Chapter 64: Self-Conceit
Chapter 64: Self-Conceit
An Ran watches Hu Zhen's actions in silence. Deep down, she doesn’t want to push Chen Jiao to the edge. After just over ten days of experiencing the end of the world, she still holds onto a glimmer of hope for humanity, and there is still a trace of softness in her heart.
Once Hu Zhen gathers most of the supplies, An Ran turns and leads her out of the hospital room. As they step outside, they hear Chen Jiao burst into tears behind them, pointing at An Ran’s back and exclaiming in despair, “An Ran, you bastard! I hate you so much, I can’t stand you!”
“I hate you too!” An Ran retorts, glancing back at Chen Jiao before walking away.
Sighing, Hu Zhen shakes her head and grabs the large bag of food, matching An Ran’s pace. Once in the emergency staircase, she says, “An Ran, Chen Jiao may be a little squeamish, but she’s not a bad person. If we do this, she might starve.”
“Yeah, not a bad person~~ Didn’t you just give her cookies? How could she starve?” An Ran walks ahead, disagreeing in her heart. Regardless of whether she feeds Chen Jiao or not, Hu Zhen will eventually provide for her, so how could Chen Jiao really starve?
Contemplating Hu Zhen's words, An Ran pauses on the stairs, one foot resting on a step. She looks up at the spiraling staircase and remains silent for a long time before speaking. “I grow up receiving food from many people. Can you say those who offer me a bite are not kind-hearted? That’s only because they have extra food. But if they can only fill their own stomachs to seventy percent, would they be willing to give you fifty percent?”
It is just that no one has reached that point yet.
With that thought lingering, An Ran continues upstairs, followed by a silent Hu Zhen. Upon reaching the fifth floor, they can faintly hear Doll and He Wen crying; both children have woken up.
After feeding the children until they are full, changing their diapers, and soothing them back to sleep, An Ran and Hu Zhen lay out several blankets next to the flower pot and settle down to sleep on the floor of the doctor's office.
As the night wears on, An Ran turns over in her sleep. She instinctively raises the back of her hand and brushes against a pot of carnations beside her. The leaves seem to scratch her skin, prompting her to wave them away, but the leaves persist, as if teasing her.
This is absurd. Could a leaf really tease a person?
Annoyed, An Ran abruptly wakes up, sitting up to glare at the pot of carnations. The beautiful flowers stand still, their leaves motionless.
Who dares to tease her?! Presumptuous!!
The light on the ceiling flickers, momentarily disorienting An Ran. As the brightness fluctuates, she squints, eventually adjusting to the dimness and sitting on the bed in a daze.
Beside her, Hu Zhen also stirs awake. In the darkness, he turns his head toward the open door, then back at An Ran, asking, “An Ran, what happened?”
“The power’s out!” An Ran rubs her eyes, her heart racing as she faces the pitch-blackness surrounding her. For someone who has lived in a world filled with electricity since birth, a power outage signifies a terrifying loss of visibility.
Hu Zhen’s anxiety grows in the dark. He grasps An Ran’s shoulder and asks, “What should we do, An Ran? The power is out—what do we do?”