chapter 17
Chapter 17
He didn’t look at me, just quietly stared at Liang Zai. Liang Zai probably felt uncomfortable under his gaze and whispered, “Who is this guy? Why is he so scary? Even scarier than the Boss…”
I hesitated for a long time before I said awkwardly, “He’s my brother…”
Qi Mubai suddenly smiled. That smile felt like the eternal snow finally melted, rocks tumbling down, striking straight at the bottom of my heart.
“Come here,” he said.
“Go on,” Liang Zai whispered, “If he’s your brother, then I’ve done my part sending you here. I’ll head off now…”
After he left, I slowly walked over, pretending to be nonchalant. “Why are you here?”
“Just passing by,” Qi Mubai replied lightly.
Passing by, then passing by.
I ignored him and walked toward home. Qi Mubai followed, asking coolly, “Who was he?”
“What’s it to you?”
Qi Mubai sneered.
“Whatever.”
We didn’t speak again on the way back. When we arrived, my mom was cooking.
The Base had distributed plenty of supplies these past two days, so today my mom was making dumplings for us.
“Come help, wash your hands.”
I hated making dumplings. At times like this, I always wanted to run away, so I found an excuse, “Mom… my head hurts…”
As soon as I said that, both my mom and Qi Mubai looked over at me in unison.
“What kind of pain?” My mom stopped what she was doing. “Is it bad?”
She was so serious that I didn’t know what to say, so I made something up: “It’s just kind of swollen, and a bit itchy. Mom, do you think I’m about to evolve, maybe my brain is growing?”
I couldn’t hide anything from my mom; she saw right through my act and sneered, “I think what’s growing isn’t your brain, but a tumor. You’re hopeless.”
Me: “…”
“Hurry up! Don’t try to slack off! Even Xiao Bai has started and you’re still dawdling!”
Me: “…”
The process wasn’t pleasant, but the food was delicious.
I slept soundly and carelessly through the night. Early the next morning, my mom came to wake me up.
“So early! You’re getting worse!” I complained angrily.
My mom gave me a look, “Someone’s here to see you.”
I was stunned. A sense of foreboding crept in.
When I went outside, it was actually Liang Zai.
He brightened when he saw me, “You really are lazy. Come on, did you forget we have a mission today?”
I was totally confused.
“What mission? How come I don’t know?”
Liang Zai slapped his forehead, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. The Boss just assigned it today. He wants you to come with us to rescue a group of people outside the city. There are a lot of Zombies out there, so you’d better be prepared.”
I hadn’t reacted yet, but my mom’s legs went weak.
“You want my daughter to fight Zombies? She doesn’t have any ability, are you sending her to her death?”
Liang Zai said meaningfully, “Auntie, you know she’s not incapable.”
My mom understood the implication instantly. She didn’t say anything else, just gripped my hand tightly.
I might be a Zombie, but I’m pretty much like a human. I’m scared too. But if I don’t go today, my mom and Qi Mubai will be kicked out.
I gritted my teeth, “Fine, let’s go.”
My mom burst into tears, as if I were already dead. “Duoduo! My good daughter Duoduo! What will I do when you’re gone? I’m counting on you for the rest of my life! How am I supposed to live if you leave me?”
Me: “…”
I’m not dead yet!
After packing up, just as I was about to leave, Qi Mubai’s door-which had been tightly shut-suddenly opened.
He was wearing blue jeans, pure white sneakers, and a trench coat over them, lazily leaning against the doorframe, looking devastatingly handsome.
A sliver of sunlight spilled in, landing right on the boy’s golden hair. He looked at me, smiled carelessly, his voice slightly low but clear, “Need another person?”
…
Qi Mubai still came along.
Liang Zai thought he was just an ordinary person and didn’t want to bring him, but Qi Mubai wouldn’t compromise. Helpless, Liang Zai took him to see Cheng Cang.
Who would have thought, the moment Cheng Cang saw him, he agreed to let him join.
This mission seemed dangerous-even Cheng Cang was going. I never understood why he insisted on sending me, and now Qi Mubai was coming too.
I got in the car, sulking, not saying a word. Qi Mubai sat next to me, acting as if none of this concerned him.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore and snapped at him, “Are you crazy? You’re just a regular person, why are you coming? Trying to strengthen the Zombie team?”
He looked at me for a long time, then suddenly smiled, completely unfazed by my anger, and even seemed in a good mood. “Just going out for fun. Haven’t been out in ages, I’m going stir-crazy.”
Fine.
There’s no reasoning with someone whose brain isn’t right.