She could only stare boredly at the ceiling, listening to the ticking of the second hand on the wall clock.
Lu Jiang found her restless fidgeting amusing and asked if she wanted to do something invigorating to wake herself up.
The moment Yao Zuizui heard this, she immediately became wary.
This Lu Jiang—despite his upright and righteous appearance—turned out to be that kind of person deep down.
Seeing her defensive posture, with every hair on her body standing on end like a little hedgehog, Lu Jiang found it even funnier.
“What are you thinking? I was just wondering if you’d like to practice some martial arts. My family runs a martial arts school, so I know a bit and could teach you,” Lu Jiang said, both amused and exasperated.
Yao Zuizui sheepishly rubbed her nose, realizing she had misjudged him. With an awkward laugh, she replied, “Oh, sure! Let’s do it!”
The two of them threw themselves into practicing punches and kicks with great enthusiasm.
One taught earnestly, the other learned earnestly.
Neither noticed the shadowy figure darting past the stairwell.
But it wasn’t their fault—the figure moved silently, swift and agile. Even if they had been sitting still, they wouldn’t have sensed it.
Time flew by during their training.
Before they knew it, dawn was breaking. Yao Zuizui let out a relieved sigh. “Finally, it’s morning. Time for breakfast!”
Lu Jiang chuckled at her. She had been muttering about daybreak since midnight—was it all just for breakfast?
Excitedly rubbing her hands together, Yao Zuizui pulled two eggs and a pound of noodles from the fridge.
She had already scouted the kitchen the day before.
Since the apocalypse was only a day away, the fridge still had fresh ingredients.
As for the stove, it was definitely usable, connected to a gas tank that still had fuel.
So today, she could enjoy a comfortable breakfast before the apocalypse—something she had been looking forward to for a long time.
Delicious food—even in the apocalypse, she would strive to make it.
This was a basic requirement for a refined girl like herself.
She skillfully cracked the eggs into a frying pan, shaping them into little golden suns—crispy at the edges, tender in the middle, with yolks that oozed golden liquid at the slightest poke.
The aroma of eggs filled the kitchen, a rare luxury for Lu Jiang, who had been smelling nothing but the stench of zombies for hours.
Eyes gleaming, he went to the fridge, grabbed two more eggs, and handed them to Yao Zuizui. “Zuizui, make two for me too, please.”
“Fine.” It was just a small favor, and Yao Zuizui was usually happy to help.
She fried two more perfect eggs—just as golden, fragrant, and delicious.
By the time the eggs were done, the water in the rice cooker had boiled.
Yao Zuizui tossed in the entire pound of noodles. The bubbling water and dancing strands made everything feel peaceful and perfect.
Once the noodles were cooked, she divided them evenly into bowls, poured in a broth made with chili and soy sauce, added the fried eggs, and sprinkled chopped scallions on top.
It was a simple bowl of noodles—easy to make, with ordinary seasonings—yet it nearly moved Lu Jiang to tears.
The aroma was so comforting, it made his heart settle, as if he could find solace in its fragrance.
“Sooo good~” Feng Ran followed the scent, sniffing the air with a blissful expression. “Waking up to such a delicious breakfast—am I dreaming?”
“No, no, I must’ve just woken up.” Feng Ran sat at the table, pulled a bowl toward herself, and slurped a mouthful. “Zuizui, I had this terrifying dream where the apocalypse happened, and zombies were everywhere.”
“That wasn’t a dream. It’s real,” Yao Zuizui replied matter-of-factly before digging into her own bowl.
She had made three servings—one for herself, one for Lu Jiang, and one for Feng Ran.
She made one for Feng Ran because she was the original body’s best friend. Since Yao Zuizui had taken over this body, she couldn’t neglect her sister.
As for the others? She couldn’t be bothered to play maid for them.
Just as the three were eating, He Si walked in.
Seeing them with their noodles, he raised an eyebrow but kept his smile intact.
“Sorry, didn’t make you one,” Yao Zuizui mumbled through a mouthful of noodles.
“No need, thank you. I’ve already eaten,” He Si replied politely with a slight nod before sitting on the couch and closing his eyes to rest.
While Yao Zuizui was still savoring her bowl, Feng Ran finished hers in record time.
Wiping her mouth, she said, “Zuizui, I’ll go wake the others. How are they lazier than me? Haha.”
Feng Ran had always been sociable, making friends easily.
In the apocalypse, this trait of hers became even more pronounced.
After just an hour together in this house last night, she had already chatted and laughed with everyone, and no one minded that she had no supernatural abilities.
Yao Zuizui, on the other hand, became the only one they looked down on. Aside from Lu Jiang, no one wanted to talk to her, let alone take shifts with her.
“Bad news! Bad news, Zuizui!” Within moments, Feng Ran came rushing downstairs, her voice trembling. “They’re gone—all of them!”
She was clearly terrified.
Yao Zuizui was slurping the last of her broth when she heard this. Instinctively, she glanced at He Si.
*Boom!*
He Si was already looking at her.
The moment their eyes met, Yao Zuizui’s mind went blank.
*It’s him.*
No matter which world they were in, He Si never changed his wicked nature.
In his smiling eyes, she saw arrogance so cold it was chilling.
He smiled at this world, but deep down, he despised it.
So—he killed them, didn’t he?
Lu Jiang, pale as a sheet, bolted upstairs after hearing Feng Ran.
A few minutes later, he returned.
Even paler, his eyes dull, he muttered, “It’s true… they’re all gone. How? There was no sign of anything wrong last night…”
Their disappearance was like evaporation—no warning, no signs of struggle, no damage, no injuries.
Yao Zuizui elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Maybe they didn’t want to be dragged down by me, so they left first. Right, He Si?”
He Si gave her an intrigued look, his smile unwavering. “Perhaps.”
Hearing this, Feng Ran forced a weak laugh. “Maybe that’s it… after all, Zuizui and I don’t have any abilities…”
Lu Jiang nodded along, his face still ghostly pale.
In truth, all four of them knew this explanation was nonsense, yet strangely, no one pointed it out.
And so, the four of them left the house in silence, setting off toward the safe base.
None of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts.
He Si strolled leisurely at the back, staring at the back of Yao Zuizui’s head, a strange smile curling his lips.
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