Chapter 52: The Future Will Be Even Harder

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Chapter 52: The Future Will Be Even Harder

Over the past few days, while walking around the residential complex, Cheng Yang and Chen Lang had come up with an idea: the loft on the property management office’s rooftop could be used to hide supplies. The place had already been searched once, and there was hardly anything there. It had formerly been a storage room for maintenance tools, and it was now mostly buried under snow, so no one had gone back in.

Since Gu Pan had her own storage space, she was not especially attached to the idea of hiding supplies. They had originally used the morgue to store things only to conceal the existence of her space.

Still, it was good that Cheng Yang and Chen Lang had thought of it. Young people were not only quick with their hands and feet; they were clever, too.

Gu Pan remembered that when the snow had melted in her previous life, the water had not risen as high as the loft. She therefore approved of the plan.

As a result, their group had gained yet another place to store things.

They had collected far more than ordinary people, largely because Gu Pan knew what was to come. They paid particular attention to gathering resources that could not be replaced.

The following day, Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng went to Shi Liang’s home again. Since Lu Ruisheng knew the basics of dressing wounds and changing bandages, there was no need to bring Feng Zhekai this time.

When they arrived, Deng Fang opened the door. The moment she saw Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng, she became so excited that she did not know what to say.

“Please, come in, our benefactors. Sit wherever you like…”

As she spoke, Deng Fang began to cry. She remembered that without these two people, she would have been hacked to death, and she could not hold back her emotions.

Gu Pan looked at her. “See? The moment we arrive, you start crying. We’ll be afraid to come again.”

Deng Fang hurriedly wiped away her tears. “No, that’s not it. I truly don’t know how to thank you.”

Hearing that they had arrived, Shi Liang stood up with the support of his cane and tried to come greet them. Seeing him stumble, Lu Ruisheng quickly went over and steadied him.

“If you tear your wound open, it’ll be trouble. Sit down and let me change your bandage.”

Shi Liang seemed to have rested well over the past two days and looked fairly energetic. “We’re troubling you again. We were lucky to meet you. Someone in the complex was injured before—not as badly as I was—and still died from an infection. If it weren’t for you, even if I survived, this leg would have been ruined.”

Lu Ruisheng disinfected his hands and began changing the dressing. “You were lucky to run into us, too.”

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Shi Liang shook his head. “You came here specifically for us. Since the disaster began, even my own brother hasn’t come to see me. I’m not stupid. I know you’re genuinely kindhearted. You’re wealthy and honorable, and you’re kind as well. If the disaster had never happened, you surely would have accomplished great things. I didn’t study much and have little education, but I truly admire you.”

Gu Pan sat on a stool beside them. “We both came from poor families. We’re not as wonderful as you make us sound.”

Deng Fang had managed to find some hot water, brewed tea, and brought it over. “Please have some water, benefactors.”

Gu Pan always found that form of address rather strange. She smiled. “You two really shouldn’t keep calling us benefactors or honored guests. My name is Gu Pan, and my husband is Lu Ruisheng. We’re not much older than you, so just call us by our names.”

Shi Liang hurriedly replied, “That won’t do. Sister Pan, Brother-in-law, you’re family to me.”

Lu Ruisheng smiled. “Then why not call us Big Brother and Sister-in-law?”

Shi Liang laughed as well. “At home, I always listen to my wife. I can tell that Brother-in-law listens to you, too. If I’m looking for someone to rely on, shouldn’t I choose the one with the most authority?”

Gu Pan laughed at his words. Shi Liang truly knew how to read people. Someone like him could adapt and survive in almost any environment.

After chatting for a while, they returned to the subject of the day Shi Liang had been followed.

“We middlemen all have some supplies and money on hand,” Shi Liang explained. “That’s why people are tempted to target us. But we have a boss above us. Normally, anyone who knows that wouldn’t try to rob us, because once our boss found them, they wouldn’t survive. Still, you inevitably run into people who are starving and have lost all fear of death.”

Gu Pan nodded in understanding. “You need to learn how to defend yourself. Otherwise, surviving in this disaster will be difficult. Since you call me Sister, I can’t just ignore you. Once you recover, we’ll come back and teach you some self-defense. As long as the two of you practice diligently, you should at least be able to save your lives when it matters.”

Of course, Gu Pan was also relieved that she had never tried to do business with Shi Liang’s elder brother. Anyone capable of controlling so many people was no ordinary man. Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng had no desire to deal with such a formidable figure. They only wanted to wait quietly for news of the survivor base.

In her previous life, they had not had a vehicle, and it had taken them several months to reach the base.

When they finally arrived at its outskirts, they learned that supplies had to be paid in order to enter. Their own supplies were insufficient, so they had gone back out to gather more. Later, they encountered a tornado and were swept away.

After all those twists and turns, they were eventually killed without ever making it inside the base. This time, they had to get in early and establish themselves as soon as possible.

Shi Liang looked gratefully at Gu Pan. “Thank you, Sister Pan. Thank you, Brother-in-law.”

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Gu Pan stood up and took out a small bag of red dates and dried longan for replenishing the blood, a small packet of dehydrated vegetables, and two packets of dried noodles. She placed them on the table.

The world had ended; they could not give too much away. It was better to leave people with a constant sense of crisis. They also understood the old saying that a small kindness inspires gratitude, while too much kindness breeds resentment. They could not let others think they possessed an endless supply of everything, or they would only invite trouble. This amount was just right.

Lu Ruisheng took a small box of charcoal from his own bag and set it on the floor.

Then he said to the couple, “Don’t go outside until Liang’s injuries have healed. We can still afford to provide what the two of you need during his recovery.”

Lu Ruisheng understood the same principles as Gu Pan. He was making it clear that their supplies were limited, though they could still support the couple for a few days. They could not allow the two of them to become dependent, or let them believe these things were effortless for Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng to obtain. Otherwise, they would never learn to treasure them.

Shi Liang’s eyes reddened. “Sister, Brother-in-law, don’t worry. Once I’m better, I’ll work hard and earn money. I’ll repay you properly.”

The word “repay” left Gu Pan both amused and exasperated. “There’s no need for that. We’ll grow stronger together.”

Shi Liang shook his head. “You’re my real sister, Sister Pan—the only sister I have. My parents died early, and my brother cut off contact with me after the disaster began. When I went to see him, he wouldn’t even open the door. In our hearts, you two are the closest people we have. From now on, I’ll take care of you.”

Gu Pan could tell that this conversation was heading in a direction that had nothing to do with normal conversation, no matter how they tried to steer it. She smiled and said, “Just focus on recovering and don’t let your imagination run wild. It’s getting late, and we should be heading back. We’ll come see you again in a few days.”

Shi Liang had Deng Fang help him up, insisting on seeing them to the door.

Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng said goodbye and left.

By the time they were on their way home, evening had fallen. The only good thing was that sunlight still existed. The setting sun cast a brilliant red glow across the snow, creating a beautiful scene.

It was a pity that this was the end of the world.

Watching the sunlight, Gu Pan told Lu Ruisheng that later there would be sandstorms lasting for months, during which they would not see the sky. There would also be acid rain so corrosive that it could eat through sheet metal.

And she remembered only the first three years. She had no idea what would happen after that.

End of Chapter