LCFM Chapter 33

Jiang Xinghuai pressed his lips tightly together, head tilted up, jawline taut. He looked nervous, his eyes opened wide. In the depths of those dark pupils, Fu Yan could clearly see panic and shock.

He’s scared.

Fu Yan waited a bit, then looked at him helplessly. “Not going to say something?”

Only then did Jiang Xinghuai snap back to himself. He blinked, let out a long breath.

“—Damn.” Jiang Xinghuai said.

Fu Yan: “……”

After a moment of silence, Fu Yan sighed. As expected, still just a kid.

He thought he had been a little impulsive today. He was a mature adult. He understood his own feelings clearly. But he was afraid Jiang Xinghuai might confuse dependence with affection, which was why he had been trying to avoid it all this time.

But today, seeing the boy’s eyes—so obviously wronged, yet stubbornly fixed on him—his heart had softened. Fu Yan could only go along with it.

He couldn’t bring himself to say those three words: I don’t like you.

Take it slow…

Fu Yan slipped an arm around his back, patted him lightly, and didn’t bring up anything else. “Come on, let’s go eat. What do you want?”

“—Fu Yan.”

Zheng Yi stepped forward, blocking their path. His gaze swept across Fu Yan’s arm resting on Jiang Xinghuai’s waist, then quickly withdrew, fixing squarely on Fu Yan’s eyes.

“Academician Qian seems to be looking for us,” Zheng Yi said through clenched teeth. “Should we go up and take a look?”

Fu Yan was silent for a moment before finally lifting his eyes to Zheng Yi. “I don’t know what you said to him, but you heard what I said. That is my answer.” The gentleness at the corners of his eyes and brows withdrew in an instant, his sharp, hard features revealing an unmistakably firm stance. “Jiang Xinghuai is still young. If you have something to discuss, bring it to me. He won’t understand.”

Zheng Yi’s face darkened. His lips parted, but no words came out.

The air in the room turned heavy. Jiang Xinghuai looked at him, then at Fu Yan, and sighed, breaking the tension with a quip: “I’m really not that young. Please recognize my identity as an adult.”

“Kid.” Fu Yan patted his head.

Jiang Xinghuai shrugged.

Zheng Yi froze for a while, then gave a bitter smile, stepping aside as he looked at Jiang Xinghuai. “Sorry. Those words—I was being impulsive.”

Jiang Xinghuai was stunned. He’d always been the type who bowed to softness but not to hardness. Now that Zheng Yi said this, he actually felt a little embarrassed.

“Let’s go.” Fu Yan stepped forward, his voice low.

As soon as Jiang Xinghuai moved past, Fu Yan reached out and naturally took his hand.

His palm was large and warm. Jiang Xinghuai instinctively curled his fingers, his heart pounding like a drum.

He couldn’t help but turn his head aside, taking a deep breath.

“What are you sighing for?” Fu Yan gave a helpless smile, his broad palm patting his back in comfort. “You asked, I answered. Don’t overthink it. The rest—we’ll take our time. Mm?”

Fu Yan’s low voice was like deep water, calming the frantic beating of his heart.

Jiang Xinghuai looked up at him and nodded seriously. “Mm.”

By the time the two of them reached the cafeteria, it was right at mealtime. The place was packed. There were four large cafeterias in the camp, each able to hold over a thousand people.

But even so, it still wasn’t enough for the ever-increasing number of people flooding into this temporary shelter.

As soon as they followed the crowd inside, Fu Yan first settled Jiang Xinghuai at the side of a corner table.

There were too many people. He couldn’t properly shield him in the crowd.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll get it,” Fu Yan said.

Jiang Xinghuai braced against Fu Yan’s shoulder and jumped up, bouncing twice to look at the big blackboard above the serving windows listing today’s menu, then started ordering.

“Let’s get bean sprouts and also wood ear mushrooms. Stir-fried chili… wait, plain stir-fried chili? How are you even supposed to eat that?” Jiang Xinghuai was confused for a moment but didn’t dwell on it. “There’s not much on the menu today. Just get me some extra rice then.”

Fu Yan listened to the menu, an almost invisible frown creasing his brow.

Yesterday, there had still been meat, but today, the dishes were almost all vegetarian. It was obvious that the rate of consumption far outstripped the pace of supply.

Once the fresh produce ran out, the military would probably start distributing rations like biscuits and canned goods.

The stockpile of ready-to-eat food must be huge, but the number of people being rescued was also growing.

The cafeteria grew more and more crowded, leaving Fu Yan no time to think further.

“Don’t wander around. There are a lot of people. I’ll be right back.” Fu Yan gave the warning before heading off to join the line.

Jiang Xinghuai watched him disappear into the crowd, then sat down, guarding the little table in the corner, clutching onto the lingering warmth still in his hands.

I like you.

I like you very much.

Just thinking about it made Jiang Xinghuai’s ears burn uncontrollably.

Fu Yan said he liked him.

How had he not noticed it before?

Every night, Fu Yan forced him to do math homework, made him eat vegetables and radishes he didn’t like, lectured him like a father scolding his son…

“Why are you sitting here spacing out?” A deep male voice came from behind him.

Jiang Xinghuai jumped in fright and turned his head.

The man wore a black special forces riot uniform, still stained with blood. He was tall, with a buzz cut, and smiled heartily.

It was Kang Cheng, the captain who had saved them that day.

“Why are you sitting here alone?” Kang Cheng ruffled his head with one hand. “Couldn’t get any food?”

“Don’t touch my head.” Jiang Xinghuai slapped his hand away.

“Here, eat mine first.” Kang Cheng grinned as he set down the tin lunchbox in his hand.

“I’ve got food.” Jiang Xinghuai frowned at the bloodstains on him. “Did you just come back from rescuing people outside?”

“Mm.” Kang Cheng nodded, sat down beside him, and pulled out a packet of beef jerky from his chest pocket, handing it over. “Picked it up along the way.”

“Thanks, bro.” Jiang Xinghuai immediately called him close when he saw the meat.

“You really remind me of my younger brother,” Kang Cheng suddenly said.

“Don’t go claiming relatives out of nowhere. I was just being polite.” Jiang Xinghuai tore open the beef jerky and took a bite.

Kang Cheng froze for a moment, then laughed. He looked at the soft flesh puffing out on Jiang Xinghuai’s cheek as he chewed. After thinking for a bit, he asked: “That incident didn’t scare you, did it?”

“What incident?” Jiang Xinghuai mumbled with his mouth full, completely unconcerned. “You mean when you pointed a gun at my head? That was pretty cool. If you could lend me that gun to play with, it’d be even cooler.”

“That one won’t do.” Kang Cheng laughed. “But I can get you a pistol to hold—”

“Captain Kang.” Fu Yan appeared, carrying food.

Kang Cheng turned his head, looked at him, and stood up with a smile. “Mr. Fu, what brings you here for a meal? I had Taozi assign an orderly to Academician Qian’s side.”

“They’re busy, so I just help out with some analysis, lend a hand where I can.” Fu Yan spoke as he set the food down in front of Jiang Xinghuai, handed him chopsticks, signaling him to eat first. Only then did he turn his head toward Kang Cheng. “Did you need something, Captain Kang?”

“It’s like this. Your car’s supplies still haven’t been collected. Try to find some time to pick them up.” Kang Cheng paused a moment, then added, “Oh, and the guns and explosives in your car, we’ve taken them. When the time comes to transfer, we’ll consider issuing them back to you.”

“Transfer?” Jiang Xinghuai froze, the bean sprout dangling at the corner of his mouth dropping off. “It’s so safe here, we still need to transfer?”

“This place is just a temporary shelter that the military district set up in the old barracks within a few days. Of course, it’s risky.” Kang Cheng smiled and patted his head. “Shelters like this have already been built all over. Ours is indeed considered a large one, but we have only one goal: to search every survivor in our jurisdiction, then head to the military airfield, board transport aircraft, and regroup with the main force.”

“Transfer to where?” Jiang Xinghuai quickly asked.

“Underground. The exact location isn’t convenient to disclose right now, but it’s our country’s largest emergency refuge center. It can accommodate everyone and is the safest place.” Kang Cheng said solemnly. “Once we confirm that all people in our jurisdiction have been rescued, we’ll blow up this entire area to temporarily wipe out the infected.”

“I thought… this was the main force.” Jiang Xinghuai scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

“How could that be?” Kang Cheng laughed, too. “Even though this shelter has taken in a lot of survivors, compared to the whole country, it’s just a drop in the ocean.” As he said this, he glanced at Jiang Xinghuai and then asked with a smile, “The transfer will probably happen in half a month. You seem to be pretty capable, huh?”

“More than just capable,” Jiang Xinghuai said modestly.

“We’ll need more able-bodied people during the transfer to help the soldiers maintain order and handle emergencies. This job even comes with ‘pay’. Interested?”

“Very interested!” Jiang Xinghuai nodded repeatedly.

It wasn’t just the word job that drew him in. He also wanted to find something to do. He didn’t want to be useless, didn’t want to be dismissed as just a kid.

He didn’t want to become anyone’s burden.

“No.” Fu Yan placed his hand on his shoulder and pressed him back into his seat. “He’s too young.”

“I’m not that young. I’m an adult now.” Jiang Xinghuai muttered a rebuttal while shooting Kang Cheng a look. “I can handle it.”

“I think you can, too.” Kang Cheng winked at him.

“No.” Fu Yan’s brows furrowed.

Kang Cheng cleared his throat and explained seriously: “Mr. Fu, we have specific training for the civilian volunteer rescue team, and the risk is very low. It’s mainly just helping maintain the safety of people inside the shelter. Of course, it’s all voluntary.”

“I’m willing.” Jiang Xinghuai added quietly.

“No rush. We’ll be staying here for at least half a month, conservatively speaking.” Kang Cheng picked up his lunchbox, pressed one hand on Jiang Xinghuai’s head, and gave it a shake, then said sternly, “Convince your guardian first, then come find me tomorrow morning at six to report.”

Jiang Xinghuai secretly made an “OK” hand gesture.

“Eat.” Fu Yan said.

“Oh.” Jiang Xinghuai stuffed a big mouthful of rice in, lowered his head, and chewed slowly. After a long while, he finally forced it down, then slowly lifted his head—

“I—”

“No.” Fu Yan cut him off without even looking up.

Jiang Xinghuai: “………………”

“I haven’t even said it yet.” Jiang Xinghuai sulked. “Look, you’re always researching this and that. I don’t understand any of it. But I also want to shine. I also want to contribute to my country.”

“No.” Fu Yan turned his head to look at him.

After being repeatedly refused, Jiang Xinghuai grew unhappy. “Why not?”

“It’s not safe.” Fu Yan sighed, slipped a stalk of greens into his bowl. “Eat first.”

“Kang Cheng already said it’s pretty safe.” Jiang Xinghuai pushed his food aside, turned his head in a huff. “Besides, I think I can do it.”

Seeing this, Fu Yan put down his chopsticks, looked at him for a moment, and said, “There is no absolute safety. The essence of this ‘job’ is that it carries danger. Otherwise, you wouldn’t need to ask for my permission, would you? Besides, I don’t think you’re suited for this ‘job.’”

Jiang Xinghuai lowered his head and stared at the floor. He wrinkled his nose and pouted, feeling wronged. “But you just said you liked me……”

Fu Yan: “……Fine, go.”

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