Speaking of the RV modifications, Chu Zhuohua is the very picture of an inspiration-driven tinkerer.
At first, he worked with blazing energy. After finishing his favorite part, the major overhaul of the hybrid power system, he fell into a slump. No inspiration, bad inspiration, performance way off.
The RV's power system is now fully rebuilt. He is crawling along at a turtle's pace on the first-floor interior.
Most mysterious of all, he seems to be plotting a brand new custom vehicle and will not let Jing Shu see it. He said she can pay once it is done. Fine. It is just a modded car, after all.
Back at home, Third Aunt Jing Lai has not been idle either. She had spent her days sewing a brand new crimson wedding quilt set, and she made new clothes for every member of the Jing family living under one roof: Grandma and Grandpa Jing, Jing Shu, her parents Su Lanzhi and Jing An, and Wu You'ai."
She have nearly used up all the cotton yardage and loose cotton at home. Jing Shu cannot help thinking that once the Rubik's Cube Space upgrades and the planting area expands, she should plant a batch of cotton. With the weather growing colder, cotton is literally life-saving.
"Right. Starting this year, we can raise silkworms. Let's produce more silk to prepare for the harsh weather ahead."
Last year, Wu You'ai's mentor gave them some Indian silkworms. Jing Shu raised them in the second-floor conservatory without breeding them further. They only produced a few dozen larvae last year. At that rate, raising enough cocoons for even one silk duvet is a distant dream. While there is still rain and food in abundance this year, they should raise more silkworms and stockpile those materials. It would also give Grandma Jing something to do. Boiling and reeling silk are no light chores.
It is only the second year of the apocalypse. People still have clothes, and daytime temperatures are not too cold, so no one takes this seriously yet. In a few years, when it grows colder and everyone longs for extra clothing and bedding, everything will already be gone.
Besides food, shelter, and clothing, Grandpa Jing, as an elder who honors tradition, brushed a few Spring Festival couplets and the "Fu" (福) character. They will paste them on the door before leaving to usher in good luck for the new year.
Since the family will be away at least three days, the chickens, ducks, cow, and pigs must be fed. Jing An DIY-ed an automatic feeder based on those viral contraptions to ensure the poultry have water and grain.
The vegetables in the ground and the fruits in the second-floor conservatory also needed a full watering.
As for whether Xiao Dou should come along, the family was unanimous. Xiao Dou is coming.
"She lays eggs every day. We can eat them."
"If she stays, she will ruin my apricot tree, and by the time we return the pond will be empty of fish."
"If she stays, I will have to sacrifice those few hens at my unit."
Fine. Xiao Dou is quite proud of herself.
Fed daily with No. 1 Spirit Spring, Xiao Dou has grown as sturdy as a calf, breaking the 50 jin mark (25 kg). Since her eye evolution last time, there has been no further movement. Jing Shu figures she needs a new trigger.
Xiao Dou is smarter now. She knows she is going on a trip, so she starts packing. First, she eats all the snacks she hoarded in her nest, her favorite vegetable roots, bones, and nut shells. Next, she patrols the coop and warns the other chickens not to dream of toppling her status. Finally, since finery makes the monk and clothes make the person, Xiao Dou puts on the floral sweater Third Aunt knitted for her. It is a bit tight, but the owner said it is for postnatal shaping.
To finish, she plays cute and well behaved, a righteous little hen who never starts trouble and looks irresistibly adorable.
The whole family rushes to clear their workload. There are no weekends or holidays anymore. They spin like tops for several days.
The busiest is Wu You'ai. She has been assigned several more residential buildings, plus over seventy original residents under her. People die every day. She has to verify identities, file reports, and tally population.
Next is Su Lanzhi. Ever since Jing Shu filtered out the red nematodes, her performance has surged. She even shared the method with other departments, earning praise and commendations. After the government installed filters, the Planting Industry R&D Management Department in Wu City can finally grow something. Ordinary folks, besides eating mushroom eggs, can at least sprinkle some chopped scallions now.
Jing Shu had planned to swing by the Medicinal Herb Association, but the snakes in the Rubik's Cube Space laid eggs. She was over the moon. She is counting on the snakes to hatch quickly so she can make medicinal wine.
To raise them well, Jing Shu studied the details. With daily doses of No. 5 Spirit Spring, if they still did not lay, she would suspect infertility.
She tended the snake eggs carefully at home. With the Spirit Spring boosting them, they would hatch quickly. Snake eggs need a constant temperature, so Jing Shu placed them inside the Rubik's Cube Space and set up a comfortable nest, following the manuals.
A five-step viper usually lays around thirty eggs, but hers are not ordinary. This time they laid seventy, clearly thanks to the Spirit Spring.
Another point worth noting is communication with the two five-step vipers. No progress yet. It seems, like with the bees back then, they need at least half a year of domestication.
Using snakes as an attack method will take another half year to realize. The time cost is too high. Jing Shu decides with some pain to keep a bit over thirty young snakes to train as hidden weapons. The rest can be made into medicinal wine or cooked.
She has heard Dragon and Phoenix Soup is famed for nourishment and longevity. Slurp.
On the day the family departs, the snake eggs finally hatch. The Rubik's Cube Space fills with little flower-patterned snakes, all newly hatched, coiling and writhing together. They look delicious. Ahem. Getting old makes everything look edible.
Jing Shu separates adults from juveniles. The newborns do not need feeding yet. She gives them only water mixed with No. 8 Spirit Spring.
After their first shed in a few days, she will start feeding them.
She plans to fast-track a batch so that when they return after the New Year, she can brew medicinal wine.
It is 4 a.m. on February 8, 2024. After a hearty breakfast, the family makes final checks before setting out.
The day before leaving, Jing Shu added scavenged pinhole surveillance cameras around the villa, and even installed a few in Building No. 25. That is for keeping tabs on the man named Lin Yi.
Jing An checked everything else. Su Lanzhi verified all doors and windows. Grandpa Jing examined every trap. Once the family was sure nothing had been missed, Jing An drove the energy truck and Jing Shu drove the amphibious shark submarine. They departed.
For the villa's defenses, beyond activating every trap, Jing Shu installed an electrified grid behind the main gate, notified Li Yuetian to help watch the property, and hired four security guards from Su Mali's household. Each guard costs 4 virtual coins per day.
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The Tradition of 贴福字 (Tiē Fú Zì - Pasting the Fu Character)
Pasting the 福 (fú) character, especially during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), is one of the most widespread and important customs in Chinese culture.
1. Meaning of 福 (Fú):
The character 福 (fú) itself is rich with meaning. It represents good fortune, blessing, happiness, and prosperity. It is a wish for all that is good in the coming year.
The character is often deconstructed:
The left radical 示 (shì) signifies "spirit" or "to show," relating to divine matters.
The right side 畐 (fú) represents "a full vessel," symbolizing abundance and fulfillment.
So, literally, it means the spiritual manifestation of abundance.
2. How It's Done:
Timing: The couplets (春联, chūnlián) and the 福 character are traditionally pasted on the door on New Year's Eve, after cleaning the house and before the family reunion dinner. This act seals in the good luck for the incoming year.
Placement: The 福 is pasted on doors (main door, room doors), windows, and walls around the home.
3. The Inversion - Upside Down Fu (福倒了 - Fú Dào Le):
The Most Important Detail: You will very often see the 福 character pasted upside down.
Why? This is a deliberate and cherished pun. The word for "upside down" or "to arrive" is 倒 (dào).
Punning Meaning: So, 福倒了 (Fú dào le) sounds identical to 福到了 (Fú dào le), which means "Good fortune has arrived." or "Blessings are upon us."
Context: In your story, the fact that Grandpa Jing is doing this before leaving on a migration is incredibly poignant. It's a powerful act of hope—a way to literally usher in and invoke good luck for a dangerous and uncertain journey ahead. They are taking their blessings with them in spirit.
4. Connection to Spring Festival Couplets (春联 - Chūnlián):
The 福 character is closely related to the couplets (春联). The couplets are poetic lines written on red paper, placed vertically on either side of the door. They express hopes for prosperity, health, and happiness in the new year. A horizontal scroll, often with a phrase like 吉祥如意 (Jíxiáng rúyì - "Good luck according to your wishes"), is placed above the doorframe. The 福 character is often pasted in the center of the door or on windows to complete the display.