Apocalypse: Last Traveler

——Still that same phrase, Type A Neo-Humans are really handy.

Yao Wei watched the kernels of corn in the wok flowing with a "swoosh" as Lu Xi'an stirred them, feeling that not much had changed after a while, so she asked, "Is the fire a bit low? Should we add some wood?"

"No need."

Lu Xi'an said, "When frying corn, you have to use a low flame and fry slowly. If the heat is too high, it won't turn out well.

"If you have no problem with that, how about we stay here for another day today? Fry these corn kernels all at once, it'll be convenient to eat later."

In his past life, when he was a child in the village, he had watched his grandmother fry corn kernels.

Back then, he was always impatient, eagerly waiting by the stove, and his grandmother would cheerfully tell him not to rush. Corn should be fried slowly with a low flame; it doesn't fry well with a big fire.

These scenes were deeply embedded in his memory, along with how he was anxious to grab the fried corn and burn his fingers, and his grandmother's scolding voice.

"See! Told you not to rush! Got burned, didn't you?"

Back then, while frying beans, his grandmother would also chat about family gossip, saying how some would fry beans like this while others wouldn't, some would add sand, others would boil them first. All methods worked and were edible, but direct frying was less of a hassle.

But after all, things from memory weren't easy to recall for Lu Xi'an.

It was today when he prepared to cook a meal, found that both pots were occupied and unusable, and thought about how to handle it, that he thought of frying corn and then remembered those scenes.

He really didn't expect those childhood scenes to come in handy at this time.

"Hmm."

Yao Wei had no objections and even thought it was a good idea.

If everything was prepared at once, it would save a lot of trouble later, so spending a day here was definitely worth it.

She quietly poked at the corn roasting in the fire, occasionally leaning down to check if the corn was done.

At other times, she watched Lu Xi'an's movements and the corn kernels in the wok gradually darkening.

The roasted corn was done first. After Yao Wei leaned down to check for the umpteenth time to confirm the corn was roasted, she used a branch to pull the two ears of roasted corn out of the fire.

After letting it cool slightly and cleaning it, Yao Wei handed it to Lu Xi'an, saying, "Here you go."

Lu Xi'an said, "You eat first, my hands are full."

Yao Wei shook her head, saying, "It's hard to get it hot, it won't taste good cold."

She came up with an idea and pushed the roasted corn into Lu Xi'an's mouth, saying, "You hold it first."

Caught off guard, Lu Xi'an's mouth was suddenly filled with a piece of roasted corn, and he widened his eyes in surprise.

——But I have to say, this corn is exceptionally well-roasted, tastes pretty good, feels just right in the mouth, and isn't too burnt.

Yao Wei had mastered this skill in the Xiaogang Village shelter and was now proficient.

But what exactly is going on here?

Lu Xi'an had to keep stirring, but with a large corn cob in his mouth, he wasn't very comfortable.

He watched Yao Wei pick up the other ear of corn, clean it, take a small bite, and then grab the corn in his mouth.

"I'll hold it, you eat."

Yao Wei said to Lu Xi'an after swallowing the bite she had just taken.

Lu Xi'an: "..."

Lu Xi'an's mouth was full of corn, and he couldn't speak.

But what was there to say at this point? The food was already in his mouth, so he might as well eat it.

So, Lu Xi'an continued to stir the corn kernels in the wok while chewing the roasted corn in his mouth, and Yao Wei also sat by, quietly chewing her ear of corn.

She kept an eye on Lu Xi'an, and when he finished eating and swallowed, she would hand back the corn cob.

Lu Xi'an glanced at Yao Wei and saw that she also took another bite of her corn, as calm as ever.

He silently took a bite, then continued to stir the corn kernels in the wok.

To be honest, since growing up, this was the first time someone had fed him.

And the person feeding him was this woman who had gone through thick and thin with him, a woman he somewhat liked.

But why was it that when this woman fed him, he didn't feel any waves in his heart, but instead, it felt very peaceful, as if it were an already familiar routine?

But it's okay like this. Finishing the meal peacefully is a testament to their mutual understanding and teamwork.

Yao Wei turned the corn cob several times so that Lu Xi'an could bite from every spot.

She gradually synchronized with Lu Xi'an, feeding him a bite, and then taking one for herself.

When they finished both ears of corn, Lu Xi'an finally finished frying the corn kernels in the wok, each kernel perfectly blackened on the surface, indeed looking quite good.

Lu Xi'an poured them onto a bed sheet, separating them a bit from the raw kernels.

"They're a bit hot, I'll let them cool here, and later you can eat as you like."

As Lu Xi'an said this, he asked, "How about adding some sugar for the second batch?"

"Hmm."

Yao Wei had no objection and left everything to Lu Xi'an.

She waited a little while, then extended her slender fingers to pick a kernel from the cooked corn and taste it.

It was a bit dry, but delicious, with a roasted aroma, though not like the roasted corn.

Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at Lu Xi'an.

If they could store well, these fried corn kernels would indeed be a treat.

"How is it?"

Lu Xi'an had already put sugar into the wok and was stirring it over the fire to make syrup.

After melting the sugar into syrup, he took Yao Wei's bowl, poured the syrup into it to make room in the wok, added oil and corn kernels, and started frying the second batch.

While frying the beans, he kept an eye on Yao Wei. After seeing her taste it, he asked.

"Hmm."

Yao Wei nodded, saying, "Very delicious."

A rare comment with an extra "very" from her.

Lu Xi'an smiled and said, "If it's good, eat more."

Yao Wei shook her head, saying, "I just ate until I'm full; I shouldn't eat too much. Let's save some for later."

Lu Xi'an knew he couldn't persuade this frugal woman to treat the fried beans as snacks, and he himself felt that, in such a world, treating food as snacks was an injustice, so he didn't press further.

"Suit yourself."

He remarked once.

Then Yao Wei came over and said, "Let me try frying this time; let's take turns."

Lu Xi'an knew it was out of Yao Wei's good intention to help and also knew this woman's determination, so he didn't refuse and handed over the wok and spatula to Yao Wei.

He watched at the side, ensured she had learned well before and had no issues with the procedure, then sat down to take a brief break.

So he watched Yao Wei continuously stir, occasionally stoke the fire, and add fuel. The second batch of fried corn was soon ready.

This batch, they weren't in a hurry to pour out.

Lu Xi'an poured out the syrup from the bowl, and let Yao Wei stir-fry a bit more to coat the corn kernels with sugar. After drying them, he placed them on the sheet next to the car.

Space was limited, so they didn't separate a new batch, and mixed the original flavor and sweetened fried beans together.

Then Lu Xi'an went to fry the third batch, with Yao Wei saying, "No more sweet ones, it's a waste of sugar."

Even unsweetened fried beans were tasty enough; there's no need to waste supplies.

Lu Xi'an accepted it gladly, smiling, "I'll handle the third batch. You wait a bit and try the second batch."

"Hmm."

Yao Wei agreed.

So Lu Xi'an went to fry the third batch of corn, and Yao Wei waited a bit, picked a sugary corn bean, put it in her mouth, and her bright eyes suddenly lit up.

This fragrant fried corn, coated with sweetness, was far more delicious than before.

The joy brought by the sweet treat made her especially happy, eager to share it with Lu Xi'an.

Seeing that Lu Xi'an still had both hands occupied, she didn't wait for him to ask if it was good, but picked another one, walked to Lu Xi'an's side, and said, "Here, try it."

Lu Xi'an was slightly surprised, and Yao Wei had already popped the corn kernel into his mouth.

The roast aroma interwoven with sweetness provided an immense reward to his taste buds, coupled with the fleeting warmth on his lips, Lu Xi'an also felt joyful and said with a smile:

"Not bad, tasty."