Yang Sizhu thought to herself that she wanted to take back what was hers.

But she didn’t even know where Yu Xifeng was.

These days, she had suffered too much—no enough fuel, insufficient food, and every day she worried someone would break in.

The hardships fermented in her heart.

There was a voice inside her, repeatedly telling her:

This isn’t right. It shouldn’t be like this.

The one living such a life shouldn’t be her.

Yu Xifeng had a space. She had awakened so early, surely she had hoarded a lot of things.

Something as simple as raising a hand could have brought Dad back home.

When they were still in the community, if she had accepted her whole family, Yang Silong wouldn’t have had to die.

Why was she so cruel?

It was all Yu Xifeng’s fault.

Yu Xifeng should be the one struggling bitterly in this apocalypse.

Yang Sizhu woke up, grabbed Xu Qingrou’s hand, trembling as she told her about the dream.

This wasn’t the first time Yang Sizhu mentioned the dream.

Xu Qingrou hadn’t taken it seriously before.

It was just a dream.

But Yang Sizhu’s face was ferocious, teeth clenched, and her eyes flashed with terrifying fierceness.

Her tone was utterly resolute.

After all, she was Xu Qingrou’s own daughter.

Xu Qingrou held her daughter tightly.

What if what Zhu Zhu said was true?

It was true that Yu Xifeng’s personality had changed drastically. Before, she could still control her stepdaughter by manipulating Yang Rong.

Now, Yang Rong was almost dead in the rescue team, and Yu Xifeng hadn’t been seen at all.

Her Zhu Zhu had always been very fortunate.

Even the fortune teller said she was born with noble helpers, great opportunities, and the ability to turn misfortune into fortune.

Maybe life had truly been too harsh.

Xu Qingrou was unwilling to give up even the slightest, faint and absurd hope.

“Zhu’er, if what you say is true, and Yu Xifeng really has that kind of space, it’s very likely she’s not in Zone 2—maybe she’s in the inner circle.”

Inner circle.

Those two words made Yang Sizhu momentarily dazed.

Survivors passed it on word of mouth; in their words, everyone in the inner circle was allocated an iron bunk bed and a locker.

They even received compressed insect cakes for free on the upper floors.

To survivors, the inner circle was no different from heaven.

There, food and drink were assured, heating was sufficient, patrol teams worked day and night, and security was guaranteed.

Xu Qingrou traded a small knife for some insect cakes.

She took her daughter and left District 8. Within less than half a day after they left, their vacated spot was taken by neighbors.

To compete for that bit of territory, these people even fought.

Xu Qingrou carefully avoided the patrol teams, not daring to be seen by them.

If caught, they would be forcibly sent back.

The deeper they went, the more out of place their clothes seemed.

The smell they had gotten used to in District 8 was replaced by a strong stench on their bodies as they went deeper.

The gazes of these people felt like knives piercing her.

Yang Sizhu’s eyes reddened.

She hadn’t truly stopped eating yet and could barely maintain her fragile self-respect.

Xu Qingrou and her daughter crouched at a place where they could see an exit of the inner circle.

There was more than one exit from the inner circle.

Xu Qingrou chose the one closest to Sister Yun.

Every day, they hid nearby, often being chased from one place to another.

When the patrol came, they had to move again.

When there was nowhere else to go, they briefly returned to District 8.

Finally, they waited and saw Yu Xifeng returning from Sister Yun’s place.

They also saw He Yuan, who had been pestering Yu Xifeng nonstop.

He Yuan wore a sharp suit, looked refined, clearly a young talent.

Yu Xifeng, on the other hand, was clean and neat, her hair black as ink, and her complexion looked three points better than before the apocalypse.

She really lived in the inner circle!

Xu Qingrou looked at her daughter again and felt a stabbing pain in her heart.

This was her child, whom she had borne through hardship, carried for ten months.

Now she was her only child.

But Yu Xifeng was the woman’s child.

That woman had always oppressed her when alive, and finally was dead.

She had put so much effort into the bastard left behind by that woman, yet Yu Xifeng was gradually slipping out of her control.

Xu Qingrou and Yang Sizhu shrank into a corner.

They saw Yu Xifeng’s face full of impatience, not even glancing at the young man.

Her own daughter had fallen to the dust, rolling in the mud.

What right did she have to be so proud?

Yang Sizhu burned with jealousy, itching to rush over and scratch that falsely obedient face of Yu Xifeng.

What was she pretending for?

Yu Xifeng didn’t see Xu Qingrou.

She was overwhelmed by the legal troubles He Yuan brought, her head practically spinning.

This mother and daughter were brought over by He Yuan.

He Yuan said, “I ran into them outside. They said they have news of your father.”

Yu Xifeng: “…”

What did news of Yang Rong have to do with her?

Well, after all, he was her biological father.

Yu Xifeng asked, “Is he dead?”

Xu Qingrou’s face stiffened.

He Yuan realized he might have said something foolish.

Yang Sizhu rushed forward: “What are you proud of? Don’t think I don’t know—you’re just taking advantage because you have…”

Xu Qingrou pulled Yang Sizhu back.

Yang Sizhu glanced at He Yuan, her gaze darkening: “Give me back the jewelry.”

Yu Xifeng’s heart skipped a beat but her face showed nothing. She frowned slightly, looking confused and lost.

Her expression showed no sign of breaking.

Her look was calm but tinged with disgust and a little confusion.

For a moment, Yang Sizhu doubted she was mistaken.

But that was only for a moment.

If it wasn’t Yu Xifeng, how could things be this bad?

It had to be true.

Her space had to be in Yu Xifeng’s hands.

“It’s definitely with you,” Yang Sizhu said. “It’s with you. Give it back to me, or I’ll make you pay—I’ll tell everyone.”

Yu Xifeng looked at Xu Qingrou: “You brought your crazy daughter here to extort me?”

Xu Qingrou had been watching Yu Xifeng all along; she gritted her teeth and said, “Yu Xifeng, don’t play dumb here. You know what you have. Either let us move in, or I’ll report you. That’s not yours to have.”

Yu Xifeng’s eyes didn’t flicker as she stared at her and suddenly said, “Where’s Yang Rong?”

She suspected Yang Sizhu didn’t know where she got the news about the space.

She had to keep them steady.

Seeing Yu Xifeng still cared about Yang Rong, Xu Qingrou was heartened.

If they could save Yang Rong, that would be good; with him around, the family would have some income.

Xu Qingrou said, “Your father is suffering. He works day and night in the rescue team. Five or six people in his team have died. Maybe it will be him next.”

Yu Xifeng’s expression softened slightly.

She looked like she felt pity.

Xu Qingrou seized the moment: “Xiao Yu, you don’t know yet—your younger brother died. He died cold and hungry. He was about your age, but he didn’t make it.”