56: Do you want to pick me up?

Liu Zhizhi was very enthusiastic and immediately brought over the menu.

This menu was specially provided by the Shelter's management, as meat was scarce, and the only other options were dehydrated vegetables.

Unlimited supply was impossible, but supplying a small number of people was achievable.

Tian Ming looked at the menu and said, "Not bad, you've managed this cafeteria really well."

"Oh, no, it's all thanks to the Boss.

Without the Boss, we'd still be gnawing on hard, cold compressed biscuits."

Tian Ming smiled and said, "Give me a bowl of rice and two dishes, one meat and one vegetable is fine."

Tian Ming wasn't picky; he just ate too much synthetic food, so occasionally coming to the cafeteria was just to change his taste.

Liu Zhizhi nodded and said, "I'll have Aunt Wu make it for you right away, Boss.

Do you have any dietary restrictions you'd like to mention? I'll let the kitchen know."

"No, anything is fine.

I'm not picky," Tian Ming shook his head, smiling.

Liu Zhizhi turned and left to relay Tian Ming's order to the kitchen.

Then she returned to Tian Ming's side, picked up a bottle of mineral water, and poured him a glass.

Tian Ming took out two meal tickets and placed them on the table.

"Boss, you pay for your meals too?"

Liu Zhizhi was a bit confused.

The meal tickets and material vouchers in the Shelter were all created by Tian Ming.

For someone who created money to pay for his meals, an ordinary person certainly wouldn't understand.

The rules in the Shelter were set by him, and in Liu Zhizhi's perception, Tian Ming could disregard the Shelter's rules.

"Does anyone eat without paying with meal tickets?" Tian Ming retorted.

Liu Zhizhi smiled: "No, there isn't."

"Then there you have it.

If I don't pay with meal tickets, what happens if the accounts don't match?"

Liu Zhizhi nodded and collected the meal tickets from the table.

In fact, the cafeteria's supplies also had to be exchanged with meal tickets.

The daily revenue would then be used to exchange for the next day's ingredients at the supply office.

A portion of the remaining balance was their salary, while another portion was directly recycled for other expenses, which could be referenced against currency circulation rules.

"Boss, I want to discuss something with you," Liu Zhizhi suddenly said, her tone a bit nervous, as if afraid Tian Ming wouldn't agree.

Tian Ming took the water glass, took a sip of water, and then said, "Go ahead, what is it?"

"Boss, didn't you say you wanted to set up a farm?

Now, in the Shelter, meat is really too scarce.

Every day we're just stuck with flour-based foods—buns, steamed bread, twisted rolls, pastries—these things don't provide balanced nutrition, and we might have to stay here for the rest of our lives."

"It's very difficult to raise livestock in this kind of weather.

I've considered this, and I also went with Director Han to look for some farms, but all the animals inside were dead.

They were all bitten to death by zombies.

It seems like no one in our Shelter is involved in farming.

This matter will be put aside for a while, and we'll talk about it again next year when the snow melts."

Liu Zhizhi still wanted to try to persuade him, but seeing Tian Ming's expression, she knew there was no hope for this matter for now, so she bit back the words she was about to say.

With a creak, the door was pushed open.

Before the person was seen, a voice came in.

"Beautiful Zhizhi, get me a bowl of sour soup beef noodles," Shen Yuan's voice came in.

Tian Ming's lips curved slightly.

He looked towards the door and saw Shen Yuan holding a large insulated lunch box, presumably for the noodles.

Liu Zhizhi also smiled and replied, "You sit here first, I'll make you a cup of coffee."

When Shen Yuan saw Tian Ming, the smile on her face immediately froze.

What happened a few days ago was still vivid in her mind.

The Boss had pinned her on the bed, and if she hadn't run fast, she would probably be the Boss's woman by now.

"Sit down, why are you standing there stunned?

I haven't seen you come to find me these past two days," Tian Ming asked casually.

Shen Yuan pouted and sat down: "Why would I look for you?

Someone thinks he's the Boss and then desperately tries to take advantage of me.

Luckily I ran fast, otherwise now I would..."

"Otherwise what?" Tian Ming asked with a smile, looking at Shen Yuan's slightly red face.

This little girl's face was flushed, and she didn't know if it was from the cold weather or from shyness.

"Hmph, you're the Boss, but you can't just do whatever you want."

"Wrong, it's not 'can I or can't I', it's 'do I want to or not'?

If I really want to do something, who can stop me?"

Shen Yuan stopped talking.

She lowered her head, feeling her face burning.

At this moment, Liu Zhizhi brought Tian Ming's meal: stir-fried bacon with mushrooms, garlic wood ear mushrooms, and a seaweed egg drop soup.

Tian Ming said to Liu Zhizhi, "Bring another set of bowls and chopsticks.

She doesn't need to eat her sour soup beef noodles; she'll eat with me."

Tian Ming said, taking out another meal ticket.

Liu Zhizhi nodded and said, "How about adding another dish, like sour soup beef?"

"Alright, that works," Tian Ming nodded.

Soon, the sour soup beef was on the table, and the hot food was ready, but Shen Yuan was still in a daze, not knowing what she was thinking.

"Hey, time to eat.

My treat today," Tian Ming said.

Shen Yuan finally came back to her senses.

She picked up her bowl and chopsticks and carefully picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks.

Shen Yuan took a bite, then looked up, her bright eyes fixed on Tian Ming!

Tian Ming was stared at somewhat inexplicably: "What are you doing?

Eat properly, don't stare at me with those bull eyes?"

"Boss, I want to ask you something, and you have to answer me honestly."

"Spit it out!"

"Are you trying to hit on me?"

As soon as Shen Yuan said that, Tian Ming almost choked.

Seeing Tian Ming's reaction, Shen Yuan immediately became unhappy.

"What kind of reaction is that?

You... you...?"

Tian Ming stopped laughing, feeling a bit choked, and picked up Shen Yuan's coffee to take a sip.

"My coffee!"

Shen Yuan was very protective of her food and immediately became anxious.

"What's wrong with taking a sip?

I'll tell the supply office to get you a box of instant coffee later."

Shen Yuan then asked seriously, "You still haven't answered my question.

What exactly does your reaction mean?"

Tian Ming smiled and said, "Well, I'm not entirely sure about that question, because I've never been in a relationship.

Normally, girls like you definitely wouldn't look at someone like me.

I haven't even graduated from high school.

Now, if I just open my mouth, hundreds of women in the dormitory building would eagerly throw themselves at me."

Shen Yuan said with some disdain, "Hmph, how can those women compare to me?"

Tian Ming shook his head: "No, no, no, more than half of them are older than you.

You should know, I'm not talking about age."

Shen Yuan's face immediately darkened.

She raised her hand, wanting to hit him.

"A gentleman uses his words, not his hands.

Actually, I don't really like forced relationships.

Nor do I like those who offer themselves up."

Shen Yuan sat down and said, "Bullshit, you don't like forced relationships, but you still tried to force it?"

"Who told you to disturb my sleep?

Besides, wasn't this melon not forced down?

Luckily it wasn't forced down, what if it was an unripe melon? That would be a huge loss!"

...

Shen Yuan immediately got worked up, utterly speechless.

She could only bite viciously into a piece of beef, glaring at Tian Ming.