LABMY CH96.1

In the small room, a suffocating silence spread, as Shen Nian stiffly turned his head like a puppet on strings to look at Jian Yuanbai.

Every movement was so small and rigid, it felt like you could hear the wooden gears clicking and turning.

His eyes met Jian Yuanbai’s, filled with surprise, confusion, and hesitation.

For the first time, Shen Nian experienced the downside of regaining his vision. Being able to clearly see people’s expressions wasn’t always a good thing.

Just like now.

Jian Yuanbai had just returned from a day’s mission. He opened the door but hadn’t even stepped inside when Shen Nian’s words stunned him on the spot.

“Which idiot is shouting ‘My fate is mine, not Heaven’s’?”

A mocking voice echoed from somewhere in the corridor.

Shen Nian’s face instantly flushed red. He jumped up in embarrassment, rushed to the door in two steps, and slammed it shut with a loud bang.

His face was burning as he turned to Jian Yuanbai and said, “Why didn’t you close the door?”

Jian Yuanbai’s fingers tightened slightly as he held back a laugh and asked, “What were you doing just now?”

“You like that line so much that you’re secretly practicing it at home?”

Shen Nian opened his mouth awkwardly and whispered, “Isn’t it said that repeating lines like this can awaken abilities?”

Jian Yuanbai was filled with confusion, “Who told you that?”

“Yang Jinhang…” Shen Nian replied, feeling even more embarrassed.

In his panic, he had rushed over without wearing shoes. His fair, bare feet restlessly shifted on the floor.

Noticing this, Jian Yuanbai frowned slightly, then effortlessly lifted him up, “Why aren’t you wearing shoes? Even with heating, the floor is still cold.”

Shen Nian was placed on the sofa. Unable to bear the embarrassment, he turned around and buried his face into the couch cushion, wanting to escape reality. His muffled voice was filled with shame and frustration, “It’s your fault for not closing the door.”

Jian Yuanbai stood there, looking at him, and returned to the previous topic, “My ability is only to suppress and eliminate pollutants. Yang Jinhang’s awakening probably has nothing to do with that.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but laugh again, remembering the way Shen Nian had shouted with such passion earlier.

“I just didn’t expect…”

“R-Really?”

A trembling, reluctant voice came from the sofa.

Shen Nian still hadn’t lifted his head, burying himself deeper into the cushion as if hoping he could disappear.

Jian Yuanbai, standing behind him, could clearly see his every movement.

Since the room was heated, Shen Nian was only wearing a white shirt. Kneeling on the sofa with his back facing Jian Yuanbai, the hem of his shirt naturally hung down, revealing a pale, slender waist. His posture arched slightly, lifting his well-rounded hips high. The curve was so alluring that it felt like a single slap would make it ripple.

Jian Yuanbai’s gaze darkened slightly without realizing it as he calmly replied, “Yes, it’s true. Saying those words won’t work.”

“Only when I tell you to say them, will it be effective.”

Shen Nian blinked, staring at the dark sofa cushion in front of him, wishing he could crawl inside and hide forever. His voice was so soft and filled with shame that it could almost drip water, “Stop talking…”

He took a deep breath, mustering all his courage, and turned around to face Jian Yuanbai.

Kneeling on the sofa, Shen Nian tugged at the hem of Jian Yuanbai’s shirt and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“…Xiao Ba, can you lose your memory one more time?”

Shen Nian’s eyes were watery as he looked up from this angle, making his face appear even smaller. His flushed face was like a ripe peach, as if a gentle poke would make sweet juice flow out.

Jian Yuanbai suddenly recalled what Yang Jinhang once said:

“Shen Nian is really beautiful.”

Indeed, he was beautiful.

So beautiful that it was hard to believe this person would one day become a future powerhouse, the classic “Long Aotian” protagonist.

Not only was he beautiful, but he was also incredibly good at acting spoiled.

Jian Yuanbai didn’t know that Shen Nian had spent three years in the apocalypse without awakening any abilities. He should have suffered greatly, and those pampered young master habits should have been ground away by hardship.

But because of Jian Yuanbai’s presence, none of the storms and snow ever fell on Shen Nian’s shoulders.

Seeing Jian Yuanbai remain silent, Shen Nian became anxious. He had already embarrassed himself enough, and he was afraid Jian Yuanbai would spread the story and make him even more humiliated. Half aggrieved and half angry, he pleaded, “Let’s both forget about what happened today, okay?”

“You can’t laugh at me.”

“Yang Jinhang said it with such confidence and conviction…”

Shen Nian had truly been fooled. He hadn’t originally planned to try it, but after digging soil and pits all day, he was exhausted and sore, only to end up getting fired.

That’s why he decided to give it a shot.

Seriously…

How could Yang Jinhang sound so convincing? Even a cripple would be tricked into standing up.

At this point, Jian Yuanbai no longer felt like laughing. He reached out and gently stroked Shen Nian’s face, his calloused thumb brushing against the delicate skin, making Shen Nian instinctively dodge, “It hurts.”

The living room fell silent.

Shen Nian, who had turned his head to avoid the touch, looked back at Jian Yuanbai in confusion, “Xiao ?”

This soft call snapped Jian Yuanbai out of the strange state he had fallen into. He asked, “Why are you suddenly so eager to awaken an ability?”

Shen Nian pouted, “I got fired after just one day of work.”

At the mention of this, he couldn’t help but feel sad. It was his first time working, and he was fired after only one day.

“There are too few jobs ordinary people can do, and I’m bad at most of them.” Shen Nian sighed heavily, “I’m so useless.”

Jian Yuanbai said, “You’re not even eighteen yet. It’s normal to be inexperienced.”

Shen Nian looked up at him pitifully, “But without a job, I won’t have money to pay for the heating.”

“Xiao Ba, can you help me pay for it?”

He grabbed Jian Yuanbai’s hand and leaned in closer, “Please?”

Jian Yuanbai’s face immediately darkened, “You’re already seventeen. If you can’t do it now, you should learn. I can’t support you forever.”

“I won’t pay your heating bill. And after you turn eighteen, you’ll have to pay me part of the food expenses too.”

Back when there was no heating, Shen Nian would sleep in the same bed with him. If Shen Nian couldn’t find a job, that soft and clingy step-son life would come back.

Thinking this, Jian Yuanbai’s expression became even more serious, “Do you hear me?”

Shen Nian stared at him in shock. This man’s ability to change expressions was faster than flipping a page in a book.

Yet Jian Yuanbai insisted on an answer and asked again, “By the way, when’s your eighteenth birthday?”

The moment he turned eighteen, he’d have to start paying for food.

Shen Nian answered lightning-fast, “Next May.”

In reality, his eighteenth birthday was in half a month, but next May was still eleven months away.

To make it more convincing, he didn’t dare say June.

Jian Yuanbai narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “Really?”

Shen Nian nodded like a chicken pecking rice, “Really.”

Seeing him so firm, Jian Yuanbai seemed to believe it, but in his heart, he was already planning to find Wang Li and confirm the truth.

That night, the two of them cooked some noodles and ate simply. Afterward, they each returned to their own rooms to sleep.

Lying in bed, Shen Nian finally had the time to carefully think about Jian Yuanbai’s words.

He had long since realized that this person wasn’t the real “Bai Lingchen.”

From the moment he couldn’t find a single pair of glasses in the entire optometry store, he began to suspect.

In the apocalypse, materials like food and medicine were scarce, but who would empty out an entire optometry store?

Moreover, Aunt Liu’s attitude towards “Bai Lingchen” had always carried a hint of unfamiliarity. She and Wang Li acted like they were afraid “Bai Lingchen” would leave.

Then, one strange thing happened after another, making Shen Nian feel more and more that something was off.

He hadn’t seen “Bai Lingchen” for three years, but he knew the man’s character all too well—greedy for wealth, good-looking but arrogant, and disdainful of the poor.

How could a person like that do a complete 180 after losing his memory?

He even stayed up all night guarding Shen Nian when he was unconscious and suspected of being infected.

Could amnesia really change someone’s personality that much?

Shen Nian didn’t believe it.

This “Bai Lingchen” was clearly afraid of being exposed, which meant he knew he wasn’t the real one.

Before the apocalypse, Shen Nian had been pampered and spoiled. He didn’t mind a man suddenly appearing and becoming his so-called “Xiao Ba,” especially since this person treated him so well.

After regaining his eyesight, Shen Nian naturally saw it clearly. This man resembled “Bai Lingchen” by about fifty percent, but compared to this man, “Bai Lingchen” was nothing more than a cheap knockoff.

As a face-lover, it was even easier for Shen Nian to accept him.

However, now, his “Xiao Ba” seemed to be showing signs of wanting to abandon him.

Why?

Had he grown tired of playing the game of raising a stepson?

Shen Nian suddenly sat up in bed, his beautiful eyes widening as he thought: This won’t do!

He had been raised so well and was obediently pleasing his cheap Xiao Ba. How could he just stop supporting him like that?

In this apocalypse filled with danger, where one wrong move could lead to death, an ordinary person without abilities like Shen Nian would find it nearly impossible to survive on his own.

Even in this seemingly well-equipped fortress, no one could guarantee it wouldn’t be breached tomorrow.

And even here, it was tough for ordinary people to survive. Cash, gold watches, and luxury cars were worthless. The only currency in circulation was issued by the mayor of S City.

Shen Nian had worked hard all day digging pits, only to earn three coins.

Three coins—barely enough to cover a day’s heating or two meals.

Heating or food, he could only choose one.

Survival was possible, but it would be extremely difficult.

Shen Nian wasn’t particularly afraid of death, but he feared pain even more. And he was terrified of becoming one of those disgusting monsters.

So, clinging to his cheap Xiao Ba thigh was absolutely necessary.

At first, when Shen Nian didn’t know that his “Xiao Ba” wasn’t Bai Lingchen, he resisted him. But soon, he realized something was off. The more they interacted, the less resistant he became, and calling him “Xiao Ba” came naturally.

Moreover, for some unknown reason, when this man called him “Longlong,” he felt especially close to him.

Although Shen Nian didn’t know why he was called “Longlong,” his intuition told him not to ask.

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

Hugging his pillow, Shen Nian sat cross-legged on the bed and decided he needed to get closer to his Xiao Ba.

Slowly, his gaze fell on the heating machine.

At midnight, Jian Yuanbai’s bedroom door was knocked on.

When he opened the door, he saw Shen Nian standing there, hugging a pillow and shivering from the cold, looking at him pitifully.

“Xiao Ba.”

“The heater in my room seems to be broken. Can I sleep with you tonight?”

His voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of natural coquettishness in the tone.

Jian Yuanbai didn’t refuse. He didn’t even mention checking the heater and simply stepped aside to let Shen Nian in.

“Sure.”

Under the blanket, only the spot where Jian Yuanbai had just slept was warm. The rest was ice cold.

Shen Nian hesitated for less than three seconds before lying down on the warm spot.

Jian Yuanbai lay down as well. As soon as he did, he felt a freezing cold hand touch him.

“Why are you so cold?”

Shen Nian’s voice carried a bit of grievance, “I stayed in the living room for a while before knocking on your door.

“The living room has a heater too, but the space is too big, and it wastes heating coins. I only earned three work coins today from digging all day. I couldn’t bear to turn it on.”

He thought this would make Jian Yuanbai feel pity for him.

But instead, he heard the man’s gentle voice say the most heartless words:

“Then Longlong needs to work harder.”

Shen Nian buried half of his face in the blanket, gritting his teeth in silent anger.

Fury surged from his heart, and boldness was born from it. He reached out his ice-cold hands and slipped them into Jian Yuanbai’s shirt.

Hearing the man hiss from the cold, Shen Nian secretly smirked while putting on a pitiful tone, “I’m too cold…”

Jian Yuanbai wasn’t afraid of the cold. He was just startled at first but quickly adapted.

“It’s fine. Sleep.”

After lying there for a while, Shen Nian, feeling wronged, pressed his hands and feet against Jian Yuanbai’s body, pretending not to notice as he vented his frustration. Eventually, he actually fell asleep.

Shen Nian slept soundly, but Jian Yuanbai couldn’t fall asleep.

The once ice-cold body in his arms gradually warmed up, soft and warm, completely leaning on him with full trust.

The hand resting on his abs didn’t withdraw. As it warmed up, the heat became more and more noticeable against his skin.

Jian Yuanbai felt… something was off.

This strange feeling had been there since earlier, but it didn’t seem to have started just today.

In short, something was very, very wrong.

He gently moved the sleeping Shen Nian to the side, but before long, Shen Nian, feeling cold again, subconsciously clung back to the heat source.

Jian Yuanbai opened his eyes helplessly and glanced at the person who was wrapped around him like an octopus.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep.

The wind gently moved the curtains. The night was quiet and deep.

However, the sky gradually brightened unnaturally, not the pitch-black of night but more like dusk.

The scene seemed to return to that moment when Jian Yuanbai came home after completing a mission.

He pushed open the door and saw Longlong kneeling on the sofa in a white shirt, burying his face in the couch cushion. His face was hidden, but as he moved, a section of his blindingly pale waist was revealed.

It was the perfect spot to place a pair of hands.

That’s exactly what Jian Yuanbai thought.

And that’s exactly what he did.

The layers of the white shirt bunched up as his hands moved upward. The pale skin shimmered, and the vibrant red beneath seemed like a red plum blooming in the snow.

Not a single plum blossom, but two, separated by a branch, facing each other from a distance.

The strong wind, like an invisible hand, made the blossoms sway on the snow-covered branches.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, and the heavy snow couldn’t withstand the intense force, falling in clusters.

The sound of snowflakes scattering echoed like cries of sorrow.

“Xiao Ba…”