Seducing and Flirting with Boss O While Stockpiling in the Apocalypse (GL) - Chapter 48

What a strange way to be addressed.

Luo Sheng froze for a moment, thinking she had misheard, but once she saw the way Nan Shuwan’s eyes curved with laughter, she realized she was being teased on purpose.

Back when they first met at the rented apartment, this woman had a habit of dropping startling remarks or “trash-talking” out of the blue; Luo Sheng still remembered that “girlfriend” comment in the group chat even now…

Seeing that Luo Sheng remained silent, Nan Shuwan’s gaze drifted downward. Although they were close, she couldn’t quite see the other’s expression clearly in the dim, unlit environment.

However, Nan Shuwan felt she could guess. Based on her existing knowledge, the person in front of her was very easy to fluster. She moved back slightly, her tone teasing, “Are you blushing?”

“I am not,” Luo Sheng replied categorically and without hesitation. Yet, the speed of her instant reply and her strained tone only served to confirm Nan Shuwan’s words, making her seem incredibly guilty.

The glass canopy on the ceiling reflected a sliver of dim light from outside, creating a hazy, fluorescent mist that seemed to linger around them.

Nan Shuwan rolled onto her back, putting away her flirtatious demeanor. She stared straight up, her gaze deep and thoughtful. In the shadows, her profile looked even more defined.

“During this time… do you feel tired?” Luo Sheng glanced at her and lay back as well, looking aimlessly at the sky.

The sky was as black as a bottomless pit; there was no telling when things would return to normal. “Hiding and fleeing every day—doesn’t it feel a bit like being rats in a sewer?”

Nan Shuwan shot her a reproachful look. “Who describes themselves like that?” Though she spoke that way, the nonsensical analogy was actually quite fitting.

In the past, Nan Shuwan only thought about climbing the ladder. Day after day of work consumed almost all her energy; she always wanted more power and more money. She had no desire or time to pay attention to trivial matters or unimportant people around her.

After many years of rushing, she felt as though she hadn’t created or left behind anything meaningful—or rather, she didn’t know what “meaningful” even meant. It felt like there was a hollow space in her heart that could never be filled.

To outsiders, she might have seemed perfect, but a person’s sense of lack is hard to satisfy completely. Even if she constantly kept herself busy to feel “full,” the moment she stopped, her heart felt empty.

From the death of her parents at a young age to her eventual separation from Nan Chu, too many things had left Nan Shuwan without any emotional anchor. If being tired at work was like being a beast of burden, then in the apocalypse, one was indeed like a rat, or even an ant…

In the face of life and death, the money and power of the past felt like fleeting bubbles, popping at the first gust of wind.

To survive, she worried all day, but she no longer had to perform complex mental gymnastics. Her sole purpose was to fill her stomach and stay alive. Setting aside other factors, being reunited with Nan Chu and living with so many people had actually allowed Nan Shuwan to focus truly on herself and those around her—something she had never done before.

Lying here now, her heart was unusually peaceful. If she didn’t have to fear for her life, she felt that spending her days with family and friends like this wouldn’t be so bad…

Nan Shuwan asked, “What about you? Once the apocalypse passes one day, what would you want to do?”

Luo Sheng thought about it carefully. If the disaster ended, she would likely spend more time with her mother. Having died once, she didn’t have many obsessions left; she only hoped that she and the people she cared about would be safe and healthy. “Let nature take its course. Maybe find a common, stable job and live out a quiet life…”

After she spoke, a long silence followed.

Eventually, the sound of steady breathing came through. Luo Sheng turned her head to find that Nan Shuwan had fallen asleep. She let out a soft laugh; how did this woman manage to fall asleep so quickly every single time?

The mezzanine wasn’t high. Several mattresses were spread across the wooden floor. They were covered by two separate blankets, so Luo Sheng reached out to tuck the other’s blanket in a bit better. As her palm hovered in the air while she carefully pulled at the fabric, the other woman instinctively leaned her cheek over, pressing her warm, soft face into Luo Sheng’s palm—as submissive as a cat.

Luo Sheng remembered the time they accidentally fell asleep on the sofa; when she woke up, Nan Shuwan had similarly curled into her embrace. Did she have a habit of hugging plushies while sleeping?

If the colleagues from the old company were told that the rigorous Director Nan was like this in private, probably no one would believe it.

Luo Sheng moved as slowly as possible, propping the other’s face back onto the pillow. After a long day, she was also exhausted. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she gradually fell asleep in the small mezzanine.

When she woke up, Nan Shuwan also sat up with a yawn. The light from the glass canopy cast a pale glow onto Luo Sheng’s face. The two of then headed downstairs one after the other to wash up.

Liu Lin had woken up early. Living in someone else’s house made her want to do whatever was within her power, so she cooked noodles for everyone—plain and refreshing Yangchun noodles. It wasn’t good to eat anything too heavy in the morning, or the stomach would be uncomfortable.

When Liu Lin brought the noodles to the table and saw Luo Sheng and Nan Shuwan coming down from upstairs, she felt a sudden pang of… something. In truth, she didn’t know what the relationship between these two was; having only stayed together for a short time, she naturally hadn’t asked.

Besides, asking such a question seemed a bit impolite… but she always felt that Luo Sheng and the other woman didn’t look like they had a “common” relationship.

Liu Lin masked these subtle emotions. After setting out the bowls and chopsticks, the others emerged from their bedrooms one by one. Nan Chu stretched and let out a yawn, feeling refreshed after a good sleep. Then, she sniffed the air like a dog. “What’s that smell? It smells great!”

Qiao Bai’s eyes lit up as she hurried to the table. “Wow! Liu Lin, you’re so thoughtful!!” After praising her, she pulled Yang Suitong’s hand to sit down together.

Liu Lin smiled. “You flatter me. Back home, I would always cook noodles or porridge for my mother in the morning. They’re just simple breakfasts.”

After sitting down, Nan Chu propped her head on her hand and glanced at the young girl. She had almond eyes and a round face—quite sweet-looking, and obedient to boot. She couldn’t help but ask, “How old are you?”

Liu Lin blinked her large eyes, hesitating for a few seconds. “Twenty-one.”

Ah, quite young indeed. Nan Chu asked again, “Still in university?”

Liu Lin nodded and then shook her head. “Mhm, but I had been on a leave of absence to work. I wanted to save up for tuition…”

Nan Chu gave an “Oh” of realization, looking thoughtful. She wanted to continue prying, but Luo Sheng had already sat down and chided her, “Stop being so nosy.”

Hearing this, Liu Lin looked down slightly, feeling an inexplicable surge of joy—she felt as though she were being protected by this person.

The dining area in this house featured a round table. While eating the noodles, Luo Sheng sat right next to Liu Lin. After a few slurps, she found them quite fresh and savory and instinctively offered a few compliments. Her mouth was even stained with a bit of broth.

Seeing this, Liu Lin pulled out a tissue and reached out to wipe it for her. Luo Sheng didn’t react for a few seconds, stunned. Then, she immediately took the tissue and said flatly, “Thanks, I’ll do it myself.”

As she spoke, she instinctively turned her head to glance at Nan Shuwan beside her, feeling oddly uneasy. However, the woman didn’t look over; her expression was leisurely and indifferent.

Luo Sheng suddenly felt relieved, yet she also felt that the other’s lack of concern made her a bit disappointed. It was such a contradictory feeling… Luo Sheng could only bury her head and continue eating.

The noodle breakfast was finished with everyone harboring their own distinct thoughts and expressions.

By noon, Su Rong and Feng Xi insisted on cooking. Having stayed together every day—even sleeping in the same bed—the two of them acted like a remarried couple, practically inseparable.

As requested, Luo Sheng brought out a large fish head and some side dishes. She helped thaw and cut the food, getting some dirty water splashed on her face. Nan Shuwan happened to be behind her; Luo Sheng tilted her chin up, wanting the other to get a tissue to wipe it for her. To her surprise, the woman just walked past, leaving behind a smiling remark: “Don’t you have someone else to wipe it for you?”

Luo Sheng was stunned.

Huh? What does that mean?

This house wasn’t as well-insulated as the previous apartment; there were large gaps that frequently let in drafts. After all, Luo Sheng had renovated the rented place thoroughly, while this old building naturally wasn’t as sturdy.

The fish head hotpot at noon left her a bit stuffed. Luo Xiaoli, who always loved fish, even had an extra bowl of rice. Everyone felt drowsy after cleaning up, and most went to their bedrooms for a nap.

Luo Sheng opened a window to check the situation outside. There wasn’t much else near the standalone building, as the other houses were quite far away. Since yesterday, the water level had been rising slowly, and it still hadn’t breached the eleventh floor. The rain was gradually subsiding, turning instead into hail that drummed loudly against the windowsills.

She took out her fully charged phone and waved it toward the window, discovering to her surprise that several bars of signal had returned.

The others’ phones had long since been destroyed in the water or had died from lack of power. Only Luo Sheng’s, kept and charged in the space, was still functional. Now that there was a signal, she couldn’t wait to turn on her data to see what news was out there.

A massive wave of news pop-ups appeared. The old group chat was silent; the conversation had stopped back at one of the scavenging trips.

Right. Because everyone is dead.

Then Luo Sheng opened the trending searches and saw the screen filled with topics related to zombies.

Countries Around the World Suffering from Unknown Virus Infection

Public Attacked in Multiple Locations

Zombie Outbreak

…

Netizens were discussing fervently. Many regions had suffered countless deaths and injuries. Those who were still alive or whose locations hadn’t been infected yet were all terrified.

The official notice urged citizens not to go out and to wait patiently for rescue teams. Official emergency shelters were being set up in various places, and the public was told they could find their own way there.

Luo Sheng made a mental note of the locations of these shelters, as a sense of melancholy spread through her.

It turned out that so many places had already begun to fall.