Could you please provide the text you would like me to translate?

When Ye Yin opened the door and saw Bai Qing’s innocent face, she instantly understood that Old Guo had sold her out.

“Mr. Guo said there weren’t enough rooms over there, so…”

“I understand.” Ye Yin indicated her comprehension. “Anyway, we’re upstairs and you’re downstairs, so it’s not inconvenient. Please, come in.”

“Alright.”

The guest room had no bedding, so Ye Yin had to search the storeroom. The shelf with the quilts and sheets was too high; she stood on tiptoe for a while without reaching it, so Bai Qing came over and helped her.

“There’s hot water in the bathroom. I’ll bring you a new towel later. As for clothes, there aren’t any replacements; you probably brought your own, right?”

“Yes. You should rest early. I can handle everything else myself; you must be tired today.”

Ye Yin nodded, about to return to her room to sleep, when she suddenly remembered her earlier rude behavior and turned back. “About before… I’m sorry.”

Bai Qing smiled. “Are you afraid?”

“Huh?” Ye Yin’s heart skipped a beat.

“Just a casual question,” Bai Qing said gently. “Good night.”

“…Good night.”

The next day, someone from the auto repair shop arrived and fixed Bai Qing’s car. He checked it over and found no major issues, so he bade farewell to everyone at the farm, preparing to head back to Evergreen Street. The female students in the self-guided tour group saw his expensive car and concluded he must be a rich kid, becoming even more enthusiastic and peppering him with questions.

Old Guo quickly shooed away those troublemakers and pushed Ye Yin to Bai Qing’s side, warmly inviting him, “Our place is beautiful all year round. You can eat the freshest things every day, much better than those half-baked farm stays out there. Come and stay a few days whenever you have time! When you’re tired from studying, you need to relax.”

Bai Qing replied with a smile, “Definitely. I really like it here, and I like the people here too.”

The female students who had been turned away were already displeased. Hearing Old Guo and Bai Qing’s conversation, one girl sneered, “Never seen someone so shameless, clinging to others. His daughter is just a country girl, yet dreaming of swan meat.”

Her words were loud enough for everyone present to hear, and the atmosphere instantly chilled.

Old Guo erupted in fury. “You’ve studied so much your head’s stuck up a cow’s backside? She’s the owner here! Everything you see belongs to her! You eat her food and drink her water, and you dare spout nonsense? The farm doesn’t welcome you—get out!”

The girl’s expression changed. “So what if you have money? No culture is still no culture…” She hadn’t finished her sentence when the bespectacled male leader clamped her mouth shut and bowed repeatedly in apology. “Sorry, she drank too much last night and is acting drunk.”

He wasn’t joking—his group’s car had significant issues, and the mechanic said it needed to be towed back for repairs, which wouldn’t be ready until at least the day after tomorrow. If they offended the farm now, would they have to sleep on the roadside tonight? Realizing this, the students quickly tried to smooth things over, but the farm staff, having witnessed Ye Yin insulted, were still visibly upset.

Ye Yin didn’t even raise her eyelids, but the always silent Bai Qing suddenly spoke. “I admire Miss Ye very much and don’t want anyone to disrespect her. If you can’t hold your liquor, drink less, so you don’t say inappropriate things and make yourself look ugly.”

His words made the girl burst into tears and run off, followed by her friends. Most students quietly dispersed, leaving only Qiao Xinran and Tang Nana lingering to watch the spectacle.

Old Guo felt Bai Qing’s words just now had hit the mark and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m just a rough guy who knows how to curse, but you really know how to talk. You’re a true scholar. Your family’s waiting for you, so drive off early—you’ll get there in about an hour.”

Bai Qing nodded. As he was about to open his car door, Tang Nana suddenly interjected, “Excuse me, are you heading to Lihua?”

“Yes.”

“Could I ask a favor? You see, our car broke down, but Xinran and I need to get there as soon as possible. Would you mind giving us a ride?”

“Sure.”

Tang Nana exchanged a glance with Qiao Xinran, both sharing triumphant smiles, and hurried back to their rooms to pack, afraid Bai Qing might change his mind.

Ye Yin sighed inwardly: What a lamb, falling right into the wolves’ jaws.

Just as she was offering a perfunctory farewell and preparing to return to the villa for a nap, Bai Qing suddenly asked her, “Would you like to come along? Auntie probably arranged for you to have lunch today. I asked Mr. Guo, and he said the farm isn’t busy lately.”

“I’d rather not…” Ye Yin suddenly sensed something amiss. She spun around, stammering, “You… you…”

“That’s a pity,” Bai Qing said, smiling gently at her shocked expression. “Perhaps next time.”

Bai Qing got in the car, and Qiao Xinran and Tang Nana, laden with bags, quickly squeezed in as well, with Qiao Xinran boldly taking the passenger seat next to Bai Qing and shooting Ye Yin a smug look.

“See you.”

“…Drive safely.”

After returning to her room and lying down, Ye Yin felt thoroughly unsettled.

That Bai Qing really was a fox in sheep’s clothing! He’d clearly known who she was from the start, yet acted more innocent than she did. If he wanted to pretend, he could have kept it up, but instead, he revealed his hand just before leaving, leaving Ye Yin speechless. She wondered whether Aunt Pan would be angry at her for deliberately dodging her, and might never cook her boneless chicken mousse again…

She’d originally worried those two would squeeze everything out of him, but now it was clear she’d overthought it. Bai Qing alone was enough to run rings around them; even if he was sold out, he’d still help them count the money.

The rain last night had left the farm’s air fresher than usual, and a faint rainbow shimmered on the horizon. Ye Hua was already sitting by the fish pond, fishing; several crucian carp and grass carp swam in the small plastic bucket at her feet.

“Nice catch,” Ye Yin said, shuffling over in slippers and crouching beside Ye Hua, speaking listlessly.

“Sis, why not sleep a bit more? You tossed and turned all night, and now you’re up so early.”

“No need.” Ye Yin suddenly remembered something else. “Yesterday I checked the biogas generator at the center of the farm—it seems reliable, should last a long time, right?”

Under her sister’s influence, Ye Hua often read materials about zombies and was sensitive to these topics. “Even if everyone’s trapped inside and never leaves, we could live here for years.”

Ye Yin gazed at the sparkling water, lost in thought.

According to her rough map of the Third Base, this farm lay outside its boundary, about dozens of miles from the edge. It was probably destroyed soon after the apocalypse began. The reason was obvious: though the farm was highly sustainable, its defenses were weak. Even if the highway nearby had few zombies, a couple wandering in could ruin this beautiful place.

Originally, she’d planned to take everything before the apocalypse hit and leave, but on second thought, it wasn’t necessary. As long as she built thick and tall stone walls, and set up layered obstacles in the farm using the Stutler cutting method, she could both attack and defend. If one area fell, the rest wouldn’t be badly affected. Once the farm was secured, her pressure to stockpile supplies would greatly decrease. If she wanted to protect some people she liked or didn’t mind, she’d have fewer scruples.

She wouldn’t abandon her house on Evergreen Street either; it was the best base for hunting zombies. Half a month ago, she might have worried about the hour-long drive between the two places. Now, it was no longer an issue.

Countless elephants had gradually transformed her body into that of a Great Witch. She no longer needed to meditate deliberately; simply breathing allowed her to absorb spiritual energy bit by bit, so she could now use secret techniques with a touch of spiritual power, such as teleportation arrays.

Great Witch secret techniques were supremely mysterious. With only a small amount of spiritual power, a teleportation array could let her travel thousands of miles underground in an instant, reaching any place she desired. The energy needed was far less than what similar cultivators required, and the method was simple: just set an array in both locations she wanted to travel between.

Arrays were divided into disposable and permanent types; permanent ones were more complicated and required more materials.

“Sis?”

Ye Yin snapped back to reality. “Finished fishing? Let’s head back.”

“Okay!”

As soon as she returned to the farm office, Ye Yin immediately contacted the company that had built her house, asking them to come over right away to discuss farm renovations. After hanging up, Ye Yin pressed the farm broadcast button. “Attention: All farm staff, please gather in the cafeteria immediately. A major announcement is coming.”

Ye Yin’s reputation at the farm was decent; after the broadcast, in less than thirty minutes, the cafeteria was packed with all the staff, everyone smiling foolishly at her, thinking something good was about to happen.

Ye Yin paused, then spoke in a somber tone, as if mourning a leader. “Due to poor management, our farm is about to face a long period of hardship. There will be no wages; you’ll barely have enough to eat and wear. Sometimes even that will be a luxury.”

Her words set off a boil in the crowd, with protests and disbelief: “What’s she saying? Must be a joke!” “Yeah, everything’s selling well!”

Ye Yin suddenly slapped the table, which shattered on impact, silencing the whole room.

“I don’t have time for jokes. Everything I said is true. Due to certain political reasons, our farm is about to face a major disaster, and only by working together can we get through it. I don’t know how long this hardship will last, but I promise those who follow me won’t regret it—the benefits in the future will be great.” Ye Yin continued, “Of course, anyone who wants to leave now, I won’t stop you. You’ll get every penny of your wages and bonuses, but if you leave today, you won’t be allowed back. Even if you beg me, it won’t work. I’ve said everything I need to say; the rest is up to you.”

Ye Yin slowly sat back in her chair, coldly sweeping her gaze across the varied expressions before her.