Chapter 7: The Child’s Sorrow

Pei Zhuxuan also went to the bedroom to sleep. When Xiao Guang found her, she had her upper body buried under the blanket while her legs were still touching the floor. Xiao Guang wanted to give her a good scolding for many reasons—the flour scattered all over the kitchen floor and the shower in the bathroom constantly running water.

Looking into those red eyes, the helmet in Xiao Guang’s hand was never brought down. Instead, he extended an arm. Pei Zhuxuan glanced at the helmet, carefully bit his arm, and followed him out of the bedroom.

“At a time like this, food is precious. I don’t know if you wanted to eat or if you were searching for something, but you absolutely cannot make such a mess.”

“This water—I dare not use it myself—but you can’t just leave it running like this. Watch carefully; you have to turn it off.”

“As for the water stains on the floor, I won’t say anything, but look at this flour. Did you purposely carry a handful around to scatter it everywhere? You’re a zombie, not a mischievous child. Remember, no throwing things around.”

Xiao Guang kept talking but received no response. Still, he circled the room with Pei Zhuxuan clinging to his arm.

Xiao Guang wasn’t exactly neat by nature. Back when he lived in an apartment, takeout boxes piled up by the door, clothes tossed on the sofa, or meals eaten on the coffee table while watching shows—he was too lazy to clean up.

But three months of living in the apocalypse had forced him to change a lot. At the very least, he had to know where things were and be able to find what he needed quickly—that was the basic rule for survival.

It was fine if the room was a little messy or some flour was wasted, but Xiao Guang felt he had to make Pei Zhuxuan understand that she shouldn’t do things he disliked.

He looked down at Pei Zhuxuan. Those red eyes refused to meet his gaze. She seemed unfocused as she stared at his clothes.

“Why do you have flour on your head too? Did you want to crawl into the flour sack? Or were you trying to put on makeup?”

Xiao Guang recalled when he first found her, hiding behind a flour sack. Could it be that this was already her survival instinct?

Even as a zombie, did she still remember her fear? Xiao Guang sighed—damn this virus.

“Alright, let go and sit on the sofa.”

No response, which was normal. Xiao Guang walked over, gently pressed Pei Zhuxuan down on the sofa, and wiped the flour off her face. Seeing the colorful streaks on her delicate face, he couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes, beauty isn’t just a word—it’s a fact.

“Did you also rub flour onto the blanket?”

The flour on her head had dried. It seemed she had been sprayed by the shower and then warmed it dry by burrowing into the blanket. Although he knew her sense of pain was likely dulled, Xiao Guang carefully cleaned her up.

“I’m going out for a bit. If I see any cosmetics, I’ll bring some back for you. Do you still remember to put on makeup every day? Honestly, someone as beautiful as you doesn’t really need it. But if it’s your habit, I respect that. Also, don’t you really need to use the bathroom?”

Still no reply. Weren’t they just talking yesterday? Xiao Guang looked at Pei Zhuxuan, who kept her head lowered. Had he scared her just now?

If she was frightened, she should have kept her distance. Xiao Guang was confused, but Pei Zhuxuan was definitely different from other zombies. Perhaps her level of infection was different.

~~~~

Xiao Guang tried starting the car. Left foot on the brake, right foot on the gas pedal, he muttered to himself before gently pressing the accelerator. The car slowly moved forward.

There were many cars parked below the apartment, most still with fuel. According to apocalypse novels, after three months, all the fuel should have been scavenged, but the problem was—there were hardly any people around.

He turned the wheel sharply, scraping the wall, or too wide and hitting a lamp post. Pressing the gas harder, he crashed into a grabbing zombie. Hearing the furious howls behind him, Xiao Guang apologized, “Sorry, sorry! I’m not trying to break you up.”

He brought the flour back this time. Eventually, he wanted to explore the big shopping mall. While driving, he slowly took in the situation around Cheongdam-dong.

Being able to drive was great. With the doors and windows locked, he didn’t have to worry about zombies lunging at him like when he walked. This time, his range of movement was large—he circled Cheongdam-dong twice.

He felt a bit happy because many supermarkets still had intact glass windows, which meant there must be usable supplies inside.

But he also felt fear. The area with the densest zombies had some that had clearly lost all humanity, chasing after the car for a long time—just like the crazies he remembered.

Xiao Guang dared not imagine if he were surrounded by such a group. Could he escape? Seeing them madly pursuing the car, lunging, no longer showing any last shred of human fear—it was chilling. He remembered clearly: their bodies were a dull gray, and their eyes dulled as well.

It was his first time driving. He thought after such a long drive, the fuel gauge would drop a notch, which made him hesitant to venture too far from the apartment. But reality wasn’t like a game—his worries were unnecessary. Still, he returned to familiar streets.

Arriving back on the street in front of his apartment brought a sense of security. He even had the mood to fiddle with the window buttons and windshield wipers. His first car had come so easily—he was genuinely happy.

The apocalypse could be what it was. He parked the car at the apartment entrance, where security didn’t dare interfere. He planned to carry the flour upstairs but suddenly remembered what he had told Pei Zhuxuan earlier.

Xiao Guang stood by the apartment door, smiling bitterly at himself. He hadn’t become a zombie, but he wasn’t far from madness either. He swung the baseball bat in his hand repeatedly. It seemed there was a small cosmetics shop on this street.

Near the university, there was always a street like this, with all kinds of bits and pieces you could find. Xiao Guang used the bat to push away several zombies blocking the entrance—dressed like teenage girls, their eyes red or bluish rather than gray. Seeing him, they wanted to bite but feared being hit.

He observed them carefully. Most notably, their bodies hadn’t turned that dull gray color.

“Sorry, seniors and juniors. I know you might still have a chance to be saved, but my ability is limited. I hope scientists can develop a serum to cure you soon. Please let me pass. Your buns are quite big.”

The apocalypse had one convenience—it stripped away all the inhibitions and shame from one’s heart.

Zombies wouldn’t argue back or morally condemn Xiao Guang. He pushed the girls aside with his bat, then reached out to touch their swaying buns. He had to admit, they were real. One more touch, but no more—he didn’t want to damage his resolve.

He grabbed a bag and stuffed in some cosmetics, unsure if they were expired. At the door, he looked at the group of girls still gathering.

Sigh. He didn’t know what to say. The scene resembled a primitive era, with barely clothed bodies—a beautiful picture that a young man his age might have fantasized about.

But Xiao Guang’s mood was grim, watching their twisted faces, fearful, evasive eyes, and blackened hands—it was pitiful.

Right, he’d been ignoring a question all along—once turned into zombies, did they lose all primal desires?

Looking up the street, there were men and women. In the past, seeing each other’s appearances would stir shy yet undeniable desires. Now, such peaceful coexistence was terrifying.

He was still a virgin. Surely, he wouldn’t die without ever meeting a living woman.

Just thinking about it made him sad.