Cheng Lin was awakened by the soft patter of rain against the window. Reaching under her pillow for her phone, she saw with surprise that it was already 10:30 a.m.
Mo Yang slept soundly in her arms, the little body curled into a warm bundle, its fluffy head nuzzling her collarbone as it let out gentle snores.
Cheng Lin rose carefully, moving as lightly as a feather, careful not to disturb this rare peace. Cradling Mo Yang, she stepped slowly out of the bedroom. As she reached the living room doorway, the sound of the television broadcasting news reached her ears.
Three people were sitting in the living room. Jiang Feng sat upright, his gaze fixed on the screen, expression as calm and stern as ever. Jiang Xuan held a book halfway read, absorbed in its contents. Only Zhou Yu sprawled lazily on the lounge chair, staring out the window while humming a tuneless little song, appearing entirely carefree.
Hearing footsteps, all three looked up almost simultaneously.
“Miss Cheng is awake.” Jiang Xuan was the first to set down her book, rising with a gentle smile. “Good morning. I saw you stocked vegetables and frozen buns in the fridge. You were tired last night, so I didn’t wake you. I’ve made vegetable porridge, boiled eggs, and buns with shepherd’s purse and three-flavor fillings; everything is warming in the pot. I’ll bring it to you right away.”
“Thank you, Sister Xuan.” Cheng Lin curved her lips in a small smile, carrying Mo Yang to the dining table and gently placing the little one on her lap.
She ate breakfast slowly and deliberately. The warm porridge slid down her throat, dispelling lingering sleepiness, while the fresh aroma of shepherd’s purse buns and the rich flavor of the three-flavor buns spread across her tongue, comforting her heart.
Just then, Zhou Yu, lying near the window, suddenly muttered a low curse, disbelief thick in his voice: “What the hell! Come look at this! What’s going on?”
His exclamation shattered the living room’s calm. Jiang Feng rose almost instantly, Jiang Xuan put down her book, and Cheng Lin, still holding her bowl, hurried to the window. Westerner, the dog, pressed to the glass and followed Zhou Yu’s pointed direction.
On the distant asphalt road, the dense raindrops seemed to carry a corrosive force. Wherever a drop hit, a faint wisp of white smoke rose with a hiss. The smooth road surface rapidly became dotted with countless tiny pits, which deepened and spread quickly like an invisible web across Xizhou. Even the roadside greenery was not spared; tender leaves, touched by the rain, instantly withered and yellowed as if drained of all life.
Inside the villa, the ventilation system kept the air clean, so no unusual odors were noticeable.
“This should be acid rain.” Jiang Feng’s brows knitted tightly, his tone heavy with concern. His conclusion seemed to drop the room’s temperature by several degrees.
Yunjin Residential Area was built at the foot of the suburban mountains, surrounded by the green hills of Xizhou, far from the city’s bustle, and consequently cut off from immediate outside news. The TV broadcasts since morning had focused on calming the public rather than providing real-time updates. Fortunately, the internet still worked. The group quickly pulled out their phones, opening social apps and news clients, and a flood of messages poured onto their screens.
Short videos showed the city center streets in ruin—roads pitted and corroded by acid rain, rusted car exteriors, yellowed and withered street trees. Panic-stricken pedestrians tried to avoid the rain but were splashed, their skin reddening and stinging instantly; some developed fevers afterward. Hospitals were overflowing.
Comments were filled with fear. Some remarked on the unusual nature of the acid rain, others speculated it was a disaster triggered by extreme weather. Some pleaded for help, noting that their windows leaked and they didn’t know how to protect themselves.
Each alarming video, each anxious message weighed heavily on the heart. In the living room, even Westerner sank into silence. Only the television continued broadcasting calming information, which felt strangely hollow.
After a long pause, Cheng Lin broke the silence first. She put away her phone and looked at Jiang Feng and Jiang Xuan, her tone calm but earnest. “Brother Feng, Sister Xuan, we were busy settling in last night and didn’t properly talk. Can you tell me what you encountered on the way from B City? And Zhou Shao,” she looked at Zhou Yu, who sat pale and withdrawn, “what are your plans?”
Jiang Xuan let out a soft sigh before speaking. “Miss Cheng, we left B City before dawn. The journey was smooth at first, but soon after entering the highway, we encountered a herd of frantic cattle, running across the road in chaos. We barely managed to avoid them, but not long after, we ran into a flock of sheep behaving strangely—they charged at anyone they saw. Once we finally escaped the animals, the weather turned violently. A torrential downpour reduced visibility to less than ten meters, and traffic became a complete mess.”
She paused, fear lacing her words. “We were stuck on the highway all night and only barely reached H City by yesterday morning. Then misfortune piled up. There were chain accidents, and we ran into those… biting creatures. That’s when we rescued Zhou Xiao Shao. As things worsened, we had to abandon our vehicles, ran off the highway, and eventually found an unlocked car to drive here.”
She looked at Cheng Lin with determination. “Our mission is to stay in this villa, protect you, and take care of you until Young Master Jiang arrives.”
Jiang Feng nodded and added, “Those biting creatures are aggressive. They’re not fast, but anyone bitten seems to turn into one. B City’s situation is probably worse than we imagined.”
Their words thickened the oppressive atmosphere in the living room. Zhou Yu swallowed and scratched his head, forcing a bitter smile, looking pitiful. “Sister-in-law, Brother Feng, Sister Xuan… I came here with some friends for a road trip, never expecting this. When the highway incident happened, my friends…”
He hesitated. “We got separated, and I don’t know their whereabouts now. I didn’t bring bodyguards this time. Yesterday I contacted my dad; he said B City is chaotic, full of strange occurrences, and can’t spare anyone to pick me up for now. I’ll have to wait.”
Lowering his head, he spoke in a dejected tone, “I’m useless in a fight, can’t carry or lift anything. I’ll have to trouble you all to take care of me during this time. Please don’t dislike me.”