“Lu Chenzhou is in the tree ten meters directly in front of you.”
Su Le’an stiffly raised her head.
Lu Chenzhou was leaning against the tree trunk, his military jacket casually draped over his shoulders. He was holding a cup of hangover tea and looking at her with an amused yet unreadable smile.
“Good morning, Miss Drunkard.”
Su Le’an: “……”
She stiffly turned around and pretended that nothing had happened.
“The weather is really nice today. I came out to… go for a morning run.”
“A morning run?”
Lu Chenzhou jumped down from the tree and approached her step by step.
“Then why are you carrying a travel bag?”
“Uh… weighted training?”
Lu Chenzhou suddenly reached out and removed Su Le’an’s sunglasses.
“Are you avoiding me?”
Her ears burned, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“No!”
“About last night…”
Lu Chenzhou leaned down, his breath brushing past her ear.
“How much do you remember?”
“I don’t remember anything!”
Su Le’an stubbornly refused to admit it.
Lu Chenzhou gave a low chuckle. He suddenly took out his phone and played a recording.
“Lu Chenzhou… you’re so handsome… I want a kiss!”
Su Le’an was stunned.
She tried to pounce on him and snatch the phone away, but he immediately wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Remember now?”
At noon, in the restaurant,
Su Le’an buried her head in her food and did not dare to look up the entire time.
Lu Chenzhou leisurely picked up a slice of twice-cooked pork and suddenly asked,
“Was the red wine good?”
“It… it was okay…”
“Don’t drink alone next time.”
Lu Chenzhou pushed a glass of fruit juice toward her.
“I’ll keep you company.”
Su Le’an suddenly froze, and her heartbeat quickened slightly.
The System whispered,
“Host, the tips of his ears are red.”
Su Le’an secretly raised her eyes and happened to meet his deep gaze. The two of them immediately looked away at the same time.
The System gave her a notification.
“To make your identity more plausible, besides your parents, who have already left, you also have an older brother who is unrelated to you by blood or marriage, Si Yanli. He is one of Huaguo’s top scientists and is also the hope of humanity during the Apocalypse.”
Su Le’an replied to the System mentally,
“I understand. If I want to complete the mission as quickly as possible, I can help him first and then urge him to research a cure for the zombie virus. That should make it easier to clear the Apocalypse.”
The sunlight outside was beautiful, and the wind chime hanging in the restaurant rang softly.
Su Le’an sat by the villa window and found Si Yanli’s WeChat account. Her fingers lightly tapped against the phone screen.
She took a deep breath and checked the message she had composed and already sent.
“Brother, I have a secret concerning the survival of humanity. I must tell you in person. —An’an”
The System was puzzled.
“Will he come?”
“He will.”
Su Le’an was certain.
“He’s the ‘hope of humanity during the Apocalypse.’ How could he possibly remain indifferent to the words ‘survival of humanity’? Even if he doesn’t know whether the information is accurate…”
Besides…
The corners of Su Le’an’s lips curved upward.
“I really want to meet him too. Even though he disappears later in the novel, he’s the handsome guy readers call a refined scoundrel. And when there’s a handsome guy, who wouldn’t want to meet him?”
The System suddenly became excited.
“Host! Si Yanli’s heart rate has increased! He replied instantly!”
The phone vibrated.
“Wait for me.”
Just two brief words, yet they inexplicably made Su Le’an’s ears feel warm.
Si Yanli wore a simple white shirt and a long black trench coat. His eyes beneath his gold-rimmed glasses were as cold as frost.
He was carrying a silver metal case containing experimental samples that he never allowed to leave his side.
Su Le’an stood at the arrival area and spotted his tall, slender figure from afar.
The System began scanning.
“Si Yanli, 29 years old, internationally renowned top scientist, a key figure in developing the Apocalypse cure, currently single.”
“Wow! Secret crush: Host.”
Su Le’an felt an urge to cover her face.
“…You didn’t need to emphasize the last part!”
She waved her hand and called out,
“Brother!”
Si Yanli paused. His gaze fell on her, and an almost imperceptible softness flashed through his eyes.
“An’an.”
Si Yanli walked up to Su Le’an, and his first words were filled with concern.
“You’ve lost weight.”
Su Le’an froze. She had not expected that to be his first remark.
“Have you not been eating properly lately?”
Si Yanli frowned and gently pinched her cheek.
“Or has someone been bullying you?”
The System screamed,
“He touched your face! He touched your face!”
Su Le’an gently pushed his hand away.
“Brother, stop! I have something important to tell you!”
The corners of Si Yanli’s lips curved slightly.
“Mm. We’ll talk at home.”
“No need to go home. Let’s go to a café!”
“It’s quiet at home.”
“We can drink coffee at a café too!”
“I’ll make coffee for you myself at home.”
“I think we should still…”
Su Le’an did not want to go home right now. Otherwise, Lu Chenzhou would catch her again.
But there was a certain law of life: speak of the devil, and he appears.
“You two.”
A cold voice suddenly interrupted them.
“Blocking the airport while arguing isn’t appropriate, is it?”
Su Le’an helplessly turned around and smiled at Lu Chenzhou.
“Why are you here?”
Lu Chenzhou was wearing his military uniform and stood ten steps away with his arms crossed. His gaze swept between the two of them before finally settling on the hand Si Yanli had placed under Su Le’an’s chin.
The air instantly froze. It was so awkward that it felt as if several crows were flying overhead.
A faint aroma of coffee filled the air.
Su Le’an sat in the middle. On her left was Lu Chenzhou in his perfectly pressed military uniform, while on her right was the cool and aloof Si Yanli in his white shirt.
She immediately felt an enormous amount of pressure.
The System was enjoying the spectacle.
“Host, both men’s heart rates are abnormal. Their blood pressure is elevated. Suspected hostile state!”
Su Le’an: “…Shut up.”
She cleared her throat and introduced them.
“Brother, this is Colonel Lu Chenzhou, from the national military.”
Si Yanli gave a slight nod.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Lu Chenzhou sneered.
“I’ve also had the privilege of reading Dr. Si’s paper, Virus Gene-Editing Inhibitor.”
The atmosphere seemed to fill with the smell of gunpowder.
Su Le’an quickly got to the point. She took a deep breath and said,
“Brother, I asked you to come back because… fifteen days from now, a zombie virus will break out across the world, and sixty percent of humanity will turn directly into zombies.”
Si Yanli’s expression finally changed.
“Evidence?”
Su Le’an handed the reserved α-7 medicine to Si Yanli.
“This is the α-7 medicine. It can only delay infection, but you’re the only person capable of developing a cure. I hope it can give you some inspiration.”
Su Le’an lowered her voice.
“The nation has already begun making secret preparations, but we need you to lead the scientific research team.”
Lu Chenzhou took a sip of coffee before suddenly speaking.
“Dr. Si’s previous laboratory was targeted by R Country agents just last week. That’s also why you came back to A City.”
Si Yanli looked up and smiled.
“Colonel Lu is very well informed.”
“It’s my duty.”
Their gazes collided, as if blades were clashing in the air.
The System became excited.
“Host! They’re fighting over you!”
Su Le’an: “…Shut up!”
After leaving the café, the sky had darkened.
Si Yanli grabbed Su Le’an’s wrist.
“Stay at my place. It’s safer.”
Lu Chenzhou immediately grabbed her other wrist.
“Having me protect you is more reliable.”
Su Le’an stumbled as they pulled her in opposite directions.
“Do you two think I’m a tug-of-war rope?!”
Both men released her at the same time.
Si Yanli pushed up his glasses.
“An’an, when did you meet Colonel Lu?”
Lu Chenzhou sneered.
“What? Dr. Si, are you checking her family registry?”
“I’m just concerned about my sister.”
“Sister?”
Lu Chenzhou raised an eyebrow.
“As far as I know, you two aren’t related by blood.”
Si Yanli’s expression darkened.
“Colonel Lu certainly investigated us very thoroughly.”
Seeing the conflict escalating, Su Le’an suddenly stepped between them.
“Stop! I’m staying at my own home! Neither of you is coming with me!”
With that, she turned around and ran.
The System called out,
“Host! Both of them are following you!”
Su Le’an: “…Damn it!”