Ch 98: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

The place they stopped to rest was an open concrete lot, originally intended for the installation of charging stations before the apocalypse. However, the world had fallen into chaos before the project could be completed, leaving only a few lonely pillars standing there. The parking lines had only been half-painted, and none of the accompanying facilities had been set up.

Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei used metal and vines to fence off a small area, keeping zombies and potential mutated plants at bay so that everyone could step out of the vehicle to stretch their legs or relieve themselves. Though the air outside carried a faint stench of rotting zombie flesh, staying cooped up in the car all day made it feel stifling.

With their long-awaited reunion, Song Kaiji and his parents had endless things to say to each other. Shen Qing, ever since Li Li had pointed out his relationship with Song Kaiji, had been feeling increasingly uneasy. Sitting there, he felt like an outsider, someone who had accidentally intruded into a family gathering where he didn’t belong. Noticing that Song Kaiji was preoccupied with his parents, Shen Qing felt even more out of place. He stood up, intending to step outside to clear his mind, but before he could, Song Kaiji grabbed his arm.

“Where are you going? I was just about to tell my parents about us.”

Zhang Sujuan and Li Aiguo both averted their eyes, looking distinctly uncomfortable. It wasn’t because they disapproved—despite being open-minded and not against their son being with another man, they had never actually imagined this scenario. Their personalities also made them hesitant about how to interact with Shen Qing, and every time they accidentally made eye contact with him, they hurriedly looked away, unsure of how to react.

Shen Qing lowered his gaze to meet Song Kaiji’s. His face and eyes were filled with pure joy. At this moment, he was incredibly lucky, incredibly happy—his parents were safe and sound in front of him, the person he loved was by his side, and his father had openly stated that he would support him no matter whom he loved. In the future, they could escape to a peaceful world and live a long and stable life together…

Right now, Song Kaiji was brimming with hope and vitality.

Shen Qing couldn’t bear the intensity of his gaze, as if his eyes were filled with scattered stars. He looked away, forcing a smile. “I just need to step out for a moment. You haven’t seen your parents in so long; you must have so much to talk about. Don’t worry about me.” He paused for a moment before adding softly, “There’s no rush to talk about me. There’s still plenty of time in the future.”

Song Kaiji blinked in surprise before realizing that Shen Qing was referring to the other world, not their relationship. He quickly nodded. “I know my limits. I’ll only say something if you agree to it.”

Shen Qing nodded absentmindedly, then patted the back of Song Kaiji’s hand in reassurance before stepping out of the car.

He didn’t head toward the makeshift restroom Qu Weiwei had built with vines but instead found a secluded corner where the foliage was thick. The fresh scent of the plants masked some of the outside stench, making it a little more tolerable. Taking a deep breath, Shen Qing finally felt the turmoil in his heart settle slightly.

Too much had happened today—too much chaos, too many life-and-death moments. Acting on impulse, he had done something that, rationally speaking, he never should have done. But now, standing here in the cool night air, he had a moment to clear his thoughts.

He had fallen for Song Kaiji.

No matter how much Shen Qing had previously shut off his emotions, he had to face this reality now. He liked him very much—so much that all the moral teachings he had been raised with and all his rational thoughts couldn’t stop his body from instinctively throwing itself into Song Kaiji’s arms when he returned safely.

Some feelings aren’t clear when you have a choice. You may not know exactly what or who you cherish the most. But when you are faced with the possibility of losing them, the answer becomes obvious, as if a fog has been lifted.

For Shen Qing, Song Kaiji was the one he couldn’t bear to lose.

But… should he bring Song Kaiji to that world?

Even though Song Kaiji’s parents seemed relatively easygoing and had already severed ties with Li Liang and Li Li, Shen Qing still felt an inexplicable sense of unease. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was afraid of, but his intuition told him that his hesitation meant there was an underlying risk or loss he had yet to realize.

Behind him, Qu Weiwei called out, “Boss, want some supper? We’ve still got some buns. Should I have Sun Cheng heat one up for you?”

Song Kaiji was too busy basking in his happiness, focusing entirely on his parents. Aside from giving them and Yu Le some food initially, he had left everything else to Qu Weiwei, only responding when she specifically asked for something. Qu Weiwei understood, but she still felt a little exasperated. Then, glancing at Shen Qing, who hadn’t been cared for either, she suddenly felt much better.

As for Song Kaiji… She rested her chin in her hands, looking at him with a hint of sorrow and a great deal of envy. If given the chance, who wouldn’t want to forever be their parents’ cherished child?

But her own family…

Meanwhile, Yu Le, nibbling on a bun, hesitated before softly asking, “Big sis, is he the boss?” She pointed cautiously at Shen Qing before glancing at Song Kaiji. “I thought he was…”

Perhaps because Song Kaiji had rescued her, she had a subconscious bias. Or maybe it was because everything that had happened since she got in the car revolved around Song Kaiji. Either way, she had assumed that Song Kaiji was the leader of the group, and that this entire mission had been orchestrated by him to rescue his parents.

Qu Weiwei was holding two cold buns skewered on chopsticks while Sun Cheng conjured a small flame in his palm, carefully roasting them. Sun Cheng sighed internally—he was a mid-to-high-level ability user, yet aside from fighting zombies, he was constantly being asked to cook, reheat food, and toast buns. That being said, he was getting pretty good at controlling the flame.

Without much thought, Qu Weiwei nodded while rotating the buns over the flame. “Yeah, the one outside is our boss. The one inside… well, let’s call him our second boss. He only caught our boss along the way.” She clicked her tongue, grinning mischievously. “A bootlicking opportunist who climbed the ranks through personal connections. Too bad our boss only likes men. If he liked women, I’d be happy to compete for the position myself.”

She was joking, of course, but after the buns were roasted to a golden crisp, she personally handed one to Shen Qing. “See? I can be thoughtful too!”

Shen Qing stared blankly for a moment before taking the bun. He wasn’t actually hungry, but his mind was preoccupied, so he absentmindedly took a bite. The crispy outer layer was fragrant and inviting, the aroma of the wheat flour rich and comforting. However, as soon as he bit down, the hot oil inside burst forth, scalding his tongue.

And in that moment, he suddenly realized what he had been so afraid of.

If he took Song Kaiji’s family to Lantang Village, how would he accommodate them? He couldn’t possibly ask Song Kaiji to come alone, leaving his parents behind, could he? Shen Qing glanced at the car, where Song Kaiji’s joyful face was still visible through the window. He was deeply attached to his parents—how could he bear to be separated from them?

That was only natural. Before Shen Qing had discovered the cave, hadn’t he also declared that if he had to marry, he would only do so if he could bring Miao Shi with him?

But he didn’t feel comfortable with it.

What he feared was a shift in power.

A household is a small-scale power structure, and most family conflicts stem from disputes over resources and control.

Why do mothers-in-law often put their daughters-in-law through trials when they first enter the family? Because they fear losing their authority. The bitter wives who finally endure until they become the matriarchs want to cling tightly to the little power they have, unwilling to share even the smallest portion.

And why do these intense conflicts often occur between women and gers? Because those who already have little power are the ones most prone to internal strife. When you have very little to begin with, you guard it all the more fiercely.

And men are the ones who hold the most power in a family.

Take the Shen family, for example. On the surface, Old Lady Shen was domineering, acting as if she was in control. She bullied Miao Shi, and even Zhao Aiye had to butter her up to live a good life. But as long as Old Man Shen made a decision, she couldn’t shake it in the slightest. In fact, now that Widow Li had moved in and was favored by Shen Zhigao, she no longer even put Old Lady Shen in her eyes.

A man’s support could even overturn the “natural” power structure where a mother-in-law suppresses her daughter-in-law.

Shen Qing had struggled so hard to escape from such a family and gain his freedom. Severing ties meant he no longer had to be filial to Shen Zhigao and could treat the entire Shen family as if they didn’t exist. The Miao brothers, sharing a different surname, also had no real power to interfere or suppress him. Miao Shi had long been accustomed to having no say in things and naturally relied on and listened to him. At last, Shen Qing could be his own master, the sole authority in his household.

And now, was he supposed to personally bring back another family, creating a situation where he might end up being suppressed again?

He lifted his head and looked through the car window. Li Aiguo was facing Song Kaiji, speaking about something, his expression unreadable. What kind of man was this “father”? Shen Qing didn’t know. Maybe Li Aiguo wasn’t as bad as he imagined. But he knew how fragile his own freedom was, how difficult it had been to escape the power struggles of a family. He neither wanted nor dared to gamble.

He had deep feelings for Song Kaiji, and Song Kaiji adored him. But this love was like the roasted bun in his hand—fragrant and inviting on the outside, yet harboring a hidden danger that could burn his tongue. One careless bite, and he could be dragged back into the very thing he had fought to escape, making his heart, which had just begun to soften, retreat once again, turning cold and rigid.

Perhaps this had nothing to do with Song Kaiji or even Li Aiguo. His rejection of Wang San and his insistence to Miao Shi that he didn’t want to discuss marriage for at least a year—maybe these were all subconscious signs of the same fear, a hidden danger he hadn’t fully grasped until now. And now, faced with the decision of whether to bring Song Kaiji’s family to Lantang Village, all those suppressed anxieties had erupted at once.

Inside the car, the dim yellow light cast a warm glow over a scene of laughter and joy. Outside, Shen Qing stood in the dark, as if the two worlds had been clearly divided by the night.

Inside, Zhang Sujuan and Li Aiguo had overheard Yu Le and Qu Weiwei’s conversation and were just as surprised. They had also assumed that Song Kaiji had gathered this team to rescue them.

Song Kaiji shook his head. “I wanted to come, but the leader of this entire ability-user team is Shen Qing. Everything we eat and use, all of our supplies, were provided by him.” He briefly explained the situation at Red City Base to his parents and made a point to highlight Shen Qing’s care and support, hoping his parents would come to recognize and appreciate Shen Qing.

Zhang Sujuan was more accepting, but Li Aiguo felt a little uneasy. Even though both kids were boys, he couldn’t help but feel like he was spending his “daughter-in-law’s” private savings. “That makes me feel a bit embarrassed.”

Song Kaiji hadn’t thought about it that way. He was barely in his early twenties, still in university when the apocalypse hit. In his heart, love was just love—intense enough that he could offer Shen Qing everything, including his life. But what was marriage? What were family and responsibility? Song Kaiji hadn’t yet touched upon the essence of these concepts.

Zhang Sujuan, however, saw things differently. Women often viewed these matters from another angle. “You can’t just take it for granted. He’s giving you things because he likes you, but you have to set some boundaries. Look at your dad—he used to give me his entire salary, but if I took all of it and handed it to my brother’s family, do you think he’d be okay with that?”

Handing over his wages to his wife had always been something Li Aiguo took pride in, proof that he was a good husband. Hearing Zhang Sujuan say this, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I gave it to you because I knew you weren’t that kind of person. We’re family—if you lent your brother some money once in a while, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I trust your judgment. But if you gave away our entire savings, that’s another story.”

He had heard about men who prioritized their brothers over their own family, constantly lending money to support them. If Zhang Sujuan had been that kind of woman, he never would have chosen her in the first place. It wasn’t the reason he married her, but the fact that she had good judgment made him love her even more.

Zhang Sujuan nodded. “That’s exactly the point. We’ve been married for so many years—it’s different. But the logic is the same.”

Their conversation left Song Kaiji deep in thought. His mother’s words made him realize that even in a marriage, love alone wasn’t enough—there had to be boundaries. Zhang Sujuan, however, didn’t continue the topic. Instead, after a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “So he’s giving you supplies to hold onto because you have storage space? What kind of space?”

Song Kaiji snapped out of his thoughts. “It’s a spatial ability. I was only a level-two ability user before, but Shen Qing gave me a lot of crystal cores to help me level up. That’s how I reached level three. My teleportation skill is also part of my spatial ability.”

Hearing that it was an ability, Zhang Sujuan wasn’t sure whether she was disappointed or something else. She glanced around—Qu Weiwei and the others were roasting food near the front of the car, and in the back, it was just their family. The other team members weren’t coming over to disturb them.

She shifted positions slightly, using her body to block the view of others. Then, she gripped the jade pendant at her chest and focused her energy. She had no clear technique or understanding of how to use it, but after about thirty seconds, the bun in her hand suddenly vanished.

Song Kaiji and Li Aiguo: “!!!”

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