Chapter 67
Shi Tou and Ji Tang’s injuries were not serious.
After returning home and treating their wounds, they even got a tetanus shot just in case. Ji Chao and Chang Fei were quite calm. After all, when you go out to hunt mutated animals, you can’t guarantee you won’t get hurt.
Wang Qingyao was quite nervous. After all, she was going out with Ji Chao and Chang Fei tomorrow. What if they ran into something too dangerous?
The thought of it made her hair stand on end.
Ugh! I really want to go home and farm…
Ji Chao was adding firewood to the heated kang, while Chang Fei and Song Xun were setting up a pot on the stove. Tonight, they were planning to have some lamb soup, which could also be used for hot pot. It was the perfect way to warm up in the cold.
In the living room, the cartoon on the tablet was paused.
Other than the sound of the crackling fire and the bubbling lamb soup, the warm living room was filled with the sound of Shi Tou, sitting on the kang, propping up his not-so-seriously injured leg, and holding a Coke bottle, bragging.
The usually quiet person was now like an open book, full of passion, recounting the great battle against the mutated crocodiles, how he had broken an axe and two knives. It was as if he were re-enacting the scene, and it made Song Xun speechless.
Even the dogs were lying on the side with their ears drooping, seemingly unable to bear watching.
But for some reason, Chang Wan, holding the inattentive Wang Qingyao’s hand, and with the two cubs, was listening with great interest.
It was like listening to a story. They had even stopped watching the cartoon.
Ji Tang sat behind them, leaning against the wall. When she saw Song Xun put the lid on the pot and come up to the kang, she shifted and leaned against her.
She let the Alpha lift her injured hand and carefully examine it. But it was wrapped in gauze, and she couldn’t see anything.
Ji Tang rested her head on her shoulder, smelling the faint, smoky scent on her, the smell of lamb. But she didn’t dislike it.
“I’ve never seen Shi Tou talk so much.”
Song Xun gently stroked Ji Tang’s arm and glanced over, speechless. “He’s like this when he’s bragging.”
A single sentence that hit the nail on the head.
The corners of Ji Tang’s eyes curved up, but then she stopped smiling. She had leaned so close, but Song Xun wasn’t hugging her, just looking down at her injured hand.
She wanted to pull away, but she couldn’t. With a slight movement…
“Wife, don’t move. You’re still injured.”
Ji Tang: “…”
She was unhappy.
A wave of emotion washed over her, and she couldn’t help but close her eyes. Perhaps because she was used to Song Xun’s clingy hugs, she really didn’t like this feeling of being ignored.
Although, in a way, it wasn’t being ignored, she still couldn’t help but be unhappy.
But with everyone in the living room, she couldn’t throw a tantrum. In the end, she could only let Song Xun hold her hand, rest her head on her shoulder, and sigh.
Song Xun heard it, turned her head, and gently kissed the top of her head. “What’s wrong?”
Ji Tang: “…”
In the dim light, the tips of her ears, under her dark hair, turned red, but she didn’t say anything, just shook her head slightly.
She couldn’t just say, Song Xun, let go of my hand and hug me.
Just thinking about it made Ji Tang feel so melodramatic. Melodramatic and willful. She hadn’t had this kind of emotion in many years.
It wasn’t unfamiliar, but it had been a long time…
At that moment, Ji Tang’s feelings were complicated. Her parents had been dead for many years, and she had no one to rely on. She had always been independent and had her own opinions.
At first, being with Song Xun, the reason was actually quite simple, just as she had told Ji Chao.
A little bit of liking, a liking based on a very complex mentality. But it couldn’t be called love.
Ji Tang believed that Song Xun was not the type to abandon her and the children. But this was the apocalypse, and no one could predict what would happen in the future.
So, to survive, she was willing to be with Song Xun.
And the purpose was only one: to rely on her to survive with her children.
So things like liking and loving were not important.
But…
At dinner, watching Song Xun put food in her bowl, serve her soup, so considerate that she was just short of feeding her.
Ji Tang really wanted to say, it’s just a small cut. My bones are fine. It doesn’t even hurt much. It’ll heal on its own in a couple of days.
But in reality, Ji Tang knew very well that she liked being spoiled by Song Xun like this. But when did this thought arise?
Ji Tang herself didn’t know.
Eating a big mouthful of lamb, Shi Tou suddenly remembered the mutated crocodiles Song Xun had put in her space. He smacked his lips. “Big Sis, have you ever eaten crocodile meat? Is it delicious?”
Song Xun didn’t answer. Instead, she was silent for a moment, then looked at him with a rather disgusted expression. “They eat people…”
Shi Tou: “…”
My bad!
Fortunately, it had been so long since the apocalypse began. They had gotten used to what they had to. And those who hadn’t, had been forced to. So hearing this didn’t affect anyone’s appetite.
They continued to eat and drink as usual.
After dinner, they watched the tablet in the living room, exercised, chatted, and comforted the cubs. Then, when it was time, they all went back to their rooms to sleep.
The room was warm. After tucking the two cubs in, and habitually moving them to the side, Ji Tang yawned and buried her face in the quilt.
Song Xun sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her for a moment, then got up, turned off the light, and got into bed in the dark, pulling her into her arms.
“Wife, what’s wrong?”
Ji Tang didn’t speak. She thought she had hidden it well, but how had Song Xun noticed?
But then again, her emotions had never been able to be hidden from Song Xun.
The things she wanted to say, the things she didn’t want to say, the things she wanted, the things she didn’t want, even if she never said them, Song Xun always understood her and tolerated her.
But this way, wouldn’t it be very tiring?
After a moment of silence, and before Song Xun could ask again, Ji Tang turned over in the quilt. But as soon as she moved, Song Xun’s voice became anxious.
“Easy, easy. Your hand is still injured.”
Ji Tang was speechless. She had only injured her hand, and it was a small cut. She wasn’t crippled.
In the darkness, her helpless expression was vivid, but unfortunately, Song Xun couldn’t see it. She just propped up the quilt with her hand to create some space, then slowly wrapped her arm around Ji Tang’s waist, carefully protecting her hand as she turned her over.
After carefully tucking her in, she finally relaxed and pulled the Omega’s waist closer to her.
But Ji Tang didn’t speak, so she could only guess. “Were you scared by what happened today?”
Although she asked, thinking about Ji Tang’s expression today, it didn’t seem like she had been scared. Perhaps there was initial shock and horror, but Ji Tang was not that fragile.
She guessed again, “Does the wound still hurt?”
The more she thought about it, the more accurate this guess seemed. Song Xun quickly propped herself up and was about to turn on the light. “Let me see. Is it inflamed?”
Her actions were too quick. Ji Tang was dazed for a moment, and the person was already halfway up.
“Lie down. My hand doesn’t hurt.”
She tugged at Song Xun. “The bed is getting cold. I’m cold.”
Only then did Song Xun lie down.
Ji Tang snuggled closer, burying her head in her embrace, her chin on her shoulder.
“Will it be very tiring?”
Her voice was low, but Song Xun heard it.
She didn’t know what Ji Tang was referring to, but no matter what it was, her answer was always the same.
“I’m not tired.”
Ji Tang couldn’t help but laugh. Afraid of waking the two children, her laughter was low, and it sounded a bit muffled in Song Xun’s ears.
The Omega’s body in her arms was soft. Even through the fluffy long-sleeved pajamas, she could clearly feel that softness.
Song Xun couldn’t help but hold her tighter.
But she was still laughing. “Do you know what I’m talking about?”
“I don’t,” Song Xun answered honestly.
“Then why did you answer so quickly?”
Song Xun also laughed and leaned over to kiss her earlobe. It was soft, and probably because it had been exposed, it was a bit cool.
The inhibitor patch on her glands was still on, but perhaps because they were so close, she could still smell the faint scent of red leaves, still as flirtatious and layered as ever.
No matter when, no matter how many times, it could always mesmerize her.
“Because you’re my wife.”
As long as I can protect you, take care of you, and always be with you, I will never be tired, no matter what I do.
In the darkness, a smile appeared on Ji Tang’s face. She lifted her forehead and bumped her chin, gently, not hurting at all, with a certain softness.
“Nonsense. I’m older than you. You should call me Auntie.”
“Yes, yes, Auntie wife, wife Auntie…”
She repeated it a dozen times, and then looked at the person in her arms, who was laughing so hard, her eyes full of doting.
In the darkness, a cub, she didn’t know which one, turned over. Ji Tang quickly stopped laughing. After a while, she looked up at Song Xun again.
“I think I’m becoming melodramatic.”
“Why do you think that?”
Song Xun was very strange, but Ji Tang didn’t speak. She didn’t push her, just paused and changed the subject. “You haven’t said. Why are you unhappy?”
She kept asking. Ji Tang sighed, and finally, after hesitating, she had to tell the truth. “You were so focused on my hand today. you didn’t look at me, and you didn’t hug me.”
Song Xun: “??”
Song Xun was stunned. She had never thought that this was the reason for Ji Tang’s bad mood today. She couldn’t help but laugh and hugged the person in her arms tightly.
“My bad. It won’t happen again.”
In the darkness, Ji Tang’s face uncontrollably turned red. She was quite embarrassed. “Am I being too melodramatic and willful? I wasn’t like this before.”
“That’s right. You weren’t like this before.”
Song Xun’s voice was very low. “The Auntie Ji in my heart is gentle and beautiful, and particularly understanding, kind, generous, elegant, graceful, with endurance, knowledge, and poise, naturally beautiful, and gentle and virtuous…”
She went on with a long list of compliments, and Ji Tang was so stunned she had to quickly cover her mouth, speechless. “You can stop now.”
But she couldn’t help but laugh. “And you say Shi Tou likes to brag. Aren’t you the same?”
Song Xun pulled her hand down and kissed her palm. “How can this be bragging? I’m just telling the truth.”
“Where did you learn so many words?”
Ji Tang was speechless. “What did you learn them for?”
“To praise my wife, of course.”
Song Xun said it as if it were a matter of course, and in the darkness, she accurately kissed the corner of her lips.
The fire in the stove was burning, occasionally making a crackling sound. In the midst of their deep kiss and rapid breathing, it was a perfect match.
“You’re my wife.”
“Whether you’re melodramatic or willful, you don’t have to wear a mask, and you don’t have to think so much. Your temper, good or bad, I accept it all…”
Their lips parted. Ji Tang was still panting. Listening to the Alpha’s voice in her ear, her breath, mixed with a hint of coolness, turned into a tingling sensation.
Ji Tang’s heart was pounding. She couldn’t help but close her eyes and reach out to pinch Song Xun’s earlobe.
The complex feelings of their reunion, the subconscious trust, the unease and discomfort in her heart, the complex relationship she couldn’t face, the fear of the apocalypse, and the compliance for the sake of survival.
And now, the habit, the ease, the dependence, the peace of mind, the revealing of her true self, the little tantrums, and… the liking.
For Ji Tang, this was something incredible, yet it also seemed to have happened so naturally.
After a long time, she smiled, her eyes crinkling. She pushed away Song Xun’s arm that was wrapped around her, turned over, and snuggled into the warm quilt.
“Alright, I’m happy now. Let’s go to sleep.”
Song Xun: “…”
And just like that… we’re sleeping?
She was a little dumbfounded, and still not quite willing. She leaned over and poked her. “Wife, we’ll be at home tomorrow. We don’t have to go out.”
Ji Tang ignored her. “I’m going to sleep. Don’t talk.”
The Omega had half her face buried in the quilt and even snuggled closer to the cubs. The quilt was propped up, creating a gap. Afraid she would get cold, Song Xun quickly got in too.
She tucked in the quilt.
Two crackling sounds came from the stove, accompanied by Ji Tang’s laugh. “Can I be willful?”
Song Xun: “…”
She gritted her teeth. “Yes.”
Song Xun didn’t know how well Ji Tang had slept in the second half of the night, but she knew she hadn’t slept very well.
When she got up in the morning, she refilled the stove as usual and hung the mother and daughters’ clothes on a rack to warm them. Only then did she quietly go out.
Ji Chao was already up and was adding fire to the heated kang. The two of them worked together, and the temperature rose quickly.
There wasn’t much food left in the space, and they hadn’t been deliberately wasteful these past few days. With the stove, there was no need to waste electricity. Song Xun boiled a pot of water.
Breakfast was also simple: boiled dumplings and some dumpling soup. It was warm and satisfying.
By 7:30 AM, everyone was up and washed, and they all came out one by one.
The cubs bounced over, and the smell of the food made them let out a “meow” as soon as they got close, their milky voices calling for Mommy.
Song Xun chuckled happily.
“The base is temporarily closed. Counting the days, it will reopen in the next few days. Then it will receive a large number of survivors, and we can go out.”
But before that, there would probably be another survey of the houses and survivors in each complex.
After all, the last survey was before the extreme cold, and who knows how many people had died then. The housing re-planning and clearing also needed to be re-organized.
And all this work had to be done before the base fully opened, so it would be in the next few days.
As they sent Ji Chao, Chang Fei, Wang Qingyao, and the dogs out, Song Xun didn’t forget to remind them.
“Take Shang Tian and Ru Hai to the base to get their tags first.”
Without the tags, there was no way to prove they were domesticated mutated animals. Although it was a bit of a hassle, it had to be done.
Chang Fei nodded in agreement.
“And, no matter if you find any mutated animals or not, you have to be back before it gets dark.”
“Okay.”
