Chapter 71 Two Men Hidden in the Wardrobe

There was a knock on Shan Ran's door, and a man's voice came from outside.

"Ranran, it's me."

Is the snail-shaped man older?

Shan Ran went over to open the door and let Meng Xin in as well.

The room was simply furnished, with only a bed and a wardrobe.

The room's ventilation openings are high and small. The original glass has long been broken, and only a few stainless steel pipes block them, which barely serve as the room's protection.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, but the light was still dim. Fortunately, a candle was lit inside, providing just enough illumination.

Unlike the well-equipped facilities in the safe zone, this place is very rudimentary. If you want any decent light at night, you can only use candles.

Most bases still use this primitive lighting method.

Meng Xin also stood in front of Shan Ran, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on the man's striking face.

His face was half in the dim light and half in the gloomy shadow.

Shanran couldn't discern his expression.

What brings you here?

Meng Xin looked down at the girl and saw the flush on her face, knowing that she was a little drunk.

So he bent down slightly, leaned close to the girl's ear, and asked in a low voice, "Ranran, do you like that wolf?"

They were too close, their breaths were scalding hot, and Shan Ran had the illusion that his ear had been bitten.

She couldn't help but shrank her shoulders, trying to avoid the overly humid air.

But Meng Xin seemed to have sensed her change in advance, and grabbed her arm to stop the girl's actions.

He had also drunk quite a bit of alcohol, and his breath was not only hot but also carried a faint smell of alcohol.

Thinking of Meng Xinye, who was just sitting at the dining table, separated by two people.

At that time, he seemed to be influenced by the two men in the middle, and he was depressed and fragile, as if he might cry at any moment.

Despite his seemingly fragile appearance, the man always knows how to soften her heart.

But she always appreciated it.

The wine was intoxicating, and I was a little tipsy.

She wanted to soothe the Snail Man's greatly anxious heart.

"A wolf?" She looked up at the other person, a faint smile playing on her lips in the candlelight. "Tu Zhi?"

Meng Xin was also somewhat stunned, and tightened her grip on Shan Ran's hands.

He originally intended to seduce the girl, but unexpectedly he was bewitched by her instead.

"Hmm, are you interested in him?"

Shan Ran tilted her head, chuckled, and with a slight upward tilt of her eye, she whispered in Meng Xinye's ear, mimicking his earlier manner, "I'm interested in you."

The man's hand tightened again, but as if afraid of hurting Shanran, he quickly loosened his grip.

Before the girl could say anything more, he hooked his hand under her chin and kissed her forcefully.

He's so easily swayed.

He could easily fall for her.

Because of holding the sledgehammer for a long time, Meng Xin's fingers have developed thick calluses.

The man's fingertips brushed against her waist, and Shanran could feel the roughness.

He lingered, yearning for her, trying to restrain himself but still using too much force, leaving red marks on the girl's body.

"Shanran, are you there?"

A sudden knocking sound from outside startled the two people inside.

It was only then that Shanran noticed that they had unknowingly fallen onto the bed.

Both of them had slightly disheveled clothes and their lips looked a little red and swollen.

"Shanran, I see candlelight inside. You're still awake, aren't you? I have something to tell you."

Nan Guishang was certain that Shan Ran was inside. He seemed to have something very important to do, and regardless of whether Shan Ran was asleep or not, he was very persistent and just wanted to see her.

Shan Ran pulled down her clothes and gestured to Meng Xin to hide as well.

Meng Xin glanced disapprovingly towards the door, but knew it wasn't appropriate for him to be in Shan Ran's room at this moment, especially given their current state...

He sighed silently, looked around the room, and then walked to the wardrobe while tidying his clothes.

He gestured for Shanran to open the door, then opened the cabinet door and crawled inside.

Shanran opened the door and saw a red-haired man standing outside.

"Young Master Shang, what brings you here so late?"

Nan Guishang frowned, his eyes somewhat unfocused, clearly drunk, but his speech was still very clear.

"Could you please stop calling me Young Master Shang? Didn't I tell you to call me, call me Ah Shang?"

Shan Ran nodded helplessly, "Okay, A Shang, what's the matter?"

The man froze, his fists clenching. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Could you let me in to talk?"

Shan Ran wasn't worried about what the other person might do, but his behavior seemed a bit off. After hesitating for a moment, she let him in.

After Nan Guishang came in, he stood by the bed for a long time, as if in a meditative state, without moving.

He quietly examined the girl in front of him and noticed that her lips were unusually red and covered with a thin layer of moisture.

Was it because she drank too much? The girl's lips look a little swollen...

Nan Guishang stared at Shan Ran without blinking, not saying a word, clearly lost in thought.

The man didn't speak until Shanran was getting impatient.

"Shanran, are you... are you interested in that wolf?"

Yamaran:......?

She glanced at the wardrobe and pursed her lips speechlessly.

What's wrong with her tonight? One after another, they're all asking her about things related to that wolf?

Which eye saw that she might be interested in that wolf?

She simply thought the wolf ears were cute, so she reached out and touched them; she didn't mean anything by it.

Before the apocalypse, she would squat down and pet cute stray cats she saw on the street, and feed them freeze-dried cat food.

She just likes plush animals; that doesn't mean she'll like plush creature-type ability users.

“No interest,” Shan Ran shook her head decisively, not wanting to give others unnecessary speculation. “Did you come here just for this question?”

Nan Guishang stared at her blankly, and after hearing the answer, the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, revealing an exceptionally bright smile.

Most of the businessmen returning from the south that Shanran usually encounters are grumpy, arrogant, impatient, angry, and conceited...

This was the first time she had ever seen the other person smile so happily.

The candlelight shone on the man's red hair, softening his usual arrogant and foolish demeanor and adding a touch of youthful vibrancy.

Nan Guishang chuckled to himself for a while before answering, "I have other questions."

"Okay, go ahead."

"I want to ask you, you...you...you're not interested in that wolf, but are you interested in me?"

The words the man had been pondering for a long time, swirling and turning in his mouth, finally escaping as a single sentence—

Are you also interested in that Meng Xin?

"ah?"

Shan Ran was stunned; her already somewhat drunken mind became even more confused.

They kept asking the wolf what it wanted to do.

Suddenly, Shan Ran had a flash of inspiration. With a complicated expression, she looked at the red-haired man in front of her who was laughing at her worthless smile, and asked uncertainly.

Do you like... me?

Nan Guishang's smile froze on his face instantly. He had originally intended to ask, but before he could even speak, the other party exposed his mistake, and his first reaction was to deny it.

"How could that be! What are you talking about? I... I just saw you had too much to drink and was worried something might happen to you, so I came to check on you."

He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. He hadn't expected his mouth to act faster than his brain. Just as he was about to say something to make amends, he saw Shan Ran let out a long sigh, his expression seemingly relieved.

"That's good."

The red-haired youth was stunned; he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

When I came to my senses, all the alcohol rushed to my head, and I felt like the air was thin.

He was stunned!

What does she mean? Is it something painful to be liked by him?

"What's wrong with you? What's with that reaction?"

Shanran looked at him strangely, "Didn't you say you didn't like me? My reaction is perfectly normal."

"You, me..."

Nan Guishang was completely bewildered. In his extreme surprise, his mind cleared completely. Only then did he realize that the girl opposite him actually had absolutely no feelings for him!

So he's been wrong all along?

What was the meaning of that kiss before?

What did the "personal care" mean during those few days?

She bathes him with water-based superpowers every day, sees his body completely naked, and kisses him as soon as he wakes up. Now she doesn't want to take responsibility?

Nan Guishang's chest heaved violently, his breathing gradually became heavier, and he felt as if smoke was rising from the top of his head and his ears.

Shanran was exhausted and sleepy, and she still had to play some unknown game with this young master. She was really struggling to stay awake, and her eyelids were drooping.

"What? What are you saying? Are you done talking?"

Hearing Shan Ran's order to leave, Nan Guishang felt as if a heavy hammer had struck his heart.

His words came out without thinking at all.

"I came here to ask you, why did you kiss me that day? After kissing me, you left me behind. What do you take me for?"

Upon hearing this, Shan Ran's mind cleared up a bit.

She never expected that Nan Guishang would come over in the middle of the night to bring up old grievances.

Could it be because he drank too much and was so angry about being forcibly kissed that day that he came here to cause trouble?

However, when it comes to this matter, she was indeed at fault first, as she took the other party's superpower and caused him to misunderstand.

But that day will come sooner or later; it's just a matter of time.

Shanran decided to explain clearly, so she carefully considered her words and said, "I'm sorry about that day. I was out of my mind. I saw that you were good-looking and I was temporarily bewitched."

But don't worry, Mr. Shang, I will definitely correct my mistakes in the future and will never do such a thing again. I will never have any unnecessary thoughts about you. We will only be friends, and there will be no other relationship!

She spoke with absolute certainty and with great sincerity.

The returning merchant was stunned.

When he heard "because he's good-looking" and "bewitched," the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

But the more he talked, the more his face fell.

He...he didn't want to hear those words...

Please don't change it! It's okay to have your own ideas! I don't want to just be friends!

But he didn't know how to bring it up.

Nan Guishang is an only child. When he was very young, both his parents were very busy, and he was mostly taken care of by a nanny.

The nanny indulged him in everything, which fostered his unruly and lawless nature.

After starting school, he became even more arrogant and domineering because of his good looks, strong athletic abilities, and powerful family background, which attracted many people to fawn over him.

If it weren't for the apocalypse, he would still be that spoiled brat, a playboy who spends his days gambling and chasing dogs.

After the apocalypse arrived, he used his immortality to die everywhere, even arguing with the top scions of the First Continent.

He never knew what it meant to show weakness, and he never lowered his proud head.

He was always the one being coaxed; he almost never uttered a single kind word.

He doesn't know how to express his love.

Shan Ran had already come up with an extremely awkward explanation after racking her brains, and at this moment she didn't want to face the man in front of her at all.

So after a few polite words, she directly asked the guests to leave.

"Young Master Shang, if you don't mind, you can still consider me a friend. If you really mind, then we can never see each other again. It's too late, why don't you go back to sleep first and we can talk about it tomorrow?"

Hearing the girl revert to her previous polite form of address, Nan Guishang felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if he had been electrocuted, and his heart pounded.

"That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to cut ties completely. I don't care about that matter at all. I..."

Nan Guishang mustered up his courage to confess his feelings, but was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

Shan Ran frowned impatiently.

Why are there still people here?

Tu Yuqing's voice came from outside the door.

"Captain Shanran, I need to talk to you about something. Are you asleep?"

How can you sleep when the candles haven't gone out?

Shan Ran responded, then looked at the man beside her who looked utterly annoyed.

They came at a really bad time. Tu Yuqing and Lu Wenrou knew each other, and if she knew that the district chief's son was still in her room in the middle of the night, she would definitely have a lot of speculations.

So Shanran gestured to the wardrobe, letting Nan Guishang hide inside.

The man was so angry he wanted to cry. He had finally mustered up the courage, why did someone have to disturb him?

However, he knew it wasn't appropriate to appear in front of Tu Yuqing at this time, so he very obediently walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, and went inside.

Meng Xin also:........

Returning Merchant from the South: ? ? ? ? ?

The two men inside the wardrobe stared at each other, their minds blank for a moment.

"How could you...?"

Before Nan Guishang could finish speaking, Meng Xin covered his mouth and made a "shh" gesture with her other hand.

He slapped Meng Xinye's hand away and was about to speak, but then he remembered that they were in the closet in Shan Ran's room and that there were people his mother knew outside, so Nan Guishang held back.

Instead of speaking, they gestured with their mouths.

"Don't touch me."

Meng Xin also sneered, crossed his arms and leaned back against the cabinet, closed his eyes to rest, and didn't even look at the other person.

Nan Guishang hadn't recovered from the shock of finding another person hidden in the closet when he heard the noise outside.

"Captain Shanran, what was that sound just now? Did you hear it? Was it a monster?"

Shan Ran didn't let Tu Yuqing into the house; the two of them stood at the doorway.

The "snap" sound that came from inside immediately put Tu Yuqing on high alert. After all, this place was not far from the sea, and there was always the possibility of a monster attacking at any time.

Shan Ran sighed silently.

It would be abnormal if those two people locked up together didn't make any noise.

Hopefully, they won't cause too much trouble. If Tu Yuqing finds out and ends up complaining to Lu Wenrou, she'd better just flee the safe zone tonight.

She looked back, feigning confusion. "What was that sound? I didn't hear anything. There are no monsters in my room. Captain Tu, are you drunk and mishearing?"

Tu Yuqing was indeed drunk. She was very happy tonight, and she would have been even happier if it weren't for that rascal of a younger brother causing trouble.

She rubbed her eyes, looking a little confused. "Maybe I misheard. I'm sorry you had to see this. I don't usually drink, but I had a bit too much tonight."

Shan Ran smiled and shook her head, indicating that it was alright. "Captain Tu, is there something you need from me?"

Tu Yuqing's expression turned serious, tinged with embarrassment. She sighed several times, then rubbed her hands together. "Um... Captain Shanran, I'm sorry to bother you so late."

"It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but the main reason I came to see you was because of my good-for-nothing younger brother."

Upon hearing Tu Yuqing mention her younger brother, Shan Ran's brows twitched, a vague sense of foreboding creeping over her.

"It's about... Captain Shanran. Don't blame me for being so straightforward, but my brother and I are both very frank and can't keep things to ourselves, so we just want an answer right now."

"I just wanted to ask, Captain Shanran, are you interested in my younger brother?"

Shan Ran: ...This is the third one. Tonight, the third person has asked her this question. She was wrong. She will never touch a strange wolf's ears again.

"I'm sorry, Captain Tu. If the misunderstanding was caused by me touching your brother's wolf ears, I apologize."

After hearing Shan Ran apologize, Tu Yuqing knew the outcome.

"Captain Tu, your younger brother is very good and outstanding, but I don't have any romantic feelings for him. I believe he will find a very good girl in the future."

Tu Yuqing unconsciously glanced sideways at the end of the corridor. This was the result she had expected. Shan Ran was so outstanding, she didn't think her younger brother was good enough for her.

"Captain Shanran, please don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong. It's an honor for that brat to let you touch his ear, hahaha."

Sorry to bother you, I'll be going now. You should get some rest. Goodnight.

This was the first time Tu Yuqing had done something like this for her younger brother, and she was directly rejected. Feeling embarrassed, she left hurriedly with a flushed face.

When they reached the corner of the corridor, they discovered that their younger brother was gone.

She sighed deeply, never expecting that her younger brother would fall for such a girl on his first crush. It was really a difficult situation.

Shan Ran closed the door, feeling utterly exhausted.

The effects of the alcohol, which had just begun to dissipate, surged back, this time with overwhelming force, leaving her feeling utterly exhausted.

She didn't even open the closet door. She said to the person inside, "Come out quickly, everyone go back to your rooms," and then went straight to bed and fell asleep.

Nan Guishang and Meng Xin also pushed open the door and came out.

Two long legs were squeezed together awkwardly inside, and they had to absolutely avoid touching each other. At this point, they were both a little numb.

Shanran fell asleep almost instantly on the bed, and soon her even breathing could be heard.

Nan Guishang suddenly realized that Shan Ran was sleeping so carelessly because Meng Xin was also beside her.

Does she really trust this blue-haired guy that much?

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails pierced his palms, and the stinging pain finally managed to suppress the unspeakable bitterness in his heart.

Nan Guishang had no idea how he left or how he got back to his room.

His room also had a small ventilation window, and he stood under that window all night.

The two little figures in his mind fought all night.

The little man #1 said, "Since she doesn't like you, then let go gracefully and stop liking her. There are so many men around her. Haven't you always wanted the kind of lifelong, monogamous love like your parents? Shanran isn't right for you. Take your heart back!"

The second little person said, "If you like her, go for it! Even if Shanran has someone else, you can still snatch her away! What haven't you gotten since you were little? This is the first time you've fallen for someone, are you willing to let go? She says you can be friends, so you really can be friends? I don't want to just be friends!"

The little man #1 said, "What's the point of fighting? Who said you have to have a woman? At worst, you can just live alone, it'll be more relaxed and carefree."

The second little man said, "You've only ever liked one girl since you were little. If you miss this chance, you might never like anyone else again. At worst, you'll be the other woman for love!"

Number 1: "You're the one who's number three!"

Number 2: "Of course I can be number three!"

"......."

The two little figures argued in Nan Guishang's mind all night, making his head buzz.

So much so that Adolf was quite surprised when he saw him in the morning.

"Hey! Young Master Shang, what's wrong? Why are your eyes so dark? Did you not sleep well last night? Or did you drink too much and feel unwell?"

Cheng Liu and Wei Qing rushed over as soon as they heard the noise. They approached the two men, looked the red-haired youth up and down, and put on an exaggeratedly concerned expression.

"Oh dear, Young Master Shang, what's wrong? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"Yes, Young Master Shang, if you have something on your mind, feel free to speak up and let the brothers hear it. We'll all analyze it for you and give you some advice."

After speaking, Adolf, Cheng Liucong, and Wei Qing exchanged glances, all seeing the look of anticipation in each other's eyes.

Nan Guishang hadn't slept all night, and his head was throbbing. Surrounded by three noisy people, he couldn't think straight at all.

The red-haired youth's eyes were glazed over as he murmured, "Three...should I become...?"

The other three got closer and closer, their ears almost touching their young master's body.

Nan Guishang's hazy mind cleared instantly, and he shouted, "What are those three people doing!"

The three were startled by the shout and immediately straightened up, their expressions turning serious in unison.

"Young Master Shang, I'm just concerned about your health!"

I'm concerned about what's on your mind!

"I...I am...I am..."

Nan Guishang glanced at the three of them, clicked his tongue impatiently, and turned to leave.

I was already in a bad mood, and seeing these three people made it even worse.

Today's task is to inventory the supplies, which is mainly handled by Adolf, with Yamazaki assisting from the side.

When it comes to logistics, Shan Ran is definitely not as skilled as Meng Xin, so she asked Meng Xin to help her coordinate with Adolf.

She went to the dock to observe the monster in the sea and the mist visible to the naked eye in the distance.

The fog at sea is different from that on land.

The land was shrouded in a vast, all-encompassing mist, connecting the sky and the earth.

The fog at sea resembles a small island, with only its pointed tip visible above the water, while the majority of it remains submerged.