199 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

In no time, it was Chen Wan and her team's turn to cook up a large pot of food. The little one insisted on joining the fun, and eventually, Yi Yi had no choice but to hold her and act as a supervisor while Chen Wan and the others prepared the meal. Chen Wan was planning to make a big stew with dried wild vegetables and luncheon meat, and she even fetched three packages of hotpot base from the RV to add to it. Given the large quantity she was making, the hotpot base wouldn’t be too spicy but would enhance the flavor. Before long, as Chen Wan began stir-frying the ingredients, a delightful aroma wafted through the air. She then tossed in the vegetables and canned goods, added some water, and left the concoction to simmer, covering the pot so it would be ready soon. On the other side, Qin Ke and Jiang Yan Xin were in charge of making the dough, transforming it into steamed buns along with some other team members. The little one directed Yi Yi, glancing over at Chen Wan at intervals, and asked Qin Ke for half a bun, which she gleefully devoured with her tiny hands. After lunch, the lights in the underground parking garage suddenly went out, prompting the soldiers to maintain order. Meanwhile, Cao Wei intended to send some people up to check the situation. To prevent the repair workers from getting heatstroke, she instructed them to soak their blankets in cold water before wrapping themselves in them. This was, at least, a way to ward off some of the heat. Chen Wan joined them as part of the escort team for the electricians. After all, in the apocalypse, technical professions were highly sought after, far more practical than subjects like literature or philosophy. Hastily, the group wrapped their dripping blankets around themselves and ascended to the surface. Just standing still, Chen Wan could feel the soles of her shoes sizzling, almost to the point of melting the unfamiliar adhesive on them. Each step towards the solar charging panels was a challenge, as the sun's rays grew fiercer and fiercer. Walking alongside Chen Wan, one of the operators feared that the wet blankets would further dampen the wires, so they put them aside and quickly began repairs using the computer connected to the circuit. This process took over ten minutes. Observing that Uncle's back was already sunburnt, Chen Wan hastily said, "Uncle, you've gotten burned already; take a break and wrap yourself in the blanket before continuing." Uncle, focused on his work, realized the searing pain on his back only after Chen Wan's reminder. As he rubbed his back, a layer of scorched skin came off. "Uncle, rest for a bit and let someone else take over," Chen Wan urged. Reluctant but resigned, Uncle had another technician step in to continue the inspection. Eventually, they discovered that the high temperatures had melted several wires on the circuit board. Clearing the fault meant turning off the main switch. Chen Wan volunteered to shut off the electricity for them. The men rotated tasks, and after half an hour, they finally repaired and fortified the circuit. Almost everyone got sunburned to some extent. Thanks to Chen Wan's supernatural abilities, she could protect herself, though she still felt her shoes melting. Nevertheless, the mission was complete, and the lights in the underground parking garage were restored. Upon returning, Jiang Yan Xin and the others hurried around her, eager for news. "How's it outside?" "Extremely hot. Expose your skin to the sun for a few minutes, and you'll suffer burns and dehydration. One of the uncles even had the skin on his back peel off. My sneakers, even though they should have thick soles, felt like they were about to melt. See, they're still a bit squishy. So it's best to stay put. At least we have enough food and water in the base," Chen Wan smiled as she spoke. "What else can we do but wait it out?" Jiang Yan Xin sighed. Chen Wan and her group remained in the underground parking garage for a full four months. By July, outside temperatures finally dropped to around 35 degrees Celsius. Although still hot, they could finally return to the surface and resume normal life. The little one, happy to be outdoors again, ran gleefully with Chen Wan, eager to play. She had grown taller, and her little legs were moving fast. But caught up in play, she tripped and fell, scraping her knee. Chen Wan quickly picked the little one up, soothing her with gentle words and intending to disinfect her knee. The little one was quite brave, not crying or fussing while nestled in Chen Wan’s arms, waiting for her mommy to tend to her wound. Jiang Wan Ning rushed to fetch medicine, worried for the little one. Suddenly, she recalled something: "Let me try, alright? Last time, I cut my hand while chopping vegetables, but the wound healed immediately." "Give it a shot, otherwise, if we use iodine on her wound, the little one may start crying," Chen Wan suggested with a smile while looking expectantly at Jiang Wan Ning. It would be beneficial if their team had someone with a healing ability. Jiang Wan Ning concentrated her thoughts, and with a slight wave over the child’s knee, the scrape disappeared miraculously. The little one was amazed, her mouth agape. "Wow, Mommy, the boo-boo's gone." "Yes, it's gone. Is my little mischief-maker happy again?" Chen Wan chuckled. "Uh-huh." The little one nodded enthusiastically. Then, Chen Wan turned to Jiang Wan Ning and said with a smile, "That's impressive, Wan Ning. A healing ability is rare in the apocalypse. It’s a bonus safeguard for our team." Seeing their conversation on abilities, Jiang Zhao Yuan joined in. "Recently, I noticed that I can speed up the growth of fruits and vegetables in the conservatory. Could be an ability too." "I think so. It’s probably related to plant manipulation since you both consumed the crystal cores around the same time," Chen Wan assessed. Turning to Ye Lan, she queried with a smile, "Mom, your ability should be manifesting soon, right?" Ye Lan, puzzled, replied, "Lately, with this heat, I've been wishing for cooler temperatures, and somehow, it feels like it’s actually cooler." "Really? Give it a try, Mom," Chen Wan urged, curious. Ye Lan tapped into her ability, and instantly the room felt cooler. An outside test, however, revealed the outside temperature remained unchanged. "It seems the ability modifies temperatures within a range, but it's still beneficial, saving us a lot of trouble," Chen Wan noted with a smile. Each ability, though not necessarily offensive, could greatly aid daily life. The workflow for District One gradually returned to normal. Cao Wei organized the cleanup and disposal of heatstroke casualties to avert outbreaks. Soon after, District One resumed accepting refugees seeking refuge. Chen Wan, accompanied by Jiang Yan Xin and others, continued to join Commander Chai's convoy on supply runs. Meanwhile, Qi Jing, Li Xiao Xiao, and Kang Wan took on the role of statisticians, recording key information about newcomers to District One. After a long afternoon's work, with data nearly complete, they noticed a male Alpha eagerly approaching Qi Jing. "Qi Jing, do you remember me? I'm Yuan Jie, your boyfriend, remember? This is my mom," Yuan Jie’s eyes sparkled upon seeing Qi Jing. Given her tidy appearance and official role, he assumed she thrived within the base, hoping he and his mother could benefit from her standing. With a frown, Qi Jing eyed the man with a blackened face, coldly stating, "Mr. Yuan, you better clarify. Before the apocalypse, we met just once. My parents forced that meeting, and I clearly told you it wouldn’t work. So, where did this boyfriend nonsense come from?" Unfazed, Yuan Jie smiled and pressed on, "It didn’t work then, but it makes sense now, right? After all we’ve been through, won’t you agree to be my girlfriend?" From behind him, a bedraggled woman in her fifties sneered at Qi Jing. "You’re lucky my son fancies you. Before this, you wouldn't match my son’s pedigree. He's a finance PhD, educated abroad." Qi Jing chuckled coldly. "Finance is among the least useful fields now, and he may not even be as valuable as a real sea turtle. Register and clear out, stop disrupting order." "Qi Jing, there's no need to be angry. My mother’s not good with words, but she means well. How about this? You don’t need to assign us housing. My mother and I will move in with you," Yuan Jie spoke as if it were settled. Signaling to the soldiers nearby, Qi Jing instructed, "Officer, someone’s disrupting order here; perhaps you should take action?" Several soldiers approached Yuan Jie, one of them stating, "Sir, District One has regulations against causing disturbances in line. Otherwise, you'll be subjected to five days of confinement." Yuan Jie glared at the soldier and shouted, "We came to District One because we heard it's orderly here. Now, I can't even speak to my girlfriend? I'm telling you, you have no authority to detain me; take me to your superior." He clung to the claim that Qi Jing was his girlfriend, and his voice grew increasingly loud and belligerent. He counted on the soldiers of District One being different from others, which is why he dared to act so arrogantly. At this point, Chen Wan and Wei Si Yu’s team returned from a supply run. From a distance, they noticed the commotion and decided to check it out, directing Qin Ke to handle the remaining tasks. As she walked over, Chen Wan furrowed her brows and asked, "What's going on here? Why is there such a disturbance in line?" The soldier saluted Chen Wan and reported, "Ma’am, this gentleman insists he's Qi Jing's boyfriend and is causing a scene. He demands to see a superior, and we're about to escort him to the holding cell." Used to leading teams on missions, Chen Wan, though not officially titled within the military hierarchy, commanded respect. The soldiers would address her as "Ma’am" out of regard. Meanwhile, at the site, there were no pop-up ads and the permanent site address (xbanxia.com) was visible for reference.