SGT CH191

Returning to Before the Apocalypse Arrives

◎Why didn’t Mu Si confess to him?◎

Piercing music accompanied by clamorous noise drifted into his ears.

Habitually a light sleeper, Mu Si furrowed his brows subconsciously.

Ever since settling down in Haicheng with the Zombie King, X, Mu Si had not heard such noisy sounds in a very long time.

X kept the zombies in Haicheng under strict control; they would never howl in the middle of the night.

The mutated plants climbing across the entire building would draw soundproof curtains for him as well.

As long as he was still sleeping, let alone noise, not even light could filter in.

Yet today, for some reason, the surroundings were exceptionally loud.

As if a horde of zombies was throwing a rave in his house.

Could X be planning to host a zombie party at home?

…

Outrageous as it was, it seemed to be the only explanation.

After all, without X’s permission, no human or zombie could enter the building where they resided, let alone blast music and dance inside.

Amid the clamor, Mu Si caught the sound of a glass wine bottle spinning across a tabletop.

Do zombies drink alcohol too?

Opening his eyes groggily, Mu Si was nearly blinded by the multicolored, flashing lights, with numerous figures swaying about, impossible to tell if they were human or ghost.

The sound of the spinning bottle came to a halt.

Mu Si saw the emerald-green bottle mouth pointing straight at him.

“Who’s it pointing at?”

An excited human voice rang out.

“Ah… Mu Si? Young Master Mu, come play with us, draw a card, Truth or Dare?”

—Truth or Dare?

A single phrase exploded in Mu Si’s mind like a thunderbolt, stirring up memories long buried in dust.

Mu Si snapped completely awake.

His gaze swept across the unfamiliar yet familiar faces around him, one by one.

Those blurred faces in his memories took on concrete forms at this moment.

This was… ten years ago, that class gathering before the apocalypse arrived?!

The day he used the game of “Truth or Dare” to confess to X?!

He had returned to the past?!

Mu Si looked involuntarily in the direction etched in his memory.

X sat alone in the corner. The overly colorful lights in the room spilled across his faded white shirt, coating him in a layer of mysterious, dreamy glow.

Mu Si stood up abruptly, subconsciously picking up the glass of red wine beside him, striding toward X’s location.

“Hey? You haven’t drawn a card yet…”

The noisy music swallowed the voices behind him.

Seated by the window, X gazed at Mu Si walking toward him through the reflection on the glass.

Everything was just as in his memories.

Next, Mu Si would confess to him.

X grew nervous subconsciously.

Even though after the apocalypse, Mu Si had said he deeply regretted confessing to him over that game.

Yet it remained the happiest moment of X’s first eighteen years of life.

He had stolen the chance to be with Mu Si.

Even given a second chance, he would still be a despicable “thief.”

Waiting for Mu Si to walk to his side without knowing a thing, tying themselves together, falling into his web.

“X.”

Mu Si’s voice rang out beside him.

Having waited for so long, X looked up, holding his breath as he waited for what came next.

“I…”

Mu Si parted his lips, unexpectedly at a loss for how to continue.

They had lived together for so many years, having seen every side of each other.

Suddenly brought back to their first encounter, he actually felt as green and bashful as someone experiencing a first love.

Fortunately, he had envisioned countless times in his mind: if not for that “Truth or Dare” game laden with falsehood and deceit, how he would act if he and X met in another way.

“Want to have a drink together?” Mu Si asked.

He could invite X to have a drink together.

X didn’t like him drinking alcohol, so he could drink something else—juice, milk, even plain water was fine.

X’s eyes filled with astonishment and confusion, his brain racing in sheer panic.

Why didn’t Mu Si confess to him?

Where did things go wrong?

Could it be because of his rebirth…

After being reborn, he had deliberately acted according to the trajectory in his memories.

Sitting in the exact same spot, the exact same posture, even the angle his face turned didn’t differ in the slightest… all out of fear that a deviation would cause Mu Si not to pick him for the “confession.”

Yet no matter how strictly he maintained the original course of events, a deviation still appeared.

The flap of a butterfly’s wings had caused Mu Si to hold back his confession.

X’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.

If he couldn’t date Mu Si, he wouldn’t be able to approach Mu Si under the title of boyfriend, wouldn’t be able to care for Mu Si legitimately, wouldn’t be able to guard by Mu Si’s side when the apocalypse hit…

X felt as though he could already see a terrible future where Mu Si refused to have any interaction with him whatsoever.

“What’s wrong?”

Mu Si was startled by X’s pale complexion.

Putting himself in the other’s shoes, he guessed:

“Is it too noisy inside this room? Shall we step outside for some fresh air?”

The room was full of energetic young students singing and playing around.

Countless voices mixed together, making one’s head throb.

X’s brain felt shrouded in fog, all the surrounding noise blocked out, growing hazy and indistinct.

Only Mu Si’s voice inviting him was crystal clear.

He moved his lips, hearing himself say:

“Alright.”

Mu Si and X walked out of the villa together.

After the college entrance exams, the students in the class group chat wanted to pool money to rent a villa for a graduation party.

Mu Si happened to see it, speaking in the group for the first time to mention that his family had an idle villa available, inviting everyone over to hang out so no one had to spend money.

Prompting a chorus of gasps from the students in the chat.

X, who had already typed out “I won’t be attending,” saw the message and silently deleted the unsent text.

Stepping outside the villa and brushed by the cool night breeze, X’s muddled brain cleared up a bit, quietly observing Mu Si beside him.

Mu Si was just as exquisite, handsome, and dazzlingly sharp as in his memories.

The little young master born of wealth had not yet experienced the suffering of the apocalypse, a pair of eyes sparkling with bright light.

Eyes like that seemed to carry affection no matter what they looked at.

Turning his head to look at him under the moonlight… as if gazing tenderly at a lover.

Mu Si thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of taking a stroll with X.

On this quiet road before the apocalypse, the moonlight and streetlights stretched their shadows long, leaning against each other, resembling snuggling lovers.

Mu Si subconsciously drew closer to X, their arms practically brushing against each other.

“I know a tavern… er, a teahouse, that has nice drinks. Want to go try it?”

Mu Si asked in a gentle voice.

“Mm,” X agreed.

Somewhat surprised that Mu Si would choose a “teahouse.”

In his memories, Mu Si at this time was at his least caring toward his own body.

Despite having a weak stomach that couldn’t handle irritation, he drank alcohol frequently, never ate meals on time, and would even go drag racing late into the night.

The more X thought about it, the tighter his brows knitted.

He had to guard by Mu Si’s side.

Without him looking after him, Mu Si would probably ruin his own health before the apocalypse even arrived.

Mu Si knew plenty of bars and taverns, but he truly didn’t know teahouses.

Mu Si summoned his driver, quietly searching on his phone, and relayed the coordinates to the driver.

Mu Si picked a teahouse whose architecture and aesthetic were exceptionally artsy.

Preparing to rebuild his image in X’s heart.

No longer a rebellious young master or a delinquent youth who drag-raced and drank heavily.

He was an elegant, refined young gentleman of great taste.

Wouldn’t this captivate X completely?

“How is it? Not bad here, right?”

In the private teahouse room, Mu Si smiled as he raised the emerald-green tea before him and took a sip.

Frowning, he swallowed the overwhelmingly bitter tea, silently grabbed a pastry to stuff into his mouth, and then continued smiling at X.

“…”

In X’s eyes, Mu Si was adorable no matter what he did.

Yet this clearly wasn’t Mu Si’s style at all!

Too many things along the way had exceeded his expectations; his brain could barely process it.

Everything was far removed from his impressions.

Had he not been entirely sure that the person before him was Mu Si, the person he loved most.

He would have suspected that Mu Si had been replaced by someone else.

“Do you usually like drinking tea?” X asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” Mu Si answered without a shred of guilt.

Preferably fruit or flower tea.

The kind brewed with the flowers and fruits of mutated plants.

This kind of pure, concentrated tea was far too bitter.

“But you were drinking wine earlier.”

The “earlier” X referred to was in their past life.

The “earlier” Mu Si assumed was when he went to strike up a conversation with X in the villa just now, subconsciously carrying the red wine from beside him.

Mu Si deeply regretted his subconscious reflex, which had hindered him from building a new image.

He scrambled to quibble: “That was because… there were no other options at the time.”

“I usually don’t drink alcohol, just some flower tea or fruit tea.”

All brewed for him by X.

Infused with the essence of mutated plants, capable of nourishing the body.

Hearing this, a flicker passed through X’s eyes.

Mu Si continued nibbling on the pastry.

This body hadn’t eaten much all day, only having had some wine.

He hadn’t thought much of it in the past.

After being pampered meticulously by X for so long, he only felt his hungry stomach burning with sharp pain from the alcohol.

Eating too many pastries felt overly sweet and dry, so he picked up the tea beside him to take a sip, only to be struck by the bitterness once again.

Mu Si’s handsome face scrunched into a tight knot.

Seeing this, X stood up and said, “Let’s go home, I’ll cook for you.”

Mu Si: “?!!”

Although he didn’t understand what had happened, he… seemed to have abducted X back home.

Sitting in the dining room of his family villa, Mu Si propped his chin on his hand, watching X skillfully prepare food in the kitchen.

This was the villa where he lived on his own, not the one hosting the party.

Only the two of them occupied the entire villa, very quiet.

The warm light from the kitchen and the aroma of food gave this cavernous villa a sense of home.

Mu Si watched in a daze.

This scene did not look like two strangers who had just met at all.

Instead, it looked like an old married couple who had lived together for years.

X brought over a bowl of noodles.

Given Mu Si’s current stomach condition, there were many things he couldn’t eat, so X had only prepared a bowl of noodles stewed until soft, hoping to soothe his stomach.

“Come try it.”

X placed the noodles, topped with abundant garnishes, in front of Mu Si.

Knowing Mu Si didn’t like soft, mushy noodles, he had specially put thought into the broth and toppings.

Even without mutated plants to enhance the umami, paired with the rich ingredients and seasonings available before the apocalypse, enticing Mu Si to eat it down shouldn’t be an issue.

“Smells so good!” Mu Si picked up the chopsticks, took a bite, and was so overwhelmed by the flavor he almost bit his tongue off.

Then he realized something, glancing at the empty tabletop in front of X, asking in confusion:

“Where’s yours? Didn’t you make some for yourself?”

X had been a zombie before, not eating human food.

With that preconceived notion, Mu Si hadn’t felt anything was amiss eating alone.

Only now did he realize that X right now was human and needed to eat.

X actually hadn’t shifted his mindset either, his memories still lingering on the days when he was a zombie.

Hearing Mu Si’s words, he paused slightly.

Looking down at his warm hand, he felt dazed for a moment before answering:

“I’m not hungry.”

“How could you not be hungry? You barely ate anything tonight.”

Mu Si had been paying attention to X the entire time; X hadn’t eaten anything at the party, and had only taken a few sips of tea at the teahouse.

Mu Si’s own cooking was too shameful to present, but troubling X to cook again clearly wasn’t appropriate either.

“I’ll go grab another bowl, we’ll split it half and half.”

Mu Si stood up to walk toward the kitchen.

“N-no need.”

Mu Si was visibly starving; X didn’t want to take away his food.

“No need? Could it be… you want to share the same bowl with me?”

Mu Si deliberately twisted his meaning.

X fell silent.

In the end, the two of them shared the bowl of noodles fifty-fifty, even finishing the broth clean.

Of course, since they had “just met,” Mu Si wasn’t so unhinged as to force X to share the exact same bowl.

Being full made one prone to sleepiness.

Mu Si yawned, checked the time, and said:

“It’s already very late, why don’t you stay over and sleep here?”

Cleaning up the bowls, X almost dropped the dishes.

Staying over to sleep together on the very first night, wasn’t this moving too fast?

Thinking of Mu Si’s earlier words, X nodded in agreement anyway.

“Alright.”

This pace was both fast and slow.

The original confession was gone, but he could sleep together with Mu Si.

Just as X was pondering this, he heard Mu Si in front say:

“Here, this is your room.”

Looking at the room that was definitely not Mu Si’s master bedroom, X: “…”

Fine, he was merely asked to stay over.

Not actually sleeping together.

Mu Si had actually wanted to sleep with X as well, accidentally slipping up just now.

Yet they had just met; who abducts someone straight into bed on the first day?

If he truly did that, X would definitely view him unfavorably, thinking his private life was chaotic and that he liked fooling around.

X stood at the doorway for a while without entering.

Mu Si asked in confusion: “What’s wrong? Don’t like this room? There are other rooms, all cleaned by the housekeeper, very clean.”

It was just that this room was the closest to his master bedroom.

Right next door.

“No need, this one is fine.”

X understood clearly that Mu Si had no intention of letting him into the master bedroom.

There was a faint sense of regret.

He didn’t mind taking things step by step.

As long as Mu Si could accept him, he could wait for as long as it took.

Only…

“Do you… have something you forgot to tell me?”

X inquired tentatively.

What about the confession?

Was his confession truly gone?

Even if it was fake, he wanted it desperately.

One shouldn’t give up halfway through a game.

What about the game penalty?

Quickly remember the game penalty.

X gazed at Mu Si yearningly.

Mu Si thought about it seriously.

He truly hadn’t forgotten anything.

“Oh, right!” Mu Si suddenly said, “I do have something to say to you.”

Gazing at him with both anticipation and craving, X waited for Mu Si’s “confession,” already prepared with his answer.

“The apocalypse is coming in two months!”

“I do.”

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

Mu Si: “?”

X: “…”

“X?” Mu Si called out tentatively.

X deflated.

Feeling both helpless and on the verge of pulling his hair out.

“That kind of thing isn’t important. Si Si, think again if you forgot something else, for example… a confession.”

As early as when Mu Si brought up “fruit tea,” X had his suspicions.

Now it was completely verified.

He was thrilled that the Mu Si before him was the same Mu Si who had loved him for years.

However, his confession…

“Ah?”

Mu Si froze.

“When you said ‘I do’ just now, it was because…”

For a moment, Mu Si didn’t know whether to be shocked that X was reborn just like him, or that X was actually brooding so stubbornly over that confession.

“I originally wanted to meet and fall in love with you in a different way, but since you want to hear it so badly…”

Mu Si chuckled, brushing his hair behind his ear, stepping right before X.

“I love you, and it has nothing to do with any game.

“What I regretted was never confessing to you or being with you, but that that game attached symbols of falsehood and deceit to our love.”

“Are you willing to accept my love once more?”

Mu Si asked.

Not “like,” but “love.”

Unrelated to games, unrelated to anything else.

Only the most sincere, pure love.

“I do, of course I do.”

X embraced Mu Si tightly, his heart pounding so hard it felt ready to burst.

This was far better than anything he had envisioned.

He had only wanted to steal a fake confession, yet Mu Si presented him with his genuine heart.

Everything he dared not even dream of, Mu Si gave to him.

Mu Si said he never regretted being with him.

His eyes reddening, X kissed Mu Si’s lips with deep emotion.

Mu Si kissed him in return.

“Mm, there are still two months before the apocalypse arrives, maybe we can get married? Register our marriage?

“Though before that, we need to let more people know about the impending apocalypse. Do you think it’s better to spread it through the media or report it straight to the government?”

Mu Si asked in between kisses.

Only to have his mouth sealed by X once more.

“Oh, also, we need to stockpile goods.”

Mu Si managed to squeeze in another sentence.

“Having returned to before the apocalypse arrives, how could we not stockpile? Whether we hoard a lot or a little doesn’t matter; what matters is experiencing the feeling of hoarding goods. Too bad your spatial ability isn’t here, otherwise…”

His mouth was blocked once again.

Scooping Mu Si into his arms, X walked toward the master bedroom.

Successfully making his way inside.