Chapter 288: Did You Go Home?
Chapter 288: Did You Go Home?
"Little bunny, be good, open the door, hurry and open the door~"
The cheerful melody plays as Little Mint walks in, carrying Doll in his arms. The little one has fallen asleep without realizing it.
Anran quickly turns off the singing toy sun, tidies up the crib, places a thick mat inside, and then switches it out for a cooling mat. After making sure everything is set, she carefully takes Doll from Little Mint and gently lays her in the crib.
"You should get some sleep too. You barely rested last night." Anran pulls Little Mint over and urges him to lie down on the bed. "I'll go out and take a look. You rest for a while."
Little Mint nods, but just as Anran turns to leave, he reaches out and grabs her hand, hesitation filling his gaze.
"It's okay," Anran reassures him. "I'll find a way to locate Uncle Yun and Hengheng. Don't worry."
They have been relying on each other for two months in this apocalyptic world. Now that they have made it to Tiesi Village, they can’t just be separated like this.
Anran takes a deep breath and steps out of the room.
Standing in the long corridor, she looks around. The sun glares down on the open square.
Zhan Lian is leaning against the guardrail, smoking.
He has always been strong, tall, and broad-shouldered, his posture effortlessly relaxed. A cigarette rests between his fingers, the tip already burned to ash. The heat is oppressive, and he has taken off his camouflage jacket, tying it around his waist. His military-green short-sleeved T-shirt clings slightly to his body, marked with sweat stains.
Noticing Anran watching him, Zhan Lian flicks his cigarette away, straightens up, and strides toward her. Without a word, he wraps an arm around her shoulders and leads her toward the public bathroom beside the dormitory.
"I got some clean water. Go wash up and get some rest," he says. "While Doll’s asleep, you should take a nap too. We’ll talk about everything once you've had proper rest."
"No, Zhan Lian, I want to tell you—" Before she can finish, Zhan Lian shoves her into the bathroom and slams the door shut.
His temper is usually steady, but the moment Anran mentions Yun Tao, he becomes... different.
The more she cares about Yun Tao, the more irritated Zhan Lian becomes.
Not even ten seconds later, the door swings open again. Zhan Lian steps inside, sets down a set of clean clothes, and says, "Change after you wash up. I brought these for you."
Then he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Anran stands there, stunned, staring at the clothes on the small table inside the bathroom.
They are hers.
Not just any clothes, but a set of purple yoga wear she packed in her suitcase before leaving Sunshine Lake Community. She recognizes them immediately.
But... shouldn’t they have been lost at the gas station?
She clearly remembers that a whole truckload of supplies was taken back then—including Zhan Lian’s car. Everything had been left behind when she fled. She hadn’t even had time to drive away in her ex-husband’s vehicle.
Her grip on the fabric tightens.
"Zhan Lian..." Her voice is steady but questioning. "Have you been home?"
Outside the door, under the scorching sun, Zhan Lian lowers his head slightly and gives a quiet "mm" in response.
Inside the dimly lit bathroom, Anran lowers her head too, stepping closer to the heavy door. She doesn’t know what else to say.
No wonder Zhan Lian knows Doll’s exact birth date—down to the minute.
He must have seen the pregnancy notebook she left on the bed.
Suddenly, her face flushes red.
She had written so many complaints about him in that notebook—about his irresponsibility, about his absence from their marriage...