Chapter 2 : The White Lotus
1236 Words
Zhang Yi stepped out of his home into a peaceful, bustling world filled with joy and comfort.
Parents played with their children in the community square, their faces glowing with happiness.
But Zhang Yi knew that in just one month, all of this would vanish like a mirage.
He quickly left the neighborhood and headed to a Michelin three-star Western restaurant not far away.
A meal here would cost at least five or six thousand yuan—something Zhang Yi had always been too frugal to indulge in before.
But now, he couldn’t care less.
Having come back from the dead, he deserved to celebrate!
After entering the restaurant, Zhang Yi chose a seat by the window and ordered the most expensive dishes on the menu, along with a bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild.
The total came to around 50,000 yuan.
Even the waitstaff looked at him with curiosity, assuming he was some wealthy second-generation heir.
After all, how else could an ordinary person afford such an extravagant meal?
Zhang Yi didn’t care what others thought. When the lavish spread of dishes arrived, he dug in with gusto.
Having endured six months of the icy apocalypse, every bite of this delicious food felt like a miracle, almost bringing tears to his eyes.
His voracious eating drew stares and whispers from other diners, but Zhang Yi paid them no mind.
In the apocalypse, people would kneel and beg for a single pack of instant noodles.
By then, all civilization and morality would crumble to dust.
As Zhang Yi enjoyed his meal, a woman passing by the restaurant suddenly stopped in her tracks.
She had long, flowing hair, flawless makeup, and was dressed in Gucci heels with an LV handbag draped over her arm.
This woman was none other than Fang Yuqing, the one who had betrayed and killed Zhang Yi in his past life.
Beside her was her best friend, Li Cai’ning.
Whenever they passed by the Michelin three-star restaurant, they couldn’t help but glance inside with longing.
Such high-end establishments were places they dreamed of but could never afford.
Still, that didn’t stop them from scanning the restaurant for potential wealthy suitors.
This time, however, Fang Yuqing was shocked to spot Zhang Yi inside, seated at a table laden with luxurious dishes.
“Isn’t that Zhang Yi? How can he afford to eat here?” Fang Yuqing exclaimed.
Li Cai’ning also looked surprised, covering her mouth with her hand. “Is Zhang Yi actually rich?”
She glanced at Fang Yuqing with a teasing smile. “Yuqing, you’re so lucky! The guy who’s been chasing you turns out to be a secret millionaire.”
“Look at that table—it must’ve cost at least 50,000 yuan. Who else could afford such an extravagant meal?”
Her tone was tinged with envy.
After all, she knew that Zhang Yi had been pursuing Fang Yuqing for two and a half years.
But Fang Yuqing had always kept him at arm’s length—never rejecting him outright, but never committing either.
Fang Yuqing was a gold digger at heart, convinced she was destined to marry a wealthy heir and live a life of luxury.
But Zhang Yi, with his car and apartment in Tianhai City, was a decent catch she didn’t want to let go of.
So, she had kept him as a backup plan, following the classic “three no’s” rule: no initiative, no rejection, no responsibility.
Seeing Zhang Yi indulging in a meal worth tens of thousands of yuan made Fang Yuqing start to wonder.
“Could Zhang Yi actually be a secret millionaire?”
She rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.
The more she considered it, the more plausible it seemed.
“You know, there are people like that in dramas,” she mused.
“They’re super rich but pretend to be ordinary to find true love.”
Fang Yuqing convinced herself, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
If that were true, she could save herself a lot of effort.
After all, Zhang Yi had been pursuing her for so long. She was sure that if she gave him the slightest hint, he’d propose to her on the spot.
Li Cai’ning nudged her. “Yuqing, let’s go in and talk to him!”
Truthfully, she had her eyes on the lavish spread of food.
This was a Michelin three-star restaurant, after all—a place most people could only dream of dining at.
But Fang Yuqing hesitated, then shook her head. “That wouldn’t be good. He might think I’m a gold digger.”
“Let’s wait outside and pretend we ran into him by chance.”
Fang Yuqing wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t lower her standards for a single meal.
Even if Zhang Yi was secretly wealthy, she had to maintain her goddess-like demeanor.
Only then could she keep him wrapped around her finger, ensuring he remained her loyal lapdog.
So, the two women hid nearby, waiting for Zhang Yi to finish his meal.
Zhang Yi ate for over an hour, finally leaning back with a contented sigh and patting his full stomach.
To someone who had just returned from the apocalypse, even Michelin three-star food was a heavenly feast.
Next, he planned to visit a nearby supermarket to stock up on supplies.
This was to test the limits of his dimensional storage and ensure there were no issues.
While he was confident about raiding the Walmart warehouse, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Having experienced starvation, Zhang Yi couldn’t afford any mistakes.
After paying the bill and receiving a warm smile from the waiter, Zhang Yi stepped out of the restaurant.
Just then, a familiar voice called out to him.
“Zhang Yi, what a coincidence!”
He turned to see Fang Yuqing and Li Cai’ning standing nearby.
Fang Yuqing tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, deliberately exposing her fair neck and pink earlobe.
Zhang Yi sneered inwardly. This was a classic move from the “green tea” playbook—subtly charming men with seemingly innocent gestures.
As a top-tier “white lotus,” Fang Yuqing was a master of such tactics.
But the Zhang Yi of today was no longer the naive lapdog he once was.
Not long ago, this very woman had betrayed him, leading to his gruesome death.
She had even demanded his ribs for soup!
At the thought, Zhang Yi’s gaze turned icy, a flicker of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
After all, the apocalypse was just around the corner. Killing her now wouldn’t even matter.
Should he just end her here?
Fang Yuqing shivered under his cold stare, nervously asking, “Zhang Yi… what’s wrong?”
Zhang Yi quickly masked his expression, replying indifferently, “Nothing. I thought you were someone else.”
He had changed his mind.
Letting her die so easily would be too merciful.
Besides, killing her now would likely land him in legal trouble, and he had no intention of spending the apocalypse in a detention center.
It would be far more satisfying to let her experience the despair of the apocalypse before slowly destroying her.
With his knowledge of the future and careful planning, he had countless ways to make her suffer.
For now, the most important task was to build the ultimate safe house, ensuring his survival and comfort in the coming apocalypse.
- Writer
