Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

Young Zhu Nanxing, however, didn’t dare reach out for it. His big, dark eyes glanced toward Song Youxuan.

Song Youxuan quickly squatted down and patted the child’s head. ”Go on and drink. It’s a gift from the big sister, so you can take it.”

Only then did Zhu Nanxing’s eyes light up. He hastily reached out, took the bottle of mineral water, and GULP, GULP, GULP, chugged down a few mouthfuls.

”Well, well. So you’re trying to burn the bridge after crossing it, are you?” Ma Guilan watched them, her heart burning with anxiety.

’That bitch Xie Ning is a real piece of work. She’s obviously carrying so much water in her bag but won’t even spare a few bottles for me.’

’My Jia Bao has been thirsty for who knows how many days, wailing every day that he needs water, needs water.’

’That damned girl Xie Ning. Instead of giving supplies to the men of the Old Song Family, she insists on helping a bunch of outsiders.’

Feeling anxious, Ma Guilan couldn’t help but raise her voice.

Just then, the tent flap was thrown open, and a family of three entered.

The girl was about Yueyue’s age, wearing a filthy pink tiered dress, her small face smudged with grime.

As soon as she ducked into the tent, the little girl pointed at Su Xiyue and Zhu Nanxing and let out a shriek. ”Mommy, they have mineral water!”

The couple, who had just stepped into the tent, caught sight of the full bottle of mineral water in the children’s hands, and a thirsty gleam couldn’t help but appear in their eyes.

The little girl stomped her boots forcefully. ”Mommy, why do they have water and I don’t? You two slaves, this princess now commands you to immediately hand over the water in your hands!”

Su Xiyue and Zhu Nanxing had each drunk a little less than half a bottle and were reluctant to drink any more.

Song Shijun’s heart went out to his little sister as he rubbed her head. ”Go on and drink, Yueyue. If it’s not enough, your big brother has more.”

Su Xiyue was indeed extremely thirsty, and hearing her brother say that, she started chugging the water again.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, the little girl grew angry and anxious, stomping her feet again. ”You two little slaves, did you not hear this princess speak? This princess now commands you to immediately hand over your water to this princess!”

Su Xiyue and Zhu Nanxing turned a deaf ear to the girl’s shouting, pretending they hadn’t heard a thing.

By now, they were used to this sick princess who would throw fits and scream intermittently, and they had reached the point where they could simply block out her voice...

The girl’s parents smiled awkwardly at Song Youxuan. ”Yueyue’s mother, where did you get this water? Could you sell us two bottles? We can pay.”

Pay?

At a time like this, anyone who talked about paying was either an idiot or had bad intentions. Xie Ning and Song Shijun ignored them completely.

Song Youxuan was also busy patting the two children on the back, telling them to drink more slowly, and had no time to deal with the girl’s parents.

”Song Youxuan, you’re not really going to burn the bridge after crossing it, are you?” Ma Guilan shouted in panic. ”Don’t you forget, if I hadn’t given you that pack of sandwich cookies back then, your Yueyue would have starved to death long ago.”

”Sister-in-law, about that pack of sandwich cookies, the gesture was significant. But over these past few days, we’ve given your family coarse biscuits and water from time to time. Isn’t that enough to repay you?” Song Youxuan wasn’t an idiot; she now understood Ma Guilan’s true intentions for getting close to her.

From what Shijun had just said, she could tell that Ma Guilan had actually known all along that Shijun and the others were living in this safe zone, yet despite spending so many days together, she had never mentioned it.

Ma Guilan was probably scheming to first get Song Youxuan under her thumb, and then use her to control her parents and older siblings.

”Are you trying to settle accounts with me?” Ma Guilan was about to explode with anger at Song Youxuan.

”Let me tell you, if you don’t give me enough in return, I’ll spread it everywhere that you’re rich but cruel, utterly heartless. We’ll see if Song Yaoguo and Sun Meiying still have any face to lose.”

”A pack of sandwich cookies, was it?” Xie Ning reached into her satchel, pulled out a large bag of cream-filled sandwich cookies, and threw it at her.

Ma Guilan hugged it to herself, overjoyed.

”Ningning,” Song Youxuan said, quickly standing up. ”Why did you give her so much? She only gave us a tiny pack back then, with just two small cookies inside.”

The large bag Ningning had thrown must have weighed at least three or four hundred grams.

”It’s fine, Auntie.” Xie Ning shot her a reassuring look, then turned to Ma Guilan, her gaze cold. ”Can you scram now?”

Ma Guilan’s eyes darted back and forth. ”You think you can get rid of me with just one bag of cookies? Not a chance. You have to give me at least two more bottles of water.”

Xie Ning’s lips curled into a smirk. She pulled a 570ml stand-up pouch of superpower water from her satchel. ”There’s only one bag. Take it and scram immediately. Bargain again, and you get nothing.”

”Okay, okay, okay, deal!” Ma Guilan hastily reached out for it.

But Xie Ning didn’t want to touch the old woman in the slightest, so she just let go.

Seeing the pouch of water falling toward the ground, Ma Guilan lunged forward like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey and caught it securely, a flash of resentful anger in her eyes.

”Scram,” Song Shijun roared at her in frustration, not wanting to even look at the woman anymore.

”Auntie, hurry up and pack your things. Come home with us. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma are all at home waiting for you.”

But Song Youxuan glanced at Zhu Nanxing with a troubled expression.

The little boy was sitting beside her with a nervous look on his face, his eyes gazing at her with a hint of anxiety.

”Don’t be afraid, Nanxing. Auntie won’t leave you here all by yourself.”

”Ningning, if it wasn’t for Mr. Nanxing helping us along the way, we would have died countless times over.” Song Youxuan’s gaze was firm. ”You guys take Yueyue back first. I’ll wait here for Mr. Nanxing to return.”

”Zhu Yong?”

Song Youxuan nodded. ”Master Zhu has helped my daughter and me so much. I can’t just leave like this and abandon his son here alone.”

Xie Ning, being understanding, nodded. ”Then I’ll wait here with you, Auntie. Around what time does Master Zhu usually get back?”

”He worked the night shift yesterday, so he should be back around six in the morning.”

Xie Ning grunted in acknowledgment.

”Annelina, stop making a scene!” The girl’s mother was loudly scolding the child with the princess complex, her gaze darting toward them from time to time.

Xie Ning pretended not to notice and walked over to Yueyue, squatting down beside her.

Before she could say a word, the tent flap was rudely thrown open again.

This time, four or five burly, barrel-chested men barged in.

The one in the lead had a pipe dangling from his mouth and an arm around two scantily clad beauties. He spoke with a mumble as he flirted with them, ”Yo, it’s quite lively in here.”

”Brother Biao, that’s her.” A short, skinny man with sparse, dry, yellow hair who followed behind him cast a malicious glance at Xie Ning.

”Ooh, a rare little beauty!” Sang Biao immediately pushed the two women beside him away, took the pipe from his mouth, and spread his arms in an extravagant gesture, bursting into laughter.

”Come, little beauty, come to Big Brother’s embrace! Big Brother will definitely dote on you and love you, hahaha.”

”Ningning.” Song Youxuan’s face turned pale. She started to rush forward to block her niece, but Shijun grabbed her with one hand.

”Don’t worry, Auntie.” Song Shijun let out a cold laugh. ”Let’s see how he dies.”