Chapter Forty-Seven: The Younger Lover
Since she was heading out, Jiang Huan entrusted her brother’s meals for the day to Liu Ling. She brought down rice, frozen dumplings, and noodles ahead of time, explaining that she probably wouldn’t make it back for lunch or dinner, so her brother and Gao Qiang should both eat at Liu Ling’s place. “Gao Qiang eats for two, so just make sure there’s plenty,” she said.
Liu Ling readily agreed, and Jiang Huan promised to bring her a few fish when she returned, which made Liu Ling overjoyed.
When it was time to depart, Jiang Huan noticed that quite a few people had assembled this time. Wu Gang explained, “A couple of days ago, someone found a human finger bone in the trash. After an investigation, it turned out a woman had gone missing. The man she lived with had eaten her.”
The first person to discover the finger bone had been forced to scavenge for food when supplies ran out. By chance, he caught the man furtively dumping a large bag, and, seeing human hair and bones, realized something was wrong and went to Wu Gang.
“Tsk.” Jiang Huan understood then—people had finally abandoned all hope for a miracle; they had accepted this disaster as the end of the world and knew they must rely on themselves. That was why everyone was so eager to go out for supplies, and the turnout had increased.
She boarded the yellow school bus and took a seat next to a teenage boy. Scanning the interior, she saw that most of the passengers were survivors from the neighborhood. It made sense; previously, the bus had mostly carried students to tutoring classes.
At the very back sat Liu Xiuguo, whom she had met once before, with Chunmei leaning close beside him. The two conversed with an intimacy that suggested they were a couple.
Chunmei was clearly older than Liu Xiuguo, and the contrast between them was obvious. She’d even put on lipstick. Jiang Huan’s gaze swept over them without lingering.
But as the bus started moving, Chunmei came over, gripping the pole near Jiang Huan. “Could you move in a little? I can’t sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit with you,” Jiang Huan replied, unmoved. “The bus is big enough, and seats were already assigned before we boarded. There’s no reason for you to insist on sitting here.”
“You…” Chunmei took a deep breath, glancing back before leaning in to speak quietly. “Don’t be so petty. I know we had some unpleasantness before, but now we’re all survivors from the same neighborhood. Fate put us together—why make things awkward?”
Jiang Huan reclined against her seat, staring straight ahead, a picture of stubborn indifference.
Chunmei gritted her teeth. “Whether you believe me or not, I just wanted to have a proper talk and apologize for my previous immaturity.”
Jiang Huan remained unmoved.
The boy beside her, however, looked at them with curiosity. “How about I sit with the coach and let you take my spot?”
“Oh, thank you, kid.”
“Here, have this. Sit down and don’t move,” Jiang Huan said, handing him two lollipops from her pocket. The boy promptly plopped down, practically glued to the spot. “Actually, I prefer sitting here—the light’s better.”
He put the candy in his pocket and gazed out at the snowy landscape.
Jiang Huan took the opportunity to remind him, “Don’t stare at the white for too long—protect your eyes.”
“Got it. I’ll rest my eyes now,” the boy replied, quick-witted.
Snubbed so directly, Chunmei wanted to back down but was irritated by Jiang Huan’s attitude. She stiffly muttered, “Well, I apologized anyway,” and walked off.
Jiang Huan’s impression of Chunmei was poor, but her thoughts went deeper than that. Chunmei’s attempt at making amends was clearly insincere—more like she was compelled by something. But if even Wu Gang, the neighborhood’s de facto leader, couldn’t force her to apologize, why had she suddenly changed after getting involved with a much younger lover?