Cheng Lin felt her heart finally settle and quickly replied, “Let them in, please, Old Wang.”
“All right, Miss Cheng, don’t mention it. It’s all part of our duty,” Old Wang said cheerfully before hanging up the phone.
Cheng Lin held the phone in her hand, leaning against the headboard, momentarily lost in thought.
Jiang Yi had clearly said there would be two people sent, so why were there three now?
She exhaled softly, a trace of helplessness rising in her chest. One extra stranger meant an additional layer of risk for her secrets being exposed.
Pulling back the covers, she got out of bed and walked to the window, parting a corner of the heavy curtains to look toward the villa’s front gate. Only the faint glow of distant streetlights could be seen.
About five minutes later, the crisp chime of the doorbell pierced the quiet of the night.
Cheng Lin walked to the entrance and pressed the switch for the gate. With a soft “click,” a beam of car lights cut through the darkness, steadily illuminating the courtyard. An off-road vehicle slowly drove in, its wheels splashing over the wet ground, scattering tiny droplets.
The car stopped, and the doors opened one by one. Cheng Lin watched on the monitor:
The first to step out was a tall, broad-shouldered man, standing straight and solid like a pine tree. He wore a black jacket streaked with mud, his face showing the weariness of travel. Next, a short-haired young woman climbed out from the passenger seat. Her hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, her sharp eyes and well-fitted outfit showing an innate briskness despite the mud. Finally, from the back seat emerged a relatively frail young man with striking yellow hair, his face pale, his steps unsteady, clearly shaken by a recent fright.
The three of them hurried to the villa’s front door. Only then did Cheng Lin press the door lock to let them in.
The heavy wooden door swung open, and a gust of cold, rain-laden wind blew inside. Cheng Lin stepped aside to let them enter, carefully observing them as they came in.
Their clothes were soaked, pant legs muddy, hair plastered to their heads, faces tired and disheveled, yet their eyes still held a military-like alertness and sharpness—except for the yellow-haired young man.
“Hello, Miss Cheng,” the tall, muscular man spoke first, his voice steady and strong, tinged with apology. “I am Jiang Feng, assigned to protect you.” He stepped aside to introduce the short-haired young woman behind him. “This is my partner for this mission, Jiang Xuan.”
Jiang Xuan gave a slight nod to Cheng Lin, her voice crisp and precise. “Miss Cheng.”
Jiang Feng then gestured toward the pale, yellow-haired young man, his tone more complex. “This is Zhou Yu, the Young Master of the Zhou family from B City. He’s a childhood friend of Young Master Jiang. We encountered him on the highway being chased by… biting monsters. The situation was critical, so we rescued him. We didn’t have time to consult you in advance. I apologize for bringing him here directly.”
The words “biting monsters” made Cheng Lin’s heart sink slightly. So it had indeed already gone wrong on the highway.
She kept her expression calm and smiled, stepping aside to let them in. “It’s all right. If he’s a friend of Jiang Yi, then he’s my friend too. There’s no reason to turn anyone away. Come in quickly, it’s cold outside. Wash up, change into dry clothes, don’t catch a cold.”
The villa was spacious, with plenty of empty rooms. Cheng Lin led the three upstairs, assigning each to a south-facing guest room. Each bathroom had been prepared with new toiletries, towels, toothbrushes, and shower gel—her foresight had made everything ready.
She then went downstairs, digging through the storage room for the clothes she had hoarded for both men and women. Jackets, hoodies, and casual pants of various sizes were neatly stacked. She picked three sets that fit and placed them on the racks outside the respective rooms, finally exhaling in relief.
Luckily, she had stocked enough men’s and women’s clothing earlier; otherwise, the three would have had to wear Jiang Yi’s old clothes.
Once everything was arranged, Cheng Lin returned to the living room and video-called Jiang Yi.
The call connected quickly. Jiang Yi’s face looked much better—still slightly pale but with clear eyes. Cheng Lin explained the situation, including that Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan had encountered Zhou Yu and brought him along.
“Zhou Yu? That kid’s personality is reliable, trustworthy,” Jiang Yi said upon hearing his friend’s name, exhaling in relief. Then, with a hint of pride, he added, “By the way, Lin Lin, I think I’ve awakened as an ability user.”
“Ability user?” Cheng Lin’s eyes lit up.
“Yes.” Jiang Yi nodded and held up his hand to the camera. A small, faint purple lightning orb appeared in his palm, crackling with tiny sparks. “I can discharge electricity now, though the orb is still small and weak.”
“Wow! Jiang Yi, you’re amazing!” Cheng Lin instantly turned into an excited fan, showering him with praise as if it were free. “Just as I expected from the one I liked! You’re so cool! From now on, you’re my personal power bank!”
Jiang Yi’s ears reddened at her compliments, but his eyes shone with laughter. They spent a while longer exchanging playful banter, reminding each other to stay safe before reluctantly ending the call.
Cheng Lin hung up, her mood lifted considerably. Golden thigh not only hadn’t faltered, but he had awakened as an ability user—truly excellent news.
She walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was full of ingredients. Considering her cooking skills, she decided to take some frozen buns and dumplings and a few braised dishes from her storage to heat in the steamer. She also cooked a large pot of warm multigrain porridge and took out a few refreshing side dishes she had packed from restaurants.
By the time she placed the food on the table, the three upstairs had finished washing up and gradually came downstairs.
In clean clothes, their spirits improved noticeably. Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan wore well-fitted black jackets, emphasizing their upright posture, while Zhou Yu donned a loose white hoodie. Though his face remained a bit pale, his eyes were calm.
Cheng Lin smiled and gestured to the table. “Nothing fancy here, just home-cooked dishes packed from restaurants. Don’t mind it.”
“Miss Cheng, this is more than enough. Thank you for taking care of everything,” Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan said gratefully.
Zhou Yu, however, brightened instantly at the sight of the food. His previous hesitation and paleness vanished. He came to the table, rubbing his hands together, smiling, and said, “Sister-in-law, you’re too thoughtful! I’ve been running for my life since the afternoon—haven’t touched water or a grain of rice. I was starving! Thank you so much!”
He said “sister-in-law” with ease, almost naturally.
Cheng Lin laughed at him. “We’re all friends here. Don’t mention it. Sit down and eat. If it’s not enough, there’s more in the kitchen.”
“Long live sister-in-law!” Zhou Yu cheered, pulling out a chair first to sit down.
Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan exchanged a glance and followed suit.
At first, they ate politely, but hunger quickly took over. Zhou Yu, especially, stuffed his mouth without pause, muttering “delicious” between bites. Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan were equally ravenous, revealing how starved they truly were.
Cheng Lin watched them devour the food with a smile, resting her chin on her hands.
Soon, the table was empty. The three rubbed their full bellies, wearing satisfied expressions.
Cheng Lin glanced at the wall clock—its hands silently pointed to 2:30 a.m.
Outside, the rain had stopped at some point. The night was deep, and all was silent.
“You all must be exhausted. Go back to your rooms and rest. Anything else, we’ll deal with tomorrow,” Cheng Lin said, standing to clear the table.
Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan immediately rose to help, and Zhou Yu followed into the kitchen, while the pampered young master turned into the supervisor.
After finishing, Zhou Yu rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Sister-in-law, we’ll go to sleep now. Good night!”
“Good night,” Cheng Lin replied, waving.
The three returned to their rooms, the heavy doors closing behind them. The villa returned to its peaceful silence.
The first day of the apocalypse drew to a close, quietly marked by the sound of late-night knocks at the door.