Chapter 99: Zhou Xingfeng
"No - nothing, Senior…please continue." Wen Bin forces a light laugh on his gentle face, reaching out to rest an arm on Zhou Xingfeng"s shoulder, burying his face in the older student"s chest. This way, the other male cannot see the expression on his face.
He likes Zhou Xingfeng.
On the night the apocalypse began, when his roommate suddenly changed into a man-eating monster, it was Senior who broke down his door, killed the creature and rescued him. When Wen Bin can"t stop worrying about his family, Zhou Xingfeng offered to accompany him home when they next go out on a scavenging trip. Because of Senior, Wen Bin was able to safely retrieve his sick younger brother trapped in their home. When he was afraid of those monsters, it was Zhou Xingfeng who generously help him train, helped him build up his courage to the point that he is now able to protect not only himself but his companions too. When he first realised he wasn"t straight after falling for Senior, Wen Bin felt that he himself was disgusting. However, he cannot stop his honest feelings. Every time he witnesses the other surviving female Seniors and Juniors teasing Xingfeng, he feels as though something is tearing his heart to shreds…
Which is why one night, he took a bottle of alcohol from the pile of scavenged goods and looked for Zhou Xingfeng with the intention of making his Senior drunk…
Due to that incident, Zhou Xingfeng felt guilty and responsible even if he didn"t notice Wen Bin"s intentions. Hence, Wen Bin continuously guilt-tripped his Senior and exploited his kindness in order to be alone with him. Because this is the only way he knows he can hug his Senior close without worry.
However, today, amongst the small group that suddenly appeared in school…Zhou Xingfeng actually blurted out the word "wife" to one of them. In addition, he displayed such closeness to that person, resulting in Wen Bin"s current uneasy frame of mind.
If Zhou Xingfeng likes someone with such remarkable appearance, then what can he do…
"If you feel pain, just say."
"It"s not painful, Senior." Shaking his head, the arms draped around Zhou Xingfeng"s shoulder tightens slightly as he answers softly.
Looking down at the Junior hugging him tightly, Zhou Xingfeng bows his head to drop a kiss on the younger male"s hair.
~~~
Originally, Huo Zaiyuan"s party thought they will only spend one night in the school before continuing on their way. But they didn"t take into account running into their friend Zhou Xingfeng. Under Li Qing"s relentless pleading and negotiation, they decide to stay here for another two days.
"Do you plan to continue staying here with all of them?" After glancing at the other survivors around him, Huo Zaiyuan shifts his gaze to his friend presently sitting in such an undignified pose on the ground, eating dry flatbread.
"Well, what do you think?" Chewing on the flavourless bread, Zhou Xingfeng asks. "When the apocalypse began, most of these students were rescued by the joint effort between me and a few others. The adults are here because they risked coming to school to find their children. The fortunate ones are able to reunite with their kids, the less fortunate ones found only the dead corpses of their children who turned into zombies…there were more people here before, but a few left. They said it was to find an un.o.bstructed road out of this city. These here are the remaining. If you really want me to abandon these lost children and the despairing parents, it will be the same as condemning them to certain death."
Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng came to know each other during their high school years. Having been in the same cla.s.s for two consecutive years, they played, gamed and caused havoc together. Amongst his small circle of friends, Xingfeng can be counted as one of Huo Zaiyuan"s good friend. Regarding Zhou Xingfeng"s character, he more or less understands.
Although Xingfeng is not simple-minded, he is someone who follows his heart desires. Who knew after the apocalypse this youth will become so big-hearted…
The Zhou family are also rather wealthy, with the father being a board chairman and the mother a famous opera singer. Due to their careers, it is very difficult to catch a glimpse of Xingfeng"s parents. Although they are rarely around, they dote on their son very much. Thus, like the old Huo Zaiyuan, Zhou Xingfeng also flits money without batting an eye. He purchases the best food, the most expensive games, even spending large amounts of cash on his online characters. Once, he spent a grand total of several tens of thousands in one breath.
Who could have imagined that carefree young master Zhou is now sitting on the floor of a room eating tasteless, dry flatbread without complaint, even making himself responsible for the lives of others? The apocalypse really made this friend of his mature quickly.
"Little Qing, the others and I have already decided to head for A City. After Judgement Day, a few military bases fell but there are also many others that have been converted into safe zones." As he speaks, Huo Zaiyuan sticks a hand into his waist pouch, taking out a green apple and two packets of pickled chicken feet[1], offering it to Zhou Xingfeng. "Here, take this. Don"t keep making a face when chewing on that flatbread. It makes it seem like you are eating mud."
He hasn"t forgotten his friend"s favourite snack is pickled chicken feet. Whenever they go out together, Xingfeng will always purchase a huge pile of it.
"Woah, an apple and pickled chicken feet!" Eyes brightening, he leaps up to his feet and s.n.a.t.c.hed the food up before he pauses and looks at Huo Zaiyuan as though he suddenly thought of something.
"It doesn"t matter. Take them. I have some more."
"Okay."
Tearing open a packet of pickles, he eats it together with the remaining bread, at the same time placing the apple and second bag into his inner coat pocket, saving them for later.
Although they managed to scavenge a bit of food from the nearby shopping mall, the number of survivors in this school is also quite a lot. Sooner or later, their stock will run out. Which is why everyone can only eat half a bag of food each. Wanting to snack on pickled chicken feet in between rations is impossible, for every piece of food is precious.
"There is a safe zone in R City. Within half a year, make preparations to leave S City. If at all possible, head towards the upper cities. O, M and L have their own safe zones too, but getting into E or above will be for the best." Huo Zaiyuan advises. "I"m not going to say more, but you know what you need to do."
"I understand." Zhou Xingfeng nods his head, then raises his eyes to stare at Long Zhanye who is leaning on the wall not far away. "Little Yuan, is your older brother Long a soldier?"
"Un." There isn"t any need to conceal that fact. Following Xingfeng"s gaze, Huo Zaiyuan also looks at the older man with a soft smile.
"That military arrest warrant on the internet…"
"F**king h.e.l.l!" Zhou Xingfeng barely opened his mouth when Huo Zaiyuan"s reflexive cursing whenever that topic is brought out drowns out the rest of his sentence. "Why is it that everyone who knows me personally always asks this question?!"
A chicken feet hanging from his mouth, Zhou Xingfeng grins at his friend"s depressed expression. "What can you do? Who asked you to somehow end up having your face popping up all across the country? Fortunately, that photo is your twelve-year-old one. If not, how can you not be recognised by anyone here? Also, why do you think I called you "wife" yesterday instead of yelling your name?"
Only, in the end, his considerate addressing of his friend caused him to be frightened to near-death by that terrifying soldier…this really makes him lose face ah.
"I haven"t told him my real name. For now, I"m Zi Yuan…which is why he hasn"t doubted anything yet." Huo Zaiyuan admits with a sigh.
And here he thought with the arrival of the apocalypse, this matter will be long forgotten by everyone. Instead…if Long Zhanye discovers this one day, who knows what their current relationship will change into? Will Long Zhanye not care about it, or will he be furious?
"You…are you together with him?"
Just like Huo Zaiyuan understands his character, Zhou Xingfeng is also familiar with the other"s personality. He knows Huo Zaiyuan has a strange quirk, which is he never shares a room with someone and doesn"t like sharing a bed either. But yesterday, the man spent a night in the same room as his friend.
"Un, we are a couple."
"You got bent."
"Scram out of here and don"t stop!!"
Just as the two are conversing happily, an auntie wearing an ap.r.o.n hurries over. Huo Zaiyuan recognises her as the school"s dining hall lady who usually runs errands.
"Xingfeng, little Bin…where is he?"
"When I woke up this morning, he was still asleep. What"s wrong? Don"t tell me he hasn"t gotten out of bed yet?" Hearing the auntie"s inquiry, a startled look appears on Zhou Xingfeng"s face.
"Usually, when it"s time to cook meals, little Bin will be in the kitchen helping me wash vegetables, but he isn"t there today. I thought he had something else to do, but it"s time to eat now and he is the only one who hasn"t gotten his share. That"s why…could it be something happened to him?"
At a young age, this auntie has already become a widow, left without sons or daughters. When the apocalypse arrived, she hid in one of the kitchens that was overlooked by plunderers. Later, she followed Xingfeng and the others as they rescued more people and stayed in the school. Typically, when he has nothing to do, Wen Bin will come down to the kitchen and help her with washing vegetables, dishing out food or learning how to cook from her. In her heart, she dotes on that child a lot.
"Auntie, don"t worry. I"ll do take a look. Perhaps he merely overslept." Zhou Xingfeng rea.s.sures the lady before heading towards the dormitory.
"I"ll come with you." Huo Zaiyuan rises to his feet and follows his friend.
The dormitory Zhou Xingfeng is currently staying in used to be Huo Zaiyuan"s old single room. Although it is meant for one occupant, the interior is bigger than room meant for two. Not to mention, it is cosier. However, the strange thing about this particular room is its location on the topmost floor and is the last room at the end of the corridor.
The survivors hiding in this school are free to select a room they like. Most chose to stay on the second or third floor, while only a handful choose the fourth floor, let alone the topmost level. Which is why Zhou Xingfeng is an outlier when he picked Huo Zaiyuan"s old dorm.
Entering the room, the duo"s gaze is immediately drawn towards a protruding ball on the bed, hidden beneath the covers. The fact that no reaction could be seen when the door open indicates the person is deep asleep.
"Little Bin." Zhou Xingfeng calls softly before moving over to the bedside.
"Urghhh…" A low groan emits from the ball in reply as it twitches a little, then becomes motionless once more.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Xingfeng frowns and reaches out to pull down the blanket covering Wen Bin, revealing a face flushed red from fever.
Footnotes:
[1] Literally pickled chicken feet: