Chapter 2 – If There’s Trouble, Go Crazy; Never Delay Revenge Overnight

“Just because I was bored!”

Lu Tingxiao didn’t even know what came over him just now—he just didn’t want to see her dragged away by the Public Security Bureau.

But when he saw the guarded look in the girl’s eyes, he only felt that, after being single for twenty-five years, his one and only good deed had ended up being misunderstood. Absolutely hilarious.

The Xia family’s incident had caused quite a stir these past two days. Years ago, during a battle, his shin bone had been shattered; a jagged piece of bone pierced his artery. At the time, everyone in the military hospital was helpless—no one dared perform the surgery.

It was Director Xia Chengzhi himself who stepped in and operated, saving his legs. Back then, the Xia family didn’t even accept the smallest token of thanks.

If he’d been the sort to climb social ladders, that connection alone would have been enough. But he never used it… Clearly, this whole mess was someone setting them up!

“Since that’s the case, thank you. Goodbye!”

And never see you again.

She had heard his inner thoughts just now, which was how she knew he had no ulterior motive—just a pure good deed. Only then did she relax, thank him, and turn to leave.

Her abilities—whether psychic powers or mind-reading—had all reset to their weakest state. She could only hear thoughts within one meter now, but even that was enough!

She glanced coldly at Liu Wenwu’s retreating back as he was shoved away.

When she turned, she caught sight of a dirty little beggar at the corner of her eye. The child’s clothes were filthy, his body thin, but his eyes held a trace of determination.

It was still early spring and freezing, yet the boy’s legs were bare, his feet in worn straw sandals, his whole body nearly unclothed. Her heart softened—she couldn’t bear to see suffering, especially in children.

In the apocalypse, children were hope.

She crossed the street, went into the state-owned restaurant, and bought two meat buns. Gently ruffling the boy’s hair, she said softly, “Eat up.”

When she saw him hesitating to take a bite, she added, “If you don’t eat now, you won’t be able to keep them later.”

The boy glanced nervously around, then finally began devouring the buns.

Only after watching him finish did she leave, satisfied.

This scene happened to be witnessed by Lu Tingxiao from inside a teahouse. He couldn’t understand—how could one person have so many sides?

The ruthless force with which she beat a man, the cold indifference she showed him, and now this gentle kindness… and yet, somehow, it all felt natural on her.

The little beggar, holding his empty bowl, watched his benefactor walk away, thinking she was the most beautiful big sister he had ever seen.

But before he could savor the thought, a shadow fell over him.

“How much money did that lady give you? Hand it over,” a teenage beggar leader barked.

“I… I don’t have any money. Big Sister just patted my head… and gave me buns.”

“Boss, I saw it—looks like she really didn’t give him any money,” another beggar chimed in.

The leader scowled, then kicked the boy over. “Damn it, you couldn’t even save me one bun?”

The boy’s eyes held determination and unwillingness. He couldn’t get hurt—he still hadn’t found his grandfather.

His father had said real men don’t cry, so he didn’t.

Lu Tingxiao’s gaze happened to fall on the boy again—and he suddenly noticed a familiar badge peeking from the child’s chest. A martyr’s child?!

He strode forward in long steps, scooping the little beggar into his arms.

Meanwhile, Xia Wanwan had just learned that her father’s arrest was actually connected to her second uncle. Human hearts truly were unpredictable.

Her grandfather had left that man a large inheritance despite him being from another family branch—property, money, everything.

In the end, her father even got him a hospital job. And yet, the couple had dragged her parents down, plotted against her, and even arranged for her to be beaten to death by her scumbag husband after marriage—cutting the grass and pulling the roots.

With her parents far away, even if she died, no one would stand up for her. Truly a fine calculation, Second Uncle.

All for the position of hospital director, he had thrown away his conscience. Well, she wouldn’t show mercy either.

No wonder her father had started pressuring her elder sister to marry two months ago—he must have sensed something wrong. And her second uncle was likely involved in that marriage too…

Better to go home first and meet the mother from her memories. Since she now occupied the original Xia Wanwan’s body, she would live well and honor her parents in her place.

On the way back, she sorted through her memories. Her father Xia Chengzhi had only two daughters.

The elder, Xia Yuwei, 24 years old, gentle and refined, with a sharp mind and a love for experimenting with medicines. Her biggest flaw was being overprotective of her mischievous little sister, Xia Wanwan—who had just graduated from high school that year.

By the time she reached home, her memories had fully settled. Feeling her parents’ deep love for their daughters, she couldn’t help but envy it.

Such family warmth was exactly the softness she had longed for in her cold, violent, post-apocalyptic world.

Xia Wanwan, rest easy. I’ll live your life even brighter.

Chen Ling, her mother, had been anxiously checking the door all afternoon. When she finally saw her daughter, she rushed forward and grabbed her hand.

“Wanwan, how was the man your second aunt introduced? Satisfied?”

Xia Wanwan looked at the elegant woman before her—about forty, slender, still beautiful despite the years. Just like in her memories—her mother.

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Wanwan simply said, “He’s no good. Tried to grab me the moment we met—a total thug!”

“Mom, I’m not marrying anyone. I’ll just stay with you and Dad.” With only two daughters, they’d be the ones caring for their parents in old age anyway—why marry at all?

Chen Ling had been upset her daughter was being picky at such a time, but after hearing this, she was furious.

A thug dared touch her daughter? Shameless! And he was from her second sister-in-law’s family?

“Mom, you can’t judge people by appearances. Would I lie to you?”

“Wanwan, but if you don’t marry now, you can’t stay in the city. Your father was taken away two days ago… I think tomorrow I’ll be next. What will you do then?”

At this, Chen Ling broke down crying.

Wanwan hugged her. “Don’t worry, Mom. Worst case, I’ll go to the countryside with you.”

“You silly girl—your father and I have done everything to keep you two in the city, and you’d just follow us to suffer? Life is hard out there!”

Chen Ling’s tears flowed. If she was taken tomorrow, who would care for her daughter?

“Mom, I’m not afraid of hardship—only of losing you and Dad. As long as we’re together, we’ll manage.”

Her mother’s heart softened. How could she trust some random man to treat her daughter well?

And today, she had gotten word—the Xia family would be sent deep into the mountains of Jiang Province, to Dongninggou Village. Life there would be harsh, but at least her child would be nearby.

“Alright. Then promise me—once we’re there, pretend you don’t know us in public. Also, I’ve confirmed your father and I will be sent to Dongninggou. When you go, choose somewhere nearby, and see if you can get placed in the same village.”

“And before you leave, visit your sister tomorrow, understand?”

“I understand, Mom.”

Chen Ling then led her inside, opened a hidden door in the bedroom, and took out a thick stack of cash, ration tickets, and over a dozen gold bars—splitting them into two piles.

“This two thousand yuan is for you to take. This pile is for your sister. You’ve seen the storeroom—it still has much of what your grandfather left us. But we can’t take it now.”

It pained her—she knew it would be discovered once they were gone.

“Mom, it’s so well-hidden, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Wanwan comforted her, thinking privately that she could just store it all in her spatial ability when the time came, and return it later if they were ever cleared.

“You’re probably right. And you’re hopeless at packing—let me do it.”

Closing the hidden room, Chen Ling wiped her tears and began packing her daughter’s things.

As the saying goes, When the child travels far, the mother worries.

That night, they shared one last meal heavy with meat—knowing that after tomorrow, such days might not come again for a long time.

After soothing her weeping mother to sleep, Xia Wanwan changed into black night clothes, opened the window, and slipped away into the night…