Night fell.
The wind across the wasteland turned bitter and biting again.
But warm light shone over the clearing beside the RV.
Lin Hui had parked on a sheltered rise, ending the day's operations.
The abandoned Aviation Parts Factory Su Qingqian had mentioned was still over a hundred kilometers away. Driving at night was dangerous, so Lin Hui decided to set out again tomorrow.
Exhausted and aching all over, Su Qingqian climbed into the RV, panting, with a toolbox in her hand.
"I'm dead on my feet..."
She set the box on the floor and gave Lin Hui a resentful look.
"You don't know the first thing about treating a lady gently..."
Lin Hui ignored her look and nodded in satisfaction instead.
"Good efficiency."
With that, he took a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, unscrewed the cap, and held it out to Su Qingqian.
Su Qingqian's eyes lit up.
She had been thirsty all afternoon, and her throat felt like it was on fire.
"Thank you!"
Warmth welled up inside her. At least this capitalist boss has a shred of conscience. He knows to give his employee some water.
She reached out to take it.
But Lin Hui's hand stopped in midair.
He pointed through the window at the alloy ram, which was caked in foul-smelling, blackish-red blood after smashing into zombies all afternoon.
"Who said it was for drinking?"
Lin Hui raised an eyebrow, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Take this water and rinse off the front. It stinks. It's ruining my mood. My Sam stat is about to drop!"
"..."
Su Qingqian's hand froze in midair. The gratitude on her face stiffened, then slowly cracked.
"You... what did you say?"
She stared at Lin Hui in disbelief. She had never expected him to make her wash the vehicle.
Besides...
In the apocalypse, water was more precious than gold!
Even the leaders of those major guilds wouldn't dare use mineral water to wash a vehicle, would they?
"You want me to... use drinking water... to wash off that rotten meat?"
Su Qingqian's voice trembled with both anger and shock.
"What else? Wash it with spit?" Lin Hui shoved the water into her hand and even waved her away dismissively. "Get moving. No dinner until it's clean."
Holding the bottle, Su Qingqian stood in the cold wind, utterly bewildered.
Bastard! Evil capitalist! What a criminal waste!
She cursed him furiously in her mind, but had no choice but to unscrew the cap through her tears, carefully pour water onto a rag, and wipe away the disgusting stains.
Every little bit she poured out made her heart bleed.
This is purified water!
And he's using it to wash a vehicle!
This man is either insane or a filthy-rich lunatic!
Half an hour later.
Su Qingqian returned to the RV, shivering. After being battered by the cold wind outside, her fingers felt frozen stiff.
"Finished washing... bastard..."
Muttering under her breath, she pushed open the cabin door.
But the very next second...
An intensely rich, spicy aroma surged into her nostrils, hooking her soul and pulling it in.
Gurgle.
Su Qingqian's stomach betrayed her with an enormous growl.
She jerked her head up.
An induction cooktop now stood on the little folding table that had previously held miscellaneous clutter.
In the pot, red chili oil churned as Sichuan peppercorns and chilies danced in the boiling broth.
Beside it sat plates of premium lamb and beef rolls, sliced paper-thin and marbled red and white, along with thoroughly washed lettuce, enoki mushrooms, luncheon meat...
There was even a freshly opened can of ice-cold beer, its surface beaded with enticing droplets!
Lin Hui sat on the sofa with chopsticks in hand, swishing a slice of lamb through the pot.
"Seven dips, eight lifts. Mm, done."
He dipped the meat in a little sesame sauce, popped it into his mouth, and savored it.
Su Qingqian stood in the doorway, completely stunned.
H-hot pot?
Lamb?
Ice-cold beer?
Am I dreaming? Or did the cold make me hallucinate?
This is the apocalypse!
Everyone else is gnawing on moldy bread, and this guy is eating hot pot in his RV?!
"What are you standing there for?"
Lin Hui glanced up at her and pointed to the seat opposite him.
"Go take a shower first. Once you're clean, come eat. You'll need a full stomach to have the strength to work."
Su Qingqian swallowed, then nodded despite herself.
After showering, she changed into her own clothes.
Even after sitting on the sofa and having a pair of chopsticks pressed into her hand, she was still dazed.
"Eat. What, do you want me to feed you?" Lin Hui poured her a glass of beer.
Su Qingqian came to her senses. Looking at the roiling red chili oil before her, she suddenly felt her eyes sting.
She picked up a piece of luncheon meat and stuffed it into her mouth without caring how hot it was.
Spice and the rich flavor of meat exploded across her tongue.
At that instant, hurt, exhaustion, fear-all her emotions surged up with that mouthful of hot food.
"Sniff..."
As Su Qingqian chewed, tears pattered down onto the table.
"What's wrong? Too spicy?" Lin Hui frowned.
"N-no..." Su Qingqian stuffed lamb into her mouth as she cried, her words muffled. "It's just so good... sob..."
"Being able to eat hot pot at a time like this... I'm so happy..."
"Back in the tank, all I had were compressed biscuits as hard as rocks, washed down with cold water... They were practically ruining my stomach..."
"I want chilies... Give me some more chilies..."
"I want it extra spicy..."
Watching the cute girl before him cry her eyes out while wolfing down food as though she had starved in a previous life, Lin Hui couldn't help laughing.
The contrast really was striking.
"Slow down. Nobody's going to take it from you." Lin Hui pushed his plate of lamb toward her. "Water isn't a problem, and neither is food. As long as you work hard, you'll have meat every day. If you like spicy food, I've got plenty of chilies, too."
He had obtained plenty of food from hunting zombies and opening resource crates, and it was all stored in the spatial dimension.
Food never spoiled in the spatial dimension.
Su Qingqian raised her head and looked at Lin Hui with reddened eyes.
At that moment, the man who had seemed so cold and overbearing actually appeared to radiate a sacred glow in her eyes.
"Meat... every day? And chilies?"
"Mm-hmm."
Su Qingqian sniffled, held back her tears, then nodded solemnly.
"Boss. Yes, I'm calling you boss from now on. Tomorrow, I'll dismantle anything you tell me to! Even a Gundam!"
If I can eat hot pot, what's a little work?
The atmosphere finally relaxed.
The two ate and chatted.
Perhaps the delicious food had lowered her guard, because Su Qingqian started opening up.
"I'm from Zhejiang Province. Before I came here, I was a first-year student at an art academy." Su Qingqian took a sip of ice-cold beer, her little face flushed.
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