Looking back, it was all just an act.
Bai Xi was just grateful to him for letting her have Ye Yunyun.
The property in the high-end residential complex was a small villa. As Bai Xi walked through the gate, she spotted a tiny figure by the door.
"Bao Bao, what are you doing here!" Bai Xi exclaimed in pleasant surprise, rushing forward to sweep her into a hug.
Ye Yunyun lifted her little chin and planted a gentle kiss on her mother’s cheek.
’Because I wanted to wait for Mom to come home, so we could sleep together.’
Bai Xi was deeply moved. ’Aww, my adorable Bao Bao, my one-of-a-kind little angel.’
Bai Jiao emerged from another corner and explained, "She’s probably been with you constantly these past few days, so now that you’re not around, she’s started missing you. Nothing I said would convince her otherwise. She was determined to stand at the door and wait for you to come home and hug her."
’Hmph, I didn’t say a single word. What does she mean, nothing she said would convince me!’
"Oh, she may not have said anything, but her big eyes were filled with tears as she stared at the door without moving. She wouldn’t even struggle if you picked her up and carried her away, but she’d just sneak back here on her own," Bai Jiao tattled gloomily.
’That’s not true! Other kids get to wait for their moms, so why can’t Bao Bao!’
Bai Xi remembered. A few days ago, when she was taking Ye Yunyun around to the different departments, a female manager, charmed by Ye Yunyun’s cuteness, had told her about her own little daughter who would wait by the door every day.
The manager had to ring the doorbell when she got home and let her daughter open the door, or else the little girl would get angry.
At the time, Ye Yunyun had listened with rapt attention, thinking to herself, ’So, you’re allowed to wait for your mom to come home?’
Bai Xi had even chuckled at the endearingly simple way children think.
’So Xiao Yunduo was just envious that other kids could wait for their moms to come home.’
"Aw, Bao Bao missed Mommy that much, huh? What did you have for dinner?" Bai Xi said, carrying her inside and conveniently shutting the door on her sister.
’Bad Auntie, ratting me out! Hehe.’
’I had steamed egg, rice, and vegetables for dinner.’
Seeing someone enter, the girl sitting on the sofa immediately stood up and bowed. "Hello! I’m Bai Jiao’s roommate, Fang Meiqing."
"I’m sorry to intrude. Bai Jiao mentioned your family was looking for a live-in nanny, so I wanted to see if I could apply."
Bai Xi froze for a moment. She put Ye Yunyun down, yanked the door open, and yelled, "Bai Jiao! Are you messing with me? Hiring your classmate as a nanny? Huh? Where did you get this princess syndrome? Get over here!"
She started hitting Bai Jiao as she spoke, and Bai Jiao dodged her way inside.
’No wonder Auntie didn’t get mad when someone slapped her while she was in a daze. Instead, she felt a sisterly warmth. So that’s why.’
The two of them froze mid-squabble, straightened their sleeves, and tried to pretend nothing had happened.
Fang Meiqing was already so nervous she was babbling. "No, that’s not it, Ma’am! It wasn’t Bai Jiao trying to put me in a bad spot. I was the one who wanted to ask for this opportunity. I was already planning to drop out of school. Bai Jiao offered to advance me the money for medical bills and even provide me with a job. I’m truly grateful!"
Mrs. Bai came out to see what the commotion was about. "It’s true," she said. "Your father and I have also agreed. It’s not easy to find someone to help around the house right now, and Xiao Qing is willing."
’Xiao Qing’s mom has late-stage cancer and is about to die. Xiao Qing is only raising money to buy her mom painkillers. Her mom will pass away before the apocalypse. By having Fang Meiqing in our house then, she’ll be a huge help to us.’
Bai Jiao nodded in understanding. ’If Ye Yunyun doesn’t object, she must be a good person.’
She asked with concern, "Do you need me to contact a medical team?"
Fang Meiqing shook her head, her eyes red and swollen. "There’s no need. My mother is terminally ill. I’d rather she pass away peacefully than continue to live in pain."
’Fang Meiqing and her mother only had each other growing up. Later on, her mother’s ashes get stolen, and she’s constantly exploited by bad guys!’
Bai Xi patted her chest. "Don’t you worry, Xiao Qing. I’ve already upgraded your mother to the VIP ward!"
"No, no, no, you don’t have to," Fang Meiqing said, looking mortified. "It’s too expensive there."
"But your mother will be much more comfortable there. Besides, are you underestimating a nanny’s salary? Before long, you’ll be farming, too. High intensity means high pay," Bai Jiao said.
Even Mrs. Bai couldn’t listen anymore. "You’re going to make a slender girl like her do farm work?"
’Wow, Auntie is so sharp-eyed. Fang Meiqing is a true infrastructure prodigy! She’s an amazing farmer. Even late in the apocalypse, when the soil is contaminated, she’ll be able to grow huge potatoes.’
’And because Fang Meiqing has a Healing Ability, her giant potatoes won’t be poisonous. But even though she’s an incredible infrastructure support character, she has no fighting ability to match. In the end, the female lead rescues her after she’s been enslaved. After that, the female lead uses her plant superpower to produce plants, and Fang Meiqing takes care of them. They work together in perfect harmony.’
Bai Jiao scratched her head and smiled. "It’s because when Xiao Qing was at our school, the agriculture students were always asking her to help them plant things."
The Bai family had already prepared three guest rooms. One was for Fang Meiqing.
"And the other two?" Bai Xi asked, confused.
"For Wu Chen and that female student. I figured out a way to lure them over to our house to be playmates for Xiao Yunduo!" Bai Jiao said with a wink.
She had her own little plan. She knew from Ye Yunyun that she had a lucky streak that helped her survive disasters, and that she might even gain powerful companions in the future.
But Xiao Yunduo also needed companions to help her become willing to speak and resolve her inner turmoil.
Xiao Yunduo was more mature than other children her age, so she was better suited to being the one who was looked after. Inviting a gentle young boy to be her companion would be perfect.
"ACHOO!" Ye Yunyun suddenly sneezed.
Bai Jiao panicked. "You were outside for so long, did you catch a chill? The temperature’s been dropping lately, and there’s a big difference between day and night."
Bai Xi reached out and felt her forehead. "It’s okay, she’s not too hot—"
No, that wasn’t right. Ye Yunyun’s temperature was dropping rapidly!
"Quick, call the family doctor to make a house call!"
Everyone hurriedly crowded around her, almost freezing from the touch of her icy skin.
’I’m okay, Mom. My throat was just a little itchy.’
"Should I get a thermometer?" Fang Meiqing asked timidly.
"It’s fine. You go and rest. This is an old problem of hers," Mrs. Bai said.
Fang Meiqing was coaxed back to her room, her eyes filled with unstoppable worry.
’Ah, this feels so nice. My body feels so light. What’s wrong with everyone?’
’Why is Mom crying?’
Bai Xi held her close. "Bao Bao, why have you become as cold as a block of ice?"
Ye Yunyun felt like she was back in the Underworld.
Strange.
A mysterious sensation enveloped her. It was as if she could see everyone’s life force—except for her auntie’s—surging wildly.
This was it! A ghost’s ability to sense the life force of the living!
’It’s like... none of them are going to die anymore.’
After the sharp surge, their life force suddenly plummeted, but it still settled at a level higher than where it had started.