Chapter 46: Would this... feel better?

[46]46: 'Would this... feel better?'

Xie Li sighed. 'Alright, to be honest, I'm not afraid of working under the table. What I'm most worried about is that after we go back, you might grow distant from me again.'

'I won't. I won't grow distant from you.' Jin Zhaoye turned her head to look at her seriously. 'Xie Li, give me a little more time. Let me sort out all those things first, okay?'

'Okay.'

Xie Li had no reason to refuse. As long as Jin Zhaoye wanted to be with her, she could wait as long as it took.

The two chatted idly, and before long, Xie Li started to feel drowsy. She leaned back against the seat and fell asleep.

The truck rolled along the national highway. When they passed through a village, the vehicle suddenly lurched downward, jolting violently and swerving out of control.

Xie Li and Lan Ran smacked their heads against the windshield and woke up.

'What's wrong? What happened?' Lan Ran asked in panic.

'Blowout.' Jin Zhaoye gripped the steering wheel and tapped the brakes. The truck skidded a short distance before the front bumper hit the guardrail and stopped.

Rubbing her aching forehead, Xie Li instinctively extended her psychic power and spotted nails scattered across the road.

She lowered her voice. 'It's not a blowout. Someone spread nails on the road. Be careful — there might be an ambush.'

Jin Zhaoye shifted her gaze, scanning the surroundings through the window.

On one side of the road were dense bushes and woods, branches tangled, shadows thick. On the other side lay abandoned farmland and a few self-built houses.

They stayed in the car without moving for a while. The ambushers grew impatient.

A group of people crept out from the bushes, hunched over, and quietly surrounded the truck. Two of them slipped up to the vehicle and reached for the door handles.

The moment they got close, Lan Ran and Jin Zhaoye kicked the doors open simultaneously. The two people leaning against them were sent flying.

Xie Li gripped her pistol, leaned out over Jin Zhaoye's thigh, aimed upward, and fired a warning shot.

The gunfire startled countless birds from the woods. The people closing in scattered instantly, diving for the nearest cover.

The three of them got out of the truck, using the front as cover, and faced the crowd from across the vehicle.

'We mean no harm.' A female Alpha stepped out from the crowd.

She looked to be in her thirties, with features that weren't particularly striking but had a gentle, kind quality. She wore a black tank top, revealing healthy wheat-colored skin and strong, solid arms.

The female Alpha held her gun, muzzle pointed up, and walked step by step toward the three.

Xie Li leaned half her body out from behind the truck hood, eyeing the woman coldly. 'No harm? You spread nails on the road, surrounded passersby with weapons, and you call that no harm?'

'If I put a bullet in you and then said no harm, would you believe me?'

Xie Li's fiery words made the atmosphere instantly tense.

The female Alpha stopped in her tracks. After a moment of silence, she holstered her gun and pulled a steel pipe from her waist, tossing it to the ground.

She raised her hands and slowly turned in a full circle in front of the three, showing she was unarmed.

'We really mean no harm. We just wanted to hitch a ride. You're heading to Dapan Mountain Base, right?' the female Alpha asked in a low voice.

Jin Zhaoye patted Xie Li's hand that held the gun. Xie Li obediently lowered it.

The three stepped out from behind the truck hood. The female Alpha waved her hand behind her.

A rustling sound came from the woods, and more figures emerged from behind the bushes.

Xie Li had only seen a few young people surrounding them earlier and thought that was all. She hadn't expected more — nearly twenty people in total, mostly elderly and children.

The female Alpha pointed at her teammates behind her and gave a bitter smile. 'We really just wanted a ride. Cars passed by on the road before, but none would stop. We had no choice but to spread nails on the road.'

Xie Li scanned the crowd. The group was all old, weak, sick, and disabled, each one gaunt and yellowed from hunger. They clearly weren't doing well.

'The tire's busted. How are you going to hitch a ride now?' Jin Zhaoye asked the female Alpha.

The woman's dark face squeezed out a simple smile. She rubbed her hands together sheepishly. 'I used to run an auto repair shop. I know how to fix cars and patch tires. If you're willing to take us along, I can help fix the tire.'

Xie Li silently pursed her lips. This woman looked honest with her thick brows and big eyes, but she was quite shrewd.

On the surface, she offered to fix the tire, but the subtext was clear: if you don't take us, no one fixes the tire.

A retreat disguised as an advance, turning a plea into a partnership.

'Fine.'

Jin Zhaoye agreed. 'Fix the tire, and you can follow us. But there are conditions.'

The female Alpha's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. 'Name them.'

'First, follow orders on the road. Second, follow orders. Third, follow orders.'

Jin Zhaoye's core message was simple: obey.

This group seemed harmless for now, but in the apocalypse, hearts were unpredictable. She wouldn't trust them completely.

Most importantly, these people weren't exactly saints. Spreading nails on the road could easily cause a fatal crash.

'No problem. We promise not to cause you any trouble.' The female Alpha turned and shouted to the crowd behind her. 'You all heard that, right? Follow orders on the road. No running around or causing trouble. Anyone who stirs up trouble, don't blame me for leaving them behind.'

The people behind her responded weakly.

'Alright, let's get the tire fixed quickly.' Xie Li urged softly. 'It'll be dark soon.'

Without another word, the female Alpha turned and dragged a toolbox out from the bushes. She opened it to reveal wrenches, a jack, tire patches — everything needed.

She used the jack to lift the truck and got to work efficiently. A few young people nearby helped, handing her tools and assisting.

Xie Li leaned against the truck hood, arms crossed, watching them work.

Among the group, an elderly woman with graying hair walked toward Xie Li.

She held a little girl in her arms, about four or five years old, thin as a cat, with only a pair of timid eyes visible.

The old woman stopped in front of Xie Li, caught her breath, and said hoarsely, 'Please don't blame Captain Fang. She went through a lot to get us out of the county town. No one else was willing to take us old folks along. Only she was.'

'We have no food left. A bunch of old people can't walk fast on empty stomachs. She was forced into it, spreading nails on the road. It was all to help us survive.'

'This world... it doesn't let people live...'

Xie Li lowered her gaze, looking at the old woman's wrinkled face and the little girl's gaunt cheeks. She nodded.

Her voice softened. 'I understand. I don't blame you. Don't worry.'

The old woman let out a couple of sounds, as if she wanted to say more, but didn't. She turned and shuffled back, still holding the little girl.

The tire was patched quickly. In less than half an hour, Captain Fang crawled out from under the truck.

She brushed the dust off her hands, grinned at Xie Li and the others, revealing a row of neat white teeth. 'All done. It'll run another few hundred kilometers no problem.'

Jin Zhaoye crouched down to inspect the tire. 'You'll have to ride in the truck bed. No room up front.'

Captain Fang packed up her toolbox and chuckled. 'No problem. Any place to sit is fine. We're not picky.'

'Xie Li, Lan Ran, get in.' Jin Zhaoye called to them, opened the driver's door, and climbed in.

Xie Li and Lan Ran walked to the front, opened the doors, but before they could get in, the engine coughed a few times and died.

They tried several times, but the truck wouldn't start. Jin Zhaoye had to get out, looking helpless. 'The truck's broken. Won't start.'

'Let me take a look.' Captain Fang carried her toolbox over, lifted the hood, and leaned halfway in. She tapped here, tightened there, her movements practiced. Time ticked by, but the hood never closed.

The sky gradually darkened. The sun sank behind the mountains, and the orange on the horizon was slowly swallowed by darkness. The distant woods shifted from green to pitch black.

Stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no village ahead or inn behind, and pitch black all around, everyone started to feel uneasy.

If a horde of zombies stumbled upon them in the dark and took a bite, they'd all be in deep trouble.

Captain Fang fiddled for a while, then straightened up and lowered the hood. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at them apologetically. 'It's a bit tricky. We probably can't leave tonight. How about you come with us to the village to rest for the night? I'll come back early tomorrow to fix the truck.'

Xie Li didn't answer. She looked at Jin Zhaoye, waiting for her decision.

Jin Zhaoye's gaze fell on the dark houses in the distance. She nodded. 'Lead the way.'

Before it got completely dark, the group made their way off the national highway in the dim light.

The road beneath them was bumpy and uneven. Xie Li walked ahead of Jin Zhaoye, her psychic power half-activated, always on alert.

When they reached the houses, Captain Fang, who was leading the way, stopped and turned back to look at them. 'We stayed here before. The houses are livable, but there's no food.'

She wiped the sweat from her forehead, her voice full of apology. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break your truck. I'll definitely fix it tomorrow. Oh, and my name is Fang Mai.'

'Xie Li.' Xie Li spoke before Jin Zhaoye could, reaching out to shake Fang Mai's hand.

Stinky Alpha, all sweaty. No way she was letting her touch her girlfriend's hand.

Fang Mai didn't catch Xie Li's little scheme. She just thought this hot-tempered young person had suddenly become much friendlier.

She smiled warmly and pointed at a two-story building ahead. 'This house is for you. We'll stay next door. There are no zombies inside — we've cleared them all out.'

Xie Li hummed in acknowledgment and entered the yard with Jin Zhaoye and Lan Ran.

Even though Fang Mai said it was cleared, Xie Li and Jin Zhaoye didn't let their guard down.

After entering the house, the three thoroughly checked every floor, confirming the surroundings were safe. Then they went to the kitchen.

The kitchen was small. On the stove sat a gas burner, with a gas canister beside it.

Jin Zhaoye twisted the knob to test it. It lit.

Xie Li dropped her backpack and crouched down to pull things out. 'Let's have something simple for dinner. Instant noodles with sausages, and two cans of beef. That work?'

'Why not?' Lan Ran set Xiaobao on the ground and quickly went to the backyard to fetch water from the well. Jin Zhaoye picked up the iron pot from the stove and scrubbed it.

The three worked together and soon had dinner ready.

The house was stifling hot, and the freshly cooked noodles were steaming too. They were all used to eating outdoors, so they took their bowls to the front steps, sat down, and slurped noodles under the moon and stars.

Xiaobao held her little bowl, squatting by Lan Ran's feet, her cheeks stuffed full.

Between mouthfuls, she mumbled, 'I like following Sister Ranran. I get to eat instant noodles every day. Instant noodles are so yummy.'

Children didn't know sorrow. They didn't understand why their mom and grandma were gone, or why instant noodles tasted so good when their mom and grandma used to forbid them.

Whoever gave her instant noodles and candy, she liked them.

Jin Zhaoye paused her chopsticks mid-slurp. Thinking of the elderly and children next door, her heart softened.

She turned to Xie Li. 'How much supplies are left in the backpack?'

Xie Li was sweating from the heat, eating messily. She answered vaguely, 'Plenty. More than enough for us. Don't worry.'

The backpack with supplies was always carried by Xie Li, so she could easily stash things in it. Lan Ran was easygoing — as long as she had food, she never questioned why the backpack never ran out.

Sometimes Xie Li thought Lan Ran was the easiest person to fool. But then again, maybe it wasn't gullibility. Maybe it was trust. She never asked too many questions, and if she noticed anything off, she pretended not to see.

'Send some over to Fang Mai and her group,' Jin Zhaoye said.

'Okay.' Xie Li agreed, wolfed down the rest of her noodles in a few bites, and even drank all the soup.

She set down her bowl, stood up, went back to the main room, slung the backpack over her shoulder, and strode out.

Instant noodles — anyone who's eaten them knows they're just okay, but the smell carries for miles.

The people in the neighboring houses all caught the scent.

The children in Fang Mai's group pressed against the windows, drooling, staring longingly in the direction of the aroma.

A little girl with pigtails tugged at Fang Mai's shirt, looking up. 'Captain Fang, I want to eat too.'

Fang Mai stood by the stove, boiling plain water with a few vegetable leaves floating on top. She put down the ladle and patted the child's head. 'Hold on a little longer. By this time tomorrow, we'll reach the military base. Then we'll eat not just instant noodles, but rice with braised pork.'

The little girl's mouth watered at the image, her eyes sparkling as she nodded vigorously.

A few children quickly gathered, debating whether rice with braised pork or instant noodles was better.

Xie Li stood outside the door, listening to the children's chatter inside. Her heart felt heavy.

She raised her hand and knocked. The yard gate opened. The old woman who answered saw it was someone from next door and called back inside, 'Captain Fang, someone's here.'

Fang Mai quickly came to the door. Seeing Xie Li, she was clearly surprised. 'Xie Li, is something wrong?'

'Nothing. Just bringing you some food.' Xie Li unzipped her backpack, crouched down, and started pulling things out.

Ten packs of instant noodles, two rolls of dried noodles, two packs of sausages, a small five-pound bag of rice, and three cans of beef — she laid them all out on the steps.

After taking them out, her backpack deflated.

Xie Li slung the empty backpack over her shoulder. 'Go make some food. Eat your fill tonight so you have the energy to fix the truck tomorrow.'

Fang Mai stared at the supplies, frozen for a long moment.

'Thank you. Thank you all.' Her voice was much hoarser than before, choked with emotion. 'I knew you were good people. The moment you fired that shot, I knew.'

Xie Li felt uncomfortable at her words. She waved a hand, her tone gruff. 'Don't get all sentimental. You're a tough-looking sister — I don't want to have to comfort you.'

Fang Mai hugged the supplies, watching Xie Li's figure disappear into the night.

After a long while, she pulled up the corners of her mouth and let out a relieved laugh. How wonderful. To be given a hand when you're at the end of your rope — how wonderful it felt.

Xie Li returned to their yard, plopped down next to Jin Zhaoye, hugged the empty backpack to her chest, and casually stuffed some more supplies back into it.

'All delivered. Fang Mai almost cried from gratitude.'

'Good job.' Jin Zhaoye praised with a smile. 'Full? There's still some noodles left in the pot.'

'I'll get it.' Xie Li hurried into the kitchen, brought the whole pot out, and finished it off in a few bites.

Kids raised in orphanages never wasted food.

Xie Li sat with Jin Zhaoye at the yard entrance for a while. Lan Ran came out from the backyard after her shower.

She called to them, 'Go wash up. I'm taking Xiaobao upstairs to bed.'

'Okay, go ahead.'

Xie Li waved at her, stood up, and went into the backyard with Jin Zhaoye. They each took a cold shower, then went upstairs to rest, still damp with moisture.

They closed the door. The window was half-open, and the night breeze blew in, bringing a hint of coolness.

Xie Li and Jin Zhaoye sat by the window, holding hands, watching the moonlight outside, waiting for their hair to dry.

Jin Zhaoye touched Xie Li's fingers, rubbing her thumb along the edge of her nails. 'Your nails are a bit long.'

'Huh? Are they?' Xie Li looked down at her hand. She never kept long nails. They had just grown out a little, not really long.

But if they were going to do something, then yes, they were a bit long.

'Did you bring nail clippers?' Jin Zhaoye asked, holding her hand.

'Yes.' Xie Li casually pulled a nail kit out of her space. It had clippers, a file, an ear pick — everything.

'Shine a light for me.' Jin Zhaoye took out the clippers without looking up.

Xie Li used her free hand to hold a flashlight, aiming it at her own fingers.

Jin Zhaoye lowered her head, took Xie Li's hand, and began trimming her nails.

Neither spoke. The room was filled only with the click of the clippers. Jin Zhaoye worked carefully, never cutting too short, leaving a little, then using the file to slowly smooth the edges, rounding off any sharp corners until they were sleek.

Xie Li's hand matched her — slender, fair, with distinct knuckles. A few prominent veins on the back of her hand snaked down to her forearm, looking very sexy.

Jin Zhaoye rubbed her thumb over Xie Li's fingertip. It felt a bit rough, like calluses. 'Didn't you have these before?'

'Hmm?' Xie Li's tone was puzzled. She hadn't caught on yet.

'When we first met, your fingertips didn't have...'

Jin Zhaoye's voice dropped mid-sentence. Back then, Xie Li's palms were very clean, smooth and soft. Her fingertips had a kind of innocent tenderness, feeling silky against the skin.

Remembering those moments, she felt inexplicably shy.

Xie Li hadn't been thinking along those lines, but she noticed the faint blush creeping up Jin Zhaoye's ears.

A smile curved at the corners of her mouth. She tilted her head and leaned in close. 'Probably from holding a blade every day lately, cutting down zombies.'

Xie Li gathered Jin Zhaoye's hand in her own, deliberately rubbing the thin calluses on her fingertips against Jin Zhaoye's palm, hinting at something. 'Would this... feel better?'

'Stop it.' Jin Zhaoye slapped her hand away. The red on her ears hadn't faded, but her expression had already returned to calm.

She picked up Xie Li's other hand and continued trimming.

The flashlight cast their shadows on the wall. Xie Li looked at the two figures leaning together and asked softly, 'Have you ever trimmed someone else's nails before?'

'No.' Jin Zhaoye looked up, her tone amused. 'Do I look that idle? Idle enough to have time to trim someone's nails?'

Xie Li shook her head, her gaze fixed on Jin Zhaoye's face, describing the image she had of her.

'Dr. Jin looks so elite. I feel like you must be the type to wear a sharp suit, wake up at seven every morning, exercise for an hour, eat breakfast at eight, then go to the institute, expressionlessly drink a pour-over coffee made by your assistant, start your workday, and after work, curl up at home alone reading and listening to music, occasionally sipping some red wine.'

She said it very seriously, as if she could already picture the scene.

Jin Zhaoye let go of her hand and put the used tools back into the box one by one.

'You're right. My life before was that boring. Okay, go get some water and wash your hands.'

Xie Li reached her hand out the window. Clear water flowed from her palm. She rubbed her hands together, strictly following the seven-step handwashing method, and cleaned both hands thoroughly.

'That's not boring.' She sat back down and pulled Jin Zhaoye into her arms. 'You're the kind of person I always wanted to become. Whether it's Dr. Jin swinging a blade at zombies or the elite Dr. Jin, I've always admired you.'

Jin Zhaoye leaned into her embrace and said softly, 'Your mouth is so sweet? Did you steal some of Xiaobao's candy?'

'I'm sweet without needing candy.'

Xie Li lowered her head and kissed her lips.

She brushed her lips gently against Jin Zhaoye's, not rushing to conquer, like savoring a ripe fruit, reluctant to swallow it whole, only willing to taste its sweetness with the tip of her tongue.

Jin Zhaoye tilted her head back, her arm wrapping around Xie Li's neck, her fingers threading through Xie Li's still-damp hair.

She parted her lips first, extended her tongue, and tentatively touched the seam of Xie Li's lips.

Xie Li immediately responded, parting her lips. Their soft tongues intertwined, like two fish playing and chasing each other, sometimes pursuing, sometimes tangling, impossible to tell who was leading whom.

'Peach flavor,' Xie Li murmured against Jin Zhaoye's lips, her voice husky, sexy, and alluring.

'Yours too.' Jin Zhaoye caught Xie Li's tongue between her teeth and bit down lightly on the soft tip.

Xie Li let out a soft hiss. A slight sting on her tongue was followed by a numbing tingle like an electric current, spreading from that point through her entire body.

She returned the favor, biting Jin Zhaoye's tongue lightly.

A very soft sigh escaped Jin Zhaoye's throat. Her waist went limp, and she curled into Xie Li's arms.

'Let's go to bed.' Xie Li's hand on Jin Zhaoye's waist tightened slightly, her palm following the curve below her waist, lifting her up and quickly walking to the bedside.

The bed was already covered with disposable sheets. They fell together onto the mattress, the wooden bed creaking softly.

'Xie Li...' Jin Zhaoye wrapped her arms around Xie Li's neck and called out in a low voice, a hint of warning in her tone.

But her fingertips landed on the gland at the back of Xie Li's neck, sliding lightly, making Xie Li tremble.

'It's fine.' Xie Li lowered her head, pressing her lips to Jin Zhaoye's neck in gentle kisses. 'Lan Ran can't hear us. She's definitely asleep.'

Jin Zhaoye's hand on Xie Li's shoulder curled up, her breathing quickening.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, covering the entire bed in silver-white light.

It fell on their bodies, making every inch of skin glow with a soft halo.

The curtains swayed gently in the night breeze, the shadows flickering with them. Everything in the room seemed to sink into a beautiful, hazy dream, blurring the line between reality and fantasy.

The creaking wooden bed, mixed with soft gasps, pulled them back to reality.

The night was as dark as ink. The spring in the countryside cottage was thick and rich. Their duel didn't stop until the sky began to lighten on the horizon.