from my heart [last days]

Chapter 21 Coffee

Near noon, Fan Zheng went downstairs to make lunch for the children.

Xie Congxin and the third team were sitting in the office. No one spoke, and a needle could be heard. Only Xie Congxin tapped his fingertips on the table, making regular slight noises, which was his habitual small movement when thinking.

After 2 minutes of silence, Peng He couldn't stand it anymore, rubbed his hands together and said, "So should we go?"

Whether to go or not is another matter, Cheng Yinshang asked: "Will heavy cities really be submerged?"

"Yes," Xie Congxin replied, "and soon."

As early as the beginning of the establishment of the Three Gorges project, many people raised objections. The interception of river water by the dam would have too much impact on the ecological environment of the Yangtze River. According to the estimated threat, flooding a heavy city is not the most serious result.

Zhou An said: "Then there is nothing to say, we can only go."

It seems that they can always make some decisions easily, Xie Congxin narrowed his eyes and said: "I suggest not to go, it's too dangerous."

Zhou An asked back: "Should we just leave it alone? There are still 150 million living people in Chongcheng."

Xie Congxin frowned and looked up at the fan on the ceiling with cobwebs.

This is not the matter of a dozen or so students including Xie Yiming and Shen Wen, but is directly related to the tens of millions of survivors upstream and downstream. As decisive as he is, he can't help but hesitate at this moment.

Seeing that he was silent, Zhou An looked at Pei Ze, "Captain?"

Pei Ze glanced at the silent Xie Congxin, unexpectedly did not express his opinion, got up from the chair, and said calmly, "Let's eat first."

Although the elementary school is small, there is a temporary cafeteria, which is built on the back of the teaching building. The environment is not very good. There is a thin layer of oil on the ground, and the soles of the shoes are a bit sticky.

When Pei Ze and others entered, more than [-] children lined up, carrying their own bowls, going to get noodles from the big pot in front of Fan Zheng one by one.

Sandouping’s power supply comes from the Three Gorges Hydropower Station. Fortunately, the electricity was cut off but the gas was not cut off, and the gas stove can still be used.

The tap water is not allowed to enter, and the noodles can only be boiled in buckets. When Liu Chao saw them coming down, he took out a few more sets of bowls and chopsticks from the drawer, "Here, I cooked it for you too. Sit down."

It was still plain boiled noodles with canned food, but for the children who had eaten bread and biscuits for a week, it was like a beautiful gift that fell from the sky on Christmas Eve. They sat down with cheers, but Xie Congxin was the only one who lacked interest.

Peng He and Cheng Yinshang have successfully mingled with the children. Listening to them talking about how Fan Zheng heroically rescued everyone from the house, Peng He sighed, and the name of Fan Zheng had already been upgraded. Becoming "Brother Fan" made Fan Zheng look embarrassed, so he could only sullenly tell the children to eat quickly.

The atmosphere was harmonious for a while, but Xie Congxin squinted his eyes, his eyes were empty, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

He always seems to be in this state when eating, maybe because there are too many things to think about, and even this little time is racing against time, or maybe the noodles are so unpalatable that he has to let himself go before he can barely swallow them.

Whether it was yesterday or today, he didn't eat much, Pei Ze pushed the canned luncheon meat in front of him, Xie Congxin looked up, Pei Zemo said: "Just get used to it."

Xie Congxin twitched the corner of his mouth: "Thank you."

In fact, this level of concern did not make him any happier. All canned food was not on his recipe, but he still finished the bowl of noodles in the end.

What Pei Ze said was not wrong, he had to get used to it.

After the meal, the children went to the classroom for an afternoon nap, and Fan Zheng was about to go out to find food and water.

He took the gun given by Pei Ze and others, and Peng He and Cheng Yinshang offered to follow him, saying that they would help him carry more things back.

The remaining three sat back in the office. Xie Congxin held the computer to read the information, and the paper cup beside him was instant coffee made with hot water from the gas stove.

Zhou Anqi asked, "Where did you get the coffee?"

"I got it from the supermarket," Xie Congxin stirred the spoon, "Why don't you two go with them?"

He wanted to read the documents, and Pei Ze and Zhou An were tall and tall, like door gods, and it was half dark when they stood in the office. To be honest, it was an eyesore.

Zhou An didn't seem to notice the disgust in his tone. He sat halfway on the table, stretched his long legs, and said with a smile, "Do you want to attend the Captain's meeting, Academician Xie?"

Xie Congxin didn't even raise his eyelids, "If it's about whether to go to the power station, I will definitely not agree with everyone, there is nothing to say."

Zhou Andao: "We haven't decided what to do, Academician Xie doesn't have to be so repulsive, right?"

Xie Congxin made a stop gesture and said with a smile, "Tell me, you two, I'm listening."

The taste of instant coffee is not very good. After drinking it, the coating on his tongue becomes sour, but the long-lost caffeine in his body still makes him feel better. Now he is a little more patient, looking at Pei Ze and Zhou An, waiting for these two people finish talking.

Zhou An turned to Pei Ze and said, "Either I go with you, and Peng Peng Yinshang stays to protect Academician Xie?"

Pei Ze didn't comment, and he also considered Zhou An's proposal.Peng He and Cheng Yinshang were young, and if anyone among the four wanted to stay, it would undoubtedly be them. That way, if something happened to him and Zhou An, at least Peng He and Cheng Yinshang could send Xie Congxin back to Beijing.

But this method is also full of uncertainties. Not to mention whether he and Zhou An can deal with the zombies in the dam, Peng He and Cheng Yinshang alone may not be able to protect Xie Congxin.

That is their task, and no matter what, the task cannot fail.

"Deputy Zhou is afraid that he will never return?" Xie Cong said coldly behind the desk, "If that's the case, why do you insist on going? Your task is to send me back to Beijing, so why risk your life in a place like this."

Zhou An frowned and said, "I thought I didn't need to explain the truth, Academician Xie should understand."

"Of course," Xie Congxin nodded, "I also thought that I understood the truth no less than Vice Captain Zhou."

He seems to be born full of talent for pouring cold water.The indifference when facing those students at Chongcheng University can be understood as a reasonable choice after analyzing the situation, but saying this again and again at this moment is tantamount to turning a blind eye to the cruelty of life and death for the audience.

Zhou An was already vaguely unhappy, and suppressed his tone, "Now that you understand, is there any room for hesitation?"

"It seems that Vice Captain Zhou didn't take my words to heart." Xie Congxin crossed his legs and said with a smile, "We know the enemy from the dark, Vice Captain Zhou underestimated the opponent's ability, or is he too confident in his team members? ? Why do you think that Cheng Yinshang and Peng He are enough to protect me from reaching Beijing?"

The tone of sarcasm was too obvious, and Zhou An finally couldn't restrain himself, "Our soldiers only have one life left and right, and it's nothing compared to the millions of survivors in the heavy city, and even worse than Academician Xie shouldering the heavy responsibility of saving all mankind."

He was undoubtedly mocking Xie Congxin's high-spirited attitude, but Xie Congxin nodded, "As long as Deputy Zhou understands, the lives of your entire team will not be as important as mine."

"..."

Zhou An sneered, "Academician Xie, don't worry, even if we can't come back, Peng Peng and Yin Shang will definitely send you back to the capital safely, you..."

"Zhou An." Pei Ze interrupted him.

"..."

Zhou An stopped suddenly, realizing his gaffe under Pei Ze's overly calm gaze.

He was quiet for two seconds, then got down from the table, and smiled at Xie Congxin with an unspeakable embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Academician Xie, I have no other meaning."

Xie Congxin still smiled calmly, as if he was not affected by him at all, Zhou An took a deep breath and said to Pei Ze, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Pei Ze looked at his back, while Xie Congxin looked at Pei Ze's profile.

He was standing near the window, wearing only a black short sleeve on his upper body, which was attached to his muscular and well-proportioned body.The short, stiff hair is already a bit long, half covering his forehead. If he scratches it and exposes his entire face, he will definitely not be reduced to relying on lockpicking skills for a living after he is discharged from the army in the future.

It's easy to understand that Zhou Anhui likes Pei Ze. Pei Ze is handsome, capable and has a personality. He can kill as many as 0 in the circle.

Zhou An's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, Pei Ze noticed Xie Congxin's gaze, and turned his head to meet his gaze.

Xie Congxin was not embarrassed at all, and smiled at him without irony but without a smile, which reminded Pei Ze of the time in the bathroom in Chongcheng, Xie Congxin had the same look and smile.

Appreciating leisurely and sizing up almost straightforwardly, as if his appreciation and sizing are a kind of gift, and you have no reason not to accept it.

Then he took a step back, lowered his head and went to drink coffee.

Even if the white and long fingers were holding a disposable paper cup without any sense of aesthetics, he gave him a wonderful sense of elegance.

Pei Ze looked at him calmly. He seemed to be always so calm and sharp, questioning everything, thinking deeply about everything, knowing everything in his mind, with a distinctive and unique personality, arrogant, indifferent, and unstoppable.Even if Zhou An had all the reasons, he still couldn't get a single victory in the confrontation with him.

He looks a little selfish, but in subtle ways, he reveals a little bit of charity with unknown meaning, so that it is hard for you to see whether what he shows is his sincerity.

With Xie Congxin like this, he had a strong premonition that he didn't need to say anything more. Xie Congxin understood righteousness far better than everyone else.

He looked at it for too long, Xie Congxin raised his head again, "What are you looking at me for? Aren't you going to see Deputy Team Zhou?"

Pei Ze nodded slightly at him, turned and went out.

Behind him, Xie Congxin raised his head and leaned back on the reclining soft cloth chair, his eyes diffused in the warm soft light of the room in the afternoon.

After a while, he pulled the corner of his lips and smiled ironically.