dognovel Chapter 1151
Chapter 1151
It was only when Zhou Shuwan ran into Adjutant Yun that day and asked about the matter that Adjutant Yun quietly told Zhou Shuwan that it had been resolved discreetly in accordance with military regulations.
“Cutting weeds and eliminating the roots is the usual practice.” Lieutenant Yun sighed, his tone complicated. “It’s just that the captain is worried about the negative consequences, so he doesn’t want anyone to talk about it. Dr. Zhou, if you ask Captain Chen, he certainly won’t hide it from you, which is why I told you. Please don’t tell anyone else.”
Zhou Shuwan nodded solemnly: "Don't worry!"
In other words, of He Chengshi's group, only Xiao Sheng is left.
To be honest, Zhou Shuwan was a little worried about Xiao Sheng's stance.
He lived with He Chengshi and his ilk for over a decade. Who can say he had no feelings for them at all?
That afternoon, Zhou Shuwan went to Tao Zheng and Zhang Jia's house next door under the pretext of delivering eggs.
The eggs were just exchanged from their inventory and were very fresh.
So she specially brought five to give to Zhang Jia to help him recover.
When I knocked on the door and went in, I saw Zhang Jia squatting there patiently teaching Xiao Sheng arithmetic.
It is a three-digit number plus or minus a two-digit number.
Xiao Sheng remained silent, his long eyelashes drooping, as he picked up a finely polished rock and began to draw on the ground.
"Wanwan, what brings you here?" Zhang Jia patted Xiao Sheng's head and stood up to greet him.
When she saw the five eggs Zhou Shuwan was holding, she scolded, "Look at you, bringing me these precious foods again. We have enough supplies at home, so don't worry about it."
"Not many. We just went to exchange some eggs, so we brought you a few. Your family often sends us rare supplies too."
That's true," Zhang Jia smiled.
Zhou Shuwan handed over the bag in her hand, but her gaze unconsciously fell on Xiao Sheng.
Xiao Sheng seemed completely indifferent to the newcomer, his head down as he scribbled numbers, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Zhou Shuwan pulled Zhang Jia outside and asked in a low voice, "Has he been the same these past few days...?"
Zhang Jia sighed softly, a hint of heartache in her eyes: "Yes, he still won't say a word. But it's no wonder, he's never been treated well since he was little, so it's normal for him to be a bit withdrawn."
Don't worry, I can tell he's not a bad kid, he just doesn't know how to get along with people.
"But he is after all... you still need to pay more attention to him." Zhou Shuwan couldn't help but remind him, her tone full of worry.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Zhang Jia; it was just that people's hearts were unpredictable in the apocalypse, and Xiao Sheng had gone through such a special past, making it impossible for her to completely put her mind at ease.
Zhang Jia nodded, understanding Zhou Shuwan's concerns: "I know, don't worry. Actually, I can tell that he doesn't have much affection for He Chengshi and the others at all."
He Chengshi supported him only because he valued his talent for recognizing directions; he had no genuine affection for him whatsoever.
It's like having a guard dog; you only give it enough food to keep it alive, but there's never any emotional support.
At this point, Zhang Jia's voice lowered: "Sometimes when I see him sitting alone on the beach in a daze, I feel so sorry for him. Children in the apocalypse already have a hard life, but he has suffered even more."
Zhou Shuwan was silent.
She could understand Zhang Jia's feelings. Anyone would feel pity upon seeing a child who had been wronged so much by the world.
“Oh, right,” Zhang Jia said, her eyes lighting up as if she had just remembered something. “I was planning to take him to your house today so he can interact with more people and maybe he’ll gradually become more outgoing.”
Zhou Shuwan paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, we just made some fish soup at home today, let him try it too."
In the evening, Zhang Jia brought Xiao Sheng to the Zhou family.
Zhou Jianghai and Zhong Tiyun were already waiting inside the house, and the table was full of carefully prepared dishes.
There were golden and crispy fried fish pieces, a fresh and rich fish soup, and several dishes of stir-fried vegetables.
In a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce, such food is considered extremely plentiful.
Although Zhong Tiyun initially disagreed with Xiao Sheng moving into her home because of the secret of the space, she was kind-hearted and felt great pity for this lonely child.
As soon as Xiao Sheng came in, she immediately went up to him warmly, took his hand and led him to the dining table: "Child, sit down and try the dishes your aunt made."
Xiao Sheng's body stiffened for a moment, then he lowered his head, his long eyelashes obscuring the emotions in his eyes.
"Here, try this fried fish. Your auntie fried it especially for you. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it smells delicious."
Zhong Tiyun picked up her chopsticks, filled a large stack of fried fish pieces, and stuffed them into Xiao Sheng's plate, piling them up like a small mountain.
Frying fish requires cooking oil, but so far, Fortress Base has not found any grains that can replace peanuts, rapeseed, or other oil-producing grains.
Therefore, cooking oil is very precious.
The Zhou family was quite wealthy, and they often ate things like fried fish and seaweed.
Xiao Sheng rarely eats fried fish either. He took a bite of the fried fish and liked it very much. Soon he ate five or six pieces of fried fish into his stomach.
Zhang Jia gently patted his head: "Xiao Sheng, eat less. If you like it, I'll fry fish for you in the future."
Xiao Sheng remained silent.
Zhong Tiyun seemed to remember something, turned around and rummaged through the cabinet and took out two fruit candies with very worn-out packaging.
However, because of the hot weather, the candy had melted slightly and stuck to the wrapper.
"Look, here are two more candies. Mu Mu has been saving them up and hasn't finished them yet." Zhong Tiyun stuffed the candies into Xiao Sheng's hand, her tone full of affection: "Take them and eat them."
On the vast ocean, sweets are an extremely scarce resource, so the preciousness of these two candies is self-evident.
Even the aloof and withdrawn Xiao Sheng was holding those two warm candies, staring at them intently.
Xiao Sheng is a child who grew up after the apocalypse. These children rarely see candy, sweets, or various snacks.
And he has almost never eaten sweets in his entire life.
When I was with He Chengshi, being able to fill my stomach was already a luxury, let alone such sweet candy.
Zhang Jia sat down next to Xiao Sheng and said with a smile, "Xiao Sheng, quickly thank your aunt."
Xiao Sheng raised his head and looked at Zhong Tiyun.
The woman's face was full of genuine kindness, and her eyes were warm.
He opened his mouth, but then quickly lowered his head, burying his face even deeper.
This child definitely has difficulty communicating with others!
Zhong Tiyun and the others in the room exchanged glances, sighed slightly in their hearts, but their smiles became even gentler.
"Oh, no need to thank me. Make yourself at home when you come here as a guest. Don't be shy, and make sure you eat your fill."
As she spoke, she served Xiao Sheng another bowl of thick fish soup: "Drink more fish soup to nourish your body. Look how thin you are, you could be blown away by the wind."
Zhou Jianghai chimed in, "Yes, kid, don't be shy. Help yourself to whatever you want to eat, don't be polite."
Although Xiao Sheng didn't say much, he still nodded.
He picked up his chopsticks, took out a piece of fried fish, and slowly began to eat.
The aroma of the fish filled his mouth; it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with just the right amount of salt and pepper flavor—a taste he had never experienced before.
He ate very slowly, chewing each bite carefully, as if he were savoring the most precious delicacy in the world.
No one at the table said anything more, only occasionally serving food to Xiao Sheng, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.