Since the boat would not arrive until the afternoon, Wen Qian told the Boss that she would meet him at the entrance and exit gate then. She wandered around the plaza, examining all the information on the propaganda wall.
There were also distribution maps showing which areas were shops, residential areas, hospitals, and orphanages.
Wen Qian took a stroll around and noticed many people cooking in the alleys, some burning charcoal while others burned coal.
The aroma of food wafted through the air, and Wen Qian felt a bit hungry, so she took out a rolled pancake from her Space.
She walked and ate, eventually reaching the hospital, a three-story white building with the original logo.
The nurses wore gray coarse cloth gowns, and when Wen Qian inquired about childbirth, they kindly pointed her in the direction of a nearby counseling area.
The female doctor, assuming Wen Qian wanted to get pregnant, handed her a bottle of tablets.
In this era, those having children were considered brave, so they would provide all the supplements they could, such as folic acid.
Wen Qian then clarified that she was asking on someone else's behalf, and the doctor asked for the age.
She also gave Wen Qian a small booklet containing information related to pregnancy. At this time, the hospital could not offer many prenatal checkups, so more emphasis was placed on the mother's physical condition.
However, they also said that for those without prior experience in natural childbirth, it was better to give birth at the hospital, where they could at least perform a cesarean section in emergencies.
Yes, at that time, there were still conditions for cesarean sections. For natural births at the hospital, the mother's fees could be reduced, and the newborn would receive a free gift package, though they did not care about accompanying persons.
When Wen Qian tried to ask more about the fees and discounts, the other party gave her another booklet.
So Wen Qian left with two booklets and then took a stroll through the commercial district, which also had places for accommodation and dining.
Even now, there were rich and poor in the city; otherwise, how could one explain the expensive silk still being sold in shops?
The grocer had ordered goods but did not take them away, instead gathering them in a free storage area in the commercial district.
If they wanted to continue wandering around the city or the boat from outside had not arrived yet, it was more convenient to leave their belongings there rather than carry them around, lest someone target them.
After obtaining the information she wanted and buying a few items from various places, which she secretly stored in her Space, Wen Qian only carried the booklets as she completed her tour.
The grocer and villagers, having finished their meals, sat on the plaza sunbathing. Seeing Wen Qian with the booklets, they grew curious and flipped through them.
"Looks like there really is no one left, with so many childbirth discounts."
A fellow villager sighed, "Yes, they're all gone."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. After all, they had all experienced life before the calamity, which now seemed luxurious in retrospect.
They had all gone through death, each experiencing a major life change. Those with unstable mentalities might have chosen to end their lives long ago.
Even the strongest survivors could only remain silent when reminiscing about the past.
Yes, in the past, they all lived ordinary lives, never imagining that one day it would come to this.
Fortunately, the sun's warmth shone upon them, and they soon changed the subject.
They spoke of the former ruler of the small city, a group of three individuals. Wen Qian knew nothing about them, and the Boss and villagers only knew a little, as they were newcomers as well.
However, among those sunbathing on the plaza was The Elder, a long-time resident who appeared quite old, with only a few teeth remaining.
After the calamity, since there were still many people here, that prominent figure directly designated this area, far from the previously densely built city center, and instead rebuilt the city in this suburban area.
Men, women, the elderly, and children all had to follow the arrangements. All medicine, food, and vegetables in the market were controlled and collected collectively.
The sudden emergence of a planned economy and city-building plan left many people perplexed, wondering how it had suddenly become like this.
But some people felt relieved because before, everyone lived and worked according to routine, so when chaos erupted, coupled with the calamity, it felt like the end of the world.
At that time, he gave the people a goal, ignoring everything else and focusing solely on preserving those within his domain.
They built collective heating areas, huddling together like penguins to keep warm and survive.
Afterward, they exhausted every means to produce food, expending great effort to transport fuel, and severely punishing anyone who impeded collective action.
A group that had gathered from elsewhere, intending to cause disruption, faced city walls and weapons, resulting in rivers of blood.
Although the process was bloody, the person commanding from within the city did indeed allow this small city to survive. It was not even the originally designated base, yet it had endured for so long.
Many listened to The Elder's story, with some adding details he had not mentioned, including accounts that sounded quite brutal.
That person had died, officially declared as succumbing to heart disease, but some said he had faked his death to escape.
In any case, after the small city stabilized, it continued to operate according to the rules and plans set by that person initially. Wen Qian felt that his actions had gained the approval of everyone.
When the story ended, it was almost time, and someone called out from the entrance, so everyone went to retrieve their belongings and prepare to leave.
Wen Qian helped them carry their things, and the merchants also helped with the delivery.
After boarding the ship at the dock, they departed. Wen Qian tucked the booklets into her pocket, intending to give them to Ni Sha upon their return.
On the way back, they discussed the prominent figure of the small city, seeming particularly interested in the idea of him faking his death, as the newcomers had suggested.
Wen Qian thought that his iron-fisted approach had preserved the small city, and once the situation had calmed, he left, perhaps truly faking his death.
But this might not have been an unwise choice. In the current relaxed environment, some might consider him cruel, so it could be better that he left.
