C4 Cotton Blanket

Gu Fanjin looked around the familiar space, feeling incredibly grateful it was still there. She carefully checked everything inside, all neatly organized by her. The rice and flour were from her early scavenging trips to a supermarket when the zombie outbreak first hit. Those items were abandoned, and zombies weren't interested in them. Back then, she grabbed anything her eyes landed on and stuffed it into her space.

You might wonder why she still ventured out for food despite having this space. She understood the importance of not exhausting her supplies, so she always knew the value of having reserves.

This space had a unique advantage: nothing inside ever spoiled. Time stood still for everything she stored, preserving them at their original freshness.

Gu Fanjin went through her stockpile, which included not only rice, flour, and oil but also a variety of seasonings. She even had pots, pans, and dishes. Of course, there were essentials like blankets and plenty of clothes, from T-shirts and pants to down jackets. Toiletries, including skincare products, were also in her stash. Looking at her supplies, Gu Fanjin felt a deep sense of contentment, a satisfaction that came from having plenty.

Her fingers brushed over the hygiene products section before moving to the food area. She opened a pack of instant noodles and grabbed a sausage. As she cooked the noodles, the aroma filled the air, and she thought it was the most delicious thing in the world. After finishing a piece of bread, she finally felt full.

Before leaving, Gu Fanjin took a blanket and some food with her.

The next morning, Gu Momo woke up to find a brand-new cotton blanket covering her. She touched it in amazement; it was soft and must have weighed about 13 pounds, no wonder she slept so well. But where did such a nice blanket come from?

Soon, Gu Momo caught a whiff of something delicious. She didn't wake her brother, who was still asleep, but put on her shoes and followed the scent outside.

Gu Fan Jin was busy cooking, using ingredients she had stored away. She started by slicing fresh ginger and rinsing the pork ribs under cold water. After chopping the ribs into sections, she filled a hot pot with water and added the ribs to blanch them for a few minutes, removing any impurities. Once blanched, she rinsed them with cold water, drained, and set them aside.

She heated the pot again, adding some cooking oil and a bit of water, then tossed in some rock sugar. As the sugar melted and turned a reddish-brown, she added more water, bringing it to a boil before setting it aside.

Next, she heated oil in the pot, adding the sliced ginger and star anise to release their aroma. She then added the ribs, pouring in some cooking wine and soy sauce, stirring with a spatula to coat the ribs evenly.

She poured in the sugar mixture, added some water, and brought it to a boil, seasoning with salt and stirring well. Covering the pot, she turned up the heat to bring it to a rolling boil.

Turning her head, she noticed Gu Mo Mo standing outside the kitchen, drawn by the delicious aroma.

Gu Fan Jin waved her over. "Come help me with the stove. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Where did we get the meat, sis?" Gu Mo Mo asked while tending the stove.

Their family was so short on food that even coarse grains were scarce. How had her sister managed to get these ingredients?

"Well," Gu Fan Jin replied, "I suddenly remembered that I had some money Mom secretly gave me. I hid it away so Grandma wouldn't find it."