Chapter 124: Don’t Steal Things Anymore
Chapter 124: Don’t Steal Things Anymore
Anran sits in the car, glancing toward the security room as she coughs a few times. She swallows the sweet, fishy taste rising in her throat, closes her eyes briefly, and looks down at Doll in her arms. A wave of hesitation and helplessness surges within her.
This is the disparity in strength between men and women. She realizes that her ability to kill three men before was simply because she hadn’t encountered anyone truly strong. Facing Yun Tao now, she doesn’t even have the chance to resist. He throws her to the ground without hesitation.
She had nearly been crushed to death.
Anran wonders how much harder she’ll have to work to raise her daughter in this apocalyptic world. No matter how much effort she puts in, it seems futile against such overwhelming strength.
As she sits there, the pain in her body gradually subsides. In the midst of her helplessness, the ache begins to lighten. After a long while, Doll finishes eating, and Anran feels as though her internal organs have settled back into place. But her stomach still growls with hunger.
Hesitating for a moment, she decides to get out of the car, still holding Doll. She coos softly to the infant as she walks toward the security room. The five survivors stand outside while Liu Yuan and Hengheng remain inside. Anran stops at the door, watching silently.
Ren Xian’s body has already been dragged away, its destination unknown. Anran doesn’t care; her focus is on the pile of supplies in the security room, stacked like a small mountain on the desk. Her mind is preoccupied with her own concerns.
Yun Tao sits with Hengheng on his lap. Hengheng, clearly frightened, stays completely still. Yun Tao hands him a pack of biscuits before looking up at Liu Yuan, who stands near the door. His eyes are filled with weariness. Then his gaze shifts to Anran, standing outside with Doll, before returning to Liu Yuan. Pointing at Hengheng, he says:
"From today, this child will call me 'Dad.' As his mother, I won’t let anyone bully you again. Of course, I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want."
As he speaks, he glances at Xiao Mei’s husband, a man Yun Tao clearly despises.
Perhaps due to the deep grief of losing his own family, Yun Tao has lost all interest in women. Now, he hardly cares about such things. Besides, he is much older than Liu Yuan, and twice Anran’s age. He has no interest in younger women.
Anran doesn’t respond. This situation has nothing to do with her, and she feels she has no right to speak. Liu Yuan, too, remains silent, still processing the sudden twist in events. Yun Tao, however, gives them no chance to react. He has already made up his mind to adopt Hengheng.
Turning to Liu Yuan, he asks, "What’s your son’s name?"
Liu Yuan replies, "Hengheng."
Yun Tao nods. "My last name is Yun, so this child will be called Yun Heng from now on."
Then Yun Tao’s gaze shifts to Anran. She looks up, momentarily stunned, feeling a flicker of nervousness. She wonders what Yun Tao might be planning. Does he intend to adopt Doll too? Or is he expecting something else from her?
Naturally, Anran wants to protest, but the situation is beyond her control. Doesn’t Liu Yuan see how easily he threw her to the ground? Frowning, she asks cautiously, "What do you want from me?"
Yun Tao frowns back. "Don’t steal things in the future. Take what you need openly."
Anran stiffens at his words. She looks at Yun Tao, her expression sharp and defensive. Yun Tao sighs at the sight of the wary young woman. He’s already in his 40s, old enough to be her father. What could she possibly think he wants from her?