Gu Cheng went downstairs. Only Lu Ning was in the dining room, as she had also slept in due to the physical exhaustion from the past few days.
The two greeted each other and sat facing one another for breakfast. Lu Ning still felt a little nervous and restrained, eating in small bites while carefully observing Gu Cheng.
Seeing her caution, Gu Cheng gave her a friendly smile.
“You don’t need to be nervous. Except for the one named Wang Che, everyone else is very nice. You can take whatever food you want. There’s a gym upstairs. As for other entertainment facilities… there’s no internet, so they’re basically just decorations.”
After hearing this, Lu Ning smiled shyly.
“Yesterday when I walked into the villa, I felt like I had returned to before the extreme heat. This place is really nice—not just the environment, but everyone here is also very kind. There’s no uncomfortable staring or scheming in their eyes.
But once you leave this villa, everything outside is completely different.”
As she spoke, she gradually became sad again.
Gu Cheng looked at her.
“Since you’re here, I can’t say everything will definitely get better—that wouldn’t be realistic. But no matter what happens, we’ll face it together. Of course, you also have to be strong yourself.”
Lu Ning looked at her and tears fell.
“Mm… I will be strong. It can’t get worse than before.”
Gu Cheng wanted to say that the really bad part hadn’t even started yet, but decided against it and didn’t continue to discourage her.
After breakfast, Lu Ning washed the dishes while Gu Cheng happily slacked off.
At that moment, Wei Xing received another phone call. Elder Fu said that a team sent from Capital City would arrive in two days and told them to prepare. He also mentioned that the recent extreme heat had caused forest fires, and the smoke in the air was affecting the environment—everyone needed to be careful not to inhale too much dust.
Looking outside, the ground was scorching hot, and the sky had a faint gray haze. The tree branches were left with only a few burnt-yellow leaves.
The extreme heat had already lasted three weeks. It felt unbearably long, yet it also felt like the next wave of suffering was about to arrive.
Torrential rain. Acid rain.
No one knew how many people would survive, how many would turn into zombies. More than anything, ordinary humans were simply struggling to endure wave after wave of apocalypse disasters.
She wondered if she could awaken an ability. In the book, she had already died long ago. Not awakening didn’t matter—but she absolutely must not become a zombie. That would be too ugly.
“What are you thinking about?”
Wang Che noticed her standing by the window in a daze and couldn’t help asking.
“I’m thinking… if I turn into a zombie, you should chop off my head before I rot. I don’t want to become that ugly thing.”
“I’ll make sure I’m fast and precise, so you won’t suffer. The cut will be clean. I’ll even wrap a silk scarf around you and tie a beautiful bow, so you’ll become the most beautiful corpse.”
Gu Cheng let out two helpless laughs.
“Heh… thanks a lot, really.”
Facing such a scenario, Wang Che looked calm on the surface, but inside, an unexplained panic and tenderness rose. She could warn everyone else, but for herself, she was the unknown variable.
Suddenly, he wanted to hold her—and he did.
He hugged her from behind, his chin resting on her head.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here. If you make it through, will you be my girlfriend?”
Gu Cheng elbowed him in the stomach. Caught off guard, Wang Che let go in pain.
“You’ve got zero sincerity. So I survive and become your girlfriend, and if I don’t, you chop my head off? You shameless man, how do you even say that?”
Wang Che quickly hugged her again and kissed the top of her head.
“That’s because you were the one talking about becoming a zombie. So now, will you be my girlfriend?”
Gu Cheng pushed him away again.
“Dream on. You were still beating me up yesterday. You’re going to end up single for life.”
She turned and went upstairs to her room, but the curve of her lips couldn’t be suppressed.
She didn’t know how to respond. Saying yes didn’t feel right—he didn’t seem gentle or considerate enough to be a boyfriend—but she did like him. And if she missed this chance, there might not be another.
Forget it. She would wait for his next confession.
That night, Jiang Li’s group came knocking again, and this time they were accompanied by an unfamiliar face.
Shi Qiao opened the door.
“Hello, I’m looking for Gu Cheng.”
He recognized them.
“Gu Cheng, your arch-enemy is here.”
Jiang Li’s mouth twitched.
“I’m her cousin, not her arch-enemy.”
Shi Qiao nodded seriously.
“Then that’s right. Cousins are basically arch-enemies.”
The others looked at Jiang Li strangely. She could only laugh awkwardly.
“Gu Cheng has liked joking since she was young.”
Gu Cheng walked coldly to the door.
“Jokes are often the truest words. What do you want?”
Jiang Li, seeing that Gu Cheng had survived three weeks of extreme heat and was still in better condition than before the apocalypse, felt extremely uncomfortable.
“We came to ask for some water. We’ve run out.”
Gu Cheng looked at the unfamiliar man. He quickly introduced himself.
“Hello, I’m a new friend of Guo Ye.”
“What do you need?” Wang Che stepped forward, standing in front of Gu Cheng. He sensed two pairs of eyes fixed on her.
Chu Xiuyuan, every time he saw Gu Cheng, couldn’t take his eyes off her. Beautiful, a little spoiled, a little sharp. Every time she looked at him, she seemed indifferent, as if he wasn’t worth her attention at all—yet there was no contempt. That kind of attitude was exactly what he liked. He liked challenging things, liked conquering them. Once he became stronger, he would definitely make her submit to him.
Guo Ye, on the other hand, was struck by her beauty. He had originally thought Jiang Li was already quite clean and pretty in this apocalypse—soft-looking and helpless, but somewhat fake and dull.
But Gu Cheng was different. She was like a young rich lady from before the apocalypse. In the past, someone like her would never have been in his world. The only word he could use to describe her was: a rose—beautiful, but with thorns.
Wang Che’s appearance made the men outside feel pressure and threat.
Guo Ye finally understood why Chu Xiuyuan would rather clash with the former boss than cause trouble here. Wang Che looked young, but clearly not someone to be provoked. Even two Chu Xiuyuans probably couldn’t handle him.
What a pity—the little rose couldn’t be plucked.
The most excited of all was Jiang Li. After the last encounter, she finally got another chance to speak.
“Brother Che, we came to ask for water. We’ve run out.”
Wang Che looked at them.
“Where are your containers?”
Jiang Li pretended to look confused.
“Containers?”
Gu Cheng rolled her eyes.
“A spoon. Bring a spoon and scoop it out.”
Everyone except Jiang Li laughed. It was genuinely amusing.
Wang Che patted Gu Cheng’s head.
“Don’t be naughty. It’s hot outside. Go inside and have them push a water tank to the door.”
Gu Cheng slapped his hand away.
“You messed up my hair. Where do you think all this water comes from? Someone asks and you just give it? Why don’t you just take them in as well?”
Wang Che sighed helplessly.
“We can’t take them in. Hurry up and get the water tank. The heat is coming in.”
Gu Cheng reluctantly went inside.
Not long after, Wang Xin stormed out.
“Jiang Li again? Every time I see you it’s bad luck. You’re like a ghost that won’t go away.”
Jiang Li looked at her smooth, fair skin and became even more annoyed.
“I’m just here to ask for some water. We’ve really run out. Unlike you and Gu Cheng, who can still shower and wash clothes. Water is so scarce now—you should be more considerate. So many people are dying of thirst.”
Wang Xin nodded.
“True. Then don’t drink it. Give it to those who need it more. I used my own ability to stockpile my water—I use it however I want. I didn’t ask you for it. Stop worrying about other people’s business.”