As soon as the car arrived at the warehouse entrance, Cheng Lin’s phone rang. It was Boss Wang from the breakfast shop, saying that the buns and steamed bread had already been delivered.
After hanging up, Cheng Lin got out of the car and opened the warehouse door. She watched as the workers unloaded cart after cart of breakfast items. Once they left, she had a thought, and with a flick of her mind, she stored all these easy-to-preserve staple foods into her space.
By the time she finished, the sky had already begun to darken. The little puppy in her arms stirred restlessly, letting out soft whimpers. Only then did Cheng Lin realize that the little one had not been properly taken care of yet. She hurriedly got into the car and drove straight to the largest pet store in the city.
When the shop assistant saw Cheng Lin carrying a filthy little puppy inside, she froze for a moment before quickly stepping forward with a warm smile.
“Hello, would you like grooming and a health check for the puppy?”
“Yes, the full package.” Cheng Lin held the puppy tightly, her tone urgent. “And vaccines—give it everything it can take. Make sure it’s healthy.”
The assistant swiftly took the puppy and brought it to the grooming area. Meanwhile, Cheng Lin stood by the shelves, looking at the dazzling array of pet supplies, wishing she could empty the entire store. Everything she had failed to give to a furry companion before entering the book, she would now make up for.
After the examination, the assistant came over with a smile.
“Miss, your puppy is very well-behaved, just a bit malnourished. Nothing serious, though. I’ve already given it the first vaccine shot; there are two more to follow.” She gestured toward the shelves and began recommending items. “For dog food, this puppy formula is natural and easy to digest, suitable for its age. This milk powder helps with nutrition. For snacks, these chew sticks can help with teething. As for supplements, calcium tablets and probiotics are good to have…”
Cheng Lin listened attentively, nodding as she ran her fingers across the shelves, her tone decisive.
“I’ll take all of these! The largest size for each!” She paused, then added, “And a dog bed—the softest and warmest one. Clothes, several sets in different sizes. Toys—balls, frisbees, plush toys, a few of each. Also a leash, dog toilet, training pads…”
She also had the assistant pack the remaining two vaccine doses into a cooler box and prepare ten sets of commonly used pet medications.
The assistant was stunned by her decisiveness and quickly called other colleagues to help. Soon, a small mountain of pet supplies had been piled up.
While they were packing, Cheng Lin took out her phone and opened a shopping app. She found the recommended dog food and directly ordered one thousand jin. Then she picked the best-reviewed canned dog food—one thousand cans. After a moment’s thought, she casually added another one thousand jin of cat litter. For pet clothing and care supplies, she placed five additional sets of each, marking them for expedited delivery and requiring that everything be delivered to her rented warehouse—with an automated parcel locker—before noon the next day.
After completing the payment, Cheng Lin let out a breath of relief and turned toward the grooming area.
The once filthy little black puppy had been thoroughly cleaned. Its black fur still looked a bit dull and lacked luster, but it was now neat and tidy. Sitting in the assistant’s arms, its round, bright eyes curiously observed its surroundings. The moment it saw Cheng Lin, it wagged its tiny tail excitedly, letting out soft, milky “woof woof” sounds.
The assistant carried the puppy over and handed it to Cheng Lin.
“Miss, it’s all done—nice and fragrant. You can take it home now.”
Cheng Lin took the puppy. As her fingers touched its warm body, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction welled up inside her. Looking down at its sparkling eyes, she said softly,
“From now on, your name will be Mo Yang. ‘Mo’ for your color, and ‘Yang’ for sunshine. May you shine like sunlight and brighten the days ahead.”
“Host, that name isn’t bad!” The system’s crisp electronic voice suddenly sounded in her mind.
Cheng Lin raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Then should I change your name? How about Xiao Bai?”
“No!” The system immediately protested. “My name was personally given by the main system! It’s unique and prestigious!”
Cheng Lin curled her lips into a silent smile and muttered inwardly, “Heheda.”
The system instantly fell silent.
By the time the staff loaded all the pet supplies into the car, the trunk and back seat were completely filled. The sky had turned fully dark, and the clock pointed to nine in the evening.
Holding Mo Yang, Cheng Lin sat in the driver’s seat. The little one nestled obediently on her lap, occasionally rubbing its tiny head against her hand, the soft touch incredibly comforting.
She sped all the way back to her villa.
Placing Mo Yang gently on the floor, she watched as it curiously ran around the living room, sniffing here and there, until it eventually grew tired and flopped onto the sofa. From early morning until late at night, she had been busy nonstop like a master of time management. Her body felt like it was falling apart; she could not even be bothered to move a finger.
Cooking was out of the question, and the prepared food in her space had to be stockpiled. Cheng Lin took out her phone, opened a food delivery app, and rapidly scrolled through it. Roast whole lamb, skewers, grilled eggplant, grilled enoki mushrooms—five portions of each. Five family buckets from KFC. Ten spicy chicken burgers from McDonald’s, plus five large cups of cola and fries.
Before the apocalypse, she intended to treat herself well.
The food arrived quickly. Cheng Lin placed one portion of each on the coffee table and stored the rest in her space. The aroma instantly filled the entire living room.
Mo Yang seemed attracted by the smell as well. It trotted over and sat by her feet, staring longingly at the skewers on the table.
Cheng Lin picked up a skewer of cod without seasoning, tore it into small pieces, and fed it to Mo Yang. The little one devoured it hungrily, its tail wagging even more enthusiastically.
One person and one dog ate to their hearts’ content in the empty villa.
After eating and drinking her fill, Cheng Lin let out a big yawn as drowsiness surged over her. She placed Mo Yang into its newly bought bed. Watching the little one curl into a ball and quickly fall into steady breathing, she lay down on the sofa.
Listening to Mo Yang’s soft snoring by her feet, the tension that had built up over the past few days finally eased. She closed her eyes and thought silently: tomorrow, she still had to continue stockpiling.
The night deepened, enveloping the city that was about to undergo drastic change. Inside the villa, one person and one dog slept peacefully, awaiting the arrival of dawn.
4 days before the apocalypse
The faint morning light slipped through the gaps in the curtains and into the empty villa’s living room, falling upon the curled-up puppy in its bed. Mo Yang was probably starving; its soft whimpers came one after another, pulling Cheng Lin out of her deep sleep.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she sat up and immediately met Mo Yang’s moist black eyes. The moment it saw her awake, it kicked its short legs and climbed out of the dog bed, wagging its tail as it approached the bed, its little head wobbling while it whimpered continuously.
Cheng Lin laughed, bending down to scoop the warm little one into her arms. A faint milky scent lingered around its body.
“Little glutton, hungry?”
She prepared a bowl of warm goat milk powder for Mo Yang. Watching it eagerly lap it up until its face was covered, she wiped its little face clean with a wet tissue. She herself simply toasted two slices of bread, fried a soft-boiled egg, and had it with milk for breakfast.
As sunlight gradually filled the windowsill, Cheng Lin leaned against the sofa with Mo Yang in her arms, her finger swiping across the balance on her mobile banking app—a striking number sat there quietly: five million.
With the apocalypse approaching, this money would soon become worthless paper. Only the supplies in hand would provide the confidence to survive.
Reviewing her stockpile, Cheng Lin frowned slightly. Cold-weather gear, outdoor equipment, toiletries, and snacks—she had not stored enough. In the apocalypse, extreme weather could arrive at any time. Cleanliness and food were also essential pillars for enduring mentally.
Her fingers moved swiftly across the screen as she opened familiar brand flagship stores one after another. A new round of stockpiling had officially begun.