"Supplies distributed," Zhang Yi announced, and told Zhou Ke'er to pack the leftovers.
Fang Yuqing immediately burst into tears. "Brother Zhang, I didn't get any!" She had convinced herself he'd always give her special treatment. Lin Caining piped up behind her: "Me neither!"
Zhang Yi smiled, slow and cold. "I didn't forget you. You just don't deserve any."
Fang Yuqing froze, then ran up to him, face wet with real and staged sobs. "You said you liked me—this is a joke, right?" she pleaded.
Zhang Yi pulled Zhou Ke'er closer—calm, composed, a doctor who actually earned respect—and said, with contempt, "I said that to a lot of girls. It was a game. I'm bored of you. I have a girlfriend now."
The comparison landed like a slap. Zhou Ke'er looked dignified; Fang Yuqing looked ragged. Zhang Yi pressed the knife in further. "In the rich-kid circles you were nicknamed a 'self-righteous gold-digger.' Someone could buy you for next to nothing." Xu Hao, still nursing bruises, spat the word out and several neighbors burst into mocking laughter. Fang Yuqing screamed and ran.
Lin Caining, desperate, begged: "I didn't offend you! Give me food!"
Zhang Yi shrugged. "You annoy me. No."
He tossed a small bag of cookies to Xu Hao. "Good job. That's your reward." The rich kid grinned like a supplicant.
Then Zhang Yi set the rules for defense. The remaining forty-three neighbors—excluding his core group—would be divided into six teams on continuous shifts. Kill an invader, earn five rations; serve a shift, get one ration (but the core group picks first). Uncle You was appointed overseer.
Xie Limei complained loudly about her share. Uncle You shut her down with a look and a single, stern word. The line was drawn: loyalty and usefulness determined who ate.