Chapter 31 The Apocalypse 30
There was no going back to that old, dilapidated place. It was obvious that the Sky Base would send people to search for them, since Lu Xuejin had stolen a crucial special medicine. Moreover, that place was far from the base, and Lu Xuejin didn't want to waste time driving, much less trek on foot.
Their destination was a satellite town located outside the Sky Base. The town was sparsely populated, and there were very few zombies born after the apocalypse. The streets were deserted, with only the night wind blowing through them.
The area was mostly rows of small villas, and Luo Mingchuan led Lu Xuejin straight into one of them. It was a three-story building with a basement, and the entrance led to a small garden. There were no zombies around. Lu Xuejin found this villa unusually clean; the ground was as smooth as a mirror, almost spotless; although the vegetation in the garden was sparse, it was well-maintained and did not feel desolate or lonely.
Pushing open the door, the floor tiles gleamed like mirrors, and a faint, fresh fragrance filled the air, free of the dusty smell of long-abandoned dwellings.
Luo Mingchuan put down his backpack with practiced ease and led Lu Xuejin to see the room. He explained, "I accidentally discovered this place during a previous mission, and I figured I needed a way out no matter what."
After leaving the base, he became noticeably more talkative.
"This is a new house. When I found it, there was nothing in the living room except for the paved floor tiles, whitewashed walls, and some basic furniture. The original owner is nowhere to be found, leaving only this in the corner." Luo Mingchuan raised the ordinary-looking pistol in his hand, guessing that the original owner had most likely met with misfortune.
The pistol was useless to them, so Luo Mingchuan casually tossed it onto the entryway cabinet.
Lu Xuejin's gaze slowly swept over the brand-new beige sofa, the small round table, and the fabric decorations on the wall in the living room, and she asked softly, "So... did you get these later?"
The image of Luo Mingchuan taking advantage of breaks in his tasks to tirelessly carry the furniture back bit by bit, then diligently cleaning it, flashed through my mind... He was just like a strong and vigorous male bird, tirelessly carrying branches and leaves to build a nest, and then impatiently leading his companions home, silently showing off his achievements.
Lu Xuejin had no idea he had done so much behind her back. He was actually quite adorable.
Although Luo Mingchuan's voice was hoarse and muffled, the subtle, yet forceful, hint of trying to show off was unmistakable, and this repressed flirtatiousness was quite amusing.
Dong Yao couldn't help but sigh: "Look at this kid, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, he's got quite a few ideas. He's probably decorating this place like a wedding room."
Luo Mingchuan continued his introduction.
“There aren’t many zombies in the town, and the infrastructure is relatively well-preserved. There’s an eco-farmhouse about a kilometer away that grows a lot of fruits and vegetables, and there’s a large supermarket nearby, so you don’t need to worry about living resources.” He looked at Lu Xuejin sitting on the sofa listening attentively, and his heart felt as if something had gently rubbed it, causing a strange, indescribable tenderness. “I’ve planted a few things in the small garden. If you want to plant something else, there’s a seed shop in town. There’s also a large study on the third floor, which was left by the original owner.”
In his description, this place is an ideal secluded paradise.
Lu Xuejin rested her chin on her hand on the sofa and looked at him: "I had no idea you had made so many preparations."
Luo Mingchuan fell silent and did not respond.
He placed the hognose snake's carrier on the small round table in the living room, as for Cheng Ce...
Luo Mingchuan said calmly, "These zombies look clean, but they are actually very dirty."
So Cheng Ce was left outside the villa by Lu Xuejin. The zombie wandered around outside in a daze, wanting to follow him in, but the next second it suddenly turned around and rushed out, only stopping when it was almost at the edge of the town. A few seconds later, it slowly walked towards Lu Xuejin.
I neatly hung the clothes in my backpack into the closet. Having lived at the base for several months, I had nothing else to take with me. I left exactly as I arrived, with only two light documents added to my bag.
Luo Mingchuan held the bright red marriage certificate cover in his hand. Lu Xuejin caught a glimpse of the vibrant color out of the corner of her eye and exclaimed in surprise, "You brought this along too?"
The outer casing of the marriage certificate was not protective enough, so Luo Mingchuan obtained two transparent card holders from somewhere, carefully stuffed the certificate inside, and then put it into a small wooden box, preserving it securely.
“Once we leave the base, these are just two pieces of waste paper,” Lu Xuejin said slowly.
“This is proof,” Luo Mingchuan retorted calmly but firmly, his eyes serious to the point of obsession. “It proves that an unbreakable bond has been formed between us… From now on, I will take care of you, just like… just like you took care of me before.”
Even if you are vicious, indifferent, and lawless.
But we are ultimately one.
Lu Xuejin could tell that he was extremely serious and sincere, even carrying a kind of persistence that she couldn't understand.
Despite being repeatedly teased and hurt by him, she still had some expectations of him?
Luo Mingchuan is not a masochist.
But no matter how much she thought about it, Lu Xuejin couldn't figure out the root of his unusual persistence.
Could it really be because of a superficial liking?
Even when Luo Mingchuan locked his gaze with fierce coldness, Lu Xuejin had never felt the slightest fear. However, at this moment, faced with this heavy, inexplicable obsession, he subconsciously avoided the other's eyes.
"Little Yao, how much is your contribution value?"
[Baby, still at 99.]
Lu Xuejin frowned slightly: "Why are you still not satisfied?"
The closer one gets to the maximum value, the harder it is to gain contribution points. Ordinary acts of helping and contributing no longer move Luo Mingchuan. Moreover, the contribution points have only recently changed and are unlikely to increase again in a short time. Didn't the host already understand this simple truth? Dong Yao didn't understand why Lu Xuejin suddenly asked.
Lu Xuejin was so carefree before, not caring about contribution points at all, that it was the one urging her on, but now it's the other way around.
Dong Yao assumed he was just annoyed by the quest dragging on and found it boring, so he reassured him, "It's okay, baby. Once the male lead takes the special medicine, he'll definitely be at full strength."
Lu Xue knew that Luo Mingchuan wouldn't even touch the vial of medicine, let alone take it, so she didn't buy into the system's comforting words. Frustrated, she tugged at the light-colored tassels along the edge of the carpet and complained, "I miss my husband so much after being away for so long."
Dong Yao:......
[The male lead is also part of the baby's husband!]
“It’s different—” Lu Xuejin drawled, feeling that she couldn’t understand Dong Yao, so she ignored him.
As a result, her attitude towards Luo Mingchuan also became indifferent. Apart from eating at the same table, the two had almost no other interaction, just like strangers living under the same roof.
Lu Xuejin deliberately ignored Luo Mingchuan and spent most of her time going out to play with Cheng Ce. The silent and obedient zombie became his best pet to pass the time. No matter what Lu Xuejin did to him, he accepted it all.
In contrast, the man who had a marriage with Lu Xuejin didn't even receive a simple greeting. The difference in treatment was like night and day.
However, Luo Mingchuan seemed completely unconcerned, still keeping his promise to manage the household chores meticulously and take excellent care of Lu Xuejin—in his unconventional understanding, he and Lu Xuejin were already kindred spirits, transcending worldly definitions, a relationship that didn't require intimate contact to maintain. He remained by Lu Xuejin's side, with Cheng Ce serving as the perfect cameraman.
Moreover, he had to deal with Cang Qiong's pursuit during this time—the two mad dogs from the Mu family were relentlessly chasing him, and he needed to distract them so they wouldn't bother Lu Xuejin.
As for the vial that prompted them to leave the base, Luo Mingchuan put it in the wooden box and never touched it again.
That afternoon, Lu Xuejin returned from a walk with a bouquet of "flowers"—a collection of wildflowers and weeds he had casually picked from the roadside, possessing a sparse and messy beauty. He smiled, seemingly in a good mood, and pressed the "flowers" against Luo Mingchuan's chest, saying, "Here you go!"
Seeing this, Dongyao joked: "Has the baby finally forgiven the male lead after a week?"
It was curious about the reason for the host's sudden change in mood, but no matter how it tried to probe, Lu Xuejin wouldn't say anything, so it had to suppress its curiosity.
That evening, Lu Xuejin knocked on Luo Mingchuan's door again, looking pitiful and frowning as she said she couldn't sleep. She pulled out a collection of poems from the attic study and asked Luo Mingchuan to sit by her bedside and read poems to help her fall asleep.
Luo Mingchuan: ...
The young man leaning against the headboard had a slightly brighter look in his eyes, appearing quite interested; the hint of melancholy vanished the moment he agreed. Luo Mingchuan wasn't stupid; he naturally saw through Lu Xuejin's teasing intentions behind her melancholy, but he didn't expose her. He calmly sat down and opened the poetry collection.
Dongyao, oblivious to the romantic implications, interjected: "Baby, the male lead's cultural literacy is so low, his poetry recitation skills are probably not very good either. If you need to listen to poetry to help you sleep, we can provide sleep aid services here."
Unfortunately, Lu Xuejin's attention was entirely on the man beside the bed, and she ignored Dong Yao's "good intentions." Dong Yao was secretly angry and wanted to see what kind of tricks an illiterate person could come up with in reciting poetry.
The result was unexpected. Luo Mingchuan showed no sign of unease, and when he spoke, his voice was deep and soothing, possessing a natural rhythm.
Lu Xuejin had originally intended to see him make a fool of himself, but she actually felt a little sleepy as he read aloud in his deep and gentle voice.
In a daze, Luo Mingchuan's figure overlapped with another person in her memory. Lu Xuejin blinked, a hint of familiarity flashing in her eyes.
But the next second, Luo Mingchuan froze, forcefully pulling Lu Xuejin out of that delicate atmosphere. He paused for a moment, trying to continue, but mispronounced a word again.
He stopped.
"I don't know how to pronounce it," Luo Mingchuan said matter-of-factly.
Lu Xuejin's sleepiness vanished instantly. He grabbed the poetry collection, glanced at it, and couldn't help but burst out laughing: "How could you be so stupid!"
These were precisely the subjects he was required to study during his art education in his youth.
He then showed off his past knowledge, correcting Luo Mingchuan's pronunciation while reciting his teacher's interpretation of the poem from back then.
Afterwards, he tossed the poetry collection back to Luo Mingchuan, saying, "Alright, if you keep reading, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep tonight."
After saying that, she turned over and stopped looking at Luo Mingchuan.
The man grabbed the poetry collection, tiptoed to his feet, and left, closing the door behind him. The instant he stepped out, a shadow of gloom flashed across his eyes, and his grip on the poetry collection tightened silently.
The pause just now was both intentional and because he didn't recognize those words.
Who are you looking at through me?
Luo Mingchuan stared into the darkness outside the door, silently voicing his question.
After he left, Lu Xuejin quickly sat up and stared at the moon outside the window, unable to fall asleep until late into the night.
Looking into his bright, sparkling eyes, Dongyao saw he resembled a child who had discovered a new and amazing toy: "Baby, what are you thinking about that keeps you awake?"
It was still angry with Luo Mingchuan when it left home this morning, but it came back all smiles. Its host really does have a different idea every day.
Lu Xuejin nodded, his pupils bright and moist, his eyelashes long and thick. In the moonlight, he blinked his eyes, which fluttered gently like butterfly wings, light and agile.
"Next, I'm going to do something that will make me incredibly happy." He pressed his hand to his chest, trying to get his heart, which had stopped beating, to start beating again.
A scarlet color was applied to the pupils.
Suddenly, Dong Yao had a bad feeling.
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