31: Have a hot pot

Qin Lin sat in the living room and could hear Su Yuran's exclamation from inside:

"Wow, it's really all here! It's exactly like the pictures!"

A few minutes later, Su Yuran took the clothes into Guest Bedroom room 002.

Then came Lin Wanwan's soft gasp of wonder.

A few more minutes later, Su Yuran walked out and said to Qin Lin:

"Um... Senior Wanwan needs to shower and change. Could you... step away for a bit?"

Qin Lin was stunned for a moment before realizing what she meant.

"I'll go to the driver's cab," he said, standing up.

"No need, no need," Su Yuran said. "Just stay in the Master Bedroom for a while."

Qin Lin nodded and walked toward the Master Bedroom (room 000).

Closing the door, he leaned against it, listening to the sounds outside.

"Senior Wanwan, are you finished washing?"

Lin Wanwan's voice came from the bathroom, accompanied by the sound of steam.

"Almost... nearly done."

"Then I'll wait for you in the room."

As Su Yuran spoke, she pushed the door open and entered room 002.

From the Master Bedroom, Qin Lin could faintly hear the movement.

The sound of water stopped.

The bathroom door opened.

Footsteps followed.

Then came the low whispers of the two girls in the room.

Is the soundproofing between these bedrooms too poor?

It'll be easy to be overheard when I'm doing things with Yuran in the future.

No, I need to hurry up and continue upgrading the RV.

At least there should be some guarantee when doing private things.

Qin Lin shook his head, pushing those sounds out of his mind.

He walked to the bedside, sat down, opened the System interface, and checked that Hidden Task again.

The time limit was counting down.

Although there were no specific numbers, the condition 'before the next passenger boards' meant the time was uncertain.

He might encounter a new passenger tomorrow, or he might not meet one for a long time.

Moreover, the RV now had five beds, so two more people could board.

But Qin Lin couldn't gamble.

He had to make a decision as soon as possible.

Should he take the initiative, wait for an opportunity, or simply give up?

While he was thinking, there was a soft knock on the Master Bedroom door.

"Qin Lin."

It was Su Yuran's voice.

"Come out, Senior Wanwan has finished changing."

Qin Lin closed the interface and stood up to open the door.

Su Yuran stood at the door with a mischievous smile on her face, lowering her voice to say:

"Senior looks... especially good in that yellow dress."

Qin Lin didn't respond and walked toward the living room.

Lin Wanwan was already there.

She had changed into that yellow short skirt; the hem was just above her knees, revealing her slender calves.

white silk stockings wrapped around her legs, giving off a delicate luster under the lights.

Her small leather shoes were clean and matched the outfit perfectly.

On her upper body was a cream-colored knit sweater with a perfectly cut neckline that was elegant without being revealing.

Her hair had been dried and fell smoothly over her shoulders.

After the stains on her face were washed away, though her skin still had some frostbite, her features were exquisite.

Her gaze was still a bit timid, but she looked completely refreshed, a far cry from the disheveled girl in the corner of the Library.

She was indeed very beautiful.

Especially her chest under the clothes, which was quite alluring.

A beauty score of 93, well-deserved.

Lin Wanwan noticed Qin Lin's gaze, her face reddening again as she lowered her head slightly:

"Tha... thank you for the clothes..."

"As long as they fit."

Qin Lin looked away and turned to Su Yuran.

"You should go change too, we're getting ready for dinner."

"Okay~"

Su Yuran replied and went back to the Master Bedroom.

Only Qin Lin and Lin Wanwan were left in the living room.

The atmosphere was a bit subtle.

Qin Lin sat on the sofa, and after a moment's hesitation, Lin Wanwan sat opposite him with her hands on her knees, sitting upright.

"You don't have to be so formal here," Qin Lin said. "From now on we're companions; we'll live together and face danger together. Relax a bit."

Lin Wanwan nodded, but her body was still tense.

Qin Lin thought for a moment and decided to establish some basic trust first.

"There are some things I need to tell you," he said. "This vehicle is very special; it can be upgraded and provides some... special functions. The store you saw is one of them."

Lin Wanwan listened intently.

"But being special also means danger," Qin Lin continued.

"If others find out the secret of this vehicle, we might become targets. So, secrecy is very important. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Lin Wanwan said. "I won't tell anyone. Not anyone."

"Including your future family and friends?" Qin Lin pressed.

Lin Wanwan's eyes dimmed for a moment:

"I... don't know if I'll ever see them again."

She paused, then said firmly:

"But I promise, I won't leak any information."

Qin Lin looked at her and nodded.

"Good."

At that moment, Su Yuran came out after changing her clothes.

She was wearing simple loungewear, her hair tied in a ponytail, looking fresh and neat.

"What's for dinner?" she asked.

Qin Lin checked the time; it was past five in the afternoon.

"In such cold weather, let's have hot pot."

"To celebrate our new member joining."

Qin Lin decided to be generous for once and buy some hot pot ingredients from the System Store.

"Yay!"

Su Yuran happily went to the kitchen to prepare.

Lin Wanwan stood up: "I... I'll go help."

The two girls started getting busy in the kitchen.

Qin Lin sat in the living room, watching their backs.

Su Yuran was teaching Lin Wanwan how to use the induction cooker, the water purification System, and the refrigerator.

Lin Wanwan studied seriously, nodding from time to time.

It was a warm scene.

But Qin Lin knew that beneath the warmth lay that unsolved task puzzle.

In the ingredient section of the supermarket storage room, hot pot base appeared.

Not just one pack, but an entire row.

Spicy beef tallow, clear broth, tomato, mushroom... all sorts of flavors were available.

Next to them were matching frozen meat rolls.

Beef, mutton, and pork belly, neatly sliced and preserved in special insulated boxes.

There were also vegetables: cabbage, lettuce, potato slices, enoki mushrooms, and even a box of soft tofu.

All of these were what Qin Lin had just purchased in the System Store.

It cost a total of 25 survival points.

The current balance was 399 points.

"This System..."

Looking at these supplies, Qin Lin felt a sense of absurdity in his heart.

Outside, it was over forty degrees below zero, and countless people were starving and freezing.

Yet in his RV supermarket, there were actually hot pot ingredients.

It was like some kind of dark humor.

But he didn't hesitate.

Tonight, they needed a decent meal.

Not just to celebrate Lin Wanwan joining, but also to celebrate surviving the most difficult half-month.

And even more... to accumulate some warm memories for the road ahead.

Qin Lin brought the ingredients to the kitchen one by one.

The two girls were stunned for a few seconds before acting simultaneously.

Su Yuran excitedly tore open the packaging, and the rich, spicy aroma instantly filled the air.

Lin Wanwan carefully washed the vegetables, her movements somewhat unfamiliar.

Clearly, this senior didn't cook much before.

Qin Lin handled the meat himself.

The mutton and beef rolls were plated directly, while the pork belly needed to be sliced thinner.

He found a knife and cutting board from the kitchen drawer and skillfully sliced the meat.

The kitchen was small, and with three people squeezed inside, it was hard to move around.

It was normal to have some accidental physical contact during the process.

After all, the space was cramped.

But no one complained.