Chapter 24: No Romance at Miaomiao Farm

Speaking of which, Song Mingchen is quite the scoundrel. He and Tang Miao were clearly in a relationship, yet the moment he caught a whiff of interest from someone else, he came running. Zhang Xinrou had no respect for such a man, and he was even less worthy of Tang Miao.

Jiang Nanxing, having heard this, leaned down close to Zai Zai’s ear and let out a soft, low growl. Upon hearing this, Zai Zai immediately scrambled into Tang Miao’s arms, rubbing her prickly, sea-urchin-like hair against Tang Miao’s cheek.

"Aba aba..." *Mommy, we are the only family. You, me, and big brother—we are a family.*

Jiang Nanxing walked slowly to Tang Miao’s side and used a tissue to wipe the mud from her face. Just as Tang Miao was about to speak, Zai Zai hugged her neck tighter. Jiang Nanxing held his breath, his wiping motion slowing down, while Zhang Xinrou squeezed her small notebook until it deformed.

"Hey, what are you all doing? You’re making the atmosphere so strange. At Miaomiao Farm, we only discuss survival and management, not romance."

"Mingchen, the farm is busy restarting operations today, so I might not be able to attend to you and Chaofeng. Why don't you rest for a while and take a look at our farm’s operational mechanisms? We’ll have breakfast after the morning meeting."

Song Mingchen nodded with a faint smile. "Whatever you say."

Once Lin Chaofeng and Song Mingchen returned to their room, Tang Miao signaled for Zhang Xinrou to get down to business. Everyone gathered and stood in a neat row.

"Today is Monday, August 4, 2025, 10:46 AM. The shift ends at 6:00 PM."

"Overtime on workdays is paid at 1.5 times the rate. If you want to volunteer for overtime, come register with me. Tang Miao will arrange the specific tasks from here on out."

Tang Miao clapped her hands with a smile, and racks of clothes were pushed out from behind a pile of supplies. They were filled with all kinds of attire: suits, evening gowns, sportswear, casual wear—everything one could imagine. Zai Zai was clutching a pile of them, having picked them out for herself.

"These clothes are for all of you. Line up to pick them out with Jiang Nanxing. I suggest you try them on before deciding. Once you’re done, we’ll assign the work."

These zombie employees were the face of Miaomiao Farm and needed to look presentable. Upon hearing Tang Miao’s words, everyone quickly formed a long line, accompanied by constant, low growls.

"That long dress is so elegant. Oh, blast, the auntie grabbed it first."

"Jiang the Second, quietly set aside a suit for me, the dark blue one."

Tall and Thin cast a glance at Chubby. "You won't fit into it. There’s plus-sized casual wear over there."

"Uncles, mind if I cut in line? Thanks."

***

As the zombies picked out their clothes, Tang Miao and Zhang Xinrou sat to the side, having bread and milk for breakfast. Not far away, Lin Chaofeng and Song Mingchen’s stomachs rumbled as they stared intently at the two women.

Noticing their gaze, Zhang Xinrou whispered to Tang Miao, "They..."

"Why the rush? They won't die from being hungry for a little while."

Zhang Xinrou frowned in thought. It was strange; hadn't Tang Miao been deeply in love with Song Mingchen? They were even engaged before. Did this mean they had broken up?

"Xinrou, I’ll emphasize this one last time: there is no romance at Miaomiao Farm."

"Oh."

Once everyone had finished picking out their clothes and stored them in their respective resting areas, Tang Miao and Zhang Xinrou had finished their meal.

"We have a heavy workload for the upcoming week. We must welcome our first batch of clients with a brand-new image!"

"Task one: Use the infinite fences to assemble a house frame and cover it with tarpaulin. Tall and Thin, take two people to do this, with Jiang Nanxing supervising."

Tang Miao had thought it over while eating; buying cement with points was not cost-effective. The priority was to earn points; once she had enough, she could live in a luxury villa later. The farm was surrounded by trees and protected from strong winds, so fences and tarpaulin would suffice. It was rudimentary, but it would keep them dry, and Jiang Nanxing and the others wouldn't have to hold up mattresses to shield against the rain anymore.

"Task two: Line the three wells in the operating area with pebbles and decorate the water reservoir in the developed area with stones. Chubby, take two people to do this, with Jiang Nanxing supervising."

The dirt walls of the wells made the water muddy when drawing it; adding a layer of stones was both aesthetic and practical.

"Task three: Dig a lake in the undeveloped area of the farm. Use logs and piping equipment to divert water to a higher elevation to build a small hydroelectric power station. I will lead this, taking four people with me."

Electricity was critical. The portable generators they had scavenged wouldn't last long, so this small station had to be built as soon as possible.

The only one left without a task was the dorm manager auntie. "Auntie, in addition to your primary duties, could you act as a floater when you have time?"

"Growl!" *I am a brick; I’ll go wherever I’m needed!*

Seeing everyone disperse with their tools, Lin Chaofeng couldn't sit still. Setting aside the fact that he and Song Mingchen hadn't eaten, he wanted to help; he wanted to contribute to the farm.

"Don't be anxious, Xinrou is bringing food over."

Song Mingchen stood up to greet her. Before meeting Tang Miao, he and Lin Chaofeng had been eating once a day, and now they were famished.

Zhang Xinrou curled her lip and shoved two brand-new work badges into Lin Chaofeng’s chest.

"Don't you dare think about slacking off. Considering you have to look after Song Mingchen, we’ve assigned you some light work. See that sign over there? That’s the crop cultivation area."

"The seeds and tools are ready, and Auntie and the others have already tilled the soil. You two decide who digs the holes and who sows. For the next week, you are responsible for monitoring the crop and livestock areas, weeding and feeding according to the schedule."

"That’s the restroom over there, and the showers are next door. They are separated by gender. The farm doesn't have electricity, so if you want hot water, go to the animal husbandry area and have the dorm manager auntie boil it in a large pot for you."

Lin Chaofeng couldn't wait to hang the badge around his neck. Only with the badge did he feel a sense of belonging; only with the badge did he feel that Tang Miao’s farm had truly accepted them.

Tall and Thin held the food Tang Miao had given him. Song Mingchen watched it, his eyes following every movement as he swallowed hard.

It was past 10 AM when the zombies gathered, and by the time work was assigned, it was nearly 11:30 AM—practically lunchtime.

"Xinrou, what was that about wages you mentioned? Do Brother Chen and I get paid?"

"The farm provides food, housing, and utilities, and protects your safety. You still want a salary? It’s a mercy we aren't charging you protection fees."

Lin Chaofeng scratched his head with an awkward smile. He hadn't really expected a salary, but he was just too curious—what exactly did they pay the zombies with?

He tried to soothe Zhang Xinrou’s temper and continued to ask her questions about the farm. As the two chatted, Song Mingchen lost patience and deliberately stumbled to catch their attention.

Lin Chaofeng was quick to support him. "Brother Chen, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a bit dizzy."

Lin Chaofeng finally realized. "Xinrou, we’re still hungry. Could you give us our food first? Once we’ve eaten, we’ll get to work."

Upon receiving the food, they found only bread, milk, and instant noodles. Song Mingchen frowned. Given the resources Tang Miao had, she couldn't possibly have only hoarded these.

He looked at Zhang Xinrou and smiled gently. "Thank you, Xinrou. Chaofeng and I will work hard so we can eat meat sooner."

"Just eat. I'm leaving."

Zhang Xinrou quickly moved away from them. Thank her? They should be thanking Tang Miao. They hadn't done a single bit of work yet, and they wanted meat? Dream on!

Zhang Xinrou made a decision: from now on, she would keep her distance from Song Mingchen and mind her own business. She was firmly committed to upholding Tang Miao’s core authority.

Not far away, Jiang Nanxing took in the interaction. It seemed that ever since Song Mingchen appeared, Zhang Xinrou’s temperament had become quite unstable.