Apocalypse: My Sweetie Is Tough but Cute

Chapter 145: Chapter 144: An Apocalyptic Life from Scratch (18)

As she was about to leave the badminton hall, Su Shu still felt somewhat concerned about Xiao’ai and glanced back.

Standing beside her, Luo Gang said indifferently, “Don’t worry, she really likes girls. It’s just too bad we don’t have any.”

Su Shu shifted her gaze back, feeling a bit embarrassed that someone had noticed her concerns, and she smiled openly.

“My niece, she’s a bit special.”

“Hmm,” Luo Gang nodded.

He had already noticed. “Doesn’t like to talk much?”

“Hmm.”

Su Shu thought to herself that this man really didn’t stick his nose where it didn’t belong.

He was so considerate when asking questions, not inquiring why Xiao’ai couldn’t speak, but rather asking if she didn’t like to?

Although the difference between “can” and “like” was only one word, the feeling it gave was entirely different.

At night, the air was filled with a damp, fishy smell. The torrential rain had stopped, and the floodwater had receded, but the devastation it left behind was a complete mess, making one feel damp and dreary.

Walking side by side with Luo Gang, she passed by one dark blue tent after another in the plaza outside the sports hall. At night, they were filled with sleepless people.

Faint sounds of low conversations could be heard, but they weren’t clear.

Clutching a medium-sized thermos in hand, Su Shu walked out of the sports hall.

“It’s a bit dangerous outside the sports hall. You go ahead, and I’ll watch from behind,” Luo Gang said.

Su Shu nodded and took a step and a half ahead.

This manner of walking, with one person in front and the other behind—as she recalled, another man had once said the same thing to her.

In the night, leaving one’s back exposed to hidden enemies was a dangerous affair.

Like Tang Zelin, Luo Gang didn’t explain why it was dangerous, but he took it upon himself to silently fulfill a man’s duty and responsibility to protect a woman.

In such a cold night, a warm current passed through Su Shu’s heart.

The place where hot water was being sold was indeed not close.

After walking for more than ten minutes, they finally saw a supermarket that was still open.

Seeing the shop under the streetlights from afar, Su Shu smiled, “All the stores on this street are closed, yet this one dares to stay open. That’s pretty courageous.”

Luo Gang glanced at her, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“Why do you say that?”

Su Shu explained, “Given how severe the disaster is in C city, the government is mobilizing efforts from top to bottom, asking those who have money to donate money, and those with strength to donate efforts, to aid in the disaster relief. It’s being heavily promoted. But look at all these shops on the street, almost all of them are closed. Some may have donated their goods, while others, fearing that their interests will be implicated in this mess, prefer to avoid trouble by simply shutting down. But this shop, not only is it open so late, but they’ve also boldly written on a board outside, ‘Hot water for sale, 50 Yuan per liter.’ They’re so brazen in asking for money, it’s quite a talent.”

Luo Gang picked up on the sarcasm in her words, expressing surprise that such blatant profiteering during a disaster hadn’t been met with public looting or outrage.

Luo Gang stated flatly, “Profiteering also depends on one’s local influence and connections.”

Su Shu let out a soft chuckle, saying nothing further; she understood.

“Hot water at fifty Yuan a liter, about the amount contained in two bottles of Master Kong, is probably the most expensive hot water I’ve ever drunk in my life.”

“Hmm.”

The street-side supermarket was neither large nor small, with five aisles of shelves. The shop owner, wearing a T-shirt and round in stature, was sitting in front of a computer playing an online game.

As the sound came from the door, he looked up, asked casually, “What are you buying?”

“Hot water.”

“One hundred Yuan a liter! Do you want it or not?”

Luo Gang frowned, “Did the price go up?”

The owner yawned twice, turned his head with impatience, and said, “It went up, are you buying or not? I’ll change the sign outside soon. I’m too lazy to do it while gaming. So many disaster victims; in my support of those of you affected by the disaster, I’ve already burned out several of my kettles. It’s not just about money, you know. Are you buying or not?”