Together

Si Jianhua thought he had misheard.

"What?"

Si Beichen patiently repeated himself. "I like Xiao Ci. We're together now."

This time, Si Jianhua heard him very clearly and was certain he had heard correctly.

He said delightedly:

"That's a good thing! The fact that you like Xiao Ci shows you have good taste. And it's your good fortune that Xiao Ci likes you. You need to cherish her."

Si Beichen really hadn't expected this reaction from his dad...

Si Jianhua cautioned him, "Are you serious about Xiao Ci? If you dare hurt her, I'll kick you out of the family."

Si Beichen was utterly speechless now. With a blank expression, he said, "Very serious. I absolutely wouldn't dare bully her."

After hearing his promise, Si Jianhua patted his shoulder. "I'll be watching you. Qianyue and I wanted to get you two together before this anyway. Go tell your mom."

Si Beichen nodded, and Si Jianhua asked, "How long have you been together?"

"...We just got together."

"Oh, then you've still got a long road ahead."

Si Beichen: "..."

Si Jianhua took Si Beichen to the kitchen and stood on the inner side, leaving the spot beside Wen Qianyue nearest the entrance for Si Beichen.

"Tell your mom yourself."

Wen Qianyue stirred the food in the wok and asked in confusion, "Tell me what?"

Si Beichen said, "Mom, I like Xiao Ci. Xiao Ci and I are together now. I hope you'll approve."

Wen Qianyue's hand paused as she stirred. "If I don't approve, will you two stop being together?"

Jiang Ci happened to come out of her room just then and heard those words.

"Of course not."

Jiang Ci poked her head into the kitchen and said with a smile, "Of course we won't stop being together."

Wen Qianyue ignored Jiang Ci.

She only looked at Si Beichen. "Have you thought this through? Are you sure you want to be with this little brat? Watch out, she might bully you later. I won't help you."

Si Beichen said seriously, "I've thought it through."

Jiang Ci protested, "How would I bully him? Why don't you ask what happens if he bullies me?"

Si Jianhua chimed in, "If he dares bully you, just tell me. I'll break his legs and kick him out of the family."

Jiang Ci looked smugly at Si Beichen. "Did you hear that?"

Si Beichen smiled indulgently. "I heard."

Though Wen Qianyue was happy inside, her words were merciless. "Go on, keep spoiling her all you want. Just watch her get completely out of hand."

On their very first day together, the two received the support and blessings of both their parents.

Even before they got together, Jiang Ci had liked ordering Si Beichen around. Once they were together, she became even more adept at it.

Si Beichen granted her every request and practically held her in the palm of his hand.

This was actually her first relationship too. Before this, what she had seen most was Wu Ya and Jiang Chengrong being all lovey-dovey.

Now she finally understood Wu Ya.

Having a boyfriend is so nice.

I don't have to do anything myself. I can just get my boyfriend to do it.

When she couldn't sleep at night, Jiang Ci would shamelessly take her pillow and crawl under Si Beichen's covers.

There was even the perk of getting to touch his abs.

God, I can hardly believe this is the apocalypse. I'm actually living like a queen.

Si Beichen was often tormented by her to the point of being unable to sleep all night, relying entirely on his formidable willpower to keep himself from crossing the line.

Yet Jiang Ci slept in his arms like a little pig, without a care in the world.

He had truly fallen for a little temptress who drained his vitality.

Sometimes, when he really couldn't help himself, he would secretly kiss Jiang Ci after she fell asleep.

Jiang Ci was highly alert, so he didn't dare go too far, stopping after the lightest taste.

It wasn't nearly enough to quench his thirst, but he was completely helpless against this little temptress.

Even he had never imagined he would see a day like this.

Recently, Jiang Ci had noticed something strange.

It concerned her next-door neighbor, Liu Shicai, the professor who lived alone in apartment 1102.

He had always kept to himself, coming and going alone.

Yet for some reason, over the past couple of days, people had frequently been going in and out of his apartment.

She had no idea what this professor who lived alone was up to, or who these people frequently visiting his home were.

Having people suddenly coming and going on the eleventh floor wasn't a good thing.

After all, her family's distinctive security door was particularly likely to draw people's attention.

Curiosity clawed at her like a cat, but there was nothing she could do.

The torrential rain kept falling without pause, so the solar charging panels were no use. Jiang Ci put them away and took out two storage batteries.

Her space had electricity, so once the storage batteries ran out, she could take them into her space to charge.

Water, electricity, gas, food, and drink-her household didn't have to worry about any of those.

She had just taken out four apples and set them on the table when the walkie-talkie, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly crackled to life.

"Xiao Ci, it's Xiao Ya."

"Xiao Ya, are you and Jiang Chengrong doing all right?"

"We're doing pretty well, don't worry. Luckily, the windows at home didn't break during the typhoon. Jiang Chengrong also stocked up on quite a bit of food back when he worked at the hospital. It'll last the two of us a long time. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing pretty well too, so don't worry. As long as we're all doing fine, that's what matters."

"A couple of days ago, Jiang Chengrong fished a box of instant noodles out of the water. They're a little damp, but I tried them, and they're pretty good once you boil them. Do you want some? I'll find a way to have Jiang Chengrong bring you half a box."

"No, keep them for yourselves. I salvaged some supplies here too. I still have enough to eat."

"That's good."

After asking after Jiang Ci, Wu Ya moved on to something else.

"A woman living next door to me is about to give birth, and there's no way to get to the hospital right now. Jiang Chengrong said he knows a male obstetrician-gynecologist in your building. When the time comes, could you help me take the walkie-talkie to him? He won't need to come over himself. He can just oversee things and give instructions over the walkie-talkie. Would that be okay?"

That was simple enough, no big problem.

Jiang Ci asked, "Which floor and apartment?"

Wu Ya passed the walkie-talkie to Jiang Chengrong so he could tell Jiang Ci.

"Apartment 1001, on the tenth floor of your building."

"Right below my place?"

"Yes. His name is Du Wenhao."

"Okay, got it."

After chatting with Wu Ya a little longer, she ended the call.

Putting down the walkie-talkie, Jiang Ci carried a little stool over to her front door and sat there cracking sunflower seeds.

The unusual activity in 1102 still nagged at her, so whenever she had nothing to do, she sat by the door eavesdropping, hoping to hear something useful.

But the people going in and out of 1102 were all far too cautious. Not only did they never say a word the entire time, even their footsteps were very light.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Jiang Ci also suspected that some of these people had come from elsewhere.

Once, she had opened the door to take a look. There had been obvious puddles and muddy footprints in the hallway outside, clear signs that they had come from outdoors.

After sitting by the door all afternoon, she still hadn't picked up any useful information. Disappointed, Jiang Ci opened her front door, poked her head out, and scanned her surroundings.

The hallway was silent, but Li Yangyang in 1103 was also poking his head out to look around. Their eyes met.

Li Yangyang glanced at her, then retreated into his apartment and shut the door again.

Jiang Ci then shut her door as well, dispirited.

It looked like the eight-year-old little guy was doing pretty well living on his own. That was good...