Chapter Sixty-Two: The Kiss

Chapter Sixty-Two

Mo Chen’s storage space contained a great many things, including the shelling machine and other equipment taken from the farm earlier; all of it was kept with him. Although there were quite a few people in the Ye family, organizing all these supplies still took a considerable amount of time.

Mei sat idly on the floor, watching everyone else bustling about, half her eyes closed as if she could fall asleep at any moment. Seeing her in such a state, An Ziyou recalled that she’d faced a similar problem a few days ago and said, "Why don’t you lean on me and rest for a while? I’ll wake you when they’re done."

"Oh? All right!" Mei was momentarily surprised by his offer, but made no fuss, leaning directly into his embrace.

Knowing she liked the sound of his voice, An Ziyou softly hummed a slow ballad in her ear. Soon, he heard her breathing even out—she had fallen asleep in his arms.

He gently held her, trying to make her rest a bit more comfortably. But the moment he shifted, Mei’s eyelids fluttered, as though she would wake at once. He quickly stilled, softly patting her back until she slipped back into deeper sleep.

Looking at the tired little face nestled against him, An Ziyou couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. Such a lovely and beautiful girl had endured hardships far beyond what most could bear. Compared to her suffering, his past seemed almost trivial.

He had once thought himself unfortunate—born into a happy family, only to have it ripped away by a cruel accident. His relatives seized the family’s wealth, and he had to start as an unknown bar singer, working his way up until a talent scout noticed him and signed him as a contracted singer. Along the way, he encountered all sorts of people and suffered much ridicule and humiliation for his looks. Even when he became famous, people still accused him of rising through shady deals, claiming he’d only succeeded by selling his looks. In the chaotic world of entertainment, who would believe anyone’s innocence? Even his own agent believed he must have had someone supporting him behind the scenes to rise so quickly.

He studied hard and constantly improved himself until he finally became a superstar, and only then did the whispers and insinuations begin to fade. He thought life would finally be better, but then the apocalypse struck. With zombies roaming the streets, he was no longer a star drawing everyone’s attention; no one cared for him, and everyone fought desperately for their own survival. He wanted to live, and once again, he could only rely on himself.

Yet he never imagined fate would play such a cruel joke. He awakened to supernatural abilities and could vaguely sense something new within him, but he had no idea how to use it. Possessing powers he could not wield, he was forced to fight zombies like any other mutant.

His appearance once more brought him trouble—he was noticed by the rulers of the base. The fate he had tried so hard to avoid still descended upon him in the end.

He no longer wanted to recall how he felt at that time. Although he suffered some torment, the worst outcome had not occurred, and, moreover, he met the person who would change his life! So sometimes, he wasn’t sure whether he should feel hatred or gratitude.

Yet, compared to the hardships faced by the girl in his arms, all his suffering seemed insignificant.

At least he’d never lost his freedom, nor had anyone experimented on him or tried to kill him!

Watching her sleep so defenselessly in his arms, recalling her bright eyes when she was happy, the sparkle in her gaze at the sight of delicious food, the way she pouted when angry—every gesture was so pure and natural. He thought that had he grown up in such a place, he would never have been able to smile so brightly, nor have such a clear gaze, much less help others.

He would have become a cold, sullen, selfish, and ugly person—resentful of everyone happier than him, finding joy only in others’ greater misfortunes.

Thinking this, An Ziyou valued the girl in his arms all the more.

Many fans once said he had the perfect looks, a gentle temperament, and a voice that could bewitch the soul—like an angel. But compared to his selfish and shadowed heart, the girl in his arms was more like a true angel—a being who brought warmth and salvation.

"Is she asleep?" As he was lost in thought, Ye Jingxuan’s voice sounded above him, and An Ziyou looked up, realizing Mo Chen had finished sorting the supplies from his storage.

The useful items had already been moved, and the rest were to be handed over to the base.

"She’s only just fallen asleep. Let’s let her rest a bit longer before waking her," An Ziyou replied just as Mei twitched her ears and opened her eyes.

"Is everything done?" Mei rubbed her eyes, her voice tinged with sleep.

"Yes, I’m sorry we woke you," Ye Jingxuan knelt beside her, gently smoothing her hair.

"It’s all right. I feel much better after a nap." Mei got up, stretched, and, more alert, headed to the center of the training ground.

Without any obvious gesture, large shipping containers began appearing wherever she went, leaving everyone else gaping in astonishment.

"Hurry and sort these! There are still plenty more!" Mei beckoned everyone to get to work.

But her words left everyone dumbfounded.

Still more?

Just how vast was her storage space?

The items already on the ground outnumbered the combined totals brought out by everyone else. She was no ordinary person—she was a prodigy, a phenomenon!

Otherwise, how could she be so formidable?

Under Ye Jingxuan’s direction, everyone quickly inspected the contents of the containers. Items to be kept were placed together, while those to be handed over were set elsewhere for Mei to store again.

By now, the initial joy on everyone’s faces had faded to numbness—they had already reached the limits of excitement and could no longer smile.

In this way, over a hundred people worked busily until dusk before the supplies were provisionally sorted.

Though exhausted, everyone was in high spirits. Such an abundance of resources not only boded well for their future but also proved the strength of the Ye family. Being part of such a powerful family, they naturally hoped it would only grow stronger.

Since everyone had been busy at midday, lunch was a simple affair, but dinner, in reward for a day’s hard work, was especially sumptuous.

In addition to Uncle Yu’s signature eight-treasure duck, the table was laden with fine food and drink.

Yet even with her favorite dishes before her, Mei had little appetite and could only force down a few bites.

Seeing this, Mo Chen and the others became worried about her condition.

"Go lie down for a while—I'll keep you company," Mo Chen said, setting down his chopsticks.

"Aren’t you going to eat? You haven’t had much yet," Mei said, hesitating and gesturing for him to continue eating, insisting she was fine.

"It’s all right, I’m not really hungry." As he spoke, Mo Chen stood and silently urged her along.

Mei smiled apologetically at the others around the table and followed Mo Chen back to the room.

He let her rest her head on his arm and gently patted her back with the other hand. In no time, Mei drifted off to sleep.

Recalling how she had startled awake earlier, Mo Chen waited half an hour after she fell asleep before slowly trying to remove his arm. But before he could pull away, Mei woke with a jolt, as if frightened. He quickly soothed her with gentle pats on her back, and feeling his comfort, she closed her eyes again. Yet she still slept uneasily, and only when she nestled into Mo Chen’s embrace did she finally settle into a deep sleep.

Estimating the time, Mo Chen tried once more to leave, but every time he moved, Mei would wake up. After several attempts, he simply lay down next to her, fully clothed, and held her as they both slept.

The next morning, Mei woke early after a restful night. Seeing Mo Chen’s face so close, she was first surprised, then realized it was because he had stayed with her through the night that she’d slept so well.

She couldn’t help but smile, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest, silently mouthing, "Thank you."

As the first human she had met in this world, Mo Chen undeniably held a special place in her heart. Compared to Ye Jingxuan and An Ziyou, Mo Chen was someone she trusted even more deeply. His constant care had made her rely on him greatly.

That was why, when she learned Huang Shiqi had set a trap, causing Mo Chen to be stranded in the valley, she had rushed through the night to warn him. And when she saw him and the others besieged by the giant python, she had stepped in to save them, even knowing she was outmatched.

At the time, she had truly only intended to save him.

As for the others, even Ye Jingxuan had only been incidental.

With their memories intertwining and their similar experiences, Mei found herself growing ever closer to him. That feeling of mutual reliance was something she had only ever felt with Xiriel—she had never imagined she would find it with another person in this world.

This realization brought her not only surprise, but joy. To have someone to lean on in times of exhaustion and sorrow was not something just anyone could have. With someone like him by her side, she no longer felt so alone in this world.

"Hey, little Mei, if you’re awake, it’s time to get up! My arm has been numb all night from you lying on it!" Just as she was growing sentimental, Mo Chen’s teasing yet lazy voice sounded above her, startling her.

"When did you wake up?" Mei asked, sitting up a little embarrassed.

"I woke when you moved," Mo Chen replied, flexing his arm that had long since gone numb, his tone still playful.

Mei was a bit embarrassed, and seeing him stretch out his arm, she also felt guilty.

She reached out and tapped his wrist with her finger, sending a surge of lively energy into his arm, instantly relieving the numbness.

"Thank you for your trouble, Chen. And… thank you!"

With that, Mei leaned over and kissed Mo Chen on the cheek.

That simple gesture left not only Mo Chen stunned, but also Ye Jingxuan and An Ziyou, who happened to open the door at that exact moment.

I’ve caught a cold—headache, sore throat, feeling awful! Here’s one chapter for now; the next will be posted a bit later!