I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 738: Donkey-Hide Gelatin Swap

Mr. Jing, sent as the representative, smiled so broadly his mouth almost split. He pulled another old man over, patted his chest, and gave a thumbs-up. The old man he pulled over looked to be only seventy, with hardly any wrinkles on his face. He appeared much younger compared to Mr. Jing, who had a face full of deep creases.

The old man also pulled Mr. Jing in and said, "Old friend, your family is truly outstanding! This contribution is huge. I’ll treat you to dinner. You must honor us with your presence in my RV... If you don’t come, it’s like you’re looking down on me."

"That would be so embarrassing..."

"Hey, how about this: I’ll cover the meal, and you bring the drinks. Didn’t you mention you still have some treasured Wuliangye at home?"

"Just a few bottles. Since you’ve asked, old brother, I’ll definitely have to bring one."

So, for dinner, Mr. Jing brought his whole family to RV No. 3. When Jing Shu saw Mr. Jing’s ’elder brother,’ she was truly amazed. Is this really Mr. Jing’s older brother and not his younger brother? The man was over ninety years old but looked like someone in his sixties or seventies. Although Mr. Jing was also in his eighties, his appearance hadn’t grown much younger. However, thanks to drinking from the Spiritual Spring, he was experiencing a ’second spring’ of sorts with new teeth growing in.

His body had definitely improved. However, the Spiritual Spring didn’t possess the magical power to completely rejuvenate someone. At most, it could keep a person at a certain stage, much like how the entire Jing family seemed to be frozen in their pre-apocalypse appearances.

"This is my old brother, Hong Wu, and this is his son’s family of five," Mr. Jing said, introducing them as if he had known them for a long time.

Mr. Hong’s son, Hong Lang, was already over sixty. Besides his daughter-in-law, there was also his grandson Hong Jiaqi, who was in his thirties, Hong Jiaqi’s wife, and their six-year-old great-grandson.

This whole family had one thing in common: they all looked much younger. Sixty-something-year-old Hong Lang looked like he was in his forties.

"Donkey milk is a great thing, you know. Everyone in our family drinks a bowl every morning and evening. That’s why we all look more energetic than others. But I see Xiao Jing’s family is quite energetic as well. I heard from Xiao Jing that your family also drinks milk daily... Come, come, try our family’s fresh donkey milk," Mr. Hong said spiritedly.

"Come in, it’s cold outside!" Mr. Hong’s son said warmly, inviting them in.

RV No. 3 was somewhat cramped. Right by the entrance was a modified liquor shelf. Just as Mr. Jing had described, it held a row full of homemade Donkey Whip Wine. To the left was a shelving unit piled high with various kinds of cured donkey meat, as well as a whole row of smoked hams and similar items.

The Jing family only glanced at the abundant donkey meat before following them into a small living room on the right. There, they accepted bowls of fresh donkey milk handed to them by Mr. Hong’s daughter-in-law.

Observing covertly, Mr. Hong nodded. The family behaved very politely as they entered. No one touched things or snooped around. Their expressions didn’t show shock or dismay, only mild surprise and curiosity. This indicates that their family is very well-off, perhaps even... better off than ours.

The Jing family members present were Mr. Jing, Grandma Jing, Third Aunt Jing Lai, Wu You’ai, their teacher Chu Zhuohua, and Jing Shu; Jing Shu’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jing, were still busy working.

With so many people, the RV felt even more crowded, leaving them to stand along the sides. At that moment, each person held a bowl of fresh milk given to them by Sun Dainiang. As they took a sip, varied expressions appeared on their faces.

Mr. Hong continued to observe the family’s behavior and attire. He noted that their clothes were all new and clean, without wrinkles or signs of fading from washing, and even carried a faint scent of laundry detergent. He nodded again in approval.

"Donkey milk shouldn’t be boiled. It’s best consumed warmed to 40°C, as its nutritional content is closest to human breast milk. I’m not sure if you’ll be accustomed to it..." Mr. Hong said.

"If you can’t even get used to donkey milk, there’s nothing left to eat in this apocalypse," Mr. Jing laughed heartily, downed his bowl in one gulp, and then gave a thumbs-up.

Jing Shu found the flavor novel. The milk tasted quite light, not as rich as cow’s milk. It was a little sweet and did indeed resemble breast milk in texture.

"Come, it’s cold outside. Have some Guihua Sesame Donkey-hide Gelatin Cake to warm up."

Thin slices were neatly stacked on the plate, adorned with specks of yellow Guihua. Jing Shu picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. It was rich with the flavors of sesame, Guihua, donkey-hide gelatin, and something like maltose. Chewing released a sweet fragrance. It was a bit sticky, and she had to lick her teeth vigorously to swallow the remnants.

It had the same effect as mutton soup, warming the whole body.

Donkey-hide gelatin truly is a good thing, especially in this icy apocalypse.

For dinner, Mr. Hong prepared a lavish meal, a true feast in the apocalypse. The main dishes included the famous Donkey Meat Fire Burning. There was also a large pot of donkey meat stewed in a clay pot, a large pot of dry-pot donkey meat, and other dishes like spicy crispy donkey meat and soy-braised donkey meat—practically an all-donkey feast.

"Everything can be served with the ’Fire Burning’; whatever is in the pot can be added to the flatbread and eaten with sauce."

It’s a pity this isn’t the Northeast. Otherwise, adding a couple of large green onions would make it perfect.

Mr. Jing not only brought good liquor but also added two dishes: peanuts and diced chili with preserved eggs. Several old men squeezed around the small window table, snacking on peanuts, sipping liquor, and boasting—an extraordinary sight in the apocalypse.

Mr. Hong’s grandson’s wife and his great-grandson were somewhat reserved. However, his daughter-in-law, Sun Dainiang, was very enthusiastic, managing all the household chores.

"Auntie, this donkey-hide gelatin of yours is really good. I wonder if you have more? I’d like to barter for some," Jing Shu took the opportunity to ask.

The taste of the donkey-hide gelatin itself wasn’t astonishing. Even made into these snacks, it was quite ordinary. But its effects were nothing short of miraculous.

Jing Shu had always been sensitive to cold. In her past life, she was prone to chilblains, and this life was no different. Whenever it got cold, chilblains would appear. She felt the donkey-hide gelatin might be helpful, and stocking up on such a nourishing item seemed wise.

Sun Dainiang laughed. "Our family barters for this specifically. Donkey-hide gelatin is made by boiling donkey skin—how could we not have it? We sell it by the gram. Pure donkey-hide gelatin flakes are expensive, about 30 times more than meat. If you’re interested, we can help you prepare it with yellow wine and other ingredients to make it into cakes. You can then store them well and eat them directly."

"Normally, 200 grams of donkey-hide gelatin flakes can make 1 jin of cake. You should eat no more than two slices a day, or you might get a nosebleed."

"Auntie, what does your family need? I’d like to trade for 1 jin of donkey-hide gelatin. We’ll provide the additional ingredients, and we can make five different flavors of cake," Jing Shu said, calculating on her fingers. There are many women in our family. If each of them eats two pieces a day, it won’t last long.

"As you’ve seen, we aren’t lacking ordinary food. We’d prefer some common medicines, unusual foods, or scarce materials, like cotton or down," Sun Dainiang replied.

Jing Shu then noticed the modified clothes the child was wearing and said, "Auntie, I can offer 10 jin of cotton, 5 jin of duck down, six types of common Traditional Chinese Medicine pills from our Medicine Association, the 1 jin of Lotus Root Starch I mentioned before, and I’ll add a bottle of our homemade white liquor."