Chapter 153: Survive
Chapter 153: Survive
Anran remembers that her car's fuel gauge is nearly empty, but there’s no time to stop for gas. Besides, she will meet Yun Tao at the gas station soon enough, so there’s no need to hurry.
She opens the car door, carefully places Doll in the basket, and attaches the black and white cards to the side. As long as Doll turns his head, he will be able to see them on both sides.
Together with Liu Yuan, they quickly load all the supplies into the car, then rush to the garage exit. Hengheng and Liu Yuan sit in the back, with Liu Yuan helping to take care of Doll.
At the exit of the underground garage, Yun Tao waits by the Hummer, dressed in his old training uniform from his time with the armed police.
When Anran’s bulletproof car pulls up, Yun Tao raises his hand, signaling her to stop. He turns and grabs a dozen neatly stacked mobile phones from his car window.
Anran rolls down the window, and Yun Tao hands her the phones. She looks at him, puzzled. "There’s no mobile signal right now."
"There’s power," Yun Tao replies. "Use them to attract the zombies. We’ll exit through the fire escape."
He rubs his tired face and looks at Anran through the car window. After a long moment, he reaches out and pinches her thin shoulders. He gives her a reassuring pat before speaking, his voice suddenly taking on a more serious tone.
"Live for your child."
The words make Anran’s eyes well up again. She stares at Yun Tao, and for some reason, he reminds her of… how to put it, like a father. Despite the fact that he has scolded and pushed her around these past few days, in this moment, she feels a strange sense of warmth. Yun Tao, in that instant, seems to embody the kind of fatherly presence she has lost years ago.
Her father had been a soldier, though not as mysterious as Zhan Lian nor as paramilitary as Yun Tao. He was an army soldier, and after Anran was born, her mother followed the army. Family members had always spoken of Anran’s father as a strong man, but with a short temper. If he was displeased with her mother, he would yell at her. Because of this, Anran’s mother divorced him when Anran was just one year old, taking her back to Xiangcheng and never allowing Anran to see him again.
When Anran was six, her mother fell seriously ill. The relatives, knowing how bad her condition was, suggested that Anran call her father to inform him. This was the only time Anran spoke to her father.
She can still remember that moment in the hospital, feeling lost and confused. When she calls her father’s phone, a gruff voice answers, as though he has no idea who is calling.
"Hello?" he says.
Following the instructions of her relatives, Anran says, "I’m Anran, Dad. Mom’s sick, and she asked you to come pick me up."
There’s a long silence on the other end, and Anran can sense that he is holding back tears.
A relative takes the phone from her, speaks to her father for a while, then hands it back to Anran.
Later, her father arrives. He comes from an unknown military base, with a bouquet of flowers in hand and his most proud military uniform on. He stands across the street, smiling like a fool and holding up the flowers and Dolls for her to see. Then, he rushes across the road to embrace her, but a car comes out of nowhere and strikes him.
In an instant, he’s gone.