RTIWTLITEOTW Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Eating Hotpot

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, awakening the three still sound asleep. They rose early, filled with anticipation for the arrival of the New Year.

This was also the first New Year after the zombie outbreak.

Even though the world had become unrecognizable, life had to go on. On this special day, people still yearned for a glimmer of warmth and hope.

“Li Lingyu, hand me the horizontal scroll.” Jiang Xianchuan, standing on a stool and holding a couplet in his hands, said to Li Lingyu behind him.

Li Lingyu quickly handed him the horizontal scroll and helped secure the couplet’s position so Jiang Xianchuan could accurately paste it.

Jiang Xianchuan took the scroll, his gaze focused and serious. He carefully adjusted its position, ensuring every character was aligned, gently applied glue, and firmly attached the scroll to the door. Throughout the process, his movements were light and skillful, as if caring for a precious work of art.

Jiang Xianchuan stepped down from the stool, took a few steps back, and admired his masterpiece. The characters on the scroll were clearly visible, giving a feeling of joy and peace. He nodded in satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment welling up within him.

“Let’s go! Inside!” Jiang Xianchuan said, smiling at him.

Inside, Shi Yi had already pasted red paper-cut window decorations on all the indoor windows, all handmade by her. Although somewhat simple, they were full of a rich festive atmosphere.

“You guys finished pasting?

Shi Yi pointed to the string lights on the table and said, “Help hang up the rest of the string lights, I’ll go prepare the hotpot,” and then turned and walked into the kitchen.

Jiang Xianchuan and Li Lingyu didn’t delay at all, quickly picking up the string lights and hanging them up. In just a few minutes, they had decorated the entire room with colorful lights, filling it with a New Year’s flavor and warmth.

As Jiang Xianchuan and Li Lingyu were admiring the decorations, Shi Yi carried out a huge electric hotpot from the kitchen.

After placing it on the table, she began arranging the various ingredients.

Then, she brought out a pot of steaming hotpot broth filled with fragrance and placed it on the electric stove.

Jiang Xianchuan, smelling the aroma of the hotpot, widened his eyes and exclaimed excitedly, “It smells so good!” He immediately took another deep breath, savoring the fragrance permeating the air, as if he was already in a paradise of food.

Then, he excitedly took out three cups of iced milk tea from his space, saying triumphantly, “Hotpot with milk tea! So comfortable!”

The three of them sat around the table, eagerly starting to enjoy the sumptuous hotpot.

They savored the delicious food while watching a movie playing on TV.

Eating the steaming hot dishes from their bowls, all three felt immensely satisfied. At this moment, it was as if time had flowed backward, returning to the beautiful times before the apocalypse.

Back then, they could still enjoy food and entertainment to their hearts’ content, without the threat and fear of the end of the world. Now, although they were in the apocalypse, this rare peace and happiness made them cherish it all the more.

“Li Lingyu, eat some food, don’t you like the taste?” Jiang Xianchuan was a little puzzled, seeing Li Lingyu not picking up any food. He frowned and carefully observed Li Lingyu’s expression, trying to find the answer.

Li Lingyu smiled slightly and gently shook his head: “No, I haven’t had this in a long time, I’m just not used to eating spicy food all of a sudden.” His voice was very soft, but it carried a hint of gentleness and helplessness.

Hearing this, Jiang Xianchuan felt a surge of guilt. He knew he should have been more aware of Li Lingyu’s tastes and preferences, rather than making him uncomfortable.

He quickly said, “Then let’s switch to some lighter dishes, so you’ll be more comfortable eating.” As he spoke, he opened his space panel and began selecting items.

Li Lingyu stopped him and said with a smile, “No need to trouble yourself, it’s actually okay, it’s good to try different flavors once in a while.” His eyes revealed a kind of tolerance and understanding, making Jiang Xianchuan feel incredibly warm.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through, how about you try rinsing it in clear water?” Shi Yi looked at the table full of dishes, a hint of apology and self-reproach on her face.

She had originally thought this meal would make everyone happy, but she didn’t expect it to make Li Lingyu uncomfortable.

“It’s okay, Shi Yi-jie, the hotpot is very delicious, I like it very much,” Li Lingyu said with a smile, trying to ease Shi Yi’s guilt.

He didn’t want to affect other people’s moods because of his eating habits, so he decided to give it a try. Although the taste was indeed a bit heavy, he still tried his best to accept this new flavor.

Shi Yi smiled and said, “Okay! It’s good to try more things, I’ll ask everyone what flavors they want to eat next time I cook.”