Can I?
The existing supplies within the base, for the time being, would not be outrageously expensive. All food was calculated by jin1. Vegetables, rice, and beans were two crystal cores per jin, seafood, chicken, duck, and the like were four crystal cores per jin, and melons and fruits were three crystal cores per jin.
As the weather grew colder and colder, the price of meat and seafood dropped to three crystal cores. Many people scrambled to be the first to exchange for supplies. Su Wenwen and Chen Zixuan queued up in front of the supply hall. When it was Su Wenwen’s turn to exchange for supplies, she found out that the amount of supplies each person could exchange for daily was limited. If one were to open a restaurant, they would also have to register, to prevent people from hoarding goods and then jacking up the prices.
Su Wenwen hadn’t thought of this point, but it was reasonable. She didn’t dwell on it too much, exchanged for the things she wanted, and tossed them into her spatial backpack.
She checked the existing resources in her backpack. There were still several barrels of gasoline lying in a corner. The supplies were almost depleted; only a little water, dried meat, instant noodles, hard-boiled eggs, bread, and fruit remained.
If they encountered any emergency, these few things wouldn’t last for many days. She had to find a way to go out again and get more supplies.
Su Wenwen and Chen Zixuan started for home, but just halfway there, Chen Zixuan suddenly patted Su Wenwen’s shoulder and pointed to Luo Xi and Aoge, who were sitting in a restaurant not far away.
The two sat opposite each other, a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The man’s eyes were full of affection, while the woman was nonchalant, causing many diners in the establishment to glance sideways at them.
Su Wenwen frowned, not understanding what reason Aoge could still have to make Luo Xi meet with him. Feeling a little uneasy in her heart, she activated her five senses to probe their conversation.
Their conversation was quite serious. It was roughly about Aoge having sent people to tail the butler, and besides Old Master Luo, they hadn’t discovered the butler being in close contact with anyone else. But just a few days ago, the day before Su Wenwen went out on her mission, the butler had met with that water-type ability user who tried to assassinate her.
But given the butler’s status and his relationship with the Luo family, there was no reason for him to target Su Wenwen. Naturally, it must have been an order from the person behind the butler. But the strange thing was, Aoge didn’t know how the butler contacted the black hand behind the scenes2. If they could find out the method, they could probably catch the real murderer who killed Father Luo.
Hearing this, Su Wenwen retracted her five senses and said to Chen Zixuan, “Let’s go, we’re heading back.”
“Not going to say hello?”
Su Wenwen shook her head. She wasn’t the type of person to make a scene without reason. Since Luo Xi was discussing serious business with Aoge, there was really no need for her to disturb them.
Just after the two of them left, Luo Xi’s gaze caught a glimpse of Su Wenwen’s back. She had just stood up when Aoge said with a smile, “How heartless. Are you going to ignore me after extracting my intelligence?”
“I didn’t force you to say it.”
Aoge’s face fell, his handsome brows drooping, like an aggrieved husky. “When you say that, it hurts my feelings. You can clearly see that I like you.”
Luo Xi smiled at Aoge, but this smile wasn’t warm at all. It was like the coming twelfth lunar month of winter3, making one shiver from the cold. “So you are well aware that I am using you, and you know what kind of person I am, don’t you?”
Aoge stared blankly at Luo Xi’s eyes, which held not a trace of superfluous emotion. It was completely at odds with the charming beauty mark at the corner of her eye, creating a unique kind of beauty and allure that captivated the mind, making one willing to devote themselves to her, even knowing they were being used.
Aoge sighed. For some reason, he thought of Su Wenwen. He had no idea what it would feel like to be gazed at affectionately by those eyes. The mere thought of it made him mad with jealousy.
These past few days, he had been trying hard to build a persona, attempting to find a version of himself that Luo Xi would like. Who knew that Luo Xi was completely oil and salt-proof4. He couldn’t possibly pretend to be like Su Wenwen, could he?
Aoge shivered and quickly shook his head, saying, “Forget it, let’s not talk about this. In two days, it’s your younger male cousin’s twentieth birthday. Your grandfather wants to hold a birthday banquet for him. Because of the apocalypse, it can’t be a grand affair, so only a few select people have been invited, including our Aoge family. Has your grandfather mentioned this to you?”
“No, but since it’s my cousin’s birthday, as his older female cousin, I should go back and offer my congratulations.” Luo Xi let out a laugh. She hadn’t forgotten about Su Wenwen being secretly plotted against. She looked at Aoge with a slightly cold expression in her eyes, “When the time comes, I hope your Aoge family will act as the melon-eating masses5 and, when necessary, condemn both in speech and in writing6.”
Aoge couldn’t help but shiver. Since it was a request from his goddess, he quickly replied with a smile, “No problem.”
After clarifying the matter, Luo Xi went straight back home. The moment she opened the door, her eyes couldn’t help but search for Su Wenwen’s figure.
Su Wenwen was sitting quietly on the sofa, looking like a well-behaved and sensible child watching the door forlornly, waiting for a family member to come in to show a smile and say a sentence: “You’re back.”
“Why are you back so early today?”
Luo Xi was slightly moved. She sat down beside Su Wenwen, took her hand, and moved her lips, “You… did you see me and Aoge at the restaurant today?”
Su Wenwen nodded, “En, I saw you.”
“You’re not angry, not jealous?” Luo Xi’s gaze held a hint of scrutiny, making it seem a bit direct, dazzlingly bright.
Su Wenwen was only stared at for a few seconds before her cheeks flushed red. She stammered, “I’m not a child. I know you had a purpose for meeting Aoge. You have your own things to attend to, there’s no need for me to eat flying vinegar7.”
Hearing this, Luo Xi was momentarily dazed. Then she lowered her head and said, “Wenwen, in front of me, you don’t have to be so sensible8. I hope you can be like a child and act spoiled with me, make a fuss when you’re jealous. That’s how I’ll know I’m in your heart.”
Su Wenwen was stunned. Her personality was just like that; she would self-regulate her bad moods and try her best not to cause trouble for others. Back then, when Helian Yun could go half a month or even a full month without contacting her, she wouldn’t make a fuss with Helian Yun or lose her temper. She would only deliberate for a long time and then send some innocuous greetings, messages telling Helian Yun to take care of her health, and so on.
Arguing with her parents seemed to be the only time Su Wenwen had ever thrown a tantrum. In fact, she didn’t take those arguments seriously at the time, because she knew very well that her parents loved her and could tolerate all her shortcomings. But when facing someone she liked, she would subconsciously pretend to be well-behaved and sensible. After all, a lover is not a family member; they can always part ways over all sorts of chicken feathers and garlic skins9.
Su Wenwen really liked Luo Xi very much, and what’s more, she was two years older than Luo Xi, so she was too embarrassed to act childishly and make a scene. But now, thinking back on it, wouldn’t being too calm and self-possessed also make a lover feel that she was indifferent?
Su Wenwen moved her lips and said shyly, “Actually, when I saw you and Aoge sitting together, a talented man and a beautiful woman, I did feel a bit uncomfortable in my heart. I can also see that Aoge likes you. When you see him in the future, can you take me with you?”
Even when Su Wenwen showed her jealousy, she was still so sensible it made one’s heart ache. Luo Xi didn’t reply. At this moment, she only wanted to embrace the person before her, to kiss and comfort her, to sink into oblivion together with her, and not think about those troublesome matters.
This kiss was extremely gentle.
Luo Xi’s eyes were filled with tenderness, her slightly flushed cheeks giving her a charming appearance that was as tempting as a delicious meal10, stirring up layers upon layers of desire in Su Wenwen’s heart.
Although it was bitterly cold, it was still so hot they couldn’t breathe. Their mouths were dry, and they continuously took in the fragrance from each other’s mouths, but it was always like trying to put out a cart of burning firewood with a cup of water11. This continued until a thin layer of sweat appeared like glistening dew on the tip of Su Wenwen’s small nose, tempting Luo Xi to raise her head and kiss it lightly, her tongue curling out to lick it all clean.
This small action made Su Wenwen’s whole body go limp and soft. She found herself lying on the sofa, panting continuously. Even the air she breathed into her lungs seemed as if it was about to catch fire, scaldingly uncomfortable.
At this moment, Luo Xi sensed something. She stopped her movements, propped herself up slightly, and looked at Su Wenwen, whose eyes were misty, asking in a hoarse voice, “Wenwen, can I?”
They were both adults. Su Wenwen knew what this question represented. Precisely because of this, she became even shyer. Her whole person was like a steamed shrimp, and she let out an almost imperceptible “en.”
Although the sound was very faint, Luo Xi’s sharp spiritual power captured it. Immediately after, ripples spread through her heart. She lowered her head to hold the tempting red lips and began an ultimate, lingering intimacy. Her slender, soft hand traveled downwards. Just as it cupped the roundness, an inopportune knock on the door rang out. All desire was startled away, retreating into a bottomless ocean, making it difficult to stir up a new wave.
“Su Wenwen, lunch is here, open the door.” Chen Zixuan didn’t know what was happening inside. She was just following the mission requirements given by the commander-in-chief; besides protecting Su Wenwen, she was also responsible for the door-to-door delivery service of three meals a day.
Chen Zixuan waited for a while. When no one opened the door, she immediately grew anxious. She had seen Su Wenwen go in, and thought something might have happened to her, so she quickly knocked hard on the door a few more times.
This time, the main door opened quickly.
The smile on Chen Zixuan’s face instantly froze. She shivered under Luo Xi’s chilling gaze, not even realizing the bag in her hand had been taken. It wasn’t until the door closed that she came back to her senses, patting her chest in lingering fear and muttering to herself, “Only Su Wenwen would think you’re gentle.”
In Chen Zixuan’s eyes, Luo Xi was a great demon with two horns. She didn’t have to do anything but stand there, her whole body naturally emitting a cold aura, no air conditioning needed. That pair of eyes was like Dark Tiga’s12, the laser beams they shot out could make people submit and become her slaves.
Chen Zixuan rubbed her stomach. The bag had just contained two lunches, and she hadn’t eaten yet. She had originally planned to eat with Su Wenwen. It seemed she would have to fork out her own crystal cores for lunch today. How tragic.
Luo Xi placed the food on the table and called for Su Wenwen to eat. Su Wenwen, who had just been kissed until her whole body felt sticky and uncomfortable, could only get up and sit at the table. Looking at the steamed fish and shrimp in the lunchbox, she didn’t have much of an appetite. It was as if she were full, yet not full—stuck in between, which was very uncomfortable.
But she was thin-skinned and didn’t want Luo Xi to notice anything unusual, so she quickly picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
Luo Xi pursed her lips and also began to eat. When they were about done eating, she finally raised her head and said, “Wenwen, in two days, come back to the main family home with me, okay?”
The main family home was where Old Master Luo currently lived. Su Wenwen didn’t ask why, and obediently nodded her head.
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