54: Mom, don't be afraid

Soft footsteps came from the hallway.

Han Yurou looked up and saw Lin Wanwan standing at the door holding a steaming bowl of porridge.

"I heated a bowl for you too."

Lin Wanwan walked in and placed the bowl on the nightstand.

"vegetable and chicken porridge, with a little salt. Drink it slowly, don't rush."

"Thank you, Sister Wanwan."

"You're welcome."

Lin Wanwan sat down on the other bed and looked at Han Yurou.

"Your mother will get better."

"Qin Lin said the RV's Medical Room has auxiliary treatment functions that can speed up wound healing and prevent infection from worsening."

"Once her fever has completely subsided, we'll carefully treat the injury on her foot."

Han Yurou picked up the porridge bowl, the warmth spreading from her palms throughout her body.

She took small sips, the savory aroma of the porridge melting in her mouth, making her almost burst into tears.

The last time she had hot porridge was before the apocalypse broke out—the pork rib porridge her mother had stewed at home on the weekend.

"Sister Wanwan," she suddenly asked, "where do you... plan to go next?"

"South."

Lin Wanwan said.

"We need to find crystal stones—those glowing stones that can upgrade the RV. We also need to find our families."

"I can help," Han Yurou said immediately.

"I can cook, clean, and learn nursing. My mother is a doctor; she knows a lot..."

"We know."

Lin Wanwan smiled gently.

"That's why Qin Lin specifically went to find you. This vehicle has everything, it's just missing a doctor. After your mother wakes up, if she's willing to stay, we'd be very grateful."

"She will definitely be willing."

Han Yurou said firmly.

The two chatted for a few more moments, mostly with Lin Wanwan explaining the basic rules of the RV:

Daily food distribution, water usage precautions, and waste disposal methods.

Han Yurou took careful note of everything.

After finishing the porridge, she took the bowl back to the kitchen.

Su Yuran was washing the dishes; seeing her enter, she smiled:

"Feeling better?"

"Yes," Han Yurou nodded. "Sister Yuran, is there anything I can help with?"

"Resting is the biggest help you can provide."

Su Yuran dried her hands.

"But if you want to do something, you can go check on the ecological box."

"Some vegetables are planted there. They need watering every day, using recycled water, so it's not wasteful."

"ecological box?"

"Follow me."

Su Yuran led Han Yurou to a glass door in the middle of the vehicle.

Pushing the door open, a wave of moist, warm air hit them.

Han Yurou's eyes widened.

It was a space of about ten square meters, with planting racks on three walls.

Rows of cultivation troughs were neatly arranged.

Tender green lettuce, green onions, and spinach grew under the RV's light source. Against the wall were several potted plants growing tomatoes and strawberries, which had already produced green, unripe fruit.

"This is a feature unlocked after the RV was upgraded."

Su Yuran introduced.

"It can produce a small amount of fresh vegetables. Although the yield isn't high, it can at least provide vitamin supplements. How about you take charge of caring for them from now on?"

"Okay!"

Han Yurou nodded vigorously.

She crouched down and gently touched a lettuce leaf.

A real sensation, the green of life.

In a white world full of ice, snow, and death, this touch of green was so precious it made one want to cry.

Just then, a weak cough came from the direction of the Medical Room.

Both of them turned at the same time.

Han Yurou was the first to rush over, with Su Yuran following closely behind.

Inside the Medical Room, Han Qing opened her eyes.

[survival points updated: 669]

[003 Guest Room has been activated: Current residents Han Yurou, Han Qing]

[Hidden Task x2: Pending review]

Qin Lin stood in the living room, watching Han Qing wake up in the Medical Room and Han Yurou rush to the bedside in tears.

New passengers, a new beginning.

And the journey of this RV had only just completed its first month.

He pulled up the System interface, his gaze falling on the "Hidden Task" column.

Two unread notifications flickered with a faint light.

Qin Lin remained silent for a few seconds and ultimately did not click on them.

Let them settle in first.

He would deal with the tasks later.

Outside the vehicle, the blizzard continued.

But inside the RV, there were two more living beings who had survived.

When Han Qing opened her eyes, her first sensation was warmth.

So warm, it felt unreal.

The last fragments of her memory were stuck in cold, darkness, hunger, and pain.

Her daughter Yu Rou was crying, saying the food was gone; her own ankle was swollen and black, and the high fever had blurred her consciousness.

She remembered telling Yu Rou to leave and find another way out, but her daughter had stubbornly stayed by her side.

And then?

There seemed to be light... the sound of a door being smashed... someone speaking... "Mom!"

The familiar voice instantly cleared Han Qing's mind.

She turned her head and saw her daughter Yu Rou throwing herself by the bed, tears falling in large drops.

"Yu Rou..."

Han Qing spoke, her voice so raspy it was almost inaudible.

"Are you... okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom, you're finally awake, that's wonderful..."

Han Yurou held her hand, sobbing uncontrollably.

Han Qing struggled to prop herself up and looked around.

This wasn't her home, nor was it a hospital.

The room was very simple, with soft cream-white walls.

Above her was lighting equipment similar to a shadowless lamp.

The smell of disinfectant lingered in the air.

But it was fainter than a hospital's smell, mixed with a certain fresh scent.

Next to the hospital bed was monitoring equipment, the screen displaying her vital signs:

Temperature 37.2°C, heart rate 72, oxygen saturation 98%.

The data was so normal it made her suspect she was dreaming.

But the pain from her ankle reminded her this was reality.

She looked down; her injured left foot was fixed in a brace.

The wound was covered with a transparent dressing.

She could see the red and swollen skin beneath, but it was no longer festering and black like in her memory.

"Where is this?"

Han Qing asked, her guard instantly rising.

"Who brought us here? Where are those people?"

Since the apocalypse broke out, she had seen too much human evil.

Killing for half a piece of bread, betraying companions for a spot in a shelter.

There were even... she didn't dare think further.

"Mom, don't be afraid."

Han Yurou quickly explained.

"It was Brother Qin Lin and the others who saved us. They are good people, really."

"Qin Lin?"

"Yes, and Sister Yuran and Sister Wanwan."

"It's Lin Wanwan, who used to come to tutor me in English, do you remember?"

Han Yurou wiped away her tears and spoke rapidly.

"You went to the school to pick me up, and on the fourth day after we got home, the food ran out, and your injury got worse and worse."

"I wanted to go out to find help, but I couldn't get out at all. It was all snow outside, and the door was frozen shut."

"And there were bad people."

"Then yesterday at noon, Sister Wanwan brought Brother Qin Lin and found us."

She recounted the events bit by bit:

The RV, three young people, the warm interior, medicine, and food.

"They gave you a fever-reducing injection and antibiotics. Brother Qin Lin said this vehicle has treatment functions and can help control your infection."

Han Yurou pointed to the equipment in the room.

"Look, Mom, all these instruments are on the vehicle."

Han Qing was a doctor, so she could naturally understand the data on the monitor.

Her temperature had indeed dropped; although it was still in the low-fever range, it was a massive improvement compared to the high fever approaching forty degrees earlier.

The infection was under control.

She found it strange; clearly the ambient temperature had been so low, why couldn't the high fever be suppressed?

"This vehicle isn't ordinary, is it?"

Han Qing looked at her daughter.