"Of course we will bring them. It's better to clear the path. Who knows how long we'll have to stay?"
Grandma Ling looked puzzled and asked, "Weren't you not going out? Why are you going out again?"
"We ran into a lot of things as soon as we left," Ling Jiang explained, recounting the base situation and the relationship between Huang Jinghe and Professor Pei. Grandma Ling finally understood. In this case, it seemed they really had to go out. She chuckled, "You two worried for two days, discussed for two days, and in the end, the result is completely different from what you planned."
"Exactly. Two days wasted on useless work. How many dumplings could we have made in that time?"
Speaking of accommodation, Lao Gao said, "The base isn't just dorms. We can rent an apartment together. Two, three, or four rooms should be available. With so many of us, at least rent a three-room. Xiao Huang and I stay together, you two stay in another room. Otherwise, it's too crowded. In a separate place, we can keep Nana at home, and we can add extra meals sometimes too."
Ling Jiang nodded firmly. "That's important. In dorms, adding meals is inconvenient. We have plenty of contribution points, so why not choose a more comfortable place?"
"Let's ask Captain Zhang when we return, or wait for the survey results before renting. For now, we'll bring Nana out… if there's nowhere to sleep, Captain Zhang can arrange it. The mutated animals have space; a dog should too," Lao Gao said naturally. He added, "Sister Lan, did you notice Nana got taller and stronger?"
"Eating that much every day, of course he's stronger," Lan Jin replied. Nana's appetite could rival Lao Gao's, with a huge bowl of rice, dishes piled high, and dog food as well.
Lao Gao, busy outside, had barely eaten and needed the extra food. But Nana stayed in the space most of the day and didn't move much, yet she still ate so much. If she moved all day, she'd need even more.
"Maybe he has no fat in her stomach. Should we give him some meat?" Lao Gao suggested.
Actually, dogs eat some raw meat, but Nana mostly ate dog food and meals made from space-grown vegetables. He realized he hadn't really eaten meat. Maybe he was just hungry, so he ate more of everything else.
Lan Jin quickly dismissed this idea. "No, he's just greedy. I haven't been in the space recently to control his portions."
She looked at Nana. "Once we go out, you won't live such easy days."
Nana didn't care. Compared to staying in the space, he preferred to bounce around outside. He barked happily, "Woof, woof," showing his joy.
Lan Jin packed two large bags of dog food, then added Grandma Ling and Lan Qiaoqiao's items in a small bag. The group left the space.
The previously unused skating cart made carrying luggage easy.
The old and young, unused to extreme cold, were briefly stunned by the chill.
Grandma Ling wrapped her scarf. "I've lived comfortably too long. A bit of cold and I can't stand it. Before, life in the neighborhood was fine."
Ling Jiang laughed, "Where was it fine? Back then, the fire inside was always on. You didn't go out, so you didn't feel the cold. Are you okay?"
Grandma Ling waved her hand and caught up with Lao Gao, "I'm fine. Staying there improved my body a lot. A short cold isn't a problem. I felt odd at first, but now I'm completely fine."
Grandma Ling adapted well. With Lan Qiaoqiao in the thermal suit and Nana in a thick coat, both felt no discomfort, only excitement.
Lan Jin held Nana's leash in one hand and Qiao Qiao's hand in the other, following Lao Gao. "I worried for nothing. Everyone adapted perfectly."
"Exactly," Ling Jiang smiled helplessly, carrying a smaller bag.
They hadn't gone far before returning to the base. Seeing it neatly cleaned, Lao Gao said, "These people worked fast."
Ling Jiang replied, "There wasn't much. A few people cleaning isn't hard. I didn't expect even the walls to be cleaned."
Lan Qiaoqiao looked at the walls. "Sister Ling, what's on the walls?"
"Bugs. Small bugs that eat children. Qiao Qiao, if you see them, run fast, okay?"
Qiao Qiao, braver than Lan Jin, wasn't afraid of bugs. Hearing they ate children, she said angrily, "Before it eats me, I kill it first!"
Lan Jin stopped and scolded, "Qiao Qiao, how did Mama teach you? You can't just say you'll kill something!"
"It's not a person. Bugs," Qiao Qiao explained seriously.
Ling Jiang laughed. "Right, we're just killing bugs, not people. Bugs can be killed, people cannot."
Qiao Qiao hesitated, then said, "Ask Mama first. If not allowed, I won't."
"Good girl, listening to Mama," Ling Jiang praised.
Qiao Qiao looked proudly at Lan Jin, as if saying, see, your child is good, others praise her. You must agree.
Lan Jin sighed but praised her anyway. "Qiao Qiao, good job. Just don't say killing someone casually."
Qiao Qiao said, "Mama, I change, wait, wait, I'll change."
Lao Gao, walking ahead, laughed, "Qiao Qiao, this takes time."
"Yes, slowly change. No rush."
Chatting, the group finally entered the base.
At the gate, Captain Zhang and Huang Jinghe immediately walked toward them.
Huang Jinghe, knowing everything naturally, took the luggage Lao Gao had dragged in. Lan Jin's dog, however, stunned Captain Zhang. "Wow, such a big fat dog!"