The Post-Apocalyptic Rival Who Crashed My Wedding with a Baby - Chapter 19.1

Espers are generally characterized by their heightened senses. Aside from Jiang Weiqing, who was momentarily lost in a daze of panic, and Shen Qingyu, who had already vanished back into the RV, everyone else saw the words on the blackboard crystal clear.

The members of the Longyu Squad exchanged a series of complex looks, yet for reasons known only to themselves, no one spoke up to warn Jiang Weiqing.

It was the honest Hutong who finally couldn’t take it. He let out a loud cough and called out, “Jiang Weiqing, that shop you just walked into is actually…” Before he could finish, Chen Huawei glared at him fiercely and cut him off. “That shop Jiang Weiqing picked actually carries Goddess Qing’s favorite brand of clothes! Jiang, I didn’t know you had such good taste!”

Jiang Weiqing looked at Chen Huawei with deep skepticism. “Really?” She had just wandered in at random.

Chen Huawei nodded vigorously, his eyes wide with feigned sincerity. Jiang Weiqing arched an eyebrow and ignored him, turning back to Hutong. “What were you trying to say?”

Hutong pursed his lips and stammered, ultimately buckling under Chen Huawei’s threatening glare. “No… nothing.”

Puzzled, Jiang Weiqing shrugged and stepped through the door.

Chen Huawei cleared his throat. “Today is the Goddess’s birthday. I’ve already handed over my gift, but the rest of you better get a move on.”

His words snapped everyone into action. Lin Yunxia nodded to the others. “Let’s go find some gifts and scavenge for supplies while we’re at it.”

Though Shen Qingyu was generous, the Longyu Squad members weren’t the type to be freeloaders. Besides, with the Zombie King dead and the horde in disarray, the danger level on the streets was at its lowest. They agreed to split up and search the area.

Hearing the commotion, Shen Qingyu called out from the RV, “You don’t need to go to all that trouble. I haven’t celebrated a birthday in ages.” She sat clutching a Level 4 Space-type soul crystal. “There’s a hotel up ahead. I’m going to absorb the energy from this crystal first.”

Space-type crystals were incredibly rare; the green, diamond-shaped gem shimmered in the light, a bright white cluster flickering at its core. If she absorbed it, her Space ability would likely reach the middle stage of Level 3.

Miao Jialing grinned at her. “Sister Qingyu, we’re just going to find some food and supplies. Bringing a gift along is just… incidental.”

The others chimed in, “Yeah, totally incidental!”

Shen Qingyu couldn’t refuse their persistence. Hutong, meanwhile, scratched his head and looked at Duan Muyu. “Boss, do we need to get a gift too?”

“We’re the close-friend group!” Chen Huawei interjected. “How can we not? And the baby is so cute—could you really bear to make her sad?”

“I couldn’t,” Hutong admitted honestly. “But I don’t know what to give.” He loved the soft little toddler from a distance, but being a giant of a man, he was terrified of scaring her into tears, so he mostly kept his distance.

Chen Huawei nodded in satisfaction, listed a few of Shen Qingyu’s preferences, and sent Duan Muyu and Hutong on their way. He, however, didn’t follow. Instead, he snuck toward the shop Jiang Weiqing had entered. Before going in, he “erased the evidence” by destroying the blackboard, then marched inside with his head held high.

He didn’t mask his footsteps, alerting Jiang Weiqing immediately.

“Who’s there?” she barked, her hand brushing the grip of her pistol.

“It’s me, it’s me!” Chen Huawei called out, raising his hands in a mock surrender.

“What are you doing here?” Jiang Weiqing frowned, her tone full of suspicion and a hint of annoyance. She didn’t have a high opinion of the “Perpetual Runner-up.”

Chen Huawei gave a flamboyant smile. “Don’t be so hostile. I’m not your ‘anti-fan’ (actually, I am).” He coughed. “It’s the Goddess’s birthday. I need to vet the gifts to make sure you don’t send something that pisses her off.”

Jiang Weiqing rolled her eyes. “Why are you specifically targeting me?”

“You’re the Goddess’s arch-nemesis! Who else would I watch?” he replied righteously.

Jiang Weiqing was momentarily speechless. As “rivals,” there was a twisted logic to his vigilance. “I’m not as childish as you think,” she muttered. After their cooperation against the Zombie King, she felt a certain begrudging respect for Shen Qingyu.

Click. Jiang Weiqing flipped the light switch, but the power grid was fried. The shop remained in a dim, dusty twilight, as if draped in grey-yellow organza. Despite the low visibility, she could see rows of hangers displaying rather… minimalist pieces of clothing.

Deep V-necks, backless cuts, cat-ear costumes…

Jiang Weiqing looked at Chen Huawei in disbelief. “Is this really Shen Qingyu’s favorite brand?” In the warm, low light, the clothes radiated an undeniable, seductive allure.

Seeing her doubt, Chen Huawei doubled down, hiding his internal glee behind a mask of absolute seriousness. “This is exactly her style.”

“No way,” Jiang Weiqing countered. In the four years of university, Shen Qingyu had always worn long sleeves and pants, wrapping herself up like a mummy even as others praised her hidden curves.

“That’s because she’s cold on the outside, hot on the inside,” Chen Huawei said smugly. “Most people only see the surface; they don’t understand her inner self.”

Jiang Weiqing wavered. Could her rival really have such a hidden side? Chen Huawei seemed to know Shen Qingyu very well. She bit her lip. “Fine.” A gift was supposed to make the recipient happy, after all.

She carefully selected the most “conservative” dress in the bunch. Chen Huawei shook his head like an expert. “You clearly don’t shop much. The real good stuff is in the back.” He pulled two boxes from the stockroom. “These are great. Black or white?”

“White?” Jiang Weiqing suggested. White went with everything.

Chen Huawei sneered at her. “What kind of aesthetic is that? Black is obviously better.” He arched an eyebrow meaningfully. “And the Goddess’s skin is so fair.”

He thrust the box into her hands. Jiang Weiqing shrugged and took it, never bothering to check the label.

“I need to find a gift for the baby too, so I’ll leave you to it,” Chen Huawei said, making his exit. “We’re meeting at the Peace Hotel up ahead.”

Jiang Weiqing made a face. As if I wasn’t going to get the baby a gift. But she and Chen were the definition of “two words is one too many,” so they went their separate ways.

Jiang Weiqing wasn’t sure what a two-year-old liked, so she grabbed whatever looked good. The shop next door was a convenience store; lollipops and spicy snacks were scattered across the floor. Since they were sealed in plastic, she checked the expiration dates and saw they were still good. The baby had a few tiny teeth; she’d surely like candy.

*****

By the time Jiang Weiqing arrived at the hotel, the rest of the team had already cleaned the first two floors. They were currently lounging on a long sofa, sipping black tea.

Jiang Weiqing scanned the room. Everyone was there except Shen Qingyu. “Yunxia, where is she?”

“Sister Qingyu just finished absorbing the crystal,” Yunxia said, taking a leisurely sip. “She should still be in her room.”

“Captain,” Jialing teased, “we’ve all given our gifts. What did you get her?”

“None of your business,” Jiang Weiqing snapped, heading upstairs.

As soon as she entered Shen Qingyu’s room, the others leaned in to whisper. “What do you think she got her?”

“She probably saw through the prank and got something else,” Yunxia guessed. The others nodded in agreement, though An Songyu sighed. “I was really hoping for a disaster.”

Chen Huawei nodded along, feigning disappointment while cackling internally. Even with the Goddess’s good temper, she’s going to blow a fuse.

*****

Knock, knock, knock. Jiang Weiqing tapped on the brown door, but there was no answer.

“Shen Qingyu? You in there?”

Silence. Her heart tightened. After a moment’s hesitation, she used a wire to pick the lock and pushed the door open. It was a standard hotel room—a bit messy and stained, but recently swept. In the center of the bed, the baby was wrapped up in a blanket like a silkworm larva. Her dark eyes were fixed on the warm yellow light overhead as she played with the shadows.

Jiang Weiqing let out a breath of relief. But then, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. In the apocalypse, damp places were breeding grounds for mutated plants. Even knowing Shen Qingyu was powerful, Jiang Weiqing raised her guard. She gripped her pistol and approached the bathroom door.

Click. She picked the second lock and swung the door open.

The showerhead was on, but the person who should have been under it was gone. The rushing water filled the empty space with an eerie vibe. Panic flared in Weiqing’s mind; her nerves stretched taut as she searched the small space for a clue.

Suddenly, a shadow flickered behind her. She raised her gun, and the water on the floor began to coil into a silent serpent, ready to strike. But before she could pull the trigger, a wave of cold air dropped from above, and the black barrel of a gun pressed into her forehead.

The scent of cold gunpowder filled her nose. A long, pale leg, as sharp as a blade, swept out to block her retreat, pinning her against the wall with a dull thud.

A cold, surprised voice reached her ear. “Jiang Weiqing? What are you doing in here?”

Jiang Weiqing looked up, her water serpent dissolving into droplets. She looked away instantly, her face flushed. “I was knocking for ages! You didn’t answer, and I thought something happened to you.”

Shen Qingyu had clearly just stepped out of the bath. Water dripped from her wet black hair, sliding down her collarbone. Because she had dressed in a hurry, she only wore a bathrobe—and a cheap one at that. The steam had turned the thin fabric into a translucent veil that traced every curve of her body.

“The Goddess’s skin is so white… black would have a special charm.” Chen Huawei’s words echoed in Weiqing’s head.

Without her usual aura of cold detachment, Shen Qingyu looked as fair as a peeled egg, almost translucent like an ice carving. There was a rare, hidden fragility about her. The sight hit Jiang Weiqing right in the heart. She looked down, only for her gaze to be captured by the other woman’s small, white toes.

Because of the posture, Shen Qingyu’s left leg was slightly angled, the robe falling away to reveal the smooth line of her thigh. Jiang Weiqing’s throat tightened. Her mind went blank, leaving only one thought on repeat:

So white. So thin. So long. Want to touch.

Jiang Weiqing squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, forcing her logic back to the surface. This is your rival! You cannot be thirsting over her!

Seemingly accepting the explanation, Shen Qingyu lowered the gun. “Why are you looking for me?”

Jiang Weiqing coughed and pulled out the box. “It’s your birthday. I got you a gift.”

Shen Qingyu looked at her with suspicion. “Since when are you so kind?”

Jiang Weiqing shoved the box at her. “I’m doing it for the baby’s sake, okay?”

Shen Qingyu arched an eyebrow and opened the box. She pulled out a daring, black lace garment. Her voice was flat. “You want to see me wear this?”

Jiang Weiqing held her head high. “It’s your favorite brand! And black really suits—” Her words died in her throat as she actually saw the “dress.”

Shen Qingyu held up the garment with a slender finger. It was a masterpiece of “minimalism”: a lace-up front, an entirely open back, held together by two thin straps. The matching bottoms were… strategically designed, and the included stockings were the definition of seductive.

It hit Jiang Weiqing like a physical blow. This wasn’t a “dress.” It was lingerie.

Social death. Complete and total social death.

She broke into a frantic coughing fit, waving her hands in a panic. “No! No! This is a mistake! Chen Huawei said you liked this style!”

A white-hot rage flared in her chest. Chen Huawei, that bastard! She should have known he wasn’t being helpful; he had set her up. Her knuckles cracked as she mentally planned his demise.

Shen Qingyu looked at her with dark, unreadable eyes. “Is that your way of dodging responsibility?”

The question left Jiang Weiqing completely silenced.

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