Seducing and Flirting with Boss O While Stockpiling in the Apocalypse (GL) - Chapter 38.2

Feng Xi’s eyes were wide, her chest heaving with excitement, but there was no trace of sadness on her face. How could she possibly be sad for Zhu Peng?

Since they married, her life had been tied to this foul man. The hypocritical masks from before the wedding were all torn away. Married far from home, Feng Xi was a victim of long-term domestic violence, yet she could never escape.

It wasn’t that Feng Xi hadn’t called the police, but every time Zhu Peng was either given a verbal warning or released after a few days in detention. Once out, he would beat her even more severely. For a long time, there wasn’t a single spot on her body that was unbruised.

Having been a housewife for many years, she had long since lost the ability to work. With no education or credentials, she didn’t even have the basic capital to survive in this big city. Feng Xi knew she was too weak, but it seemed there was no other way. Having been attached to an evil man for so long, she had long forgotten the courage to resist.

And now someone was telling her Zhu Peng was dead. It was as if a bird long caged had suddenly been set free; she was joyful but also a bit lost.

Wang Zhigang saw that she remained at the back of the kitchen with no reaction and wanted to call her again, but then he thought that Zhu Peng’s death was a good thing. It meant he could take this apartment for himself, save a lot of food, and there was… Feng Xi.

At this thought, Wang Zhigang gave a lecherous chuckle. His own wife had long since run away; wasn’t this a gift from heaven, giving him a new one for free? He had been lonely for years and wasn’t picky; they could make do!

While he was imagining his future life, Feng Xi tossed the knife aside and went to the bathroom to wash her face. For her, this was not a funeral but a celebration; she was in no mood to continue cooking.

But Feng Xi glanced at the pig-headed Wang Zhigang and found him more and more eyesore, a wave of nausea rising in her heart. What if this man stayed here and wouldn’t leave? It wasn’t impossible. The thought of this happening made her whole body tremble.

She absolutely could not jump from one fire pit into another.

Feng Xi tried to calm her mind and began to think of a strategy. At the very least, she couldn’t have a direct conflict now. A flash of coldness appeared in her eyes; she would endure for a few days and find a way to get rid of this person.

After eating and showering, Qiao Bai lay in bed holding Yang Suitong. She was still a bit shaken by today’s events. She had just told her girlfriend about what happened, and Yang Suitong’s eyes turned red, nearly shedding tears.

She was both angry and heartbroken, unable to stop herself from hitting the “good samaritan” a few times with her fists, though she was afraid of hurting her. In the end, she could only suppress her anger and ignore her.

With no power and no heat, the two huddled under the blankets. Qiao Bai hugged her tightly from behind, coaxing her in a low, soft voice, “Tongtong, don’t be mad at me anymore, okay…?”

Like a puppy, her voice was aggrieved and clingy, sounding quite pitiful.

Yang Suitong’s heart softened instantly. She relaxed and pressed her body closer to the other’s embrace—it was hot and very warm.

Qiao Bai held her even tighter, resting her head on Yang Suitong’s shoulder and rubbing her nose against the back of her girlfriend’s neck. Holding her and smelling her scent, she finally felt at ease.

Yang Suitong gave a huff, gently pinching the fingertips that were holding her, and couldn’t help but criticize, “You always do these thankless things. Can’t you think more about yourself, think more about… me?”

At this point, she began to feel aggrieved again. If no one had saved Qiao Bai today, they might have been separated by life and death. The lingering fear spread through her; the thought of that possibility made her nose sting and tears spill out.

Realizing the other’s voice was colored with a sob, Qiao Bai grew anxious. She used her strength to forcibly turn Yang Suitong around to face her, and sure enough, she saw crystalline teardrops on her cheeks.

She hurriedly wiped the tears away, feeling both heartbroken and guilty. She felt so useless, doing nothing but making her angry or sad. Qiao Bai’s heart ached as if it were being squeezed, and she could only keep promising, “Don’t cry, I promise there won’t be a next time. Baby, please… believe me!”

In her haste, her words were intermittent. Yang Suitong, being coaxed, felt her anger dissipate slightly, but seeing her frantic and foolish appearance, she couldn’t help but continue to snap, “You even want there to be a next time?”

“No, no, no, that’s not what I meant…” Qiao Bai leaned in. Hearing Yang Suitong’s tone soften, she knew she was being given a way out, so she grew bold and kissed her on the forehead. “I promise you, I will take good care of myself and you, okay?”

Yang Suitong gave a huff, but didn’t say anything more. Her heart gradually felt warm. Qiao Bai was delighted, knowing Tongtong was no longer angry, and happily kissed her girlfriend’s face a few more times. Then, the two fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Nan Chu and Luo Xiaoli had already gone to bed. Only one candle was left in the living room, the light very dim. Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan were still huddled on the sofa, sitting together by the heater.

The atmosphere between them was a bit eerily silent. Luo Sheng didn’t know why she was being so awkward. Seemingly unable to bear the silence, she cleared her throat and finally asked, “Are you… not sleepy yet?”

After waiting for ages, this was the dull question she got. Nan Shuwan didn’t know how to answer, but she replied, “A little, but I’m okay.”

After the reply, silence returned.

For some reason, after returning from this trip, Luo Sheng felt something was different. Facing Nan Shuwan, she was no longer as composed as before; instead, her emotions were passively pulled along, fearing that any word might make the other uncomfortable. She had become cautious.

Luo Sheng understood, but also didn’t quite understand. She had never experienced this feeling before. It was like a seedling buried in the soil; the growth process was slow, but the moment of blooming and fruiting was sweet.

Luo Sheng felt the tree in her heart, at the moment Nan Shuwan embraced her, was about to bear fruit—not common fruit, but rows of candies swaying in the wind, reflecting a sweet, multicolored light.

She nervously squeezed her fingers and then asked further, “You were worried about me all day?”

One moment it was an irrelevant question, and now it was so direct. The jump was so large it caught Nan Shuwan off guard. Previously, she only regarded Luo Sheng as a subordinate, always speaking with the air of a leader. Later, she saw her as a partner, a reliable shelter in this apocalypse.

But today, while waiting for Luo Sheng’s long-overdue return, Nan Shuwan felt a long-lost sense of gain and loss. She had felt this before with her late parents and with Nan Chu after they parted ways.

She was too afraid—afraid that some things would be lost again.

So when Nan Shuwan saw Luo Sheng return safely and held her in her embrace, she treated her as carefully as a treasure. It turned out someone truly would return to her side proactively and entirely after leaving.

Although it was just a simple outing, in the apocalypse, this trip was given an extraordinary meaning. it was an adventure with life-threatening risks and a spirit of sacrifice.

Nan Shuwan didn’t want to deny it, so she looked at Luo Sheng seriously and nodded sincerely. “Indeed. Only after you returned safely did I… feel at ease.”

The last few words were whispered, an ambiguous spark quietly rising in the air. Although the light in the living room was dim, Luo Sheng felt that the other’s cheeks might be flushing.

She instinctively sat closer. The side-by-side position made it easy for their elbows to touch, and at that moment, Luo Sheng felt a pang of pain. Pulling back her sleeve, she saw a large bruise. Could it have happened when she was bumped earlier today?

Everything that happened today was too urgent for Luo Sheng to notice. Naturally, she couldn’t rule out the possibility. Seeing the purple mark, Nan Shuwan knit her brows and went to the cabinet to get a bottle of iodine.

She sat to Luo Sheng’s side, pulled out a cotton swab dipped in iodine, and asked her to extend her arm. She gently and slowly applied the liquid to the bruise, her movements very soft for fear of hurting her, even blowing several gentle puffs of warm air onto the area.

Luo Sheng remained motionless, watching Nan Shuwan intently as she let her work. The warm air on her forearm made it itchy, like being brushed by a feather, carrying a pleasant fragrance.

The scent was very nice; she had smelled it more than once. It was a very light floral scent, likely the shower gel Nan Shuwan liked to use. But at this moment, she couldn’t quite tell if it was the scent of the shower gel or the woman’s own… body fragrance?

Luo Sheng shook her head to dispel these thoughts, suddenly feeling like she had the nose of a dog to capture these scents. But Nan Shuwan’s serious appearance was truly… beautiful.

She had always felt this person had superior looks; she had never denied Nan Shuwan’s beauty in her heart—glamorous and bold, like a red rose blooming in a dark world.

But the gentle Nan Shuwan was more like an unnamed flower soaked by the rain, which also made her heart feel soft and submissive… making one want to hold her in their palm.

“Alright, don’t pull your sleeve down yet. Wait until it’s dry…” Nan Shuwan withdrew the cotton swab. She looked up and suddenly saw Luo Sheng staring at her intently, her words trailing off.

Even in the poor light, that gaze felt like fire—more intense than the candle flame. Her eyes were deep and bright, like amber or glass overflowing with color. A single glance was enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.

Nan Shuwan withdrew her gaze and moved away awkwardly, but her hand was suddenly caught. Luo Sheng’s palm was warm. At the moment their palms touched, their racing heartbeats could be felt by each other.

But there was no further action. Nan Shuwan only heard her lower her voice and say softly, “Thank you.”

Nan Shuwan gave an “Mhm,” and then the distance between them completely opened up. Both returned to their bedrooms with their own thoughts.

Luo Sheng looked at her arm before sleeping, recalling the scene just now, and then fell into a deep sleep with a faint flutter in her heart.

There was still no power after waking up, and the water had also stopped. Su Rong notified every household that the pipes and electrical circuits were completely destroyed and could not be repaired in the near future. There would likely be a long-term water and power outage, and everyone should be mentally prepared.

Because of the tragic news from yesterday’s trip, no one dared to venture out for the time being, fearing they would meet the same fate.

Su Rong had no choice but to suspend the outings. The weather was too extreme anyway, making it unsuitable for travel; it was safer to huddle at home.

Fortunately, each floor had gone out once, and the supplies brought back were enough to last for a while. Every household kept their doors tightly shut, unwilling to share with others anymore.

Additionally, due to the power outage, conversation in the group chat was impossible. For a time, the residents of this building seemed to have cut off all contact—isolated in their own units, everyone was in a state of self-preservation.

Zhang Dajiu had started having diarrhea over the past few days. He had nearly finished the fish he got from He Shugen; the meat was indeed firm and resilient, and he had cooked it in different ways for several days.

But today, for some reason, his stomach was in an uproar, and he felt uncomfortable no matter what. He didn’t link it to the fish, thinking the temperature was too low and he might have accidentally caught a cold, leading to the diarrhea.

He leaned over the toilet, vomiting violently. A green slime covered the inside of the bowl and even spilled over onto the bathroom floor. Zhang Dajiu’s face was terrible; he knelt on the ground gasping for breath, looking exceptionally weak. He cursed incessantly, “Darn it! I’m nearly finished! Good heavens, what on earth did I eat that went bad!”

Mao Xue, who was mopping the floor in the living room, was so angry she threw the mop aside and went to the bedroom to scold her husband, Yan Hua. She blamed him for taking this man into their home; he claimed they were good brothers, and Mao Xue’s objections were ignored. Now the house was a mess every day!

She hated people with poor hygiene, and this Zhang Dajiu paid no attention to such things. Now he was sick and vomiting everywhere. Mao Xue, who was already in a bad mood, had to face a foul stench in the house every day. If she could, she really wanted to pack Yan Hua and Zhang Dajiu together and kick them out!

Yan Hua had only taken a few puffs of his cigarette before being blamed by his wife. He immediately tried to soothe her. “Aiya, don’t be so anxious. Old Zhang is only doing this because he’s unwell. We’ll give him some medicine, and he’ll be fine once he’s better!”

“Medicine? We don’t even have enough for ourselves! And you want to give it to an outsider?” Mao Xue was furious, slapping Yan Hua on the back. “If I feel unwell later, where are you going to get medicine?!”

Yan Hua gave a cheeky smile and pressed his hands together in a pleading gesture, then flipped away to the living room. He rummaged through the bottom of a drawer and found an expired cold remedy, intending to give it to Zhang Dajiu so he’d get better quickly.

Although he had taken the initiative to host him, this man truly didn’t know the rules. At the very least, he should give him some face and help him keep a good image in front of his wife, right?

At this thought, Yan Hua’s expression also turned sour. Seeing that the man hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet, he went to see what was going on with some annoyance.

The bathroom door wasn’t closed. Yan Hua gave a perfunctory glance at the man on the floor. “Alright, Zhang Dajiu, get up now. What does a grown man look like lying there…”

But there was no reaction. Yan Hua wondered if he had fainted. He knelt down to pat Zhang Dajiu to see if he could wake him up.

Unexpectedly, as he got closer, Zhang Dajiu suddenly twisted violently. Yan Hua jumped back several steps in fright. “Holy crap, you trying to scare me to death…”

Before he could finish cursing, Yan Hua froze.

Zhang Dajiu was kicking his legs wildly on the floor, his body beginning to fold and bend. His face and body were flushed a deep red, but his veins were clearly visible, as if they were about to burst. His eyeballs were turning white, and his struggling form at this moment looked exactly like a fish thrashing frantically on a chopping board.