Salted Fish Transmigrated Into An Apocalyptic Book: Chapter 53 (1/2)

This is a fan translation. Correct me if you think some should be corrected.

Chapter 53 (1/2)

The meeting time is limited, and we cannot waste it silently.

Jiang Miao Miao asked what she cared most about.

“How are you these days? What have they done to you?”

Lu Qiming lowered his head to calm his emotions, and finally, he could speak.

“Fortunately, I just did some simple tests first, and the formal experiment should wait for a while.”

“Test?” She asked worriedly, “Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt, how about you? Are you okay?”

Jiang Miao Miao was stunned; her eyes flickered, and then she smiled brighter.

“Okay, okay, much better than I imagined before.”

“Really? Tell me.”

She pursed her lips and described her life to him in detail.

“I live in a single room with heating and hot water. I can take a shower if I want, and I don’t have to worry about running out of electricity. I don’t have to cook for myself. There is a cafeteria at the base, and everyone eats the same meal, with meat in every meal.

They didn’t let me bring Meimu in, saying they feared infecting bacteria. Otherwise, I’ll show you, it’s gained weight again.

By the way, I also started working and playing with the children in the kindergarten. Not many people, 20 or 30 teachers, are in charge of more than 200 students. Their parents died during the retreat, and no one cared for them, so the government brought them up.

My job is easy, basically paid vacation. There is also a separate small canteen in the kindergarten. If I don’t want to eat the food in the big canteen, I can go to the small canteen to eat. Others are very envious.”

Lu Qiming listened with a slight smile, his gaze wrapped around her gently like a breeze.

“Then I’m relieved.”

“Of course, you don’t have to worry about me at all. Just take care of yourself.”

Jiang Miao Miao boasted and turned her attention to him.

“What about you? What do you eat every day?”

He lowered his head.

“I’m doing fine, too. As you can see, the lab is clean and warm. There are people who are responsible for my three meals a day, and both nutrition and taste can be taken into account. I don’t have to do anything myself; just tell them what I need, and someone will immediately bring it to me. The only catch is that I can’t smoke, which will affect the test data. But I was going to quit, so… it’s all good.”

He raised his head after speaking; his eyes seemed to have substance, and they fell on her lightly, like a piece of soft goose feather.

Jiang Miao Miao pinched the hem of her skirt.

“Well, that’s good, then I can rest assured…I…I…”

She looked up suddenly, tears in her eyes. Her eyes were wide open as if she didn’t want to let the tears roll out.

Lu Qiming’s heart tightened instantly, and he asked extremely cautiously:

“What’s wrong?”

The emotions that had been held back from the meeting to the present finally couldn’t be held back, pouring out like a flood.

“I miss you so much, I really miss you so much…”

Before meeting him, she could live happily for a month by herself.

After getting to know him, being apart for a week is a huge torment.

How long will this torment last?

Every day, when she came home from work, she was faced with a cold single bed and a lifeless dormitory.

If she hadn’t had Meimu to accompany her, she would have been unable to hold on.

Jiang Miao Miao covered her face and cried while Lu Qiming sat there looking at her, distressed but helplessly.

He wanted to hug her and comfort her like before.

But the transparent glass separated the two of them into two worlds, and they couldn’t even touch. 

The meeting time soon ended, and within a few minutes, the staff opened the door to remind her.

“Miss Jiang, it’s time for you to go back. Mr. Lu is going to start preparing for the operation.”

She looked up suddenly, “What operation?”

“Sorry, I’m not very clear about this.”

“Is Professor Chen Hong here? Can you let him come over?”

The other party showed embarrassed, “This…”

“Miao Miao.” Lu Qiming called her and stood up, “Go back, see you next time.”

Jiang Miao Miao stood there blankly, watching him leave the isolation room.

See you next time… when is next time?

She wanted to talk to Chen Hong.

She can only see him once a month, and she can’t accept it.

Jiang Miao Miao approached Chen Hong’s assistant and asked for a meeting.

The assistant said that he went out temporarily; someone in a rescue team was seriously injured, and there were not enough doctors, so he had to go out in person.

If she wants to meet up, he suggests she come back another day.

Jiang Miao Miao refused.

Everyone is very busy every day. Who knows if she can see him another day?

She only went to work at night anyway, so she waited in the laboratory until he came back.

Meimu was still at the front desk, so she went to fetch the dog and salted bird eggs first and sat down on the steps at the door.

During the period, the front desk came over and asked her to go back first. If she has something to say, she can help her tell him.

Jiang Miao Miao refused and took root in the steps.

She just sat and didn’t make trouble. The other party had no choice but to ignore her and continue working independently.

Noon passed, and Chen Hong was still nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Meimu began to feel hungry and walked around restlessly.

Jiang Miao Miao pulled it over and rubbed its head.

“Wait a minute, we’ll be home soon, dear.”

Meimu lay down next to her, its chin resting on the back of her foot in an aggrieved manner.

A few hours later, Chen Hong still didn’t show up.

Jiang Miao Miao looked at the time and saw that it was almost time to go to work, so she had to get up and prepare to leave.

Just when she was only a few tens of meters away, someone suddenly chased her from behind, pressed her shoulder, and asked tentatively:

“Jiang Miao Miao?”

The voice was very familiar. Looking back, it was indeed Gu Changzhou.

He appears to have just returned from a mission, still wearing a combat uniform and body armor. There are some blood stains on the pants. She doesn’t know if it’s his or someone else’s.

Jiang Miao Miao said, “It’s you.”

He nodded and looked around.

“Have you had dinner yet? Let’s go together.”

She took a step back and distanced herself from him.

“No, I have to go to work.”

“I know your job. Let me ask someone to take a leave of absence for you.”

“No, no, I…”

Jiang Miao Miao was about to refuse when Gu Changzhou suddenly sighed and looked at her seriously.

“I’ve been very busy recently. I don’t know how long I will stay at the base. Give me a chance to chat, okay?”

Some things have to be clarified sooner or later. It is better to say it sooner than later so as not to burden your heart.

Jiang Miao Miao agreed, and the two found the nearest canteen to eat together.

Everything in the base is fair, but there is some preferential treatment at Gu Changzhou’s level.

For example, at this moment, he can use his ID to join the team, order two meals in advance, and find a table by the window with Jiang Miao Miao.

The dishes in the base are either potatoes or radishes, and occasionally, some pumpkin or sausage is added, mainly depending on whether new supplies are sent back.

Jiang Miao Miao was tired of eating a long time ago. Because she was in a bad mood and had no appetite, she ate a little lazily and fed the food to Meimu.

Gu Changzhou looked at her. His eyes caught every movement of her, every frown and smile. The more he looked at her, the more he felt she resembled him very much.

Is she really his daughter?

If so, what about her relationship with Lu Qiming?

After being silent for a while, Gu Changzhou said:

“Last time, you snatched my plane and locked us in the room. According to the regulations of the base, you should be expelled.”

“What? Are you going to drive me away?”

Not only was Jiang Miao Miao not worried, but she was also looking forward to it.

It would be great if she and Lu Qiming could be expelled together. She would like to become a zombie with him and walk around the world.

But Gu Changzhou’s words quickly dispelled her thoughts.

“But because you were not residents of the base at that time, that rule should not have been adopted. So before picking you up, I applied to the base and will bear the loss.”

Jiang Miao Miao showed disappointment, “Okay.”

“You don’t want to?”

Gu Changzhou was keenly aware of her emotions.

She shook her head, “Of course not, it’s just… Forget it. There’s nothing to talk about in the past. Are you looking for me for dinner just to talk about this?”

The chopsticks in Gu Changzhou’s hand stopped for two seconds and were placed on the table.

“I want to know, is what you told me true?”

The age she was when she was abandoned, the clothes she wore, and the strange familiarity about her.

It’s all haunting him during this time, keeping him up at night.

Jiang Miao Mmiao also put down the bowl when she heard the words and said frankly:

“I made it up.”

Gu Changzhou was stunned.

She had thought of an excuse long ago and said without haste:

“I’ve seen gossip about you before and know about your daughter, so I said I’m sorry.”

His pupils trembled slightly, he stared at her tightly, and his Adam’s apple rolled with difficulty.

“Is it all made up? Is there any truth?”

Jiang Miao Miao avoided his gaze, “No.”

As if someone had poured cold water on his head, he sat motionless on the chair.

Someone passed by, recognized him, and ran over excitedly to say hello.

Gu Changzhou couldn’t hear anything. His hands on the table were clenched into fists, and the veins on the back of his hands were bulging.

The person who said hello didn’t dare to meddle when he saw this and left quickly.

Jiang Miao Miao hugged Jiang Meimu subconsciously and asked, “Are you angry?”

She lied to him, but he also lied to Lu Qiming many years ago.

This was, at best, a tit-for-tat, and the price he paid was far less serious than that of Lu Qiming.

Gu Changzhou took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

“Then who are your parents? Where were you born?”

Jiang Miao Miao said: “My orphan status is real, but I made up those details. If you don’t believe me, I can’t prove my identity in the current situation. Why don’t we do a DNA test?”

It should be able to completely dispel his doubts if it is determined that they are father and daughter.

This seems to be the best way, and there are people in the base who can complete this appraisal.

However, good words swirled around in Gu Changzhou’s mouth, but he couldn’t utter them.

This period of time is painful but also happy.

He had been depressed for a long time because of his daughter’s death. When he learned that she might be alive and had grown up, he was willing to give everything in exchange for her life to be peaceful and carefree.

If the result of the appraisal shows that she is not, then the last thought is gone.

It gave him hope and left him completely hopeless.

Why is she so cruel?

Jiang Miao Miao made a suggestion, but after waiting for a long time, he didn’t see him speak, so she yelled urgently.

“Captain Gu, what do you think? If you agree, we can go tonight…”

Gu Changzhou stood up abruptly and said coldly.

“I will not do it!”

Jiang Miao Miao: “…”

If you don’t do it, don’t do it. Why are you so fierce?

“Woof, woof!”

Jiang Meimu, who was buried in its meal, suddenly raised its head and yelled at him as if scolding him for her.

Jiang Miao Miao comforted it a few times and continued to ask:

“Are you sure? I think it’s better to do an appraisal. After all, I don’t want to take advantage of you with this relationship.”

Gu Changzhou said blankly:

“Even if you want to take it, you can’t take it.”

“……All right.”

She shrugged, got up, and asked, “Is there anything else? I’m going back to the dormitory.”

Gu Changzhou didn’t speak, so she turned around and left. Her small back was overwhelmed by the crowd.

Like a stream flowing into a great river, it will soon be lost.

On the subway back, Jiang Miao Miao saw a piece of news on the big screen.

It turned out that Gu Changzhou led a team to the city to deliver frozen meat to the base a few days ago. During this period, he was ambushed by zombies. Several team members died, and many were seriously injured.

Due to the risk of infection, the wounded could not be brought back to the base for treatment. Hence, a temporary operating room had to be built outside.

Chen Hong and others probably went to rescue the wounded.

Death was so close to her, so close that the person who was eating at her table had just narrowly escaped death.

Back in the dormitory, the survivors had already left work.

Jiang Miao Miao returned the clothes, found a colleague in the same building, and learned that the director did not scold her, so she returned confidently to the room.

She has to go to work tomorrow, so she plans to go to bed early.

Unexpectedly, another visitor came not long after lying down, and it was Yuan Mubing.

She was also on that team with minor injuries and a cast on her left hand.

A man accompanied her here, taller than her, with deep features, exuding an aura of calm and self-confidence.

Jiang Miao Miao recognized him almost the first time she saw him.

It must be the original hero.

When describing his appearance in previous books, he always used three points of indifference and three points of coldness, like a fan-shaped statistical chart.

Seeing it with her own eyes now, it is actually very appropriate.

But looking around, the skinless and shameless Lu Qiming is more pleasing to the eye.

She cast a playful look at Yuan Mubing, who cleared her throat in embarrassment and said seriously:

“I want to discuss something with you.”

“What’s up?”

Jiang Miao Miao wanted to invite them to sit, but the room was too small, and there were no extra chairs, so she gave up, and stood up to speak.

Yuan Mubing said: “I want to invite you to join the rescue team.”

This again?

Jiang Miao Miao was a little surprised, “I remember you mentioned it to me before.”

“Yes, but you did not agree.”

“Then I won’t agree this time either.”

Yuan Mubing frowned.

“Are you worried about the safety of your life? The rescue team is also divided into many different positions. Everyone performs their duties. Not all of them need to face zombies. If you join, you only need to be responsible for the preparations before the mission.”

Last time, the accuracy of the other party’s divination left a deep impression on her, and she has always wanted to draw Jiang Miao Miao into the team.

For example, this time, if the zombie ambush is budgeted in advance, wouldn’t there be so many casualties?

This may sound a bit ridiculous, but the end of the world is already crazy, and things beyond cognition happen one after another.

Since there is no way out, it is better to try everything.

Jiang Miao Miao met her earnest gaze, thought for a while, and shook her head.

“No.”

“Why?”

“You are great and willing to give everything for the base. I admire it very much. But I am a selfish person. I just want to stay here and meet him every once in a while.”

Yuan Mubing suddenly realized, pondered for a while, and said:

“What if joining the rescue team gives you more chances to meet him?”

Jiang Miao Miao pricked up her ears.