Chapter 525: Chapter 525

Jing Shu packed her bag. Her daily necessities were sparse, similar to a man’s—just a mobile phone, charger, and, scratch that, toilet paper instead of a razor. As for a change of clothes, just a pair of underwear would suffice, considering the short trip. Then there was the luxurious, windproof, single-person tent with bedding, mattress, and moisture-proof pad, all crammed into a tiny space. This was Jing Shu’s entire luggage.

As for the other two large boxes, one contained Jing Shu’s set of simple cooking utensils. This included a multifunctional pot rack that could also serve as a stove or grill, a set of handy condiments, an ample supply of alcohol Fuel, an outdoor water filtration device, a first aid kit, an insulated flask for hot milk tea on the go, and a hot water bottle.

The remaining space was stuffed with milk powder, roasted flour congee, brick tea, and instant foods like multigrain cereal with nuts that only needed water. After all, in the dead of winter, one should drink more hot beverages.

Jing Shu filled the other large box with meat sauce, luncheon meat, braised meat, sausages, smoked ham hocks, and various other meats. Grandma Jing couldn’t bear to watch any longer and added some dried goods, dried vegetables, and roasted rice. She also put in some previously Dried Vegetables before looking sternly at Jing Shu and saying, "You need to eat more vegetables. Have you forgotten how constipated you were a while ago and couldn’t poop? Besides, pack some more. With your appetite, what if you get really hungry?" Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝※𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖※𝕟𝕖𝕥

Jing Shu’s face turned red, and she retorted, "It’s not that I couldn’t poop, it just took a bit longer, that’s all."

But she didn’t oppose Grandma Jing’s suggestion to take more vegetables. In fact, she still had dozens of cooked dishes and a variety of fruit juices and beverages in her storage space, not to mention a cubic meter of cooked steak she had painstakingly saved up. If she got hungry, she could just secretly eat some. Jing Shu had already mastered the art of chewing delicious food silently and eliminating the smell afterward.

Even on a normal day, Jing Shu’s mouth was always busy. She had a habit of munching on chocolates, candies, or snacking on pine nuts and cashews.

Of course, Grandma Jing wasn’t reassured by just these. In a short amount of time, she fried many fried dough twists, sweet potato Wanzi, and baked large flatbreads, stopping only when she could no longer fit anything else in.

In the end, there was indeed no room for the smoked ham hock. Jing Shu strung it up and made the fat chicken carry it. "You’re so fat, how can you not do some work?"

The fat chicken felt wronged. However, to follow its owner on an adventure, it had to let her fiddle with it without resisting and couldn’t show any discontent. Being a chicken is tough, but being a versatile and good chicken is even tougher!

Of course, the fat chicken had to go. Otherwise, how pitiful and sad would it be not to have fresh eggs every day?

By the time Mr. Jing hurried back home, Jing Shu was ready. She had changed into outdoor gear, wrapping herself up tightly. She wore woolen socks, woolen boots, and even slipped on a pair of rubber shoes.

Drinking from the Spiritual Spring was certainly powerful, but it didn’t grant immunity to the cold. Jing Shu, like regular people, was afraid of the cold—even more so than ordinary people, because she would get frostbite as soon as she got cold.

So when Jing An returned, she saw her daughter, with only her eyes exposed, blinking at her. Her heart melted; it was as if a puddle of water had flowed into Jing An’s heart, softening it.

"All set?" Jing An asked, her breath misting in the air. Her cheeks were red from the cold. After checking everything one more time, she felt relieved.

"Wait a second, granddaughter," Mr. Jing said, handing her a sealed raincoat. "I heard you’re going to spend a few days in the wilderness. I just modified this for you. It’ll be convenient for a girl like you out there."

"What’s this?" Jing Shu took it.

"A portable toilet coat."

Then, Mr. Jing came over to demonstrate. He put on the enclosed raincoat. The upper part was unchanged, but the lower part had been modified to resemble a large skirt, held in place by a frame.

It looked somewhat comical, like wearing a cape-skirt.

"Normally, you fold it up like clothes. When you need to use it, just put it on, find a clean spot, and spread out the support at the back like a tent. It opens up like an umbrella and stands on the ground. I even made you a wool cushion—sit on it, and I guarantee going to the toilet will be just like at home. I know you always squat for half an hour; going to the toilet outside would be torture."

There was only one toilet in the villa now, and Jing Shu was the only one who made the whole family line up by occupying it for ages. Luckily, Jing Shu usually woke up late, so by the time she got up, everyone else had gone to work.

Jing Shu’s mouth gradually dropped open as she looked at Mr. Jing, who appeared shorter sitting on the cushion, enveloped by the large skirt. The hem of the raincoat was supported by a frame, enclosed on all sides, completely concealing what was happening inside and ensuring great privacy. However, in the apocalypse, without sunlight, one couldn’t see much anyway. The main purpose was protection against the cold and wind.

Just think, on such cold days, wouldn’t your... well, whatever slips down while going to the toilet, get cold? Freeze?

Mr. Jing said proudly, "How about that? Now your butt won’t freeze. You can take as long as you like."

Jing Shu took the raincoat—oh no, the toilet-coat—and examined it. It was essentially like sitting on an open-bottomed frame, allowing waste to fall freely, similar in principle to squatting. An outer fixed frame held it in place; otherwise, the wind could make it flutter like a skirt, which would be embarrassing.

"Mr. Jing, my dear Mr. Jing, you’re truly a genius! But, Mr. Jing, I suggest adding another layer of leather to the raincoat for better wind protection. Otherwise, it’s still a bit cold."

Mr. Jing’s eyes lit up, and he nodded seriously. "My granddaughter is indeed smart. This was a rush job. Next time you come back, I’ll have it modified for you and even include a small stove to keep you warm."

Commercial flattery...

Jing Shu had originally worried about using the toilet. Last year wasn’t too bad as temperatures were tolerable. But this year, it was very cold, and going to the toilet was sheer torture. She had come in a hurry this time without much preparation, thinking that if she had weathered ten years in her previous life, she could endure it this time too.

She never expected Mr. Jing to give her such a significant gift.

"Mr. Jing, just wait. When I come back, I’ll find the Seeds of several types of tobacco you want and plant them for you in Stone Garden. Then you can smoke as much as you want." I’ll just secretly plant a few tobacco Seeds in my space.

"Sweet girl, my lovely granddaughter." Mr. Jing smiled so wide that his facial wrinkles stacked together.

Mr. Jing clicked his tongue. "He’s showing blatant favoritism! When I was young, he either hit me or scolded me. Even after I married and had children, he still wouldn’t give me any face and never made anything for me. So much for fatherly affection being like a mountain! It’s just..." Unreasonable!

He chuckled and said, "Daughter, don’t forget your old dad, huh."

"Smoke, smoke, smoke! That’s all you ever think about! We hardly have enough as it is, and you still want to smoke? Hurry up and send her off without dawdling! What time is it already?" When Mr. Jing heard someone competing with him for tobacco, he immediately became unhappy. He always found his son irritating. He’s simply inherited all my bad habits, ten out of ten, and not a single one of his mother’s good traits! What’s the use of this kid!