An eighty-eighth birthday banquet in the apocalypse? If they could still throw one, Yang Yang's family clearly wasn't ordinary.
Wait. Jing Shu suddenly remembered she should brew some wine. Red or white, it worked for gift-giving, social favors, or drinking at home. Especially in extreme cold, a little every day warmed you right up.
While Jing Shu was debating whether to plant another batch of Red Globe grapes or go with Muscat, Yang Yang said, "Don't worry about Wang Dazhao. He did great. This time I'll put him in for a first-class merit. He'll be officially entered as a second lieutenant in our Armed Police First Detachment. As for me, I'm about to be promoted from major to lieutenant colonel."
Yang Yang was only in his twenties. He had connections, and he had ability too. His rise was fast, almost catching up to Li Yuetian.
"Alright, I won't see you out then." Jing Shu, delighted by the new toy, slipped and revealed her strength. With one hand she swung the mecha up onto her shoulder and carried it into the villa.
The rough men behind her swallowed hard. Two of them had hauled that mecha out together, and this short girl just lifted it one-handed?
Wang Dazhao watched Jing Shu's back with a complicated expression. "Why you tell her we failed to snatch the machine guns and heavy weapons? I think giving them to her would be good. Only Jing Shu can draw out the mecha's full potential."
Yang Yang turned and got in the car. "Give it to her when she really needs it. Otherwise it's too eye-catching and just brings trouble. Our biggest mistake this time was letting Zero escape back to China. Now he's smelled where this shipment is going. What do you think will happen?"
…
Back home, Jing Shu wiped the mecha until it gleamed, all while talking about her first day at the Medicinal Herb Association.
Grandpa Jing smacked his lips and shook his head. It looked flashy, but it didn't seem very useful.
"In the old days, armor hung on a wooden frame. I'll make you one, a hanger for your mecha."
"Great, thank you, Grandpa. I'll put it in my bedroom."
Having a grandfather who could make anything felt amazing. In the apocalypse, there was no manufacturing. If you needed it, you made it yourself.
No one in the family really understood what something straight out of a movie could do, but that didn't stop their curiosity. When Jing Shu suited up, it felt incredible.
Her strength was amplified. She was like a one-woman tank, combat power off the charts, defense solid, and the sense of safety she craved settled in her chest.
The more satisfied Jing Shu was with the mecha, the more she fretted over what to give Yang Yang's grandfather. Too cheap would be unworthy of Yang Yang, who had a stake in this. Too expensive would steal the spotlight from the host.
While she was still weighing the gift, Su Lanzhi came home sighing. Jing Shu didn't need to ask. It was because of the red nematode egg incident.
On the second day of the outbreak, it finally drew everyone's attention. If nothing could remove the bugs, then no crops could be grown.
"Orders from above," Su Lanzhi said bitterly. "They've urgently halted all farming projects. Until the egg problem is solved, no more planting.
Other management departments have switched to mushroom cultivation. Even if there are red nematode eggs, mushrooms aren't afraid of them. I'm guessing eggs will hatch in three or four days.
But our Development Zone's management department is responsible for the government's vegetables. The half-grown vegetables we've got are basically going to die." Su Lanzhi's little white apricots didn't taste good anymore.
Cutting off vegetables to the leadership had dire consequences.
"At noon the government issued a bounty. Whoever finds a solution becomes a full-time employee right away, and full-timers get bumped up one rank.
Girl, you're clever. Help your mom think of something. If we can't supply this batch of vegetables, even Minister Niu will get dragged down."
Jing Shu thought it over. "Mom, I'll go with you tomorrow. A friend has a method. I tested it at the Medicinal Herb Association today, and it works a bit."
"Ah, my girl always has a way."
The evening news covered the crisis too. The whole country was scrambling for answers. It was about people's livelihood. Even ordinary folks cared, because if grain could be grown, they wouldn't have to eat red nematodes every day. After more than a week, everyone was sick of them.
At last, the Wu City government settled the population. Every corner of Banana Community was stuffed with people. The once-quiet community now buzzed day and night.
Through the cameras, Jing Shu saw people passing the villa from time to time. Some were curious, some were sizing it up, and some even defecated under the canopy. Compared to pooping in the rain, a dry spot felt luxurious. In the pitch-black weather, who would notice?
After Jing Shu mentioned it, Jing An grabbed a stick and drove them off. That very day, Grandpa Jing raised the fence higher and enclosed the yard.
Ever since Jing Shu had gotten the Distribution Director removed the day before yesterday, the position had been left hanging. All three government districts wanted to insert their own person, and the other two districts always objected.
In the end, they compromised. They would hold an election. Whoever got the most votes would become Banana Community's Distribution Director.
For "fairness," anyone could apply, provided they had at least three civil servants as sponsors. What a joke. Just another gimmick.
It was the same old trick, deals made in the dark. It would come down to which of the three district governments had the most pull. Banana Community would probably be lively for days, with all sorts of food used to lure supporters.
History changed again at that moment. In her previous life, Jing Shu had no influence, so none of this happened. The Distribution Director had stayed put. This time, it was a benefit Jing Shu had fought to secure for the people.
Whoever took the post didn't matter, as long as they didn't cross Jing Shu. If they did, she would remove them again.
She hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to eye the position like a tiger. That night, Wang Qiqi came over, carrying a cutter from who knew where and a pile of professional tools scavenged from an abandoned factory.
Jing Shu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"I know food isn't a problem for your family," Wang Qiqi said, "but these things won't be produced anymore. Your grandfather is a craftsman. He'll have use for them, so I brought them to you."
"Think it through," Jing Shu said. "Even with my family's recommendation, you're only qualified to apply. All three district governments are fighting over it."
Wang Qiqi looked serious. "Right now, while they're tearing each other apart, I can muddy the waters. If I catch the chance, it's a carp leaping the dragon gate. Life is too hard. I have to fight for it, or I won't even have vegetables to eat each day.
And for you, a small investment in me might pay off big. At the very least, your voice in Banana Community will carry more weight."
"Alright. I'll invest."