Chapter 2 Stockpiling Supplies
We must act immediately!
With a thought, Ruan Ning regained consciousness. She glanced at the date on her phone, confirmed the time, and her eyes sharpened like knives.
Without any hesitation, she picked up her phone and began to liquidate all her assets.
Before her mother passed away, she left her a trust fund—not a huge sum, but enough for her to live comfortably until she graduated from university—as well as several pieces of valuable jewelry. Now, these are her means of survival.
Without feeling the slightest bit heartache, she quickly contacted several reputable secondhand luxury goods dealers and pawnshops, arranging for them to come and inspect the goods.
At the same time, all the money in her fund account, including fixed deposits, was forcibly redeemed, even at the cost of considerable losses.
After doing all this, she opened the wardrobe. Inside hung various expensive dresses and exquisite high heels, all "kindly" chosen for her by her stepmothers, Lin Wanyun and Lin Jiaojiao, befitting the status of the "eldest daughter of the Ruan family" they described.
Ruan Ning gave a cold smile, shoved all those flashy but impractical things aside, and pulled out a few sets of durable and easy-to-move casual clothes and sneakers from the bottom of the wardrobe to change into.
She neatly tied her long hair into a high ponytail, instantly shedding her pampered fragility and revealing a dashing and capable demeanor.
Over the next few days, Ruan Ning worked like a tireless machine, running around like crazy.
After receiving the money from selling her jewelry and funds, she immediately drove away from the city and rented a huge, secluded warehouse in a remote suburban area.
Then came the frenzied buying spree that nearly maxed out all credit cards and online lending platforms.
Compressed biscuits, military-grade canned food, vacuum-packed rice, flour, cooking oil, various dried meats, dehydrated vegetables, purified water, beverages... tons and tons of basic survival supplies were transported to the warehouse.
Then there were medicines. Cold medicine, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, tourniquets, gauze, alcohol, iodine... she hoarded as much as possible through different channels as she could think of.
There are also various daily necessities, including several sets of clothes, quilts, socks, etc. for all four seasons.
In the hardware store, axes, machetes, entrenching tools, high-powered flashlights, batteries, solar charging panels... became her shopping targets.
She even managed to obtain dozens of large barrels of gasoline and diesel through special channels.
Every day, she travels back and forth between the warehouse and various markets, piling up the purchased supplies in the warehouse and then quickly storing them into her spatial storage when no one is around.
Looking at the mountain of supplies piled up in the bamboo house, the sense of security that came from controlling one's own destiny gradually dispelled the shadow of death in the previous life and the bone-chilling cold.
During this time, her stepmother Lin Wanyun and stepsister Lin Jiaojiao noticed her unusual behavior.
At the dinner table, Lin Wanyun put down her spoon and asked with feigned concern, "Ningning, I've seen you leaving early and coming home late these past few days. What have you been busy with? A girl should be more demure."
Lin Jiaojiao chimed in sarcastically, "Yeah, sister, you're not in a relationship, are you? I heard you've been buying a lot of... weird things lately? You even sold the diamond necklace Auntie gave you? Are you having some trouble? Don't get scammed."
Ruan Ning raised her eyes, her gaze calmly sweeping over the two hypocritical faces. She had once been deceived by these seemingly gentle and caring expressions.
She picked up a tissue and wiped her mouth, her tone indifferent: "Get rid of some useless things and buy some things you like. How I spend my money is none of your concern."
After saying that, she got up and left, leaving Lin Wanyun and Lin Jiaojiao with unpleasant expressions.
Time passed day by day, and only two days remained until the end of the world.
Ruan Ning has prepared almost all the supplies on her list, and the goods she has stockpiled in her space are enough for her to live comfortably for decades.
She began to fill in the gaps, adding some previously overlooked details, such as a large number of books and some entertainment items.
That afternoon, she had just come out of a large outdoor equipment store, carrying several newly purchased top-of-the-line waterproof jackets and sleeping bags, and was heading to the parking lot to get her car.
Just as I reached the car, a delicate, affected voice rang out behind me.
"elder sister!"
Ruan Ning's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and her hand gripping the car keys tightened abruptly, her knuckles turning white.
She slowly turned around.
Lin Jiaojiao, dressed in a beautiful white dress, jogged over and affectionately tried to take her arm.
They've arrived.
The scene was exactly the same as in my previous life.
Ruan Ning subtly avoided her touch.
Lin Jiaojiao's smile froze for a moment, then she burst into tears, her voice filled with grievance: "Sister, are you still angry with me? I know I was wrong last time. I shouldn't have touched the bracelet that Mom left you without your permission... I just liked it so much, I thought it was really beautiful."
She paused, then looked at Ruan Ning with even more "sincere" eyes: "Sister, look, I used my own pocket money to buy you a new diamond bracelet, it's much more fashionable than the jade bangle! How about we swap? You can give me this jade bangle, and I promise I'll cherish it!"
As she spoke, she actually took out a velvet box from her exquisite bag, opened it, and inside lay a sparkling diamond bracelet.
The diamonds under the sunlight refracted a dazzling light, but it was nothing compared to the coldness in Ruan Ning's heart at this moment.
Same old tricks, same lame excuses. In her past life, she was deceived by this illusion of "sisterly affection" and "equivalent exchange," and with Lin Wanyun chiming in, she reluctantly gave up her mother's belongings.
Lin Jiaojiao didn't really know what was so good about the bracelet, but she just felt that it had a special attraction for her that made her want to have it!
Ruan Ningjing watched Lin Jiaojiao's performance quietly, her eyes devoid of any emotion, like a bottomless, icy pool.
She gently raised her left hand and slapped Lin Jiaojiao across the face.
With a "snap," then, her red lips parted slightly, and she uttered three words clearly and slowly:
"You...are...worthy?"
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