I can upgrade the shelter
Chapter 127 - 125: Qin Lan’s Purpose

Chapter 127: Chapter 125: Qin Lan’s Purpose

When the tigress hunted, the prey fought back, the tigress subdued the prey again, and the prey still retaliated against the tigress, both Chen Xin and Qin Lan were exhausted.

"A Xin, how about we get back together?" Lying on Chen Xin’s back, Qin Lan rested her head on his shoulder and asked in a wistful tone.

"You were the one who proposed the breakup in the first place, and now you’re telling me to get back together?" Chen Xin lay on the sofa and turned his head to look at Qin Lan on his shoulder. "Just say what your purpose is, no need to use this as an excuse. Besides, we’ve been broken up for so many years, it’s hard for me not to suspect you have ulterior motives."

After Chen Xin said this, Qin Lan’s face immediately flushed, "Was I that obvious?"

"From the moment you decided to stay, I knew you had a purpose; it’s just that I was too lazy to think about it before." Saying this, Chen Xin rolled over and sat up, grabbed a water bottle from the table, and took a big gulp to replenish what he’d lost during the intense activity.

Qin Lan reached out and took the bottle from Chen Xin’s hand, took a drink herself before saying, "A Xin, come back to the official refuge with me! I really don’t feel at ease with you living here alone."

"What’s wrong with living here? I have food and drink, and the heating issue is resolved. I’m living comfortably." Hearing Qin Lan’s words, Chen Xin shook his head in refusal: "And you’re not my girlfriend anymore, in what capacity are you asking me to go back with you?"

Facing Chen Xin’s refusal, Qin Lan didn’t bring up what happened earlier. Though traditionally, girls might care about these things, she’s not that traditional, or she wouldn’t have become a SWAT officer.

Additionally, Qin Lan clearly knew that using these reasons on Chen Xin was meaningless.

"A Xin, living here alone, even if all your living conditions are excellent, you’re by yourself, with no one to talk to. Don’t you feel that’s a problem? Haven’t you noticed your emotional breakdown is due to too much psychological pressure?" Qin Lan said with concern to Chen Xin, reflecting her worries.

She had been concerned about Chen Xin’s mental state because, in this post-apocalyptic world, even in the official refuges with access to psychologists and other people to communicate with, many people still had mental problems.

Even the strictly trained SWAT members were not spared, making it more likely for Chen Xin living alone in a suburban private refuge with limited space and communication opportunities to have psychological issues.

However, during her previous visits, Chen Xin didn’t show any problems, and the situation wasn’t as severe back then. Chen Xin could still go out and communicate with people like Mo Qingyan, so Qin Lan didn’t bring up the issue.

Moreover, they had been broken up for several years, and both had tried to minimize contact. Qin Lan lacked the position and reason to care or interfere with Chen Xin.

But as Chen Xin’s interactions with the SWAT team increased and they met more often, their communication and interactions slowly returned to how they used to be, allowing Qin Lan to grow more concerned for Chen Xin.

Seeing Chen Xin’s unusual lethargy this time, as well as his habit of playing games with cola and chips only when he’s feeling down, made Qin Lan realize Chen Xin was having psychological problems, not just a bad mood.

As a sniper, high psychological resilience is required, so Qin Lan had read a lot of psychology books and was quite knowledgeable about judging someone’s psychological state.

Familiar with Chen Xin, Qin Lan could easily identify that his psychological issues stemmed from long-term lack of communication with others and excessive stress.

Qin Lan proactively offered to stay, hoping to help Chen Xin adjust his psychological problems.

Yet clearly, her current behavior and what she did with Chen Xin were somewhat different from her initial intentions.

As for why she wanted Chen Xin to go back to the official refuge, it was because Qin Lan didn’t want Chen Xin to continue surviving alone like this.

"Then why don’t you come live with me, A Lan?" Chen Xin looked at Qin Lan, meeting her eyes directly: "The living conditions here are obviously better than the official refuge. If you want to live with me, why not just move here with me? Once I get my parents back, this will be a complete home."

"A Xin! Haven’t you understood my meaning yet? I hope you can return to social life, you’re not Robinson; you don’t need to survive in the wilderness alone!" Qin Lan grabbed Chen Xin’s arm, earnestly persuading him.

In Qin Lan’s view, Chen Xin surviving alone outside could in no way compare to living a communal life at the official refuge.

"Just like this time, if we hadn’t come, you’d be trapped in your refuge with the door sealed by snow!" Qin Lan hoped Chen Xin could heed her advice, using the example of the recent snow-blocked door incident: "Had you been at the official refuge, despite its slightly worse conditions, you wouldn’t have to worry about these things, sparing you from bearing such pressure!"

Concerned that Chen Xin might worry about his parents, Qin Lan continued: "If you’re worried about your parents, A Xin, I’ll talk to the political commissar and the captain to help, along with you going back to your hometown to bring them back, okay?"

Seeing the affection in Qin Lan’s eyes, Chen Xin knew she genuinely cared for him and acknowledged the fact of his excessive psychological stress.

Compared to living alone in a confined space, returning to communal living in a larger space is indeed beneficial for mental health.

But for Chen Xin, that’s impossible, or rather it’s a path he wouldn’t choose.

Does Chen Xin know that living alone in such a cramped private refuge could lead to severe psychological issues?

Of course he knows. Much of Qin Lan’s psychological knowledge came from him; how could he not know that an oppressive, cramped environment leads to severe psychological issues?

But what could he do at the official refuge?

Work as a technician fixing equipment or be a laborer digging earth?

Though Chen Xin knows many things, he is not a highly skilled professional.

With his refuge’s support system, he can barely manage, but he truly doesn’t know what he’d do at the official refuge.

Most crucially, Chen Xin is unsure whether his system would still function if he went to the official refuge.