I can upgrade the shelter
Chapter 41: Reaching a Deal (Requesting Recommendations and Favorites)

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Reaching a Deal (Requesting Recommendations and Favorites)

"Long time no see! Supplies!" Mo Qingyan hugged Chen Xin tightly with both arms, unwilling to let go, her face full of barely concealed excitement: "I’m so glad you’re okay! This past month underground almost drove me crazy, and with the situation outside now, I couldn’t contact you. I was so worried! Now that I see you’re alright, I can relax!"

"How many times have I told you, don’t call me ’Supplies’." Chen Xin looked at the excited Mo Qingyan, smiled, and only then signaled her to let go, saying with some emotion, "This past month hasn’t been easy for me either. I didn’t receive any news from the outside world for a whole month, and I almost ran out of water. In short, it’s a long story."

Having said this, Chen Xin also greeted Mo Qingyan’s sister and her friend who were standing by: "Long time no see, Qingxin, Ding."

"You don’t let others call you ’Supplies,’ but you always call me ’Little Qingxin’! How many times have I told you, my name is Mo Qingxin!" Mo Qingyan’s sister was evidently a bit annoyed by Chen Xin’s nickname for her, though this was just a regular bickering among friends, and she wasn’t genuinely upset. She even smiled around her eyes.

As for Mo Qingyan’s friend, she was in the process of removing the arrow from her crossbow and releasing the bowstring, to avoid any accidental discharge.

After packing away the crossbow, she greeted Chen Xin with a hint of surprise: "Weren’t you the one who stored quite a bit of fresh water? How did you run out?"

Before entering the shelter, Chen Xin had stockpiled a lot of bottled drinking water and tap water stored in purified water barrels. Knowing this, Mo Qingyan was puzzled by Chen Xin’s claim of almost running out of water.

"You mentioned it yourself, those are for drinking. I can’t possibly use drinking water to bathe, do laundry, or water plants, can I?" Chen Xin said this and couldn’t help but shake his head. Without the system, he would really have had a hard time solving this issue: "But fortunately, the problem is solved, otherwise, I’d have to trade fresh vegetables with you for water now."

Saying this, Chen Xin opened his car trunk, patted two plastic boxes filled with fresh vegetables, and looked at Mo Qingyan with a smile: "Here are four hundred pounds of fresh vegetables. If you keep them refrigerated, it’ll be enough for you to eat for a month."

Hearing Chen Xin say this, Mo Qingyan and her two companions immediately gathered around, looking at the two large plastic boxes in Chen Xin’s trunk, secretly swallowing their saliva.

Although girls often say eating vegetables is like eating grass and claim they can’t eat them, no normal human can go without eating vegetables.

A few days or even a week might not matter because, in modern society, people can get sufficient nutrients from various other rich types of food. However, long-term avoidance of vegetables will undoubtedly lead to malnutrition.

But for Mo Qingyan and the other two trapped in a shelter in the apocalypse, the whole month had plenty of food supplies. Although the taste wasn’t particularly pleasant, they still managed to eat canned meat and luncheon meat, but they had no fresh vegetables or fruits, which was quite uncomfortable for them.

Now, seeing two large boxes of fresh vegetables in front of them, the three young women thought they might be able to just wash and eat them raw.

Swallowing her saliva, Mo Qingyan turned her gaze from the two tempting boxes of fresh vegetables and looked at Chen Xin, asking him: "Axin, what do you want in exchange?"

Although she had a good relationship with Chen Xin usually, Mo Qingyan had no intention of taking advantage for free. To show her seriousness, she even changed the way she addressed Chen Xin.

In such an apocalyptic era, the original morals and laws no longer restricted people who wanted to survive. Mo Qingyan, who had seen too many foreign post-apocalyptic themed films and TV shows while studying in the United States, understood this principle deeply.

In the apocalypse, even the best of relationships can’t withstand the tests.

Therefore, she preferred to trade with Chen Xin for these four hundred pounds of fresh vegetables, rather than relying on their past relationship to ask for a favor.

Moreover, they could ask for a favor this time, but if it soured the relationship with Chen Xin, the cost of obtaining fresh vegetables next time wouldn’t be as simple as an equal exchange.

In this end-of-the-world environment, the exchange of interests becomes more direct and explicit. The previous relationships and feelings can only bring about slight benefits. If people continue to hope to take advantage or take things for free, the result is to ruin original friendships, making it even more difficult to survive in this apocalypse.

In the apocalyptic world, only unity and cooperation can let everyone survive together. Mo Qingyan deeply understood this truth.

Chen Xin was also satisfied with Mo Qingyan’s attitude, nodded, and said: "Didn’t I mention it earlier? Canned meat and alcohol, and if you have gasoline or a refrigerator, that would be even better."

"I have quite a few canned meats, including luncheon and real meat cans, and plenty of alcohol too. How much do you need?" Mo Qingyan agreed without hesitation to Chen Xin’s terms for exchange. As for gasoline or a refrigerator, she didn’t outright refuse: "My stock of gasoline isn’t large, but I can spare some if you don’t need much. As for a refrigerator, there’s a large commercial freezer upstairs used to store cold drinks at the bar. You can take it if you want."

"Two boxes of luncheon meat or one box of real meat cans, and one box of alcohol, is that okay?" Chen Xin looked at Mo Qingyan, thought for a moment, and stated his acceptable exchange ratio.

Upon hearing Chen Xin’s proposed exchange ratio, Mo Qingyan thought for a moment, nodded, and didn’t bargain. This exchange ratio was also acceptable to her.

"In that case, I’ll give you a box of luncheon meat cans and a box of pork cans, along with a box of Golden Rum, in exchange for two hundred pounds of vegetables. But the pork cans are the small 200g type, is that okay?" Mo Qingyan looked at Chen Xin and offered her exchange terms.

Chen Xin nodded, indicating it was okay, and directly unloaded a box of vegetables.

"You find something to pack them in. I need to take these boxes back." Chen Xin opened the box, and the scent of fresh vegetables wafted out, making the three girls’ eyes light up, and the sound of swallowing became quite audible.

Mo Qingyan nodded, looked at her sister, and said to her: "Qingxin, go bring the cans and get a plastic box too."

After speaking, Mo Qingyan turned to her friend: "Anning, go upstairs and get a box of Golden Rum."

"Got it, where’s the key to the wine cellar?" Ding Ning looked at Mo Qingyan, reaching out for the wine cellar key.

Mo Qingyan pulled the keychain from her belt and tossed it to Ding Ning.

Having done all this, Mo Qingyan turned her head to look at Chen Xin and extended an invitation: "Axin, you’re not in a hurry, right? Let’s chat for a bit?"

"I also want to know more about the current situation in the city," Chen Xin nodded, accepting Mo Qingyan’s invitation.