To call a man almost the same age as her adoptive father “Brother” takes a certain strength of character—and a thick skin to match.

It wasn’t just Lan Shiru who felt a wave of disgust. Many others around them had goosebumps and exchanged looks of contempt, rolling their eyes at the “pure-hearted” facade. The whole journey had left them sickened.

But Kong Fenglin didn’t seem to notice or care. He continued to praise He Minyan for being kind and understanding. “The world’s tough right now, it’s not easy for anyone to survive. We should be more tolerant of each other. Little lady, don’t be afraid we’re not bad people. We’re survivors from B City, gathering supplies to head to the safe zone in N City. You can come with us. The more of us there are, the safer we’ll be and we can look out for each other. Once we’re in N City, you’ll be safe.”

As for safety, Miao Miao wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain—there would be no protection. This group of people was either trouble or parasites. Anyone who got involved with them would be cursed, not helped. “No need, we’re fine on our own.”

“You ungrateful little brat.”

“Don’t know what’s good for you.”

“You’re asking for trouble.”

The crowd muttered in dissatisfaction.

Lan Shiru remained focused on patting little Le Bao’s back, a cold smile flickering in her eyes. As far as Kong Fenglin was concerned, at this moment, he was indeed a “good person.” He had collected quite a few of the weak and injured along the way, genuinely trying to save them. But after a setback in the N City safe zone, he was crushed by power struggles and began to develop rebellious tendencies. Over time, he became obsessed with authority.

Possessing electric powers and a sharp mind, he enjoyed a few years of success. But it was said that in the end, due to internal conflicts over power, he met his death at the hands of his most trusted brother.

The specifics of what happened, Lan Shiru didn’t fully know—at that time, she was walking the unrelenting path of vengeance with no chance of turning back.

What kind of person Kong Fenglin became after his change, she wasn’t sure either. It only took about six months for the transformation to unfold, during which her adoptive family had already shifted their allegiance, latching onto Wei Xiong, the leader of N City’s safe zone.

Wei Xiong was a man of both virtue and vice, caring only for profit and self-interest. Thus, it was no surprise that a public servant like Kong Fenglin would face suppression under his reign. Before the apocalypse, Wei Xiong had been N City’s top official. When the acid rain and virus outbreak began, he acted swiftly and decisively, amassing resources, organizing forces, and establishing one of the earliest safe zones in the aftermath.

Look at that—even after just a few days, news of the safe zone had already reached others. Clearly, his capabilities and methods were extraordinary.

As an ice and lightning dual-ability user, Wei Xiong was both powerful and a natural leader. He thrived in the apocalypse for quite some time. Later, it was said he merged forces with another group to establish a larger, unified safe zone.

How far other people’s lives would go was of little concern to Lan Shiru. Right now, she was deliberating whether to kill her adoptive family to avenge her past life or wait for a better opportunity.

With her current abilities, eliminating her adoptive family was certainly feasible. But with a do-gooder like Kong Fenglin around, it would be troublesome. He had already awakened his electric abilities, making it difficult to execute her plan under his watchful eye.

Forget it. Let them live a little longer. She’d consider it repayment for all those years of raising her, no matter their ulterior motives. Besides, revenge was something Little Le Bao’s father would likely be delighted to handle. Le Bao hiccupped, blowing a little bubble. Daddy would be thrilled.

Lan Shiru’s lips curled into a smile. She couldn’t help but look forward to her adoptive parents’ reactions when they saw her again. Would it be just like the last life in the hospital? That mixture of surprise, veiled by barely concealed disgust? Turning her gaze toward the four figures in the crowd, her suspicions were confirmed. Even with smiles plastered on their faces, the disdain in their eyes was glaringly obvious. How had she been so blind in the past to miss that?

People really do need to grow up.

“Lan Shiru…” He Minyan’s expression shifted through a series of emotions so quickly it looked almost distorted before finally settling on a soft, smiling facade. “Sister, so you’re here! We went to the hospital to find you, but you were gone—we were so worried. It’s such a relief you’re okay. Did you… have a baby?”

Lan Shiru’s face remained blank. “Obviously.”

“When did this happen? Shiru, why didn’t you tell Mom? Let me see my grandson!” Qiu Rong exclaimed, her expression a mix of concern and joy as she stepped forward eagerly, reaching out toward Little Le Bao.

Lan Shiru calmly avoided her. “It’s been over a week. You’ve all been busy. I spent seven months in the hospital, and the total number of visits from you could barely make up seven trips. It’s perfectly understandable that you wouldn’t know. I understand. The doctors and nurses were very diligent, though. They were so busy that other than leaving meals at the door, they couldn’t spare a moment to step into my room. They even forbade me from leaving or using my phone or computer—just to make sure I was safe. You should definitely thank them next time you see them.” She recited the explanation in a flat, robotic tone, devoid of emotion or inflection, her expression never wavering. The crowd shifted their gaze to the once-renowned charitable family of B City with curiosity and growing suspicion.

What kind of people would lock their own daughter up in a hospital? Even if the details were murky, the story reeked of intrigue. It only confirmed one thing for the onlookers: the wealthier the family, the messier their lives. The rumors of their unsavory deeds must have some truth.

The four members of the family turned pale, their expressions an unsettling palette of colors. He Minyan’s tears welled up as she sobbed delicately, her voice trembling. “Sister, we know you’re angry with us. But you said it yourself—you didn’t want to see us because you weren’t in the right state of mind. That’s why we only watched from a distance and didn’t disturb you. Do you remember the last time you left the room and tried to… end things? Mom was so frightened she almost had to be hospitalized herself. That’s why we didn’t let you leave the room. All the gossip and rumors about what you’d done, and about the baby—they were everywhere online. The insults were endless. We were afraid seeing all that would upset you even more, so we kept you away from your phone and computer. But no matter what, it was our failure to take better care of you that led you down the wrong path. It’s natural for you to resent us, to blame us. But now… the world is in chaos. Can we let go of the past and move forward? Please don’t be stubborn anymore, okay?”

Lan Shiru raised her gaze, her eyes calm as she stared directly at her “dear” sister. “Are you saying I said and did all those things?”

A flicker of unease crossed He Minyan’s eyes, but she quickly recovered. “Sister, all that’s in the past now—it doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that we’re alive and well, and we have to keep going. Now tell me, how did you make it here? Did you face any danger on the road? Is my little nephew hungry? I have some bread here.”

“Yes, yes, Shiru.” Qiu Rong chimed in, hastily wiping away tears. “Let the past stay in the past. From now on, we’ll live well together. It’s all my fault as your mother—I didn’t do my duty, I spoiled you too much, I… never mind. Don’t worry. From now on, even if I go hungry, I’ll make sure you and your child live a good life.” Her tearful performance was flawless, radiating the selfless devotion of a loving mother.

Ye Bingkun played the role of a stern father, a figure accustomed to being the charitable patriarch, but his words reeked of insincerity and feigned kindness. “You’ve always been stubborn, but things are different now. You can’t act on impulse—listen to me.”

Lan Shiru curled her lips into a cold smile. “I’m just a woman who has barely recovered after giving birth with no abilities to speak of. I only made it here because of Miao Miao’s help. The baby’s fussing, and Miao Miao is still just a college girl, struggling with her own powers. She hasn’t even had a meal today. If you have any bread, maybe you could give us more, since from now on, we’ll be relying on our parents and siblings.”

He Minyan froze as she reached for her purse. A useless girl? Then why bother feeding her? She might as well just die.

>>>