Chapter 313: Or Not
Chapter 313: Or Not
Tang Siluo blocks An Ran’s path and speaks to her: "Sister-in-law, you came just in time. I’m actually coming to talk to you about something. Brother Lian may not have told you, but we’re setting up a children’s welfare center in District 3 to take in the orphans from Tiesi Village. We’re currently recruiting people to help care for Dollren. You could join us, sister-in-law. There will be food provided—three meals a day."
"Sorry, I have other things to do and I’m not interested." An Ran doesn’t wait for Tang Siluo to finish. She grabs Little Mint and walks around her.
An Ran doesn’t like Tang Siluo—she dislikes her intensely, mainly because Tang Siluo detained Yun Tao, but it’s not just that.
Of course, what Tang Siluo is trying to do is noble and admirable. Setting up a children’s welfare center is a wonderful initiative, with a very positive impact. But if An Ran is being honest with herself, she’s barely surviving in this apocalypse, walking through it alone with a baby. Why on earth would she take on the responsibility of caring for other people’s children?
Who would take care of her baby if she goes to work in an orphanage? Should she just leave her daughter with strangers?
An Ran doesn’t know what’s going through Tang Siluo’s head. Offering her three meals a day? How little does Tang Siluo think of An Ran? Can’t she manage to feed herself three times a day without having to go through all this trouble, leaving her daughter in someone else’s care just to help other children? Isn’t that a roundabout way of doing things?
Behind her, Tang Siluo’s once radiant smile instantly fades into a displeased frown. She turns to Zhao Ru, who is standing not far away, and says with irritation:
"What’s with her attitude? Look, I’m trying to help her."
"Maybe she doesn’t need to work," Zhao Ru shrugs and replies. "After all, she’s relying on the captain now, and she has food and shelter. Why would she need to work?"
"This woman," Tang Siluo sneers, "After everything she’s been through, she still doesn’t know how to be independent. What future does she have relying on a man?"
A woman who is standing behind Tang Siluo looks at An Ran’s retreating figure with disdain, wondering what independence really means. When a woman faces the apocalypse, she has no choice but to rely on a man temporarily. But now that she’s safe, why should she continue depending on him?
In their eyes, women should find a job and support themselves.
But they don’t know what it’s like to be under the captain’s care. They don’t know the difference between the team captain and all those other men. Maybe An Ran really doesn’t lack food, but still...
Zhao Ru doesn’t say anything, standing quietly in the corner, watching Tang Siluo and the others talk about An Ran behind her back. She snorts softly and finds an opportunity to speak to Tang Siluo.
"I’m going to see my great aunt."
"Okay, tell Dr. Zhao I said hello." Tang Siluo replies, smiling.
When Zhao Ru mentions her great aunt, Tang Siluo’s demeanor changes. Dr. Zhao Qianrong had been a highly respected figure in obstetrics and gynecology before the world ended. After the apocalypse, someone like her is invaluable, a treasure that Tang Jianjun fully supports.
Because of that, Tang Siluo treats Zhao Qianrong with great respect and is also very close to Zhao Ruyu.
Zhao Ru is not unfamiliar with Tang Siluo. On the surface, they maintain a friendly relationship, and Tang Siluo had asked her to relay a message to Dr. Zhao. Zhao Ru nods, smiles, and agrees. She then climbs the stairs to the third floor alone.
She’s increasingly feeling that her current allegiance might be problematic. Lei Jiang and Tang Siluo are not people she can rely on!