dusk.
Having finished his day's work, Xue Liangping returned to the building with team leader Zhou Tao and other veteran team members.
Inside the building, the lights were dim, and the others were just getting up.
People carried towels, washbasins, toothbrushes, and mouthwash cups, yawning as they walked down the aisle, exchanging "Good morning" greetings.
Although it's already quite late, it feels like morning to the people in the building.
For them, nighttime is their working time; most people sleep during the day.
Among these people were not only adults, but also many junior and senior high school students who also went to school outside the building at night.
For more than a decade, the world has become accustomed to a nocturnal lifestyle.
Thump!
Zhou Tao returned the cargo box to its original position, the metal box making a sound as it collided with the wall, then patted Xue Liangping beside him.
He had already taken out the apple he had obtained during the day. Although its tender skin was wrinkled from being covered, it didn't stop him from staring at the apple in his hand with the expression of someone admiring a gemstone.
"Let's go. We can't keep this all to ourselves; we have to share it with the others."
"Uh-huh!"
With anticipation in his eyes, Xue Liangping held the apple in both hands and followed Zhou Tao into the building's living area.
"Why is there no water again?" Xxs-2
Can someone lend me some shampoo?
" Erha, hurry up and brush your teeth, it's getting dark, we need to go to school..."
I walked along the corridor, passing by the lives of the residents in the building.
Finally, someone noticed the apple Xue Liangping was holding.
" Liangping, this is... an apple?!"
Suddenly someone shouted, drawing all eyes to the scene like a magnet.
In the dimly lit corridor, everyone stared intently at the bright red apple in Xue Liangping's hand.
Zhou Tao clapped his hands, smiled amicably, and said, "We were lucky today; we got an apple. Everyone, please let your kids come and share it."
Instead of calling the child immediately, the surprised crowd continued to stare incredulously at the apple in Xue Liangping's hand.
"It's not an old model, is it?"
"Where can you find such fresh apples at this time of day?"
"Have apples been grown in the agricultural building yet?"
They kept talking, one sentence after another.
Until Zhou Tao took a knife and gently cut the surface of the apple
Slice off a small piece to reveal the tender white flesh, and you can faintly smell the sweet aroma of the fruit.
The building was immediately in an uproar.
If you have children at home, immediately go home and call your children out.
Those without children at home also came to see what was happening, drawn by the commotion.
Soon, all the children in the building gathered in the cafeteria.
Unlike middle and high schools and universities, primary schools and kindergartens are held during the day.
These children had just finished class when their parents called them over, and they gathered around the apple in Xue Liangping's hand, chattering away.
Even the middle school students who were on their way to school stopped and gathered around these children.
The adults then formed a circle around the students, with many standing on the dining tables because they felt the view was poor.
Everyone's eyes were almost identical, and some people's tongues were moving unconsciously, as if they had already taken a bite out of the apple and were savoring its deliciousness.
Aside from those Wandering Spacetime, people from other timelines would likely find it difficult to comprehend the bustling scene before them.
Why is it that just an apple can excite these people so much?
" Liangping, where did you get this apple from?"
"Yes, yes, is there any more?"
As soon as everyone gathered, someone immediately asked about it.
This is the question that everyone is most concerned about.
Xue Liangping didn't know how to answer, so he could only look at Captain Zhou Tao.
The composed middle-aged man hesitated as he thought of Zhang Tianyuan and that mysterious black convoy.
Although I wanted to share my joy with everyone, to tell them that there were still many apples left and that they would probably get some soon...
But Zhou Tao ultimately gave up on the idea.
He knew that he had better not say a word about anything related to that young man.
So he simply said, "This apple was an unexpected find. You don't need to ask about the details anymore; it's all legal. Now let's divide the apple."
Seeing that Zhou Tao said this, everyone wisely refrained from asking any further questions and instead focused on cutting the apple.
The group brought over a plate, placed an apple on it, and held a knife in Xue Liangping's hand.
The scene fell silent instantly.
Xue Liangping glanced at Zhou Tao, and encouraged by his gaze, he snapped the apple in half with a snap.
In Apple
The moment the fruit burst open, everyone around instinctively gasped, as if they could smell the sweet aroma emanating from it.
Following the cutting method that Zhou Tao had specifically instructed him to use during his work breaks during the day, Xue Liangping removed the apple seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes, just like tiny beef cubes, smaller than a fingernail.
Only after the apple, about half the size of a palm, had been broken into small cubes did Xue Liangping allow the children around him to reach out and take some.
Amidst laughter and playfulness, dozens of children lined up, each taking only one piece as instructed, and slowly chewing it in their mouths.
The apples in the plate were disappearing at a visible rate.
After the children finished taking theirs, it was the middle school students from outside who took them.
Everyone stared nervously, wondering if they would have a chance to get a small piece as well.
Unfortunately, the apples on the plate were quickly devoured.
Upon seeing this, everyone sighed in unison.
In the silence, someone, unwilling to give up, brought hot water, poured it into a plate, stirred it, and also put the knife used to cut the apple into the water to stir it, spreading the flavor in the water. Then, they gave a little to everyone present so that everyone could imagine what the apple tasted like.
Zhou Tao also gave Xue Liangping a glass of "apple juice".
The young man had just given away all the apples and was now feeling quite disappointed.
Xue Liangping took the water, said thank you, and then put it in his mouth.
The next second, he felt his lips touch something. Looking into the water glass, he saw that it was a piece of red fruit peel with some white flesh on it.
Zhou Tao, who was standing next to him, smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Drink up, what are you looking at?"
After everyone had finished drinking their water, still wanting more, they set their sights on the few apple seeds that had just been set aside.
Some women collected them, carefully took them to the building's communal vegetable garden, and planted them in plastic pots filled with soil.
Similar scenes were unfolding in other buildings.
Everyone shared the apples they received with everyone else in the building.
And like Xue Liangping and the others, they didn't waste a single drop of juice from cutting apples or inedible apple seeds.
Meanwhile, rumors were quietly circulating among these buildings that the apples came from some mysterious person...