Chapter 391: Daily life 1.

The morning after they finally came home did not begin with an alarm, a

gunshot, or the sound of a monster crashing through a wall. It began

with the soft click of a metal spoon against a cooking pot.

For a few seconds, Bai Li did not open her eyes. She lay still beneath

the blanket, listening to the apartment wake up around her. The river

was outside, moving quietly below the twentieth floor. Somewhere in the

kitchen, somebody was walking carefully so they would not make too much

noise. A cupboard opened. A cupboard closed. Then came the faint sound

of water running.

It was such an ordinary sound that Bai Li almost smiled before she even

sat up.

The world outside had been broken for almost two weeks. Roads were

blocked. Buildings had become shelters or graves. Zombies wandered

through streets that had once been crowded every morning. Food had

become something people counted. Clean water had become something people

protected. Even sleep was no longer simple when every unfamiliar sound

could mean danger.

And yet here, on the twentieth floor of Riverside Apartment Building 9,

somebody was worrying about breakfast.

Bai Li opened her eyes.

She looked toward the doorway.

The first thing she noticed was that the apartment was still quiet. The

second thing she noticed was that Yan Cijin’s bedroom door was already

open. The third thing she noticed was that Lili’s slippers were not

beside her room anymore.

Bai Li sat up.

That was suspicious.

Very suspicious.

She got out of bed, pulled on a clean shirt, tied her hair back, and

walked toward the kitchen. The apartment had been turned into a small

self-sustaining shelter over the last several days. They had filtered

rainwater and river water, stored dried food, kept a small supply of

fresh vegetables, and arranged the furniture so that every room had a

clear use. The windows had been reinforced without completely blocking

the sunlight. The balcony had containers of herbs and several hardy

vegetables. The spare room held stacked food, medical supplies,

batteries, tools, and enough emergency material to make Yan Cijin’s

mother joke that they could survive a siege by an army.

Bai Li had never called it a home out loud.

She had started treating it like one anyway.

When she reached the kitchen, she found exactly what she had expected.

Lili was standing on a small stool beside the counter.

Yan Cijin was holding her around the waist with one arm.

Mother Yan was at the stove.

The older woman turned first and smiled.

"You’re awake."

Bai Li nodded. "I smelled food."

Yan Cijin turned her head. "That’s your way of saying good morning?"

"It’s my way of saying good morning efficiently."

Mother Yan laughed. "Come sit. Breakfast is almost ready."

Lili looked over. Her hair was slightly messy and she had a little

streak of flour across one cheek.

"Bai Li!"

"Hmm?"

"I helped Grandma."

"Did you?"

Lili nodded proudly. "I stirred."

Yan Cijin immediately said, "She stirred for about three seconds, then

ate one piece of carrot."

Lili looked offended. "I was checking it."

Bai Li’s mouth twitched. "Quality control?"

Lili nodded seriously. "Yes."

Mother Yan looked at Bai Li and laughed. "She learned that from

somewhere."

Yan Cijin pointed at Bai Li. "Exactly."

Bai Li put one hand on her chest. "I have no idea what you’re talking

about."

"You absolutely do."

Lili giggled.

Bai Li stepped closer and gently wiped the flour from Lili’s cheek with

her thumb. "At least you missed this side."

Lili looked at her. "What side?"

Bai Li tapped her other cheek. "This one."

Lili immediately turned to Yan Cijin. "Do I have more?"

Yan Cijin checked her face and smiled. "A little."

Bai Li reached out again.

Yan Cijin caught her wrist.

"Don’t."

Bai Li raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because you are going to make her look like you were painting her."

"I was removing the flour."

"You already removed it."

"Then I’m finished."

Yan Cijin let go.

Their fingers brushed before separating.

It was a tiny thing.

Neither woman mentioned it.

Mother Yan noticed.

She did not say anything either.

Instead, she turned back to the stove with a smile that was just

slightly too knowing.

Bai Li pulled out a chair.

Lili climbed down from the stool and immediately dragged the chair

beside her over.

"Sit here."

Bai Li looked at Yan Cijin. "Apparently I’ve been assigned."

Yan Cijin sat across from them. "You should be honored."

"I am."

Lili put both hands on the table. "Today we have work."

Bai Li nodded seriously. "How much?"

Lili started counting on her fingers. "The plant needs water. The small

window is making a funny sound. The kitchen light is too dark. Grandma

says we need to check the water barrels. And Cijin said the cabinet door

is crooked."

Yan Cijin looked at her daughter, then at Bai Li. "See? She has already

made you a schedule."

Bai Li looked impressed. "Good."

Yan Cijin stared. "Good?"

"Keeps me busy."

"You need rest."

"I rested."

"You came back yesterday morning."

"I slept."

"For five hours."

"Five is enough."

Yan Cijin sighed. "You are impossible."

Bai Li smiled. "You keep saying that."

"Because it keeps being true."

"And you keep helping me anyway."

Yan Cijin paused.

Lili looked between them.

Mother Yan suddenly became very interested in the rice pot.

Yan Cijin cleared her throat. "Someone has to make sure you don’t turn

every repair into a disaster."

"I haven’t made a disaster yet."

"Yet."

Bai Li leaned back. "That’s a little insulting."

"Good. Maybe it’ll keep you humble."

Lili whispered loudly, "Bai Li is not humble."

Bai Li looked at her. "Traitor."

Lili laughed so hard she nearly fell sideways.

The breakfast itself was simple. Rice, eggs, cooked vegetables, and a

little preserved meat. It was not the kind of food people once thought

about as anything special. Now it was a small luxury. Everyone ate

slowly. Nobody rushed.

.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED.