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They didn’t know much about Gourmet City and the base in C City, only that it seemed very lively and had abundant supplies.
Shen Tao and his group, who had seen the train station before, knew a bit more.
What they feared most was that the base would use their formidable power to restrict their freedom, which was why they chose to be independent.
While they were discussing amongst themselves, Jiang Ci considerately did not disturb them. Instead, she went with Song Jinchuan to look at their fields, which were quite damaged but still showed signs of their former lushness. These people were truly remarkable; it was no wonder the system had for the first time ever, asked her to bring these people back to the base.
On the other side, Shen Tao and the others had also made their decision to first follow Jiang Ci to the base for observation, and if suitable, they would settle down there.
Jiang Ci had anticipated that they would follow her and gave them time to pack their things. Naturally, they would also take the unspoiled grain from their fields, and finally, everyone came out carrying large and small bags.
Jiang Ci went down the mountain with them, and when they reached the foot of the mountain, she took out the bus from her space.
This move gave another big shock to Shen Tao and his group. During the battle, Jiang Ci had already displayed two types of abilities, and now there also seemed to be a spatial ability? Moreover, each of her abilities was quite different from those of the ability users in the apocalypse.
But looking at it from another perspective, following Jiang Ci did seem to guarantee their safety.
Once on the bus, Shen Tao, as the representative of the group, came out to discuss the details of living in the base with Jiang Ci. Shen Tao also clearly stated that they had established their own village because they did not want to be restricted in any way.
“There aren’t many requirements for going to my base. There are quite a few job positions there, and you can choose whether to work there or not,” Jiang Ci briefly explained the situation at the base.
Upon hearing that Jiang Ci also had a farm and a factory, the survivors were somewhat pleased.
“All these train stations were built by me as well. Our base and Gourmet City employees enjoy special privileges,” Jiang Ci pointed out the train stations that occasionally passed by through the window of the bus.
The survivors who had never seen these train stations before couldn’t help but exclaim in awe. At this moment, a glimmer of hope for the future began to emerge in their hearts.
The journey was long, and it took more than a day to return to Gourmet City. This was the busiest time in Gourmet City, with many survivors walking around.
When people saw the bus, they knew Jiang Ci and her group had returned. Smiles spread across their faces as they greeted Jiang Ci.
Witnessing this scene, Shen Tao and his companions were also surprised. They hadn’t expected the place to be so lively.
The bus stopped at the base entrance. Jiang Ci had everyone get out and then led them inside.
Along the way, the survivors were completely awestruck by the base, so much so that what Jiang Ci was saying didn’t even end up registering in their minds.
Seeing their dazed expressions, Jiang Ci smiled. After processing their ID cards, she let them go to their rooms to rest. The rest could be discussed later.
Shen Tao looked at Jiang Ci with gratitude. Yesterday, he had seen her as an incredibly powerful figure. Today, after seeing all this, his heart was struck hard—not in a negative way, but in a way that made it race. Perhaps it was his admiration for strength that made his eyes sparkle as he looked at Jiang Ci.
Song Jinchuan, who was standing nearby, frowned upon seeing this. Seeing that Jiang Ci had already taken care of everything, he immediately pulled her away.
On the night the mission was completed, Jiang Ci had already spun the wheel and won the cake shop she had been longing for.
After returning, Jiang Ci placed the cake shop in Gourmet City. Next came the mission reward: the firewood chicken restaurant.
The shop had a wooden theme, and the dining environment was quite comfortable. There was even a small courtyard in the middle. Since it was now the height of winter, the 3D simulation Jiang Ci saw showed the courtyard covered in pristine snow, creating a rather poetic scene reminiscent of an ancient scenic spot.
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
After setting up both shops, Song Jinchuan came to knock on her door, calling her for dinner.
The meals ordered from the system were laid out in the air-conditioned room, and the aroma of the food quickly filled the space.
As they ate, Song Jinchuan, as usual, served Jiang Ci a few dishes. While eating, his gaze lingered on her. After a while, he finally said, “That Shen Tao was looking at you in a strange way.”
Jiang Ci paused her chewing. Song Jinchuan’s words carried a hint of cautious probing and jealousy.
Jiang Ci suddenly felt like laughing. This tall, imposing man now seemed somewhat pitiful in her eyes, like a little puppy waiting for its owner’s command.
“Hmm? No way, he wasn’t,” Jiang Ci decided to deliberately tease him.
“Yes, he was,” Although Song Jinchuan’s tone was as calm as usual, Jiang Ci could still detect a trace of grievance hidden within it. It was strange. After realizing his feelings for her, all his expressions, and even the tone of his voice had become exceptionally clearer to her.
Song Jinchuan was still waiting for Jiang Ci’s response. He lowered his head to peel a piece of shrimp for her, but in reality, his ears were perking up intently, eager to hear what she would say. After all, Jiang Ci had been chatting happily with Shen Tao the entire journey back, and he had long been seething with jealousy.
After not hearing her response for a long time, Song Jinchuan looked up in confusion, only to find Jiang Ci already standing in front of him. She cupped his face and planted a soft, gentle kiss on his lips.
Song Jinchuan hadn’t expected things to unfold this way. His hand froze mid-air, his dark eyes locking onto Jiang Ci intently.
Jiang Ci had already returned to her seat, but she was far from as composed as she appeared. After all, this was still her first kiss! Her heart was pounding, and her palms grew damp with sweat.
Song Jinchuan’s eyes darkened, though he stood rooted to the spot, still stunned. It took him a moment to regain his senses before he abruptly stood up, causing the chair behind him to fall to the ground with a loud thud.
Jiang Ci was startled and looked up at him, only to see him stride over to her in a single step. In the next moment, his warm, large hand pulled her close, followed with a scorching kiss.
Before Jiang Ci could say anything, she was swept away by the intensity of the kiss.
When she finally regained her composure, Song Jinchuan was already holding her in his arms, his face buried in the crook of her neck. His breathing, which was heavy and restrained, brushed against her ear.
Seeing the way he nuzzled against her like a big, affectionate dog, Jiang Ci couldn’t help but reach out and gently stroke his hair.
“Alright, let’s eat first,” Jiang Ci pushed him lightly, her voice soft.
Only then did Song Jinchuan straighten up and return to his seat, though he refused to let go of her hand. His usually somber dark eyes now shone with unmistakable joy.
He placed the peeled shrimp into Jiang Ci’s bowl and then calmly began eating with his left hand.
After the meal, Song Jinchuan didn’t leave immediately as he usually would. Instead, he stayed with Jiang Ci.
“Are you willing to be my girlfriend? I’ll give you everything I have, including my life,” Song Jinchuan said, sitting close to Jiang Ci in the warm room, holding her hand firmly as he made this seemingly heavy promise in a steady voice.
Jiang Ci turned to look at him and smiled, “I thought I’d already given you my answer earlier.”
Song Jinchuan held her small, soft hand in his palm, kneading it gently. “Well, I still wanted to tell you myself. I didn’t say it before because I felt I wasn’t good enough for you.”
For someone as formidable as Song Jinchuan, who was widely recognized as a powerhouse in the post-apocalyptic world, to say something so lacking in confidence—truly, only Jiang Ci could evoke such a response from him.
Jiang Ci reached out and touched his head. Song Jinchuan looked up, and for the first time, a soft smile appeared on his usually expressionless face. His sharp features seemed to soften under the light, giving him a youthful, and strikingly handsome appearance.
Then, Song Jinchuan’s lips pressed down on hers again.
When Jiang Ci woke up the next day, her lips still felt tender and sore. In the mirror, her fair and beautiful complexion was accentuated by her strikingly red lips. It was as if she had applied a beauty filter on herself.
Who knows if Song Jinchuan had suddenly figured something out last night, but he became increasingly adept at kissing her incessantly. It wasn’t until Jiang Ci, annoyed, sent him to the next room that he finally stopped.
Just as she was thinking about this, there was a knock at the door.
Jiang Ci opened the door to find Song Jinchuan standing there. His dark eyes swept over her overly red and alluring lips, causing his gaze to darken further.
In his hands, he held breakfast—all of which were Jiang Ci’s favorites.
After setting the breakfast down, he walked into the bathroom and hugged Jiang Ci from behind, kissing her cheek. “I’m sorry, don’t be mad.”
Blame it on his lack of self-control. Once he got involved with Jiang Ci, it was like being addicted to drugs—he simply couldn’t let go of her.
“I’m not mad,” Jiang Ci said, patting his head to soothe his uneasy heart. She pointed to her lips, “It just really hurts.”
Song Jinchuan gently stroked her lower lip with his fingertip, his eyes darkening even further. However, he restrained himself and only gave her a light kiss on the lips. “Alright, I’ll be more careful next time.”
After having breakfast, Jiang Ci went with Song Jinchuan to Gourmet City. Two new shops had opened today, and she needed to check them out and arrange for staff to work there.
On the way there, Song Jinchuan walked beside her as usual, but after a while, he took Jiang Ci’s hand.
Along the way, they ran into former members of the Cheetah Squad, who greeted them with a round of teasing whistles. Song Jinchuan’s expression didn’t change at all, though the way he looked at them was completely different from the way he looked at Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci glanced at him, and Song Jinchuan, sensing her gaze, turned to look at her. The tenderness and affection in his eyes were almost overflowing.
Jiang Ci smiled at him, and the two continued walking toward the new shops.
The cake shop was entirely decorated in a cute pink color, with a vividly painted cake on the signboard that looked incredibly appetizing.
Even before entering, Jiang Ci caught a whiff of the sweet aroma unique to a cake shop.
The system said this was an additional attribute of the cake shop, designed to attract customers.
And sure enough, even though Jiang Ci had already eaten breakfast, the smell of the cream still made her mouth water.
Upon entering, she saw clean glass counters surrounding the space and in the center. The first floor seemed to be the cake display area, while the second floor was furnished with tables and chairs.
The kitchen was semi-transparent, with the workstations visible through the glass, allowing customers to see the desserts being made at a glance.
Next door, the firewood chicken shop had a more rustic ambience. Brick-laden firewood stoves were neatly arranged in the courtyard and inside the building. The courtyard featured a small garden with a few trees in the middle that complemented the overall style.
the translator has nothing to add ◡̈
