Free Web NovelChapter 155: afterwards.
Even after everything that had happened outside, even after the chaos and danger and the strange pressure of survival, this small home still had moments like this. Moments where a mother teased her daughter, a child played with a toy, and someone stood at the sink washing bowls like it was just another normal day.
Yan Cijin washed the last spoon a little harder than the rest, then let out a quiet breath. She told herself not to overthink it. Bai Li had already agreed to keep the secret, and that was enough for now. The rest could wait. Whether Bai Li had really understood her feelings or not, whether she had reacted on purpose or not, none of that needed to be decided this second. She only needed to make sure LiLi was safe, her mother was okay, and the people around her were taken care of. As for the rest, it could slowly settle on its own.
Yan Laojin, after going out to the living room, looked toward the little girl with a smile and probably started chatting with her in the same easy way she always did. The little girl was still young, still innocent, and still had no idea what the adults were really thinking. She only knew who was nice to her, who brought her snacks, and who was willing to sit beside her and listen when she wanted to talk. To her, that was enough. Adults, on the other hand, always had too many hidden thoughts. Yan Cijin was no exception.
Still, even with all that, she could not help thinking of Bai Li’s face just now. So calm. So quiet. So unreadable. It was infuriating, and a little bit fascinating too.
Yan Laojin smiled meaningfully at her daughter, wiped her hands, and went out to find the little one.
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Now, Bai Li obediently took her anti inflammatory medicine first, then changed into a comfortable nightgown, grabbed her binoculars, and stood on the balcony of her room, peering outside. The sky outside was already turning dim, covered by layers of gray clouds that made the entire neighborhood feel heavy and lifeless. The apartment buildings across from hers looked dark and silent. Not a single window was brightly lit. Even the occasional movement behind curtains had disappeared compared to the first day of the apocalypse. The whole place looked abandoned.
She noticed there seemed to be fewer zombies in the neighborhood than yesterday, but she could still see about a dozen at a glance. Some wandered slowly near the apartment entrance while others dragged their stiff bodies around the small walking paths below. One zombie stood completely still beside a broken bicycle, its head tilted strangely to one side as if listening for something. Another kept bumping into a parked car over and over again, making dull thudding sounds that echoed faintly in the quiet neighborhood.
This actually reassured Bai Li somewhat.
The presence of zombies outside meant the supplies at the small supermarket downstairs were probably still relatively safe. After all, most people still had stockpiles at home for the past two or three days, so no one would risk their lives to go out and grab resources. Most survivors were probably still hiding indoors like frightened birds, waiting for rescue or hoping the situation would magically improve by tomorrow morning. But Bai Li knew very well that things would not get better so easily. Once food and water started running low in people’s homes, desperation would slowly replace fear. In another four or five days, people would start risking their lives to search for supplies. And once that happened, the supermarket downstairs would quickly become dangerous territory.
Bai Li lowered the binoculars slightly and looked at her hands with a quiet sigh. The gauze wrapped around her palms looked clean for now, but the wounds underneath still hurt faintly whenever she moved too much. Killing zombies with injuries on both hands was simply too risky. If infected blood splashed into her wounds, then everything would be over instantly. She had seen enough movies and novels to know how dangerous that kind of situation could become. Even though this apocalypse did not completely follow fiction rules, she had no intention of gambling with her own life.
She flexed her fingers carefully and frowned slightly from the dull pain. Her recovery speed was already considered pretty good, but these injuries still needed time. At the very least, the wounds needed to close properly before she could safely go outside again.
In four or five days, the wounds should be much better, Bai Li thought, finally breathing out a little easier.
The cool evening wind brushed lightly against her face as she continued observing the neighborhood for a while longer. Somewhere far away, she suddenly heard faint screaming. The sound lasted only a few seconds before disappearing completely. Bai Li’s expression did not change much. During the first day of the apocalypse, hearing screams would still make her tense up. But after witnessing enough death and panic, her emotions had slowly become calmer. Not cold exactly, but calmer. In times like this, surviving already required using all of her energy.
After observing the situation in the neighborhood for a while, Bai Li prepared to rest. She needed to minimize her physical activity to ensure her hand healed quickly, as the location of the next interdimensional market machine was unknown. The machine was currently her biggest advantage. If she could continue trading there, she might gain enough supplies and abilities to survive much longer than ordinary people. But the machine never appeared in fixed places. Every time it moved, she had to go out and search for it herself. That meant she absolutely needed her hands to recover before then.
Thinking this, Bai Li lay down on the bed, trying to fall asleep.
The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air purifier in the corner. Bai Li lay on her soft bed staring at the ceiling for a while.
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To be continued.
