Chapter 18: The Showdown

At the dining table, everyone was engaged in conversation.

“Chen Xiao, welcome to join Nan City Storage. Let go of the past, and let’s move toward the future together.”

“Yes, Chen Xiao... the unpleasant things that happened before are in the past. Nan City relies on all of us to protect it!”

Lü Xingji and Lang Fei still looked somewhat pale, but they raised their glasses nonetheless.

Most likely, this was on Jiang Yunhan’s instruction, so they couldn’t refuse; everything had to prioritize the bigger picture.

Chen Xiao smiled coldly and tacitly accepted their words.

“Chen Xiao, I toast to you. Thank you for saving Sister Tang!”

Jiang Chuxue lifted her glass, her gaze pure.

“You’re welcome.”

Chen Xiao raised his glass and drained it in one gulp.

He then asked, “These lamb dishes, are they all created by your talent?”

Jiang Chuxue nodded. “Yes, otherwise, what do you think? Now all the lamb is rotten; even if you slaughter it for meat, it tastes sour and awful!”

Chen Xiao’s expression shifted to one of sudden understanding. “So how many can you summon in a day?”

Jiang Yunhan stopped Jiang Chuxue from answering.

“In the apocalypse, these are your trump cards—don’t reveal them casually.”

Jiang Chuxue shrugged helplessly at Chen Xiao, then glanced at Jiang Yunhan.

“Well... Chuxue, um, do you remember the question I asked a few days ago?”

Lü Xingji suddenly spoke, his face pale but his eyes gentle as he looked at Jiang Chuxue.

Jiang Chuxue was momentarily stunned, then recalled, “Ah, you and my brother asked me what kind of guy I like…”

“Let me think,” Lü Xingji said, lifting his chin. He had pursued Chuxue for many years, waiting for a response.

Jiang Yunhan straightened his back as well. He had guarded his sister for twenty years and deserved to be her idol.

Even Lang Fei quietly lifted his head, though he didn’t know why—perhaps because the two beside him had done so.

Jiang Chuxue paid no attention to these gestures and continued eating heartily, casually replying,

“I... I like…”

“I like comeback stories. I like tales where ordinary people grow into strong figures through their own efforts!”

“Hahaha, how about that? Different from the rest, right?”

To everyone’s surprise, Jiang Chuxue did not specify a type of person; instead, she spoke of a narrative.

Chen Xiao silently noted this extraordinary script and picked up a large slice of lamb.

“Dig in, everyone, don’t hold back.”

Seeing that no one else moved their chopsticks, Chen Xiao urged them on.

Then he swallowed a large piece of lamb drenched in sauce in one bite!

Savory, rich!

Delicious!

That night.

Chen Xiao took Tang Shirou to stay in a room atop the storage building.

It was a one-bedroom apartment with a living room and bathroom.

Spacious and bright, sunlight streamed through the windows, casting mottled patterns on the floor.

Warm decorations hung on the walls, adding a touch of coziness.

At the center was a large bed, with sheets and pillows pristine and emitting a faint, fresh fragrance.

On the other side was a roomy bathroom.

It was hard to imagine such a room existed in the apocalypse.

It was truly luxurious!

“Xiao-ge, I lied to you.”

A gentle voice came from Tang Shirou, sitting on the sofa with her head lowered, looking pitiful.

Chen Xiao sat down as well, saying nothing, waiting for her to confess.

“My talent isn’t actually the A-class ‘Water Ball.’”

Before she could finish, Chen Xiao interrupted, “It’s the S-class ‘Water Source.’”

“How do you know!”

Tang Shirou’s pupils trembled—she had never told anyone, not even Jiang Chuxue.

“Because I have it too.”

Chen Xiao confessed ahead of time to avoid future difficulties in using water.

As he spoke, a mist of water condensed in his palm, swirling continuously in the air.

“That’s impossible, your power…”

Tang Shirou had witnessed Chen Xiao’s strength—he was a man capable of tearing down a load-bearing wall with his bare hands!

How could it be the limitedly destructive ‘Water Source’?

“Who says a person can have only one talent?”

Chen Xiao chuckled, revealing a set of small white teeth, looking harmless.

Tang Shirou was stunned; she had never considered this possibility.

Someone could possess two talents?

She gave a helpless, bitter smile. “Looks like you knew I was lying all along.”

“Why didn’t you expose me?”

Chen Xiao shook his head. “We weren’t close before, so I didn’t care who lied to whom. But from now on, I don’t want you to lie to me anymore.”

Tang Shirou stared at Chen Xiao, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

She wanted to say something but ultimately did not.

Suddenly, like a string of broken pearls, tears slid down her cheeks.

Her delicate, trembling voice said, “I know!”

She spoke while wiping away her tears.

Chen Xiao moved closer and wrapped his arms around her trembling frame.

After a while,

Tang Shirou leaned against Chen Xiao and calmed down.

“Xiao-ge, you’re really amazing... I feel…”

“Feel what?”

“Um... how to say this…”

“Feeling uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s just that I feel like… ah, I can’t say it!”

“What is it? You’ve been feeling it for a while but haven’t figured it out…”

“I feel…”

“I feel like I really love you…”

“Pft!”

Chen Xiao burst into hearty laughter. Was this a confession?

Come to think of it, it was the first time he had been confessed to in two lifetimes.

Tang Shirou, seeing Chen Xiao teasing her, reached out her delicate white hand to playfully hit him.

But it had no strength, and Chen Xiao caught her wrist instead.

She looked up, about to act coquettish, but met Chen Xiao’s burning gaze.

“You… you’re too vigorous.”

“Who told you to be so tempting?”