Chapter 194: Big Brother, Do You Want to Hold the Baby?
"Drink some water, drink some water!" Zhang Mu's face was filled with joy as she enthusiastically offered water.
It seemed she suddenly remembered something, and Zhang Mu quickly stood up and hurried into another room, presumably to fetch something.
"Ah! Woo!"
The child in Song Meixuan's arms had probably woken up and was crying.
Feeling the diaper and finding it wasn't wet, Song Meixuan guessed the baby was hungry. She apologized to the two men and then carried the child into the bedroom.
Zhang Mu returned quickly from the room, holding a few items, which she placed in the arms of the two men.
"Little Meng, Little Shen, these are the straw sandals we made during the extreme cold. You can take them back and wear them."
"If they get worn out, Auntie can make more for you."
During the extreme cold, the government issued a task to recruit residents to weave straw sandals in exchange for food.
At that time, Zhang Mingtian and the others thought it was odd that straw sandals were needed during the extreme cold.
Thinking that the government would issue such an announcement, they believed it would be useful later.
So, Zhang Mu stored twenty pairs of straw sandals at home for emergencies.
Sure enough, after the extreme heat came, the government started selling the previously collected straw sandals.
With a large family, the straw sandals were quickly depleted due to the hot weather.
Zhang Mu had set aside four pairs of straw sandals but hadn't found the time to give them to Meng Ci and Shen Que.
Now that the two had come, Zhang Mu hurriedly brought them out.
However, when the extreme heat arrived, Meng Ci and Shen Que didn't exchange for straw sandals but took out sandals or slippers from their space instead.
Sandals were also available at the exchange point, so it didn't raise any suspicion.
But since Zhang Mu kindly gave them, Meng Ci and Shen Que didn't refuse and accepted the gift.
"Thank you, Auntie!" Meng Ci thanked her immediately.
"No need to thank me," Zhang Mu said, waving her hand. She added that it was thanks to Meng Ci and Shen Que's care and the many things they provided that her grandson was born safely.
After calming the baby down, Song Meixuan brought the child back out again.
Zhang Mingtian smiled and took the baby, bringing him over to Meng Ci and Shen Que.
"Big brother, look, this is my son!"
"Son, call them 'big brother!'"
Standing up, Meng Ci couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. The generational hierarchy really did seem confusing coming from Zhang Mingtian's mouth.
When Meng Ci and Shen Que entered, they had already put away their night vision glasses.
In the candlelight, Meng Ci couldn't resist reaching out to touch the child's bright eyes. The baby was quite plump.
"Big brother, do you want to hold the baby?" Zhang Mingtian saw that Meng Ci was interested in the child and asked hurriedly.
Meng Ci quickly backed away and waved his hands in refusal.
"No need, no need."
The child was so delicate, and he was so clumsy; he might accidentally hurt the child.
If Zhang Mingtian knew what Meng Ci was thinking, he would definitely force Meng Ci to hold the child.
After all, in his eyes, the child's life was given by Meng Ci. Even if holding the child caused some pain, he would just have to endure it.
However, Zhang Mingtian didn't know what Meng Ci was thinking, and seeing that Meng Ci really didn't want to hold the child, he didn't insist.
Then he looked at Shen Que and was about to hand the child over to him.
Shen Que was even more hesitant to hold the child. The child's head was not even as big as his hand; if he accidentally bumped or hurt the child, it wouldn't be good.
After staying for about ten minutes or so, Meng Ci and Shen Que got up to leave.
Zhang's mother initially wanted to invite them to stay for a meal, but Meng Ci declined politely.
After all, food was scarce these days, and two more people would consume a lot of food.
Zhang Mingtian escorted Meng Ci and Shen Que all the way to their car before heading back home, only to kick something when he opened the door.
"Mom, what did you put here?" Zhang Mingtian crouched down and felt the object while speaking.
"I didn't put anything here." Zhang's mother walked over, holding the child.
Song Meixuan, who had been cooking in the kitchen, emerged holding a candle, and they saw the items on the ground: meat, white flour, dried vegetables, two packs of candles, and even two pounds of white sugar.
"This, this is..." Zhang's mother's mouth hung open in surprise. She had intended to ask where the items came from.
But she soon realized that only Meng Ci and Shen Que had been there.
These items must have been given by Meng Ci and Shen Que.
"How can we accept these?"
"Old Zhang, go downstairs quickly and check if they're still there."
"If they haven't left, return these items to them."
Song Meixuan pulled Zhang Mingtian up, shoved the items into his arms, and pushed him out while speaking.
Earlier, when Zhang Mingtian went to congratulate Meng Ci and Shen Que on their move, he had brought back many things.
Now, they had brought even more, and Song Meixuan and the others couldn't accept these.
"I'll go right away." Zhang Mingtian said and walked out into the dark.
Behind him, Zhang's mother still held the child and murmured.
"Oh dear, a few pairs of straw shoes exchanged for so many things; this will shorten my life!"
Zhang Mingtian had already run outside the residential building and looked around but saw no sign of the off-road vehicle.
Zhang Mingtian stamped his feet, wishing he had come out earlier.
Seeing a few people with flashlights approaching in the distance, Zhang Mingtian, afraid the items might be stolen, had no choice but to go back home.
Upon seeing Zhang Mingtian returning with the items, both Zhang's mother and Song Meixuan sighed heavily.
"They have given us so much and helped us in numerous ways, how can we possibly repay them!" said Zhang's mother.
"Exactly!" Song Meixuan agreed.
The two women then earnestly advised Zhang Mingtian that if there's an opportunity to help Meng Ci and Shen Que, he should not decline.
Zhang Mingtian nodded repeatedly, showing he understood.
After the meal, Zhang Mingtian took a garbage bag and went out to collect items for points.
Meanwhile, Meng Ci and Shen Que drove straight to the points redemption center.
The items given to Zhang Mingtian's family were, of course, taken from the tall man's house.
Although Meng Ci had initially thought the food was not fresh, it was still incredibly valuable for survivors in the apocalypse.
As for giving the items to Zhang Mingtian's family, Meng Ci was not worried about being discovered.
After all, the tall man's family had all died, and no one would speak up for them.
Regarding the tall man's body, within two days, residents in Zhang Mingtian's building reported a foul smell, and eventually found the decomposing body in the tall man's home.
When no one answered the door, and the residents could not bear the stench, they reported it to the authorities.
The officials, after breaking the door down, found the tall man's body on the floor, already decomposing.
After asking around but finding no leads, the officials removed the tall man's body and burned it.
One couldn't blame them for seeming ruthless or inactive.
Now, during the polar night, many people died every day, and finding the culprit was almost impossible.
They were powerless.
Upon hearing about this, Zhang Mingtian wondered if Meng Ci and Shen Que were behind the tall man's death.
However, Zhang Mingtian knew the two well enough to understand that they wouldn't start trouble on their own.
For someone to be killed in their home, the tall man must have provoked Meng Ci and Shen Que.
Thus, Zhang Mingtian kept his suspicions to himself.