Chapter 30: Preparing Supplies 2

Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an had been on their international shopping spree for a month and a half. It was time to head home, at most a month away.

“Brother Yanming, are we running out of money?” Qiao’an watched Shen Yanming’s money flow out like water every day. The numbers were staggering.

Shen Yanming laughed and patted her head. “We still have lots and lots. Even though I sold my shares earlier at a low price, the payout from the Shen Group, a behemoth in the industry for years, was still an unimaginable amount for most people. And though we’ve been shopping non-stop, we’ve only spent about a fifth of that.”F

“Then we’re so rich!! Are we going to keep on buying? It seems like we’ve bought enough to last us a lifetime.” Bi Qiao’an knew Shen Yanming’s space was nearly full; hers was still empty. But their spaces were ever-expanding, so more was always possible.

“Ever since we were reborn with our spaces, I’ve been thinking, what if we transmigrate again someday? The more supplies we have, the more secure we’ll be.”

Bi Qiao’an nodded in agreement. She felt the same way. The trauma of her previous life left her with a lingering sense of insecurity.

For the next half-month, Shen Yanming used the supermarket contacts to reach manufacturers directly. Using the store’s reputation and paying in cash, they encountered few obstacles. In those whirlwind days, their spaces filled with seasonings, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, bedsheets, pillowcases, quilts, air conditioning blankets, tents, milk, skincare, cosmetics, snacks—a dizzying array of necessities and treats.

By the end of September, Shen Yanming was ready to take Bi Qiao’an back to Qinghua. His 15-acre space was packed. Qiao’an’s space also held about two acres of perishables and other items.

Finally, Bi Qiao’an spoke up, “Brother Yanming, I want to go to Machere Company.”

Shen Yanming was momentarily confused. Machere Company? He’d never heard of it.

Sensing his confusion, she explained, “Machere specializes in cultivating flowers. They’ve been developing new varieties for decades. I want to visit and buy some seeds. This might be my last chance ever.”

Touched by her words, Shen Yanming took her to Machere. While marveling at the exquisite flowers in Machere’s breathtaking greenhouses, a pang of sorrow hit Qiao’an at the thought of such splendor disappearing forever.

Bi Qiao’an bought two sets of all the seeds, bulbs, and seedlings Machere sold, then happily followed Shen Yanming back to the hotel. Upon their return, she couldn’t wait to enter her space.

After giving one set to Shen Yanming for safekeeping, she planted the other. In a burst of inspiration, she surrounded a fresh patch of land with colorful ribbons, marking this as her future flower field.

With care, she planted the delicate seedlings and bulbs. In the bleak world of the apocalypse, seeing flowers would be a rare joy. Maybe because she had never planted flowers before or its sheer variety, but her space expanded by a massive five acres. Now, her planting area alone was twenty acres!

This meant Shen Yanming had an additional five acres for their supplies.

However, they couldn’t always fleece one place. Shen Yanming decided to spare the Lelherlands.

Originally, the two could have flown directly from Lelherlands to Qinghua, but Shen Yanming decided to make a stop in Aisland.^[1]Aisland: Lit. Ba Country. The reason was simple. Their fur was famous worldwide for its warmth.

As soon as they stepped off the plane, Shen Yanming contacted local fur merchants. They promptly bought hundreds of fur coats in various styles for men and women. Without lingering, they bought tickets back to Qinghua.

It was only when they set foot on the soil of Qinghua again that Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an felt grounded. They had traveled to several countries for a crazy shopping spree, and it was thanks to their good luck that no one discovered anything unusual.

Now that they were back, they knew they needed to be more cautious and discreet in their actions.

Bi Qiao’an and Shen Yanming arrived home on the afternoon of October 3rd. After a simple wash, they slept like logs until they were woken up by hunger the next day at noon.

They arrived home on the afternoon of October 3rd and slept soundly until hunger woke them the next day at noon. With at least a week before reporting to work, they decided to collect all the supplies from the warehouses they had prepared a few months earlier. They wanted the peace of mind that came with having everything in one place.

After a quick lunch, they drove to the southern province. Dusk was falling when they reached Nan City, and under the cover of night, they rushed to the first warehouse. It was suburban, with no surveillance. Shen Yanming opened the door, holding his breath. Fortunately, everything was untouched.

They had chosen these storage locations for their strategic convenience, allowing covert and easy access to the supplies when needed However, while it was convenient for them, it was also convenient for others. So Shen Yanming had a fluke mentality, praying that the supplies would still be there when he came to retrieve them.

To his immense relief, fortune was still on his side!

Bi Qiao’an followed Shen Yanming to three more warehouses, all of which were like the first one, located in remote areas with few people around. Fortunately, the things were all there.

The timing was crucial. In peaceful times, few would risk large-scale theft. But in a year or two in the apocalypse when people couldn’t survive, even if social order still existed, who would care about laws and morals? At that time, these supplies would definitely not be safe.

Having cleared the warehouses by dawn, they felt energized rather than tired. As they wandered through Nan City, the morning bustle enveloped them. People rushed to work, grabbed breakfast, and conversed en route to school. The blend of human chatter, birdsong, and car horns, the vibrant signs of the city rousing itself, was mesmerizing.

Perhaps all cities pulsed with this energy, but they’d rarely paused to appreciate it. As Bi Qiao’an surveyed the lively scene, her heart constricted, a profound sadness welling up inside her. One day, this would all be gone. Despair and suffering would reign. She couldn’t bear to think further. 

She was powerless to alter the fate that awaited these people.

“We’ll make it through this together,” Shen Yanming assured her, his hand tightening around hers.

Holding his gaze steadily, Bi Qiao’an affirmed, “With you by my side, I know we can overcome anything.”

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Translator’s notes:

How do you see Qiao’an as a person so far?

Having read the entire novel, I can say that I like her character. She exhibits a remarkable blend of pragmatism and maturity well beyond her years. It’s crucial to note that she lived only to the age of 25 in her previous life, which greatly influences her decisions. While she may appear aloof and restrained, especially when it comes to matters of revenge, the nuances of her past experiences gradually surface throughout the story, shaping her decisions in profound ways. Her character development stands out as one of the finest I’ve encountered in apocalyptic novels.

Unlike some protagonists, she isn’t driven by bloodlust. Instead, she approaches each situation with careful consideration, prioritizing survival and long-term stability over immediate gratification. The weight of the apocalypse hangs heavily on her shoulders, influencing every choice she makes. As she once remarked, “She just wants to be happy in this life.” This simple desire serves as the guiding principle behind all her actions.

Maintaining the delicate balance of her circumstances is paramount to her, even if it means withholding crucial information. Some may argue that possessing her own space provides a sense of security, but in my view, it only amplifies the need for caution. You’ll later see why.