Upon returning home, Lin Po found that his parents were not there. He hadn’t received any messages on his phone, so they were likely busy handling things they hadn’t settled properly before.
He searched the kitchen and found leftover rice in the fridge. He wasn’t sure where his parents had moved the vegetables, but there were still eggs, so he could make a simple fried rice.
He poked his head out to ask Yun Zhuan, who was sitting on the living room sofa drinking water, “Is a simple fried rice okay to fill our stomachs? My serious cooking skills are subpar, but my fried rice tastes pretty good.”
Yun Zhuan naturally had no objections. He set down his glass, walked into the kitchen, and said, “Let me help you. My cooking is decent.”
He naturally took a few eggs from the fridge, cracked them into a bowl, and pulled a pair of clean chopsticks from the container to beat them. His movements were very practiced.
Lin Po couldn’t help but rub his nose, saying sheepishly, “You’re way more skilled than I am. It looks like I’m about to make a fool of myself in front of you.”
Yun Zhuan replied, “I’m actually quite looking forward to it. Alright, the eggs are ready; the rest is up to you.”
Actually, cooking was something that felt like a distant memory to Lin Po. Before his rebirth, any food he found had to be shoved into his mouth as quickly as possible so it wouldn’t be stolen. Back then, everyone’s physical constitution had significantly improved, so eating raw food didn’t negatively affect the body. Only things that were truly inedible raw were briefly cooked. As for whether it tasted good, that was a luxury in those circumstances.
As he thought, he lit the stove and heated the oil in the wok. Once the oil was hot, he poured in the eggs and scrambled them, followed by the leftover rice from the fridge. Finally, he added some salt and meat sauce. A decent-looking bowl of egg fried rice was ready.
The two didn’t even bother with bowls; they brought the wok directly out. Yun Zhuan followed behind with two spoons as Lin Po said, “Let’s just eat like this so we don’t have to wash two extra bowls.”
They had done this before when they went out to play, so they were very comfortable with it now.
Yun Zhuan handed a spoon to Lin Po, but Lin Po just looked at him and said, “Hurry and try it. It should be okay—at least it’s not burnt.”
Yun Zhuan took a spoonful, put it in his mouth, and nodded. “It’s good. Better than mine.”
Lin Po shook his head. “You’re just flattering me. I know exactly how much skill I have.”
The corners of Yun Zhuan’s mouth curved up. “I’m not flattering you. It’s really delicious.”
Lin Po’s ears turned red. Although Yun Zhuan had technically given him a polite rejection before, his attitude toward Lin Po hadn’t changed. Even though Lin Po told himself it didn’t matter whether Yun Zhuan liked him or not, he couldn’t help his heart racing over small things. There was no helping it; this was the person he couldn’t forget even in the apocalypse.
Yun Zhuan remained unaware of his own flirting and ate happily. Lin Po, however, was thinking about what to do tonight. This stillness was the calm before the storm. Although he had returned, he couldn’t predict who would stay healthy and who would be infected. He couldn’t report this to those in power either. What he had brought back was only half the answer to a problem; he couldn’t be a savior for the whole world. Even with his own parents, there was a fifty percent chance he might lose them.
Lin Po hadn’t said it explicitly, but all three of them knew. Lin Po had seen the ropes his parents had hidden away. Since they didn’t want him to know, Lin Po pretended he didn’t. Sometimes a lie was a form of fulfillment—that was a lesson Lin Po had learned.
Halfway through the meal, Lin Chuansen and Wang Yurong returned carrying several items. Lin Po and Yun Zhuan set down their spoons to help, but Lin Po’s father dropped the items on the floor and said, “Keep eating, don’t worry about it. These aren’t heavy.”
The two returned to their seats. Lin Po asked while eating, “Did you guys have lunch?”
Wang Yurong said, “Your dad and I ate before going out. After you two left this morning, we were saying we hadn’t prepared anything for you to take, so you’d probably be hungry. Yun Zhuan, is it fun up there? I even scolded Lin Po—there’s nothing there, yet he insisted on making the trip just to get all sweaty.”
Yun Zhuan said, “The scenery here is quite good. Lin Po and I are always at school, so it’s good to come out and clear our heads.”
Lin Po added, “I regret taking him there too. Everything was moved out, there was nothing to see. Next time, I’ll take Dad’s car and drive him to the Buddhist temple in the neighboring county. That place actually has a long history.”
Wang Yurong’s hand paused while she was tidying up before she replied, “That sounds good. Summer break is coming up soon, isn’t it? Yun Zhuan, come stay for a few days then. The countryside is much cooler than the city, though there are many mosquitoes…”
As they chatted, Yun Zhuan felt that Lin Po seemed quite relaxed, as if his previous internal struggle had been an illusion. Regardless of the reason, as long as Lin Po was okay, Yun Zhuan was relieved.
After they finished eating, Yun Zhuan took the wok to the kitchen and washed it in no time, giving Lin Po no chance to help. Lin Po could only scoop a small bowl of millet from the cabinet and say, “I’m going to feed the chicken.”
Ever since the rooster had survived the poison test, it had escaped the fate of being slaughtered and eaten. Lin Po didn’t plan on keeping it, though. He intended to take it to the mountains tonight and release it; whether it survived or not would depend on its own luck.
When this house was built, they hadn’t considered raising animals, so there was no designated space. But they were afraid the chicken would be caught and eaten if left outside, so they kept it in the garage. When Lin Po walked in, “Brother Chicken” was perched on the edge of the truck.
Lin Po scattered the millet on the ground. The rooster fluttered down from the truck. Lin Po muttered, “Eat up. I might not be able to protect a living thing like you. I’ll set you free tonight. After that, whether you live or die is up to you.”
Wild animals in the mountains of Pingxi Village had long since disappeared; even weasels were rarely seen. There were many free-range chickens in the village. If the rooster was smart, its chances of survival would be quite high.
If it stayed with him, when people eventually realized there was no food, Lin Po wouldn’t be able to bring himself to kill the chicken that had tested poison for them—but that didn’t mean others wouldn’t come to steal it.
After feeding the chicken, Lin Po returned with the bowl. Wang Yurong suddenly pulled him aside surreptitiously. Lin Po looked confused as she pulled a blister pack of medicine from her pocket and handed it to him. “Mix this in the water for Yun Zhuan to drink tonight.”
Lin Po whispered, “Sleeping pills?”
Wang Yurong nodded. “Yes. Watch the dosage; just make sure he falls asleep.”
Lin Po squeezed the medicine pack and said, “I’ll be careful.”
Yun Zhuan, sitting at the dining table, knew nothing. He was busy replying to messages in a group chat. His roommates expressed intense curiosity about his trip with Lin Po, repeatedly saying things like, “I thought you said you weren’t dating, so why did you sneak off on a date?”
Although Yun Zhuan rarely initiated jokes, he didn’t get angry at his roommates’ teasing. He said, “It’s not a date, just traveling together.”
Since Yun Zhuan answered seriously, his roommates stopped teasing and instead talked about the meteor shower.
“Did you know? The second-oldest and the others went specifically to Mount Yao to see the meteor shower. The news says it’s once in a century. Aren’t you going to watch it with Lin Po? How romantic!”
His roommates didn’t care if there was actually anything going on between them; they kept the jokes coming. Yun Zhuan had been nervous at first, but now he was used to it.
“I asked him, and he said he wasn’t interested. Why didn’t you go?”
The roommate replied, “They all went with their girlfriends. We single dogs are just going to play games in the dorm. We’ll watch the videos others take online later—they’re clearer and it’s less tiring. Much better.”
After a few minutes of chatting, Yun Zhuan put down his phone and took out his camera to organize the photos he took today. Although he hadn’t found any valuable relics, the scenery of Pingxi Village was excellent. He had taken many photos—and, of course, many of Lin Po.
Lin Po hadn’t known he was being photographed, so many of the images were candid shots of his back or profile. Yun Zhuan had always known Lin Po was handsome—elegant and scholarly. He wasn’t like most energetic boys these days; he didn’t seem good at sports and instead exuded a literary aura. They used to meet in the quiet library, so the impression Lin Po left him was one of refinement. However, this short trip gave Yun Zhuan a more vivid image of Lin Po.
He seemed even more charming. Yun Zhuan filtered through the photos, but he didn’t delete a single one of Lin Po.
Summer days are long. Just as Yun Zhuan finished his shower, Lin Po handed him a glass of watermelon juice. “Freshly squeezed. This watermelon was just bought yesterday. It was chilled in the fridge before I juiced it. It’s a real treat to drink it now.”
Yun Zhuan took it and drained it in one go, then sighed contentedly. “That was great. Go take your shower; I’ll squeeze a glass for you too.”
Lin Po said, “There’s more in the fridge. Go back to your room first. There are too many mosquitoes out here. I’ve already turned on the AC, and the temperature in the room has dropped. After my shower, I’ll come find you to play cards.”
Yun Zhuan agreed. Once he went upstairs, Lin Po first went to his parents’ room. At this moment, their expressions were solemn. Matters they had been unwilling to face directly were now out in the open. That fifty percent chance of zombification could take the lives of the family members Lin Po cherished most at any moment.
Lin Chuansen pulled two bundles of hemp rope from under the bed. He said, “In a little while, tie your mother and me up. Just in case… you don’t have to be the one to do anything, just to be safe. If your mother and I are truly unlucky, don’t hesitate to do what’s necessary. In that situation, we can no longer be called human. Don’t let your emotions get in the way…”
Lin Po’s father rambled on about various things while his mother wept quietly. Since his rebirth, things he didn’t want to face finally had to be confronted. Lin Po forced himself to stay calm. He took the hemp rope from his father’s hands, nodded seriously, and said, “Dad, Mom, we will definitely make it through this.”