Chapter 28: Ignorance is Bliss

Xiao Guang analyzed the situation and concluded that Bae Joo-hyun must have been suffering from morning crankiness.

Min-ju had performed a reenactment for him: she had retreated into the bedroom, crawled under the covers, and then slowly backed out, dragging herself across the floor. This act made it easy for Xiao Guang to guess that she had been sleeping soundly before Bae Joo-hyun grabbed her by the legs and hauled her into the living room.

"You can't just lash out like that! Have you lost your mind? Do you think you can actually beat Bae Joo-hyun? Didn't you see the iron chain she was holding?"

Regardless of whether Min-ju could understand him, Xiao Guang gestured frantically, trying to explain just how terrifying it was when Bae Joo-hyun appeared with that chain.

He nearly used his feet to emphasize the point. Min-ju finally seemed to grasp the situation. Xiao Guang pulled her before Bae Joo-hyun, and although it wasn't fair, he forced the victim to apologize—after all, Bae Joo-hyun was the one with the upper hand.

As he pressed Min-ju to bow, Bae Joo-hyun finally turned her little head, which had been facing away, to look at them. Xiao Guang pushed Min-ju to sit beside her.

"No more fighting! I’m going to make some food. Oh, for heaven's sake, my radio! Why did you smash it to pieces?"

It wasn't just the radio; the small table it sat on was also shattered. Bae Joo-hyun really did have immense strength. Xiao Guang looked at the wreckage with a pang of heartache, but realizing it was beyond repair, he tossed it aside. He was starving; food came first.

As Xiao Guang walked into the kitchen, Bae Joo-hyun and Min-ju both turned to look at the radio debris on the floor. Bae Joo-hyun nodded at Kim Min-ju, and Min-ju nodded back.

Bae Joo-hyun had her morning mood, and Min-ju had been frightened. Xiao Guang thought it over and decided to make them some instant noodles—their favorite. But noodles alone lacked nutrients, so he went to the underground cellar to fetch the few remaining eggs and vegetables.

"We are a family, and families don't fight. If you're unhappy, you can argue, but you cannot resort to violence. Bae Joo-hyun, you can't keep bullying Min-ju. You saw that even a gentle person will push back when pushed too far. And you certainly shouldn't use iron chains, right?"

Xiao Guang ate his noodles, lecturing the two beautiful women sitting at the table. He didn't care how much they understood; it needed to be said.

"Think about it. I work hard to grow this food, and then you two end up bloody and bruised. It breaks my heart. I know, you've been infected by the virus, and your behavior might be extreme, but the three of us—I, Xiao Guang, you, Bae Joo-hyun, and you, Kim Min-ju—we are a family. Do you understand? Alright, I'm full. Time to feed Bae Joo-hyun."

Whether she truly understood or not, feeding Bae Joo-hyun went exceptionally smoothly. Xiao Guang watched the slight movement of her throat as she swallowed. When she finally turned her face away, signaling she was done, he happily kissed her on the forehead.

Min-ju seemed restless. She appeared to want to be fed just like Bae Joo-hyun. That was Xiao Guang’s impression, as he felt those deep blue eyes were filled with longing—as if she were trying to make up for a mistake by behaving well. In reality, however, the process was much less smooth than the day before.

"Oh, I should have just let you eat naked. You've gotten noodle broth all over your clothes. You have such a small mouth, don't be so impatient; wait until you've swallowed before asking for more."

After grumbling, he stripped off Min-ju’s soiled clothes and dressed her in a fresh set. Xiao Guang was truly too exhausted to move another muscle.

He slumped onto the sofa and glanced at the radio ruins on the floor. He rubbed his stomach. "I can't go without a radio. I need a way to receive information from the outside world. Maybe later... no, forget it. I'll go scavenge in the city tomorrow."

After resting for a while to let his food digest, he looked at the seed packets on the floor. With a sigh, Xiao Guang forced himself up. He had already dug the holes; it would be a waste not to plant them. Regardless of whether it was the right time, he tossed the seeds into the pits and, braving the sun, gritted his teeth and covered them with soil.

He was exhausted. Xiao Guang knew he was a bit of a loser; in this apocalypse, everyone else was out killing monsters, yet he was nearly dying just from gardening.

Back in the living room, he simply collapsed onto the floor. He watched Bae Joo-hyun sitting quietly on the sofa and Min-ju on the floor, her cheeks puffing out from time to time. They had made up quickly; Bae Joo-hyun was letting Min-ju play with the little ball again.

"I'm soaked in sweat. I'm going to take a rinse."

Once he caught his breath, he struggled to sit up. As he muttered to himself, he saw both Bae Joo-hyun and Min-ju looking at him. Xiao Guang looked back at them.

"I said a rinse, not a swim in the pool. I really don't have the energy. Aren't we supposed to take a nap? I'll go to sleep right after I wash up."

The weather was getting hotter. Within minutes of stepping out of the shower, he felt the heat again. Checking the air conditioning, Xiao Guang walked over to Bae Joo-hyun.

He was terrified of getting sick, so he kept the temperature moderate, but the heat was unbearable. He opted for a better solution.

Zombies were naturally cool to the touch. He took off Bae Joo-hyun’s doll costume and pulled her into his arms. It was so comfortable. Human desire knows no bounds; holding her on the sofa wasn't enough, so Xiao Guang lay down on the floor, pulling Bae Joo-hyun tightly against him.

"Nap time now. No one is allowed to talk. Min-ju, come sit behind me and play."

***

While Xiao Guang slept soundly in the villa's living room, he was unaware that the world outside had turned into a nightmare.

In many places, zombies were launching organized assaults on human survivor settlements. If Xiao Guang were to see this, his jaw would surely drop, for many of the zombies were no longer just letting out mindless roars—they were chanting slogans.

"New Humanity!"
"New World!"
"New Life!"

Gunfire painted the earth red. The faces of both sides in the conflict were filled with a fanatical fervor; it was a battle that neither side could afford to lose.

Higher up, in a large conference hall, many people sat around a table. Representatives of the two sides, who should have been locked in a death match, were arguing fiercely. Beside them, doctors in white coats held test tubes filled with liquid, speaking with great agitation.

Humanity, New Humanity, cure, evolution, deterioration, exploitation—so many terms were jumbled together. It didn't look like a resolution would be reached anytime soon.

However, both sides seemed to agree on one principle: some sacrifices were necessary. As for who would be sacrificed, that didn't seem to matter much.

***

None of this had anything to do with Xiao Guang. He rolled over and instinctively pulled Min-ju, who was sitting nearby playing with her ball, into his arms. Min-ju looked at the hand around her waist, scooted closer to Xiao Guang, and looked at his face. Seeing him facing her, she slowly rested her head on his arm.

Her deep blue eyes stared at Xiao Guang’s face, blinking. Suddenly, she broke into a smile, then buried her face in his chest. Min-ju thought Xiao Guang smelled wonderful, just like a sweet cream cake. She froze.

*Cream cake.* What was that? It sounded delicious. Min-ju looked up at Xiao Guang again, licked her lips, and couldn't help but open her mouth, intending to take a tiny bite—just one bite.

*Slap!*

Before she could reach his chest, her cheek was struck. Min-ju quickly closed her mouth and hid back against his chest. How annoying. He hit her again, even though she hadn't actually bitten him. She wanted to cry, but she didn't dare.