Surviving the Apocalypse with the Young Miss - Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Anxiety

Tong Xiangyu hadn’t expected this. Hearing Song Ge’s refusal, her first reaction was that Song Ge must think she was being melodramatic and fickle. Then, she thought perhaps Song Ge had decided to go and try it with Yue Yao instead…

Her face turned pale, and she let go of Song Ge’s shirt.

Song Ge, however, didn’t notice anything unusual. Being naturally slow to pick up on social cues, she simply continued walking and thinking. It was only after a while, when she realized Tong Xiangyu hadn’t caught up and was lagging far behind, that she sensed something was wrong.

Song Ge walked back. “What’s wrong?”

Tong Xiangyu shook her head.

Song Ge looked left and right. There was nothing around that could have offended the young lady, so she figured it was her own fault. “I said something wrong again,” Song Ge stated with certainty.

Tong Xiangyu kept shaking her head. She had almost processed her complicated emotions, but hearing Song Ge say that brought them all back. Her heart felt as if it had been poked sharply, and her eyes began to sting.

Song Ge was all too familiar with this emotional little princess’s ability to drop tears on command. Seeing the signs, she hurriedly said, “Talk to me properly, don’t cry!”

But Song Ge lacked experience; she didn’t realize that in this situation, “comforting” only makes it worse. The moment she tried to coax her, Tong Xiangyu’s tears fell.

Song Ge: “…”

Song Ge rubbed her forehead, feeling a bit helpless. Looking around at the empty area under the scorching sun, she said, “Fine. If you’re going to cry, let’s do it somewhere in the shade.” She took Tong Xiangyu’s hand and led her into an uninhabited residential building.

They stood in the cool shade. Song Ge watched Tong Xiangyu cry. Seeing her so heartbroken and aggrieved made Song Ge’s own chest feel strangely uncomfortable, so she looked away.

After a long while, when the sobbing subsided, Song Ge promised, “There’s no need to be afraid. I will definitely get you out of here.” Since there was nothing nearby to scare her and she hadn’t said anything wrong, Song Ge naturally assumed the heiress was simply terrified of their situation.

Tong Xiangyu wiped her tears. “Then… do you still want to check the hickey?”

“No.”

Tong Xiangyu’s lip trembled, and she looked ready to cry again.

Song Ge quickly added, “I’ll look, I’ll look! But didn’t you say you weren’t willing?”

Tong Xiangyu whispered, “I’m willing now…”

Seeing her look like an aggrieved little bride, Song Ge had no choice. “Don’t force yourself. It’s not important anymore. No matter what that mark is, our goal remains the same.”

“No.” Tong Xiangyu’s voice was nasal, her damp lashes framing wet eyes as she gazed at Song Ge. “You must confirm it clearly!”

Song Ge stared at her in silence, wondering why the girl had suddenly become so stubborn.

Seeing Song Ge’s silence, Tong Xiangyu asked sadly, “Song Ge, do you find me very troublesome?”

Song Ge sighed. “I’ve answered this many times—of course not.” She truly regretted being so blunt in the past; this girl was far too good at bringing up old grievances.

Tong Xiangyu sobbed once. “But I can’t do anything. I only cause trouble for you, and I don’t even cooperate…”

“How can you say you can’t do anything?” Song Ge replied. “Little Milk Tea, be reasonable. Who said the soybeans would be useful the night we got rice from the supermarket? I took them, and we escaped. On the day we left Kecheng, who drove the car and broke through the swarm of monsters? And when we were starving on the road, who found the courier truck with food, water, and supplies?”

Tong Xiangyu pouted.

Song Ge: “Oh, it must have been me.”

Tong Xiangyu sniffled, her red eyes looking at Song Ge.

Song Ge said, “Was it you?”

Tong Xiangyu held it for a moment before breaking into a smile through her tears. Seeing her smile, Song Ge’s lips curled up slightly in relief. “See? Who dares say you’re useless?”

“But I was so uncooperative…”

Song Ge knew what she was referring to. “Naturally, one should refuse unreasonable requests. I’m actually glad you don’t just do whatever I say. That matter was me not considering your feelings. Since we know it’s optional now, don’t worry about it.”

Tong Xiangyu looked at her and asked softly, “Really?”

“Really.”

“Then… then…”

“Mhm?”

“…Will you still try it with Yue Yao?”

“Try what?” Song Ge realized a second later and immediately said, “Of course not. I’m not familiar with her, and doing something like that with her would be very strange.”

Hearing this, Tong Xiangyu’s ears gradually turned red. If it’s strange with Yue Yao, does that mean it’s not strange with me… She twisted her fingers but didn’t say it out loud.

By the time they returned to Building 11, Tong Xiangyu was completely soothed. As she followed Song Ge upstairs, she sensed something and turned around. Hiding behind a tree was a thin, dark little girl about six or seven years old, wearing ill-fitting clothes and a braid tilted to the right. It was the girl Song Ge had mentioned earlier.

Tong Xiangyu glanced at Song Ge, who didn’t seem to notice. Tong Xiangyu gave the girl a kind smile. Seeing the child nervously biting her finger but not running away, she tentatively walked over.

Of course, Song Ge had noticed the child. She entered the building but stopped and looked back, seeing Tong Xiangyu crouching in front of the girl and holding her hand. A true social butterfly across all age groups, Song Ge thought.

Tong Xiangyu asked the girl what she was doing there.

“Grandma… fell… fell down…” The girl seemed to have some intellectual difficulties, and her speech was unclear.

Tong Xiangyu immediately asked, “Where did she fall?”

“The… the ground…”

Tong Xiangyu looked back, meeting Song Ge’s gaze. She stood up and led the little girl over. The child was clearly afraid of Song Ge and shrank behind Tong Xiangyu.

Tong Xiangyu explained the situation. Song Ge asked the child, “Is your grandma Old Yan?” The child hid behind Tong Xiangyu and kept her head down, refusing to speak.

“Regardless, let’s go check,” Tong Xiangyu said. “A fall for an elderly person can be serious.”

They followed the girl to Building 9. In the most secluded part of the building, a windowless garage on the first floor had been converted into a small room of about ten square meters. Inside was a single bed, a gas tank and stove, a pile of dirty clothes, a toilet, and various rags and mops.

The old woman in a loose white tank top was splayed on the ground, motionless. Tong Xiangyu hurried over and heard a low groan. She knelt down; the old woman was whimpering in pain. Relieved she was alive, Tong Xiangyu didn’t dare move her and looked for a phone, but there was none.

Tong Xiangyu: “We need to contact a doctor immediately.”

Song Ge remained silent. Tong Xiangyu looked back at her. “Song Ge, go back and call a doctor. Dial 001, remember?”

Song Ge frowned. “What a hassle.”

Tong Xiangyu: “Go, now!”

Song Ge: “Fine.”

The doctor arrived quickly, but upon seeing it was Old Yan, his sense of urgency vanished. The two medics lifted her onto the bed; even when her cries of pain grew louder, they ignored her. They checked her heart rate, left two boxes of medicine, and prepared to leave.

Tong Xiangyu, witnessing this from the corner, was shocked. “That’s it?”

“What else do you want?” The doctor turned back impatiently. When he saw how beautiful Tong Xiangyu was, his attitude changed instantly, and he smiled. “It’s fine. Old Yan has flat feet; she falls every other day. She just needs some medicine.”

Tong Xiangyu frowned. “But…”

“Actually, you look a bit pale yourself.” The male doctor walked up to Tong Xiangyu, reaching out a finger as if to touch her face. “Are you feeling unwell? Come to our clinic for a check-up.”

Tong Xiangyu tensed up, wondering if she should fight back if he actually touched her. But the next moment, Song Ge grabbed the man’s wrist.

Song Ge said, “She’s on her period. Do you have motherwort and brown sugar water?”

Hearing this, the doctor’s interest vanished instantly. He withdrew his hand and said, “Yes. Register with Xiao Wei and then get it from the warehouse.”

Song Ge gave a toneless “thank you,” and the doctors left.

Tong Xiangyu exhaled once they were gone and immediately went to the bedside. She leaned over. “Grandma Yan, are you okay?”

The old woman couldn’t even speak; she only looked at the little girl. Tong Xiangyu pulled the girl to the bed. “Grandma,” the child called out.

The old woman looked at her granddaughter, her aged eyes filled with blurred, cloudy tears. She looked up at Tong Xiangyu, her mouth opening and closing to let out faint, indistinct gasps. Tong Xiangyu leaned in to listen, but still couldn’t make it out. She asked Song Ge, “What is she saying?”

Song Ge kept her hands in her pockets. “If you can’t hear her, how could I?” In truth, Song Ge had heard her. The old woman said, “Run.” She didn’t know if it was a dying kindness or if she wanted them to take the girl with them. But the old woman only said it twice before stopping, likely realizing it was impossible for them to escape.

“Let’s go,” Song Ge told Tong Xiangyu.

“Ah? But…”

Song Ge: “Even the doctors won’t save her. Will standing here make her better?”

Tong Xiangyu looked at the old woman with pity, but knew Song Ge was right. As she rose to leave, her hem was grabbed. The little girl was looking at her. “Sister…”

“Grandma will get better.” Tong Xiangyu leaned down and patted her head, her voice tender. “Stay with her, okay?” The girl nodded and let go.

They walked out of the room, the scorching sunlight instantly dispelling the chill. Tong Xiangyu was gloomily upset. “They take in the elderly but ignore their safety. Their words are prettier than their actions…”

Song Ge: “They take in the elderly and children simply to deceive other survivors.”

Tong Xiangyu was about to respond when she heard a familiar laugh. She turned and saw Yue Yao walking toward them, chatting and laughing with a young man. “Yaoyao?”

Yue Yao looked over and smiled. “Yuyu!”

Tong Xiangyu stared at her. “Where have you been?”

“I woke up with a stomach ache this morning and found you guys gone. I met Brother He while looking for you,” Yue Yao said, glancing at the man beside her. He looked a bit older than them, with honest, plain features.

The man said, “Hello, my name is Gao He.”

“Brother He took me to get some painkillers,” Yue Yao said, her face flushing slightly with shyness.

Seeing her shy expression, Tong Xiangyu’s heart sank, but she asked first, “Are you okay now? Why a sudden stomach ache?”

“I’m fine now,” Yue Yao said vaguely, her ears red. “Just some period cramps…”

Tong Xiangyu hadn’t had a period in two months, but Yue Yao’s was right on time. Tong Xiangyu turned to look at Song Ge. Song Ge didn’t care at all.

Tong Xiangyu said, “Song Ge, let’s go.”

Yue Yao asked, “Where are you going?”

“To get medicine too,” Tong Xiangyu said. “I’m on my period as well.”

Yue Yao laughed. “It really must be the exhaustion of the road that messed up our cycles. We’ve only been here a day and it’s started for both of us.”

Tong Xiangyu managed a forced smile. Gao He said gently to Yue Yao, “Yaoyao, shall I walk you upstairs?”

Yue Yao nodded, whispering with a red face, “Thank you, Brother He…”

Song Ge walked beside Tong Xiangyu, knowing full well they weren’t going for medicine. Sure enough, after a few steps, Tong Xiangyu said anxiously, “It’s over, Song Ge. Do you think Yaoyao doesn’t want to leave anymore?”

Song Ge: “Possibly.”

Tong Xiangyu looked at her immediately. “Why aren’t you worried?! It’s so dangerous here! That Gao He looks decent, but who knows what kind of beast or demon he is behind closed doors?!”

Song Ge: “Little Bodhisattva, let go of your complex about saving everyone and respect other people’s fates. Okay?”

Tong Xiangyu: “Yaoyao isn’t just ‘anyone’!”

Song Ge: “Have you forgotten what you promised me?”

Tong Xiangyu was silent for a moment, but soon said, “Even if we part ways, we can’t leave Yue Yao here alone. I’m the one who dragged her into this; I have to get her out. If we part, it has to be on the outside.”

“But as you said, she doesn’t want to go.”

“That’s because she doesn’t know what kind of hellhole this is! She’s only met Gao He once, how could there be any real feelings? I’ll explain the severity of the situation to her when we get back.”

“Under the surveillance?”

“I’ll tell her downstairs.”

Song Ge sighed. Tong Xiangyu looked at her pleadingly. “Song Ge. Just this once, I promise it’s the last time. Okay?”

What else could Song Ge do? “Mhm.”

Support