"That's great, I'll figure out how to get it once we settle down."
Shen Yi was desperately longing for electricity - with it, they wouldn't need candles anymore and could have hot meals again.
Cheng Jun frowned immediately,
"I just don't know about the diesel supply situation, and there doesn't seem to be any gas station nearby."
Shen Yi thought this was just a minor issue, waving his hand dismissively:
"We don't need to worry about that now, we can look for it later."
"Besides, if we don't have diesel, we can still use solar panels to generate electricity."
The sun was quite intense during the day in this world, so solar panels could definitely be put to good use.
Though finding them might not be as easy as finding diesel generators - Shen Yi had walked around the area several times but hadn't found anywhere selling such things.
They might need to salvage them from residential buildings.
Seeing this, Cheng Jun didn't dwell on it too much, and made a note in her notebook before continuing:
"Now that we've temporarily solved the electricity issue, we need to consider gas and water supply."
Gas was crucial for cooking and boiling water - a top priority.
As for water, mineral water was sufficient for now.
But according to Cheng Jun's knowledge, mineral water had an expiration date and couldn't be relied upon indefinitely.
While it was fine for drinking, they needed to figure out a solution for washing, laundry, and bathing.
"The natural gas supply is already cut off, so for gas, we should prioritize finding gas cylinders. Making fires isn't just unsafe but would consume a lot of wood, so that should only be a last resort."
Shen Yi nodded in agreement - if gas was available, there was no need to make fires. Cutting and transporting wood would be labor-intensive and time-consuming.
"Let's put the water issue aside for now, there are still plenty of water resources in the city."
Shen Yi said casually.
Worst case, he could go out and get more - every store had plenty of purified water, enough for just the two of them to consume.
Cheng Jun nodded,
"Alright, and if needed, we can check out the artificial lake's water quality and use a water pump to ensure we never run short."
If the water quality was good, they could boil it for drinking; if not, it could still be used for daily needs.
"Then it's settled, let's get started."
Having finished their discussion, they divided the tasks between them.
You never know how expensive basic necessities are until you have to manage them yourself.
Only when they started handling everything did they realize how difficult life could be.
Despite their detailed planning, they still couldn't cover everything.
Shen Yi used to only have to worry about feeding himself.
Cheng Jun was even more pampered, having grown up as a young lady who never had to lift a finger.
The two of them stumbled along setting up their little home together.
Like strangers who were married, or familiar roommates.
Both carefully approaching and testing boundaries with each other.
Two days later, Shen Yi finally completed the move.
He didn't abandon the supplies from their original base, after all, they had worked hard to collect them.
Everything was relocated to their new home.
The old and new locations were nearly two streets apart, and moving everything piece by piece would have been exhausting.
Shen Yi found a vehicle on the street to help.
There were many intact cars parked on the roads, most with only minor damage that didn't affect their operation.
But after half a year, many had dead batteries and wouldn't start.
Only a small number could still be started normally.
This white pickup was now Shen Yi's favorite - powerful, sturdy, and most importantly, could haul cargo.
With vehicles scattered across the roads, driving meant navigating through obstacles.
Driving inevitably involved bumping and scraping - without enough power you couldn't clear the way, making the sturdy pickup truck an excellent choice.
After parking, Shen Yi opened the truck bed.
He then began moving boxes of supplies into the villa.
The two-story villa was quite spacious, with a garden beside it, adjacent to the artificial lake.
It seemed like someone had just finished renovating it, planning to retire here, but met with misfortune before they could move in.
They had turned the second floor into their living quarters.
The first floor was temporarily used for storage and parking, with future plans to be determined.
Best of all, it had a basement.
Cheng Jun suggested putting the generator down there, where it would be quieter when running.
Soon Shen Yi had moved all their collected supplies indoors, his strength and efficiency meant he barely needed rest.
Cheng Jun came downstairs when she heard the activity - she had been arranging bedding upstairs.
Shen Yi had brought back several bedding sets from the home furnishing store, so at least they wouldn't have to share a mattress anymore.
They each had their own rooms now, ensuring private space.
"You're so quick, I was going to help..."
Cheng Jun wore a light-colored cotton top, its soft colors complementing her clear eyes.
Her smiling face added a touch of playfulness, while the fitted cut accentuated her graceful figure. Paired with form-fitting jeans, her overall appearance exuded a fresh, natural charm.
Having such a beauty nearby made Shen Yi feel like he was basking in spring breeze, her gentle demeanor seemingly making his bones soften.
He had to admit that doing anything in the company of a beautiful woman made everything feel more pleasant.
"I figured since there wasn't much stuff, I wouldn't bother you."
Shen Yi waved it off as no big deal.
"Huh? What's this?"
As they were talking, Shen Yi noticed a black plastic bag at his feet and asked curiously.
He hadn't seen it in the truck earlier.
As he bent down to pick it up, Cheng Jun quickly snatched it away.
"Ah! That's mine."
She exclaimed, hiding the bag behind her back, her ears turning bright red.
Though Cheng Jun's movement was quick, Shen Yi caught a glimpse of the contents.
Inside were tampons and winged sanitary pads.
So they were feminine hygiene products - no wonder she was embarrassed.
Shen Yi understood and, seeing Cheng Jun's face as red as a boiling kettle, decided not to say anything more to embarrass her.
Cheng Jun's delicate fingers gripped tightly behind her back, feeling extremely awkward.
These were items she had collected privately over the past few days.
Such things were equally important in the apocalypse, but she was too embarrassed to ask Shen Yi for help, so she had to secretly gather them herself. She hadn't expected him to discover them.
Shen Yi didn't think much of it - after all, menstruation was a natural, unavoidable thing.
"I'm heading out again."
With that brief explanation, Shen Yi got back in the car and left.
Watching him leave, Cheng Jun finally relaxed. After more than a week together, they had become quite familiar with each other.
They could chat more freely now, but not quite freely enough to discuss such private matters.
Cheng Jun stood there with her cheeks puffed out like buns, looking quite adorable.
Her fair face was like ice cream mochi, pink inside with sweet filling.
She didn't dislike Shen Yi, she was just shy.
Meanwhile, Shen Yi found the streets relatively clear as he drove.
He had already pushed aside the obstructing vehicles, making it feel like bumper cars - quite thrilling.
This kind of experience wasn't possible in the real world, where even the smallest scratch was cause for concern.
After almost ten days here, most of Shen Yi's time felt like playing a game.
Every day he went out to explore, discovering new areas and searching for useful supplies.
Now with a car, he could expand his territory.
He could push back the fog of war even further.