Chapter 54: Can You Cook?

“What’s going on? What’s happening?!”

Before Song Yi even opened his eyes, he instinctively called out. When he finally blinked awake and saw Rong Xue’er in his arms, he scratched his head sheepishly.

“Um, well, Xue’er, I’m sorry! There was nothing I could do last night—I was afraid you’d fall off if you slept on your own, so I could only hold you like this.”

“It’s all right, Senior Brother Song.”

Rong Xue’er shifted uncomfortably, edging away from him. “I’m hungry.”

Song Yi fell silent.

After enduring the same kind of “torment” last night, Song Yi now caught a familiar whiff of roasted meat. He turned his head away as though nothing was amiss, and even pressed his hand over Rong Xue’er’s nose.

“Xue’er, stay calm. That’s not food for us.”

After soothing his little junior sister, Song Yi finally turned to Yu Yan. “Miss, do you have any more bread or something similar? Could you spare a little for me? My junior sister hasn’t eaten in a whole day.”

In fact, it wasn’t only his junior sister—after the long night, the bread from last night had long since been digested, and Song Yi himself was so hungry his stomach felt glued to his back.

But Song Yi knew Yu Yan had no obligation to keep providing them with food. In truth, she had already saved their lives; by rights, they should have been the ones caring for her. Unfortunately, they were helpless. The food they’d managed to scavenge in this instance world was far from enough.

Except for Sun Ruohua, who’d managed to save up a handful of black crowberries from between her teeth, the rest of them had absolutely nothing left to eat.

“…Do you know how to cook?”

Instead of tossing him the bread as he’d hoped, Yu Yan asked him a question that seemed completely out of left field.

Song Yi was momentarily at a loss. “No, I… I don’t.”

Did she want him to cook? But he’d never done anything so delicate! Surely she wouldn’t refuse to give him food just because he couldn’t cook, would she? Song Yi’s expression flickered uncertainly. Was it too late to learn now? No, even if he wanted to learn, he didn’t have the ingredients!

If he had enough supplies to practice cooking, he wouldn’t need to beg Yu Yan for food in the first place.

“I see.”

Yu Yan sounded a little disappointed, but after a moment, she tossed a large bag of bread to him. As for soda—carbonated drinks corroded tooth enamel, and it wouldn’t do for Yunduo’er to drink too much. So she had never stocked up much, and after finishing off a big bottle the previous night, there was nothing left except a 1.5-liter bottle of mineral water, which Yu Yan threw over as well.

Now that she’d already rescued these people, she had no intention of starving them.

The food from before the arrival of this new world no longer had any real meaning for her and her daughter—just a trace of nostalgia. Giving it to these people was only fitting.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Song Yi was nearly moved to tears. He’d thought Yu Yan would refuse—after all, even though she always wore loose clothes and carried a large backpack, she’d already given them so much bread and a huge bottle of soda last night. Add to that the soups and roast meat she and her daughter enjoyed, and he figured there couldn’t be much left.

Even if she refused, he really couldn’t complain.

Song Yi carefully tore open the bread bag and unscrewed the water bottle, handing them both to Rong Xue’er—clearly something he was used to doing for her. Rong Xue’er blushed a little. Still, this was the first time she’d ever been curled up in Song Yi’s arms while eating.

She tried to put some space between them.

If not for the sudden arrival of this instance world, she would never have thought of getting close to Song Yi. He was always so silent, just doing things quietly, never saying sweet words to comfort girls. Even Qu Zi Mo was more likable than him back in the ordinary days. But after the world changed, Song Yi had cared for her in every way.

And as for Qu Zi Mo, who used to seem so pleasant—he’d been the one to push Sister Hong into the middle of a swarm of bomb ants! Even though she’d never gotten along with Liang Hong, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy at her fate.

Now, compared to the cheerful Qu Zi Mo, the taciturn Song Yi seemed so much safer.

“Thank you,” Rong Xue’er mumbled, voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum. She tore off a small piece of bread and pushed the rest back at Song Yi. “Senior Brother, this is enough for me. You should have the rest.”

She knew men got hungry faster, and her senior brother must be starving too. As for the water, since they had no way to divide it, Rong Xue’er could only finish drinking before handing it over to Song Yi. This was almost like… well, sharing indirectly. The thought made her pale neck flush pink.

Song Yi naturally noticed her odd behavior. He glanced down at her, blushing as well.

These days, Rong Xue’er had no change of clothes and was always being chased across the Crocodile Island by monsters. Her flimsy summer dress had been torn to shreds by brambles and thorns, revealing large swathes of smooth, pale skin.

Yet somehow, despite being exposed to wind and sun for days, her skin was still as fair as snow—just like before the world changed. Only now, it was streaked with gray-black grime, which was a little unsightly.

Song Yi wondered if he should find some water to help her wash up.

“You two, that’s enough.”

After surviving in this instance world for several days, everyone’s vigilance was still intact. Though exhausted, Zhao Kai and the others woke up as soon as Song Yi tore open the bread.

Zhao Kai’s face had already soured when he saw Song Yi hand all the bread and water to Rong Xue’er.

But Rong Xue’er was too busy exchanging glances with Song Yi, forgetting entirely that the rest of them needed breakfast too. Zhao Kai’s face turned utterly black. “Song Yi, give some bread to me and Qu Zi Mo. And we want water too!”

As for Sun Ruohua—Yu Yan’s special treatment of Sun Ruohua’s family, and even their dog, was plain as day to anyone with eyes. Why should he worry about them?

Honestly, if it were up to him, he wouldn’t even take Qu Zi Mo along. But in this little group, Yu Yan disliked him almost as much as Qu Zi Mo. If he didn’t stick with Qu Zi Mo, who knew when Yu Yan would kick him out of the team? He had no doubt about it—his instincts were never wrong.

Whenever Yu Yan’s gaze swept over him, it was as if she were looking at a fly or some stinking insect.

“Ahem…”

Song Yi coughed awkwardly.

How could he be distracted at a time like this, even thinking about where to find water for his junior sister to clean herself? He was exasperated with his own lack of focus. Was this really the time for such thoughts? Song Yi broke off more than half the bread and handed it to Zhao Kai.

“As for the water, I’ll give it to you after my junior sister finishes.”

Zhao Kai wasn’t satisfied, but he knew that aside from Song Yi, no one else would spare him any food. Sun Ruohua, that woman, still held a grudge against him for what happened to her husband. Until Hu Jianming woke up, she’d never show him a kind face. Zhao Kai tore off a piece of bread and chewed it fiercely. One day… one day!

“Hey, beautiful—uh, I mean, boss lady?”

Qu Zi Mo was unwilling to settle for bread alone. With a fawning smile, he sidled up to Yu Yan.

He’d been craving the roasted meat in Yu Yan’s hand and the fried fish Yunduo’er ate since last night. As for Yu Yan’s dislike for him—he’d seen that look from plenty of people before. As long as he got what he wanted, why should he care what anyone thought of him?