Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”Youxuan, I’m not trying to nag, but you’re just so inflexible.”

”That Leader Li is a squad leader in the City Defense Team, after all. How could you just kick him out like that?”

”This is such a great opportunity. If my Zhaodi could get with Leader Li, wouldn’t our whole family be living the good life?” Ma Guilan said earnestly, persistently trying to persuade the stone-faced Song Youxuan sitting beside her.

”Youxuan, listen, you’re not getting any younger, are you? Even for the child’s sake, you can’t just reject Leader Li like that.”

”So what if that man you’re with now is a Superpower User? He’s still just doing hard labor on the infrastructure team, living hand-to-mouth.”

”Leader Li is different. He’s in the City Defense Team. For him to even take an interest in you, shouldn’t you consider it a blessing from a past life?”

”Look at you, all alone with a daughter who’s just baggage. You should be grateful anyone looks at you at all, right?”

”Sister-in-law, could you please stop?” Song Youxuan’s face fell as she prepared to mend Master Zhu’s clothes.

Lately, Master Zhu had been working at the infrastructure site every day. He left early and returned late, toiling away for meager rations. His old work clothes were patched, worn, and patched again; they seemed to need mending every other day.

The two children, Su Xiyue and Zhu Nanxing, were already asleep. Even in their dreams, they kept licking their slightly chapped lips—a heartbreaking sight.

”Aiyo, dear Youxuan, you’re not blaming your sister-in-law for being nosy, are you?” Ma Guilan’s small eyes glinted. ”I’m only doing this for your own good.”

”You kicked Leader Li out of the tent yesterday. It’s a good thing he has a good temper. Otherwise, you and that man of yours would have been in for a world of hurt.”

”Youxuan, everything I’m telling you is for your own sake.” Ma Guilan grasped Song Youxuan’s hand, looking like she was sharing a deep confidence. ”Look at you now, all alone with no one to rely on, following some random guy with a mediocre superpower. What kind of good life can you expect in the future?”

”Your parents, your brothers and sisters—none of them care about you. Who knows where they are, living the high life. Why must you, a lone woman, struggle so hard?”

Ma Guilan’s eyes flickered as she continued to sow discord. ”Maybe the very family you’re so worried about is living in a villa somewhere you can’t see, sleeping on soft pillows and feasting on delicacies at every meal.”

”Sister-in-law, don’t talk nonsense.” Song Youxuan frowned. ”I don’t even know if my parents and siblings have made it to safety.”

”Oh, give me a break.” Ma Guilan spared no effort in slandering the Song Family. ”If they saw you in this pathetic state, who knows if they’d even acknowledge you!”

”Especially that bitch Xie Ning. If she saw you on the street looking like a beggar in rags, she’d definitely just turn her head and walk away.”

Song Youxuan frowned and yanked her hand from Ma Guilan’s grasp. ”Sister-in-law, I call you that out of respect, but you cannot slander my niece in front of me. I know exactly what kind of person my niece is.”

”Ningning is a good child. She takes after my eldest sister. No matter how destitute or down on my luck I become, my family would never disown me. What are you trying to imply?”

”Aiyo, what are you so angry about?” Ma Guilan sneered, looking dismissive. ”Time reveals a person’s true heart. You don’t even live with her. How would you know what kind of person that bitch Xie Ning really is? For all you know, her past sweetness and obedience was all just an act for us elders!”

”Hmph.” A cold snort came from outside the tent. ”So, Aunt Ma, you know me, Xie Ning, so well? How long have you spent with me to come to such a piercingly accurate conclusion?”

Song Shijun threw open the tent flap with one hand and shouted, ”Little Aunt!”

”Shijun!” Song Youxuan shot up from her small stool, her expression a mixture of shock and delight.

”Aunt.” Xie Ning followed him in, greeting Song Youxuan before her gaze fell on Ma Guilan, who wore an expression like she’d just eaten shit.

”Aunt Ma, you’re really something else. Knowing full well our whole family is living in this safe zone, yet you still spout nonsense and try to stir up trouble in front of my aunt. Tsk tsk, impressive.”

”Ningning.” Song Youxuan was crying tears of joy. She wanted to go forward and grab the two of them, but one look at her own filthy state made her shrink back two steps.

”What are you talking about?” Ma Guilan looked awkward, tucking her short hair back uneasily. ”Don’t just sling mud at people. I have no idea what you’re saying.”

”The hell you don’t.” Song Shijun glared at Ma Guilan. ”You knew where we were living, but you never told our aunt, and you even lied that we’d given up looking for her??”

Ma Guilan’s face turned purple as her petty scheme was exposed on the spot. ”What nonsense are you spouting, you brat?”

”Little Aunt, don’t be fooled by her.” Song Shijun ran to Song Youxuan’s side and grabbed her hand. ”This woman is up to no good.”

”Hey now, a kid like you shouldn’t be talking so recklessly.” Ma Guilan cried out defensively. ”If I hadn’t been taking care of your aunt all this time, whether she and her daughter would have even lived to see you is another question entirely!”

”Here, if you don’t believe me, ask your aunt!” Ma Guilan pointed at Song Youxuan and shouted, ”Didn’t I give her a pack of sandwich cookies the other day? If it weren’t for those cookies, your little sister Su Xiyue would probably be long gone.”

”Mama.” The commotion in the tent woke up Su Xiyue and Zhu Nanxing.

The two children sat up, rubbing their eyes.

”Big Sister!” Su Xiyue saw the figure of her big sister the moment she opened her eyes and thought she was still dreaming.

”Yueyue.”

”Yueyue.” Xie Ning and Song Shijun hurried over to her side.

The child was surprisingly clean, but her forehead was covered in sweat. Her small face looked much thinner and sharper, and her lips were terribly chapped.

”Yueyue.” Song Shijun’s heart ached seeing his little cousin in such a state.

’All this time... who knows how much our aunt and little cousin have suffered.’

Xie Ning crouched down, took a 500ml bottle of mineral water from her shoulder bag, and handed it to Su Xiyue.

The child’s eyes immediately lit up.

”Can... can I drink it?” Su Xiyue couldn’t believe her eyes.

’If this is a dream, it must be a wonderful one.’

’To open my eyes and see Ms. Ningning and Shi Jun, and even get such a big bottle of water for myself.’

”Go on, drink.” Song Shijun couldn’t bear it. He helped his little cousin twist off the cap and pressed the bottle into her hands.

Su Xiyue took only a small sip before she seemed to remember something and quickly offered the bottle to Zhu Nanxing, who was staring at her with wide eyes. ”Let my little brother drink first.”

Xie Ning shook her head and pushed the bottle back. ”You drink. Big Sister has more.”

As she spoke, she pulled another bottle of mineral water from her bag and handed it to the little boy staring eagerly beside them.