ISWTDB Ch156

Chapter 156: The End of thr World (11, 12)

Situ Ran suddenly recalled the saying, “A woman adorns herself for the one she loves.”

Although the young man wasn’t a woman, he surely wanted to present his best side in front of his beloved!

Just thinking about how the young man had changed his original self for him made Situ Ran’s heart ache even more.

Then, he saw Ying Zhao walking over with a smile, carrying food.

He naturally sat beside Situ Ran, picked up a bowl, and began feeding him spoonfuls of food.

Situ Ran knew all too well how scarce food was in the apocalypse.

It was only today that he suddenly realized that long ago, ever since he resumed eating, the young man had been bringing him some precious fresh vegetables and meat every day.

In this current era, being able to eat such food daily was considered quite luxurious by anyone.

Yet, the young man didn’t show any signs of distress; it seemed that the more Situ Ran ate, the happier he became.

Things he hadn’t wanted to think deeply about began surfacing one by one, making it harder for Situ Ran to let go of the person in front of him.

The fragrant food that was just as delicious as yesterday entered his mouth, allowing him to feel the care put into its preparation.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Situ Ran felt as if he was chewing wax.

As his mood changed, he began to notice some details about Ying Zhao.

Waking up early today, he had seen the young man going to the kitchen to cook.

He distinctly remembered that after preparing the meal, the young man had directly brought it to him, meaning he probably hadn’t eaten yet.

After a few bites, Situ Ran pulled back slightly and softly said to Ying Zhao, “A-Heng, you should eat too.”

To his surprise, the young man’s eyes flickered, and he chuckled lightly, “These are all for you; I’ve already eaten!”

Noticing the evasive look in his eyes, Situ Ran’s heart tightened.

Could such an obvious lie really fool him?

How could he not understand how rare fresh food was in the apocalypse?

He feared that the amount of good food was only enough for him, so the young man had lied about having already eaten.

Was he planning to wait until Situ Ran finished before casually grabbing something else to fill his own hunger?

Little liar! Little liar!

Situ Ran secretly scolded him, but he couldn’t help but feel his eyes redden.

Watching the young man carefully blowing on the porridge and insistently feeding it to him, he could only open his mouth.

This silly boy, why was he so good to him!

He had never experienced this kind of warmth even with his family, yet here he had received it completely.

How much must one love another to resort to such extreme measures, even willing to cause amnesia just to keep the other person close?

How foolish, like a moth to a flame, which made one’s heart ache inexplicably!

Situ Ran couldn’t bear to see Ying Zhao suffer from hunger, so he took a deep breath and smiled at him, coaxing, “Sweetheart, even if you’ve eaten, have a little more, okay?”

“I want to eat what you’ve eaten; it must taste better!”

Sure enough, after he said this, the young man immediately flushed red.

Then, shyly lowering his head to avoid looking at him, he revealed an adorable cowlick.

After quite a while, he lifted his head with a sweet smile, his face still flushed, and took a small bite of porridge before feeding it back to Situ Ran.

Seeing Ying Zhao like this made Situ Ran’s heart soften into a mush.

He coaxed the young man to eat in the same way, and they finally managed to nearly split the bowl of porridge between them.

However, after finishing the porridge, the young man immediately showed a guilty expression.

He anxiously said, “What should I do! This was originally for you, yet I ate so much! I’ll go to the kitchen and make you something else!”

“No need, sweetheart, I’m really full!” Situ Ran looked at Ying Zhao gently and said with certainty.

Only after reassuring him several times that he didn’t want to eat anymore did the young man give up on the idea of going back to the kitchen.

Watching Ying Zhao busying himself at the temporary workstation not far from him, Situ Ran felt warmth in his heart.

Although his stomach was still a bit empty, the man felt as if a little fool had burrowed into his heart.

It made his whole heart swell; he probably never wanted to let him out again.

The young man worked meticulously, appearing extremely serious and focused.

People often said that a man working earnestly was the most charming.

Clearly, this saying applied even more to Ying Zhao in Situ Ran’s eyes.

He felt that the person in front of him was simply irresistibly charming.

Just by quietly watching him, he felt a thirst rising in his throat.

The entire morning slipped by in a rush.

One was focused on work, while the other was concentrated on the busy figure in front of him.

It wasn’t until the young man unconsciously rubbed his stiff shoulders that Situ Ran realized so much time had passed and that he hadn’t taken a break.

The man couldn’t help but speak up, “A-Heng, take a break! You’ve been working hard for a long time!”

Hearing this, Ying Zhao finally came back to his senses. He nodded at Situ Ran and smiled, “Okay, okay, I’ll finish this up right away!”

However, this “right away” turned into more than an hour.

What truly made the young man stop working was the timer set up nearby.

When the bell rang at one o’clock in the afternoon, Ying Zhao hurriedly stopped his work and went directly to the kitchen.

Situ Ran knew that he was preparing lunch for him.

So, when he wasn’t around, did this little fool completely forget to take a break?

Did he always work himself to exhaustion, not knowing how to take care of his own body?

The more Situ Ran thought about it, the more heartbroken he felt; he really wanted to pull the young man over and give him a good spanking.

But then the man thought that this little idiot had such a stubborn personality, that just talking wouldn’t be enough.

He would take good care of him once he was fully recovered.

After a while, Ying Zhao indeed brought over lunch.

Since it was already late when they had breakfast, lunch was purposely delayed a bit.

However, considering that his beloved must be hungry now, he hurriedly prepared the food.

In fact, although fresh vegetables were indeed precious, Ying Zhao had the ability and didn’t care too much about that.

He was currently busy taking care of his beloved’s health, so he didn’t have much energy to worry about those external matters.

Ying Zhao only thought that Situ Ran needed to nourish his body, so he should eat more good food to replenish his strength.

He himself wasn’t human, so it didn’t matter if he fasted and didn’t eat.

But unexpectedly, his nonchalance made the man feel deeply distressed.

After lunch was served, Situ Ran used the same method as in the morning, insisting that Ying Zhao stay and eat quite a bit with him.

At this point, Ying Zhao realized the man’s thoughts and felt warmth in his heart.

He thought it seemed necessary to improve the quality of their life a bit.

Otherwise, how could it be right for his beloved to be so reluctant to eat?

After finishing the meal, Ying Zhao initially wanted to rush back to continue working.

However, he was held back by Situ Ran, who insisted he take a break after eating.

Seeing the man’s persistence, Ying Zhao didn’t refuse his good intentions.

The two of them chatted idly, exchanging a few words here and there.

Situ Ran watched Ying Zhao’s obedient demeanor and felt a stirring in his heart.

Feigning curiosity, he asked him, “A-Heng, how did we end up together?”

After asking this question, he fixed his gaze on Ying Zhao’s face, observing his expression, and indeed saw a hint of awkwardness on the young man’s face.

Ying Zhao smiled gently at him and said, “I think it could be considered love at first sight for me!”

“I still remember that I came here shortly after the Northern Base was established. When I first entered the base, I was assigned to the research institute as an ordinary researcher.”

“I remember you came once, standing there far away talking with others.”

“At that time, I wasn’t yet the head of the research institute; I was busy with my work while secretly watching you.”

“I still recall you were wearing a black shirt with a coat over it.”

“The weather was very cold that day, yet you stood straight in the cold wind. I thought to myself, how could there be such a handsome and imposing man in this world? If only he could be mine!”

As Ying Zhao spoke, his gaze turned distant, and a smile curved on his lips, as if recalling a very beautiful memory.

However, when he realized what he had just said, his cheeks suddenly flushed.

That unusually bold and almost confessional statement seemed to embarrass the young man greatly. So, he lowered his head again, unwilling to look at Situ Ran.

Like a shy little kitten! Situ Ran thought to himself.

Staring at Ying Zhao’s cute cowlick, the man felt an irresistible urge.

If conditions allowed, he really wanted to reach out and ruffle the young man’s hair, sure it would be as soft as he imagined.

Speaking of which, what the young man had just said did indeed ring a bell in Situ Ran’s memory.

He had been to the research institute for some business back then; he just hadn’t realized they had already met at that time.

The way Ying Zhao described the details so clearly made the man’s heart flutter.

Unable to help himself, he continued to question Ying Zhao, “What happened next? What happened later?”

Hearing this, the young man finally lifted his head, bit his lip, and, with flushed ears, continued, “Later on, I stood out at the research institute and became the head there.”

“Then, you would occasionally bring some spiritual spring water for me to study, hoping I could find a way to resist the zombie virus through it.”

“Thus, as we met more frequently, you started pursuing me, and then we got together!”

In the second half of what he said, the young man spoke rather hurriedly, and with careful observation, there was a hint of guilt in his expression.

Situ Ran knew very well that the part where he pursued the young man was all a lie.

But for some reason, seeing the young man’s uneasy expression made his heart race.

If he had truly noticed Ying Zhao back then, he surely would have pursued him!

He would have done so without hesitation, with all his might, wanting to win the young man’s affection!

Even though he knew their love story was fabricated by Ying Zhao, Situ Ran couldn’t help but sincerely wish it were true.

If it were true, wouldn’t they have already been together for a long time? How could he have missed such a wonderful person!

However, Ying Zhao must really like him, right?

Otherwise, how could he remember such distant events so clearly and deeply?

This little fool truly had a way of stirring his emotions at every moment.

Just when the two of them were enjoying the atmosphere, a loud knock knock knock came from the front door.

“Ying Heng, are you in?” A woman’s voice rang out, causing both Ying Zhao and Situ Ran to stiffen simultaneously.

Previously, Ying Zhao had harshly mocked Situ Shuyao and was busy taking care of his beloved, leaving the female protagonist behind.

He hadn’t expected her to come knocking again so soon.

But upon reflection, without him, how would Situ Shuyao know how to develop an antidote for the zombie virus?

Naturally, she would want to keep him close, trying to use his research results to gain more recognition.

Although Ying Zhao didn’t want to deal with this woman, he couldn’t just let her continue waiting outside.

Seeing the man’s gaze on him, Ying Zhao furrowed his brows and stood up.

He quietly said to Situ Ran, “I have something to attend to; I’ll be right back.”

After saying this, he left the room.

Situ Ran naturally recognized whose voice it was. However, why was Situ Shuyao looking for Ying Heng?

He quickly stood up. Although the man’s body hadn’t fully recovered, he was not as weak as Ying Zhao imagined.

Moreover, he actually had supernatural abilities, so his speed and stamina were beyond that of ordinary people.

Thus, after Ying Zhao left, Situ Ran quietly followed behind him, careful not to let him notice.

Of course, this was only what Situ Ran believed.

Even if he overlooked Ying Zhao’s keen senses, his special status in this world made it impossible for him not to perceive Situ Ran’s approach.

Yet, he didn’t stop him. In fact, it was fine for his beloved to follow him; it allowed him to see Situ Shuyao’s ugly face for himself.

Ying Zhao didn’t hurry; he deliberately strolled down the hallway before reaching the entrance and opening the door.

Situ Shuyao had been waiting outside for a long time, and when she finally saw Ying Zhao open the door, she let out a sigh of relief.

Immediately, she showed him a gentle smile and handed him the bag she was holding.

“Ying Heng, long time no see! I brought this for you; these are vegetables newly cultivated by plant ability users. I thought you might like them!”

Ying Zhao nodded at her words, coldly replying, “Thank you,” and was about to shut the door again.

Seeing this, Situ Shuyao quickly grabbed the doorframe and urged, “Wait! Ying Heng, won’t you invite me in to sit for a while?”

After being mocked by him last time, Situ Shuyao no longer called him “A-Heng” but used his name instead.

She came here to mend their relationship, and she wasn’t willing to be turned away.

Ying Zhao raised an eyebrow at her and asked, “Do you have anything else?”

Situ Shuyao looked at Ying Zhao’s indifferent expression and suppressed her inner resentment.

She adopted a feeble demeanor and said pitifully, “I don’t have anything else; I just missed you and wanted to come see you and have a good chat!”

“Ying Heng, why have you been so cold to me lately? Did I do something wrong before?”

Ying Zhao raised an eyebrow and impatiently replied, “I have nothing to discuss with you.”

Seeing Ying Zhao’s cold face, Situ Shuyao felt a pang of anxiety.

More urgently, she spoke, “Ying Heng, are you angry because people outside say that the antidote for the zombie virus was developed by me?”

“Please don’t be upset; it was just a misunderstanding when it was announced, and others mistakenly thought it was made by me. Don’t pay attention to these rumors!”

Ying Zhao looked at her expressionless and said, “I don’t care who the outside world thinks made the antidote.”

“It’s just that I’m really busy with work right now. For me, research is the most important thing, and I don’t have time to deal with other matters.”

Situ Shuyao felt energized upon hearing this.

Carefully, she asked Ying Zhao, “Then Ying Heng, although the previous antidote had some effect, it still couldn’t completely eliminate the virus. I wonder when the new batch of antidotes will be ready?”

Ying Zhao frowned at her question and responded in a professional tone, “The development of the antidote is not that simple; I need more time.”

Hearing this, Situ Shuyao nodded, understanding that Ying Zhao’s words made sense.

After all, if creating the antidote were that easy, there wouldn’t be so many people infected with the zombie virus.

Then, Situ Shuyao softly continued to speak, expressing her feelings for Ying Zhao and her intentions toward him.

Ying Zhao felt a wave of nausea at her words.

Noticing the shadow hiding not far away, his gaze flickered.

Suddenly, he turned to Situ Shuyao and asked, “Is that all you wanted to say? Don’t you want to ask about your brother, Situ Ran?”

Situ Shuyao was taken aback that Ying Zhao would bring up Situ Ran, then she put on a nonchalant smile.

Waving her hand dismissively, she replied, “Ying Heng, what are you talking about? What’s so important about that guy?”

However, saying this made the female protagonist worry that Ying Zhao would think she was too heartless.

So she changed her tone and said gently, “Didn’t I already tell you that he has the Healing Spirit Spring, which is key to the antidote for the zombie virus?”

“And he has already been sent to your research institute, so you can handle him as you wish. Whether you want to conduct drug experiments or dissect him, it’s all fine.”

“Alas! Although I feel reluctant, saving everyone is the most important thing!”

At this point, Situ Shuyao let out a sigh. However, despite her words of reluctance, there wasn’t a shred of sorrow in her eyes.

These were just pretty words; both Ying Zhao and Situ Ran had already seen through her true intentions.

At this moment, Situ Ran stood not far away.

Though he roughly guessed that his encounter with death was likely orchestrated by Situ Shuyao, actually hearing his beloved sister, whom he had cared for his entire life, say such cold-hearted things still left him feeling utterly heartbroken.

The last bit of familial affection he had for the Situ family completely vanished with the truth before his eyes.

Ying Zhao, on the other hand, felt that this woman was extraordinarily shameless and was too lazy to play nice with her any longer.

He coldly said to Situ Shuyao, “I will handle my own experimental subjects, and I don’t need you to tell me how to do it.”

“In the future, don’t come to disturb me without reason, and don’t let anyone else near my house. I can’t afford to be distracted from my work, and you know that well enough.”

Situ Shuyao looked at Ying Zhao’s commanding demeanor, and she couldn’t help but curl her lip in disdain.

But no matter how dissatisfied she was, she dared not show it, only pretending to nod obediently.

She indicated that she understood and told Ying Zhao that if he needed anything, he could just ask her.

Although Ying Zhao didn’t care about the female protagonist’s thoughts, he knew that his beloved hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Adhering to the principle that it’s better to avoid trouble, he understood the need to give her a little sweetener.

So he didn’t refuse Situ Shuyao again and said to her, “I understand. Once the research results are out, I will notify you immediately.”

Hearing the answer she wanted, Situ Shuyao finally felt somewhat satisfied.

She then gazed affectionately at Ying Zhao and said a few insincere words before turning to leave.

Watching Situ Shuyao depart, Situ Ran immediately returned to his room.

He quickly sat back on the hospital bed, pretending as if he had never left, but inside, he was fuming for the youth.

He hadn’t expected Situ Shuyao to be so shameless, even stealing the youth’s research results and passing them off as her own.

In the current apocalypse, being able to create an antidote was an immense accomplishment.

This was something that would be remembered for generations, admired by countless people!

The youth must have compromised with the Situ family to protect himself.

Thinking of the grievances the youth had suffered for his sake, Situ Ran felt even more heartbroken.

Everything the youth had said was true; he really had been harmed by the Situ family.

Meanwhile, the person he had always hated had actually protected him.

Had the youth just now mentioned Situ Shuyao to stand up for him?

He hadn’t expected the youth to care about him so much.

Indeed, was this the difference between sincerity and insincerity? What precious treasure had he missed out on in the past?

After a while, Ying Zhao returned to the room.

He waved the vegetables in his hand in front of Situ Ran and chuckled, “We can have a little extra for dinner tonight; I’ll make you some good food to replenish your strength.”

Seeing that the youth was so focused on him, Situ Ran became increasingly worried about his feelings.

Unable to hold back, he asked, “Who came by just now?”

At this, Ying Zhao lowered his eyelids and casually replied, “Just someone delivering food.”

Hearing this answer, Situ Ran pursed his lips.

He hoped that the youth would trust him and share the hardships he had endured.

Even if it was just to complain or vent a little, it would be better than silently bearing it all alone.

So he couldn’t help but continue, “I’ve been at the research institute for so long; hasn’t anyone from the Situ family come to inquire about things here? And Situ Shuyao, she…”

“Don’t mention that woman’s name!” The youth’s attitude seemed to become intense at the mention of Situ Shuyao.

He said fiercely to Situ Ran, “Don’t bring her up, don’t think about her! She is nothing but a shameless woman!”

At this point, the youth seemed to realize that he had overreacted, and he suddenly became flustered.