Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Because there was finally a place big enough to fit Shi Yuebai,

Shi Yuebai kept gathering water, scrubbing her arms over and over, and even managed to wash her hair several times.

After more than five years without a proper wash, her hair couldn’t possibly get clean in just one night.

But at least her arms were now washed white and plump.

As for the rest of her body, it was much harder to clean.

Because she was still wearing her clothes.

At her current weight of 717 jin (about 360 kg), she was as round as a ball.

There was no way she could take her clothes off on her own.

Besides, Shi Yuebai only had one set of clothes.

She’d been wearing this outfit ever since her body started swelling up.

Whenever it tore from being stretched, her mother would patch it up with new fabric.

After five years of mending and patching, she’d never changed her clothes.

Let alone washed them.

Before dawn, the sound of water woke up Nong Yasi, Second Sister-in-law Shi, Little Yao, and Mother Shi from their mattresses.

By the faint light inside the tarp, Nong Yasi looked toward the sound of water.

She saw Shi Yuebai sitting in the pit that would become their swimming pool.

The same pit they’d dug out by hand the day before, now filled with water.

The overflowing water was spilling out, washing the stone-paved path until it gleamed white.

Nong Yasi was stunned by the sight.

She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, got up from her mattress, and walked barefoot onto the stones.

The wet, cool feeling under her feet jolted her back to reality.

She dropped to her knees, sobbing, covering her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking.

Heaven knew what she’d suffered in the wasteland, just for a sip of water.

But here, at Shi Yuebai’s place, clear, clean, zero-radiation water was gushing out of the pool pit.

A thin layer of water flowed into the nearby potato seedlings,

Soaking into the earth.

At that moment, Nong Yasi felt she could die happy.

“You’re all awake? What are you standing around for? Hurry up and get to work!”

Shi Yuebai sat in the pool, calling to Mother Shi, Second Sister-in-law, and Little Yao.

“Look, this pit is still too small. Today, let’s try to clear out all the stones from the pool.”

“That way, our whole family can use it to bathe.”

“You won’t have to take turns washing in a tiny basin anymore.”

Second Sister-in-law hesitated, lips trembling, and stepped forward.

When her foot touched the wet stone, she reacted just like Nong Yasi—she dropped to her knees…

Mother Shi and Little Yao, on the other hand, were much calmer.

After all, it would take them a while to really grasp what was happening and understand the situation.

They did as Shi Yuebai said, stepping into the water-filled pit and continuing to haul stones out by hand.

Soon, Nong Yasi and Second Sister-in-law snapped out of it.

They joined in clearing the rocks from the pool, and the work went even faster.

It was still before dawn, but everyone in the Shi family was full of energy.

Gradually, outside the Shi family’s tarp,

The piles of stones around the intricate pebble pattern grew higher and higher.

Following Shi Yuebai’s plan, Nong Yasi stacked the stones they carried out in two curved lines.

Now, looking at it, the stone piles looked like walls, dividing the Shi family’s tarp and their team into two separate areas.

“Shi Yuebai.” A rough, raspy voice called out.

Shi Yuebai, her round, pale face and plump white arms showing, rolled a flatbed cart out from under the tarp.

Outside the stone wall stood Guai Guai from next door.

He was holding a newly made construction cart, eyes burning with eagerness as he looked at Shi Yuebai.

“Trade water. I want water!”

He’d heard the sound of running water before dawn.

Lately, Shi Yuebai had been giving him a zero-radiation potato every day.

Sometimes, she’d even give him a bottle of clean water.

Guai Guai knew that Shi Yuebai had food and water.

He didn’t care why her food and water were radiation-free.

Nor did he care where the Shi family got their supplies.

He only cared whether he could trade something of value for food and water.

Shi Yuebai glanced at the construction cart in his hands.

“One isn’t enough.”

“I can get as many as you want!”

Guai Guai anxiously pushed the cart up to the stone wall.

“I can help you work too. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.”

“Anything at all.”

Shi Yuebai pursed her lips and said nothing, turning back into the tarp.

A moment later, Nong Yasi came out and took the cart from Guai Guai.

She handed him a bottle of water.

Shi Yuebai was never stingy with what she had.

But Nong Yasi still quietly warned Guai Guai,

“Keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, neither of us will get anything.”

She and Guai Guai weren’t part of the Shi family, so if they could benefit from Shi Yuebai, they’d better not go blabbing about it.

If everyone found out, there was no guarantee they’d still get their share.

Guai Guai nodded, taking the water, eyes still burning with desire.

“What does Yuebai want me to do?”

Nong Yasi pointed to the pile of cement inside the stone wall.

“Can you use cement to build up these stones into a sturdy wall?”

She hadn’t understood before why Shi Yuebai wanted all the stones from behind the tarp moved to the front.

In this wasteland, trying to survive alone was far too dangerous.

Especially given the Shi family’s situation.

They were either blind or simple-minded.

It was best not to cut themselves off from the team.

That way, if danger came, there’d be someone to help.

But now Nong Yasi understood.

They needed to split off, and the sooner the better.

Shi Yuebai was a water-type ability user.

A water-type with little means of self-defense, but able to produce endless zero-radiation clean water.

If others found out, she’d be locked up in a cage and used as a human water reservoir.

Guai Guai looked hesitant, glancing at the pile of cement.

“Uh, I don’t know how.”

He sounded oddly confident about it.

Nong Yasi opened her mouth, about to say something.

But Shi Yuebai’s voice came from inside the tarp.

“Let him do what he’s good at. He can figure it out.”

She didn’t care about a single bottle of water, so she didn’t expect Guai Guai to pay her back equally.

With Shi Yuebai, both Nong Yasi and Guai Guai had to rely on their own abilities.

Whatever they could offer Shi Yuebai,

That’s what she’d use.

Guai Guai dashed back to his own tarp.

He tinkered all day, and finally brought out a small mechanical digging arm.

“Yuebai, trade for food.”

In the blood-red sunset, the skinny Guai Guai stood outside the stone wall,

Holding up the mechanical digging arm,

Eager to please.

[Author’s note: The new book is going premium. I feel a bit dazed, like I haven’t gone premium in several lifetimes.]"