Chapter 43: The Return of Familiar Faces

"Brother Ji, if we come here every time we're hungry... is that realistic?" Huang Mang looked at the packed cabinets of food, thinking about the impracticality of transporting it all back.

"Uh, that would be way too troublesome!" Ji Chang's mouth twitched as he replied, "If we did that, we wouldn't be doing anything else but eating all day, either on the way to eat or on the way back from eating!"

"Yeah, it feels like we're either dealing with dogs or cats along this road. If only there was a tunnel directly connecting to Grandpa Zhou's room, that would make things much easier!" Zheng Haiyu sighed.

"A tunnel? Why don't you say you have a magic portal!" Huang Mang shot Zheng Haiyu a glance.

However, after hearing Zheng Haiyu's words, Ji Chang suddenly thought of something. Standing at the edge of the cupboard area, he looked around in all directions.

Soon, a smile appeared on Ji Chang's face, and he pointed to the hole in the wall where the exhaust hood connected to the chimney, saying, "Look, if we go out through that opening, we should be able to reach our kitchen on the other side quickly!"

Grandpa Zhou's house and Uncle Tang's house were only separated by one wall. As Ji Chang had observed before, their structures were quite similar, the only difference being their orientations were mirrored, like those two-apartment doors facing each other in a building.

Uncle Tang's kitchen was located at the westernmost end of the house, while Grandpa Zhou's kitchen was on the easternmost side. This layout meant the two kitchens were separated only by a single wall.

...

Afterward, Ji Chang used the wolf spider to crawl to the opening of the exhaust chimney to check. Just as Ji Chang had suspected, the distance between the openings of the chimney in Uncle Tang's kitchen and Grandpa Zhou's kitchen was just a little less than three meters!

Given the wolf spider's crawling speed, it would take at most a few seconds to cover this distance.

Then, Ji Chang returned to the cupboard, and along with Huang Mang and Zheng Haiyu, they began moving the supplies. To prevent insects, Ji Chang arranged for Huang Mang to use the integrated cupboard wood to reseal all the food, like bread, that had been unpacked.

With the wolf spider's back loaded with food, the three of them rode the spider and crawled toward the chimney opening. While Ji Chang and the others were transporting various supplies back, Chen Lingxue and the others had already returned to the writing desk, watching over the still unconscious Zhou Jun, who lay on the bed.

"Squad Leader, are you alright?"

Looking at Chen Lingxue's somewhat pale complexion, Wang Lingling asked with concern.

It wasn't until just recently that Chen Lingxue had stopped using her green mist to treat Zhou Jun. The extended consumption had somewhat strained her psychic power.

"I'm fine, just need a little rest!"

Chen Lingxue rubbed her temples and waved her hand slightly to reassure them.

"I'll go get you some water!"

"I'll go grill some meat for you!"

Both Wang Lingling and Dong Xuan said simultaneously.

Then the two left the room together to prepare food and drinks for Chen Lingxue.

Not long after, when Wang Lingling returned with water to the room and left Dong Xuan alone, leaning against the grasshopper leg and using the flame for warmth, a series of tapping noises caught her attention.

Seeing this, Dong Xuan couldn't help but wonder and followed the sound.

Suddenly, she noticed that a slender piece of wood was continuously tapping against the glass window beside the writing desk.

Due to the distance, Dong Xuan couldn't see very clearly, just the outline of someone.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Dong Xuan's arms ignited flames, and with courage, she walked toward the direction of the window.

As she got closer, the initially furrowed brows of Dong Xuan suddenly turned into delight!

She had recognized the specific appearance of the slender piece of wood tapping against the window!

It was none other than Gao Xiang, who had gone to get takeout before they were shrunk!

"Gao Xiang! This is fantastic, you're still alive!

Why is it just you? Where's Liu Qing?

Why didn't she come back with you!"

Seeing her classmates alive and in front of her, Dong Xuan danced with joy, bombarding them with questions.

She and Liu Qing weren't just deskmates; they were also childhood friends.

Their bond was strong.

After shrinking, Dong Xuan had been worried about Liu Qing's situation. But they were separated by a considerable distance, and the world outside was perilous...

Surviving on their own had been a struggle, let alone venturing out to look for others.

Dong Xuan had even thought that Gao Xiang and Liu Qing might have...

After all, compared to the danger within the courtyard, the streets were much more treacherous.

But now, seeing Gao Xiang alive before her eyes, Dong Xuan's excitement was tinged with teary eyes.

Outside the window, Gao Xiang, with his slender wooden body, was equally excitedly saying something.

However, due to the window's barrier, they could only see each other's mouths moving, unable to hear each other's voices.

"Gao Xiang, come in through the front door!"

Seeing this, Dong Xuan repeatedly gestured toward the direction of the house's main entrance.

Soon, Gao Xiang outside the window understood, nodded, and then disappeared from the window.

Once Gao Xiang had gone, Dong Xuan rushed excitedly toward their house, shouting with glee, "Squad Leader, Lingling, I saw Gao Xiang! They're alive! They're alive!"

"What!"

Before long, Chen Lingxue and Wang Lingling, who had heard the commotion, hurried out of the room, looking astonished at Dong Xuan running towards them.

"Gao Xiang was just outside the window, his body looked like a long piece of wood..."

Gasping for breath as she reached the house, Dong Xuan recounted the recent events to the two.

Chen Lingxue and Wang Lingling, learning the situation, were equally thrilled.

"This is wonderful! Now we're finally reunited!"

Chen Lingxue clenched her fist, her excitement barely contained.

For Gao Xiang and Liu Qing, who had gone out to get takeout before shrinking, Chen Lingxue couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt. She had ordered the takeout, and it was originally her duty to collect it. But at that moment, she had been engaged in intense discussions with the others, so she had assigned Gao Xiang and Liu Qing the task instead.

She hadn't anticipated the shrinking event.

In Chen Lingxue's heart, she had blamed herself for the potential demise of Gao Xiang and Liu Qing.

During late nights, Chen Lingxue would often recall this matter. She even believed that if she could redo it, she would go get the takeout herself.

She had contemplated searching for Gao Xiang and Liu Qing, but she knew it wasn't feasible.

But now, hearing that Gao Xiang had returned, her excitement was beyond words.

"I'll go take a look!"

Equally jubilant, Wang Lingling spread her wings and flew from the writing desk toward the house's main entrance.

About a few minutes later, Wang Lingling returned with Gao Xiang, who was nearly as tall as the writing desk!

"Squad... Squad Leader, it's so great to see you all here!"

Gao Xiang, having cancelled his extraordinary power, was emotional, his words slightly trembling, as he met his long-lost classmates.