“Brother Jiang.” Wang Xin Xin limped over, sobbing, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at him.
Jiang Ye did not know how to be tender to a woman, his heart as hard as iron.
Bai Chen Zhu hugged his backpack as he got out of the car, watching the plot unfold like a wild horse that had slipped its reins, tilting his head slightly.
With Jiang Ye’s reaction, Bai Chen Zhu almost suspected that the other had known something in advance.
Wang Xin Xin covered her scraped knee and said aggrievedly, “What’s wrong with you exactly? Jiang Ye, you weren’t like this before. Ever since that day, you haven’t replied to my texts or calls, took sick leave from school, and I couldn’t find you anywhere. Do you know how worried I was? If it’s because of Bai Chen Zhu, he and I are long over. Don’t you believe in my feelings for you? You’re being so cruel to me now. Tell me, what did I do to upset you? Can’t we just talk it out?”
Bai Chen Zhu, who had been innocently dragged into this, glanced at her, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not insert himself into the farce.
Jiang Ye looked at her gloomily, his brows and eyes cold and indifferent, his words sharp as knives. “I’m not close to you. There’s nothing to talk about.”
Bai Chen Zhu had never seen Jiang Ye like this.
In his impression, even when Jiang Ye was angry, he was boisterous, just like their first meeting, charging over furiously with fists raised, his emotions plain on his face.
Not like now, indifferent to everything.
Bai Chen Zhu felt he really did not belong in this scene, but when he turned his face, he saw the ‘childhood sweetheart’ leaning against the car with her elbow, watching the two of them with great interest.
If she had melon seeds in hand right then, she probably would have been munching on them with relish.
“You!” Wang Xin Xin was so angry she could not speak, taking several deep breaths. Because she needed something from him, she had no choice but to soften her tone. “Jiang Ye, it was you who pursued me back then. I just said I needed to think about it, and now you’re turning hostile and denying it. Are you resenting me now for not giving you an answer? Fine, I agree now.”
“Agree to what?” Jiang Ye played dumb, pointing to the door. “I don’t know anything about that. Don’t make up stories. You’re not welcome in my house.”
Wang Xin Xin squatted down, hugging her head and sobbing bitterly, her emotions on the verge of collapse.
Bai Chen Zhu stood with his arms crossed by the car door, his posture keeping people at a distance, only lowering his gaze coldly to watch the farce.
Wang Xin Xin was undoubtedly Jiang Ye’s first girlfriend. Back when they had discussed adaptations in meetings, someone had suggested: a harem wouldn’t pass review, so if they had to pick a ‘female lead’ for the adaptation, why not choose the initial love interest, Wang Xin Xin.
But the proposal had been quickly rejected.
Because the Wang Xin Xin who had been so lovey-dovey with Jiang Ye in the early stages had stabbed him viciously in the back once the apocalypse began, making Jiang Ye deeply understand the maliciousness of human hearts in the end times, changing his personality drastically and making him wary everywhere.
——Jiang Ye was bound to a chair, struggling like a trapped beast but unable to break free. His girlfriend, the person he was willing to give everything to protect, approached smiling sweetly with a fruit knife, her face angelically pure and gentle, her voice sweet like a lover’s: “Jiang Ye, they say ability users have a ‘crystal core’ in their brains. Eat it, and you become an ability user.”
“You love me so much, even willing to risk your life to protect me. You’ll forgive me this time too, right?”
Later, Jiang Ye’s face bore a scar. No matter how good the medicine, it always left a scar as long as a knuckle.
Wang Xin Xin cried so miserably that the ‘childhood sweetheart’ could not stand it. She walked over and pulled out a tissue to hand to Wang Xin Xin, but Wang Xin Xin showed no appreciation, swatting the pack of tissues away with a wave of her hand before covering her face and wailing loudly.
For a moment, the yard was filled only with her gasping sobs; no one went to comfort her, including the black-clothed man, who hoped she would cry until Jiang Ye softened.
The ‘childhood sweetheart’ could not bear it. She hesitated and said, “Jiang Ye, they’re your friends. They’ve already come in. Are you really going to let her keep crying out here?”
Silence spread among the five.
After a while, Jiang Ye stirred.
“Since Sis has said so…” Jiang Ye’s expression eased, as if compromising.
Wang Xin Xin’s sniffling stopped, and the black-clothed man, who had been lurking invisibly nearby, grinned with delight.
Just as things seemed to turn around, Jiang Ye walked over and grabbed one by the back of the collar with unusual strength.
Under everyone’s shocked gazes, Jiang Ye dragged them across the lawn and unceremoniously tossed them out the door, then patted his hands and locked the electrified gate.
Jiang Ye said, “Then let her cry outside.”
Bai Chen Zhu & ‘childhood sweetheart’: ……
Amid their wails and pounding on the door, the three ignored it all and headed up the stairs into the villa. After all, it was Jiang Ye’s house, and the host’s attitude was clear, so Bai Chen Zhu did not meddle.
Jiang Ye stopped and observed the backs ahead, suddenly calling out, “Bai Chen Zhu!”
Bai Chen Zhu on the stairs turned back out of conditioned reflex. The ‘childhood sweetheart’ paused, then turned sideways, wanting to hear what Jiang Ye had to say.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ye just shrugged. “Nice weather, right?”
Bai Chen Zhu frowned, staring at him puzzled for a few seconds before turning and continuing upstairs.
Jiang Ye tugged at his lips, hands in pockets, thinking: Looks like ‘Bai Chen Zhu’ really is this guy’s real name.
As Bai Chen Zhu entered, the ‘childhood sweetheart’ pushed her glasses. “That white-shirted one, your friend?”
Jiang Ye’s expression grew complicated. “What friend? It’s just because he… Never mind, not talking about it.” He waved it off carelessly.
The ‘childhood sweetheart’ teased, “You’ve changed, Jiang Ye. Picking up people on your own? Never heard ‘don’t casually pick up roadside men’?”
Jiang Ye stretched lazily, glancing at her boredly. “Wasn’t casual.”
“Fine, then what about the other two? It’s remote here; they won’t walk to the city. Looks like they’re set on sticking around.” The ‘childhood sweetheart’ frowned.
“Isn’t there only this one villa left in the villa district?” Jiang Ye countered. “Why fixate on this one?”
The ‘childhood sweetheart’ paused. “You mean…”
“Good people get bullied,” Jiang Ye shrugged. “Being soft-hearted will get you killed.”
The ‘childhood sweetheart’ fell thoughtful, and Jiang Ye sauntered upstairs with hands in pockets.
Suddenly, Jiang Ye’s shout came from inside the villa. “Zhou Zhuo Hua!”
Hearing her name, the ‘childhood sweetheart’—that is, Zhou Zhuo Hua—hurried over.
It turned out Bai Chen Zhu had shouldered his bag inside and made himself at home straight for the soft, large sofa, lying down and falling asleep.
He slept comfortably, though strange voices echoed in his dreams.
“Burning up too badly, symptoms just like the infected, but no wounds visible. Can’t rule out turning into one of those monsters outside.” A cold female voice said so.
After a while, Jiang Ye’s impatient voice rang out. “He was scratched by a zombie; if he was gonna turn, he would’ve by now. Tsk, how’s this guy so weak. Sis, think of a way to bring down his fever quick.”
“Dying here would be bad luck.”
When Bai Chen Zhu woke, he found himself still on that sofa, now covered with a soft blanket. Jiang Ye stood nearby with arms crossed, leaning against the wall and staring at him fixedly, like he was some strange creature.
Actually, Jiang Ye was not really looking; he was just spacing out.
The leather sofa was black, the blanket gray; amid the cold tones, only Bai Chen Zhu’s skin was white almost to the point of glowing.
His hair was jet black, long lashes covering his eyes, his face a pallid weakness, lacking the distant aloofness when active, gaining instead a serene elegance like an ink painting, save for the gold earring in his left ear that flashed, adding vivid life like the final touch on a dragon.
Jiang Ye stared, and staring too long felt like facing a portrait; unconsciously, he zoned out.
The ‘Bai Chen Zhu’ in his memories did not have such fine features. Vaguely, he recalled a timid country bumpkin; he had sent him to a VIP hospital room, and after the apocalypse began, such a person was naturally forgotten.
But now, after causing him to get infected early, this guy appeared on the road back to his villa. Jiang Ye frowned. He found the man tricky, like a little butterfly whose gentle wing flaps could stir a distant tornado.
This ‘painting’ suddenly stirred; the subject trembled his lashes and opened a pair of phoenix eyes keeping people at a distance.
Hard to describe that moment’s feeling, like the painting had ‘come alive,’ the exquisite doll infused with soul, the black-and-white stillness painted with bright color. Jiang Ye’s heart unexpectedly skipped a beat, snapping back to awareness.
Only then did he realize he had zoned out over a guy.
