freenovelworld Chapter 405 - 390: Lost to Beauty
Chapter 405 - 390: Lost to Beauty
Lately, Gu Xi had vaguely sensed that something was weighing on Wei Heng’s mind—he constantly suspected that finding her back then hadn’t been an accident, but a deliberate setup!
...Someone had quietly orchestrated everything, sending him to Gu Xi’s side so she would come to trust and rely on him.
He even once suspected that he himself was just a pawn in someone’s scheme to manipulate and deal with Gu Xi.
Wei Heng had never spoken of this burden, but Gu Xi had seen it in his eyes all along.
Tonight, she had invited Mr. Zhou over for two reasons: first, to understand the circumstances of how she was found; and second, to help Wei Heng resolve this inner conflict.
—Regardless of whether there was a scheme behind it all, she had already accepted Wei Heng as her companion.
Gu Xi wanted to put Wei Heng’s mind at ease.
However, due to her upbringing, she had never been good with words and didn’t know how to bring this up with him.
For a time, Gu Xi had even been severely autistic. In everyone’s eyes, she was a human weapon, perpetually labeled as "taciturn" and "emotionally detached."
Because of this, Ye Xin and Li Ming had gotten into fierce arguments during that period—at the time, Ye Xin believed Li Ming’s educational methods were highly problematic.
Li Ming was constantly repeating phrases in young Gu Xi’s ear like, "Villains die from talking too much," and "Why blabber when you can fight?"
Ye Xin was convinced that young Gu Xi had become so silent and withdrawn entirely because of Li Ming’s flawed methods.
But Li Ming didn’t think he was in the wrong.
...In times of peace, perhaps his methods were extreme and problematic. But this was the apocalypse.
The truest, most brutal apocalypse, where human lives were worth less than dirt.
During that time, the two of them fought so fiercely over it that the slightly younger ones, like Xiao Yu and Qee Ran, were too scared to even speak.
In the end, for the sake of team harmony, Gu Xi had to learn how to be a normal person.
At least, how to appear normal on the surface.
"What are you thinking about?" Wei Heng ladled half a bowl of soup and pushed it in front of her.
Gu Xi snapped out of her reverie and looked down at the soup Wei Heng had served her. "Mr. Zhou’s words," she said softly, "did you hear everything?"
"Mhm." Wei Heng handed her a small spoon. The soup was fresh from the pot and still scalding hot.
Lately, they had been letting many things slip to Mr. Zhou, both intentionally and unintentionally. On one hand, this was certainly out of trust; on the other, it was also a test.
For instance, Gu Xi had decided to entrust the management of the farm’s superpower users to Mr. Zhou. She had also given him the superpower research materials she had compiled.
"This whole situation... what do you make of it?" Gu Xi asked softly while sipping her soup.
Wei Heng waited for her to finish the soup in her bowl before replying quietly, "It’s too soon to tell."
It wasn’t that they were paranoid and saw conspiracies everywhere. It was just that the apocalypse was a cruel place that magnified the most selfish, despicable, and ugly aspects of an already complex human nature.
To be cautious, they had to prepare for the worst.
As for what was on Gu Xi’s mind...
"Another bowl?" Wei Heng asked, taking the empty bowl from her hand and looking up.
"No, thanks." Gu Xi shook her head slightly. "I’m full."
Wei Heng glanced at her, then began to clear the messy table.
Before leaving, he suddenly turned back. "Get some rest. Don’t overthink things."
Gu Xi looked up at the handsome young man with gentle eyes standing a short distance away. "Okay."
She paused, then added, "You too." ’Don’t overthink things.’
Wei Heng faltered for a moment, then strode out of Gu Xi’s room.
As the door closed, Gu Xi heard a faint, almost imperceptible "Mhm."
...
With Mr. Wang’s help, the land distribution at the farm went smoothly. Once the fruit saplings from South City’s base arrived safely, Farm 0101 was gradually getting on track.
During this time, Mr. Zhou helped them a great deal. At the very least, everyone was extremely satisfied with his management of the superpower user team.
With the farm now on the right track, the matter of their departure was put on the agenda.
"Gu Xiaoxi, when are we heading back?" Qi Xiang asked, looking at the fruit she had just produced in her hand before tossing it to Yang Chi with a look of disgust.
’My half-assed plant-type superpower is really useless, as expected.’
Yang Chi stared up at her in shock, cradling the obviously subpar fruit in his hands. ’You toss it to me just because it doesn’t taste good?’
’How unfair,’ Yang Chi thought.
But he was a smart kid and knew he couldn’t win against Qi Xiang. So, the smart kid said nothing, merely turning his head to look pitifully at Gu Xi while holding the shriveled fruit.
’Gu Xi, look, Qi Xiang is bullying me.’
Gu Xi: "..." ’Seriously, playing peacemaker is exhausting. It’s more tiring than fighting the Zombie King.’
"We’ll see how things are on Shen Yue’s end," she said, grabbing a plate of oranges for Yang Chi.
When that couple from the Liu Family left, they certainly left a huge mess for Shen Yue. Luckily, Shen Yue and Ye Junhan were no pushovers, and they had already handled most of it in just a few days.
Once the Military Department sent someone to take over, they could start preparing to return to the Central Base.
It was just...
Qi Xiang thought of that powerful figure who might or might not still be in City A, and she hesitated for a moment.
She gave Gu Xi a look, wanting to say something but holding back. ’Did Gu Xi reach some kind of agreement with him in the mountains that day?’
Yang Chi looked over as well.
’They had only just managed to stabilize the situation in City A. If that powerful figure popped up again after Gu Xi left, wouldn’t everything they’d worked so hard to fix instantly fall apart?’
’Not to mention, the leader of this City A base was a total fence-sitter... completely unreliable.’
At that thought, the orange in Yang Chi’s mouth suddenly didn’t taste so sweet anymore.
Yang Chi took a forceful bite... Uh, okay, it was still very sweet. He peeled another one and, as a gesture of returning the favor, offered it to Gu Xi, casually shooting a subtle glance at Qi Xiang.
Qi Xiang: "..." ’Heh, this little brat dares to play mind games with me?’
’He’s gotten bold, has he?’
Gu Xi casually took Yang Chi’s "tribute" and was about to pop it in her mouth when she looked up and saw Qi Xiang staring eagerly at... the peeled orange in her hand. After a moment of silence, she couldn’t resist the great beauty’s charms. She gave Yang Chi an apologetic look and silently handed it over.
Qi Xiang ate the orange leisurely, shooting a smug and provocative look at Yang Chi, who, after witnessing everything, was now squatting in a corner, so dejected he looked like he might sprout mushrooms.
’Trying to compete with me? You’re still too green.’
"Gu Xi, I want more," the great beauty said, turning to hug Gu Xi’s arm and nuzzling against it. In a cloyingly sweet voice, she added, "I want strawberries."
Gu Xi: "..."
’What could Gu Xi do? She could only give in to the great beauty.’
Seeing Gu Xi so shamelessly abandon her principles and produce a bowl of plump, juicy strawberries, Yang Chi sighed silently. ’So I lost because of her looks?’
’Otherwise, would Gu Xi just stand by and watch Qi Xiang walk all over me?’
"Gu Xi..." Yang Chi looked over with puppy-dog eyes, a metaphorical mushroom of despair now sprouting from his head, courtesy of Qi Xiang.
’He looks a little pitiful.’
Gu Xi silently passed him a bowl of large strawberries.
Yang Chi was satisfied. He began his analysis in a low voice while munching on a strawberry. "The situation in City A is basically under our control for now, but that person..."
As he spoke, Qi Xiang also looked up.
Seeing the two of them staring at her with anxious eyes, Gu Xi knew what they were worried about. She smiled. "Don’t worry, he won’t make a move."
Yun Ye was still waiting for her to go back to the Central Base, retrieve the other Superpower Seed, and then return to lure out the Superpower Seed in the Land of Death. At a time like this, he certainly wouldn’t shoot himself in the foot.