Apocalypse Showdown: Carrier Conquest

Chapter 19: Being an Older Brother is Tough

"This all goes back to the volcanic eruption in the island nation..." Zhou Lin was thrown into a corner by his mother. He had no choice but to start speaking; if he didn’t come up with something plausible, he would be in trouble later.

If meeting Wu Xue was a twist of fate for Zhou Lin, then Ai Bing and Tang Yili’s encounter was a classic case of karmic retribution! The reason Ai Bing could casually order Tang Yili to rush to Jiazhou was because Tang Yili had a like-minded classmate and buddy there—Sun Chenghao.

When Tang Yili arrived in Jiazhou, Sun Chenghao picked him up from the train station, and the two of them met with Ai Bing and Yang Kiki. The four of them drove around Jiazhou, but Sun Chenghao, hoping to show off in front of the two attractive women, realized that many places had already closed due to the harsh environment. They barely managed to find a place for hotpot.

As the night grew darker, Zhou Lin still hadn’t called, and Ai Bing, a little irritated after a few drinks, decided she was going to make Zhou Lin regret not reaching out—if he didn’t contact her first, she wouldn’t go back!

With Tang Yili there, and the unexpected appearance of Sun Chenghao, Ai Bing felt more at ease. She had no need to rely on Zhou Lin anymore.

Ai Bing could see that Sun Chenghao, despite driving an expensive car, rented a place and was as much of a loser as Tang Yili. Both of them were beneath her in terms of value.

"How about we don’t go to your relatives' place tonight, Ai Bing?" Tang Yili asked, his eyes red with alcohol, clearly eager for more attention.

"If they don’t call, I won’t go back. There’s nowhere fun to go," Ai Bing replied, rolling her eyes.

As the evening continued, Sun Chenghao tried to get the two women drunk, but neither Ai Bing nor Yang Kiki fell for it. They ended up taking some hilarious pictures of the two drunk men passed out on the floor and ransacked Sun Chenghao’s apartment.

"This guy is really pathetic, nothing worth looking at," Ai Bing muttered.

"I don’t know, Tang Yili isn’t bad. You should give him a try," Yang Kiki teased.

"Just him? No way. He doesn’t deserve it," Ai Bing scoffed, noticing how devoted Yang Kiki was to him.

The more Ai Bing thought about it, the more she regretted rejecting Zhou Lin. He seemed like he had more value than either Tang Yili or Sun Chenghao, even though she tried not to admit it.

Back at Zhou Lin’s place, Wu Xue listened to Zhou Lin's "explanation" without panic. Part of it was because Zhou Lin had stressed that these were just his personal opinions. Also, Wu Xue had the composure of someone who had made it to the doctoral level in clinical studies at Ba Shu University, a feat only accomplished by exceptional individuals.

"My dad’s a great doctor, and my mom’s an expert in mechanical engineering," Wu Xue continued, half to Zhou Lin, half to herself. "They went to Europe for a conference. It’s a good opportunity for them."

Zhou Lin understood the implications of her words. People like her parents, highly skilled professionals, would be treated with great respect anywhere, and they would likely fare much better in a crisis than ordinary people.

"So, the real problem seems to be me," Wu Xue continued with a self-deprecating smile. "I didn’t realize how serious things were, and I didn’t stock up enough supplies. If... I may starve here at home."

Zhou Lin’s sister, Zhou Li, who had been reading on the sofa, suddenly looked up and said, "Don’t worry, Snow. If there’s food, you’ll have something to eat."

"Thank you, Xiao Li, but I can’t just eat for free," Wu Xue laughed. "Besides, things might not be as bad as your brother thinks."

"Don’t be so formal," said Cheng Yali, walking over to join the conversation. "Snow, don’t say that. Not only can you eat here, but if you need to, you’re welcome to stay with us. You’re a truly talented person. If you have free time, you can tutor Xiao Li, and we’ll benefit from that!"

Zhou Li quickly chimed in, "Xiao Li is so smart, don’t worry!"

Wu Xue didn’t answer right away, leaving the offer hanging in the air.

"Time to head back," Wu Xue said after a while, standing up to leave. Zhou Li, however, grabbed her arm and pulled her into her room, where the two spent a couple of hours chatting. When they finally emerged, both were smiling.

After Wu Xue left, Zhou Lin couldn’t resist asking, "You just met her a few days ago and already brought her into your room? Aren’t you afraid of exposing too much?"

Zhou Li turned to him with a serious look. "You think I’m as foolish as you? She and I are like-minded. You know how smart she is, right? Just a little less than me. We actually have more in common than you think!"

"You think I’m dumb? Come on, I know more than you think," Zhou Lin retorted.

"Sometimes, the gap between people is bigger than the gap between humans and monkeys..." Zhou Li added, her voice carrying a hint of mockery.

Zhou Lin raised an eyebrow. "Who said that?"

"Doesn’t matter who said it," Zhou Li waved her hand dismissively. "But speaking of the apocalypse, are we ready for it?"

Zhou Lin thought for a moment. "I think we’re pretty prepared. Is there anything else missing?"

"Of course!" Zhou Li pointed at their parents, who were casually sitting at the table, "Look at these two old folks. They’ve worked hard their entire lives, but they’re not getting any younger. If something happens, even if we have medicine, would we know how to take care of them?"

Zhou Lin understood. "So, you’re mainly concerned with Wu Xue’s profession and skills?"

"Exactly! You’re finally getting it!" Zhou Li smiled proudly.

"Mom, Dad, you should really send her off. I can’t handle this anymore!" Zhou Lin sighed in exasperation.