Jing Shu never expected Lao Zhou and Jin Tianci to show up at the airport.
You'd think they'd just pick her up, but no—they brought a whole crowd. Two rows of people holding signs, standing there in the freezing winter.
Keep it low-key, keep it low-key.
Honestly, when she stepped off the plane and saw all of that, she couldn't help the tears welling up. In that moment, she felt a real sense of belonging.
Of course, everyone was bundled up in mismatched winter coats, carrying huge bags and odd packages. No more fashion or sparkle, no lights from the sleepless city—just mud, worn-out clothes, and basic gear. The apocalypse had come, but it hadn't wiped out humanity. Life was hard now, and a lot of people were just going through the motions, but at least they were alive. And nothing was more important than that.
Jing Shu took a deep breath. As Vice President of the Wu City Medicinal Herb Association and representative for this mission, she shook hands with Jin Tianci, snapping photos with her phone to record the moment. "You've worked hard." Today's news in Wu City would probably be all about this.
She stayed wrapped up in her warm coat, looking almost unrecognizable even to people who knew her. From afar, she spotted the small, beat-up car parked in the corner. A man was leaning against it, carefully smoking. The moment he noticed her, he forgot all about his cigarette.
It was her father, coming to pick her up! From a distance, she could see how the years had slightly softened his build thanks to good nutrition, though his face still looked young. Jing An was much more handsome in this life.
Winning the competition in the imperial capital had been unexpected. The benefits and allocations would've started getting listed the second they were announced.
But for some reason, Jing Shu didn't care about any of that this time. She just wanted to go home. After a month away, she only wanted to sit down for a proper meal with her family.
"Master, I'm skipping the awards ceremony. Oh, and after we finish accounting, we'll need to use the Herb Association's vehicle to bring all my stuff home."
"Lass Jing, you sure you don't want to go to such a good opportunity?" Lao Zhou grinned, barely able to close his mouth. She'd surprised him so much. He scrutinized her from head to toe, and after a second glance at her hands, he finally complimented, "New gloves? Nice, shiny black. Almost see-through. Things from the imperial capital are really something else."
"Heh, I like these new gloves too," Jing Shu said, glancing at the mutant vampire leeches. Their black color was a bit transparent, showing they were mating. Around them, countless leech seeds had already been spread.
Whenever danger or an incident arose, the leeches could instantly transfer, completely hunting down intruders.
Who would've thought these two would keep mating endlessly? Especially after being fed Spirit Spring, their ability became even more terrifying. But surprisingly, it became an advantage. Their constant mating and seed scattering created an invisible shield around them. Within that range, Jing Shu's safety and initiative were fully protected.
With Spirit Spring, the range only expanded, strengthening her defenses and preemptive advantage.
"Alright, Master, the rest is up to you. I'm heading home. Look, even my dad came to pick me up," she said with a smile at the camera, lips moving as she answered Jin Tianci's questions.
"Was it hard? Smooth trip? Any problems? How did you handle them?" Jin Tianci was impossibly kind. Jing Shu knew this was a skill all leaders had—they always seemed approachable.
"Okay, okay. Will one transport truck be enough? Let them help you bring your stuff first," Lao Zhou asked.
"Uh, maybe… probably… at least three trucks?" Jing Shu said, a bit embarrassed.
Zhou Bapi's expression froze. "Lass Jing, you went to the imperial capital and brought it all back?"
"How's the chicken doing?"
Heartbreaking—Jing An's first question after confirming she was safe was about the chicken.
Xiao Dou strutted out from behind Jing Shu, head high and chest puffed, acting like the boss of the world. It even shook its plump feathers. The new feathers had grown lighter in color after molting, all premium quality, durable in this harsh world.
Jing An nodded, relieved. Today his task was complete: daughter safe, the beloved chicken healthy. "We prepared some of your favorites at home, let's go."
At that moment, a small head peeked out from behind Jing Shu. It was Wanzi, hunched and hard to notice, blinking wide eyes and scratching herself.
"Is this—"
Before he could finish, an even smaller head appeared—Xiao Guagua. It quacked twice, pecking at Jing An's shoe, trying to grab a bite. After a few failed attempts, it munched on some dirt. Under Jing An's astonished gaze, it tilted its head back and swallowed it.
"These are—?" Jing An looked bewildered, but his expression quickly shifted as the workers carried one item after another onto the transport trucks, filling all three.
"Th-this…"
Today, Jing An seemed to only know how to say this.
Most of the supplies brought from the US were already stored directly in the Cube Space, some hidden in the basement, leaving only a portion in plain view for the family. But the ones from the imperial capital weren't stolen—they were all legitimate, no need to hide. For the family's happiness, Jing Shu even smuggled some extra items from her Space to keep things aboveboard.
"Alright, alright, let's go home. This is everything from the imperial capital, not too much anyway."
The Herb Association movers rolled their eyes. After filling three trucks, their backs sore, legs stiff, necks cramped, they still hadn't moved much. Most of it wasn't even food, just toilet paper and equipment.
If it had been food, it would've been valuable—Wu City's situation this year was rough.
Jing Shu, of course, didn't reveal any food. Everything was repackaged and sealed tightly.
Wu City's temperature had dropped a lot. Sitting in the BYD vehicle, Jing Shu looked at Wanzi and frowned. How was she going to arrange things for Wanzi?