Seducing and Flirting with Boss O While Stockpiling in the Apocalypse (GL) - Chapter 41

Suddenly being put on the spot, Qiao Bai was a bit dazed. She followed Luo Sheng’s gaze to a small scratch on her arm; there was also a hole in her sleeve. She instinctively tried to cover it, but Luo Sheng suddenly grabbed her wrist. Her grip was forceful, making Qiao Bai wince in pain.

Luo Sheng’s eyes were cold, her tone carrying an irresistible authority. “Answer me.”

“No, it’s not…” Realizing the implication, Qiao Bai hurriedly shook her head in denial. “I wasn’t bitten. I must have accidentally snagged it on a table corner when I was running out. I even whacked He Shugen across the forehead with a rolling pin!”

Yang Suitong, standing beside her, grew anxious as well, desperately trying to prove Qiao Bai’s innocence. “I testify that she wasn’t! Please believe us, okay!”

Luo Sheng’s gaze was like a torch, staring at the wound and observing it closely for a moment. It indeed didn’t look like a bite mark, but she couldn’t be certain. What if it was a scratch from a zombie’s claw? Who knew if a scratch would cause a mutation?

Nonetheless, she slowly released Qiao Bai. The girl rubbed her reddened wrist in pain, while Yang Suitong blew on it with a look of pure heartache.

Luo Sheng leaned back against the sofa with her arms crossed, her expression still heavy. Seeing that Luo Sheng still didn’t quite trust her, Qiao Bai grit her teeth in a sudden surge of desperation and knelt directly on the floor. “Sister Luo, if you’re worried, I… I’ll leave! But I beg you, let Tongtong stay here, okay? As long as she’s safe, I’ll do anything!”

The more Qiao Bai spoke, the more frantic she became. Her nose stung and her eyes grew red as a sob inadvertently broke through. Being young, she was naturally afraid of death, but she was even more afraid of involving Yang Suitong.

Right now, she had little ability to protect herself; Suitong would undoubtedly be in grave danger following her. If she could trade her own life for Yang Suitong’s safety, Qiao Bai was willing. Thus, she begged Luo Sheng humbly, hoping the other would grant her request.

Yang Suitong was moved to tears by Qiao Bai’s words. She knelt down beside her, hurriedly wiping the girl’s tears. “What kind of nonsense is that? Do you think I could leave you behind? If you go out, I’m going with you!”

Seeing the two of them like this, Nan Chu and Luo Xiaoli didn’t know what to say. Nan Shuwan also felt a pang of pity; she opened her mouth to call Luo Sheng’s name, her instinct at that moment was to let them stay, but she hesitated, unsure how to speak.

Finally, the silent Luo Sheng spoke. She sighed and reached out to pull the kneeling Qiao Bai and Yang Suitong to their feet. “Look at you two, performing a melodrama right here in my house. I’m not that cold-hearted, am I?”

Luo Sheng shook her head with a self-deprecating smile, marveling at the sincere devotion of the young couple. This was the age of passion and hot-bloodedness; the fervor of youth was most touching. These two were kind, loyal, and righteous—it wouldn’t be a bad thing to let them stay.

“Alright, you’re too dirty right now. I’ll heat some water for you to wash up first.” Luo Sheng pointed toward a cabinet in the back. “There’s ointment and bandages in there. Grab them after your shower.”

Joy flashed in Qiao Bai’s eyes. Did Sister Luo mean she was willing to take them in?

The smile instantly returned to her tear-stained face. She wiped her nose and eyes haphazardly, nodding her head frantically like a woodpecker. “Okay… okay, I’ll go wash right away. Sister Luo, thank you so much!”

After a few steps, Qiao Bai turned back and grabbed Luo Sheng’s hand. “Sister Luo, I really don’t know how to repay you. From now on, I’m at your beck and call!”

Qiao Bai was so sincere and earnest that Luo Sheng felt a bit embarrassed. She patted the girl’s shoulder in acknowledgement. “Alright, go take your shower.”

Nan Shuwan also let out a secret sigh of relief, and everyone went back to their tasks.

Now that zombies were a reality, they had to be even more cautious in this apocalypse. Luo Sheng looked out the window; the rain was still drizzling, even mixed with snowflakes. The water level had risen to the eighth floor.

With the torrential rain outside and zombies in the building, it was a case of a wolf in front and a tiger behind; being caught in the middle made every step difficult.

However, she still didn’t know how the zombies determined the location of living people. Judging by what happened earlier, it seemed to be based on sound, as the two monsters had descended the stairs to wander aimlessly after everyone went quiet.

But she wasn’t sure if there were other factors. Luo Sheng frowned, cracked a few eggs, added some lean meat to steam them, and quickly stir-fried pork with peppers. She reheated the leftovers from lunch, and the meal was ready.

Qiao Bai and Yang Suitong scrubbed themselves clean. Luo Sheng tossed them two sets of thick, one-size-for-all new sweaters and cotton jackets.

After the hot bath, Qiao Bai felt reborn. She had been covered in blood when she escaped earlier that afternoon; she had whacked several zombies in the hallway over the head with a rolling pin. Luckily, the two were agile and hadn’t been bitten, or they would be among the walkers in the hallway right now.

The scratch on her arm was still red. Yang Suitong used a cotton swab to gently apply medicine. As soon as the liquid touched the wound, Qiao Bai winced and hissed. Yang Suitong stopped immediately, asking softly, “Does it hurt? I’ll be gentler.”

Qiao Bai nodded, thinking her girlfriend was beautiful no matter how she looked at her. After everything that had happened, being able to sit here safely felt like a blessing from heaven. She felt like acting a bit spoiled, so she rubbed her shoulder against the other’s and whispered, “If you kiss it, it won’t hurt anymore…”

Yang Suitong’s ears turned red, and she gave her a mock-reproachful pat. “I will not, not with so many people around.”

While the two were being affectionate, Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan emerged with the dishes. By the time Qiao Bai finished her shower, it was nearly dinner time. With two extra people, the table was a bit crowded. Nan Chu set out the bowls and chopsticks, and once everyone was seated, Luo Xiaoli busily encouraged the two newcomers to eat more.

They truly had been malnourished lately; after days of thin soup and bland food, they had almost forgotten the taste of meat. Qiao Bai said thank you repeatedly before unceremoniously digging in, even putting several ribs in Yang Suitong’s bowl. The savory taste of the meat nearly made her cry.

Seeing how fast the girl was eating, Luo Xiaoli poured a glass of water. “Oh, slow down. No one’s going to take it from you!”

Embarrassed by her exaggerated eating manner, Qiao Bai’s face flushed as she nodded and slowed her pace. The group finished dinner in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.

With two more people, the rooms had to be reassigned. Nan Chu’s single room had to be given up for Qiao Bai and her girlfriend.

Originally, Luo Sheng planned to have the sisters share a room, but Nan Chu felt that since she had already differentiated, sharing a room with Nan Shuwan might be inappropriate. Finally, Luo Sheng decided that Luo Xiaoli and Nan Shuwan would share a room, while she would make do in Nan Chu’s room.

Once settled, Qiao Bai and Yang Suitong—exhausted after their terrifying day—went to their room to rest. Luo Xiaoli, who always slept early, also retired to the master bedroom. Nan Chu stayed in her room, passing the time with a novel.

Luo Sheng leaned against the sofa, intending to keep watch in the living room tonight. The day’s events made it hard for her to sleep; she felt that once she let down her guard, danger would invade.

Nan Shuwan came out clutching a pillow, wanting to sit beside her. Luo Sheng looked at her and made some room. “What? You can’t sleep either?”

“It would be a miracle if I could…” Nan Shuwan tucked the heater’s cloth over her legs, feeling the chill of the dead of night. “I don’t know what to do now. Do you think we can really keep living like this?”

Luo Sheng reached for a blanket beside the sofa and draped it over both of them, sitting a bit closer. As they sat side-by-side, elbow to elbow, the warmth increased. “Well… who can say for sure? But if you really want to live, I’ll help you look for an elixir of immortality.”

Clearly a joke, Nan Shuwan gave a soft huff. Then, stretching her body, she asked as if casually, “Were you really going to make Qiao Bai leave today?”

Luo Sheng froze, then looked at her seriously. “If I said yes, would you think I’m cold-blooded?”

“I don’t think so.” Nan Shuwan looked down in serious thought. “There’s nothing wrong with preserving the bigger picture…”

At this, Luo Sheng smiled and closed her eyes to rest. But Nan Shuwan blinked and asked again, “What if one day I turned into a zombie?”

Luo Sheng’s eyes were half-closed, but her heart skipped a beat. She had never considered such a thing. If this happened to Nan Shuwan, could she harbor the same cold, decisive thoughts she had today?

She didn’t think she could. Just the thought made her feel unbearable. At some unknown point, she had become accustomed to Nan Shuwan’s presence, to the point where she didn’t want to be separated from her for anything.

That feeling was real. Luo Sheng turned her head slightly, her eyes as dark as obsidian in the unlit room. “Then I’ll keep you as a pet, feeding you meat and blood every day.”

Startled by the answer, Nan Shuwan found the image strangely easy to visualize. She pursed her lips and poked the other’s shoulder. “I see you really do have the potential to be a creep…”

Their voices grew softer and their tones lower as they talked. Without realizing it, Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan fell asleep facing each other on the sofa.

This sleep was heavy. Luo Sheng had a dream; in the dream, she was being chased by zombies. In her haste, she hid in a room, and the group of bloodthirsty monsters outside began bashing frantically. The door thudded repeatedly, each strike echoing against Luo Sheng’s pounding heart.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Luo Sheng woke up in a cold sweat. The sky was beginning to turn gray. The bad experience of the nightmare left her heart racing. She looked down and realized Nan Shuwan had somehow ended up sleeping in her arms.

But the sound of the thumping didn’t dissipate with the dream. Luo Sheng looked toward the front door and saw that the heavy door panel was shuddering under the impact.