Confinement and usurpation
On the way, I learned the story behind today's unexpected danger, which can be described as a coincidence that saved my life.
When that guy grabbed me, nobody knew it. They were all quietly waiting in their ambush positions for Qian Shiqi to appear. It was Wang Lianshan, who was handling a gun for the first time, who accidentally discharged it while fiddling with it out of curiosity. This saved me from my imminent death but also alerted the rest of my teammates.
When Qian Shiqi took me hostage and started taunting me, Wang Lianshan dragged the unconscious Guo Yang upstairs. Yu Zhongjian and the others had already gathered to discuss countermeasures. Gao Chen suggested that he could snipe the robbers, but their position was tricky, and there were no suitable sniping spots in the special operations compound. So Yu Zhongjian came out and played a big bluff to buy time, while Gao Chen, along with Over Man who had a walkie-talkie, circled around to the kill spot from another exit—the fourth-floor parking space in the folding parking lot. They were using his beloved "infrared thermal imaging laser rangefinder night vision sniper rifle," which had an incredibly long name.
Although I have some reservations about Over's pronunciation, I still think he is bold and meticulous, and his analysis of the enemy's situation is accurate. No matter how he pronounces it, as long as the enemy can't understand him, it doesn't matter.
I reached out my trembling hands and grasped the hands of the person next to me: "Thank you, Lao Wang. If you hadn't handled the gun improperly, I would be dead today."
Old Wang: "Hey, look what Captain Qi said..."
Gao Chen and Over Man were in another car, so I could only thank them when I got back.
After resting with my eyes closed for a while on the way, I felt my strength returning. I repeatedly told my teammates not to let my parents know what happened today, and just say that we were delayed by encountering a zombie horde. So when I got out of the car, I avoided Yu Zhongjian's outstretched hand again and forced myself to walk to the cafeteria.
Because they had no means of communication, all the veterans were anxiously waiting for us, even delaying their mealtimes. When they saw that we had returned unharmed, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Ma Li and the others called for dinner, but my mother suddenly sat down in front of me.
She stared at my face, her eyes full of confusion: "Dafeng, what's wrong?"
My neck hurts, my head hurts, I was almost strangled and held hostage for a long time, so I must look terrible. But I was afraid she would worry, and even more afraid she would restrict my future movements, so I grinned and tried to make my voice sound normal: "It's nothing, I was just fighting zombies late today, and I was cold and hungry."
“No,” my mom touched my hand, “your voice is hoarse. Tell me the truth, did something happen today?”
I shook my head, feeling dizzy and lightheaded: "No, I went to kill the corpses happily and came home safely. Nothing happened."
“You’re trying to lie to me,” my mother said firmly, looking around in the crowd before beckoning to Yu Zhongjian: “Dandan, come here, Auntie has something to ask you.”
I've told her everything I needed to, so I'm not afraid of her questions. But I didn't expect that Yu Zhongjian would come over and tell the truth without even pausing. Not only my mother heard it, but everyone around us heard it too, and they were all shocked and gasped.
"You!" I pointed at him weakly, too weak even to be angry.
My mom clutched her chest, tears welling up in her eyes: "I knew it! This afternoon I was so anxious I couldn't breathe, I kept feeling like something bad was going to happen, and I knew it was you, you worry-free person!"
A mother's heart is connected to her daughter's, and I had no choice but to succumb to my mother's intuition. I reluctantly admitted and resorted to a shameless act: "It's nothing, I'm just too tired to sleep right now. Can you scold me tomorrow if you want?"
"Why would I scold you!" My mom turned around and hugged me. "Don't talk, don't say anything. Go upstairs and lie down. Let Meili take a look at you. I'll go make you some ginseng soup."
My dad was two tables away, staring at me with a heavy gaze, and then he let out a long sigh.
On the third day of my "recuperation," Chen Ruonan sat by the bed and scooped out canned yellow peaches for me to eat; Liu Meili prepared a neck ointment for me at her desk in the office; my mother squatted on the ground and used an alcohol stove to cook noodles for me, while grabbing a handful of ginseng, goji berries, and astragalus and throwing them into the pot.
I lay sprawled on the bed like a dead pig, mechanically opening my mouth to receive food while listening to my dad, who was standing at the foot of the bed, give me my daily dose of moral education.
"Why did your eldest aunt jump into the river? She couldn't handle the pressure. She was spoiled too much by your grandmother. When she was thirteen or fourteen, she suffered some mistreatment outside and couldn't think straight. She ran away to Qinghekou at night. Your grandmother wanted to hang herself, but your grandfather stopped her. Your second and third uncles don't remember this incident. They were so young back then. Later, your grandfather told us brothers that from now on, all the children of the Qi family, whether boys or girls, should be raised to be rough and tough. We will not bully others, and we will never let others bully us. If we suffer mistreatment outside, those who have the ability should get revenge. Those who don't have the ability should not take it to heart even if they are beaten or scolded. Just laugh it off."
I stuffed a mouthful of yellow peach into my mouth and mumbled, "It's just that I'm shameless!"
My dad glared at me: "If you want to put it that way, then your grandpa just hopes that all the children in our Qi family will be independent, broad-minded, and not bothered by trivial matters. They shouldn't be influenced by irrelevant people or things, they should have a calm mindset, and they should have a long-term vision..."
I was a bit confused by today's ideological education. After listening for a while, apart from learning that I had an aunt who died young and that my grandfather was the originator of my manly behavior, I didn't get any educational value from it.
"Dad, the day before yesterday you said you wanted to set a good example for the family and locked me up in solitary confinement, yesterday you said you wanted to temper my impulsive nature, what exactly is the main idea today? I don't understand."
"What I want to tell you today is that scum is dead and that's that. Don't take it to heart. Although I don't condone killing, he was guilty of many crimes and then resorted to kidnapping you in desperation. If the People's Government had tried him in the past, he would have been sentenced to death. Moreover, it was Company Commander Gao who killed him. Company Commander Gao represents the army, and you represent the people. It is perfectly justified and reasonable for him to execute a criminal who endangered the lives of the masses. Don't feel guilty."
I swallowed the yellow peach and pushed away the spoon Chen Ruonan offered me again: "Do you think I'll feel guilty?"
"You're a girl after all, and girls are less resilient. It wasn't a zombie that died, but a living person, right in front of you. It's normal that you can't get over it. Seeing you always shouting about fighting and killing, I know you're not that cruel. Do you remember when you were little? Li Changhai's second son from Jiankang Lane, you saw him strangling a cat, and you smashed a hole in his head. Last time Li Changhai saw me, he mentioned it, saying that girls are girls, soft-hearted, and love animals."
Me: ...Think back, didn't Li Changhai say that to you through gritted teeth? After all these years, he still holds a grudge against me!
After my dad finished lecturing me, my mom brought over some noodles and fed me, saying as she did so, "Anyway, don't even think about running around outside again. You've encountered this once, who knows what kind of danger you'll face next time. Look at Meili, Nannan, Xiao Qin, Xiao Ma, people older and younger than you, they all stay home peacefully, but you're like a wild man every day! If there are fewer zombies outside, will there be no one to fight them? What are all those men in the yard doing? They go out to get supplies, and we stay home to take care of logistics, that's only natural... Don't pretend you're dead, did you hear me?!"
"Oh," I mumbled, evasive, and avoided the main point with a single word.
My dad slapped the bed railing: "It's settled then. You can quit being the dean, I'll take over. I'll arrange jobs for these kids."
Me: ? I've never been a dean!
After lying in bed for days, my bones were practically melting. I was anxious and restless, eager to get out of bed, but I gave in after round after round of my parents' doting parental nagging. My mother was determined not to let me go out anymore, so she specifically talked to Yu Zhongjian, Han Bo, and others, declaring that if anyone dared to take me out again, the three of us would be separated from the group and go back to our old Qi family to live on our own.
I thought to myself that this threat was too weak. There were dozens of veterans now, and losing a family of three wouldn't be a problem at all. But when everyone came to visit me one after another and heard my request to return to the unit, they all unanimously and firmly refused.
Han Bo: "I could get yelled at by Aunt Cheng until I'm covered in shit!"
Zhou Yi: "I love your mom's cooking. I'm not used to having someone else cook for me."
Blackie: "I can't control you. If Uncle Qi goes back to the Qi family, I'll just go back with him."
Yu Zhongjian: "You're the dean, so you make the decisions. I won't take the initiative, refuse, or take responsibility."
My eyes were blazing: "You utterly despicable scumbag who can do a 360-degree spin and splits!"
Qian Shiqi is dead, but his influence lingers. Regarding the small amount of money he mentioned when he berated Yu Yu that day, Yu Zhongjian pretended it had nothing to do with him, so I didn't bring it up myself.
It turns out that Qian and Yu had known each other for a long time and had rebelled against society together. Later, Yu Yu was arrested but escaped punishment by using his status as a mental patient, while Qian Shiqi also went unpunished until the end of the world. No one knows how these two got together, but anyone who can befriend a psychopathic serial killer is definitely not mentally sound.
Multiple personality disorder is an officially recognized condition. Logically, the sins committed by Yu Yu shouldn't be attributed to Yu Zhongjian, but I always feel there's something else hidden in his condition. Since he learned he was in the apocalypse, none of his other personalities have resurfaced, including the primary personality, Yu Yu. I don't need to help him improve himself; he can completely control his body and emotions, as if he can continue to do so indefinitely if he so chooses. Isn't that incredibly strange?
I wanted to find an opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with him, to ask about his "past," but on the one hand, men are always out early and back late, and when they do come to visit, it's always a swarm of them, so I haven't been able to find a good opportunity. On the other hand, for some reason, I always feel a little awkward when I see him. Although I'm muscular and tall, and look quite slim, and I've always claimed to weigh 110 pounds, my actual weight is 125.6, okay, actually 7! It was the first time a man had ever hugged me, and I was so startled that I accidentally told the truth. How embarrassing would I be if he told me my weight!
Qian Shiqi was killed and Yu Yu was suppressed, their love, hatred and grudges gone with the wind. But some people in our compound couldn't get over it. When they came to visit me, they said with great regret, "Why couldn't we capture him alive? Why did we let him die so easily?"
Regarding my attitude towards these people, my mother once gave me a stern lecture: "Don't talk nonsense if you haven't been involved in their affairs. We're all women, and it's only right that we help each other."
I figured she'd seen more of the world than I'd, so I should listen to her. After leaving them with Liu Meili, I made time to check on them a few times. I never expected that just a few greetings and casual words of comfort would earn me such a heartfelt response.
The older sisters, Sister Wei and Sister Lin, took on multiple roles, running between the canteen and the dormitories, helping with cooking and cleaning. They kept the houses sparkling clean, and were often seen wielding brooms in the courtyard, taking over the work from Zhao Zhuobao and Binbin. The younger sisters, including Xiao Fang, automatically took on the task of washing all the clothes, bedding, and even shoes for everyone in the compound. There were laundry facilities in the compound, but they couldn't be used without the motor running, so they washed by hand, dried, folded, and tidied each room one by one. Those who went out to kill zombies needed to change their clothes every day, and we never had to worry about that.
This is exactly what they mean by "returning a favor." Later, I thought about Han Bo's words: in the apocalypse, with zombies and all their loved ones gone, these frail women—perhaps it wasn't that they were weak, but rather that they didn't know the meaning of resistance. Having lost what they wanted to protect, even dignity seemed insignificant.
They gathered around my bed, not sad, but resentful, cursing the dead man fiercely.
Ma Li stood with them, her expression indifferent. When others looked at her seeking sympathy, she would nod in agreement; otherwise, she would remain silent. However, when the name Qian Shiqi was mentioned, her eyes still held an undisguised hatred.
To this day, I have never asked her what she experienced in that dark and dreary auto repair shop, but when I think of how Qian Shiqi gave up his chance to escape for her when he was at his wit's end, I can't help but sigh: what is honey to him is poison to her; and I also sigh: beauty is truly a curse!
Little Meng Haoran also came to visit me, and very thoughtfully picked out a few items from his special food as a gift for me. So we sat facing each other, each enjoying a lollipop.
"Auntie, Uncle Qi said that when I turn ten, he can take me out to fight monsters."
"Ten years old won't work, fifteen years old won't work either, maybe eighteen years old or later... Who is Uncle Qi?"
"Your father."
"You call him uncle and me aunt?"
"Then what should I call him? Grandpa Qi? His hair and beard aren't even white yet, he'll be unhappy if I call him grandpa."
Did you even consider that I might be unhappy? "I don't care what you call him, but you can't call me 'Auntie,' you have to call me 'Sister,' understand?"
Xiao Meng looked troubled: "My mother said that we can't disrespect our elders."
I was so angry at the word "elder" that I saw stars. Just then, Binbin walked by, and Xiaomeng saw him and waved, "Brother Binbin, are you going to sweep the floor? I'll help you!"
Binbin left with Xiaomeng. The lollipop in my hand no longer tasted sweet. I chewed it up in a few bites, swallowed it, flopped onto the bed, and slammed my fist on the bed frame. Being an elder in the family and still having my freedom restricted, with no one speaking up for me—it's truly frustrating.
There was a knock on the door. I turned around and was overjoyed. Finally, someone I wanted to see had come.
"May I come in?" He stood outside the door frame and reached out to knock on the door.
I quickly ran my fingers through my hair and sat up. "Please come in, Company Commander Gao. I haven't seen you for several days and haven't had a chance to thank you."
"You're welcome, it's what I should do." Gao Chen entered the room, but only took two steps, maintaining a very polite distance from me. "Uh... uh, Miss, are you feeling better?"
Hearing his vague address, I couldn't help but laugh. "Have you forgotten my last name again?"
He scratched his head in distress: "Xiao Zhang has told me many times, but I don't know why, he always gets it wrong every time he opens his mouth, which scares me so much that I don't dare to see you anymore."
I couldn't stop laughing: "Your amnesia is quite interesting. You can't remember long-term memories, but you haven't forgotten any of the skills you once learned; your short-term memory is just missing my surname, but I've noticed that you've never mispronounced anyone's name."
"Yes." He seemed to have just realized it and was quite confused. "Xiao Zhang, Nurse Liu, Captain Yu, Aunt Cheng from the cafeteria, I've never called them by mistake."
I covered my mouth and pretended to be all flustered: "Then it seems I'm quite special."
He thought for a moment and said, "But I remember your name is Aifeng, so how about I call you Miss Aifeng from now on?"
The lollipop I swallowed now tasted sweet again, making my throat feel sweet: "Let's call her Aifeng. What's with all this 'Miss' stuff? It sounds weird."
“Okay, Aifeng.” He smiled and said, “I’m fine. I just wanted to see if you were feeling better. Xiao Zhang and I both hope you recover soon and can return to the team.”
"I'm fully recovered," I said, sounding a bit down. Looking at Gao Chen's sincere expression, an idea popped into my head: "Company Commander Gao, did my mom, Aunt Cheng from the canteen, talk to you?"
"No."
I immediately perked up: "Hey, let me tell you something. Didn't you get a night-vision sniper rifle? Want to go out and have some fun tonight? Pick a high spot, fire a shot to lure a wave of zombies over, then attach a silencer and wipe them out a hundred or so. I think this gun is really cool, and I want to learn how to use it. Teach me after you've had your fun."
I thought Gao Chen was easy to fool, but to my surprise, he shook his head as soon as he heard it: "Unless we can find a properly operating arms factory to supply us, bullets are basically non-renewable resources. It's better to use them sparingly unless necessary."
That makes sense, I can't argue with that: "Yeah, that's right, it's more environmentally friendly to fight with cold weapons. How about this, let's stop following Captain Yu around all the time. He's too capable, he can do the work of three people, and he's spoiled us so much that we don't have a strong sense of crisis. How about the three of us, Zhang, go out together tomorrow to hone our skills and try to become independent as soon as possible?"
"Yes, if Captain Yu agrees, I will obey orders."
I said unhappily, "Why do we need his consent? I'm the head of our institute's general agency, while this guy surnamed Yu is just the captain of a combat squad, and he's the deputy one."
Gao Chen smiled and said, "The captain is injured and recuperating. The arrangements for going out to fight should be made by the vice captain."
How did an amnesiac become so stubborn? Seeing that I didn't speak, he nodded: "Then I'll go out first. Take good care of yourself, Aifeng. See you later."
I've memorized their names, but I'm even more unhappy. Nobody wants to team up with me for outings, and my mom is keeping a close eye on me. Am I going to be stuck in this little corner of the world, just a housekeeper?
Liu Meili sneaked in furtively: "Wu Bainian came looking for you just now. I saw Company Commander Gao in this room, so I stopped him. So, what did you two talk about when you were alone? I heard him call you Aifeng, hehehe."
I exhaled two deep breaths from my nostrils. "What's wrong, Wu Bainian?"
"He said there were a few people, dressed in tattered clothes, who had been sneaking around our courtyard gate several times. They would run away as soon as they went out. He came to ask if you wanted to take any measures?"
"A living person?"
"That definitely can't be a zombie."
The superior weaponry made me uninterested in the spying of the scattered survivors: "From today onwards, I'm not going to care about anything. Tell him to ask my dad. My dad has usurped power and has already proclaimed himself the dean."
Unexpectedly, my careless remark to shift the blame brought me the heaviest burden I've ever carried since birth.
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The update schedule has been adjusted and will now update at 6 PM daily. Thank you for your favorites, comments, and everyone who reads. Although there aren't many of you, your support is strong. I wish you all a belated Happy New Year and good health.
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