Seducing and Flirting with Boss O While Stockpiling in the Apocalypse (GL) - Chapter 38.1

Nan Shuwan had been staring out the window with worry. The entire community was experiencing a total blackout again; the only light in the room came from the dim yellow glow of candles. Her beautiful features were now shrouded in gloom, looking even more somber than the weather outside.

The torrential rain intensified, and the faint light that had barely managed to break through today was completely withdrawn, hidden behind the thick, oppressive black clouds.

Nan Shuwan glanced at the time. Her eyes, which were usually so bold and full of confidence, were no longer as composed as they once were. After spending some time in this apocalypse, her sharp edges had been worn down. Now, her eyes were like dark ink swirled with mist, dull and lifeless, her emotions betraying a deep anxiety and helplessness.

The rain drove ripples across the water’s surface, while also causing Nan Shuwan’s mood to fluctuate. Logically, Luo Sheng’s group should have been back by now given the better weather when they left. Could they have encountered trouble midway?

She didn’t want to—and didn’t dare to—think too much. Her lips were bitten pale. She could only offer more prayers in her heart, hoping Luo Sheng would return quickly.

Nan Shuwan had rarely experienced such a moment of powerlessness. From childhood through her time at the company, she had always been the one capable of solving difficulties.

But in the apocalypse, facing natural disasters and tasks that required physical strength and fists, she felt as if she couldn’t help much. For the first time, Nan Shuwan felt how useless her presence was.

If it weren’t for the binding of the space, Luo Sheng might not even need to bring her along, which would save a lot of unnecessary trouble…

At this thought, Nan Shuwan exhaled, the air turning into a faint white mist in the low temperature. Her palms were nearly rubbed red from her constant fidgeting.

Luo Xiaoli was no better, pacing back and forth in the living room with a troubled expression, repeatedly trying to make invalid calls on her signal-less phone. Her heart was burning with anxiety, but she could only wait; she simply couldn’t settle her mind.

Only Nan Chu sat by the stove like nothing was wrong, snapping a biscuit to put in her mouth while waiting for Luo Sheng to return for dinner. By this time, she was a bit hungry and had to have a snack first. “Aiya, can you two stop worrying so much? I believe in her. She’ll be fine. Luo Sheng has been practicing with the strength of an ox lately; ordinary people can’t get the better of her!”

Nan Shuwan gave a “tsk” and ignored her, then rubbed her temples and went to the kitchen to pour a cup of boiled hot water. During those few minutes away, Luo Xiaoli’s joyful voice suddenly rang out: “Aiya! Come and look! They’re back!”

Hearing this, Nan Shuwan immediately ran back to the window. Looking down, she indeed saw a raft returning in this direction.

But why was there only one?

There was no time for deep thought. Nan Shuwan threw on a plush coat and ran downstairs to wait at the seventh floor, where the water had risen. Luo Xiaoli followed. Before Nan Chu could say anything beyond a “Hey!”, she saw the retreating backs of the two hurrying away.

She shook her head and chuckled, sighing like an old mother that a “grown daughter shouldn’t be kept at home.” She then ran to the kitchen to start heating the food; at least one person had to stay and guard the house.

Luo Sheng sneezed several times. She was currently soaking wet; her clothes and shoes had long since taken in water. Her hair was plastered to her forehead, and her delicate cheeks were stained with some dirt. Wrapped in a down jacket, she looked like a small, dirty animal that had fallen into the water.

The others were losing their strength, rowing back purely on a final burst of willpower. Luo Sheng was slightly better. As they reached the complex, the group quickened their pace and finally arrived at the seventh-floor hallway entrance.

She felt along the edge, and once the raft was stabilized, she stepped halfway up. With a flip, she reached the inside of the floor. Just as she stood up, Luo Sheng fell into a warm embrace. She was held tightly, with no gap between them.

Glancing to the side, it was Nan Shuwan.

“You’re finally back…” Nan Shuwan’s voice was very light and soft, filled with joy and relief. A sour, swelling sensation rose in her heart, as if she were treating a long-lost treasure. “I’ve waited for you for so long.”

Luo Sheng never expected this kind of scene to greet her. She was slightly stunned. Although her body was currently cold with rainwater and she couldn’t feel much warmth through the thick jacket, it felt as if this embrace had injected a warm current into her. Something in her heart quietly cracked open, ready to sprout and bloom into flowers.

Luo Sheng took a deep breath, her heart beating fast. She reached out to pat Nan Shuwan’s back and touched the top of her head, but feeling that she was too dirty, her movements were very cautious. It took a while before she squeezed out a sentence: “I… I can’t quite breathe…”

These words were a total mood-killer. Nan Shuwan realized she might have been squeezing too hard, so she immediately let go of Luo Sheng. Now was not the time for sentimentality; it was better to head back and shower first to prevent her from catching a cold.

“Aiya, your old mom has been standing here for ages, and I didn’t see you even spare me a glance!” Luo Xiaoli suddenly spoke up, her tone reproachful, but her expression held no actual blame; rather, she looked like she was enjoying a show.

Originally, Luo Xiaoli had wanted to reach out and help Luo Sheng up, but Nan Shuwan had rushed ahead. That scene made her stop and quietly admire from the side.

She hadn’t expected Nan Shuwan to be so nervous. While in the apartment, this child had been worrying incessantly just like her. This didn’t look like a reaction a normal friend should have… At this thought, the curve of Luo Xiaoli’s mouth deepened. It seemed there was great hope for Wanwan and her daughter!

These words made Luo Sheng feel embarrassed, and even Nan Shuwan’s cheeks began to feel warm. In the height of her joy, she had momentarily left the other’s mother standing aside…

“Mom, I only just saw you…” Luo Sheng carried a bag, looking disheveled. Seeing her daughter in such a state, Luo Xiaoli’s teasing mood vanished instantly, and she hurried her inside to avoid getting even colder.

So the mother and daughter climbed upstairs, while the others were taken home by the family members who had rushed out to meet them. The onlookers gradually dispersed. The raft was taken away by Su Rong, while Nan Shuwan held Luo Sheng’s hand tightly, following her back home.

Returning home, Luo Sheng took a vigorous shower. With no power, the water heater in the house wouldn’t work, so she went into the space to wash. When she came out, Nan Chu was just bringing the dishes to the table.

There was soup and meat. Seeing this after a long day of work, Luo Sheng’s stomach began to growl.

Nan Shuwan served her a bowl of steaming lean meat soup to warm her up. When taking it, Luo Sheng’s fingertips brushed against the other’s, and they locked eyes. A strange sensation passed through her—something she hadn’t felt before. She felt as if her heart were itching.

Luo Sheng blew on the soup to cool it slightly, then took a few sips. She immediately felt her stomach grow warm, and sitting by the heater, her hands and feet began to heat up as well.

Luo Xiaoli piled several pieces of meat into her daughter’s bowl until it looked like a small mountain. Nan Chu joked with hindsight, “I said Luo Sheng would be fine! After practicing with a master like me for a while, how many people could even get near her?!”

Now that she had returned safely, Nan Chu’s self-praising words were taken as a joke. All four of them burst out laughing. They gathered around the heater table to eat, the atmosphere very harmonious.

“Did anything happen on your trip out?” Nan Shuwan asked the key question. Luo Sheng looked at her and slowly recounted her experience of the raft being hijacked.

In Luo Sheng’s description, it was a harrowing event; having the boat stolen truly posed a risk to one’s life. Luo Xiaoli’s face turned pale hearing this, feeling that it was too dangerous outside. Thinking of her daughter’s ordeal today, her eyes reddened, and she nearly shed tears.

“Mom, I’m perfectly fine now, don’t worry.” Luo Sheng quickly pulled out a few tissues and handed them to her mother, patting her shoulder and comforting her softly.

Luo Xiaoli sniffled, feeling a bit embarrassed to act this way in front of her daughter. She was mostly blaming herself for being powerless and unable to protect her. “Mom is old now and of no use. I only hope you are safe.” she held her daughter’s hand back, her tone low. “Mom is just afraid of holding you back…”

“What are you saying?” Seeing her like this, Luo Sheng grew anxious. “I’m grown up now; it’s my turn to protect you. There’s no such thing as holding me back. If you say such unpleasant things again, I’ll be angry.”

Seeing her daughter’s face darken, Luo Xiaoli nodded repeatedly and dropped the subject. The four of them continued eating. Before long, dinner was finished, and Nan Chu sensibly took the initiative to clear the table and wash the dishes.

However, the peace didn’t last long before the building became noisy again.

This trip had resulted in the loss of three people. It was the first time a party hadn’t returned in its entirety. The residents whose family members hadn’t returned safely began to cry uncontrollably. With no signal or power, they couldn’t even ask for details in the group chat.

So, two people went frantically from floor to floor, knocking on the doors of those who had gone out today, wanting to ask why their family members hadn’t come back.

When Su Rong was about to return, these owners caught her and demanded an explanation. She could only stammer out a general summary of the day’s events, intentionally leaving out the details regarding Zhu Peng. Finally, with a somber look, she said, “My condolences.”

The meaning of those words was all too clear. The two residents, learning their family had died outside, knelt in the hallway crying hysterically. Only Zhu Peng’s wife, Feng Xi, didn’t even come out to take a look.

Instead, Wang Zhigang came to ask about the situation and, shocked, ran back to tell Feng Xi.

Last time when no one would take him in, Zhu Peng had actually taken him back. That night, the two of them finished a few bottles of expired liquor and were both incoherently drunk.

Zhu Peng had said to him, “Brother Gang, the situation now isn’t just a simple matter of being short on food.”

Wang Zhigang burped, not quite understanding. “What do you mean? Burp—spit it out!”

Zhu Peng didn’t get angry, just pulled out a cigarette. “When do you think this rain will stop? I don’t think it’ll ever stop!” He coughed a few times. “Do you really think the rescue teams are coming? When the water and power are out, who’s going to follow the rules and row a boat out every day to find food? Can you even grab anything?!”

“As I see it, the two of us should cooperate.” Zhu Peng gave a mysterious smile and lowered his voice. “When pushed, we go all the way. We grab what we need, at worst we just…”

He made a throat-slitting gesture. In the darkness, a sudden flash of lightning illuminated Zhu Peng’s sinister face, making the drunken Wang Zhigang shudder, his intoxication clearing slightly.

Though he had a hot temper, he wasn’t brave enough to kill. Wang Zhigang began to see Zhu Peng in a new light; he had always thought the guy was just a neighborhood bully, but he didn’t expect him to be so ruthless when things actually happened.

However, Wang Zhigang didn’t immediately agree to the cooperation, just gave a few perfunctory grunts and pretended to fall asleep drunk.

He didn’t expect that before he could give an answer, he would hear the news of Zhu Peng’s death. This left Wang Zhigang a bit dazed. He hurried back to tell Feng Xi. He slumped on the sofa, gasping for breath. “Holy crap, that kid’s luck was so bad. Out of all the people out scavenging, he’s the only one gone…”

Wang Zhigang rubbed his face, still muttering to himself, “I was just eating with him here yesterday. Life is truly unpredictable!”

Feng Xi’s hand, which was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, paused. Then her whole body began to tremble. Her hands were covered in chilblains, and she had been in a very low spirit, but at this moment, her dull eyes began to shine.

She could barely suppress the excitement in her heart. The expression on her face twisted strangely, shifting between shock and joy. Her mouth twitched as a raspy laughter faintly emerged from her throat.

Zhu Peng is dead… Zhu Peng actually died…?