Chapter 109: A Gift for You

Chapter 109 -108: A Gift for You

Even though the Chief was a man as majestic and imposing as a lion, he still possessed a gentle side when faced with a child.

Shen Zhongchen stood not far away, quietly watching this scene. In this world of pure white snow, the Chief looked like a battle-hardened, weary, yet affectionate adult lion, while the little boy resembled an innocent and naive cub. This sight reminded Shen Zhongchen of past events he shouldn’t be dwelling on, and the corners of his eyes suddenly began to sting. He thought that if the Chief had gotten married, his own child would probably be about this age by now. It was truly a pity.

Shen Zhongchen calmed himself down, refusing to let his sorrow show. Holding two access cards and two sets of clothes, he walked respectfully up behind Beiming Qianye and bowed his head. “Chief, the procedures have been completed. Let me take you to change your clothes first.”

Beiming Qianye watched Chen Xiaobao’s retreating figure skipping away through the snow, an involuntary smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Only when Chen Xiaobao’s small silhouette completely disappeared did he slowly turn around and give a slight nod. “Alright.”

The room was 1607, a standard two-bedroom apartment with a living room. He had chosen the sixteenth floor because it was relatively quiet. Since the Chief suffered from severe sleep disorders, Shen Zhongchen meticulously booked the quietest room available whenever he accompanied Beiming Qianye on a trip. Shen Zhongchen had already checked with the front desk; a mother, her son, and a young woman lived across the hall in room 1608. The three of them maintained regular routines and were very quiet.

As soon as they stepped into the room, a wave of warm air greeted them. The interior decor was exquisite and cozy, utilizing many green and red elements. In this bitter winter, these colors brought an extra sense of hope. It seemed the base commander of the Han City Base had put a lot of heart into the residential renovations, dedicating considerable effort to the details.

After inspecting the room, Beiming Qianye nodded in satisfaction. He mused that with a responsible base commander like Gu Rongjin, the residents of the Han City Base would be able to unite and survive this harsh winter.

Shen Zhongchen assisted Beiming Qianye in changing into the base’s standard work uniforms. Now, they looked no different from the regular residents.

“Chief, you haven’t eaten anything all day. Let’s go to the cafeteria and get some food,” Shen Zhongchen suggested.

Beiming Qianye nodded. “Alright.”

At the cafeteria.

It was already past mealtime, and the serving windows were closed.

“I’ll go ask them to make something for you,” Shen Zhongchen said.

Beiming Qianye immediately stopped him. “Secretary Shen, we are traveling incognito. There is no need to disturb everyone. I’m not hungry right now; just go and get us two cups of coffee.”

Shen Zhongchen frowned, his voice laced with concern. “But your health…”

Beiming Qianye’s tone turned stern. “Are you refusing to follow my orders now, Secretary Shen?”

Seeing that Beiming Qianye was getting angry, Shen Zhongchen had no choice but to nod. “Very well, Chief. I’ll go get the coffee.”

He remembered the bread he had prepared before their departure and decided he would give it to the Chief to stave off his hunger once they returned to the room. Shen Zhongchen then went and fetched two cups of coffee. He took one sip and quickly scrunched up his face, looking worriedly at Beiming Qianye. “Chief, this coffee doesn’t taste good at all. I’m afraid you won’t like it.”

The coffee tasted like low-grade powder mixed with water, and the milk added to it wasn’t pure either—just something brewed from cheap milk powder. All in all, the texture and taste were terrible. He doubted the Chief could stomach such inferior coffee.

Unexpectedly, Beiming Qianye calmly sipped his cup and said in a mild tone, “Secretary Shen, times are different now. Food is scarce, and it’s good enough that we even have coffee to drink. If everyone else can drink it, why can’t I?”

Shen Zhongchen sighed internally. The Chief had dedicated his entire life to the country. Even though he suffered from poor health due to war injuries, and previously had dedicated medical and dietary teams managing his care during the country’s economic peak before the apocalypse, Beiming Qianye had dismissed all those teams after the end of the world. His reasoning was that while the common people were suffering, he shouldn’t continue enjoying the same elite medical and dietary resources as before.

“You are always so wholeheartedly devoted to the people…” Shen Zhongchen sighed. “But you must realize that your health isn’t what it used to be. Taking good care of your body is the best thing you can do for the entire country.”

Beiming Qianye replied with a tranquil expression, “Secretary Shen, my health is fine. I’m only thirty-five—the prime of my life.”

Shen Zhongchen shook his head helplessly. The Chief was too stubborn and overly self-reliant. He didn’t want to offer any useless arguments, knowing the Chief wouldn’t listen to him anyway.

Beiming Qianye’s gaze landed on a stall selling pickled cabbage fish. The serving window had already closed for the day, leaving the inside pitch-black. In truth, he had a slightly selfish motive for coming to the cafeteria—he had seen her photo on that promotional brochure, so he had come specifically to take a look today and see if she looked exactly like the picture. Unfortunately, the stall was closed. It was a pity he didn’t get to see her. Beiming Qianye simply couldn’t believe there were two people in the world who looked so astonishingly alike.

Following Beiming Qianye’s line of sight, Shen Zhongchen’s gaze also landed on the pickled cabbage fish stall.

“I heard that the pickled cabbage fish at the Han City Base is their signature dish. It’s a shame the window is already closed today, but we can come a little earlier tomorrow to try it,” Shen Zhongchen said.

Beiming Qianye quietly observed the diners coming and going in the cafeteria. Even in this frozen, apocalyptic wasteland, everyone’s face was brimming with happy smiles. There were families of three, couples eating together, and solitary individuals just enjoying a cup of coffee. It looked no different from the world before the apocalypse; the residents of Han City had returned to normal life.

Shen Zhongchen smiled and said, “Chief, the Han City Base is the best out of all the bases we’ve inspected so far. You can’t see any trace of the apocalypse here. The worst one is the Hang Cheng Base. Every day, there are thefts, robberies, and gunfights.”

At the mention of Hang Cheng, Shen Zhongchen furrowed his brows deeply. When the refuge bases were first being established, Hangzhou had applied for and received a higher allocation of funds than Han City. Yet the refuge base in Hang Cheng had been built into a total mess. Not only was the management chaotic, but the residents’ basic living standards couldn’t even be guaranteed. Some residents of Hang Cheng had already fled overnight to seek shelter in other bases. Compared to Hang Cheng, the life the residents of Han City enjoyed was practically paradise.