In a frigid apocalypse, I went on a shopping spree with the reborn.

"Ding ding ding ding".

After studying it for two days, Jiang Qingyue produced a wooden wheelchair.

"Don't let your appearance fool you, you have everything you need, except it's a bit bulkier than a regular wheelchair. You probably won't be able to use it outside, but you can still move around freely in this shelter."

Meeting Long Jiuxing's bright eyes, she reached out her hand: "Shall I lift you up and let you try sitting on it?"

"Hmm." Long Jiuxing's facial muscles were expressionless, her face still tense, only her eyes revealed her joy.

Because of her spinal problems, Jiang Qingyue was always very careful when carrying her.

"How is it?" Jiang Qingyue asked.

Long Jiuxing sat in his new wheelchair, surrounded by freshly cut wood that still carried the distinctive scent of pine.

The wheelchair was padded with soft blankets under and on the back, and the armrests on both sides were also wrapped in soft fabric.

She is petite, and the wheelchair fits her perfectly, making her feel stable and secure.

"I like it." Long Jiuxing uttered two words softly, then felt that it wasn't enough to express his feelings, so he added, "I really like it."

"I'm glad you like it." Jiang Qingyue went behind her and tried to push her.

The wooden wheels spun very smoothly on the flat, muddy ground.

Jiang Qingyue was fairly satisfied with her craftsmanship: "It's not bad, but I didn't have any hardwood, and I was afraid it would break, so I used more pine wood, which makes it a bit heavy."

"And the wheels, I originally wanted to reuse the rubber from the wheels I took off the tricycle and put it on your wheelchair wheels, but after some effort, I found that they would leak air and wouldn't work."

"When the trading area opens next time, I'll see if I can buy a good wheelchair, or even just some wheels, to install on it to reduce shock and make it more comfortable for you."

"By the way, I've polished this wheel very smooth, so it can turn itself in an emergency when no one is there to help you push it."

She spent the last two days meticulously working through the information she found on her phone, making numerous revisions before finally creating the design. Because Long Jiuxing has a bad spine, her back was also redesigned, but due to limitations in materials, it wasn't as good as the ones she bought.

Long Jiuxing reached out and placed his hands on the two wheels, trying to move forward. Sure enough, the wheelchair slid forward a little.

This made her very happy, as it meant she could move around on her own without anyone's help.

Instead of dragging his legs and crawling on the ground with his hands as before.

"Sister Xiaoyue, I love you."

Upon hearing these three words, which sounded like a confession, Jiang Qingyue's mind went blank for a second.

Looking into Long Jiuxing's eyes again, she found that the little girl's eyes were clear and innocent, without any of the romantic feelings she had imagined.

She smiled knowingly: "You mean liking someone, like liking your older siblings, or the kind of liking you have for your parents."

"No," Long Jiuxing said, "it's more than just liking. It's love, the kind of love I have for my son."

"I misunderstood," Jiang Qingyue chuckled. "Maybe I'm just getting old, and my thinking has become fixed. When I hear the words 'I love you,' I immediately think of romantic love."

"Now that you've mentioned it, I realize that these three words can also represent family affection and friendship."

Jiang Qingyue reached out and touched Long Jiuxing's head; it was a little prickly, like her father's stubble.

"Why is it so short? Did you shave your head before it grew out?" someone exclaimed.

Long Jiuxing's hair was even shorter than her buzz cut, and it didn't look like a hairstyle she had deliberately styled. It looked more like it had been shaved off before and had gradually grown back after the apocalypse.

"Mmm." Long Jiuxing rubbed his head against her palm, his eyes half-closed.

Jiang Qingyue could tell from her face that she enjoyed his caresses, so he kept his hand outstretched, letting her rub her head against his palm.

"Did you shave your head because of health reasons that made it inconvenient to manage your hair, or do you simply prefer being bald?"

Long Jiuxing slightly opened his eyes: "Is there a difference?"

"Yes," Jiang Qingyue said with a smile. "If you shaved your head because you were sick and it was inconvenient to manage your long hair, now that you have the means, you can grow your hair back. We have plenty of hot water, and your physical condition is good enough to wash your hair in this kind of weather, so there's no need to make yourself suffer."

"If it's because you like short hair or a shaved head, I'll give you a haircut tonight. I bought hair clippers before the apocalypse, it'll only take two minutes."

Long Jiuxing thought for a moment, then instead of answering, asked, "What about you, Sister Xiaoyue?"

"Me?" Jiang Qingyue touched her buzz cut; her hair grew quite fast.

My buzz cut has grown more than twice its original length.

"I used to have long hair, and it looked really good. Later I found out that Wang Dawei was a reincarnated person. I didn't know that there would be things like quantum computers and special items to increase physical fitness. At the time, I just thought that having long hair was a hassle in the apocalypse."

"It's easy to get your hair pulled when you're fighting, and it's easy to get sick if you wash your hair. Combing your hair is also a hassle, so I just gave you a buzz cut."

"If I had known there was no water shortage and I wouldn't have to fight with anyone, I wouldn't have cut my hair. I've been growing it for over ten years."

Jiang Qingyue smiled and said, "But I felt really comfortable after the haircut, as if my head had become several pounds lighter."

"I usually just wipe my face clean with a towel after washing it, and now I feel that's fine too."

"But I am me, and you are you. I'm not planning on growing my hair long. But if you like it, then keep it. We're not short of water."

"I won't keep them," Long Jiuxing said. "I'm used to it."

"Okay, whatever makes you happy." Jiang Qingyue didn't insist.

That evening, she boiled a large pot of water, took out the clippers, shaved her long hair clean close to her scalp, and then did the same to Long Jiuxing.

I got two braised eggs.

Jiang Qingyan looked at her bald-headed master and Long Jiuxing, and then at the naturally hairless little white snake.

Fearing its owner might harm it, it tightly covered its head with its two little paws.

It doesn't like being braised.

"Alright, Yanbao," Jiang Qingyue said speechlessly. "I won't harm you."

"Chirp chirp." Really?

"Really," Jiang Qingyue assured.

The little guy cherishes his rabbit fur very much. He always tries to clean it when it gets dirty, especially since the weather is getting colder and the rabbit fur is what Jiang Qingyan uses to keep warm.

"Come on, let's all take a shower." Jiang Qingyue first helped Long Jiuxing wash up and change into a set of dry clothes.

I boiled a pot of water again. I hadn't taken a bath in a long time. I usually just wipe myself down, but this time I washed off a lot of dirt.

Lying down on the large bed, Jiang Qingyue felt incredibly satisfied: "Awesome! I never imagined that I'd have the means to take a shower in the apocalypse."

Long Jiuxing didn't speak, burying her face in the blanket and rubbing it against herself. She never expected that she could survive in this terrible state after the apocalypse.

Much later.

"Thank you, Sister Xiaoyue."

Her voice was too soft and quiet, and there was a distance between them, so Jiang Qingyue, who was already asleep, didn't hear it.

Jiang Qingyan, who was on night watch tonight, heard it.

"Chirp chirp chirp." We're family, no need to be polite.

It replied on behalf of its owner.

Long Jiuxing seemed to understand what the rabbit meant: "Thank you too, little rabbit."

"Chirp chirp chirp." This rabbit has a name.

"Okay, thank you, Jiang Qingyan."

"Chirp chirp chirp." You're welcome.

Jiang Qingyan sat by the door of the shelter, looking at her master sleeping soundly, Long Jiuxing curled up in the blanket in the power room, and the little white snake that had taken over its small room and nest. She was in a very good mood.

It opened the door to the shelter, letting in some fresh air, and then scouted the entrance. Finding no danger, it returned and continued sitting at the door.

To prevent Wang Dawei from going mad or other strange beasts from appearing, they have recently had to ensure that one of them stays awake day and night.

But it wasn't boring; Jiang Qingyan stretched out his rabbit tail, which he had curled up into a ball, to a very long length.

I smoothed out the slightly messy fur, making it incredibly silky, before curling it back into a ball and sticking it to my bottom.

Occasionally, I would add some firewood to the furnace in the power generation room and also to the stove in the living area, so that the little white snake could sleep better.

The next morning, Jiang Qingyue woke up early and first cooked for everyone, then went to the planting room to water her own vegetables.

After breakfast, Yan Bao went back to her room to catch up on sleep, while Long Jiuxing sat in his wheelchair and used Jiang Qingyue's phone to study the planting knowledge and various first aid skills that he had downloaded in advance.

The little white snake went outside to stand guard.

Jiang Qingyue dug out another room next to her own, right next to the room where the power generation was located.

Long Jiuxing is currently living in the generator room. The bedding is laid out on the floor. It's warm, but there's a lot of dust, and the generator makes noise, which affects his sleep.

Jiang Qingyue planned to set up a room for Long Jiuxing and build a kang (a heated brick bed).

With her current physical strength, she can finish in a day, and then move the kang (heated brick bed) to the new room.

While they were at it, they also dug out a room for the little white snake, making it a snake den, right next to Jiang Qingyan.

Everyone is treated equally; everyone has access to them.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and Jiang Qingyue is now quite a skilled bricklayer. She finished both the large and small rooms before dinnertime.

The stove used for cooking and boiling water provides heat to the two small rooms of Jiang Qingyan and the little white snake.

The excess heat generated in the power generation room is supplied to the planting room and Long Jiuxing's room.

As for Jiang Qingyue's room, it's unnecessary. She now sleeps in the thinnest pajamas and doesn't feel cold even if she kicks off the covers in the middle of the night.

That evening, after dinner, Jiang Qingyue turned on her personal computer as usual, and saw someone spamming the world channel.

After reading the contents, I was stunned.

She said to Long Jiuxing, who was sitting in a wheelchair and still studying planting knowledge on his phone, "You've been arrested."

Long Jiuxing was completely bewildered. She was sitting there perfectly fine, so how did she get arrested?

"Look." Jiang Qingyue held out her personal terminal.

Only then did Long Jiuxing realize that someone was spamming the world chat saying that they had captured and taken him into custody, and that Wang Dawei of the Happiness Base should send someone to deliver money if he wanted him back.

The two men exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Someone is trying to swindle Wang Dawei out of money."

"Don't say that." Jiang Qingyue pondered for a moment, "This guy called Overlord Base is quite clever."

"You've been a lone wolf since the beginning of the apocalypse. Although you've always ranked high on the individual combat power list, your name isn't on the survival index list or the new power list."

"Many people have probably analyzed you and know that you are a lone force with a solitary personality and a difficult situation, otherwise you would have built a large force long ago."

"Sister Xiaoyue is right." Long Jiuxing nodded with a blank face.

"So now that the people at this Tyrant Base are saying they arrested you, there's really no one who can refute that except for yourself."

"As for your own rebuttal..." Jiang Qingyue laughed, "The world channel is monopolized by them. Even if you send a few messages, they will be quickly buried and no one will be able to see them."

"Besides, they must have figured out your personality. Wang Dawei has already issued a kill order against you. You and Wang Dawei are mortal enemies. Even if you realize that they want to use your name to take advantage of Wang Dawei, you probably won't say a word."

Long Jiuxing nodded again: "Sister Xiaoyue is right."

She was hoping Wang Dawei would suffer, so why would she stand up and clarify?

If she doesn't clarify, no one will know whether she was really arrested or not. If Wang Dawei wants her personal computer and her life, he will inevitably have to pay the price.

"But how will they make the deal? This Overlord Base definitely doesn't belong to Quanshui City. Nowadays, no one in Quanshui City dares to challenge Wang Dawei."

"They must have gotten stronger," Jiang Qingyue guessed. "Although these vehicles are extremely slippery, they're not completely immobile. We still know too little about special items; what if there are special items like vehicles?"

"For example, after using it, you can conjure up a car that can travel freely in the apocalypse, or someone can obtain a strange beast similar to a sled dog."

"If the master is strong enough, it's actually quite possible for him to come to Springwater City from the neighboring city."

Long Jiuxing fell silent. The possibility that Sister Xiaoyue was talking about was still very high.

If Wang Dawei can even obtain special items like clones, it's normal for some strange and unusual items to appear in this eighth experimental zone.

"Who cares?" Jiang Qingyue comforted him. "When dogs fight, they'll only end up with a mouthful of fur."

"Go to sleep early. You stay home and watch over things tomorrow. I'll take your snake cub and Yanbao to chop firewood so we can store up as much firewood as possible before the third cold wave hits."

Jiang Qingyue's shelter was warm and cozy.

Wang Dawei, at the Happiness Base, found himself in a dilemma.

He had seen the messages constantly being posted on the world channel by people from the Overlord Base, but he was torn about whether or not to trade with them.

A group of underlings surrounded him, offering advice and suggestions.

"Boss, I think we should still go. I just checked, and Long Jiuxing is still ranked second on the individual combat power ranking. His combat power hasn't declined, which means his previous injuries may have healed."

"Furthermore, Long Jiuxing's survival index has increased on the survival index list, which means that she may have really been taken in by a large base and is being treated quite well."

Another henchman chimed in, "Yeah, boss."

"This could very well mean that this overlord base invited Long Jiuxing, a VIP guest, back, but didn't allow her to leave. If we're not willing to spend a lot of trading currency to buy Long Jiuxing's life and her personal computer, they might not kill her, but instead try to persuade her to join their base."

"Long Jiuxing's combat power was ridiculously high at the beginning of the apocalypse. There must be something strange about this woman."

"Once she joins the Overlord Base, she can quickly grow stronger by relying on the base's abundant resources."

"We've already formed a blood feud with her. If she becomes the captain of the Overlord Base..."

The younger brother didn't dare say the rest, but even a fool would know that he was definitely going to fight Happiness Base to the death.

Whether Wang Dawei can escape or not, they don't know. Even if Happiness Base wins in the end, a large number of his underlings will definitely die.

Wang Dawei took all the benefits; only a fool would want to fight him.

Everyone tacitly persuaded Wang Dawei to trade with the other party, since the special items and a large amount of trading currency in the Happiness Base were all in Wang Dawei's hands, and he would be the one to pay for it.

Instead, it can buy peace.

By buying Long Jiuxing and her personal computer, Wang Dawei could either kill or imprison her, thus avoiding a war with the Overlord Base.

They wouldn't have to die then.