The Doomsday Paradise

"I think, my boyfriend seems to... want to kill me." On Sunday, the McDonald's was packed with parents and their children. The play area's slide was constantly filled with the shrill screams and laughter of little ones. In such an environment, it was natural for Zhu Mei to have a hard time taking her friend's words seriously. "Don't talk nonsense! Even if you two had an argument, don't speak so ill of him." Zhu Mei, plump and fair, chided with a smile. She paused, raised an eyebrow, and asked hesitantly, "You guys don't get physical during arguments, do you?" Sitting across from her was a girl in her twenties. She had delicate features, but in this bustling international city, she wasn't considered a rare beauty. What caught the most attention were her slightly upturned large eyes, with light-colored pupils that had an amber sheen, reminiscent of a cat waking up in the early morning. Lin Sanjiu shook her head and didn't continue. It's no wonder Zhu Mei didn't believe her—such words, once spoken, even she herself found them absurd. Perhaps it was because she hadn't been sleeping well these past few days, and her nerves were a bit on edge... Lin Sanjiu took a few sips of her cola, relaxed her expression, and said half-jokingly, "If one day the police come to ask you who I usually have grudges with..." "Get out of here!" The teasing in her friend's tone instantly dispelled the slight doubt that had been lingering on Zhu Mei's face. She waved her hand with a grin, "Seriously, you're complaining when you've got it made! Tell me, what flaws does Ren Nan have—" The rest of the words, Lin Sanjiu had heard countless times before; this time, they too passed by her ears like the wind, without registering in her heart. At that moment, her eyes suddenly swept across the window, and her jawline tensed up. She quickly lowered her head, pretending to take a bite of her burger. The moment she bit into the bread, the noisy McDonald's entrance fell silent for a few seconds. As the light at the door dimmed, a tall man walked in leisurely, and several customers in line unconsciously stepped back, making way for him. A tailor-made iron-gray shirt with the signature Armani waist design exuded a steady quality from every seam. The crisp and elegant dark trousers, without a single crease, seemed to be ironed and managed by someone at all times—combined with the rare nine-head body ratio and handsome appearance of an Asian man, Ren Nan always looked like a top model who had just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. Walking into a McDonald's, it's no wonder everyone turned their heads. As he sat down, the air was infused with a faint scent of Davidoff Cool Water. "Why are you eating this kind of fast food again?" He nodded a greeting to Zhu Mei, then affectionately and helplessly tousled Lin Sanjiu's hair, his Patek Philippe watch disappearing halfway in her black tresses. "I was planning to take you to that Japanese restaurant we went to last time tonight." "We just happened to be hungry when we passed by, so..." Lin Sanjiu forced a smile, avoiding Ren Nan's gaze, and picked up a French fry to put in her mouth. Her long hair slid down from her shoulder, concealing her expression. —Zhu Mei was right, Ren Nan had no flaws. He was the kind of man who stepped out of an idol drama. After spending a few months with Lin Sanjiu, Ren Nan quickly won over her close friends and acquaintances with his impeccable demeanor, not to mention Lin Sanjiu herself—no, it wasn't just his demeanor. His appearance, wealth, personality, every aspect was so perfect... He was everything a woman could dream of. Everyone said she was incredibly fortunate. When she first started this relationship, Lin Sanjiu couldn't believe her good luck. Every morning back then, she would wake up with a smile, facing a brand new world brought to her by Ren Nan. Until... she found it harder and harder to be happy. ...When did she start feeling something was off? Suddenly, Zhu Mei's enthusiastic voice interrupted her thoughts. "…I've taken up all of Xiao Jiu's day today, so I won't delay your private time! She just told me she's a bit tired, so you guys should head home—" Lin Sanjiu was pulled back to reality. Ren Nan's voice, always warm and proper, contained an appropriate amount of laughter: "Let's see you off, it's been quite hot lately." Zhu Mei, with her childlike nature, immediately laughed and said, "Oh, I won't be polite then! It's hot enough today, I've been sweating all over just from walking a bit..." Her clothes on her back were still damp. Since she wasn't hungry anyway, seeing her friend finished eating, Lin Sanjiu stood up gracefully, following her boyfriend and friend out of McDonald's. The heatwave that had been baking the streets for an afternoon enveloped the three of them as soon as they stepped outside. It was already October, but the scorching heat showed no signs of abating, still firmly dominating the city. People on the streets, struggling in the heat, some with umbrellas, some drenched in sweat, all looked uncomfortable—it was too hot, even the peak of summer had never been this hot! Zhu Mei, who hated the heat the most, was already sweating profusely after just a few steps, constantly wiping her forehead. Lin Sanjiu felt the hair on the back of her neck sticking to her skin. This uncomfortable sensation was unbearable, and she couldn't help but ask, "Where did you park your car?" Ren Nan gestured with his chin towards the distance, his moisture-free, smooth skin showing no signs of dampness. "It's just up ahead," he paused, his demeanor as elegant and composed as ever, "I've told you several times, it's too inconvenient without a car. Now that you've got your driver's license, do you want to buy a car?" Zhu Mei immediately envied and praised, "You're going to buy a car for Xiao Jiu? You really are the epitome of tall, rich, and handsome... When I had my birthday, my boyfriend only gave me a bear..." Lin Sanjiu hummed and hawed, her mind not on the car at all. Fortunately, Zhu Mei was a lively person, and with her chattering away to Ren Nan, he didn't seem to notice her absent-mindedness. ...Three months ago, after countless requests from Ren Nan, Lin Sanjiu finally sweetly compromised and agreed to live with him. She packed up her things, gave up her apartment, and moved into his penthouse in the city center. Friends and colleagues who visited her new home were green with envy, and as soon as they left, they grabbed her and kept saying, "Xiao Jiu, you must hold on to such a good man!" "Does Ren Nan have any brothers? Any single friends? Don't forget to introduce one to me!" "You should talk to him about marriage sooner..." The excited voices of her friends seemed to still echo in her ears. Lin Sanjiu's own excitement and anticipation at the time were several times more than theirs—but after living together for a while, her intelligence, which had once been lowered due to love, began to slowly recover. She gradually noticed some details in life. Now, Lin Sanjiu couldn't quite put her finger on why— She was a little afraid of Ren Nan. Watching Zhu Mei disappear around the corner of the old residential area, Ren Nan restarted the car, and the vehicle silently merged into the traffic stream. About twenty minutes later, they arrived home. Ren Nan's apartment was located in the most expensive part of the city, built just two years ago, with every brick and tile representing a lifestyle that people like Lin Sanjiu could not have dreamed of before. Now, she was almost getting used to her new life—if it weren't for the growing darkness of the doubts in her heart... The penthouse occupied the entire 38th floor. As the private elevator dinged, the door opened, and the two stepped into the living room. The living room lights gradually brightened in response to the elevator's movement. "I bought some cola today, would you like a can?" Lin Sanjiu put down her bag, walked towards the kitchen, forcibly restrained her heartbeat, and smiled at Ren Nan as if nothing was wrong—she thought her expression should be impeccable. Ren Nan also came over, as usual, with a gentle smile: "Sure, anything you buy is good." Anything you buy is good? She didn't know when it started, but this kind of sweet talk from a novel character made Lin Sanjiu feel very uncomfortable, even a little embarrassed. Not knowing how to respond, she quickly handed over the cola—he opened the tab, and the bubbles in the drink immediately competed to make a "sizzling" sound. Probably to make her happy, Ren Nan drank more than half of it in one go. Lin Sanjiu hid herself behind the open refrigerator door, tensed up, and pricked up her ears, not daring to miss a single unusual sound. The room was quiet for half a minute. Second after second passed, until Ren Nan broke the silence in the room with a laugh: "What are you looking for in the refrigerator?" Lin Sanjiu's heart sank straight to the bottom. She closed the door and casually glanced at Ren Nan. No reaction. A can of freshly opened, carbon dioxide-filled ice-cold cola was swallowed, and Ren Nan didn't even show the slightest intention to burp—as if it had been poured into a dark, stagnant pool. "Nothing, just wanted to see if there were any snacks," she forced a smile. After living together for three months, she had never seen Ren Nan burp. Not just burping—coughing, sneezing, farting, sweating... all sorts of things that might be indecent but everyone does a few times, Lin Sanjiu had never seen Ren Nan do. Come to think of it, she wasn't even sure if she had seen him go to the bathroom. "Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?" Ren Nan took her hands and kissed her neck. Her back immediately broke out in goosebumps: "No, I'm too lazy to move... Besides, I want to go to bed early tonight, I have to get up early tomorrow." "Then I'll cook for you, and make you some salmon," Ren Nan said with a smile. Lin Sanjiu hurriedly nodded. Ren Nan's cooking skills, like the man himself, were impeccable. After enjoying the dinner he had prepared with care, the sun outside the living room's glass wall was also gradually setting. The sky darkened bit by bit, finally giving way to night and starlight. "The continuous abnormal high temperatures and droughts worldwide have now lasted for one hundred and four days..." After tidying up the dishes, Lin Sanjiu pretended to be very interested in the news as she watched TV—she really didn't want to make eye contact with Ren Nan. "Following the heat-related deaths in Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and other places, the number of heatstroke deaths in our country has also reached sixty-seven. Experts warn..." She felt Ren Nan come over and sit down beside her. The sofa sank deeply. An arm naturally wrapped around her shoulders, and Lin Sanjiu's body stiffened. Although she didn't turn her head, she could clearly feel that Ren Nan wasn't watching TV. His gaze was fixed on her back—not the usual affectionate one, but a naked— It was like the gaze of a snake watching a frog.