Chapter 34: The Uglier They Are, the More Trouble They Make

Zhang Yi gave Fang Yuqing a scathing dressing-down, exposing her true nature as a "white lotus" and a gold-digging manipulative woman.

This struck a raw nerve. Although she was materialistic, promiscuous, and played with men’s emotions, she truly believed herself to be a good girl. Being mocked by Zhang Yi in such a way shattered her confidence. After all, if even a middle-class nobody like Zhang Yi could look down on her, it meant her charm was simply insufficient, and her chances of hooking a wealthy second-generation heir to become a trophy wife were nonexistent.

After Zhang Yi hung up, he soon saw a long string of voice messages sent by Fang Yuqing. He didn't need to listen to know they were filled with abuse. But did Zhang Yi care? Of course not. In this apocalypse, this "white lotus" would eventually perish from the extreme cold and starvation. Zhang Yi was merely toying with her, watching her misery. How could he possibly be angry at a dead person walking? In fact, seeing the "white lotus" in a state of hysterical rage brought him a sense of immense satisfaction.

"Hahahaha!" Zhang Yi laughed heartily.

He went to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of Romanée-Conti from the refrigerator. This bottle was worth 200,000, and it had been kept in a temperature-controlled wine cabinet back when it was in the Walmart warehouse. Zhang Yi didn't have many such bottles—only a few dozen cases. Since he was in a good mood today, he decided to bring one out to celebrate.

His home would never run out of electricity; the wiring had been upgraded during renovations to connect to backup power supplies and silent generators. He was not lacking in energy at all.

He went to the living room and set a table with a sumptuous, ceremonial feast: French escargot, a tomahawk steak, "Stargazy" pie, and Nanjing salted duck, paired with the 200,000-value Romanée-Conti. In the apocalypse, all social conventions were rapidly dissolving. Zhang Yi didn't care for rules; he ate what he wanted and paired it however he pleased. He could even eat caviar as a main course. This life of luxury was likely unique in the entire world. Because the apocalypse had arrived so suddenly, even the most powerful and wealthy people had not had time to make adequate preparations.

For instance, Xu Hao: his father was a well-known tycoon of a major group in Tianhai City. Yet, in Zhang Yi’s memory, his father died just half a month into the apocalypse. After all, his wealth had become worthless paper, and the bloated, obese old man possessed none of the skills necessary to survive the end of the world.

...

Meanwhile, in the apartment shared by Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining, Fang Yuqing was having a breakdown. She threw things around in a fit of rage, cursing Zhang Yi. Under normal circumstances, she might not have been this angry, but seeing the paradise-like comfort of Zhang Yi’s home made it unbearable. The warm, cozy environment and the abundance of high-end food were the most precious things in this icy apocalypse. A heaven within reach that she could not enter—it was simply unacceptable!

"Zhang Yi, you damn bastard! Who do you think you are to curse me!" Fang Yuqing gritted her teeth in fury. "If it weren't for this blizzard, I wouldn't even give you a second glance!"

On the nearby sofa, Lin Caining watched her with a look of contempt in her eyes. "It’s your own fault for playing him. If you hadn't, we could be enjoying the food and the warm fireplace in his home right now!"

Fang Yuqing scoffed, "Who is he? He’s just someone with an apartment and some savings! I am meant to marry into a wealthy family and be a lady of status!"

Lin Caining frowned. "But look at him—he has so much food and a fireplace for warmth. That’s far better than any rich kid right now." She looked out the window at the relentless, heavy snowfall. According to the news they’d managed to get on their phones over the past two days, the entire world was blanketed in ice and snow. She said worriedly, "Could this blizzard really last forever?"

On the television, the few remaining official channels were still trying to encourage the public. Experts in thick down jackets shivered as they claimed the disaster would pass soon, telling people that they were strong and that perseverance would lead to victory. Yet, there was not the slightest sign that the crisis was ending.

Lin Caining hugged herself tight. "If this snow keeps falling, even if we don't freeze to death, we'll starve to death in this house!"

Lin Caining's words turned Fang Yuqing's anger into pure terror. It had been ten days since they were trapped in their apartment. These ten days felt longer than ten years. Unless one has experienced such a thing, it is impossible to understand how agonizing it is; it could even drive a person to mental instability. Even though Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining were a pair of "green tea" and "white lotus" types, as women in their twenties, their inner resolve was extremely fragile. Faced with the endless snow, they began to contemplate death.

Fang Yuqing curled up on the sofa, the image of Zhang Yi’s warm, well-stocked home appearing in her mind again. She said bitterly, "It's not fair! Why does Zhang Yi get to live so comfortably while I, someone so beautiful, have to suffer like this!"

Lin Caining glanced at Fang Yuqing without saying a word. She wrapped herself in a blanket and took out her phone to find Zhang Yi in her contacts.

Soon, Zhang Yi received a message from Lin Caining. He was sipping his top-tier red wine while enjoying his luxurious meal. Seeing the notification, a playful look crossed his eyes. In the apocalypse, watching the desperate struggles of women like them was far more entertaining than any movie.

He read Lin Caining's message: "Zhang Yi, I just saw you scolding Fang Yuqing, and I’m so happy for you. Actually, I’ve long known she was a gold-digger who never took you seriously. I’ve always hoped you would see her true colors one day. This is great, congratulations on waking up!"

Zhang Yi chuckled. "What a pair of plastic friends, selling Fang Yuqing out so quickly." But this was normal; birds of a feather flock together. Neither Lin Caining nor Fang Yuqing were good people.

He replied, "Yeah, it's whatever."

Lin Caining continued, "It always pained me to watch you chasing after Fang Yuqing. Zhang Yi, actually... I’ve always liked you, you know? Since you don't want her anymore, why don't we be together?"

Zhang Yi nearly spat out the red wine he had just sipped. "Damn, this gold-digger is truly shameless!" He shook his head. "Tsk tsk tsk, how incredibly pragmatic! It seems her life over the past ten days has been miserable enough."

In the past, Lin Caining had never given Zhang Yi the time of day. Even though her own situation was nothing special, it never stopped her from thinking of herself as a goddess. Now that she saw Zhang Yi had rejected Fang Yuqing and possessed such a high quality of life, she immediately tried to move in.