Chapter 504: Chapter 504

"Long time no see!" Tan Ke chuckled. "This is my sister, Xi Xi... Ai Weiwei!"

"Come down now, don’t be naughty," Tan Ke said, standing before the enormous tombstone, his expression doting yet somewhat caught off guard.

Jing Shu squinted, observing Xi Xi. Just moments ago, the girl had stood beside the mountain-like Tan Ke, looking as fragile and heart-wrenching as a porcelain doll. In the blink of an eye, she was captivated by the massive tombstone at the entrance of Jing Shu’s villa. In another blink, she had already climbed a good way up the structure, which towered over ten meters high.

From afar, her slightly immature voice drifted over, "Brother, brother, is this the wall of a rich family’s yard? Isn’t it magnificent? How much food would it take to get such a big plot of land in the Imperial Capital?"

Jing Shu laughed. "Land isn’t worth much in Wu City. This much land wouldn’t even trade for a toilet in the Imperial Capital."

Tan Ke chuckled. "Nowadays, whether it’s the Imperial Capital or anywhere else, most buildings have been half-destroyed. Land is as precious as gold everywhere; any house is valuable. However, in the Imperial Capital, the population is dense and class distinctions are more obvious. Indeed, very few people can own such a large house anymore."

The little girl finally climbed down, though it was a mystery how she moved so nimbly on the smooth tombstone. She straightened her collar, tugged her red padded jacket smooth, took a breath, and then bowed respectfully to Jing Shu.

"Regardless, I must thank Sister Jingzi for taking care of my foolish brother all this time. You not only saved him many times but also let him bring back my favorite eggs. Words cannot express such great kindness. In the future, whenever you need our help, Sister Jingzi, we siblings are at your command."

Tan Ke, scratching the back of his head with a chuckle, got a kick from his sister. "Bro, is that how you thank someone? You should thank her properly!" she insisted, forcing Tan Ke to bow as well, which made Jing Shu not know whether to laugh or cry.

"These are some local specialties from the Imperial Capital. I hope Sister Jingzi likes them." The little one pulled out some dried goods typical of the Imperial Capital from her bundle, along with some new post-apocalypse products.

For instance, there was something called Black Worm Ginseng. This new post-apocalypse species was made from black worms that were dried and powdered, and could be used in various flour-based foods. Although its taste was light and even slightly bitter, it provided certain nutrients and Antidark Pigment. It was hailed as the ’ginseng among worms’ and was a good way to occasionally enhance their meals. Grandma Jing was quite fond of it.

The two followed Jing Shu into the villa’s backyard. Outside, the temperature was sub-zero, but the yard was as warm as spring, with daylight lamps shining on the cultivated crops—a world completely different from the dark, cold one outside.

Furthermore, the yard felt even more alive. Vibrant apricot, peach, and coffee trees grew there, alongside cooped-up chickens and ducks, bleating sheep, and an old sow grunting contentedly as it rolled about. Everything looked wonderfully cozy, almost like a prosperous farmhouse.

Tan Ke’s mouth slowly fell open as he spotted two fat geese in the distance... they seemed to be fighting, still using their familiar style, only their size was different now.

Tan Ke pointed at the fat geese, shocked. "Those... those two..."

Jing Shu nodded. "Yes, those are Da Hua and Gou Dan."

Xi Xi exclaimed, "Oh my! How did they get so fat in just a few months? In the Imperial Capital, no matter how many good things we fed them, they never gained weight and were very picky eaters, refusing many things. How did Sister Jingzi manage it?"

Jing Shu chuckled softly and said nothing. Starving them for a few days was all it took.

"Are these all Da Hua’s offspring? So many?" Tan Ke pointed in disbelief at the flock of goslings behind him. It was nearly three years into the apocalypse, and the two geese had only produced a few goslings in total. Yet in such a short time here, goslings were running all over the place. Mirror really has her methods, he thought.

Actually, this wasn’t even all of them; Jing Shu had kept some hidden. She hadn’t wanted to completely overwhelm her visitors from the Imperial Capital. She intended to display her capabilities but also maintain some reserve, not expecting these particular guests.

Just then, Grandma Jing came in carrying a string of goslings, her face crinkling into a smile that deepened her wrinkles. "Eight goslings have already been packed for you," she said. "Have some food first; there’s no rush to leave."

Xi Xi’s eyes widened as she gazed at the goslings in Grandma Jing’s hands. They were as meek as quails and seemed incredibly precious. She took them, gently stroking their fuzzy bodies. The warmth from the little geese and their strong, steady heartbeats clearly indicated they were extremely healthy—not like the lethargic, spiritless ones bred in the Imperial Capital!

Tan Ke scratched his head. "We’ll skip the food. We’re in a hurry to get back."

Grandma Jing was insistent. "How can you not eat after coming all this way? The food is ready—all Wu City specialties! Young man, have some grilled kidneys to build up your strength. Young lady, you have some more roast meat. I’ve also packed some roasted sweet potatoes and cumin meat skewers for your journey, along with some of my homemade dried egg noodles. You can just boil them when you get home..." The source of this content ɪs 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵

Xi Xi audibly swallowed. My God, it has been so long since I’ve tasted such delicious food!

Tan Ke looked uneasy. "We really are pressed for time. Maybe Xi Xi can eat something, and I’ll skip it. I have something to discuss with Mirror."

He was worried about causing trouble, but he also doted on his sister and wanted her to eat something.

Jing Shu nodded. "Alright then. Xi Xi, go have some food. Tan Ke can stay here and talk with me for a while. Grandma, please make sure to pack them some extra food for the road later."

Hearing that her brother would also get to eat later, Xi Xi shyly followed Grandma Jing to have her meal.

The courtyard returned to its peaceful serenity. This place was a sanctuary in the post-apocalyptic world, and being here gave one an immense sense of security.

Since time was short, Tan Ke briefly explained Monkey’s and Monk’s conditions before getting straight to the point. Fortunately, neither was in life-threatening danger anymore; all they could do now was recuperate.

Their group had gone to the United States, but three members returned heavily injured—a grievous loss.

Tan Ke then brought out a photo of the Seeds. "Regarding that batch of Seeds from the Imperial Capital," he began, "after several months of research, they still haven’t found a way to completely remove the radiation. They can be planted, but the germination rate is low, and there might be unpredictable consequences like genetic modification. However, from what I hear, they don’t want to waste this precious batch of Seeds, so..."

Jing Shu slowly narrowed her eyes. His words were quite telling. She had warned them before that these Seeds had special radiation. She had a method to remove it, but it would incur additional costs. At the time, they said they would find their own solution. Several months had passed, and it seemed they hadn’t found a good one. Now they were here to negotiate.

Tan Ke’s face flushed. "They were asking... if we could still proceed as we discussed back then?"

Jing Shu laughed, an easy, relaxed laugh. "Of course." So, some people really won’t give up until they hit a dead end. They didn’t believe me then, and now, after all this time, they’ve come back.

Tan Ke let out a soft sigh of relief. "That’s great."