Chapter 161 - Dispute
TL: xDh20, LifeisaJourney
ED: weirdo
Under Wang DeCheng’s division of labor, the group of team members got busy, some responsible for selecting the vegetables and cleaning them. They were removing the inedible parts of the vegetables and leaving behind the small portion that was still edible. Other team members were responsible for washing the cooking and eating utensils, the last set of team members were cooking rice and making stir-fry.
Liu Gan didn’t need to join in on the chores; he and Yin He were outside the restaurant patrolling in order to immediately react to any danger. Even though their search in the area wasn’t fruitful, he didn’t lower his guard just yet.
If this was really a laboratory, then there would definitely be a secret entrance and hidden danger present. It’s just that they hadn’t found it yet.
As everyone got busy with their individual tasks, the heat burned in the kitchen intensely, the wok spatula flipping the food within the wok, and soon, piles of steaming hot food and vegetables started rolling out from the kitchen. Then large bowls of rice were tossed out, as well as deliciously cooked stir-fry, all washed down with beer. This was the longed-for meal that they used to have before the catastrophe. Memories of the past and their happy lives were in their thoughts as everyone got buzzed from drinking so much.
After the catastrophe, no one knew how long they could survive. A single moment could be the difference between life and death. Those who were alive, when they saw alcohol, wanted only to get drunk, seemingly feeling more alive through drinking. Liu Gan ordered to Wang Decheng announce that every person could only drink one bottle of beer. The main reason was that he didn’t want anyone to cause trouble after drinking too much or lose control of themselves.
While everyone was very busy eating and drinking wine, Hu Jun and Zhou Jingjing whispered to each other before standing up.
“Where are you two going?” Wang Decheng asked the two.
"She wants to go to the toilet. I will accompany her." Hu Jun looked embarrassed, and whispered softly back to Wang Decheng.
“Are you sure you aren’t going there to do something else? Haha… it must be nice to have a female by your side! I envy you!” Zhang Hua ridiculed. Zhang Hua’s alcohol tolerance wasn’t too high, and his face was flushed red. As he giggled at the couple, he looked at Zhou Jingjing’s chest.
“How can you say that?” Zhou Jingjing angrily replied to Zhang Hua’s mockery, as his glance swept across her chest. She really wanted to go to the bathroom, but Zhang Hua had publicly denounced her, and she had lost face. It didn’t sit well with her.
"It was just a joke, no need to be so closed-minded, right?" Zhang Hua felt as if he was only kidding around. However, Zhou Jingjing started barking back and Zhang Hua felt as if he lost face.
"Who are you calling closed-minded? Only people like you would joke about it! Disgusting man!” Zhou Jingjing got even more upset. She seemed to want to charge over to Zhang Hua, but was stopped by Hu Jun.
"Who are you calling disgusting? It was only a joke. You know what? Forget it! I’ll treat it as if I was bitten by a dog and call it unlucky. I don’t want to bicker with you.” Zhang Hua waved his hand demeaningly, still angry.
"Who did you criticize as a dog? You started insulting people first and now you don’t want to bicker with me? Seems like you are the dog! Are you sick in the head?” Zhou Jingjing started her series of insults after hearing Zhang Hua’s reply. Hu Jun’s facial expression started getting unsightly.
“Stop right there! No one will continue arguing! You dare to disregard Elder Liu’s presence?” Zhang Shengli saw the situation going south, so he had to intervene. In a loud shout, he stopped Zhang Hua and Zhou JingJing's situation from escalating even further.
After the two people heard Zhang Shengli’s shout, they both stopped, disgusted looks on their faces. Zhang Hua felt as if he had only said something playful. Zhou Jingjing was slightly overreacting, but she felt that Zhang Hua’s joke was definitely over the line and insulted her personally. After the jokes, he didn’t apologize for his wrongdoings. By calling her a dog, it was a very bad insult so she was definitely in a bad mood.
“If you need to go to the bathroom, then go in a group. Don’t split up.” Liu Gan heard the shouting and didn’t look too happy. But since Zhang Shengli spoke up to intervene, he didn’t need to speak up.
There were many times amongst people that situations like these arose. Clearly they were friends in their circle of survivors, but some people’s personalities weren’t compatible. So if a few hurtful words slipped out, they might start arguing. Just like when Zhang Hua and Zhou Jingjing started arguing. It was hard to say who was right and who was wrong in this situation. So it was best if Zhang Shengli was left to mediate both parties.
“Jingjing, I will accompany you to the bathroom,” Lee Miao stood up and said to Hu Jun.
Lee Miao had to go to the bathroom, so Zhang Shengli definitely wanted to accompany her. Then two more team members voiced that they wanted to go to the bathroom too. So six players left the restaurant.
Lights within the bathroom could also be turned on, and even though the emergency lights weren't bright, it was enough for the people to see the surroundings without using a flashlight.
Arriving at the public bathroom, the male players didn’t let the females go straight into the bathroom. They had to check inside the stalls to confirm it was safe, then they allowed the women to go in. The male players went to the bathroom in rotations--first two went in, while the other two were responsible for guard duty on the outside.
“Aren’t they a little too cautious? Even going to the bathroom, they have to search it first.” Zhou Jingjing said after closing the woman’s bathroom door.
“They are doing it for our benefit. Who knows what might come out from the darkness?” Lee Miao replied to Zhou Jingjing, as they each went into separate stalls.
“There can’t possibly be anything more, right? We’ve searched this whole island. This island is like the size of my palm; there are only a few buildings. Sometimes I feel like Elder Liu’s caution is right, but at other times he is overly suspicious of everything,” said Zhou Jingjing as she squatted down.
“It is because of his cautiousness that we are able to live to this day. Why do you still question him?” Lee Miao disagreed with Zhou JingJing’s interpretation.
“I didn’t question Elder Liu, I’m just casually saying it. Sister Lee Miao, in your honest opinion, who is wrong in my argument with Zhang Hua?” Zhou Jingjing changed the topic. She clearly still couldn't give up on the dispute that easily.
“Those men, all they do after drinking is trash talk, they don’t know how to put some reserve into what they are saying. Zhang Hua’s joke was definitely over the line, but since he said it only after he drank then you shouldn’t bicker with him too much over it. Since arguing with drunk people has no meaning. Whatever they say when they are drunk, just assume they are talking rubbish.” Lee Miao tried her best to pacify Zhou Jingjing. At this time, she subconsciously looked at the area above that seemed to be creating some sort of noise.