Ruan Tao stood beside Lu Yingzhu, her upper arm pinched by him.
Her first instinct was to quickly find a place to hide, so Bo Yutong wouldn’t notice—
But after calming down, she thought again: how could Bo Yutong possibly notice?
Hamster Ruan Tao and Ruan Tao herself were two completely different species.
Ruan Tao moved slightly behind Lu Yingzhu and lowered her voice, saying, “Brother, I have something to tell you.”
Lu Yingzhu glanced at her. “Hold it. We’ll talk later.”
Ruan Tao: “…”
Though his words were harsh toward his own sister, Lu Yingzhu even tugged her a little behind him with his hand, blocking her from view, and squinted with a slight smile. “I didn’t know, Shan Huai… you have dealings with District Chief Bo as well?”
The Ruan Tao on the other side felt a man who looked familiar from the District touch his chin. “It’s a small matter. What’s up with your sister?”
Lu Yingzhu opened his eyes wide and lied, “Don’t talk nonsense and scare the little girl. My sister wasn’t around during her first disaster.”
Ruan Tao: “…”
Lu Yingzhu’s acting was actually quite attentive to details.
He had always been harsh with his sister; phrases like “scare the little girl” were mostly used to flirt.
Shan Huai shrugged, saying nothing.
Bo Yutong looked at Lu Yingzhu and asked, “Something?”
The implication was clear—if it weren’t important, why come to someone else’s Residential Area?
“Hm,” Lu Yingzhu said, “Caught a little girl and disturbed you?”
Bo Yutong’s gaze on Ruan Tao was slightly cold.
Ruan Tao shivered slightly. She couldn’t tell if it was because his gaze lingered on her longer than usual, but it felt full of warning.
Instinctively, she moved further behind Lu Yingzhu.
“Bo Yutong,” Shan Huai suddenly called, “our ‘small matter’ is quite urgent. Shall we go first?”
The smile on his face was clearly casual, completely unhurried.
Ruan Tao guessed that by urging Bo Yutong to leave, he wanted to leave Lu Yingzhu alone here.
Preferably, Lu Yingzhu would stir up some trouble, fighting with Bo Yutong, and he could sit back and reap the benefits.
In the original story, there were plenty of people coveting the forces of Bo Yutong and Lu Yingzhu.
Everyone hoped the two sides would clash, leaving them both wounded.
After Bo Yutong and Shan Huai left, Lu Yingzhu finally had time to deal with someone who had been kneeling beside him.
In this hierarchical world, with two Regional Chiefs just there, Gao Yang had no authority to insert himself into their conversation.
Plus, he had acted behind Lu Yingzhu’s back, so any consequences were his own fault.
Lu Yingzhu looked coldly at Gao Yang. “Your courage keeps growing.”
Gao Yang lowered his eyes, wearing the expression of someone ready for whatever punishment might come.
Ruan Tao didn’t feel pleased, so she summarized the expression as “a dead pig isn’t afraid of boiling water.”
“What am I even a Regional Chief for?” Lu Yingzhu smirked mockingly. “Once my sister shows up, I lose my mind. Might as well let you take over—you’re always calm and rational, right?”
Gao Yang: “I wouldn’t dare.”
Lu Yingzhu’s words clearly showed his attitude—he understood what Gao Yang worried about.
He hadn’t lost his rationality and knew what to do.
Lu Yingzhu didn’t want to say more, waving his hand impatiently. “Go.”
Gao Yang bowed his head and turned, fleeing the scene at lightning speed.
Ruan Tao acted impressed, leaning closer to Lu Yingzhu. “Wow, Brother, you’re amazing! That person just wanted to kill me, and now you just waved him away!”
Lu Yingzhu pressed her forehead and pushed her back. “And you knew he wanted to kill you? Then why did you run over like an idiot?”
“How was I supposed to know your subordinates were so disobedient?” Ruan Tao grabbed Lu Yingzhu’s wrist. “Forget that. Let’s find somewhere to drink District water. I’m so hot and thirsty…”
She hadn’t come to see Lu Yingzhu just to talk nonsense.
Time was limited; she had to tell him what needed to be said before turning back into a hamster, then slip away unnoticed.
She didn’t want Lu Yingzhu to know she could turn into a hamster.
Gao Yang’s hostility toward her wasn’t without reason—he feared she might delay Lu Yingzhu. She didn’t want that either.
Lu Yingzhu would surely try to turn her back into a human.
Such a thing was not only complicated and time-consuming, but if done too quickly, she might not return to hamster form… and then she’d lose the chance to return to Bo Yutong.
Bo Yutong might grieve for the lost pet, or even blame her or her brother.
Absolutely impossible.
Seeing Ruan Tao sweating profusely, Lu Yingzhu noted that her physique was still as before and let out a sigh.
He wrapped one arm around her waist. With his wind-type ability, he moved several District steps swiftly, lifting her up.
The sensation was even more thrilling than riding a speeding motorcycle; Ruan Tao clung tightly to him, scared out of her wits.
They quickly left Bo Yutong’s Residential Area.
Lu Yingzhu disliked handling matters on someone else’s territory.
On his own turf, he had eyes everywhere. Bo Yutong’s place likely had the same. If something happened, he would at least be able to figure out the full story.
Lu Yingzhu did not want others to see what he was like in front of his sister.
Nearby was a small residential compound that was also his territory.
Lu Yingzhu, familiar with the area, brought Ruan Tao into the Administrative District.
Even from within, one could see the difference between the small Residential Area and the Main District.
Bo Yutong’s side had many machines resembling those from before the apocalypse, even identical ones, with high-tech elements making everything convenient.
Lu Yingzhu’s side was more ordinary.
He led Ruan Tao directly into his bedroom.
He tossed her onto the sofa. After a minute, he returned with a pile of snacks and drinks.
Shockingly, all the snacks were ones Ruan Tao recognized, including chilled cola and chips.
Ruan Tao was stunned. “What is this scene? Did I return to the real world?”
“Real world?” Lu Yingzhu raised an eyebrow, tapping the table with his finger. “Wake up. This is reality.”
The chilled cola on the table began to emit a faint cold mist after he tapped it.
Soon, droplets formed on the cup wall.
Previously, even though the cola was cold, its state hadn’t changed—it was as if isolated in another world, like inside a portable storage space.
Could this… be a special ability?
Ruan Tao looked up at Lu Yingzhu. “Is this… a time-freezing ability?”
It had never been mentioned in the original story.
…No, this really was her brother. But how did he become like the original story character?
“Yes,” Lu Yingzhu said. “Your brother’s exclusive special-type ability.”
Ruan Tao stared blankly at him.
“Special-type ability” was a category in the special abilities class, briefly mentioned in the original story.
Many were said to be “potential special-type ability holders.”
Such powers might be innate or suddenly acquired through mutation.
Most importantly… it affected the user’s own physiology, for better or worse.
For example, if one’s special-type ability was controlling fire and water, they might be invulnerable to them—or extremely vulnerable—or even have part of their body transformed into fire or water.
Ruan Tao cautiously asked, “Lanzhu, is your body okay?”
Lu Yingzhu raised an eyebrow. “Not calling me Big Brother now?”
Ruan Tao: “…”
“I’m fine. Pretty good, just a bit overpowered,” Lu Yingzhu said, opening the cola and handing it to Ruan Tao. “Your brother’s body is frozen in time.”
Ruan Tao: “Huh?”
“In short, unaging and immortal. Whatever happens, it will eventually return… cool, right?”
Ruan Tao was amazed. “It really is a bit overpowered.”
Even hearing about the ability casually sounded strong, but thinking deeper made it complex—envy, awe, and other emotions surged at once.
Few knew about this.
It was Lu Yingzhu’s trump card and his greatest secret.
And he had casually told her.
“I don’t even remember the last time I talked to you,” Lu Yingzhu said. “When the apocalypse first came, disasters followed one after another. Surviving wasn’t easy, no one kept track of days.”
He checked a portable storage space on his wrist, revealing a phone.
Lu Yingzhu scoffed with slight disdain. “Your lousy phone.”
Ruan Tao frantically praised him, “What a divine Big Brother, unrivaled in the world, I—”
“Stop,” Lu Yingzhu said. “You haven’t told me—what’s going on with you?”
Ruan Tao didn’t know herself. She thought she had transmigrated into a book, but Lu Yingzhu had lived through the years genuinely, carrying her phone with him…
Right, maybe checking the phone could reveal something.
Before she could speak, hurried footsteps came from outside.
Lu Yingzhu frowned and stood.
He told Ruan Tao to wait inside while he answered the door.
Ruan Tao took the opportunity to sweep all the snacks and drinks from the table into her portable storage space—leaving nothing behind.
Time was running out; she would soon be forced to revert.
Before that, she needed to explain everything to Lu Yingzhu, so he wouldn’t worry, and then escape unnoticed…
It was extremely difficult.
Ruan Tao peeked at the door, hearing someone outside say “Shan Huai.”
If she remembered correctly, it seemed to be the person who had been with Bo Yutong…
Lu Yingzhu looked displeased. “Kill.”
“Yes.”
The person outside obeyed.
Ruan Tao panicked, almost tripping as she rushed out of the room, scrambling in front of Lu Yingzhu. “Big Brother, wait—Kill? Kill what? Tell me clearly—”
Lu Yingzhu lowered his eyes to Ruan Tao, pressing her shoulder. “Tao Tao.”
Ruan Tao: “Hmm?”
“Don’t go getting lovesick. I know you like him, but he doesn’t remember you from centuries ago! Now he causes trouble for your brother daily. You should unite with your brother, fighting together, creating glory—”
Ruan Tao was dizzy from his words. “What are you saying? Who doesn’t remember me…”
The person she liked was… Bo Yutong.
Bo Yutong didn’t remember her?
Ruan Tao widened her eyes, wondering if her memory had gone wrong, if the novel wasn’t a novel, but chaotic recollections influenced by something!
“Who else?” Lu Yingzhu countered. “Shan Huai.”
Ruan Tao: “…………?”
Lu Yingzhu frowned, suspicious. “You don’t remember either? No.1 High School heartthrob, Shan Huai?”
Ruan Tao was startled, stepping back before reacting. “I… remember! No.1 High School heartthrob? Wasn’t he No.3 High School?”
Lu Yingzhu casually lowered his hand from the portable storage space, seemingly indifferent. “Is that so? I don’t remember.”
“Ugh!” Ruan Tao flushed. “How many years ago was that?”
Lu Yingzhu squinted. “Then who did you think I meant?”
Ruan Tao’s gaze darted around. “No. Shan Huai? Same type of ability as you? Why is he here—”
“He’s not,” Lu Yingzhu said. “Don’t change the topic.”
Ruan Tao: “…”
It seemed this person wouldn’t stop until he got an answer today.