Chapter 254: Stir-Fry and Farewells

“You can’t just wrap her head like that. Anyone who didn’t know better would think someone in the family died…”

Once he decided to take the Doll out Lu Xin started to seriously examine the large-headed Doll with the bath towel wrapped around her head.

He walked over, unwrapped the bath towel from the girl’s head and replaced it with a regular towel. He didn’t cover her whole head this time but carefully draped it from below her eyes covering the lower half of her face before tying the ends behind her head.

This way, once she put on her contact lenses only her smooth forehead would be visible.

Surely just a forehead wouldn’t drive people mad right?

Besides covering her face like this looked much better than wrapping her entire head…

Hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. Several members of the service team appeared. They paused looking at the Doll with the towel tied across her face. One of them held two wooden lunchboxes.

Lu Xin faintly caught the tempting aroma of fried chicken from one of the lunchboxes and nodded at them with a smile:

“Save the fried chicken. We’re going out for a late-night snack.”

…

The service team members nodded. Then one stepped forward and silently untied the towel from the Doll’s face.

“Hey…”

Lu Xin was a little confused.

Then he saw the staff member pull out a black silk scarf with white patterns that looked quite high-quality from her bag. She retied it onto the Doll’s face carefully adjusting the covered part with a very gentle touch. The knot tied behind her head was also very neat.

“That towel was too ugly.”

Meeting Lu Xin’s gaze she explained, “How could we let the Doll go out wearing a towel?”

“She’s our Qinggang’s Doll after all.”

…

Lu Xin had to admit the Doll looked better now than she did with a hotel towel tied around her face.

But how could he be blamed? She was using a bath towel just moments ago…

Under the care of the service team the Doll changed into a brand-new princess dress they had just brought and picked up her umbrella. Lu Xin and the Doll took the elevator downstairs. The special van was already waiting at the entrance but the driver was someone new.

After getting in the car the driver wearing a heavy protective suit spoke in a muffled voice:

“Taking you to the liveliest place in Qinggang now.”

“Don’t worry about a thing just have fun.”

…

As the van drove through the streets of Qinggang Main City scarred by the recent disaster Lu Xin could still see signs of chaos everywhere.

Rows upon rows of huge trucks—you could clearly see the specially reinforced glass structures inside where the compartments connected—approached from all directions heading towards the north side of the city. Chen Jing explained over the channel: “The previous Isolation Zone has been temporarily converted into a containment and treatment area for the mental care of those Altered Persons. Any Altered Persons found in various locations will be sent there.”

Along the way they could see lines of people in heavy protective suits conducting meticulous mental radiation assessments.

Many support team members were also rushing back and forth.

In many places crowds lined up, people with lingering fear on their faces emerging from buildings or other hiding places. They underwent assessment while waiting for the city’s temporarily requisitioned subways to transport them home in batches.

This city which had initially struck him with a strange kind of beauty was already returning to its original state.

…

When they arrived at an unusually bustling street in the heart of the main city it turned out to be strikingly deserted.

All the shops were closed. Even the few that weren’t were empty now with only the interior lights and outdoor neon signs glowing. In some places you could still see scattered bloodstains and overturned tables and chairs.

Lu Xin glanced at the Doll beside him who was looking at him curiously and gave a somewhat helpless smile.

Clearly this place had also been attacked by Altered Persons. The bustling street was no longer bustling.

“A walk wouldn’t hurt either.”

Lu Xin thought deciding to get out with the Doll.

Then under the concerned gazes of the service team personnel he strolled slowly with her along the empty street.

Although the shops were empty and the entire street was unusually quiet the signboards advertising various clothes jewelry and all sorts of food hinted at how lively this street must have been before the attack.

“Should’ve eaten the fried chicken before coming out…”

Lu Xin pondered this thought then caught a familiar scent.

“Someone’s still open…”

His eyes lit up and he pulled the Doll hurrying forward.

Soon at a corner he saw a small glass cart surrounded by people sitting on small stools.

Inside the glass cart were pots and jars filled with various vegetables eggs ham sausage shredded meat and more. The chubby cook while expertly tossing a large black wok with a serious expression yelled out gruffly, “Whose stir-fried noodles needs an egg?”

“This looks delicious…”

Lu Xin’s mood instantly brightened.

Seeing someone finishing up and leaving he quickly snatched a small square table grabbed a stool and handed it to the Doll.

The Doll’s eyes visible above the scarf crinkled into crescents and she nodded vigorously.

“Master Cook one large portion of stir-fried noodles please add an egg… and extra meat extra bean sprouts too.”

Lu Xin generously ordered for himself then glanced at the Doll and added an egg to her portion as well.

He hadn’t expected to find such a place still operating in this post-disaster city and with quite a few diners too.

After asking with a smile the stir-fry cook rolled his eyes dismissively the flesh on his cheeks trembling:

“What’s there to be scared of?”

“Just a few people who went crazy right? When old man like me helped build the city with the Third Corps did I see any less?”

“Young people nowadays… scared stiff just seeing a madman run home wetting their pants…”

“Of course business must go on. Business is even better at times like this.”

“You think the City Management Brigade wouldn’t bust me if I set up stall here normally?”

…

“Among the older generation the psychological resilience tends to be better than the young people’s.”

Chen Jing chuckled over the channel. “But his business will only be good tonight. After tonight’s thorough assessment things will gradually relax starting tomorrow. Once people feel braver they’ll open their shops again. In less than a week this street will return to its former bustle. Maybe in a few months or half a year everyone will forget the chaos that happened here.”

“Qinggang will still be the orderly Qinggang you saw when you first entered the city where people wait for the traffic lights.”

She spoke slowly adding, “And these people are the ones you and the Doll protected.”

“It’s not just us.”

Lu Xin looked at the surrounding crowd eating and chatting and at the stir-fried noodles flying up and down in the iron wok a smile appearing on his face:

“I know you work very hard too even harder than us…”

Faced with her subordinate’s sudden understanding Chen Jing fell silent for a moment seemingly touched.

…

One portion of stir-fried noodles cost three yuan adding an egg was fifty cents and shredded meat was one yuan.

Lu Xin spent a total of eight yuan and confirmed with Chen Jing over the channel that all his expenses in the main city were reimbursable.

He didn’t mention the stir-fried noodles. It was less than ten yuan not worth mentioning.

…Anyway it would be reimbursed whether he mentioned it or not.

After eating their fill Lu Xin and the Doll wandered the street for a while.

Although the Doll was a girl who wasted food eating less than a third of that large plate of stir-fried noodles.

Lu Xin still felt she was a good girl.

Because when he told her he had to leave the Main City and go back tomorrow due to business she just nodded silently.

“I have to go back first tomorrow. I’ll come find you again when I have the chance.”

Afraid she hadn’t understood Lu Xin explained carefully again: “Is that okay?”

The Doll stared at him with wide eyes and nodded once more.

Lu Xin felt much more relaxed. He could sense that the Doll wasn’t stupid and was actually quite sensible.

This last night before he returned would be the final part of his mission accompanying her. So Lu Xin diligently took her around the streets even buying her a lucky cat piggy bank and a red balloon…

The word “buy” wasn’t quite accurate since the shop owner was nowhere to be found and the shop door was open.

Also considering meeting his family after returning from this work trip Lu Xin decided to buy some gifts for them too.

He spotted a red handbag with large plastic flowers on it at a nearby street stall.

Remembering his mom liked carrying small satchels he decided to buy this for her.

Choosing a gift for his father was harder. Lu Xin first looked at a set of knives but felt his father didn’t really need them… besides the knives in the Main City were quite expensive… He couldn’t find anything suitable among the other items either they were all too expensive…

So after wandering around twice he saw a transparent raincoat on a stall that hadn’t been packed up yet.

He immediately decided to buy it. It inexplicably suited his father’s temperament…

As for his sister…

…Lu Xin searched around his gaze landing on a row of cute yellow toys with gaping mouths in a toy store.

He couldn’t help but smile: Isn’t this the toy his sister always wanted?

…

In the end the Doll hugged the piggy bank held the balloon and even helped Lu Xin carry a large bag of gifts intended for home with her other hand. Lu Xin led her back to the van and they returned to the hotel together.

This hotel didn’t have the precisely timed lighting levels like the previous one so the Doll didn’t fall asleep promptly at ten PM. She kept squatting quietly on the floor arranging her small blocks.

When Lu Xin woke up on the sofa the next day the Doll was still arranging her small blocks.

Chen Jing had already called. A high-speed train would depart at nine AM and Lu Xin could take it back to the Second Satellite City.

“I’m leaving now!”

Lu Xin looked at the Doll and said with a smile.

The Doll busy squatting on the floor didn’t look up.

“I’ll come see you again when I have time.”

Lu Xin smiled and said goodbye to the Doll again then picked up his bag and went downstairs. The Doll didn’t follow.

This struck Lu Xin as a bit strange: “Why isn’t she clingy all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t we develop any feelings after spending a few days together?”

…

A car was waiting downstairs to take Lu Xin to the station where he boarded the train through a special passage.

Thinking back on his experience in the Main City this time Lu Xin felt there were quite a few regrets.

He hadn’t been able to have a meal with familiar colleagues like Gecko Tie Cui Han Bing and the Drunkard.

He hadn’t been able to see that street in the Main City at its liveliest.

The biggest regret was that he had clearly agreed with Han Bing that she would treat him to a meal and give him the small wontons she made herself but now he had to go back early. It seemed… thinking about this Lu Xin faintly felt it was probably for the best.

Han Bing was just a young girl after all. Was she being so nice to him because she wanted to…

Or was it due to some work-related intention?

If she was just following some work protocol then not keeping this appointment was actually the right thing to do.

After all she was a girl from the Main City sincere gentle and lovely.

But he himself was someone with a family others couldn’t see no different from those Pollution Sources.

She must have heard him talking to Mom earlier right…

There was no need to take advantage of work convenience to enjoy this girl’s concern for him.

…

Pondering this Lu Xin let out a soft sigh almost imperceptible to others.

He leaned back gently against the seat. The high-speed train was about to depart.

Just then an attendant rushed into the car compartment. He strode towards Lu Xin panting placed a sealed box in front of him and said “Mr. Lone Soldier right? The girl downstairs asked me to give this to you.”

Lu Xin opened the box curiously then froze.

Inside was a bowl of delicately wrapped small wontons carefully sealed in a plastic bag.

Lu Xin’s heart stirred slightly. He quickly pressed his face against the glass to look outside.

On the platform he saw a long-haired girl resting hands on her knees clearly tired waving at him with a smile.

“Mr. Lone Soldier it’s your turn to treat me next time…”

Her voice was somewhat unclear amidst the sound of the train starting up but her lips seemed to form those words.

…

Meanwhile back in the now empty room in the Main City the Doll continued squatting on the floor arranging the scattered small blocks. Service team personnel anxiously communicated with their superior: “The Doll didn’t sleep at all last night. She seems to be in a very bad mood.”

When they finally couldn’t help but enter the room to try and persuade the Doll to rest.

They saw that the Doll had placed the last small block then looked up smiling happily.

It was a man’s face pieced together from small blocks of various colors.

She seemed to want to show it to someone but only then realized that person was already gone.

She remained silent for a long while then her small mouth trembled slightly into a pout.