She still had some oxygen tanks, so even if this place accidentally sealed up, she could use them in an emergency.
Qin Shen always listened to her. "Okay."
Jiang Si took a pushcart out of her space and moved the bodies onto it one by one. It took three trips to move them all to the entrance.
Jiang Si climbed out from underground. Seeing everyone, she let out a sigh of relief.
Jiang Linhai hurried over. "Sisi, whatās the situation?"
His gaze fell on the piles of corpses near Qin Shenās feet below, and his eyes filled with horror. "So many dead people! What was this place used for?"
Jiang Si said, "Itās a seed bank. Once we clear out the bodies, we can use whatās inside."
Everyone rushed over to help. Working together, they dragged the bodies one by one out onto the snow.
Jiang Si went back to get the transport vehicle. She dug a large pit far from the Wintersweet Forest, then disinfected, incinerated, and buried the bodies.
Then, she led everyone in a large-scale disinfection of the underground seed bank.
Everyone was stunned when they saw the sheer amount of supplies inside the seed bank.
āIf it werenāt for the lack of oxygen, the people trapped underground probably wouldnāt have gone crazy.ā
To prevent a similar situation from happening to them, Jiang Linhai suggested, "Letās dig one or two more entrancesāthe kind you need a key to get in and out of."
Jiang Si had the same idea, but the seed bankās walls had been specially treated to maintain low temperatures, so they wouldnāt be easy to blast open.
Jiang Linhai puffed out his chest. "Donāt you worry. Your dad was a contractor for many years. Opening a couple of doors is nothing. As long as we have explosives, itās a small problem."
Jiang Si smiled. "Alright, Iāll leave it to you, then. Just let us know if you need anything."
"You got it." Jiang Linhai was happy to have a use for his skills. Seeing him in a good mood, Jiang Si added, "I feel like the temperature has been holding steady at minus forty degrees recently, and there havenāt been any major blizzards. This could mean the temperature might rise, or it could mean that the extreme cold also has its seasons."
"Thereās also a batch of self-heating greenhouse equipment in the warehouse. If the temperature stabilizes, we can use these materials to build houses or greenhouses. We could have a home on shore. After all, even in low temperatures, an igloo needs to be rebuilt after four or five months of wear and tear."
If they could live in a house, no one would be eager to stay in an igloo.
āIf the temperature rises, the sea will definitely melt, too.ā
āHaving a stable house on shore would be pretty great.ā
Everyone was very happy. "Okay! If the temperature stabilizes, weāll build houses!"
Shen Baoying said to Zhang Qingfang, "Mom, with so many seeds, you can plant whatever you want."
Zhang Qingfang smiled. "We donāt need to plant too much. Just enough for everyone to eat and use. And if we have descendants, they can carry on the tradition."
After Zhang Qingfang finished speaking, everyoneās gaze, as if by unspoken agreement, landed on Jiang Si and Qin Shen.
It was as if the two of them could produce a child right then and there.
Jiang Si awkwardly averted her gaze and said to the group, "Letās go. We should head back. Itās getting dark."
The change of subject was a success. Everyone sealed up the seed bank and drove the transport vehicle back.
Hearing them return, Big Black and Little Black barked nonstop, making it feel like someone was waiting for them at home.
Jiang Si was a little tired and slumped on the sofa. Shen Baoying patted her. "Mind your posture." She gestured, indicating that Qin Shen was still there.
Jiang Si sat up. She was a bit sleepy. "Iām going to bed."
Shen Baoying said, "Eat dinner first. Itāll be ready soon. Weāre having curry rice tonight."
Jiang Si shook her head. "I donāt really feel like it. If I get hungry, Iāll just make some instant noodles."
"Alright."
Just as Jiang Si stood up, Qin Shen rose as well and said to Shen Baoying, "Aunt Shen, I wonāt be having dinner tonight either."
One after the other, as if they had planned it.
Shen Baoying smiled knowingly. "Okay, you young people can make whatever you like to eat."
Jiang Si glanced at Qin Shen. Just as she reached the door, she couldnāt hold it in any longer and asked, "You want instant noodles too?"
Qin Shen asked in return, "May I?"
Jiang Si couldnāt help but laugh. "Okay, Iāll call you when I wake up."
Qin Shen suddenly pulled her into his arms. "Canāt I be the one to wake you?"
The implication was obvious: Qin Shen wanted to sleep with her.
Qin Shen had a Superpower Stone, and she had one too. When they were in contact and slept together, even if it didnāt expand her space, it felt incredibly comfortable for their bodies.
Jiang Si met Qin Shenās earnest, pure gaze and felt a flicker of temptation.
āIt seems like just sleeping chastely under the covers wouldnāt be so bad.ā
Qin Shen entered Jiang Siās room and, as if heād done it a hundred times, went to change into his pajamas.
He had gone back to his room specifically to get them, and heād brought his toiletries too.
Jiang Si stared at the blurry silhouette in the bathroom, her face growing hot. āThings seem to be escalating in an uncontrollable direction.ā
He changed into a set of ink-blue silk pajamas. With his bangs slightly tousled, his long neck, his delicate collarbones, and his placid gaze, he looked noble and mysterious.
Jiang Si was mesmerized, only snapping out of it when Qin Shen walked up to her and said, "Iām ready."
His low voice, his body heat so close, a jolt like an electric current passed through their clothes.
Jiang Si snapped back to her senses, hurried into the bathroom, and patted her cheeks in the mirror, trying to calm her racing heart.
āItās not like Iāve never seen a man before, how did I suddenly get so captivated?ā
āSo pathetic.ā
She lightly smacked herself a few times. After washing up, the sleepiness that had been creeping up on her had completely vanished.
Qin Shen was sitting ramrod straight on the edge of the bed. The light illuminated his deep-set features, outlining their exquisite contours. The way he waited for her was almost too well-behaved.
An image suddenly flashed in her mind: a big cat waiting for her to come over and give it a good petting.
āQin Shenās original form was also quite handsome and dashing.ā
She even found herself missing the feeling of Qin Shen wrapped around her like a giant body pillow.
Sensing her gaze, Qin Shen turned sideways and patted the spot next to him on the bed. "Come."
As if bewitched, Jiang Si walked over and was pulled into his embrace.
The next second, she heard him ask shamelessly, "Can I kiss you?"
āHe never asked before.ā
āWhy ask now?ā
Jiang Siās face flushed, and she avoided answering.
Qin Shen took that as a yes. He wrapped his arm around her lean waist, bent down, and pressed his lips to hers.
Gentle, clumsy, without any technique, slowly...
In that instant, it was as if Jiang Siās five senses were magnified ten million times.
āThis wasnāt like the kiss she had imagined.ā
āQin Shen was actually going for it.ā
Jiang Si didnāt dare to breathe, her eyes wide as she watched Qin Shen pull back the covers and guide her under them.
The moment Qin Shen pressed his body against hers, Jiang Siās reason returned. She placed a hand on his chest. "Letās just sleep. Iām tired."
Qin Shen glanced at her, seemingly amused. "Okay."
Jiang Si curled up in his arms, feeling a little awkward and restless. Only after she was sure Qin Shen had closed his eyes did she dare to relax her limbs.
āNext time, I shouldnāt let myself be so easily captivated.ā
āA man Qin Shenās age is full of vigor. It was my oversight.ā