Chapter 32: Shi Yaoyao Even Dug Up a Box of Toothpaste

Perhaps it was because she sensed the gazes of Yi Zhe and Chen Yong.

Shi Yaoyao felt a bit uneasy.

She quietly tried to hide behind her aunt.

Shi Yuebai glanced at Yi Zhe. “Yes, it’s just the three of us.”

“Everyone else is busy moving rocks and can’t spare the time.”

Yi Zhe put his hands on his hips and studied Shi Yuebai carefully, taking a deep breath.

This girl really doesn’t know how to prioritize, does she?

Is moving rocks really that important for the Shi family right now?

Shouldn’t they be seizing every opportunity to scavenge for supplies?

He was about to say something more, but then saw the self-assured look on Shi Yuebai’s face.

Yi Zhe felt powerless.

“Fine, just the three of you then.”

He waved his hand, finally compromising with Shi Yuebai.

Then he noticed Shi Yaoyao, with her skinny arms and body, carrying a big backpack and holding a baby in front.

Shi Yaoyao could barely walk straight on her own, wobbling unsteadily.

Let alone having her push Shi Yuebai around to scavenge.

Resigned, Yi Zhe took hold of the handles on Shi Yuebai’s flatbed cart, steadied himself, and began pushing her forward.

“The place I’m taking you to scavenge today is already very close to the perimeter,” Yi Zhe said, glancing down at Shi Yuebai, who looked like a mountain of flesh. “Only near the perimeter are there fewer survivors competing.”

“There should be quite a bit of food left to find over there.”

Ordinary survivors only operate within the safe zone.

That’s why the city’s management hires mercenaries—to guard the city and continuously expand the safe zone, securing more resources for survival.

As soon as a new safe zone is established, survivors flock there to scavenge.

If you’re even a little slow, after a few days there’s basically nothing left to eat.

So the place Yi Zhe was taking Shi Yuebai and the others was already near the front lines where mercenaries operated.

Seeing Shi Yuebai sitting silently up front, Yi Zhe thought she might be scared.

“Don’t worry. Even though you’ll be scavenging near the front line today, with us here, we’ll keep you three safe.”

He was a responsible person—he’d bring the three of them out, and he’d make sure to bring them back.

Shi Yuebai lazily responded. She wasn’t much of a talker to begin with, and as Yi Zhe pushed her along, her gaze fell on the ruins they passed.

There were so many things she thought could be taken back and put to use.

So she really didn’t feel like responding to Yi Zhe.

Shi Yaoyao wobbled along behind Yi Zhe, with Chen Yong walking beside her.

At first, Chen Yong thought Shi Yaoyao would be hard to manage.

But all the way to the perimeter, Shi Yaoyao didn’t scream or get impatient like before.

Though she still bobbed her head as she walked and moved a bit awkwardly, she was much less trouble than Chen Yong had expected.

At the edge of the perimeter, there were no survivors in sight, just a few mercenaries with weapons coming and going.

Yi Zhe stopped Shi Yuebai’s cart in front of a pile of rubble.

“Before the apocalypse, this was probably a night market.”

“The mercenaries have already swept through here five or six times. We’ll set up camp here—it’s very safe. You and Yaoyao can scavenge here.”

The area was large, and any mutant beasts or zombies that had been lurking here had already been cleared out by Yi Zhe’s people.

Yi Zhe was preparing to expand the area further. He thought for a moment, then bent down and handed Shi Yuebai a rectangular communicator.

“This is from our group. The previous owner already… well, you take it.”

“If anything happens, contact me directly with this. I’ll get here as fast as I can.”

Shi Yuebai looked at the communicator in her hand. The screen was a bit scratched, but several channels were already set.

One was for Yi Zhe’s mercenary team.

There was also a private channel with Yi Zhe, and a public channel for the whole city.

“Alright, you go do your thing. Thank you,” Shi Yuebai said, accepting the communicator. Then she took a bottle of disinfectant from Shi Yaoyao’s backpack.

“Payment.”

She handed the disinfectant to Yi Zhe.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Yi Zhe’s eyes, but then he smiled and patted Shi Yuebai’s head.

“Thank you, Yuebai.”

Honestly, a bottle or two of disinfectant was a drop in the bucket for Yi Zhe’s mercenary team.

But it was the thought that counted.

This chubby girl wasn’t as spoiled or bad-tempered as he’d thought.

Shi Yuebai watched as Yi Zhe and Chen Yong left.

She maneuvered her cart, and together with Shi Yaoyao, began searching the area closest to the perimeter for anything useful.

Before long, Shi Yaoyao dragged a baby cradle out of the rubble.

The cradle was a bit bent out of shape, but along with it came several big bags of newborn clothes.

Shi Yuebai immediately praised Shi Yaoyao generously.

“Yaoyao, you’re amazing! You actually found so many useful things.”

“Yaoyao, it was the right decision for Auntie to bring you scavenging. You’re even better than your mom and Dr. Nong!”

Shi Yaoyao blushed shyly at the praise.

Then she puffed out her little chest, looking very proud.

“Yaoyao… awesome…”

Shi Yuebai nodded and smiled, telling Shi Yaoyao to tidy up the slightly bent stroller and put Shi Xiangrui in it.

Mercenaries came and went around them, just as Yi Zhe had said—there was no need to worry about safety.

Once Shi Xiangrui was settled, Shi Yaoyao was clearly much more relaxed.

She bent down to rummage through the rocks in front of her.

She still couldn’t help shaking her head as she worked, but her scavenging speed was getting faster and faster.

Shi Yuebai watched her from behind.

Whenever Shi Yaoyao got tired, Shi Yuebai would lift her walking stick and tap her gently.

She’d channel some of the fat energy from her own body into Shi Yaoyao through the stick.

The passing mercenaries watched in surprise as the pile of things beside Shi Yuebai grew larger and larger.

There were all kinds of towels, toothbrushes, bedding sets, and so on.

Shi Yaoyao even dug up a whole box of toothpaste.

The mercenaries were just about to ask why Shi Yuebai was collecting so many things you couldn’t eat or drink, when Shi Xiangrui woke up.

“Mmm mmm mmm, ah—”

The little one babbled, smacking his lips in the misshapen cradle.

Yi Zhe and two other mercenaries happened to return from a sweep up ahead.

They immediately gathered around.

“What a cute little guy.”

The three dirty mercenaries hadn’t seen such a clean, healthy baby in a long time.

They watched him with fascination for quite a while.

A rare smile appeared on Yi Zhe’s handsome, grimy face.

He lifted his blackened hand and gently poked Shi Xiangrui’s chubby cheek with his fingertip.

“Looks just like Shi Yuebai.”

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