang Wan Ning patted his little head, explaining, "That's snow. Sometimes it's fun, but it can also be dangerous, like now, when we're trying to escape." Hearing about the danger, Zai Zai’s excitement waned, and he dejectedly watched outside, deep in thought. Under Yi Yi's control, the RV managed to reach halfway down the mountain. Though it wobbled occasionally, it wasn't enough to cause motion sickness. The snow continued, not particularly heavy but with no sign of stopping. An hour later, they safely reached a highway at the mountain's base, though it was also blanketed by the same deep snow. Yi Yi used the mechanical arms like snow plows, clearing a path forward as they slowly made their way toward the city. Even the road signs were obscured by snow, only faintly showing a character indicating Beijing. Chen Wan deduced they might be near the capital. The endless white surrounded them, with not a sound from the outside world. The RV inched forward slowly, clearing the snow-covered path. By the time they reached the outskirts of town around 4 p.m., the snow had piled a wheel high. In these conditions, the RV couldn't drive on the road, so Yi Yi had to operate it on its mechanical arms to reach an underground parking area that looked like part of a mall. She carefully cleared the entrance, maneuvering it inside. Luckily, the entrance was wide enough, allowing the RV to move smoothly until Yi Yi finally parked it inside. Chen Wan, concerned that the snow might continue to accumulate, got out of the RV quickly, not bothering with a coat. She moved two minibuses to block the parking entrance before returning inside to rest. Her rush outside left her shivering, despite the RV's heating. The external cold seeped in, lowering the interior temperature. When Chen Wan returned to the RV, she found Jiang Yanxin had already dressed Zai Zai in slightly thicker clothing. She had also changed into something warmer herself, allowing her to breathe a small sigh of relief. The underground parking area was completely dark, with only the faint light from the RV. Zai Zai swung his little legs and asked Jiang Yanxin, "Mama, where are we?" "We've likely reached Beijing, but for some reason, it's suddenly snowing here. We'll stay here for a while, so don't worry," Jiang Yanxin comforted the little one, drawing him closer to ease his unease. Zai Zai nodded his small head, causing the little bear ears on his hoodie to bob up and down accordingly.