Chapter 213: Modifying the RV (Part 1) (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Jing Shu had been wondering when the blood mushrooms would become widely known. That evening, the news reported that various regions had begun salvaging blood mushrooms. After research, experts confirmed that besides their other known benefits, they contained abundant trace elements that could extend life.

Along with this news, a big data auction was officially announced, with blood mushrooms set to be auctioned at a starting price of 500 virtual coins per mushroom.

Suddenly, blood mushrooms became a trending topic across Huaxia. The negative press surrounding missing salvage workers began to fade, replaced by excitement. Salvage workers were now more motivated than ever, hoping to find these mushrooms. A cluster of seven or eight mushrooms could fetch thousands of virtual coins—enough to risk their lives for.

With this development, the price of blood mushrooms surged. In a way, this was beneficial, as it helped stimulate the economy, giving the public a chance at a “jackpot” and offering the wealthy a reason to spend their money.

That night, the family enjoyed an unusually lavish dinner: garlic scapes stir-fried with cured meat, smoked duck, fragrant fried rice, and a pot of chicken stew with mushrooms. These mushrooms, however, looked different from the usual ones.

Grandma Jing, watching the news about blood mushrooms, gasped. "Jing Shu, don't these mushrooms you brought back look just like the ones on TV?"

Everyone turned to look, comparing the mushrooms. Indeed, they looked quite similar.

"Oh, they are the ones from TV. I found some while out with the Shark submarine today and brought them back," Jing Shu said casually, sipping her chicken broth and biting into a blood mushroom. The flavor was incredible—far richer and more fragrant than ordinary mushrooms.

"Such a waste! You should’ve made a big pot and saved it to drink a bowl every day. These things can extend your life!" Grandma Jing lamented, not realizing how precious the spring water she drank daily was.

"We just ate half a house in one bite..."

That night, not a scrap of chicken stew was left, not even bones. Even The Fat Chicken, their pet, was displeased—no meat was left for it. It chirped mournfully as if it had lost its place as the family favorite.

After checking on the space, Jing Shu planted a new batch of papayas and tended to the greenhouse's fruits and bees. She then practiced with her magic cube for a while before dozing off, thinking she would finally get a good night's sleep.

But it seemed that fate liked to play tricks on her at 4 a.m., as if to give her some kind of message. This time, the deafening sound of an engine woke her. Recognizing the familiar rumble, Jing Shu knew that Wu Youai’s mentor, Chu Zhuohua, had arrived!

You can never truly understand what goes on in a biologist’s mind.

"I just had a dream, and it sparked an idea—I need to delve deeper into my research..." Chu Zhuohua explained, despite arriving in the middle of the night with dark circles under his eyes.

Wu Youai, standing with her hands on her hips, gave him a deadpan look. "My grandpa’s frog isn’t going to let you dissect it, the hen won’t let you investigate how many eggs it lays before it gets saggy, and my grandpa’s teeth didn’t grow back because of some miracle cure. Give it up."

Chu Zhuohua looked devastated. "What a shame. Such a grand experiment."

Jing Shu: "???" What on earth were they talking about?

Despite the odd conversation, they made their way to the garage to check on the RV modifications. The energy car needed some minor repairs but was still functional.

The RV modification was a significant project, and even the usually indifferent Chu Zhuohua seemed intrigued. His passion for exploration and transformation wasn’t limited to biology—it extended to anything he could tinker with.

Jing Shu brought out the floor plan she had been working on for days and began explaining the modifications she envisioned for the RV. The first floor was divided into three sections: a lounge area in the front, a kitchen and bathroom in the middle, and a master bedroom at the rear.

Starting with the front of the RV, Jing Shu explained, "The co-pilot's seat has been removed, creating a passageway. The original circular sofa in the lounge area is damaged, and the co-pilot seat is useless now. So, I want to turn it into a folding single sofa bed. When not needed, it can fold into the wall, but when someone needs to sleep, it can be folded out."

Chu Zhuohua thought for a moment. "Based on ergonomic comfort, an 80 cm wide by 180 cm long bed would be ideal. But to fit it, you'll have to sacrifice part of the circular sofa behind the co-pilot seat."

Jing Shu nodded. "That works. The remaining portion of the sofa, about 1.6 meters wide and 2 meters long, can be transformed into a closed double tatami bed. There will be a storage cabinet in the middle that can be raised or lowered. When not in use for sleeping, the area can serve as a living room, with people sitting around the edges. This way, it won’t interfere with the overhead cabinets or the passageway."

"That’s doable. The RV already has a liftable table, so we can repurpose the existing materials. But sourcing the remaining materials might be tricky. You’ll probably need to check government warehouses or find buildings that have already been flooded for salvage."

The co-pilot seat in most RVs was practically useless—uncomfortable for sleeping, tiring to sit in during the day, and entirely separate from the main part of the vehicle. This design isolated the driver, making communication with the rest of the RV passengers difficult.

By turning the co-pilot area into a foldable single bed, Jing Shu could preserve the interior layout without sacrificing functionality.

"However, modifying the vehicle at that connection point will be tricky. We’ll need other materials to reinforce it, but it won’t affect the car’s overall performance."

The circular sofa in the front would be transformed into a double bed room, complete with a television, and would be separated from the single bed. Both areas would be private and functional.

Jing Shu had a small personal motive—she planned to put her parents in the double bed at the rear of the RV, while her grandparents would sleep in the front. The distance would provide everyone a bit of privacy and avoid any awkward situations if someone made too much noise.

This modification added both a double bed and a single bed. The remaining seating and table wouldn’t need further changes, serving as a dining area. Though it was a bit cramped, they could always squeeze in a few stools for meals.

In the middle of the RV, the left side was the kitchen area, equipped with a complete set of appliances, including an electric stove, an extractor hood, a sink, and a refrigerator. There were also cabinets and drawers for storing dishes and utensils. Even on rough terrain, the kitchen wouldn’t be damaged.

Considering how many people would need to be fed, and the fact that cooking for a large group was a major task, Jing Shu knew this area would need some upgrades.