A Mass "Acknowledging Daddies" Scene

Even Huang Qian, who already knew part of the story, couldn't help staring slack-jawed at the vast stockpile of supplies:

"Oh my goooosh... Xiao Nianzi, you really must be a hamster reincarnated!"

The other six recovered from their shock and promptly dropped to their knees, sliding across the floor:

"Brother Nian, please accept a bow from your little brother Jian Cheng!"

Jian Cheng had thick brows, large eyes, and handsome, upright features. His movements were exaggerated, but his words sounded utterly sincere.

Lu Ningzhou, who had always partnered with him, pushed the gold-rimmed glasses up his nose and chimed in:

"Brother Nian, please accept a bow from your little brother Lu Ningzhou too!"

"Brother Nian, I am Zhao Lei of Yunbei City, and I am willing to serve you like a horse or an ox!"

Zhao Lei was a northerner with slightly dark skin and a tall, broad build. He was the team's vice captain and, at 195 centimeters, its tallest member. He was powerfully built, with sharply defined features, and his loud voice rang with vigor.

"Brother Nian, I'm Tang Yi, your senior from university. Look at me..."

Jiang Nian looked over. Tang Yi, who was trying to claim a connection with him, had a bright smile and gave the immediate impression of being cheerful and outgoing. That type was usually very popular with the opposite sex at school.

"Adoptive Father! It's me, Liao Yu..."

Seeing Tang Yi claim a connection as a fellow alumnus, Liao Yu, who was always trading wild nonsense with Huang Qian, blurted it out.

Liao Yu was a rich second-generation heir, the quintessential handsome, wealthy, unruly young master, and also Cheng Jing's former employer. He was usually surrounded by bodyguards and servants, with clothes and meals brought to him, and whenever he was displeased, he threw money at people.

Later, both his parents died in a car accident. To hide from and deal with his scheming relatives, the young master, heir to an enormous fortune, decided to become a bodyguard himself.

"Hamster-oh, no, Brother Nian, my name is Zhou Rongbin. I'm twenty-two, 188 centimeters tall, 160 jin, unmarried. I don't need to hug your thigh; a few scraps will do..."

"..."

Being called a hamster to his face left Jiang Nian at a loss for words, but he knew Zhou Rongbin meant no harm, so he merely smiled. In both appearance and bearing, Zhou Rongbin seemed the steady, self-possessed type, a little like Cheng Jing. Jiang Nian hadn't expected him to be like this...

The team members were all close in age. The youngest was Liao Yu at twenty, and the oldest was Zhao Lei at twenty-five. Zhou Rongbin was twenty-two, while the rest, including Huang Qian, were the same age as Cheng Jing.

Cheng Jing's birthday, however, fell on the first day of the first lunar month, so he was the oldest of those his age.

The six of them wore black outdoor gear. Tall, long-legged, and distinguished-looking, they knelt there in a neat row amid the piles of supplies.

Huang Qian shook with laughter, and Jiang Nian couldn't help laughing either. He even started to stammer:

"D-don't stand on ceremony, everyone. You don't have to do this... Get up, wash your hands, and get ready to eat."

Faced with such a grand display, his social anxiety was acting up. These men averaged 185 centimeters in height, with long legs and handsome features. As long as they kept their mouths shut, they looked like a group of cool, aloof heartthrobs, but the moment they opened them... Where had all these street punks come from?!

Cheng Jing couldn't bear to watch any longer. He walked over and gave each of them a kick:

"You're making fools of yourselves! If you're not eating, get lost!"

He gave Zhou Rongbin an extra kick in particular:

"Listing your height and weight, and saying you're unmarried? Are you asking for it?!"

Was this bastard trying to hug a thigh or poach his man?!

After making themselves known to Jiang Nian, the group got up. Instead of sitting down to eat immediately, they toured the apartment, looking like they'd never seen the world before. They had quite a few supplies themselves, but theirs couldn't compare to Jiang Nian's. Most of all, he had everything!

In the end, they all asked curiously how much the supplies had cost.

Jiang Nian had asked Cheng Jing that question before, but Cheng Jing hadn't answered. This time, with everyone watching expectantly, Cheng Jing gave a vague reply:

"Several million altogether... Some things aren't available on the market. They might not look like much, but they're expensive."

Of course, spending on items unavailable on the market was only part of it. More importantly, they had two spatial rings with more than twice the space here, so it was only natural that they had spent so much.

Everyone's mouths fell open. Though they thought it was a little expensive, they all said in unison:

"It was worth it. Money's just scrap paper now."

Liao Yu privately regretted that the balance in his bank account, as long as a phone number, had gone to waste. But on second thought, if Jiang Nian had told him before the toxic rain that the apocalypse was coming and he should stockpile supplies, he probably wouldn't have believed him either.

Jiang Nian invited everyone to eat again, and only after another round of effusive flattery did the group sit down around the table.

Knowing they were coming, Cheng Jing had brought back a new table and chair set from a furniture store in advance. It was just the right size for the group to sit around.

The meal was lavish, with chicken, duck, fish, meat, vegetables, and fruit. Some of it didn't look as though it had come out of a freezer; it was too fresh, and it wasn't among the supplies distributed by the rescue teams either.

Curious as they were, everyone tacitly refrained from asking. Even Huang Qian remained carefully silent.

All they had to do was cling tightly to their "two adoptive fathers' " thighs. They wouldn't ask what they shouldn't; capable people all had secrets.

The group, who hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, ate to their hearts' content. Jiang Nian even brought out red wine.

Amid repeated compliments of "Adoptive Father" and "Brother Nian," Jiang Nian managed to get drunk.

After seeing the guests out, Cheng Jing cleared away the leftovers. He had just sat down on the sofa when Jiang Nian emerged from the bathroom, still wreathed in steam, and pressed himself clingily against him, his gaze hazy and his voice soft:

"Brother Jing~"

Even his wine-scented breath seemed sweet.

"I haven't showered yet. I'm dirty..."

Cheng Jing restrained himself and caught Jiang Nian's restless hands. Ever since the power and water had gone out, they couldn't shower together anymore; it would waste too much water.

"Then hurry up and wash..."

Even as Jiang Nian said it, he kept clinging to him.

Knowing he was drunk, Cheng Jing carried him back to the bedroom and turned on the air cooler before going into the bathroom.

Being drunk felt wonderful. Jiang Nian stared at the ceiling in a daze, occasionally raising a hand to make a few aimless gestures before grinning foolishly and kissing the ring on his finger...

Only when a broad body pressed down over him did he pull himself out of his reverie and loop his arms around Cheng Jing's neck:

"Brother Jing, I think I'm drunk..."

Cheng Jing reached out and pinched his earlobe:

"And then?"

"I want to go wild..."

With that, Jiang Nian hooked both arms around his neck and pulled him down, then rolled over in one smooth motion to straddle him and drunkenly bent down to nibble at him.

Their lips met, and their lingering tenderness soon turned fierce and passionate.

With the other team members joining in, Jiang Nian and the others had cleared every residential building in their complex by the end of September, sealing off every entrance that needed sealing.

They couldn't prevent zombies from appearing altogether. After all, the complex was so large, with several side gates, garage entrances and exits, and perimeter walls; it couldn't be sealed off completely.

Even so, the survivors in the complex felt much more at ease.

Outside, zombies were as common as dogs, and the dead walked everywhere. It was becoming increasingly difficult for rescue teams to transport and distribute supplies, and many rescue workers died every day.

As time passed, people had fewer and fewer supplies on hand, and things would only grow more chaotic.

Cheng Jing came home a little earlier that day, but he was in a very bad mood. After greeting Jiang Nian, who was busy in the kitchen, he went into the bathroom.