Night fell like ink, and Mi Beibei drifted into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, Zhang Minglang, Yang Xiaoyi, and the others moved through the dim streets like lone warriors wandering the apocalypse. With weapons in hand, they skillfully took down every zombie that appeared along the way. The sharp whoosh of blades cutting through the air mixed with the zombies’ shrieks, creating a terrifying symphony of survival.
“I remember there are several jewelry stores near Central Plaza!” Yang Xiaoyi said between heavy breaths, his eyes shining with excitement.
Zhang Minglang frowned and glanced at the darkening sky. “That’s pretty far from here. It’s getting dark. We need to find a place to stay before night fully falls.”
At night, the zombies became much faster. Their once-sluggish movements turned swift and agile. They burst out from every corner like arrows released from a bow, their shrieks becoming even more piercing. Zombies that had been easy to deal with during the day turned into relentless killers after sunset. One careless mistake, and they would be surrounded.
Yang Xiaoyi immediately understood and nodded. As they continued killing zombies, the group searched the ruined streets for a safe shelter where they could withstand the coming night.
Before long, they found a suitable hideout. They quickly rushed inside and worked together to block all the zombies outside the entrance. Leaning against the door, their chests rose and fell violently as they gasped for breath before collapsing onto the floor to rest.
Li Yan opened his storage space, where various kinds of food were neatly stacked.
“Come on! Instant self-heating rice, instant noodles, compressed biscuits, and ham sausages. Take whatever you want!”
The moment he finished speaking, Yang Xiaoyi rushed over.
“I want self-heating rice! Hurry, give me a box!”
The others gathered around as well. Before long, all the self-heating rice and ham sausages had been claimed. Everyone eagerly opened the packages, and soon the soft hissing sound of steam filled the room.
Meanwhile, Zhang Minglang remained on guard. Holding his weapon tightly, his sharp eyes constantly scanned the dark corners, ready for any zombie that might suddenly appear.
After everyone had chosen their food, Li Yan walked over carrying a box of self-heating rice and a ham sausage.
“Boss, have some self-heating rice too. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a hot meal.”
Zhang Minglang accepted the food and nodded in thanks.
It had already been half a month since they left the base on this mission. During that time, they had survived on compressed biscuits and dried meat. Their stomachs had long forgotten the warmth of freshly cooked food, and their mouths were filled only with the dry, rough taste of preserved rations.
As Zhang Minglang opened the box of self-heating rice, a date printed in the corner suddenly caught his eye:
Best Before: June 18, 2034.
His fingers tightened instantly, and his throat bobbed unconsciously.
After a brief pause, he calmly placed the rice and heating pack back into the box and closed the lid.
He then picked up the ham sausage.
Production Date: December 6, 2033. Shelf Life: 6 months.
Next, he asked Li Yan for a pack of instant noodles and compressed biscuits.
As expected, whether it was the instant noodles with their shiny seasoning packets or the neatly packaged compressed biscuits, every expiration date clearly showed the year 2034.
He handed the noodles and biscuits back to Li Yan, but the thoughtful look in his eyes remained.
“What’s wrong, Boss?”
Li Yan watched Zhang Minglang repeatedly inspect the food before putting it back, completely puzzled.
“You asked me for food, but then you just kept looking at it…”
Meeting Li Yan’s questioning gaze, Zhang Minglang’s throat moved slightly. Countless emotions churned within his dark eyes.
After a long silence, he simply replied,
“Nothing.”
His voice was hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper.
He swallowed the rest of his thoughts, his knuckles turning white as he unconsciously rubbed the production date printed on the package.
…
Without anyone noticing, the thick darkness gradually faded.
As dawn broke and the eastern sky turned pale, golden sunlight slipped through the gap in Mi Beibei’s curtains.
Curled up beneath her soft blanket, she turned over. Her eyelashes fluttered gently before she slowly opened her eyes and stretched lazily.
Leaning against the headboard, Mi Beibei rubbed her messy hair as her thoughts gradually cleared.
Remembering her plans for the day, she sighed softly and got out of bed.
The electronic clock beside her bed read 7:30 a.m. On the windowsill, a pot of pothos swayed gently in the morning breeze, tiny drops of dew sparkling on its leaves.
Standing at the sink, Mi Beibei quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face. The cold water splashing onto her skin completely chased away the last traces of sleepiness.
Outside her residential complex, breakfast stalls were already bustling. Fried dough sticks sizzled in hot oil, filling the air with an irresistible aroma.
She stopped at one of the stalls, scanned the payment code, and bought three meat buns and a cup of soy milk. Leaning against her electric vehicle, she happily enjoyed her breakfast.
The warm buns quickly filled her stomach, making her whole body feel warm.
Looking up at the sky, she saw the rosy morning clouds coloring half the horizon. A brand-new day had begun.
After breakfast, Mi Beibei got on her electric vehicle and headed toward a jewelry store.
She couldn’t go back to the same one as yesterday. Selling several pieces of gold jewelry there had already drawn enough attention. If she showed up again carrying another large batch of gold, it would be like putting herself under a spotlight.
Twisting the throttle, she headed toward a larger jewelry store on the other side of the city, where there were many more customers.
…
As she stepped inside, cool air mixed with the faint scent of sandalwood greeted her.
Behind the glass display cases, countless gold ornaments sparkled beneath warm yellow lighting.
A female receptionist in high heels approached gracefully. Her chestnut-colored hair was neatly tied up, and her name tag gleamed beneath the lights.
“Hello! Welcome! Please have a seat.”
She politely invited Mi Beibei to sit on a leather sofa and even served her a cup of hot lemon water.
“I’d like to sell these gold items.”
Mi Beibei pushed the jewelry she had sorted yesterday toward the receptionist, absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
Putting on white gloves, the receptionist skillfully examined each necklace and bracelet, carefully weighing and testing them with professional equipment. The crisp clicking of calculator buttons echoed through the room.
“Today’s gold buyback price is 589 yuan per gram. Your jewelry weighs 168 grams, for a total of 98,952 yuan.”
The receptionist smiled professionally, revealing two neat little canine teeth.
“Please provide your bank account number, and we’ll transfer the payment immediately.”
Mi Beibei gave her account number.
A moment later, her phone chimed.
Her account balance had increased to 126,175 yuan.
Walking out of the jewelry store, the bright sunlight made her instinctively raise a hand to shield her eyes.
As the glass doors slowly closed behind her, she took a deep breath. The lingering scent of sandalwood from the store mixed with the hot summer air outside, somehow giving her a sense of peace.
As she inserted the key into her electric vehicle, her fingertips trembled slightly.
The number displayed in the bank transfer notification felt almost tangible, as though the money itself now weighed heavily in her pocket.
…
Riding through the familiar streets, the wind rushed past her ears, lifting strands of her hair.
Mi Beibei bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the smile that kept spreading across her face.
The anxiety of her overdue online loans was gradually being washed away by the golden sunlight.
A warm feeling suddenly surged through her chest, and before she knew it, she had begun humming an off-key tune.
The moment the first note escaped her lips, she suddenly realized what she was doing.
She quickly looked around.
Several drivers waiting at a red light nearby were curiously staring at her.
Her ears instantly turned hot.
Embarrassed, she hurriedly stopped humming, bit her lip, and lowered her head to stare at the dashboard.
But inside, the joy bubbling in her heart was like boiling water.
In her mind, she was already singing at the top of her lungs.
…
Her electric vehicle soon returned to the neighborhood.
However, instead of turning toward home, she turned onto a nearby street lined with advertising and printing shops.
Slowing down, she carefully examined each storefront.
Finally, she stopped in front of a shop with a simple white sign.
As she pushed open the glass door, the wind chime above it rang cheerfully.
The shop smelled faintly of fresh ink, while a design draft was displayed on the computer screen behind the counter.
A young employee wearing black-rimmed glasses looked up with a friendly smile.
“Hello! What kind of advertising materials would you like to make?”
“I’d like to customize a store sign.”
Mi Beibei explained the approximate size and design requirements before adding,
“I need it as soon as possible. Can you rush the order?”
“No problem.”
The young man nodded while taking out a quotation sheet.
“However, you’ll need to pay a 30% deposit first.”
After completing the order, they exchanged WeChat contacts.
Mi Beibei confirmed the production schedule several times before finally leaving with peace of mind.
…
On her way back, a noodle shop filled with the rich aroma of braised beef noodles suddenly caught her attention.
Instantly, saliva flooded her mouth.
The hunger she had been ignoring came crashing back all at once.