Chapter 73

Jian Chu was greatly shocked to learn that Mu Nan and Qin Huai were not biological brothers. The revelation was so surprising that it challenged his perception. How could they not be brothers? It was clear to him that there was an indescribable atmosphere between people, whether between lovers, family, or friends. Even the closest friends who grew up together couldn't have the same feeling as true siblings. Yet Mu Nan and Qin Huai felt like a family without any sense of discord.

Even though they didn't share the same surname, Jian Chu had never doubted that they were biological siblings. They seemed like a family through and through.

Mu Nan looked at Jian Chu with amusement and said, "You're so shocked?"

Jian Chu nodded, "Yes, I'm shocked. I always thought one of you took your father's surname and the other took your mother's."

Mu Nan laughed, "We're not biological siblings. Don't you know my brother's house is right across from mine?"

Jian Chu replied, "I thought that house was bought by your parents for you two to live close to each other, so you could look after each other."

Mu Nan shook his head, "Actually, my brother is my neighbor. My grandmother and his grandmother were very good friends back then. My grandmother passed away early, so I never met her. Since they were so close, when my family built this house, they chose a location nearby. They almost picked the house you used to live in because it was closer, but in the end, they thought it was better to have doors facing each other. With an anti-theft door outside, we don't have to close our own door at night. You know, with our high floor, the wind flow is strong, and in the old days, without air conditioning in summer, that's how we lived."

Jian Chu exclaimed, "So you two are true childhood friends! I've never met friends with such a childhood bond, and the way you get along makes it seem like you're biological siblings."

Mu Nan smiled and said, "It's because we grew up together, eating from the same pot and sleeping in the same bed. When I was little, I even wore my brother's old clothes. The old folks said worn clothes are more comfortable, so I wore the smaller clothes he outgrew. Whether it was our grandma or my parents, they bought everything in pairs. If there was something for my brother, there was definitely one for me. Except for the lack of blood relation, it's no different from being biological siblings."

As Mu Nan finished speaking, Qin Huai came over with a mat and said cheerfully, "Right, brother?"

Qin Huai nodded, "Get up, let's set up the mat to sleep."

Mu Nan got up and said, "We're going to sleep again? Is there nothing else we can do except sleep?"

Qin Huai replied, "What else can we do in this heat?"

Seeing Qin Huai spray insect repellent on the mat and let it dry for a bit, Mu Nan was about to lie back down when Qin Huai stopped him, "You just sat on the ground, and now you're going to lie directly on the mat. Isn't it dirty?"

Mu Nan let Qin Huai wipe him with a wet tissue, saying, "We're escaping from trouble we can be a bit less particular."

Qin Huai responded, "That's exactly why we need to be particular. Many illnesses come from poor hygiene conditions."

Seeing Qin Huai crouching down to clean the dust off Mu Nan's legs, Jian Chu turned to Yu Zibai and said, "It's no wonder I couldn't tell they weren't biological siblings. Their interaction is just like that of a family."

Yu Zibai smiled but didn't speak.

As Qin Huai was wiping the mud off Mu Nan's legs, Niu Niu, who had been sitting next to its owner, suddenly stood up. The dog was quite large, reaching halfway up a person's height when standing. Mu Nan, standing nearby, was startled by the sudden movement and instinctively took a step back. Unfortunately, he stumbled into the bent-over Qin Huai, causing him to lose his balance and instinctively try to fall sideways to avoid stepping on Qin Huai.

Qin Huai, fearing that Mu Nan might fall onto the small gravel on the ground and get hurt, reached out to pull him closer. As a result, they both ended up falling onto the mat, with Mu Nan landing mostly on top of Qin Huai, but his elbow hit the ground, causing a sharp pain as if his bone might crack.

Hearing Mu Nan's muffled groan, Qin Huai quickly helped him up, "Where did you hurt?"

Seeing Mu Nan clutching his elbow, he immediately checked the injury.

Mu Nan groaned, "It hurts, it hurts, don't squeeze it, it might be broken!"

Xu Ming came over and asked Jian Chu to hold the lamp up, "Let me take a look."

Xu Ming moved Mu Nan's arm around and felt the bones. Although Mu Nan was in pain, the bones didn't seem to be damaged. Xu Ming said, "It's fine. It's probably just a muscle strain. Massage it a bit, and it should get better soon."

Relieved that the bone was intact, Qin Huai's expression softened slightly. "I'll massage it for you. Was it just your elbow? Did you hurt anywhere else?"

Once the initial severe pain subsided, Mu Nan said, "No, just like in the dramas, it really isn't as exaggerated."

Qin Huai laughed as he massaged Mu Nan's elbow, "What do dramas have to do with this?"

Mu Nan said, "Those dramatic slow-motion scenes where people crash into each other and gently fall to the ground, with a beautifully elongated shot, are just so fake. It's all staged."

Qin Huai laughed and replied, "When two people weighing around a hundred kilograms collide, it's not going to be a light fall. Even a twenty-kilogram bag of rice hitting you would hurt." At that moment, Niu Niu's owner approached. The older of the two brothers, whom Jian Chu had learned earlier was named Wu Zheng, age thirty, and the younger was Song Jia, age twenty-four. Wu Zheng likely came over to apologize for Niu Niu's role in the incident.

Mu Nan said, "It's okay, really. I fell because of myself, not because of the dog." The dog had only stood up suddenly and hadn't done anything aggressive. It was Mu Nan who had tripped over his own feet, so it wasn't the dog's fault.

Wu Zheng sighed in relief. It had always been challenging to raise a dog, especially a large one in the city. Keeping such a big dog was often problematic, and people's reactions could be negative, even when it wasn't their fault. With all the issues like smog, extreme heat, and shortages, raising a dog had become even harder. If Wu Zheng and his brother hadn't been diligent and their dog hadn't been smart, Niu Niu might have ended up as someone's meal long ago.

In the past year, they had considered letting Niu Niu fend for itself, so it wouldn't be so hard to see it suffer. But for Niu Niu, they were home. Dogs, like people, need their homes, and Niu Niu would probably rather be by their side, even in death. So, despite the difficulties, they kept taking care of it.

Wu Zheng was relieved that most of the people in their group were understanding and didn't have malicious intentions. They didn't want to cause trouble on the first day due to Niu Niu. Thankfully, the other party was easygoing. However, since the fall was indeed caused by the sudden movement of their dog, Wu Zheng handed over a bag of biscuits, "I'm really sorry. We'll keep Niu Niu under control. These biscuits should still be good. They're soda biscuits, not cream-filled, so they withstand high temperatures better."

Mu Nan quickly waved his hand, "No need, really. I've said it's not the dog's fault."

Wu Zheng left the biscuits on their mat and went back, giving Niu Niu a pat on the head. The dog seemed to know it had done something wrong, lowering its head and looking pitifully.

Mu Nan glanced at Qin Huai, thinking about how precious food was nowadays. A packet of biscuits was hard to come by, and he hadn't been seriously injured. It felt awkward to accept food from someone when he wasn't that badly hurt.

Qin Huai said while massaging Mu Nan's elbow, "Take it. If you don't, they'll feel even more uneasy." Managing a dog was indeed not easy, and they had to be cautious everywhere.

Mu Nan touched his bruised elbow, "It's fine now, it doesn't hurt anymore."

Qin Huai replied, "Go get a bottle of medicinal oil from the car. If we don't rub it out, it'll definitely bruise tomorrow."

Of course, they didn't have medicinal oil in the car, they hadn't thought of preparing such things thoroughly. So, Mu Nan had to go get it.

Although Mu Nan felt it wasn't necessary, a small bottle of medicinal oil, barely bigger than a palm, didn't seem like much. He pretended to search through the car and then pulled out a bottle from his storage space and handed it to Qin Huai.

Jian Chu looked at him and laughed, "Have you never raised a dog before?" Most dog owners wouldn't react so strongly to a dog's actions unless they had a natural fear of dogs. But Mu Nan had shown curiosity about Niu Niu before, so it didn't seem like he was afraid of dogs.

Mu Nan shook his head, "No, but I really like dogs. Unfortunately, my mom wouldn't let me have one when I was young. By the time I grew up, having a dog was already difficult, and I didn't have the energy to take care of one."

Over by Song Jia, he was scolding Niu Niu. Though it was more like a continuous lecture, whether Niu Niu understood was anyone's guess. Jian Chu moved to the edge of the mat and looked at Niu Niu being scolded, asking, "What was it trying to do earlier? Was it about to relieve itself?"

Song Jia shook his head, "It seemed like there was some noise or something over there."

Jian Chu immediately became alert, "Noise? Could it be a rat swarm?" Dogs have much better hearing than humans, so if there's something, the dog would likely notice it first.

Song Jia said, "I'm not sure."

Wu Zheng said, "It's probably smelling food. When we took Niu Niu to scavenge through the ruins before, it developed a habit of searching for things."

Jian Chu's interest was piqued at the mention of food, "Dogs have very sensitive noses. Let it lead the way, and let's check it out. If there's food, it would be a waste if it's rotten and buried under the ruins."

Yu Zibai tapped Jian Chu's head, "Stop messing around. Lie down and rest for a while."

Jian Chu protested, "We've already slept for a while. We still have the whole day ahead to rest. What's wrong with moving around a bit now?"

Song Jia was also eager to explore. He looked at his brother, and Wu Zheng said, "Go ahead, but avoid searching unstable places. Even though this hotel only has a few floors, it might collapse if you're not careful."

Yu Zibai, not fully trusting the situation, decided to take a flashlight and join them, ensuring that Qin Huai and the others stayed behind to guard their belongings.

Watching them sneak off, Mu Nan said, "If I hadn't already been treated, I would want to search too." The thrill of finding something just lying around was something he enjoyed, unrelated to having a storage space filled with items—it was simply the joy of finding things for free.

Qin Huai continued to massage Mu Nan's elbow until the medicinal oil was fully absorbed, "Alright, get some rest."

Mu Nan shook his head, "I can't sleep."

Qin Huai handed him his phone, "Then play a game."

Mu Nan had initially planned to lie down and play games, but Qin Huai pulled him up, saying, "Do you want to lose your eyesight? There won't be an optician around to get you new glasses."

Reluctantly, Mu Nan sat up and leaned against Qin Huai. "My vision is fine. I've been staring at a computer screen every day without any decline, so I must have inherited good eyesight."

After playing several rounds of the game and finally clearing a particularly challenging level, Mu Nan put down his phone and tugged at Qin Huai's sleeve. "Brother, I need to use the bathroom."

Given that they were camping on the ground, and if they were seen by others while alone, it would be quite awkward. Therefore, they always went in pairs. As for Xu Ming, they didn't mind accompanying him, but Xu Ming insisted on going alone.

Qin Huai took out a moxa stick from the car, which he had bought specifically for its strong smoke and pungent smell. Originally intended to drive away mosquitoes at home, it wasn't usable in the tightly closed space. But in the wild, this moxa stick was far more effective than mosquito coils. He lit it and set it up to keep the area around the bathroom free from mosquitoes.

He found a secluded spot, used the moxa stick to smoke out the area, and then allowed Mu Nan to go. Mu Nan squatted there, feeling reassured with Qin Huai nearby. But soon, the discomfort became too much to bear.

After a while, Mu Nan shuffled back, holding the still-smoking moxa stick and looking a bit downcast. If he had dog ears, they'd probably be drooping. "Brother."

Qin Huai extinguished the moxa stick and asked, "What's wrong?"

Mu Nan replied, "I think I might have a bit of diarrhea."

Qin Huai quickly understood, "Did you eat a lot of ice?"

Mu Nan nodded. Qin Huai poked his forehead. "Does your stomach hurt?"

Mu Nan shook his head, "No, it doesn't hurt."

Qin Huai said, "If it doesn't hurt, it's probably fine. Just keep going to the bathroom if you need to. If it gets worse, then take some anti-diarrheal medicine."

Mu Nan sighed, "Life is tough."

Before Jian Chu and the others returned, Mu Nan went to the bathroom again. Qin Huai checked him over thoroughly to make sure he wasn't bitten by mosquitoes. He was careful with the checks, and fortunately, there were no bites. However, he couldn't help but scold Mu Nan a bit.

Mu Nan complained, "It's so hot."

Qin Huai retorted, "Does having diarrhea make it more comfortable?"

Mu Nan turned onto his side, facing away from Qin Huai, and lay on the mat like a flattened pancake.

Soon, from the direction of the rubble behind them, they heard rustling sounds. A dog's head popped out, followed by Song Jia and Jian Chu emerging from behind.

They had chosen their sleeping spot in a corner that was heavily affected by the earthquake, making it unrecognizable. Behind them was a collapsed marble counter, suggesting that this might have been the reception area of the hotel. The space behind the counter was blocked by debris, so they had initially thought it was solid. But when Niu Niu dug through, Jian Chu and the others found a hole. It was a natural opening created by the overlapping debris, just large enough for a person to squeeze through. They didn't know what was inside, but it seemed stable, so they decided to explore.

To their surprise, there was indeed something inside. The space wasn't small, though it was dark and filled with debris. Luckily, Niu Niu led them to where the scent of food was strongest. They managed to retrieve a box of canned goods, planning to use Mu Nan's portable light to explore further. They needed to be careful not to attract attention or make too much noise. If there was a lot of food, they'd report it to the soldiers. If not, they'd divide it among themselves, so they had to check carefully first.

Their location was already a secluded corner. As long as they were quiet and concealed their actions, they wouldn't be noticed. When Jian Chu and the others emerged, covered in dust and carrying a box of cans, Mu Nan was astonished. He whispered, "There are cans inside? Are they still edible? Won't the high temperature spoil them?" The earthquake had happened some time ago, and they didn't know if the hotel was open before the quake. They hadn't seen any bodies, so it was possible the hotel had been closed before the earthquake, meaning the cans might have been there for a while.

Jian Chu said, "Let's open one and see."

Mu Nan carefully opened a can with a small flashlight, trying to be quiet to avoid being overheard. A sweet corn smell wafted out immediately, indicating that the can hadn't gone bad. Jian Chu took a spoonful and his eyes lit up. "It's good! It's sweet corn, and it still tastes great! Check if the whole box is filled with corn cans." If so, he would be thrilled—he loved corn.

Mu Nan checked and nodded, "It seems like they're all corn cans."

Jian Chu couldn't resist eating a few more spoonfuls. After such a long time without corn, the joy was overwhelming, making him almost emotional.

Xu Ming also came over, carrying Mu Nan's portable light. The light was very bright and illuminated the area. However, they didn't plan to rummage around outside; instead, they took the light inside to avoid drawing attention. If they made too much noise, it might collapse the area, so they wanted to be cautious.

Jian Chu said, "Let's all go in. I want to see too."

Jian Chu eagerly nodded in agreement, but Yu Zibai restrained him, saying, "You stay outside. We'll go in and check it out first. You can take your turn later. The inside is very enclosed and stuffy; we need to rotate."

Jian Chu, excited by the prospect of finding food, was willing to wait despite the discomfort. He reminded them to be careful and suggested keeping an eye out for any rats or cockroaches—nothing was worth getting bitten over, especially for some food.

Song Jia and his brother Wu Zheng took their turn inside. It was indeed hot and stifling in the confined space, and Song Jia needed a moment to recover after emerging.

Wu Zheng, Yu Zibai, and Xu Ming went in together, while Qin Huai and Mu Nan stayed outside. Since Mu Nan was still dealing with diarrhea and didn't want to get covered in dust, he decided to stay put and guard the entrance. Niu Niu, the dog, also went in with its owners, and Mu Nan commented to Song Jia, "Your dog is really something. It helps you find food. Without it, who would have known there was so much to eat inside?"

Song Jia fanned himself with a piece of cardboard and replied, "Niu Niu is incredibly smart. My brother and I owe our lives to Niu Niu."

Jian Chu, curious, asked, "How did it save you?"

Song Jia explained, "On the day of the earthquake, we were at home. Niu Niu was unusually restless, wanting to go outside. Normally, it's very well-behaved and can stay indoors all day without fuss. But that day, it was desperate to go out. We thought it might have an upset stomach and needed to relieve itself, so we took it out. As soon as we reached downstairs, the earthquake struck. If Niu Niu hadn't led us out, we might have been trapped under the rubble."

Mu Nan nodded, understanding. "No wonder you still keep it with you. A dog like that is irreplaceable, even in the toughest situations."

Song Jia sighed. "Niu Niu is only five years old. I always hoped it would live to at least fifteen. But now, I don't know if it's better for it to live longer or to..."

Mu Nan fell silent. Although he had never had a pet, he could empathize with the feelings involved. In times like these, it was indeed hard to decide whether it was better for the dog to live a long life or to end its suffering sooner.