Chapter 18: Searching for Supplies Together

After finally persuading Hua Xiao to go scavenging for supplies with her the next day, Lin Buwan promptly sent her off. Once Hua Xiao had left, she reinflated the inflatable kayak and began sorting through the day’s spoils.

After a short while, she sensed something was amiss. Remembering how the golden Buddha she’d previously stashed in her space had vanished, a suspicion took root in her mind. She placed the sorted supplies into the space again and checked its storage status, confirming her guess.

Her space had grown larger!

But then she recalled that the condition for expanding her space was gold, which made her wince a little. She had planned to gather some gold as a precaution for the future—after all, gold was always valuable, no matter the times. Now, it seemed that wouldn’t be possible.

She wondered if other gems or similar items might have some use in the future. Well, she decided, survival comes first; there’s no guarantee she’ll even live to see that future. Could gold possibly be more important than her own life?

Letting go of these tangled thoughts, Lin Buwan left them behind. She went to the kitchen, made herself something to eat, and fetched a cup of milk tea from her space, sprawling lazily on the sofa to clear her mind.

She had the nagging feeling she’d forgotten something.

Just then, someone knocked on her door.

Puzzled, she got up and checked through the peephole. When she saw Wei Qu standing outside, it struck her like lightning—she’d forgotten about Daodao’s little nose.

She hurriedly opened the door. The moment Daodao, nestled in Wei Qu’s arms, saw her, he began to whimper excitedly. Wei Qu quickly set the struggling dog down, watching with gentle eyes as Daodao bounded happily to Lin Buwan’s feet.

Crouching to stroke the excited pup, Lin Buwan noticed his bulging belly and immediately knew Wei Qu had fed him well.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, she straightened up and looked at him. “Sorry, I got caught up and forgot to bring Daodao home. Thanks for looking after him—and feeding him, too.”

She didn’t know what Wei Qu had fed Daodao, but whether it was human food or dog food, everything was precious these days. Remembering he’d already given her a backpack full of supplies and now had fed her dog as well, Lin Buwan felt even more awkward.

Besides embarrassment, there was a trace of discomfort in her heart. She seemed to have unwittingly incurred quite a favor from this neighbor, and how to repay it was a headache.

“It’s nothing. Black Bean really likes Daodao—he’s even willing to share his own food with him.” Perhaps recalling something amusing, a smile danced in Wei Qu’s eyes.

At this, Lin Buwan glanced at Black Bean and patted his broad head.

“Wait here a moment,” she said, heading to the kitchen for a large bone.

“Here, Black Bean, catch!” Returning to the door, she tossed the bone gently toward him, giving a cue.

The big bone had little meat on it but was sturdy and had cartilage at the joints, perfect for a dog to gnaw on. She had plenty left, more than enough for Daodao for a long time, so she had no qualms about sharing some with Black Bean.

Hearing the command, Black Bean stood on his forelegs, stretched his neck, and caught the bone.

“You—” Wei Qu frowned at the bone in Black Bean’s mouth, about to refuse, but Lin Buwan cut him off.

“It’s fine, it’ll help with his teeth. I have plenty left; Daodao alone can’t finish them all.”

Since she’d said so, Wei Qu swallowed his words.

“By the way, are you going out tomorrow?” After a brief silence, as if remembering something, Wei Qu suddenly asked.

Lin Buwan paused, hesitating over her answer.

Of course she needed to go out—gathering supplies was essential, and she was hoping to further expand her space. Most importantly, she had already discussed tomorrow’s plan with Hua Xiao; if she backed out now, it would be even harder to persuade her next time.

But she really didn’t want to team up with this neighbor.

“I know of a mall. The water level’s high now, but we might still be able to scavenge something,” Wei Qu quickly shared his plan, trying to lower her guard.

Sure enough, Lin Buwan’s interest was piqued at the mention of a mall. She’d been wondering where to find more gold tomorrow—this was just the opportunity she needed.

“I’ll be bringing my friend along,” she stated upfront.

Hua Xiao was a complete novice, and anything could happen if she came along. Some people were reluctant to take along someone so inexperienced, so it was only fair to let Wei Qu know.

“No problem,” Wei Qu replied, his expression unchanged.

Lin Buwan couldn’t tell if he truly didn’t mind or if he simply kept his thoughts well hidden. She had no intention of probing further; she just breathed a sigh of relief after his agreement.

After briefly confirming their departure time for the next day, Wei Qu took his leave.

Lin Buwan returned home with Daodao. Watching him run wild around the house, she couldn’t help massaging her temples.

Leaving this little rascal home alone wasn’t an option—his barking would attract attention. But taking him along would be hard to manage.

She pondered the problem all night but found no solution.

Perhaps it was her worries that woke her early. After rolling around in bed and realizing she was fully awake, she resigned herself and got up.

After washing up and preparing breakfast for herself and Daodao, she packed the things she’d need for the trip.

In the end, she decided to bring Daodao along—she simply couldn’t trust leaving him at home. Having seen Wei Qu bring Black Bean yesterday, she wondered if Black Bean could look after Daodao today.

Looking at the clueless, happily circling dog at her feet, Lin Buwan sighed. Clearly, being soft-hearted only brought trouble.

When the agreed departure time arrived and she was about to head out, there came a knock at the door.

Opening it, she found Wei Qu and Hua Xiao waiting outside.

“You’re right on time,” Lin Buwan quipped, glancing at her watch.

“Are you bringing Daodao today?” Wei Qu asked, noticing the leash in her hand and the excited dog at her feet.

“Yes,” Lin Buwan nodded. “None of us will be home, and I’d worry about leaving him alone. I was hoping Black Bean could help keep an eye on him?”

“No problem,” Wei Qu agreed after a brief thought.

He patted Black Bean, who, as if understanding, walked over to Daodao and sniffed him. Daodao quickly calmed down.

Lin Buwan watched, amazed. Black Bean was almost too clever—Wei Qu hadn’t even said a word, just patted him, and he understood?

And all it took was a sniff for Daodao to settle—remarkable!

Could it be that dogs really have their own language?