On the way back, Tang Tang was distracted the entire time.
Carrying the ten meal packs, she walked slowly behind, causing Yan Chen, who was always a step ahead, to glance back frequently, suspecting she was trying to slack off and escape.
“Walk faster,” Yan Chen stopped again to wait for her, threatening, “If you keep walking this slowly, Iโll drag you along.”
Tang Tang was lost in thought and didnโt even look up, replying dismissively, “Okayโokay.”
Her mind was a bit muddled, and no matter how hard she tried, many things just didnโt make sense. Logically, a large-scale blackout after the apocalypse made sense, after all, power lines and such were exposed outside and easily damaged. But water supply usually came directly from water treatment plants, and the pipes were mostly buried underground. How could the water just stop?
Unlessโฆ
Tang Tang thought of one possibility but didnโt want to believe it just yet. She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. But she couldnโt help but dwell on it.
Could it be that the water treatment plant had been damaged? What would that mean?
Tang Tang suddenly looked down at the ten meal packs in her hands and felt a jolt of realization. Right, if the water treatment plant had been damaged, it was highly likely the water had been contaminated!
She stopped walking abruptly. Yan Chen noticed and stopped as well, growing impatient.
“What exactly are you trying to do? Do I have to drag you along for you to move?”
Tang Tang didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned and ran to a nearby trash bin, raising her hand to toss all ten meal boxes inside. But that wasn’t enough. She glanced back at the one in Yan Chen’s hand just as he caught up to her. Without hesitation, she snatched it from him and threw it into the bin as well.
Yan Chen was stunned. Once he regained his senses, he grabbed Tang Tang by the collar.
“What’s your problem? Looking for a fight?”
What was wrong with this girl? First, she insisted on buying dinner, and now she was throwing it all away. Was she just stalling to make a run for it?
“I suddenly remembered Jiang Zhu doesn’t like these dishes. Let’s go to the supermarket and buy something else instead,” Tang Tang said, putting on an innocent act, unable to voice her suspicions.
Yan Chen glared at her, clearly losing his patience.
“It’s true, he really doesn’t like these. I was his ex-girlfriend, you know. We were together for three years, and we always ate together…”
Tang Tang bit her lip, her eyes wide and pitiful, continuing to murmur softly.
“Fine, fine, let’s go to the supermarket. I want to see what other tricks you’re planning,” Yan Chen snapped, furious once again. He grabbed her and dragged her along.
Tang Tang: …
Fine, I’m weak, so I’m unlucky.
The cafeteria rarely prepared meals in advance. After the dinner rush at six o’clock, most of the ingredients would be washed and cooked again. It was only a little past nine now. If her earlier suspicions were correct and the water had already been contaminated, then all the vegetables washed during this short period were likely already tainted. Though it was just a guess, in this situation, it was better to be cautious.
Tang Tang’s expression turned serious. If that were the case, they could only rely on bottled water produced earlier. With that thought, they arrived at the supermarket.
“Go on, let’s see what you’re really up to,” Yan Chen said, pushing her inside before standing at the entrance with his arms crossed, watching her.
The supermarket had only one entrance. By guarding the door, he probably thought he could prevent her from slipping away in the dark. Tang Tang briefly considered his intentions before dismissing them and diving into the food section.
After filling two entire shopping baskets with food and drinks, she turned into the innermost section of the supermarket. There, fruit knives were displayed on the shelves. She browsed for a while and picked one that was relatively larger. She weighed it in her hand, not too bad.
After buying the knife, Tang Tang didnโt leave immediately. First, she used the faint light from her flashlight to scan her surroundings, confirming that no one else was nearby. Then, she walked to the very back of the last row of shelves and examined it carefully. But as she looked, her expression fell.
Oh no!
When did this happen?! Why was the first lock on the warehouse replaced with a smart one?
Tang Tang moved her phone closer. And from the looks of it, it wasnโt even battery-powered, it was directly plugged into a power source!
“Sighโ”
The heavens are against me![1] Ah!
Tang Tang let out a heavy sigh, feeling utterly hopeless.
Well, now even the best shelter she had thought of was out of reach. With a heavy heart, she walked toward the entrance, where Yan Chen quickly noticed the woman carrying two shopping baskets. He didnโt offer to help, just stood there watching.
Tang Tang didnโt mind any of this. She paid, packed up, and left, a series of simple and efficient actions.
“Youโre not going to throw these things away again, are you?” Yan Chen mocked.
Tang Tang shook her head, thought for a moment, and still reminded him, “Donโt you want to buy some things to take back too?”
“So you can run away while Iโm not paying attention?” Yan Chen retorted.
“I wonโt run, I really wonโt run. You should go buy more too! How about I give you my phone, or even my ID card?”
After much pleading, Tang Tang finally managed to persuade Yan Chen. Only when Yan Chen also came out carrying two large bags did the two of them leave together.
This time, nothing unpleasant happened on the way back to the dormitory.
Finally, after a strenuous climb up ten floors, they stood before the tightly closed dormitory door. Although the male dormitory didnโt restrict female visitors, this was Tang Tangโs first time entering one.
The thought that Jiang Zhu was behind this door made her hesitate, too afraid to knock. Yan Chen didnโt care about her feelings. He took out his key and opened the door. The room wasnโt very dark. The combined light from several desk lamps and flashlights was the brightest Tang Tang had seen since the power outage.
“Jiang Zhu, look who I brought,” Yan Chen called out.
Hearing this, Tang Tang instinctively looked into the room.
Then, in the next second, Yan Chen unceremoniously pushed her inside, nearly causing her to trip over her own feet and fall flat on her face.
Tang Tang: …
Just bear with it!
After steadying herself, Tang Tang hadnโt even lifted her head when she sensed a gaze fixed on her. It was cold, making her shiver on this spring night. She slowly raised her head and met the eyes of the man in front of her.
Jiang Zhu.
***
[1]ๅคฉ่ฆไบกๆ(Tiฤn yร o wรกng wว) a dramatic expression that conveys a sense of despair and helplessness, where the speaker feels that they are being targeted by fate or destiny itself. T/N:The phrase is usually used in xianxia and wuxia novels.
***
Translation by NightOwll
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[OP:08/04/2024][Edited:07/14/2026]
i hope yan chen d!es and she is so fvkcing stupid
I swore it was a man I need to read slower lol
Yan chen is a man lol but yeah heโs so violent for nothing