“I’m not.”
Lu Huai’s voice was quiet.
But those three simple words sounded deafening to Qiao Zhenzhu.
“You’re not reborn? Then why did you suddenly chase after me?” Qiao Zhenzhu pressed unwillingly.
Seeing the almost gritted-teeth expression on her face, Lu Huai inexplicably wanted to laugh, though he held it back.
“I may not be reborn, but after you… after she left on the train, I fainted and had a dream. In the dream, I watched her arrive in Shanghai, die at the wedding scene, and the child was gone too.
“When I woke up, I immediately bought the earliest train ticket and chased after you. Whether she wanted to divorce me or not, I only hoped she and the child could stay alive. I just didn’t expect…”
Qiao Zhenzhu fell silent.
So what was this?
A prophetic dream?
Lu Huai looked at her seriously. “Even though I’m not reborn, it’ll be easier for us to get along in the future if we’re honest with each other. Judging by your personality, you probably wouldn’t like pretending to be someone else either. You and her… your personalities are completely different.
“If you stay with me, even if you say nothing, I’ll notice within a day that you’re different from before.
“If you tell me the truth, then after we return to the army compound, when people start saying you’ve changed, I can help cover for you.”
Even though Qiao Zhenzhu didn’t want to admit it, she had to acknowledge that Lu Huai was right.
Her personality and the original host’s weren’t just different—they were worlds apart.
The original owner had already lived in the military compound for over eight months, and everyone there knew what kind of person she was.
If she suddenly underwent a drastic change, it would easily arouse suspicion.
And in this special era, being suspected of having a questionable identity was no small matter.
Given the current political climate, those in power would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one slip through.
If she wanted to raise the four children peacefully, she absolutely needed Lu Huai’s help.
After thinking it through, Qiao Zhenzhu stopped struggling over it.
“You’re right.” As she spoke, she took the Chinese cabbage back from Lu Huai and stored it in her space. “Anyway, I’m the biological mother of your children. If you won’t help me, who will? Besides, I can help you too. We benefit each other.”
Watching Qiao Zhenzhu leisurely lie back down again, Lu Huai’s eyes flashed with amusement.
“And what exactly can you help me with?”
“Let me think…” Qiao Zhenzhu considered seriously. “I can improve crop seeds. Would that help you?”
Lu Huai’s expression instantly turned solemn. “Are you sure? Grain seeds are a major issue. This isn’t something to joke about.”
“Of course I wouldn’t joke about something like that!”
Qiao Zhenzhu rolled her eyes at him.
“It’s June now, right? Shouldn’t it be time to harvest wheat and plant corn?”
Lu Huai nodded. “Yes. The winter wheat harvest has already started. Once the fields are cleared, corn planting should begin around June twentieth.”
Qiao Zhenzhu sat upright again. Using Lu Huai’s body as cover, she took out an ear of corn from her space.
The moment Lu Huai saw it, his eyes widened.
The corn cob was longer than his forearm—huge and thick. It was packed tightly with kernels, each one almost as large as a peanut.
“This… is really corn?” Lu Huai asked skeptically.
Qiao Zhenzhu laughed. “If it’s not corn, then what is it? This was grown using wood-type abilities. Every kernel is viable. Once planted, it matures about half a month earlier than ordinary corn, is practically immune to pests, and doesn’t even require fertilizer—though fertilizer still helps. And every cob it produces will look exactly like this one.
“Don’t think I’m bragging. Scientists in my era spent three to five years researching this before they succeeded. In our time, this kind of corn was the reason ordinary survivors without abilities didn’t starve to death.”
There were only a limited number of wood-type ability users in the apocalypse, and most weren’t high-level. Their powers couldn’t be used endlessly.
Depending on abilities alone to grow enough food to feed all survivors was impossible.
Fortunately, after years of scientific research, crops stimulated by wood-type abilities experienced genetic changes. They became more productive and far hardier.
If they could achieve such high yields in the harsh conditions of the apocalypse—
Then with careful cultivation in this era, the harvest would definitely be even better.
Listening to her explanation, Lu Huai hurriedly clarified, “I never thought you were bragging. I just find it unbelievable.”
“That’s normal.” Qiao Zhenzhu nodded understandingly. “Before the apocalypse arrived, I also thought supernatural abilities sounded unbelievable.”
Lu Huai gently touched the corn, anticipation filling his eyes.
If what she said was true, then this was truly… wonderful.
“Besides corn, are there others?” he asked hopefully.
“I can improve any plant.”
Qiao Zhenzhu’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was filled with confidence.
And she had every reason to be confident.
She was a max-level wood-type ability user!
In the apocalypse, across all of China, only two wood-type users had ever reached max level.
And she was one of them.
Looking at the pride and confidence on her face, the smile in Lu Huai’s eyes deepened.
“That’s incredible.” He praised her sincerely. “Put the corn away for now. We’ll discuss the seed issue after you’re discharged from the hospital.”
There were too many people coming and going in the hospital. Nothing was convenient here.
Just as Qiao Zhenzhu stored the corn back into her space, Lu Huai opened the lunchbox on the table.
“The porridge is just the right temperature. Drink some first. What else do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it.”
“I want braised pork, steamed buns, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cucumber salad, and stir-fried Shanghai greens!”
In the apocalypse, pigs and chickens had all mutated. They weren’t inedible, but the meat was tough, chewy, and fishy—absolutely awful.
As for tomatoes, cucumbers, and Shanghai greens, they’d long gone extinct. She hadn’t eaten them in years.
Compared to the apocalypse, this place was heaven!
No constant threat of death, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables everywhere—this was paradise on earth.
Lu Huai agreed immediately. “Alright, I’ll go buy them now.”
He stood up, but didn’t leave immediately.
“Oh right. What’s your name?”
Qiao Zhenzhu lifted her head and met his gaze.
“Qiao Zhenzhu.”
Lu Huai smiled. “Then can I call you Zhenzhu from now on?”
“Of course!”
Smiling, Lu Huai finally left.
Qiao Zhenzhu picked up the lunchbox, drank a few mouthfuls of porridge, then put it back down.
She actually wasn’t that hungry.
Definitely not because she was waiting for all the dishes she had ordered.
Just as she was thinking about it, the ward door was suddenly slammed open from outside.
The force was so strong that the door crashed directly against the wall.
Qiao Zhenzhu’s eyes instantly turned cold. As she looked toward the entrance, she used her psychic power to force the door to rebound violently into the face of the person standing there.
A scream rang out from the doorway, followed by the heavy sound of someone crashing to the floor.
Only then did Qiao Zhenzhu feel satisfied.
If they didn’t know how to open a door properly, she’d teach them.
Maybe next time they’d think twice before slamming doors like that.
After a long while, the person outside finally struggled back to their feet.
Their nose was swollen and bleeding heavily, and both front teeth looked ready to fall out.
Pointing at Qiao Zhenzhu, the woman shrieked, “You cursed little disaster star—”
Qiao Zhenzhu sneered. “And who are you?”
“I’m Xie Chenggong’s mother!”
“Then you definitely can’t call me a disaster star. I don’t even know which direction your front door faces. The one bringing misfortune to your family isn’t me!”
Huang Meihua’s fingers trembled as she screeched, “Why did something happen to my son and the others, but nothing happened to you?”
“Well obviously because I wasn’t in the car!” Qiao Zhenzhu blinked, looking at Huang Meihua like she was an idiot. “There were passersby and over a dozen police officers there. Everyone saw clearly that your son was the one urging Sinian to get into the car. He was the one driving. I stayed far away from them the entire time. Their accident has nothing to do with me.”
Before Huang Meihua could speak, Qiao Zhenzhu’s face darkened.
“I should be the one questioning you!”
“Your son drove the car straight into the river channel, causing my father to break his arm, Aunt Chen to break her leg, and Sinian to be disfigured. How exactly is your family planning to compensate us?”
“If the Xie family doesn’t give me an explanation, I absolutely won’t let this matter rest!”
Huang Meihua had never expected Qiao Zhenzhu to turn the tables on her. She was completely dumbfounded.
She had come here demanding accountability from Qiao Zhenzhu.
How had it suddenly become Qiao Zhenzhu demanding accountability from her?
The Xie family had been single-heir for three generations. Xie Chenggong was their only precious son!
The moment she thought about how her son would never function as a man again, Huang Meihua’s vision went black and she collapsed onto the floor.
“You’re asking me? Then who am I supposed to ask?!”
“So what if Wang Sinian was disfigured?”
“So what if your father broke his arm and your stepmother broke her leg?”
“The three of them are only injured! They’ll recover after some healing!”
“But my son lost his manhood!”