Lin Ran looked up when she heard Zhou Wangye ask the question.
After checking, she discovered her space was also 200 cubic meters, the same as the heroine’s.
She was just about to answer honestly when she noticed Zhou Wangye’s gaze was sharp like a knife.
What did that mean?
The male lead’s thoughts were really hard to read—almost like he had some kind of problem.
She answered cautiously, “It’s very small.”
Zhou Wangye’s expression seemed to relax slightly.“That’s fine. It can be upgraded later.”
Xie Jilan gave her son a satisfied look. That was more like it—at least he knew how to comfort Ranran.
Gu Xiangwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Ran was foolish and loved to show off. If she said that, then her space must truly be very small.
She smiled and asked, “Miss Lin doesn’t need to be modest. How big is it exactly? Even one cubic meter can hold quite a lot of supplies.”
On the surface she was comforting Lin Ran, but secretly she was stirring things up, hoping Lin Ran would explode and scold her in front of everyone like before.
Lin Ran saw through her intentions and had no plan to fall for it.
When reading the novel, she had actually liked the heroine quite a bit. After all, the heroine only counterattacked after the villainess made the first move.
But once someone changed identity and position, even their past self became hard to empathize with.
Now she thought the heroine was quite a green-tea type (fake innocent and manipulative).
She hadn’t figured out her abilities yet and had no mood to deal with the heroine.
She stared straight into Zhou Wangye’s eyes and seemed to understand his intention.
So she answered, “Just 10 cubic meters.”
Sure enough, Zhou Wangye stopped staring at her and turned his attention to the map of Xu City on the table.
Xie Jilan quickly stood up to comfort Lin Ran.
“Ten cubic meters is already very big! Some people don’t even have abilities. My Ranran is the best!”
“Don’t worry, Ranran. Once we gather supplies, you can choose what you like and store it in your space first so you won’t go hungry. Later I’ll ask your grandfather to get you some firearms too—then no one will bully you.”
Just as she finished speaking, a bright voice rang out from behind them, carrying the unruly energy unique to teenagers.
“Who dares bully my Sister Ran?”
Lin Ran turned around and saw a red-haired boy in a black hoodie standing at the second-floor staircase.
His hair was messy, clearly just woken up.
This was the male lead’s only younger brother—Zhou Yi’an.
Back then, when the original Lin Ran’s mother blocked a bullet for Aunt Lan, Aunt Lan had already been seven months pregnant.
So the life she saved was actually two lives.
Because of this, Zhou Yi’an had always treated the original Lin Ran extremely well—almost following her lead in everything.
Especially after learning she liked his older brother, he had boldly declared:
“Lin Ran will be the Zhou family’s eldest daughter-in-law. Whoever tries to take her from us, I’ll beat them to death!”
In the original novel, after discovering Lin Ran had died because of the heroine, Zhou Yi’an even tried to kill the heroine to avenge her.
Unfortunately, this was a female-lead-centered novel. The story’s world revolved around the heroine regardless of logic.
She was the one favored by fate, while everyone else was just stepping stones.
In the end, Zhou Yi’an was secretly killed by one of the heroine’s followers.
Feeling sympathy for him as someone with the same tragic fate, Lin Ran looked at the boy with pity.
“Who could bully me? I’m someone with abilities now.”
Zhou Yi’an walked over to her and released flames from his hand.
“Sister Ran, don’t worry. I’ve awakened a fire ability too. I can protect you!”
Uh…
Which meant Lin Ran had just gained another fire ability.
Inside the study, only Zhou Wangye, Zhou Yi’an, and Lin Ran remained.
Remembering the male lead’s warning, Lin Ran stayed two meters away from him at all times.
Seeing her obediently sitting on the sofa farthest from him, Zhou Wangye felt satisfied.
“Your performance in the living room was fairly smart.”
Zhou Yi’an already knew the situation and worried Lin Ran might not understand, so he explained:
“Everyone in the living room is my brother’s subordinate, but not all of them are trusted aides. We still need to be cautious.”
“My brother considers you one of our own—that’s why he didn’t want you revealing everything in front of them.”
Lin Ran naturally understood, but she was too lazy to argue.
In their eyes, she was nothing more than a pretty but foolish vase anyway.
“Sister Ran, how big is your space really?” Zhou Yi’an asked.
Lin Ran told the truth.
“200 cubic meters.”
After all, she had the secret realm space already, which was more than enough to store supplies. There was no need to hide the ability space.
More importantly, in about a month the research institute of the base would invent a machine—the Space Scanner.
It could detect the size of an ability user’s space and every item stored inside it.
Rather than being exposed later, it was better to tell the truth now.
As soon as Lin Ran finished speaking, a flash passed through Zhou Wangye’s eyes.
The plan could proceed.
“Except for the two of us,” he said, “don’t tell anyone else.”
Lin Ran frowned.
“I understand not telling others, but why can’t I tell Aunt Lan?”
Zhou Wangye sighed inwardly. His mother was completely devoted to Lin Ran.
Knowing his brother disliked explaining things to her, Zhou Yi’an stepped in:
“My mom can’t stand anyone looking down on you. If she finds out your real space size, she’ll definitely brag about it to defend you.”
“Xu City doesn’t have a large military force, so building a major base here is unlikely. In the end we’ll probably go to the capital to find grandfather. The more supplies we store now, the better our chances…”
Zhou Wangye cut him off. He didn’t think Lin Ran would understand.
“Just keep it secret. Otherwise…”
Otherwise she’d be thrown into a zombie pile.
He must be sick. The male lead was definitely sick, Lin Ran thought.
He wanted to use her space to store supplies yet still threatened her with zombies.
But…
He was actually right.
She really was afraid of zombies.
“I understand!”
Lin Ran slammed the door angrily as she left, venting her frustration.
Back in her room, she planned to carefully study her abilities to figure out what exactly was happening.
Watching her storm away, Zhou Yi’an frowned slightly.
“Brother, Mom already told me everything. Even if you want Sister Ran to behave, you shouldn’t always scare her with zombies.”
Zhou Wangye’s expression didn’t change.
“As long as it works.”
To be honest, even he was surprised.
Lin Ran actually had something she feared.
All these years he had tried cold expressions and angry outbursts, yet she never cared and still clung to him.
But who would have thought that zombies could truly keep her in line?
For an entire day she didn’t cling to him like before.
This sudden quietness was… rare.
He rubbed his fingertips thoughtfully.
If she could remain this obedient and keep her distance from him, he wouldn’t mind following his mother’s request and protecting her for life.
After all, Aunt Meng had been such a gentle and kind woman.
She had saved his mother and his brother back then—an enormous favor to the Zhou family.
Such kindness could never be forgotten.
Her only daughter naturally had to be protected.
Still, a trace of doubt lingered in his heart.
Perhaps this well-behaved act was only a temporary performance.
In a few days she might revert to the same lawless Lin Ran as before.
It wasn’t that he wanted to suspect her.
But her past record made it impossible to trust easily.
She had drugged his drink at least ten times, sneaked into his room in the middle of the night more than twenty times, and bullied every female secretary around him in various ways.
If not for Gu Xiangwan’s strong work ability and tolerance for pressure, he might have stopped hiring female secretaries altogether.
Thinking of this, Zhou Wangye’s gaze darkened.
Hopefully this time… she would truly keep her word.