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Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chapter 19. Part 2
He watched Zhou An’an as he spoke, then immediately lowered his gaze and resumed eating his steak, seemingly uninterested in her answer.
Zhou An’an was stumped, unsure how to respond.
Listening to the clink of Lu Yuan’s knife and fork, she thought seriously for several minutes before finally speaking. “You probably remember that before I met you, I didn’t have a single friend, right?”
Lu Yuan looked up but said nothing.
Zhou An’an gave a self-deprecating laugh. “When we first met, I complained to you that being useless wasn’t my fault… But the truth is, I know my own flaws: introverted, clumsy, insecure, sensitive, and radiating negative energy. I wouldn’t even want to be friends with someone like that, let alone anyone else. I had always planned to die at thirty because I couldn’t see any meaning in living. It was you who pulled me out of that life, encouraging me to try things I never dared to do…”
She paused for a few seconds before continuing, “Lu Yuan, I’ve never had the courage to say this, but I’m truly grateful to you. So when you ask if I’m willing to trust you, I can say with absolute certainty: I am.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but her tone was incredibly firm.
The sunset reflected in her eyes, dyeing them a clear amber.
Lu Yuan stared blankly for a few seconds before he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Only an idiot would talk like that.”
“I am an idiot,” Zhou An’an replied.
His left hand lifted slightly, almost touching her fingertips, but after a moment’s hesitation, he pulled it back.
“I know, idiot. Now eat.”
Zhou An’an had never poured her heart out like that before. After speaking, she felt utterly drained. She quickly finished her meal, took a shower, and prepared for bed.
The two stood before the bunk beds, a small argument breaking out over who would take which bunk.
Lu Yuan: “The top bunk is too cramped. I won’t fit.”
Zhou An’an: “You have long legs, so it’s easier for you to climb up. Besides, if you roll over in your sleep, you won’t fall off—you can just stick your legs out and stand.”
Lu Yuan: “…Just a moment ago, you were thanking me and promising to trust me forever.”
Zhou An’an retorted righteously, “I said trust, not blind obedience. We need to analyze each situation on its own merits.”
Lu Yuan resorted to his old trick, clutching his abdomen. “I’m injured. I shouldn’t be climbing up and down.”
Zhou An’an couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Your wound healed back in the forest. Do you think I didn’t notice?”
Lu Yuan poked the tip of her nose. “I knew you were peeking when I bathed.”
Zhou An’an: “…”
Neither could persuade the other, so they decided to draw lots. They crumpled two paper balls, one with “Top” written inside and the other with “Bottom.”
Lu Yuan drew first and got the top bunk. Resigned, he climbed up.
Zhou An’an smugly settled into the bottom bunk, but she soon regretted it.
The bed had previously been used by a man. The pillow and sheets reeked of his greasy body odor, and she could even faintly smell stinky feet.
She tossed and turned for a long time, the stench keeping her awake. Finally, she feigned apology and said, “On second thought, since you’ve just recovered, it’s probably more convenient for you to sleep on the bottom bunk.”
Without a word, Lu Yuan climbed down. Standing by the bed, he asked, “Do you need me to lift you up?”
“No need.”
Zhou An’an had slept on the top bunk for years in school. She easily climbed the ladder… only to be hit by an even foul stench from the bed that made her head buzz.
From below, Lu Yuan stifled a laugh. “I saw a large shopping mall on the way here. Why don’t we go find some new sheets and pillows?”
They wouldn’t get any sleep tonight without replacing the bedding.
Zhou An’an climbed back down and took the driver’s seat again.
The shopping mall was less than ten kilometers away, and they arrived quickly.
Dozens of zombies milled around outside—not a major threat, but strangely, all the mall’s doors were shut tight, as if deliberately locked from the inside.
Did someone hide in there when the outbreak started?
While Zhou An’an was still assessing the situation, Lu Yuan had already pulled a coil of climbing rope from a cabinet and was sizing it up in his hands.
“What’s the rope for?” she asked.
“If we break down the door, the zombies will follow us in, making it hard to scavenge. We’ll go in through a window.”
Zhou An’an looked up at the windows. The first floor was seven or eight meters high, the second floor had no windows at all, and the lowest window on the third floor was still over ten meters away. They weren’t geckos—how could they possibly climb that?
Lu Yuan opened the vehicle’s window and took down a few nearby zombies. He then motioned for her to follow him up the ladder on the back of the vehicle to the roof.
He selected a window, fired a few shots to shatter the glass, then slung the rope over his shoulder. With a light leap, he grabbed hold of an advertising sign above.
“I’ll throw the rope down. Tie it around your waist—as tight as you can.”
Zhou An’an nodded quickly, whispering, “Be careful!”
He smiled, looked up, and began to climb.
Zhou An’an watched nervously, terrified he would fall halfway up, while also keeping an eye on the surrounding zombies.
Ten minutes later, Lu Yuan slipped through the window and tossed down one end of the rope.
She immediately wrapped it around her waist several times, tied it securely, and waved.
Lu Yuan started pulling. Zhou An’an was abruptly lifted into the air, the rope tightening so fiercely she felt her waist might snap.
Fortunately, Lu Yuan was fast. In moments, he hauled her through the window.
As Zhou An’an untied the rope, she cautiously scanned their surroundings. “Is anyone here?”
The mall was pitch-black, and she couldn’t see a thing. The silence was absolute.
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