Chapter 158: He Thought
Chapter 158: He Thought
He thinks and thinks, but Zhan Lian never imagines this—never thought the end of the world would come, never thought that Anran, a woman, could grit her teeth and give birth to a child for him.
She is pregnant—such a big thing. Why doesn’t she tell him? Even if she can’t contact him for a while, can’t she make a few more calls to the army? Which man in this world has prepared a house, a car, and money for a woman, but this woman is still dissatisfied, still crying about emptiness, loneliness, and coldness every day. Wouldn’t any man have a temper?
Alright, even if he loses his temper, can’t Anran make just one more call? One more call would give him an out. He would tell her to wait for him, that he has already applied for discharge, that he is still her man, and she is still his wife.
It’s just half a year—just six months!
Yes, it’s because he is so angry. Zhan Lian hasn’t called his wife for half a year. He’s been angry, lost his temper, and acted like a spoiled child. And now, Anran has given birth to their child alone. The world has ended, and now, he has no wife, no child.
How can Zhan Lian not want to kill himself?
Lao Mao watches in silence as Zhan Lian spirals, watches him bang his head against the wall. The wall cracks under the force of his blows, but Zhan Lian’s head is unscathed. Lao Mao is relieved. He turns silently and continues searching for Anran and the child.
Sometimes, a man in pain doesn’t need anyone to console him. At times like this, Zhan Lian needs to be alone.
After searching for a long time in the living room and Doll’s room, Lao Mao can’t find any useful clues. He steps outside to search further. In the corridor, he finds two rotting bodies, rats crawling over them.
Looking at their clothes, the bodies seem to belong to men—not women and children. When the rats see a living person, they bare their red eyes and rush at Lao Mao. With a swift movement, he slices through them with his knife, cutting them down in an instant.
Lao Mao glances at the dead rats, his face twisting in disdain. He turns, returns to Zhan Lian’s house with his knife, and closes the door. He hurries to the master bedroom. The wall has been knocked down, but Zhan Lian isn’t there. Has he jumped off the building?
Something feels wrong. Lao Mao rushes to the bedroom balcony to look down. He doesn’t see Zhan Lian’s body in the green belt below, so he sighs in relief. Then, he searches the house for Zhan Lian. After a while, he finally goes up to the attic and finds Zhan Lian kneeling in front of a box, holding Anran’s pregnancy notebook.
The light in the attic is dimmer than downstairs. In the stillness, a beam of sunlight filters through the window and illuminates the wooden floor, highlighting its texture and grain. Lao Mao stands quietly behind Zhan Lian, watching his broad back as he kneels on the floor, motionless, as if in repentance.
"I saw her that year," Zhan Lian murmurs. His usually clear voice seems to waver, tinged with both sadness and a smile. "She looked so pitiful, waiting to be taken home. Huh~"
He pauses, his voice softening even more, and continues, "The truth is, people like us aren’t suited for marriage. I know that too. After today, who knows if we’ll even be alive tomorrow. What’s the point of marriage? It's uncomfortable to bring a burden home for nothing."
It’s the end of the world. Some family ties can’t be severed, some friendships fall apart, and some love remains, even on the other side of the world.