On the way back, Tang Tang was absent-minded. Carrying ten meal packs, she walked slowly behind, causing Yan Chen, who was always a step ahead, to frequently look back, suspecting that she was trying to slack off and escape.
“Hurry up,” Yan Chen stopped once again to wait for her, threatening, “If you keep walking this slowly, I’ll drag you along.”
Tang Tang, deep in thought, didn’t even lift her head as she replied perfunctorily, “Okayโokay.”
Her mind was a bit chaotic right now, and she couldn’t make sense of many things no matter how hard she tried.
Logically speaking, a large-scale power outage after the apocalypse could be explained. After all, power lines are exposed and vulnerable to damage. But water supply usually comes directly from water treatment plants, and pipes are mostly buried underground. How could the water supply be cut off so suddenly?
Unlessโฆ
Tang Tang thought of one possibility, but she didn’t want to believe it. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the idea. Yet she couldn’t help but dwell on it.
Could it be that the water treatment plant had been damaged? If so, what did that imply?
Tang Tang suddenly looked at the ten meal packs in her hands, a realization striking her. If the water treatment plant had been damaged, it likely meant the water had been contaminated!
She immediately stopped walking. Yan Chen, noticing this, also stopped and grew impatient.
“I told you, what exactly are you trying to do? Do I have to drag you along for you to move?”
Tang Tang didn’t say anything. She turned and ran to a nearby trash can, throwing all ten meal packs away in one swift motion. That wasn’t enough; she glanced at the meal in Yan Chen’s hand. As Yan Chen chased after her, she quickly snatched it from him and threw it into the trash without hesitation.
Yan Chen was stunned by her actions.
When he recovered, he grabbed Tang Tang’s collar, “What do you mean by this? Are you looking for a beating?”
What’s wrong with this woman? She was the one who insisted on buying dinner, and now she was the one throwing it all away. Delaying time to escape, huh?
“I just remembered that Jiang Zhu doesn’t like these dishes. Let’s go to the supermarket and buy something else instead.”
Tang Tang couldn’t voice her suspicions, so she acted obediently instead. Yan Chen glared at her, clearly losing his patience.
“I’m telling the truth, he really doesn’t like these dishes. I’m his ex-girlfriend, after all. We were together for three years and always ate together…” Tang Tang bit her lip, her eyes looking pitiful as she continued to speak softly.
“Fine, fine, let’s go to the supermarket. I want to see what tricks you have up your sleeve,” Yan Chen said angrily. He was so infuriated that he started dragging her along by hand again, pulling Tang Tang as they went.
Tang Tang: …
Fine, I’m weak and unlucky.
The cafeteria rarely prepares food in advance. After the dinner rush at six, most of the food would need to be rewashed and cooked, and it was now only a bit past nine. In this short period, if her earlier suspicions were correct and the water had been contaminated, then all the vegetables washed during this time would be unsafe.
Although all of this was just her guess, given the current situation, it’s better to be cautious.
Tang Tang’s expression was serious. If that was the case, they could only rely on previously produced bottled water.
With this thought, they arrived at the supermarket.
“Go ahead, I want to see what you plan to do,” Yan Chen said as he pushed her into the supermarket, standing at the entrance with his arms crossed, watching her.
The supermarket had only one entrance, so by guarding the door, Yan Chen probably wasn’t worried about her running off in the dark.
Tang Tang guessed his intentions briefly but didn’t dwell on them. She dove into the food aisles.
After filling two shopping baskets with food and drinks, she went to the back of the supermarket, where some fruit knives were displayed on the shelves. She picked one and chose a relatively large one. Weighing it in her hand, she found it satisfactory.
After buying the knife, Tang Tang didn’t leave immediately. She first used her phone’s flashlight to scan her surroundings, ensuring no one else was nearby. Then she walked to the very end of the last row of shelves and carefully inspected the area.
However, as she looked around, her expression fell.
Oh no!
When did this happen? Why was the first lock of the warehouse replaced with a smart lock?
Tang Tang brought her phone closer to get a better look. Judging by its appearance, the lock wasn’t battery-powered but plugged directly into the power supply!
“Sighโ”
“The heavens are against me![1] Ah!”
Tang Tang sighed heavily, feeling utterly hopeless. Great, her best idea for a refuge was now out of the question. With a heavy heart, she walked towards the entrance, where Yan Chen quickly noticed her carrying two shopping baskets. He didn’t bother to help, just stood there watching.
Tang Tang didn’t mind. She paid, packed up, and carried the bags out with swift and efficient movements.
“This time, you won’t throw these away again, right?” Yan Chen mocked.
Tang Tang shook her head and, after thinking for a moment, suggested, “Do you want to buy some things as well?”
“So you can run off while I’m not looking?” Yan Chen retorted.
“I won’t run. I really won’t. You should get more supplies too! I’ll give you my phone and my ID, okay?”
Tang Tang pleaded repeatedly until she finally convinced Yan Chen. After Yan Chen came out with two large bags, they left together.
This time, the return to the dormitory was uneventful.
Finally, the two of them laboriously climbed up to the tenth floor and stood in front of the closed dormitory door.
Though the boys’ dorm didn’t restrict girls from entering, this was Tang Tang’s first time there. The thought of Jiang Zhu being behind that door made her hesitant, and she didn’t dare to knock.
Yan Chen didn’t care about her hesitation. He took out the key and opened the door.
The room wasn’t very dark, with several desk lamps and flashlights piled together providing the brightest light Tang Tang had seen since the power outage.
“Jiang Zhu, look who I brought,” Yan Chen called out.
Tang Tang instinctively looked into the room. Yan Chen unceremoniously pushed her inside, almost causing her to trip over her own feet.
Tang Tang: โฆ
Just bear with it!
Steadying herself, Tang Tang hadn’t yet lifted her head when she felt a gaze upon her. It was cold, making her shiver despite the spring night.
She slowly lifted 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
***
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