The most ruthless person in the apocalypse

Chapter 1039 Eyes Outside the Window

When I got back to camp after a busy day, it was already 7:30 p.m.!

The other members of the camp had already eaten dinner. Considering the scale of more than 200 people eating, the cooking team did not arrange dinner on Tianma Island, but instead held it at the canteen in Village No. 2.

Three large pots were set up, and Zhao Dezhu, the head of the cooking team, personally took charge of the cooking. He was not the best cook, but he was definitely the strongest among the chefs. The large spatula tumbled in the iron pot, and ingredients of various colors danced in the wok's steam. His momentum was greater than that of the other two chefs!
Next to the village, in the old warehouse used to store vegetables, thirty large tables of various shapes were set up. On each table were two pots of hot and fragrant spicy hot pot, and large bowls of rice were already served, steaming hot. The temperature in the room was kept above 22 degrees Celsius, so there was no worry about the food getting cold.

The aroma wafted out through the cracks, and even before entering the warehouse, just standing at the doorway was enough to make one stumble from the fragrance.

The village children, having finished their meal, secretly squatted across the road, greedily inhaling the aroma, chatting and laughing. When they heard hurried footsteps approaching from afar, they dusted themselves off and ran back into the village. Only one child slipped away to the side of the canteen, unwilling to leave…

Clang!

"Please come in, everyone, thank you for your hard work, please enjoy your meal..."

Ma Changshou and several members of the cooking team stood at the entrance of the canteen. When Zhang Su and his group arrived, they opened the door and waved to welcome the soldiers to enter and have their meal.

"The chefs have worked hard too. Zhu Zi, I heard you cooked yourself, did you taste the seasoning?"

Zhang Su stepped forward and, seeing Zhao Dezhu wearing an apron, couldn't help but tease him.

"Haha, I guarantee it'll smell so good you won't want to stop eating even if you slap me!"

"Then we'd better give it a good try, brothers, let's go!"

"Go, go."

If it weren't for Zhang Su dining with everyone, the members of the two legions would have already rushed in. But now they could only queue up to enter, swallowing their saliva, smelling the overflowing aroma, and their stomachs were rumbling!

"There are definitely enough seats, no need to fight over them, just sit down and start showing off!"

Zhang Su casually found a seat, picked up the bowl and chopsticks in front of him to show to everyone, and then put a bite of food in his mouth.

The legion members were overjoyed. They had thought their leader was going to give a long speech before the meal, and they were even mentally prepared for it. But the leader was so down-to-earth and started eating right away. They were truly flattered and delighted!
As Zhang Su said, there were more seats arranged than there were diners, so there was no need to worry about not having a place to eat!
To demonstrate civility, basic guarantees are essential: ample portions of food and plenty of rice, coupled with strict regulations, will prevent looting!
White and McCrae, as "special guests," had the privilege of sitting at the same table as Zhang Su. The complex aroma of the spicy hot pot was a bit strange to them, but the bright red oily broth looked incredibly appetizing.

Unfortunately, my fingers aren't dexterous enough, and using two sticks is really difficult; I tried to pick up something with them, but failed repeatedly...

"Brother Zhang, um... they asked to exchange their spoons, haha."

The most painful thing is watching others eat while you can't get a taste yourself. White and McCree were so anxious that they almost took matters into their own hands.

"No, no, no! Tell them to adapt to local customs. Today they'll learn to use chopsticks, and tomorrow they'll learn to speak Chinese!"

Zhang Su, his mouth full of food, waved his chopsticks, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Just then, he glanced at something out of the corner of his eye.

"Ok?"

Sitting to Zhang Su's left was Zheng Xinyu, and to his right was Lu Yubo. The two of them were looking in the direction Zhang Su was facing.

It turns out there was a pair of eyes outside the side window of the cafeteria!
"Who's being so rude, peeking at us while we're eating?"

Lu Yubo's expression was strained as he spoke in a low voice.

"It looks... like it's not an adult. Kid, don't worry about it."

Zheng Xinyu responded softly, saying that the village children don't have much to do at night, so watching some excitement is nothing.

"Yes, a little girl."

Zhang Su nodded, feeling that those eyes were somewhat familiar. She stared blankly at the nearest table; someone had already noticed her but hadn't paid any attention.

After a moment of contemplation, he remembered who the little girl outside the window was. If he remembered correctly, it should be Yu Ziyan, the little girl who gave him candy before.

Just then, a figure appeared beside the little girl.

"Little friend, are you looking for someone? Grandpa will take you inside."

Yu Wen had been busy with some things in Village No. 4. After finishing up, he rushed over and found a petite figure peeking through the window at the adults eating. The warm beam of light from inside the house shone on her forehead. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a little girl named Yu Ziyan.

He knew the child well, as they shared the same surname, and he often paid attention to him. Yu Ziyan was startled by the voice that suddenly appeared behind her. When she saw that it was the kind old man who usually spoke to her, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. With an embarrassed expression on her face, she said shyly, "Grandpa, I, I just wanted to take a look."

Cuckoo.

The noise just outside the window couldn't drown out the girl's rumbling stomach. Yu Wen's expression stiffened for a moment, then he bent down and asked with concern, "Yan Yan, are you hungry?"

This isn't asking a question you already know the answer to; it's guiding the other person.

Yu Ziyan's face was red from the cold, and she looked conflicted. She touched her stomach, nodded slightly, and said softly, "I didn't eat enough tonight. I'm hungry."

Yu Wen's eyes flickered after hearing Yu Ziyan's words.

He was well aware of the unwritten rule about meals in the satellite village: combat personnel ate first, followed by logistics personnel, and finally, those who were unable to fight, the elderly, and children with low labor capacity.

Wherever there are people, there are social hierarchies, and Tianma Island is no exception. However, the only difference is the order of arrival; the food served is the same.

Today's situation is special. The combat personnel are not in the village, so the team moved forward a little. Even so, Yu Ziyan's stomach was rumbling with hunger less than an hour after she finished eating.
Let alone a ten-year-old girl, even a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy wouldn't have such good digestive ability!

"Oh, I see. So, Grandpa is asking you, are you not full, or have you not eaten at all?"

Yu Wen helped Yu Ziyan put her hat on properly.

Yu Ziyan's lips pursed slightly, her fingers, clasped together in her dirty gloves, looked towards the village, shook her head, and remained silent.

"Come on, Grandpa will take you inside to get something to eat."

Yu Wen liked this little girl with the same surname very much. Subconsciously, he regarded her as his granddaughter. When he saw her smelling the food outside the window because she was hungry, he felt bad and took her arm and walked towards the main entrance of the cafeteria.

"Minister Yu."

"Minister Yu has arrived."

Good evening, Minister Yu.

Although the combat personnel were not part of the logistics department, they all knew Yu Wen and greeted him with chopsticks. He was the patriarch of Tianma Island and went down to the grassroots every day, so they had to maintain good relations with him!
As for the little girl next to Yu Wen, not many people recognized her...

"Hello, you've worked hard. Let's eat."

Yu Wen waved to the crowd, then, seeing the location of the Tianma Island people, led Yu Ziyan over.

Yu Ziyan was just tall enough to see the delicacies in the dish on the table: bright red crab sticks, tender white fish balls soaked in red oil, potato slices, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and other ingredients she couldn't quite name. The incredible aroma was overwhelming her senses.

Xiang followed Yu Wen across the table in a daze, and when she came to a stop, she saw two familiar faces in front of her.

"Good evening, little sister."

Zheng Xinyu greeted Yu Ziyan with a smile.

"Hello, Uncle! Hello, Sister! Hello, Brother!"

Yu Ziyan circled around and greeted everyone at the table, but she was probably too timid to make eye contact with them, so she just smiled at Zheng Xinyu.

"Hello to you too." Zhang Su patted Yu Ziyan on the shoulder, then looked at Yu Wen with a puzzled expression.

"When I came over just now, I saw the little girl looking longingly outside the window. When I asked her, she said she hadn't eaten and her stomach was growling, so I brought her in to find her something to eat."

Yu Wen smiled and said, his wrinkled hands squeezing Yu Ziyan's skeletal shoulders.

"I haven't eaten."

Zhang Su muttered something under his breath, then looked at Yu Ziyan, who was bowing her head slightly and not daring to look at anyone: "Little girl, why aren't you eating?"

"I ate, I ate rice, but I wasn't full."

Yu Ziyan insisted that she had eaten it.

(End of this chapter)