Jin Rong

After a period of bustle, the lunch rush had finally passed.

Even the tables inside the shop had opened up.

Only then could Xiao Shou take a brief rest.

Just as Xiao Shou was about to sit down, the sound of "Welcome" rang out at the entrance again.

Xiao Shou quickly got up to greet the customer.

A middle-aged woman in military uniform walked in.

She looked to be around forty, of average height, with delicate features that did not detract from her heroic bearing.

Her expression was quite stern, and she rarely smiled around strangers.

What was surprising was that her rank was not low—two bars and two stars.

A lieutenant colonel at her age was rare indeed.

When the woman saw Xiao Shou, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, as though she were greeting him.

But since she rarely smiled, the gesture looked rather stiff.

Xiao Shou was already used to it and called out, "Aunt Rong."

That was right. This woman was not visiting for the first time. One could even say this was her home, because she was Grandma He's daughter.

The woman was named Jin Rong. She was forty-two years old and had enlisted in the military in her youth, giving her nearly twenty years of service.

The Jin family was an ordinary family, not some revolutionary military lineage.

Thus, Jin Rong had become a lieutenant colonel entirely through her own efforts.

Grandma He and Xiao Shou only knew that Jin Rong served in the Northeastern Military Region.

They did not know her exact department or position.

Jin Rong had never told them, either.

It seemed the unit she served in was rather secretive.

In fact, Jin Rong had rarely returned home in the past.

Especially after the monsters first attacked Earth two years ago, she had not even come home for the New Year.

But ever since "Shanlan" attacked Dalian half a year ago, the authorities had built a military base here.

First, to prevent another monster attack.

Second, to reassure the public that the government had never abandoned Dalian.

To stabilize Dalian's post-disaster reconstruction.

That was why Jin Rong finally had time to come home occasionally.

Even so, she rarely stayed overnight. Usually, she only took a quick look before leaving, sometimes without even having time for a meal.

Grandma He and Xiao Shou guessed that Jin Rong had been transferred to the newly built military base in Lushun District, Dalian.

And that was indeed the case. What they did not know, however, was that the base was not stationed by the military...

Grandma He was overjoyed to see her daughter return.

"A-Rong, have you eaten? Mom will make you your favorite scallion noodles right away!"

"Sorry for the trouble, Mom. I had to leave in a hurry this time. I happened to be passing by, so I got out to take a look at you. I don't have time to eat. My colleagues are still waiting outside."

Grandma He felt somewhat regretful after hearing that. Her daughter had been her pride since childhood.

It was just that her career had been advancing better and better, leaving her so busy that they could barely see each other a few times a year.

Seeing her daughter turn to leave, Grandma He hurriedly called out to her.

"Silly girl, tomorrow is your birthday. You've probably forgotten, haven't you? If you have time, come back and Mom will make you longevity noodles. If you don't, have Xiao Shou deliver them to you!"

Jin Rong had wanted to refuse, but when she saw her mother's eyes full of love and concern, she could not bring herself to say no.

"Okay, Mom. I'll try to come back. Or have Xiao Shou deliver them to the base gate, and I'll come pick them up."

Grandma He watched her daughter get into the car and drive away, then let out a sigh.

Now that she was old, the person she missed most was her daughter.

Though she was happy to see her daughter's career flourishing, she regretted that her daughter could not stay by her side all the time.

Jin Rong did not feel good sitting in the car, either.

Her failure to show emotion just now was not because she was cold. She was truly afraid that, once she fell into her mother's warm embrace, she would never want to rise again.

When "Shanlan" attacked Dalian half a year ago, she had been scared half to death, terrified that something might happen to her mother.

At the time, she had even considered violating military orders and returning to Dalian without authorization.

After learning of her situation, the military region had not stopped her. Instead, it directly assigned her to the wartime logistics department and sent her to Dalian to support the combat units.

Military orders might be as weighty as mountains, but they still allowed for human compassion.

Fortunately, her mother had been unharmed. Only their old home beside the Orphanage had been crushed beneath "Shanlan's" feet.

But that did not matter. As long as people were alive, nothing else mattered more.

It only strengthened Jin Rong's resolve to fight the monsters. Only by eliminating them could her mother and the civilians in the rear be safe.

But the price was the time she could spend with her family.

Loyalty and filial devotion had always been difficult to fulfill together.

"Xiao Shou, you've been busy all day. Close early. Take the remaining noodles, buns, and steamed bread to the elderly and children at the Orphanage."

"Got it, Grandma He."

Xiao Shou carried half a pot of noodles and a whole pot of buns and steamed bread toward the Orphanage.

It was called an Orphanage, but now it was merely a large open courtyard.

After "Shanlan" was killed, the authorities began rebuilding Dalian.

With everyone contributing their ideas and efforts, the city had recovered quite well.

Though it no longer possessed the former prosperity of towering buildings.

Instead, it was filled with prefabricated shelter buildings resembling shipping containers.

Their advantage was that they saved time and effort and could temporarily house the public.

Otherwise, who knew how many years it would take for skyscrapers to rise again.

Were people supposed to sleep on the streets in the meantime?

Jianguo Road was one of the few streets that had not been touched by the war.

That was why Grandma He's Noodle House had been preserved.

After walking for more than ten minutes, Xiao Shou finally arrived at the current Orphanage.

Like the prefabricated shelters seen everywhere along the streets, the Orphanage was a gathering place made up of two rows of such units.

"Brother Xiao Shou is back!"

Seeing Xiao Shou return with food, the dozen or so children still playing in the Orphanage swarmed around him, chirping noisily.

The commotion alerted someone inside, who poked her head out from one of the shelters.

She was a pretty young woman in her twenties.

Her name was Li Xintong. Her childhood nickname at the Orphanage had been Bao'er, and she was twenty-one years old.

At thirteen, she had been adopted by a married couple.

After graduating from university, Li Xintong chose to return to work at the Orphanage.

At the time, the Orphanage had suffered this calamity, and the Old Director had died.

Li Xintong took over as the director of the Orphanage. With assistance from government departments and some support from her adoptive parents,

the living conditions were poor, but the Orphanage had managed to endure.

Li Xintong took the noodles and bread from Xiao Shou and handed them out to the children.

She then gave the rest to the caregivers inside and asked them to feed the elderly residents in the shelters who had difficulty moving around.

Seeing the children wolfing down buns and noodles, Xiao Shou could not help but feel a pang in his heart.

The pieces of meat in the buns and noodles were one of the few sources of meat the children had.

And even this was something the children could not eat more than once a week.

How could that not make one feel miserable?

Just as Xiao Shou was lost in thought, Li Xintong handed him a bowl of noodles.

"I made this myself. Today is your birthday. I haven't cooked in so long, but I just tasted it, and it turned out pretty good."

Xiao Shou accepted the noodles. A fried egg lay on top.

For a moment, his emotions were complicated.

Aside from the late Old Director, no one knew his birthday, nor did anyone care.

"Sister Bao'er, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? I know very well that you were the child who was supposed to be adopted back then. You deliberately pretended to be sick and gave me the chance. I remember that kindness."

Xiao Shou smiled faintly as he watched the children resume playing after finishing their meal.

"I wasn't helping you. I wanted to stay here."