It turned out that even without fully undergoing zombification, the bite force of a half-zombie was still quite astonishing.
Or perhaps it was because he had sliced the meat too thin—raw meat that a normal person couldn’t bite through or chew easily was effortlessly consumed by Ling Jiujiu.
After finishing a small plate of rabbit meat, Ling Jiujiu took a tissue from the table and wiped his mouth.
Having been hungry for so long, it was rare to have a full meal, and it was his favorite rabbit meat at that.
Ling Jiujiu suddenly felt that the man before him wasn’t so terrifying after all.
By the time they finished eating, it was already afternoon.
It was an overcast day, and the sky had darkened early, making visibility poor and unsuitable for going out.
When night fell, Ling Jiujiu took off his clothes early, spread out the quilt, and lay down on the bed, ready to sleep.
Lu Chen searched the small cabin from top to bottom and found several jars of baijiu in the cellar.
It seemed the young master had never been down to the cellar, as these jars of baijiu were still unopened.
Lu Chen took out one jar, removed his pants, and used the baijiu to disinfect the wound on his thigh.
If he didn’t disinfect it, even if the Zombie Virus didn’t kill him, he’d likely die from Infection.
“Hmm? What’s that smell?”
Ling Jiujiu had just lain down when he caught a strange, somewhat fragrant scent wafting through the room.
He sat up in bed and turned his head toward the source of the aroma.
After bandaging his wound, Lu Chen noticed Ling Jiujiu sitting up and looking his way. He asked, “Baijiu. Want some?”
Ling Jiujiu was puzzled. “What’s baijiu?”
Lu Chen wasn’t sure how to explain it to him.
Although the young master still retained human consciousness, his common sense had completely deteriorated.
“It’s like water—something you can drink,” Lu Chen said.
Ling Jiujiu hesitated for a moment, unable to resist licking his lips.
“Then I’ll have a small sip.”
Although he didn’t quite trust Lu Chen’s taste for chewing tree roots, the smell was simply too enticing.
Noticing Ling Jiujiu’s hesitation, Lu Chen poured a bowl of baijiu, walked over to the bed, and handed it to him.
Ling Jiujiu reached out, groping slowly and carefully.
It was then that Lu Chen noticed something unusual and waved his hand in front of Ling Jiujiu’s eyes.
Ling Jiujiu showed no reaction whatsoever.
It seemed the little guy couldn’t see anything at night.
Lu Chen slowly moved the bowl of baijiu, and Ling Jiujiu reached out, only to grasp at empty air.
He perked up his little nose, sniffed around, and slowly extended his hand again, following the scent of the baijiu.
Lu Chen deliberately tested whether he was truly blind or just pretending, so he moved the bowl to the other side.
Once again, Ling Jiujiu grasped at nothing. He wrinkled his little nose, brought it closer, and sniffed hard.
After confirming the location of the baijiu, he slowly reached out again.
Lu Chen slowly raised the bowl higher.
Ling Jiujiu grabbed at the air twice, his little face drooping in disappointment as he withdrew his hand and gave up.
Seeing him stop, Lu Chen asked curiously, “Why aren’t you taking it?”
Ling Jiujiu frowned, his little eyes tinged with resentment.
“I’m not stupid. My mind is sharp.”
Did he think Ling Jiujiu didn’t know the man was teasing him on purpose, taking advantage of his blindness?
Such a meanie! ╭(╯^╰)╮
Lu Chen stopped teasing him and placed the bowl of baijiu into his hands.
Taking the bowl, Ling Jiujiu’s expression instantly softened, and his nose twitched slightly.
“So fragrant.”
He lowered his head and took a small sip. Instantly, the aroma of the baijiu spread in his mouth, and a cool sensation flowed down his esophagus into his body, bringing a refreshing feeling he had never experienced before.
Such a wonderful thing—this was the first time he had ever tasted it.
“Was it good?” Lu Chen asked casually.
Ling Jiujiu nodded repeatedly. “It was good!”
“Can you not see anything at night?”
Ling Jiujiu nodded, paused, then slowly shook his head. “If there’s enough light, I can still see. There’s a big lightbulb in the sky. When it’s really bright, I can see.”
A big lightbulb in the sky?
Lu Chen understood—he was talking about the moon.
“Then why don’t you light a candle?”
While searching earlier, Lu Chen had found a few emergency windproof candles in a drawer, left behind by the previous occupant. The candles were intact, with no signs of use.
Ling Jiujiu blinked his large, bewildered eyes and tilted his head slightly.
“Candles? Are they something you can eat?”
Lu Chen didn’t know to what extent the Infection had degraded his mind, but it seemed he lacked even the most basic common sense. It was as if he came from an entirely different world. For this little one to have survived alone until now was no small feat.
Lu Chen lit the candle with a match.
Soon, the room was bathed in an orange glow.
As his vision returned instantly, Ling Jiujiu stared at the flickering flame in Lu Chen’s hand, his face filled with wonder.
“So magical.”
His ruby-like eyes shimmered brilliantly in the firelight, his long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly like two tiny brushes.
Observing the boy up close like this, Lu Chen found his gaze involuntarily drawn to him. In this dog-eat-dog world, truly innocent people were nearly extinct. The little one before him, pure and untouched by the world, seemed like an angel who had fallen to earth—so pristine it felt almost unreal.
Lu Chen pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, refusing to look further. Vaguely, he could almost see a soft, hazy glow surrounding the boy. Could it be that the virus was affecting his perception?
“Lu… Lu Chen?” Ling Jiujiu called softly, his voice tender and clear.
“Hmm?” Lu Chen snapped back to reality and looked at him.
Ling Jiujiu raised the now-empty wine bowl and asked, “Is there any more?”
Ling Jiujiu’s skin, originally the pale hue of a zombie, had taken on a faint human-like blush after drinking the wine. His wine-scented breath brushed lightly against Lu Chen’s face, and though Lu Chen hadn’t drunk any, he felt a slight intoxication.
Worried that too much alcohol might cause trouble, Lu Chen shook his head. “Weren’t you going to sleep?”
“But I want to drink more.”
Ling Jiujiu blinked, his eyes filled with longing.
Lu Chen, however, turned a blind eye and replied coldly, “There isn’t any more.”
Ling Jiujiu looked disappointed. He brought the wine bowl to his lips, extended a small, kitten-like pink tongue to lick the remaining wine inside, then savored it with a few more delicate sips.
Watching his actions, Lu Chen couldn’t help but pinch the bridge of his nose again and reached out to snatch the bowl. “Stop licking it!”
Ling Jiujiu stubbornly tried to hide the bowl behind him, but Lu Chen forcefully took it away.
Having drunk alcohol for the first time, the effects were starting to set in. Ling Jiujiu’s vision grew hazy, and a hint of laziness and weariness flickered in his eyes, making him resemble a drowsy kitten even more.
He sprawled lazily on the bed, his beautiful eyes slightly misty.
“Lu Chen…” he called softly, his voice as gentle and fluffy as cotton candy.
Lu Chen looked at him, his handsome face expressionless.
“Could you, hic, not blow my head off.” Ling Jiujiu’s voice sounded utterly pitiful.
“My brain works… I’m not stupid…”
As she spoke, Ling Jiujiu gradually fell silent.
Lu Chen went over and nudged her. Ling Jiujiu frowned slightly.
Lu Chen chuckled softly: “So zombies can sleep too.”