15: What will China be like in the future? (Part 1)

"Food’s here!"

A hoarse shout broke the brief silence inside the warehouse.

The Soldiers huddled in various corners seemed to be injected with a spark of life; they moved their stiff bodies, picking up enamel bowls or even just their helmets, and crowded toward the corner where food was being distributed.

The so-called dinner wasn't really much of a meal.

A large pot of vegetable porridge was so thin you could see your own reflection in it, with a few leaves of unnamed greens floating inside.

The staple was a dark, dry, and hard flatbread—half a piece for each person.

This was their entire ration for the day.

Even so, no one complained.

The Soldiers silently collected their portions, found a corner to sit, and ate in small bites, as if they were savoring some rare delicacy.

In the entire warehouse, there were only the sounds of chewing and the slurping of porridge, along with the suppressed groans coming from the wounded Soldiers' area.

Chen Xi didn't move.

He wasn't a Soldier here, so naturally, there was no portion for him.

Besides, he had no appetite.

The smell of blood mixed with gunpowder in the air made his stomach churn with waves of nausea.

"Mr. Chen."

Shangguan Zhibiao walked over, carrying a relatively clean bowl. Inside was a full bowl of vegetable porridge and a whole piece of flatbread.

"Please... have some."

He handed over the bowl with a respectful attitude, as if he were addressing his own superior officer.

Chen Xi glanced at the bowl of porridge, then at the meager, watery soup in the bowls of the Soldiers in the distance, and shook his head.

"You guys eat. I'm not hungry."

"That won't do!" Shangguan Zhibiao said anxiously. "You are... you are our Benefactor! We can't let you go hungry!"

Just as he was about to urge him further, a young Soldier was pushed forward by his comrades, carrying a bowl and walking over timidly.

The Soldier looked to be barely in his early twenties, with a lingering air of boyishness on his face. His face was streaked with black and white from the gunpowder, making him look somewhat comical.

"Com... Company Commander."

Seeing Shangguan Zhibiao, the young Soldier snapped to attention in fright, nearly dropping the bowl in his hands.

"The Regimental Commander's side is sending over food and needed an extra hand, so I... I told him to go," an old veteran nearby explained with a grin. "This kid is Chen Shusheng, from Hubei Province. He's an honest lad, and his hands are clean."

Shangguan Zhibiao frowned and glanced at the Soldier named Chen Shusheng. Seeing that although he was nervous, his back was straight and his eyes were clear, he nodded.

"Alright, you'll do."

He thrust his bowl into Chen Shusheng's hands and placed his own piece of flatbread on top.

"Take this to Mr. Chen," he instructed in a low, serious voice. "Remember, this is our honored guest. If you're disrespectful, I'll have your hide!"

"Yes! Mission guaranteed!"

Chen Shusheng puffed out his chest and shouted, but because he used too much force, he aggravated the wound on his face, causing him to grimace in pain.

Carrying a meal twice as plentiful as anyone else's, he marched in a goose-step, one careful step at a time, until he stood before Chen Xi.

He didn't dare look Chen Xi in the eye; he just kept his head down and held the bowl up high.

"Mr... Mr. Chen, please... please have your meal."

His voice trembled slightly from nervousness.

Chen Xi looked at the Soldier before him, who wasn't much younger than himself, noting his restless hands and youthful face. His heart softened inexplicably.

"Thanks, brother."

He took the bowl but didn't eat; instead, he set it aside.

After delivering the food, Chen Shusheng didn't leave immediately.

He stood there, rubbing his hands together, looking like he wanted to say something but didn't dare.

"Is something the matter?" Chen Xi asked proactively.

"No... nothing!" Chen Shusheng shook his head violently, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and turned to run.

"Come back."

Chen Xi called him back.

"Sit."

He pointed to the empty space beside him.

Chen Shusheng hesitated but sat down obediently. However, he only dared to perch on the edge, his body as stiff as a steel plate.

"Your... surname is also Chen?" Chen Xi said, making conversation.

"Yes! My name is Chen Shusheng—'Shu' as in tree, and 'Sheng' as in life," Chen Shusheng replied quickly, a hint of pride in his voice, as if sharing a surname with this "immortal" was a great honor.

"Brother Chen," he gathered his courage, looked up, and stole a glance at Chen Xi. "I... I heard the Company Commander say you came back from overseas?"

"Something like that," Chen Xi replied vaguely.

"Overseas..." Chen Shusheng repeated the word, his eyes filled with longing. "What kind of place is it? Is it like the Western-style buildings in the Concession, with tall buildings everywhere? Does every household get to eat white flour buns?"

He asked very carefully, like a curious child.

Chen Xi looked at those clear, sparkling eyes, and his throat felt a bit dry.

He thought for a moment and described it in the simplest terms: "The buildings are much taller than those. White flour buns... more or less. As long as you're willing to work, you won't go hungry."

"That's wonderful..."

Chen Shusheng let out a heartfelt sigh.

He took out his own half-piece of dark flatbread, broke it in two, and handed half to Chen Xi with a shy smile.

"Brother Chen, I don't have anything good... Have this. You've worked hard today."

Chen Xi looked at the half-piece of flatbread, still warm from the other's body, and then at the meager, translucent porridge in the boy's bowl.

His hand stopped in mid-air.

An unspeakable bitterness, mixed with something burning, surged up from the depths of his heart, straight to his nose.

He wasn't a stranger to the human heart.

In that materialistic year of 2026, the human heart could be calculated by the amount of tips, the price of gifts, and the popularity of a livestream room.

But here.

In this hell where even staying alive was a luxury.

The human heart was this half-piece of hard, dry flatbread that could save a life.

It was so pure that it felt almost blinding.

He didn't take it.

He remained silent, broke his own whole piece of flatbread in half, and placed it into Chen Shusheng's bowl.

"Let's eat together."

Chen Shusheng was stunned and wanted to decline, but seeing Chen Xi's unquestionable gaze, he could only blush, scratch his head, and whisper, "Thank you, Brother Chen."

The two of them ate in silence.

The flatbread was very hard, making his teeth ache.

The vegetable porridge was very thin and had little flavor.

But Chen Xi felt that this was the most delicious meal he had ever eaten in his two lifetimes.

After finishing the meal, Chen Shusheng didn't leave.

He seemed to feel a bit more familiar with Chen Xi, and his courage grew.

He sat beside Chen Xi, looking at the massive bullet hole in the warehouse wall; outside was the war-torn Shanghai, already shrouded in night.

The distant fires reflected in the sky, turning half of it a dark red.

"Brother Chen."

He spoke softly, his voice carrying a hint of confusion.

"Tell me, this war... when will it finally end?"

Chen Xi fell silent.

He couldn't answer.

"I... I'm not afraid to die," Chen Shusheng explained quickly, as if afraid of being misunderstood. "None of the brothers in our company are afraid to die. I'm just... I just miss my mother a little. When I left, I told her that in a year at most, I'd go back and build a big house for her..."

His voice grew lower and lower, finally fading into an almost silent murmur.

The atmosphere in the warehouse was so heavy it was suffocating.

A long time passed.

Chen Shusheng seemed to remember something, and his eyes lit up again.

He turned his head and looked at Chen Xi expectantly.

"Brother Chen, tell me... in the future China, will everyone be able to eat their fill?"