What happens after Chapter 83?
The three of them went to find a slightly less crowded path to practice.
"Wait!" Tang Zhao rubbed his hair in frustration. "Boss Jiang, why do I have to watch Brother Bai practice driving from the car?!"
“I’ll teach him, and you can watch from the back and memorize it yourself.” Jiang Ye switched places with Bai Chenzhu and sat in the passenger seat. “When it’s your turn to drive, Azhu will also be sitting in the back.”
Due to time constraints, Jiang Ye didn't delve into complex theories, but simply explained things in a straightforward manner, outlining the steps and sequence. Bai Chenzhu explained each movement, and after practicing several times, the familiar feel gradually returned.
"Okay, that's about right." Jiang Ye pointed to the key. "Let's try opening it."
Tang Zhao squeezed out from between the driver's and passenger seats in a panic, "Wait! Is it really that simple? Is that all? Bro, do you think I've never been to the training ground!"
He's been thoroughly humiliated, and Brother Bai hasn't even been learning for half an hour!
Bai Chenzhu started the engine, shifted gears, and stepped on the gas. To Tang Zhao's disbelief, the car sped up and braked sharply, giving Jiang Ye and Tang Zhao the feeling of riding a child's rocking horse.
What is Dad's father called? Dad's father is called Grandpa;
What is Dad's mother called? Dad's mother is called Grandma;
...
Tang Zhao shook his head vigorously, trying to get the toxic song rhythm out of his mind.
After swaying like this for about four or five times, Bai Chenzhu slowly found the right balance under his feet, and the car started to drive smoothly again. But with a bang, it crashed into the zombie in front of it.
The humanoid figure slowly collapsed in front of the car. Bai Chenzhu's heart jumped, and her first reaction was to look at Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye, as if on cue, said, "Run them over, that's not a person."
They weren't human; yes, they were already mindless corpses. Bai Chenzhu gripped the steering wheel tightly, took a deep breath, and pressed the accelerator again, running them over in one go.
After circling the square street two or three times, Bai Chenzhu was already quite adept at it, able to effortlessly create 'obstacles' on the road.
Tang Zhao exclaimed "Wow! Wow!" and clapped his hands in the back, feeling that driving was no longer a difficult task.
Except when turning, Bai Chenzhu was always a beat too slow.
Just as Tang Zhao, his face pale with fright, shouted "Turn quickly!" and the wall was getting closer and closer, and Jiang Ye was ready to clean up the mess, Bai Chenzhu casually turned the corner.
Jiang Ye and Tang Zhao both breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Chenzhu glanced at them sideways in the mirror. "What, you don't have confidence in me?"
Jiang Ye glanced at the road ahead with a guilty look in his eyes, then stared straight ahead with a serious expression.
"How could this be?" Tang Zhao forced a smile, then collapsed the next second, "Brother! Look ahead, turn! Turn! Ahhh, we're going to crash into it!"
Bai Chenzhu was still a beat behind.
Originally, Jiang Ye planned to break down each movement into steps and have different people teach them, but seeing that Bai Chenzhu had a foundation and could learn easily, he changed his mind and practiced for half a day straight.
——
After a morning of mental torment, Tang Zhao was in a daze and collapsed onto the table, unwilling to move.
Even with Jiang Ye around, he was still worried about his life. Bai Chenzhu drove slowly and steadily, but his heart was pounding! Especially his overly sensitive senses, which became a burden at this moment.
Seeing that the child's face was pale, Jiang Ye told him to rest more and that he would take him to practice in the afternoon.
"No, really?" Tang Zhao cried, clinging to Jiang Ye's leg. "Brother, dear brother, if only two of the three of us could drive!"
Bai Chenzhu took a sip of water and comforted Tang Zhao, "It's better to rely on yourself than on others. Look how well Jiang Ye taught you this morning. With him teaching you, what are you afraid of?"
Jiang Ye, who was being praised, stood with his arms crossed, nodded reservedly, his handsome face calm and expressionless, but his heart was filled with joy.
Tang Zhao thought about it and it seemed to make sense. At least Jiang Ge didn't seem as fierce as the coaches he'd encountered before. His ahoge (a stray hair on his head) perked up. "Yay! I'll prepare lunch then!"
Recalling Tang Zhao's miserly attitude towards supplies, Bai Chenzhu chuckled and said, "Go ahead, go ahead."
Tang Zhao left. Bai Chenzhu spread her hands towards Jiang Ye, "Give me the sightseeing bus key, I'll practice by myself this afternoon."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ye frowned. "It's too dangerous, and the driving styles of these two types of cars are somewhat different."
"They're pretty much the same." Bai Chenzhu held out his hand. "Give it to me."
Jiang Ye was not happy. After a moment of stalemate, he handed the key to Bai Chenzhu's palm. "I have only one request: you have to practice driving on the road this morning so that I can see you while I'm teaching Tang Zhao."
Bai Chenzhu casually flicked the key on his fingertip and nodded, "Either way is fine."
After a short lunch break, Bai Chenzhu boarded the sightseeing bus. Jiang Ye watched him drive away smoothly before calling Tang Zhao to get on the bus.
However, having taught a promising student like Bai Chenzhu who grasped concepts quickly, Jiang Ye couldn't help but darken his face when faced with Tang Zhao, who knew absolutely nothing and had no experience whatsoever.
After driving a few laps, Bai Chenzhu's driving skills gradually returned from the monotonous practice. He recalled from his body's memory the days many years ago when he went to the driving range every day after get off work, and the time when he got his license and started planning when to buy a car...
He saw a car ahead that was even slower than an electric car.
Bai Chenzhu curled his lips, the sightseeing bus beeped twice at the car in front, accelerated, and overtook the car in front.
Through the window, he saw Tang Zhao, who was on the verge of tears, and Jiang Ye, who was disappointed in him.
"Eighteen years have passed, and you still haven't gotten used to your new limbs?"
Bai Chenzhu chuckled at this, and drove around a few more times. The zombies on this street had been mostly destroyed. He practiced all afternoon, and his hands and feet were stiff, so he simply drove the car back.
Before leaving, he couldn't resist teasing Tang Zhao, so he clenched his fist and gave him a "good luck" gesture.
Tang Zhao pursed his lips.
——
After everyone left the ancient city, it became exceptionally quiet, as if the three of them were the only ones left in the world, relying on each other for survival.
Only Bai Chenzhu was in the room. He casually picked up a piece of bread for dinner. Outside, the sky was a mix of orange, purple, and yellow, creating an abstract painting. Bai Chenzhu suddenly wondered: Where are Sister Zhuohua and Bai Tao now?
If they had kept driving without stopping, they would have passed several cities and been hundreds of kilometers away from them.
No matter how capable they are, they are still two girls. In this world where morality and ethics are gradually collapsing, gender alone is enough to provoke a great deal of malice.
He opened the map and studied it for a while, then raised his finger to measure the distance between the ancient city and Kangcheng. Suddenly, he realized that he had done the same thing as Jiang Ye.
For months, we'd gotten used to the five of us relying on each other, and suddenly having two less people left us feeling quite uneasy.
While tossing and turning, Bai Chenzhu, who was already having trouble sleeping, heard the sound of a door opening on the first floor.
Tang Zhao returned looking listless and Jiang Ye with a dark expression.
Bai Chenzhu leaned against the second-floor railing and waved casually to the people below, "How was it?"
Jiang Ye glanced at Tang Zhao and shook his head. "We need to do more training, otherwise we won't be able to leave in time. Have you eaten?"
The topic changed so suddenly that Bai Chenzhu said, "I ate."
"Since you haven't eaten, why don't you eat something with me?" Jiang Ye asked.
Does this mean she wants him to accompany her? Bai Chenzhu was taken aback, then happily nodded, "Sure."
Tang Zhao secretly turned his head and made a face at the back of Jiang Ye's head, but Jiang Ye caught him red-handed.
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow and said leisurely, "Looks like you have a lot of energy. Then rest for two hours and go practice by yourself."
"Wait a minute?" Tang Zhao exclaimed in disbelief, "I'll go myself?!"
Jiang Ye said, "Otherwise what?"
Tang Zhao covered his cheek, his expression one of utter horror, "What if there's a car accident?"
Bai Chenzhu walked past the two of them and said calmly, "Don't worry, no one will be injured in the car accident except for you."
There are indeed no people there, only mutants.
Tang Zhao's face went blank upon hearing this.
——
After dinner, a tearful Tang Zhao was thrown into the car by Jiang Ye. As soon as the car door closed, under Jiang Ye's piercing gaze, Tang Zhao timidly started the car.
But the way his dog crouched furtively on the steering wheel, craning its neck to cautiously look ahead, was really funny.
The car slowly drove out of their sight.
Jiang Ye, who said he was going back to sleep, remained unmoved, ignoring Tang Zhao, and Bai Chenzhu also did not move.
The two exchanged a glance, and Bai Chenzhu understood. "Shall we find a place to sit down?"
The road they chose for practice driving was the sightseeing road in the old city. The route is rectangular, and it normally takes about twenty minutes to complete a loop, with only three or four turns occasionally.
The two walked to a spacious rooftop.
—There's no way around it, there are always a lot of zombies downstairs. These days, Bai Chenzhu knows the rooftop better than the road.
Bai Chenzhu raised his hand and placed it on the railing on the top floor, gazing at the ancient city. The scattered, automatically turning-on streetlights looked as tiny as fireflies.
When the wind blows, the clothes rustle.
"You're not entirely at ease with that kid either, are you?" Bai Chenzhu said.
Jiang Ye walked over and stood beside him, looking downstairs. "He's different from you; he's a complete novice. But he's managed to start, stop, and make simple turns, so it's not a big problem."
“There’s a big problem.” Bai Chenzhu glanced at him sideways. “Aren’t you going to learn about ramps and U-turns?”
"Take your time, we can learn again tomorrow." Jiang Ye was very easygoing. He wagged his index finger. "Besides, some things in the driving test are completely useless now, so it saves a lot of effort."
Bai Chenzhu suddenly felt a little envious of Tang Zhao. He had almost failed the driving test back then, and just recalling those procedures made him feel tedious.
Learning like Tang Zhao saves a lot of time.
He stood there for a moment, then turned to look at Jiang Ye, who was staring intently into the distance. Bai Chenzhu guessed that the other man was using his exceptional eyesight to search for Tang Zhao's whereabouts.
It seems it hasn't been found yet; after all, calling it slow is actually a compliment.
Looking at Jiang Ye and the dark night sky behind him, Bai Chenzhu asked with an emotion he himself couldn't understand: "Jiang Ye, if everything ends, what kind of life would you want?"
Jiang Ye snapped out of his daze and looked at Bai Chenzhu.
Bai Chenzhu thought he hadn't heard her clearly, so she repeated it again.
Jiang Ye's face showed struggle and confusion, "I don't know, I originally..."
He suddenly stopped talking.
Something's not right. Bai Chenzhu narrowed his eyes, straightened up, and took a step toward Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye took half a step back, and after regaining his senses, he turned his head uncomfortably to look at the ancient city.
Jiang Ye's physical reaction was telling Bai Chenzhu that he wanted to escape, but he didn't.
Bai Chenzhu took another step forward and naturally wrapped his arms around Jiang Ye's waist from the side, resting his chin on Jiang Ye's shoulder. "What were you planning to do? You weren't planning to live at all?"
The muscles beneath his palm tensed.
Bai Chenzhu raised an eyebrow. "I guessed right after all?"
Jiang Ye gave a muffled "hmm," and asked, "How did you know?"
“There aren’t many things that would make you feel guilty towards me,” Bai Chenzhu said with a smile, but Jiang Ye couldn’t see it clearly and thought Bai Chenzhu was angry.
"Furthermore, considering the 'ending' I know, and your tattered mental state, you've always had an obsession in this life. To put it bluntly, you've only ever wanted to 'take revenge' on your past self; I haven't seen you care about anything else."
What base, what relatives, what friends... In his view, Jiang Ye has no intention of going down the same old path since his rebirth, and even seems to be showing signs of letting himself die.
Jiang Ye didn't dare to speak, afraid that his lover would get angry.
"You didn't finish what you were saying, so have you changed your mind?" Bai Chenzhu nuzzled his neck.
"And what about you?" Jiang Ye turned to look at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Are you asking me this because you already have an answer in your heart? Are you expecting my answer to be the same as yours?"
Knowing that his thoughts had been exposed, Bai Chenzhu blinked and said frankly, "Yes, I want to find a place with you to live a healthy life, to live our own lives well, and preferably to die peacefully in our old age."
A simple yet beautiful vision.
“A-Zhu,” Jiang Ye murmured, “you and I are different. The place you came from must be very safe and comfortable, but look around, it’s hard to even find a clean place to stand. I’ve lived in this dirty and dilapidated environment for ten years, and I’ve long been disheartened. What’s there to miss about this kind of world?”
"Then what about me? Can't I be a reason for you to remember me?" Bai Chenzhu asked matter-of-factly.
This left Jiang Ye speechless, because after confirming their relationship, he hadn't been able to connect Bai Chenzhu with his previous plans in time, so he couldn't give a definite answer for the time being.
"Or is it that I'm not in your future? You let it go in the past, but you don't plan to change it now?" Bai Chenzhu gradually loosened her grip on him.
Jiang Ye keenly sensed something and quickly turned around to grab Bai Chenzhu's arm. "I've changed now, I'll definitely change! Your wish is my wish."
“That won’t do.” Bai Chenzhu tilted his head, a forced smile on his face. “Saying ‘what’s yours is mine’ so casually is very perfunctory. I want to hear your own plans.”
Jiang Ye's dark eyes darted around, "I..."
Bai Chenzhu looked at him quietly, or rather, at her own reflection in Jiang Ye's eyes.
“You know everything is changing, this place is different from what you’ve experienced before. Look over there,” Bai Chenzhu pointed to a street lamp not far away, “The lamp is on, and I’m here too.”
One day, they discussed the future of the apocalypse. Bai Chenzhu had listened intently to the truth Jiang Ye revealed through a joke: "You said the world would regress decades. I've thought about what it would be like, and I've also wondered what kind of life you'd lead. But I stopped thinking about it, because whatever happened is in the past. We should think about our future. So Jiang Ye, if you still insist on clinging to the idea of suicide..."
Jiang Ye's heart skipped a beat. "You'll stay with me?"
Bai Chenzhu remained expressionless. "No, I'll find someone young and beautiful again."
Jiang Ye froze, incredulous, his eyes fierce. "You...you say that again!"
Seeing his intense reaction, Bai Chenzhu lowered her head and smiled. "That depends on you. Imagine, I'll bring a younger, more handsome man to your grave to pay my respects, and then introduce him: This is my short-lived husband..."
Jiang Ye's world has collapsed.
He slid his hand down, grabbed Bai Chenzhu's palm, and forcefully interlocked their fingers. He gritted his teeth, wishing he could kill that imaginary enemy. "I won't give you that chance. When it's all over, Azhu, wherever you want to go, I will be with you, just like today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow... We will always be together."
Bai Chenzhu scrutinized him, as if assessing whether the person before him was being perfunctory or lying.
Clearly, Jiang Ye's gaze was much more determined this time than before.
Bai Chenzhu smiled, looking down at the hand she was holding, and borrowed a phrase from Bai Tao, saying, "A liar will turn into a puppy."
Hearing this, Jiang Ye breathed a sigh of relief. "A puppy? Puppies are so cute."
He lifted their hands, bent down, and gently kissed Bai Chenzhu's hand, but his gaze remained fixed on Bai Chenzhu's face. "Whether you turn into a puppy or not, you can be my master."
Bai Chenzhu's breath hitched, and he clenched his fist.
Jiang Ye's eyebrows curved into a smile, while Cang Feng's eyebrows and eyes also had a very aggressive look when he smiled, wild and untamed. "Woof."
Bai Chenzhu grabbed him by the back of his collar, pulled him up, and kissed him.
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