Chapter 40: Cutting in Line

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Cutting in Line

Others didn’t know, but he did. Chen Xing had refused to go to the National Capital Safety Zone.

She could have entered the safety zone with Song Yiguo, and she had saved his life. Her accommodations there would have been top-notch.

For someone who had flatly refused under those circumstances to show up in this small safety zone... it was bound to make one wonder.

Chen Xing wasn’t surprised to run into Captain Lu here.

Since Captain Lu had been on a mission in Hualai City, he had to be based somewhere nearby.

Chen Xing simply nodded.

Captain Lu didn’t feel put off by her attitude.

Despite their brief interactions, he understood her cold demeanor and knew she was a woman of few words.

"What brings you here? Did something happen at Boss Song’s place?" Captain Lu asked warmly.

For one, she had saved his life twice.

For another, her survival skills were incredible.

He’d been a soldier for over a decade, and even he wouldn’t dare claim to be braver than her.

"Just a small bit of trouble. I trust I’ll be able to head back tomorrow," Chen Xing said, not elaborating.

She had brought this trouble on herself, and she didn’t need anyone’s help.

As for the favors she’d done for Captain Lu and Song Yiguo, those had been fair trades. Bearing the brunt of the biker gang was her own problem to deal with.

Captain Lu knew she had no intention of asking for his help, so he said, "If you need anything while you’re here, feel free to find me." This was despite the fact that he wasn’t in a great position himself.

The latest supply run had been a failure with heavy casualties. His superiors had stripped him of his rank and confiscated his sidearm.

On top of that, Captain Chen, who managed the safety zone’s internal affairs, was working against him, leaving him powerless for now.

But with the connections he still had, helping Chen Xing wouldn’t be an issue.

As for what he owed Chen Xing, he and the young soldier, Xiao Wu, had already gotten it ready. They had been planning to deliver it in the next couple of days.

Chen Xing gave another nod, and they parted ways.

Yan Caini, who had come out looking for some excitement, happened to see her wandering around and chatting with Captain Lu.

Yan Caini was filled with envy and jealousy.

She’d been here for two days and could hardly get a common soldier to give her the time of day.

’To think she just got here and has already latched onto a captain. They must have some kind of shady relationship. She’s definitely slept with him!’

Her envious gaze vanished, replaced by pure disdain. She grabbed a middle-aged woman who was just stepping outside and said, "Did you see that? The one who acts so high and mighty... I just saw her making eyes at Captain Lu. They’ve definitely slept together. No wonder she walks around with her nose in the air—she’s found someone powerful to cling to. Shameless..."

The woman loved nothing more than a bit of gossip to pass the time. Hearing such juicy news, she immediately scurried back inside.

In the time it took to eat a meal, the rumor that Chen Xing had slept with Captain Lu had spread through the entire building.

Chen Xing, naturally, was unaware of this. After finishing her circuit of the building, she headed for the dining area.

It was called a "dining area," but it was just a simple canopy set up outside.

Everyone clutched a meal tin, waiting in line to get their food.

A scoop of vegetables and a steamed bun. That was dinner.

People were jostling for position, terrified that if they were late, there wouldn’t even be any buns left.

Chen Xing’s palate had been spoiled recently. A meal with fewer than four dishes was hard for her to stomach.

And this tiny portion?

To avoid arousing suspicion, she had no choice but to get in line and wait with everyone else.

Delayed by her gossiping, Yan Caini came out to find a very long line.

Seeing that Chen Xing was almost at the front, she immediately pushed her way forward. "Chen Xing, you’re here! Perfect, let’s get our food together!" Without a second thought, she ignored the furious glares from behind and wedged herself in front of Chen Xing.

The people behind her were disgusted, but they were the types to tolerate things if they could, so no one said a word.

Yan Caini knew they were all the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. Since they didn’t dare offend Chen Xing, she smugly waited, riding on Chen Xing’s coattails.

Chen Xing remained silent as the people ahead of them were served one by one.

When it was her turn, Yan Caini happily held out her meal tin. "Thank you! Could you please give me a little extra?" she asked in a saccharine, coquettish voice.

’How clever of me!’

’Sometimes you just have to be shameless. Otherwise, who knows how long you’d be stuck in line?’

But then, Chen Xing’s meal tin appeared in front of her. "I’m next. Kindly go to the back of the line."

Yan Caini was speechless. It took her a moment to process what had happened.

"We’re friends, can’t we stick together?"

"Friends don’t let friends cut in line. Besides, we’re not friends."

The moment Chen Xing spoke, a wave of satisfaction washed over the people behind them.

It was one thing for no one to start trouble, but with someone taking the lead to call out her behavior, the others couldn’t just stand by. "The young lady’s right! It doesn’t matter if you’re friends or not, cutting is wrong!"

Seeing people turn on her, Yan Caini grew timid. "If you weren’t going to let me, you should have said so from the start! Why wait until I’m at the front to say something?" ’What a waste of my time.’

"I’m only responsible for myself. Why should I concern myself with you?" Chen Xing had, in fact, deliberately waited.

The line was long. If Yan Caini had to go to the back now, she probably wouldn’t eat for at least half an hour. By then, she might only get some vegetable broth.

Yan Caini looked at the long, snaking line and felt like bursting into tears.

However, the soldier dishing out the food was clearly a stickler for rules, not one to play favorites. He took Chen Xing’s meal tin and completely ignored Yan Caini.

Chen Xing took the meal tin from the soldier. Just as she was about to leave, Xiao Wu, the young soldier who had been with Captain Lu, ran over. "Chen Xing! This won’t be enough for you. The captain and I went out and got you some extra food!" As he spoke, he tipped a meat dish and a vegetable dish into her tin and handed her two heated, frozen buns.

"Thanks," Chen Xing accepted without ceremony.

This should be enough to take the edge off her hunger.

Yan Caini hadn’t left. She stared at the food in Chen Xing’s tin and swallowed hard.

Her eyes burned with anger and jealousy.

’We’re both women, so why does she get special treatment?’

’My guess must be right!’

Clutching her stomach, she trudged toward the back of the line, her mind racing with sordid thoughts.

As Chen Xing walked past Yan Caini with her meal tin, Yan Caini’s eyes were blazing with fury.

Just then, an old man came shuffling over, swaying unsteadily with every step.

He seemed to be a stroke victim. He had to drag the right side of his body, relying entirely on his left side to move.

Even with all his strength, he could only inch forward one step at a time.

At this rate, it would take him a good ten minutes just to reach the back of the line.

After a few steps, his strength clearly gave out. He struggled to sit on a nearby planter box to catch his breath.

Chen Xing didn’t consider herself a bleeding heart, nor was she the type to help every weak person she saw.

But, pissing off Yan Caini sounded like a good idea. Besides, at the pace the old man was moving, he really wasn’t going to get any food today.

She walked over with her meal tin and gave the entire thing to the old man.

The old man looked up, in clear disbelief.

He was originally a resident of a nursing home. When the apocalypse began, they had been sealed inside. Due to a shortage of staff, everyone had to fend for themselves for food and daily needs.

Now, he was so hungry he couldn’t bear it any longer, forcing him to drag his ailing body outside.

He recalled coming out a few times over the past few days. Plenty of people had shot him sympathetic looks, but no one had the time to spare for him.

There was only so much food to go around. If you were late, you got nothing.

"You gave... it to me... But you... what about..." the old man slurred, struggling to get the words out.

"I’ve already eaten." Not wanting to stick around for thanks, Chen Xing left immediately, so as not to put any pressure on the old man.

Yan Caini was speechless. She stared at the meal tin and couldn’t stop herself from swallowing.