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A person on the brink of starvation is the daughter of a tycoon, a contrast too great for anyone to accept.
Gao Yuan stared blankly at Luo Xingyu, while Luo Xingyu looked back calmly.
"I just realized something, that is, money is useless now."
Gao Yuan let out a long sigh of relief, then he smiled and said, "I was almost defeated by the huge gap in status and identity. I had even started to respect you."
Luo Xingyu blinked and then said helplessly, "Everyone is equal..."
"Stop joking, your dad made it onto the list of billionaires, with a fortune of at least several tens of billions, right? I make five thousand a month. As Luo Guodong's daughter, if I were to say we're equals, that would be deceiving myself."
Luo Xingyu said softly, "But what's the use of money? At this time, you are the rich one."
Gao Yuan was very sentimental, extremely so, and Luo Xingyu, she was just as sentimental.
A catastrophe had reconstructed society's hierarchy and order; otherwise, Gao Yuan would never have had the chance to save a tycoon's daughter, and Luo Xingyu might never have looked at him properly in her life.
With a face full of emotion, Luo Xingyu said, "I'm still curious, even if you are a survival fanatic, how did you bring all those radios and lots of other stuff here? Could you carry it all by yourself?"
Gao Yuan shook his head and said, "It wasn't brought here all at once. It took three of us four years, coming here twice a year, to accumulate some things here."
Luo Xingyu's mouth dropped open in shock. Gao Yuan said quietly, "Survival, or rather the hoarding for survival, is actually a hobby for people like us. All three of us liked the outdoors, and after stumbling upon this abandoned village, it became a place we would visit every year, always bringing useful things to hide here."
"You really had foresight. What about the other two?"
Gao Yuan was silent for a long time before he finally said gravely, "Ham died, Pipe... I don't know. He went to check on his family. We separated, and soon after, the aliens released the Electromagnetic Pulse. Since then, we've lost contact, and he hasn't shown up until now. I guess, he's probably dead too."
Luo Xingyu said softly, "But you're still calling them."
"It's just a habit, or maybe I don't want to face reality, or perhaps, I still hold a sliver of hope that Pipe will come and join me."
Truly, in a disaster where too many people have died, one should not speak of family and friends,
In the face of death, that's when true equality exists. This equality means that anyone's family might lose someone. So, in the end times, do not ask about others' families and friends; it's basic etiquette.
Some things are better left unsaid, as everyone understands.
Luo Xingyu sighed and looked up at the sky. Though she couldn't see the alien ships behind the clouds, she kept looking at the place where the ships were supposed to be.
Luo Xingyu looked like she was about to cry; surely, she had remembered something.
Let's talk about something else.
But what?
"Uh, let's start stewing the pork, we'll be able to eat very soon."
For someone on the verge of starvation, food is the panacea that cures all, even psychological trauma can definitely be healed by it.
Losing a loved one is an emotional matter, but eating is an instinct etched into our genetic code.
Two or three pots were hung over the fire for stewing the meat; the meat was added, and the fire started.
The moment the meat was added, Luo Xingyu stopped thinking about anything else; her eyes were fixed intently on the pots.
The pots were very useful for cooking, especially so when you cover them—they're like little pressure cookers.
The water quickly began to boil, and Luo Xingyu continued to stare at the pot, while Gao Yuan was staring at her.
Looking at Luo Xingyu, Gao Yuan suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten properly in a long time; she was truly starving.
After a moment's thought, Gao Yuan took out a box of compressed biscuits from his PSK pack.
Whenever Luo Xingyu saw food, her eyes would light up, but this time, Gao Yuan didn't give the biscuits to her.
Gao Yuan used a stick to take down one of the pots, opened the lid, took out most of the meat chunks, then put two small pieces of compressed biscuits into the pot.
Luo Xingyu looked at Gao Yuan, puzzled, and he smiled and said, "Wait a bit longer, and you'll be able to eat very soon."
Luo Xingyu nodded vigorously and then continued to fix her gaze on that pot.
After ten minutes, Gao Yuan took down the pot again, and under Luo Xingyu's eager gaze, he opened the lid, but instead of handing it to her, he placed it on a stone slab beside him.
Gao Yuan didn't eat, nor did he indicate that Luo Xingyu should eat.
Luo Xingyu, still fixated on the pot, was a bit dumbfounded as she stared at Gao Yuan with a look of surprise.
"Why are you like this..."
She couldn't help but complain, as she was really too hungry.
Gao Yuan laughed and said, "Don't worry, it's all yours, but you can't eat it just yet."
"Why can't I eat it?"
"It's too hot."
Luo Xingyu swallowed hard, looking pleadingly and said, "I'm not afraid of the heat! Can I eat slowly?"
Gao Yuan paid no attention to Luo Xingyu, because no reasoning would matter in front of someone who was really about to die of hunger. Having food but not allowing someone to eat defies all logic.
So, it's better to say nothing at all, no need for explanations.
Unable to hold back any longer yet too embarrassed to beg Gao Yuan, after enduring for a long time, Luo Xingyu finally said, "Can I eat it now?"
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"Is it done?"
"It should be okay now."
"I think it's alright."
The stone slab was very cool, which made the lunchbox cool down faster. After struggling through ten minutes under Luo Xingyu's urging, Gao Yuan, who had been silent the whole time, reached out again to touch the lunchbox.
It was still a bit hot but not enough to scald a person, so Gao Yuan took out a folding spoon from his bag, opened it, and placed it in the lunchbox.
He lifted the lunchbox, and under Luo Xingyu's eager gaze, Gao Yuan said seriously, "This is for you, but I warn you that you must use the spoon to eat. If you dare to lift the lunchbox and pour it directly into your mouth, I will snatch it away and won't let you eat. Do you understand?"
"Understood, understood!"
Gao Yuan handed over the lunchbox.
The compressed biscuits had turned into porridge, emitting an appetizing aroma, and within the porridge made from the dissolved biscuits, there were a few chunks of meat.
Luo Xingyu took the lunchbox from him, and thankfully she didn't forget Gao Yuan's warning, simply using the spoon to shuttle porridge into her mouth.
"It's so delicious, mmm, so delicious!"
Gao Yuan greatly admired his own foresight. He was now certain that if he had given the scalding porridge to Luo Xingyu just now, she would dare to gulp it down in one go. In that case, she would not have died from the heat but would have surely peeled a layer of skin off. And if he hadn't insisted that Luo Xingyu had to finish the porridge with a spoon, even if it weren't that hot, her mouth might not suffer, but her stomach would not be able to handle it.
Never underestimate the desperation of a person on the brink of starvation for food.
The box of porridge was quickly finished, and then Luo Xingyu licked her lips, looking longingly at Gao Yuan.
"Don't look at me, you can't eat anymore, there's none left for you."
As Gao Yuan put the cabbage into the meat soup, he cruelly shattered Luo Xingyu's illusion.
Luo Xingyu was shocked.
"Why! You still have so much meat!"
Gao Yuan said sternly, "For your own good. You haven't eaten a full meal in a long time. If I let you eat freely, do you believe you could stuff yourself to death?"
"Impossible, I'm not stupid."
"Enough said, taking out the compressed biscuits already pained me enough. I have meat ready but won't let you eat it, instead, I give you these precious, long-storage, life-saving compressed biscuits. It's only because I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself. Alright, if you don't want to watch me eat, go somewhere else for a while."
Luo Xingyu looked at Gao Yuan with a pitiful gaze, to which Gao Yuan helplessly said, "Don't forget what I told you, follow commands for all actions."
It must be admitted, Luo Xingyu was a very clever and sensible girl.
"I'm just going to watch, only watch you eat."
Gao Yuan took the lunchbox, using chopsticks he had whittled from a stick to pick up a piece of meat.
Luo Xingyu involuntarily opened her mouth, watching Gao Yuan intently, and when he put the meat in his mouth, she couldn't help but lean forward slightly.
Gao Yuan finally put the meat in his mouth, but quickly, he frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"It doesn't taste good."
"Doesn't taste good? Impossible!"
"Really doesn't taste good."
"I don't believe it. You don't have to lie to me. I know you mean well, but you don't have to lie. I'm just watching; you don't have to pretend."
Gao Yuan couldn't help but laugh and cried, "It truly tastes bad, both fishy and gamey."
"I've eaten it before, wild boar meat is very delicious."
Gao Yuan found a small piece of meat, picked it up and placed it in Luo Xingyu's lunchbox. After Luo Xingyu eagerly put it in her mouth, she also suddenly frowned.
"It's very tough, can't chew it, it really is bad..."
Gao Yuan said helplessly, "It's boiled in plain water, the only seasoning is salt, no wonder it tastes bad."
"Hmm, I don't mind the taste..."
"Enough, it's not possible for you."
"How about we grill it instead?"
"How I eat it is my business, you should stop thinking about it for today and just watch."
Gao Yuan had a hard time finishing the wild boar meat. It was indeed unpalatable, but at this point, one couldn't be picky. Look at Luo Xingyu, even watching others eat made her look both mournful and content.
After finishing the meat, Gao Yuan stood up and said to Luo Xingyu, "Come with me, I have something good for you."
"I'll wait here for you."
"No, I'm afraid you can't resist eating raw meat."
Though her complexion didn't show it, Gao Yuan knew from Luo Xingyu's sheepish appearance that he had guessed her intentions correctly.
Why did Luo Xingyu still look as hungry as a ghost after eating some food?
That was because after only having a little bit to eat, merely enough to fill the bottom, it only made her feel hungrier.