Mu Li had thought Xiao Yan might do something to him, but the man genuinely just held him through the night. It was an entirely dreamless sleep, and early the next morning, Mu Li crawled out from under the blankets while Xiao Yan, waking up even earlier than him, was already busy cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
Quickly tidying himself up, Mu Li stepped out of the bedroom wearing Xiao Yan’s slippers. Right as he approached, he was greeted by Xiao Yan’s gentle, smiling voice: “Morning, boyfriend.”
“Morning, boyfriend.” After the events of the previous night, Mu Li’s boldness had grown quite a bit, making him far less prone to shyness than before. He walked over to Xiao Yan, glancing at the simmering porridge in the pot and the small steamed buns in the steamer. The little buns were plump and round, each with nearly identical pleats, prompting Mu Li to ask in surprise, “Did you make these?”
“No, I bought them ready-made,” Xiao Yan replied, adding with a small smirk, “I don’t know how to make steamed buns, but I can learn if you want to eat them.”
“There’s no need, it’s too much trouble.” How could Mu Li ever bear to make a big guy like Xiao Yan go out of his way to learn something like that?
Xiao Yan added two drops of white vinegar to the purple yam porridge, stirring it while turning his head to look at Mu Li. “It’s no trouble at all. After all, cooking for my precious boyfriend is my absolute honor.”
Mu Li picked up a small tomato that Xiao Yan had washed and seized the opportunity to pop it straight into Xiao Yan’s mouth. He figured that if he kept listening to Xiao Yan talk like this, his face would probably burn bright red. Why was this man’s mouth so sweet? Had he eaten honey first thing in the morning?
Xiao Yan certainly hadn’t eaten any honey; he simply took a mischievous pleasure in watching Mu Li’s bashful appearance. It put him in an exceptionally wonderful mood, making him desperately want to pull the person before him into his arms and lavish him with kisses.
With that thought in mind, Xiao Yan acted on it instantly. Moving with smooth and fluid grace, he wrapped an arm around Mu Li’s waist, pulled him flush against his chest, and the next second, the sweet-and-sour flavor of the tomato filled Mu Li’s mouth.
Having just established their relationship, the two of them were clingy and affectionate early in the morning, meaning it was already past nine o’clock by the time they finished breakfast. Fortunately, the drive back to the city wasn’t far, taking only forty minutes. Xiao Yan dropped Mu Li off near his university, since cars weren’t permitted inside. He still had errands to run, and the mere thought of parting ways for another two hours filled Xiao Yan with reluctance. Yet there was no helping it since his boyfriend was still a student, so right before Mu Li got out of the car, Xiao Yan grabbed the back of the young man’s head and planted a fierce kiss on his lips before letting him go. Helping Mu Li straighten his clothes, Xiao Yan kissed his forehead once more and murmured reluctantly, “Go ahead. I’ll pick you up for lunch at noon.”
“Okay.” Mu Li was equally reluctant to part ways, but after abruptly running off with Xiao Yan yesterday, his phone notifications had been blowing up non-stop, and with classes scheduled for today, he couldn’t skip out entirely. Fortunately, it was only for a little while, and his boyfriend would be coming to pick him up at noon anyway.
Watching Mu Li step out of the car and walk into the campus until his figure vanished from sight, Xiao Yan finally started the engine and drove away. He needed to head to the market. The apocalypse was arriving soon, and there were still plenty of supplies he hadn’t prepared. Only by securing an adequate stock of resources could he survive in the end times. Furthermore, he didn’t intend to merely survive; he wanted to ensure his precious treasure lived even better, enjoying a pampered lifestyle right in the middle of the apocalypse, ensuring they would never repeat the tragic fate of their past life.
When the apocalypse broke out, staying in the city was absolute suicide. The denser the population, the greater the number of zombies, which was why Xiao Yan decided to reinforce and modify his suburban house.
First, he headed to the building materials market to purchase all the necessary supplies, conveniently hiring construction workers along the way. After paying a deposit, he scheduled them to arrive the following day. The perimeter wall of his house needed reinforcement and heightening, and he also needed to excavate a large basement equipped with running water and electricity. This was a massive undertaking, and to complete it within a short timeframe, a large labor force was essential. Consequently, Xiao Yan hired several construction teams consecutively, totaling a formidable crew of dozens of workers. With them, the project would likely be completed in less than half a month.
With the construction arrangements sorted, Xiao Yan went out to purchase some weapons. Unfortunately, acquiring firearms was impossible, so he had to settle for a selection of sturdy, reliable long sabers and daggers. Following that, he placed orders for a supply of drinking water and long-shelf-life canned goods before hurrying back toward Mu Li’s university, still mindful of his promise to accompany his little boyfriend for lunch.
When shopping at the market, Xiao Yan had operated under the pretext of stocking a small convenience store, which explained why no one found it strange despite his massive volume of purchases.
Arriving at the campus just before half-past eleven, Xiao Yan had barely parked the car when he caught sight of someone he loathed to the very core: his good sister, Xiao Li. In that single instant, all the humiliation and agony of his past life came crashing back over him.
Xiao Yan’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that wisps of dark mist began seeping from his palms, causing the steering wheel itself to fracture. Yet Xiao Yan remained entirely oblivious to it. As his abilities spun out of control, his entire body was practically enveloped in black mist. Feeling a splitting headache, a flash of golden light crossed his mind, and the next moment, he vanished entirely from inside the car. Fortunately, the car windows were coated with dark tint film, rendering whatever happened inside completely invisible to outsiders.
Xiao Yan materialized onto a vast expanse of open plain. The surroundings were silent and still, save for a gentle stream meandering past right in front of him. Upon entering this space, Xiao Yan instantly regained his composure. Staring around in startled disbelief, he wondered what place this was. Wasn’t he just sitting in his car?
The moment Xiao Yan thought of his car, he found himself transported right back inside it the very next second. This discovery left Xiao Yan even more astonished. Recalling the previous landscape in his mind, he vanished once more in the blink of an eye, reappearing in the exact same spot on the plain.
After repeating this test a few times, Xiao Yan finally realized that he was seemingly capable of accessing another dimension, an unfamiliar space where he could even transport outside items inward. Inspecting the car ornament held in his hand, though he didn’t understand why such a space existed, it didn’t prevent him from feeling overwhelmingly thrilled. He had originally thought fate was already being exceedingly generous by granting him a second chance at life, only to discover an even more delightful surprise waiting for him. Right now, however, he had no leisure time to ponder this further; time was up, and he had to go pick up his little boyfriend for lunch.