Chapter 402: Daily life 12.

One guard said, "You already cleared it."

Bai Li nodded. "That was before the rain."

"You think rain changes anything?"

"It changes smells. It changes where people move. It changes what

drains. I want to check."

The guard looked at Yan Cijin. "Does she always do this?"

Yan Cijin smiled. "Yes."

"And you let her?"

"No."

Bai Li looked at her. "She follows me."

Yan Cijin laughed. "Exactly."

They checked every floor again. There were no large groups this time,

but they found three zombies that had entered from damaged windows. One

was on the twelfth floor near a fire exit. Another was on the fifth. The

last was in a storage room on the second floor.

Bai Li dealt with all three.

She then inspected the windows.

"These need stronger locks."

Yan Cijin closed her eyes. "Here we go."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You sound worried."

"I know you."

Bai Li smiled. "That’s a compliment."

"It wasn’t."

They spent most of the afternoon making the weak points stronger. Bai Li

repaired two window latches. Yan Cijin helped install metal brackets. A

few residents offered tools. Others offered food. Bai Li accepted only

the tools.

"You should take something," one woman said. "You have done a lot for

us."

Bai Li shook her head. "Keep it."

The woman insisted. "Please."

Yan Cijin looked at Bai Li.

Bai Li sighed. "Fine. Give me one packet of screws."

The woman laughed. "Done."

Yan Cijin smiled. "There. You got paid."

Bai Li looked at the small packet of screws in her hand.

"Best payment I’ve had."

"Of course."

When they returned upstairs, Lili ran toward them.

"You’re back."

Bai Li nodded. "We’re back."

Lili immediately checked Bai Li’s hands.

"No cuts?"

"No cuts."

She checked Yan Cijin next. "No cuts?"

"No cuts."

Lili looked satisfied.

Mother Yan, standing behind her, smiled.

"She has started checking people like you."

Bai Li laughed. "Good."

Yan Cijin pointed at Bai Li. "Don’t say good. That’s your fault."

"It is a useful habit."

"Now she’ll inspect everyone’s hands every time they come home."

Lili nodded. "Yes."

Yan Cijin groaned.

Bai Li smiled.

"See? Useful."

Yan Cijin looked at her. "You are very pleased with yourself."

"A little."

"I can tell."

Bai Li stepped closer and quietly brushed a tiny piece of dust from Yan

Cijin’s shoulder.

"There."

Yan Cijin went still.

Bai Li moved her hand away. "You had dust."

Yan Cijin stared at her.

"Right."

Lili looked between them.

Mother Yan quietly walked toward the kitchen.

She was smiling.

The evening meal was loud. Not because anyone was angry, but because

everyone had stories. Lili talked about the plants. Mother Yan talked

about the food. Yan Cijin talked about the residents downstairs. Bai Li

complained about people leaving tools everywhere.

"Someone left a wrench in the stairwell," Bai Li said.

Yan Cijin looked at her. "And you moved it."

"Obviously."

"Where?"

"Tool box."

"Whose?"

"Mine."

Yan Cijin laughed. "Of course."

Lili raised her hand. "Bai Li’s toolbox has everything."

Bai Li nodded. "Correct."

Mother Yan smiled. "You really have made yourself comfortable here."

Bai Li paused.

Then she looked around the apartment.

At the plants.

At the repaired cabinet.

At the little drawing on the wall.

At Yan Cijin sitting across from her.

At Lili eating carefully so she would not spill anything.

"Yes," Bai Li said quietly. "I think I have."

Nobody teased her after that.

There was no need.

The apartment was no longer just a place where they stored food and

weapons.

It was where breakfast happened.

Where plants grew.

Where clothes dried.

Where people argued over screws.

Where a little girl drew bad pictures and proudly hung them on the wall.

Where Mother Yan cooked enough food for everyone.

Where Yan Cijin could fall asleep without keeping one eye on the door.

Where Bai Li could put down Whisperfang and pick up a screwdriver

instead.

The apocalypse had not stopped outside.

It was still there every time they looked through the window.

But inside the apartment, life had become something larger than

survival.

It had become routine.

And routine was slowly becoming happiness.

The sixth morning brought another small problem.

The kitchen sink stopped draining.

Mother Yan noticed it first. She turned the tap on, watched the water

gather, and frowned.

"Bai Li."

From the living room came an immediate answer. "Coming."

Yan Cijin was already smiling. "You called her like a doctor."

Mother Yan nodded. "She has become the apartment’s doctor for broken

things."

Bai Li walked in carrying the toolbox. "What’s wrong?"

"Water isn’t draining."

Bai Li crouched.

"I’ll check it."

Yan Cijin leaned against the counter. "Before you do, make sure you

don’t accidentally rebuild the kitchen."

Bai Li glanced up. "I have never rebuilt a kitchen."

"Yet."

"You really like that word."

"Because it fits you."

Bai Li smiled and looked back at the pipe.

She removed the trap, cleared out a buildup of food scraps, flushed the

line, cleaned the seal, and put everything back together. The water

drained normally.

Lili appeared beside her. "Fixed?"

"Fixed."

Lili clapped.

"Good."

Bai Li looked at Yan Cijin. "See? Easy."

Yan Cijin smiled. "You enjoy that."

"Maybe."

Mother Yan shook her head. "At this rate, you are going to fix

everything in this apartment before the month is over."

Bai Li looked around. "That would be efficient."

Yan Cijin laughed. "There it is again."

"What?"

"Efficient."

"It’s a useful word."

"It is also your excuse for everything."

Bai Li leaned closer. "You don’t mind."

Yan Cijin smiled. "I didn’t say that."

"Your face did."

Yan Cijin gave her a look. "One day I’m going to stop reacting to you."

Bai Li nodded. "I’ll believe it when I see it."

Lili laughed.

That evening, the four of them sat together near the window. It had

become one of their favorite places because the river was visible from

there and the air was usually cooler. Mother Yan brought tea. Lili

brought the little boat. Yan Cijin brought the supply notebook.

.

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TO BE CONTINUED.