chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Zombies behind us were getting farther and farther away. I grinned smugly, but when I turned my head, I saw the boy beside me walking calmly and unhurriedly.

Turns out, even at my fastest, I couldn’t walk as fast as him.

Sigh.

It was a real blow to my self-esteem.

I shed silent tears in my heart.

My home was just ahead. Looking at this boy, who seemed clueless and had nowhere to go, I guessed his family was probably gone. Leaving him here to wait for death felt too cruel. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed his hand and led him toward my house.

No matter what, I should at least let him have a meal and fill his stomach.

He didn’t resist, just obediently followed me. There were a few Zombies downstairs. I was worried they’d attack him-he looked so delicate and frail, unlike my mom, who always seemed to have a “people fear her” buff.

I bared my teeth and showed off my power. The Zombies paused, apparently really scared of me, and all walked around us.

My previously shattered self-esteem was rebuilt.

Turns out I’m pretty awesome.

The boy remained quiet, saying nothing, his face expressionless.

As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, I saw my mom peering anxiously at the door. When she saw me, her furrowed brow relaxed, but then she started scolding me again. “Didn’t I tell you to come back quickly? What were you doing? I was thinking, it’s been so long, even if you crawled home you should’ve made it by now…”

I was used to it. After her rant, she finally noticed the boy beside me, her brows furrowing again as she sized him up and down. “Who is he?”

I was still figuring out how to explain what had just happened when the boy, who hadn’t spoken the whole way, suddenly spoke up.

“Hello Auntie, my name is Qi Mubai. You can just call me Xiao Bai.”

I turned to him in surprise. His voice was soft and polite, his smile just right. He was already very good-looking, and with his unique hair, it was as if all the sunlight in the world had gathered on him, making it impossible to look away.

I watched as my mom’s expression shifted from initial hostility to suspicion, then hesitation, and finally she broke into a full-on auntie smile.

“Oh my, you should’ve said you were coming! I didn’t prepare anything…” As she spoke, she immediately opened the door wide. “Come in quickly, it’s chilly outside…”

Me: “…”

With a bang, the door closed right in front of me.

The breeze from the door ruffled my hair. I blinked, completely unable to react.

Almost immediately, the door opened again. My mom glared at me, her face stern. “Why aren’t you coming in? Waiting for me to invite you?”

Me: “…”

Oh my god! You closed the door-how am I supposed to come in? Squeeze through the crack?

Once inside, my mom snatched my bag and rummaged through it, pulling out some snacks and handing them to Qi Mubai.

“Auntie’s house doesn’t have much to eat, just these snacks my troublesome daughter found outside today. Xiao Bai, eat up, look how skinny you are…”

Me: “…”

I was completely bewildered.

Not only was my mom acting unlike herself, but Qi Mubai was also different from when I first met him.

His smile was warm and polite. “Thank you, Auntie.”

He was as well-behaved as a model student.

I started to doubt this world.

It was too surreal.

“Why are you just standing there? Come eat something. Do I have to invite you?”

Me: “…”