Seducing and Flirting with Boss O While Stockpiling in the Apocalypse (GL) - Chapter 27

Luo Sheng looked at her mother in astonishment. Luo Xiaoli scratched her head guiltily but continued to explain, “Well, I heard you were getting married, and your uncle wanted to tag along. I figured, with his lame leg, it’s not convenient for him to be at home alone, so I just brought him along…”

Everything became clear to Luo Sheng now. She had never liked this little uncle. Years ago, he had been idle and got his leg broken by creditors while gambling out of town. Later, he somehow managed to get a wife and settled down to work away from home.

It had been many years since she last saw him—not since she left for university—but why was he back now with a child in tow? And judging by her mother’s tone, it seemed the two siblings had been living together for a while. No wonder she heard a child crying on the phone before. Could it be that the main reason her mother refused to come was that she was busy taking care of her disabled cousin?

Luo Sheng’s expression grew darker. The thought of her monthly allowance going into the mouths of this father-son duo made her blood boil. Now, her mother had brought these two tagalongs; they would likely be a massive liability in the apocalypse.

She sighed, suppressed her anger, and shot her mother a sharp glare. However, she couldn’t say much in front of people at the airport. She planned to settle this once they got home. Before she could speak, Li Sitian took the initiative to greet her. “Oh my, haven’t seen you in years! My niece has grown up to be quite a beauty!”

He grinned, revealing a row of yellow teeth stained by years of tobacco, his face slightly pockmarked. He quickly patted the boy beside him. “Dabao, come on, say hello to your cousin!”

Her mother followed her grandmother’s surname, while her brothers followed their father’s, hence the different surnames. This Li Dabao looked like a middle-schooler but was fleshy and stout, almost as tall as an adult, with eyes narrowed like slits. One look and you could tell all the good food in the house had gone into his belly.

Under his father’s prodding, he finally let out a dull, “Hello, cousin!”

Luo Sheng relied entirely on her basic upbringing to keep from exploding. Her face was as grim as could be. She took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and led her mother toward the exit. The father and son immediately followed.

Li Sitian knew deep down that his niece didn’t like him, but how could a junior be disrespectful to a senior? Besides, he was her mother’s cousin. Since they were family, it was only natural for her to help him out with some money later or find a good job for his precious eldest son, right?

The thick-skinned Li Sitian didn’t find his thoughts shameless at all; instead, he felt his niece owed him filial respect. He completely ignored Luo Sheng’s sour face and happily led Li Dabao into the car.

By the time Luo Sheng’s group reached the apartment building, it was past 7:00 PM. Coincidentally, Nan Chu was emerging from the elevator carrying several boxes of daily necessities and various random trinkets; at least Luo Sheng didn’t have to stand at the door waiting for her to return.

Luo Sheng looked at the items she had bought with a speechless expression: small sandbags, boxing gloves, various board games like Monopoly, Ludo, and Script Kill… she even had a few novels packed in there.

Nan Chu, however, felt they were essential. “The medicine arrives the day after tomorrow! I also bought several emergency hand-crank generators—they’re at the bottom. You have no idea, yesterday I went on a spree downloading dozens of gigabytes of novels, comics, and movies.” She spoke with such passion that her spit was flying. “Anyway, didn’t you say there’s electricity in your space? Even if the internet goes out later, we can put our phones in there for a quick charge so we don’t lose our entertainment.”

As she stood there talking, Nan Chu was about to ask Luo Sheng to put these things into the space, but she saw Luo Sheng shoot her a look and make a “shh” gesture. Only then did the hyper-focused Nan Chu notice three strangers standing behind her.

“Are you Nuonuo’s friend here?” Luo Xiaoli stepped forward warmly, grabbing Nan Chu’s hand. “I just got off the plane; my girl picked me up!”

Nan Chu processed this for a second, remembering that Luo Sheng was supposed to pick up her mother today. She immediately snapped into a polite mode. “Oh, hello, Auntie! I am indeed Little Luo’s friend. I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you just now! Come in, come in quickly. You must be exhausted after such a long flight!!” She then nudged Luo Sheng with her elbow, signaling her to hurry up and unlock the door.

It must be said that Nan Chu was quite the social butterfly; she instantly switched to a professional, warm “client-facing” persona, her voice loud and her body language exaggerated. Her generous hospitality made it seem like she was the owner of the house.

Luo Sheng didn’t say much and quickly opened the heavy reinforced door to let them in. Nan Chu unhesitatingly helped carry the luggage; her powerful arms made the task look easy, even carrying in Li Sitian and his son’s bags. Luo Sheng helped with a few large bags.

Nan Chu didn’t know these two were liabilities to Luo Sheng; she assumed they were relatives who had been specially invited, so she treated them with equal, excessive politeness.

Once inside, Luo Xiaoli looked at her daughter’s apartment with joy—it was large and beautiful. She began to fantasize about how to decorate it for the wedding: where everything should go, what colors to paint the walls… everything had to be the best!

Despite being frugal her whole life, she was deeply invested in this one matter. This was the joyful news she had been waiting for forever; she had to give her daughter and daughter-in-law the best face possible.

Meanwhile, Li Sitian and Li Dabao sat down. His murky eyes scanned the room, and he felt delighted, thinking his niece was quite well-off. The car that picked them up was spacious, too. It shouldn’t be a problem to ask her to help his son find a job and eventually get a wife, right?

While the elder was lost in his daydream, the younger started grabbing fruit from the table and stuffing it into his mouth. “Dad, the fruit in the big city tastes better than in the village. I heard Cousin isn’t going to have kids. Since she won’t have heirs, can I inherit this house later?!”

Li Sitian immediately smacked Li Dabao on the back of the head. “You boy have a wilder imagination than I do!” However, he didn’t really argue against it. He felt the kid had a point; after all, his son was the only male heir left in the Li family line. Since Luo Sheng and her mother took the surname Luo, they didn’t count as “true” bloodline; only his son’s lineage was orthodox.

Luo Sheng, coming out of the room to lead her mother into the bedroom, had no idea what these two were thinking. If she did, she would likely have kicked the shameless pair out immediately.

Once in the room with the door locked, Luo Sheng spoke bluntly. “Mom, why did you bring them?”

“Sigh, I just saw your uncle was disabled with a kid at home and couldn’t leave them. Since they’re here to celebrate your big day, don’t be unhappy, Nuonuo!” Luo Xiaoli knew her girl would ask, so she spoke truthfully. She really did think that way.

Luo Sheng let out a heavy sigh—a complete backfire. She continued, “Mom, tell me honestly, have you been living with them for a long time?”

Luo Xiaoli didn’t dare meet Luo Sheng’s eyes, stammering, “…Not that long. Your uncle came back after his divorce with nowhere to go. It’s not easy for a disabled man with a kid, and he can’t do heavy work. I figured it was just an extra pair of chopsticks at the table, so I softened my heart and…”

Luo Sheng grew even angrier. So while she was away working, her mother was back home serving these two? Even if her mother was healthy, she shouldn’t waste herself like that! And as for “an extra pair of chopsticks,” she didn’t believe it for a second. Li Dabao was so plump; she bet all the good food bought was given to him first!

The more she thought, the tighter Luo Sheng’s brow furrowed. She couldn’t bring herself to scold or blame her mother, but her mother’s “pushover” personality was infuriating. She had hidden so much from her just to accommodate them.

Finally, she sat on the bed, rubbed her temples, and spoke solemnly to her mother, “I don’t want to argue about the past now. But I’m putting it bluntly: these two must strictly follow my arrangements. Otherwise, I’ll kick them out immediately!”

Luo Sheng’s words were laced with suppressed anger, but Luo Xiaoli was confused. Wasn’t it just a wedding? They’d be going back in a few days; what trouble could they possibly cause?

Luo Xiaoli felt her daughter was being overly paranoid, but knowing Luo Sheng never liked her uncle, she agreed quickly. “Don’t worry, Nuonuo. Mom will have a good talk with them. They definitely won’t cause you trouble!”

Luo Sheng nodded helplessly, not wanting to say more. It was time for dinner; she had booked a table of good food today for everyone to gather.

Nan Shuwan had also just returned. She first put some of her purchases into 1502. She had also arranged for a large amount of food and clothing to be moved into her warehouse today. Furthermore, she had successfully purchased that old second-hand apartment unit.

Having finished all this, she felt exhausted. After only eating two pieces of bread all day, Nan Shuwan rushed home for a shower, changed, and then knocked on the door of 1501.

Nan Chu opened the door. She gave her a blank look but reminded her, “Luo Sheng’s mother is here.”

Nan Shuwan nodded, her heart—which had just relaxed—becoming tense again. She didn’t know why she was nervous; perhaps it was the natural guilt of someone who had told a lie, since Luo Sheng probably hadn’t confessed the truth to her mother yet.

She walked through the foyer and saw two strange men sitting on the sofa. She looked at Nan Chu with confusion. Nan Chu shrugged indifferently. “They’re probably Luo Sheng’s relatives.”

At that moment, Luo Xiaoli and Luo Sheng emerged from the room. Seeing Nan Shuwan, Luo Xiaoli’s eyes lit up. She greeted her with joy and grabbed her hand. “Wanwan, you’re finally here! I’ve been looking forward to meeting you the whole way! Come, sit down quickly, I’ll go get you a glass of water!”

“Auntie, please don’t bother, I don’t…” Before Nan Shuwan could finish, Luo Xiaoli was already at the water dispenser.

Ever since their first phone call, Luo Xiaoli had called her “Wanwan.” Seeing her in person, she found her even more beautiful than on video. She couldn’t suppress her excitement; she just wanted to chat with her daughter-in-law about everything!

Luo Sheng gave Nan Shuwan an awkward, sheepish smile and walked over, whispering, “My mom is always like this, please bear with it. I’ll explain everything to her when the time is right, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

“It’s okay,” Nan Shuwan said, seeing her distressed look. She comforted her, “Since I agreed to play the part, I’m not in a rush. Let’s wait until things settle down.”

Luo Sheng smiled and agreed, feeling much more at ease.

Luo Xiaoli, seeing the two of them whispering together, was overjoyed. Seeing her daughter and daughter-in-law so sweet to each other made her heart swell with happiness. She waved to them. “What are you two standing there for? Come and sit! Wanwan, I poured you some water. You must be tired after working all day, come have a drink!”

“Ah, okay, Auntie!” Nan Shuwan responded with a sweet smile and sat down obediently.

Luo Sheng rubbed her nose, noticing how her mother was “Wanwan” this and “Wanwan” that, completely forgetting her own daughter existed. She shook her head helplessly and followed.

Li Sitian also looked up and said hello, though his gaze was quite scrutinizing as Nan Shuwan sat down. Li Dabao, sitting next to him, whispered into his father’s ear, “Holy crap, Dad, this woman is gorgeous. So hot!”

At those words, Li Sitian immediately slapped the back of Dabao’s head. He checked to make sure no one had noticed before warning his son, “You brat, shut your mouth! That’s your cousin’s wife! Don’t make her unhappy!!”

Dabao rubbed his head and gave a muffled “Mhm.”

That said, Li Sitian’s eyes never left Nan Shuwan. In his heart, he was secretly agreeing with his son. Damn, he had never seen such a beautiful woman. He heard she was some kind of Director, so she must be rich. At this thought, he began to scheme again. It seemed he could ask this girl for help later; it shouldn’t be a problem, right?

However, all of this was witnessed by Nan Chu, who was standing behind them. She had even heard Li Dabao’s disgusting whisper. Nan Chu instantly felt something was wrong; the “simple, honest country folk” image of these two collapsed immediately in her mind.

Seeing Li Sitian’s eyes still glued to Nan Shuwan with such a brazen gaze, Nan Chu reached her limit. she was no submissive doormat and didn’t care about social pleasantries. If something pissed her off, she’d make sure the other person felt miserable too.

So, Nan Chu walked straight over, tapped Li Sitian on the shoulder, bent down, and growled into his ear in a low, threatening voice, “Keep looking, and I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

Li Sitian was startled. He turned to see it was the woman who had helped with the luggage earlier. Suddenly threatened, he wanted to lash out and scold this young person for being so disrespectful to an elder!

But having been caught in the act, his face turned various shades of red and white. He also realized the woman was strong and fit; her arm muscles looked like they could knock a cripple like him out in one punch. Combined with the fact that he was in the wrong first, Li Sitian—to save face and avoid a scene—withdrew his gaze, let out a muffled huff, waved his hand, and scooted his chair far away.

Li Dabao sat beside him, eating and snickering.

Luo Sheng and the others were chatting too intensely with Luo Xiaoli to notice. Then she stood up and waved to everyone in the room. “Let’s go, everyone, time for dinner.”

By this point, everyone was indeed hungry. Without further talk, they followed Luo Sheng downstairs.

Luo Sheng and Nan Chu each drove a car. Luo Sheng carried her mother and the Li father-son duo, while Nan Chu carried Nan Shuwan. They arrived at the hotel she had pre-booked.

There were countless meat and seafood dishes. Luo Sheng ordered the most expensive, highest-tier set menu. Since the apocalypse was coming and they wouldn’t be able to eat out anymore, this meal had to be good. Luo Xiaoli kept putting food into Nan Shuwan’s bowl, afraid she wasn’t eating enough.

Across from them, the father and son were eating like starving ghosts, stuffing lobster and abalone into their mouths. Luo Sheng suppressed her irritation. The more she thought, the more she realized this wouldn’t work—she absolutely could not let these two live with her. The consequences would be disastrous.

After the meal, Luo Sheng specifically told Nan Chu and Nan Shuwan to return a bit later and wait for her in 1502. She drove her mother and the Li family back first; at this point, the three of them didn’t know the unit across from hers was rented by Nan Shuwan.

Once they were back, Luo Sheng didn’t say much. She arranged a guest room for Li Sitian and his son to rest, and her mother rested in the master bedroom. During this time, Nan Chu sent a message saying they had arrived in 1502. Luo Sheng replied “Okay” and made up a reason to head out.

She quietly entered 1502 and breathed a sigh of relief only after closing the door. Nan Shuwan was confused. “What’s wrong? Why so secretive?”

Nan Chu had guessed part of the reason. “Is it because of those two relatives of yours?”

Luo Sheng nodded heavily. She kept it brief, explaining the situation with the father and son, and then continued, “Basically, I don’t want these two living here no matter what. So I gathered you both to think of a way to send them away.”

After listening, Nan Shuwan leaned back on the sofa in thought, while Nan Chu gave an indifferent smile. “As long as you’re heartless enough, there are plenty of ways.”

“I don’t have a shred of affection for them anyway, so I’m heartless enough. What ways do you have?” Luo Sheng followed her lead.

Nan Chu looked at the two curious women, leaned in closer with a mysterious smile, and made a throat-slitting gesture. “Why don’t I just go and strangle them both? How about that?”

Luo Sheng rolled her eyes. Nan Shuwan was amused. “Can you be serious for once?”

The atmosphere between the sisters had unknowingly become harmonious, though neither seemed to notice. Nan Shuwan then came up with a plan. She poked Luo Sheng’s arm and leaned in. “Actually, we can do this: let them go back the same way they came—for the wedding!”

“What are you talking about? You’re being cryptic,” Nan Chu said, speechless. “If you have something, say it.”

Luo Sheng also prodded her.

Nan Shuwan gave a “tsk” and spoke slowly. “Aren’t they here for a wedding? We can book a luxurious hotel right now, claiming the wedding will be held there. Not too far, but not too close. Then I’ll say that in my family tradition, the other party must arrange a ‘young boy’ to lead the procession. Isn’t your cousin the perfect candidate?” She paused. “And since your uncle has trouble walking, let them stay there for a night so they only have to go downstairs the next morning. It saves them the early morning rush. Doesn’t that sound reasonable?”

“The check-in time will be the day before the apocalypse,” Nan Shuwan smiled. “That way, even if they want to come back, they won’t be able to…”

Luo Sheng was stunned by the plan, while Nan Chu started clapping in admiration. “Wow, you’re a real ‘Yama’ (Lord of Hell)… I admit defeat.”

“Alright, let’s do it!” Luo Sheng didn’t hesitate and finalized the plan.

The next morning, the three began to divide the labor, each going out to stockpile the remaining supplies. Her mother and the Li family stayed in the apartment; this was Luo Sheng’s way of being intentionally distant, creating an image of being busy buying wedding supplies.

Over the next three days, no one dared relax their guard. When Nan Chu’s trucks of medicine arrived, Luo Sheng went to the warehouse in awe. With a wave of her hand, she pulled it all into the space.

As for the Li family, they were told the plan ahead of time. Li Sitian was quite satisfied with the arrangement. Nan Shuwan claimed she booked a presidential suite for them to stay for a night, and Li Dabao would come out in a suit the next morning for the procession. Luo Sheng even promised them a ten-thousand-yuan “red envelope” (cash gift) after the ceremony!

This made Li Sitian eager to head over. On the day before the apocalypse, Luo Sheng personally drove them to a five-star luxury hotel in District C. To make it more believable, they actually booked a wedding banquet to prevent Li Sitian from asking the staff too many questions.

Luo Sheng arranged for them to stay on the 6th floor. After getting the key card and sending them into the room, Luo Sheng felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. She looked at their retreating backs and sighed, thinking this might be the last time she’d ever see them. Then she hurried back to the Happy Community.

Li Sitian, looking at the view from the window, was delighted. He had never stayed in such a luxurious hotel in his life. He picked up the brand-new suit on the table and tried it on in front of the mirror, thinking he looked quite respectable in new clothes!

Li Dabao also put on his suit and posed in front of the mirror, not forgetting to fantasize. “Sigh, I hope my future wife is that beautiful too!”

“Brat, you’re in heat again!”

Li Sitian limped over and tossed the clothes onto Dabao’s head. Looking at the time, it was still early. Those three had been busy buying wedding stuff and hadn’t even fed them properly lately.

Now that he was in a star-rated hotel and had the 5,000-yuan red envelope Luo Sheng had just given him, Li Sitian wanted to go down and find some light food, even if his leg was a bit inconvenient. He waved to Dabao and took him downstairs to look for a restaurant nearby.

Sitting in a well-air-conditioned small eatery, Li Sitian felt that simple home-style dishes were the best. He had eaten too much seafood and meat the previous two days, making his stomach uncomfortable. Satisfied, he patted his belly and led Dabao to the counter to pay. He accidentally tripped over his lame leg, but was caught and supported by Lin Fu, who was in line behind him.

He turned and said, “Thank you.”

Ever since following Luo Sheng to that unfamiliar complex, Lin Fu had explored the area. She coincidentally ran into an old uncle who worked as a security guard; his daughter had been her classmate. After not seeing each other for years, they warmly invited her to stay for a few days.

Lin Fu figured she had nothing to do while working from home, and she wanted to see what Luo Sheng was up to, so she accepted. Today she brought a change of clothes and was heading to her classmate’s home in the Happy Community after watching a movie and eating.

However, she had heard this middle-aged man talking about a wedding while she was eating. She instinctively asked, “Uncle, you look so radiant, there must be something joyful happening!”

Li Sitian wiped his mouth and laughed. He walked out of the restaurant with Lin Fu, who had finished paying. “Sigh, it’s nothing much. My niece is getting married tomorrow. We’re staying here tonight to lead the procession tomorrow!”

Li Sitian pointed to the large hotel ahead, intentionally showing off since it was the most expensive in the area. Lin Fu didn’t take it to heart and offered a polite word of congratulations. To her surprise, Li Sitian continued on his own, “My niece is lucky! The wife is some big company Director, her family is loaded!”

At those words, Lin Fu froze. She felt something unbelievable was happening. She prodded, “Uncle, what’s your niece’s name? I’m familiar with this area, maybe I know her!”

“Really?” Li Sitian saw the girl was cute and well-spoken, so he was happy to talk. Li Dabao, meanwhile, couldn’t take his eyes off Lin Fu. “Her name is Luo Sheng. You probably don’t know her, right?”

At the mention of the name, Lin Fu felt like she had been hit by an electric current. Her breathing quickened. She swallowed hard, feeling things were getting stranger. Luo Sheng was getting married? To a Director?

The image of Nan Shuwan from that day flashed through her mind. Lin Fu felt it was incredible. She curved her eyes and pretended to be shocked. “Oh my god! I do know Luo Sheng! We’re very close colleagues!” She even pulled out her phone to show Li Sitian Luo Sheng’s saved number.

The man found it miraculous—running into an acquaintance on the street! Seeing that Li Sitian believed her, she continued, “Uncle, is the person Luo Sheng is marrying named… Nan?”

“Yeah! You really are close! You know everything!”

Hearing this, Lin Fu’s smile instantly vanished. She looked up at the hotel, narrowing her eyes as she thought.

After parting with Li Sitian, Lin Fu didn’t go to the Happy Community. Instead, she rented a room in a small guesthouse right next to that expensive hotel, intending to stay the night. She had asked Li Sitian and learned that Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan were holding their wedding there tomorrow.

However, she still went to the hotel front desk to ask. When the staff confirmed it was true, her curiosity became unbearable. She called her old classmate and said she wasn’t coming today but would be there the day after tomorrow. She was determined to see what kind of game Luo Sheng and Director Nan were playing.

Luo Sheng was currently in the space, re-categorizing all the supplies. By the time she came out, it was past 8:00 PM. Nan Shuwan and Nan Chu were exhausted from days of stockpiling and were resting on the sofa with their eyes closed.

For some reason, the closer the apocalypse came, the calmer she felt.

Seeing her mother happily decorating the “new house” in anticipation of tomorrow’s wedding, Luo Sheng didn’t burst her bubble. Let her spend this last night before the end of the world in happiness.

With the Li family gone tonight, Luo Sheng wanted to cook personally. She cut some meat to stir-fry a few dishes, feeling that they were finally truly gathered as a family.

By the time dinner was finished, it was past 9:00 PM. Luo Xiaoli went to bed early; after washing up, she headed to her room. The three of them sat in the living room, staring at each other across the table, none of them able to sleep.

Nan Chu pulled out Monopoly and suggested a few rounds. Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan agreed. They played until past 11:00 PM when they gradually grew sleepy. Luo Sheng stood up to wash up.

As she passed the window, she thought she heard a faint, intermittent tapping sound from outside. She pulled back the curtain and saw that a light, drizzling rain had begun to fall. The wind seeped through the cracks, carrying a bit of a chill. The sky looked as if it were covered by a giant curtain, black as a bottomless pit.

Luo Sheng extended her hand calmly and caught a few drifting raindrops. Her lips were pressed tight, but she whispered in her heart, Is it raining…?

Luo Sheng looked up at the sky once more, then pulled the curtains shut tightly.

The torrential rain had arrived as scheduled.