Although the approaching natural disaster hung over everyone’s hearts like a massive boulder, weighing them down, the reconciliation of the young couple was still a piece of good news.
On top of that, Cheng Ru and Shen Jianyi had long prepared plenty of delicious food, and the pot of old duck soup had been simmered to perfection.
So, after finishing their discussion, everyone moved to the dining room to enjoy the meal together.
The one who enjoyed it the most, naturally, was Shen Cong. Many of the dishes were flavors she had never dared to imagine again, even in her dreams.
She ate without even lifting her head, not willing to say a word.
Seeing her like this, combined with her previous stories, everyone present felt a heavy pressure in their chests, an indescribable tightness.
Cheng Ru and Shen Jianyi couldn’t eat a bite themselves, focusing only on filling their daughter’s bowl, as if they wanted to make up for all the suffering she had endured before.
Unsurprisingly, Shen Cong soon ate until she was full.
After the meal, the three of them didn’t rush to leave. Gu Zhengchu took Gu Kai along to study the old book.
Gu Kai had majored in Classical Chinese in university and had then gone on to work at an ancient texts publishing house, so the content of the book was perfectly aligned with his expertise.
Although the book was now in his father’s hands, Gu Kai was extremely interested.
So the father and son huddled together to study it.
Meanwhile, Cheng Ru had something to discuss with her daughter.
“I see a lot of children’s items in your packages. Are these for Tongtong and Shanshan?”
When speaking with her daughter, Cheng Ru didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.
“Yes. Mom, Dad, I was just about to discuss this with you. We need to trick my sister and her husband and the kids into coming back.” Shen Cong replied.
“Trick?” Shen Jianyi frowned.
Even though he had retired years ago, as a former cultural bureau leader, he still carried a natural sense of authority and integrity. He was used to speaking and acting in a precise, orderly manner, so hearing the word “trick” made him slightly uncomfortable.
Cheng Ru, however, was far more tactful.
She thought for a moment and nodded. “We do have to trick them. There isn’t much time left, and trying to reason with them properly could drag on forever.
Besides, what you said today, no one else can know except our closest family. Your sister’s fine, but your brother-in-law… even your sister can’t just tell him!”
“They’d believe me anyway!” Shen Cong said, frowning. “Who else could I show a little magic trick to?”
The reason she was willing to reveal her rebirth and the secrets of the space to her family was because she knew they were trustworthy.
Even after surviving the apocalypse and seeing the darkness of human nature, Shen Cong still wanted to believe that genuine affection exists in the world.
If she couldn’t trust even her closest family, always on guard, then living wouldn’t mean much, and dying again wouldn’t be a big deal either.
It was like in the final days of the apocalypse, when her whole family was gone and she was the only one left alive.
But what was the difference between living and being a walking corpse?
This kind of trust could only be given to her closest family.
Having been given a second chance at life, Shen Cong cherished it deeply.
She absolutely did not want her carelessness to bring disaster to herself or her family.
“How are you planning to trick them?” Cheng Ru asked.
“I’ll call my sister and tell her that we need money, so you’re planning to sell the apartment in the civil servant complex. To be fair, the money will be split between the two of us. That way, they’ll come back to divide it in person, and there won’t be any future complaints.”
Shen Cong pursed her lips. “My brother-in-law, he always complains about everything, but if there’s money involved, he’ll run to be first in line. Mom, don’t worry. Once I make that call, they’ll book a flight to come back tomorrow.”
Shen Cong’s older sister, Shen Xi, had gone abroad after university with her then-boyfriend, now husband, Zhang Ye.
They got married overseas, had children, started businesses, and were now settled there.
The sisters had always been close. Shen Xi, five years older than Shen Cong, had doted on her little sister since childhood.
When Shen Cong decided to study abroad, Shen Xi had been the happiest in the family, eagerly taking care of all arrangements for her sister, even booking the plane tickets required for the visa.
Shen Cong naturally had no complaints about her sister, but she wasn’t particularly fond of her brother-in-law.
Zhang Ye wasn’t a bad person; over the years, he had treated Shen Xi and the Shen family elders well.
It was just that he liked taking small advantages whenever he could.
Previously, his father had fallen ill and needed a special medicine to boost his immunity. The drug was so scarce that it was nearly impossible to find locally, and Zhang Ye, stuck abroad at the time, called Shen Cong for help.
Shen Cong then turned to Gu Zhengchu and, after many complications, finally managed to get the medicine. Because it was urgent, Shen Cong had to advance the full 50,000 yuan for the medication herself.
On the phone, Zhang Ye was incredibly grateful, showering her with praise, and promised that he would repay the money when he returned for the New Year.
When they did come back for the New Year, Zhang Ye handed Shen Cong a large red envelope, joking that it was her New Year’s gift.
Shen Cong was puzzled at first, who had a brother-in-law giving a red envelope to his sister-in-law?
But when she opened it, she found 5,000 euros inside.
She immediately realized that this was Zhang Ye repaying the money she had advanced for the medicine!
Shen Cong was simultaneously angry and amused.
If Gu Kai hadn’t pulled her back, and if she hadn’t been worried about embarrassing her sister, she would have blurted out:
“So, you’re just treating euros like pounds? Do you think you’re the only smart person in the world?!”
Later, Shen Xi did find out and was furious, shivering with indignation, insisting on giving Shen Cong more money, but Shen Cong refused.
She knew her sister was now running a small shop at home and didn’t have much disposable cash; she didn’t want a trivial matter like this to affect her sister’s marriage.
Yet the whole thing felt like someone had just shoved a mouthful of excrement in front of her, she could let it slide, but she couldn’t help being bothered.
If it weren’t for the fact that this was her own sister, that the children were her sister’s biological children, and that Zhang Ye was so closely tied to them, she really wouldn’t want to tell him anything about the apocalypse, much less have him come back with them.
But—
Last time, the apocalypse had struck so suddenly, and her sister’s family was so far away, that they never managed to get back in touch.
Her parents didn’t say it, but in their hearts, they always worried about her sister and her family.
The words her parents left Shen Cong before passing were always the same: “If possible, find your sister and hope her family is safe.”
So in this life, Shen Cong absolutely could not ignore her sister and her family, no matter what.
After hearing Shen Cong’s plan, Shen Jianyi was the first to object: “No, you can’t say that! Don’t mention splitting the money! When you call your sister, just tell her I’m gravely ill, that the critical condition notice has been issued, and she must come back to see me one last time!”
Shen Cong immediately panicked, jumping up from her chair: “Dad, what are you talking about?!”
She had seen her parents die with her own eyes, hearing something like that was unbearable!
The commotion drew Gu Kai and his father over, curious about what was happening.
Shen Jianyi waved at his daughter and said firmly, “Just say it that way. Whether they come or not is their decision.”
Then he looked sternly at Shen Cong and warned, “No mentioning the money!”
Hearing her husband say that, Cheng Ru felt her heart skip a beat.
But she quickly understood the intent and slowly nodded.
She grabbed her daughter, who was still about to argue, and said, “Your father is right. Call your sister exactly like that. Besides telling her to come immediately, you must also say that we urgently need money for surgery. Bring whatever they can, there’s a big shortfall; at least one million is needed.”
Hearing this, not only did Shen Cong understand, but everyone present also grasped the elders’ intent—
This was a test for Zhang Ye!
With her father critically ill, Shen Xi would surely rush back without hesitation, but Zhang Ye… not necessarily.
Especially when he was expected to bring money…
“Congcong, call her now. You call your sister while we’re here, seeing us will make her trust you more,” even Gu Zhengchu added his vote of support.
Reluctantly, Shen Cong dialed her sister’s video call in front of everyone.
The moment the call connected, she only managed to say: “Sister…” and then froze.
Her father could say something like that without concern, but for her, as his daughter, to tell her sister he was critically ill…
Shen Cong simply could not bring herself to speak.
On the other end, Shen Xi was cooking.
Seeing her younger sister, she immediately smiled: “Oh, what perfect timing! I was just about to call you after finishing cooking. Your brother-in-law went to your school yesterday. He said the student dorms are fully booked, but he—”
“Xixi, don’t talk about school for now. Turn off the stove; Mom needs to tell you something.”
Seeing her youngest daughter struggle to speak, Cheng Ru took the phone herself.
Shen Xi was taken aback. She leaned closer to the phone screen and finally realized that her younger sister was calling from home, and it looked like there were quite a few people around.
She looked again and froze slightly… it seemed she could see Gu Kai and Uncle Gu?!
Without a word, Shen Xi put out the fire under the stove, abandoned the rice in the pot, and carried the phone to sit at the dining table just outside the kitchen.
Then, she spoke carefully: “Mom, I’m listening. Tell me what’s going on.”
She hadn’t heard her mother speak in such a serious tone for a long time, let alone in front of Uncle Gu and Gu Kai.
Shen Xi knew that ever since her sister and brother-in-law had nearly divorced, Uncle Gu hadn’t been to the house in a long time.
If something had even drawn Uncle Gu’s attention, it absolutely could not be trivial.
“Xixi, your dad… is gravely ill. He’s in the hospital being treated. Bring the kids and come back. If you hurry, you might still see him one last time.”
Even though Cheng Ru considered herself an atheist and didn’t believe in supernatural things, saying this aloud was still incredibly difficult for her.
She cast a subtle glance at her husband, who had stayed far away, wishing she could somehow switch places with him.
Clatter.
On the video, Shen Xi’s body suddenly leaned back, and the phone fell onto the table.
The screen went blank, leaving only a chaotic mixture of sounds.
First came the creak of the chair scraping the floor, then Tongtong and Shanshan calling for “Mom.”
Soon, the children cried for “Dad,” and hurried footsteps approached.
Finally, the phone was picked up again, and several familiar faces appeared on the screen.
“What’s wrong with my dad? Mom, what’s wrong with him? What’s happening?”
Shen Xi pushed away Zhang Ye, who had been supporting her, held the phone with both hands, and cried as she asked.
It was clear that earlier she had been too shocked and had collapsed into the chair. Only when Zhang Ye ran over to steady her did she regain some composure.
Soon, the phone was snatched from Shen Xi’s hands, and Zhang Ye’s voice came through:
“Mom, what’s going on with Dad? Tell me. Xixi’s a little upset right now, so just tell me what’s happening.”
“Your dad is seriously ill, an emergency. He’s in the hospital ICU, and the critical condition notice has already been issued. Your sister and I came back today to raise money. Hurry and come back; if you’re late, it’ll be too late.”
“What kind of illness? This serious? He was fine just a few days ago when we called home. What kind of emergency is this?” Zhang Ye’s voice trembled with worry.
Seeing that Cheng Ru couldn’t continue with the story, Gu Zhengchu leaned toward the phone and said, “Xiao Zhang, I’m your Uncle Gu. You still remember me, right?”
Zhang Ye, of course, recognized Shen Cong’s father-in-law, the former director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, and hurriedly nodded. “Yes, yes, Uncle Gu…”
“The weather has been bad lately, and emergencies are happening more often. Many elderly people just can’t withstand it. Don’t ask so many questions, buy your tickets and come back quickly. What your mother said is true; don’t come back too late and regret it.”
He paused for a moment, then added, “Also, when you come back, try to bring as much money as possible. Your mom doesn’t want to say it, but she and old Shen only have Xixi and Congcong now. It’s time for you to fulfill your filial duty. Old Shen has only been in the hospital a few days, and hundreds of thousands have already gone. They’re already discussing selling the house. If you don’t bring money back, your dad really won’t survive.”
Shen Xi burst into tears.
“I’ll book the tickets right now! Mom, don’t worry, we’re coming immediately! Tell Dad to hold on, to wait for us. I’ll raise the money, I’m going right now…”
By the end, Shen Xi was crying so hard she could barely speak.
Although Zhang Ye tried to stay calm, it was clear he was struggling to accept the news; his face went pale and grim.
Amid the children’s crying and the chaos on the other end, there was nothing more to be said. Cheng Ru urged them once again to hurry back, then hung up.
For a moment, the house fell completely silent.
Perhaps because Shen Xi cried so bitterly, even Shen Cong and her parents had tears in their eyes.
Gu Zhengchu and Gu Kai also remained silent, not saying a word.
Finally, Shen Cong whispered, “Mom… do you think my sister and her family can come back quickly?”
Cheng Ru said nothing.
She glanced at her father, but Shen Jianyi avoided her gaze.
Shen Cong pressed her lips together and said with unshakable determination, “I believe they can. My sister will definitely come back. Dad, Mom, you have to believe her!”