Chapter 39: Returning Hearts

She had initially thought the matter was concluded, but due to a series of complex environmental shifts, she found herself entangled with her savior. In Yang Rongrong’s mind, marriage was not entirely out of the question, yet she never expected her savior to be a billionaire who was already married. Unwittingly, she had become the "other woman"—or rather, the fourth.

Just as she was preparing to collect her thoughts, she overheard this group discussing how to survive the various crises of the impending apocalypse and how to stockpile supplies. Given Yang Rongrong’s personality, she should have immediately asked Yang Jie if she could inform her talent agency of his details, but instead, she silently silenced her phone and pricked up her ears to listen.

Although she had only been with Yang Jie for a few days, she had gained a preliminary understanding of him. To summarize his character in one word: he was incredibly reliable. Such a person did not seem like a fool by any stretch of the imagination.

The group discussed for two or three hours before settling into the living room to watch television. Unlike in their home country, where everyone was glued to their phones, people abroad were often avid television enthusiasts. Watching the content on screen, Yang Jie suddenly looked at Zhao Baitong.

"Did you download any movies, series, or the like? It would be quite troublesome if we get too bored."

Zhao Baitong was in the middle of answering some of Yang Rongrong's questions; overall, both women were from the Dragon Kingdom, so they had common ground. "I have movies, dramas, variety shows, documentaries, and even single-player games. I’ve even set up a server for all of this. To ensure we aren't bored during the apocalypse, I’ve also hacked into street cameras in many countries around the world to record scenes of how people lived."

Yang Jie nodded with satisfaction. This was what a real teammate looked like; with someone like this, everything could be achieved with half the effort. It was nothing like those disaster movies from the West, where annoying, self-righteous characters kept popping up—those were truly impossible to carry, even for a grandmaster gamer.

Around ten o'clock, everyone began to turn in for the night. Yang Jie glanced at Yang Rongrong but said nothing, slowly heading upstairs.

Not long after, Yang Rongrong curled up in a small room, feeling utterly distressed. Although the villa was large, the rooms were limited, and with the number of people growing, almost every space was occupied. She needed to sort out her emotions to plan her next steps.

Soon, the sounds of cat-like cries drifted through the air. Yang Rongrong’s ears twitched; she knew they were the voices of Li Siyao and Zhao Baitong. Whatever she thought of, her face flushed crimson instantly. She bit her lip and pounded the mattress, looking absolutely furious. If Yang Jie appeared before her right now, she swore she would bite him to death.

Hours later, just as Yang Rongrong lay completely limp, the door opened, and a tall figure stood in the threshold.

Yang Rongrong rubbed her eyes and asked in confusion, "Yang Jie? Why are you here?" Before she could react, Yang Jie scooped her up and carried her toward the master bedroom.

The next morning, golden sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, gently spilling into the room and adding a touch of warmth to the quiet space. Yang Rongrong slowly awakened in the morning light, her long eyelashes fluttering as if stirred by the sun. As her vision focused, a faint sense of unfamiliarity washed over her, but it was quickly washed away by the morning tranquility and the radiating heat beside her. She instinctively pulled the quilt tighter, wrapping herself more securely.

However, as her gaze inadvertently swept over the person beside her, a handsome face came into view. She stared at the sleeping man; his features were sharp, exuding a sense of unwavering resolve, and his thick brows were slightly raised, as if he remained vigilant even in sleep. His chest was broad, giving off an aura of stability and strength.

Even though Yang Rongrong felt exhausted and her limbs were weak, her heart remained ablaze. She turned on her side, silently observing the sleeping man with a gaze full of admiration. A thick, masculine scent washed over her, and she instinctively reached out to trace his face.

Last night had truly been too wild. Recalling the eighteen positions they had "unlocked," she couldn't believe it had been her. She cursed herself under her breath for being so shameless. However, she now understood that during their time at the motel, Yang Jie had mostly been holding back. He was simply too strong! Even with Li Siyao taking half the fire and Zhao Baitong assisting, she had barely been able to keep up.

Just as Yang Rongrong leaned in closer, unable to help herself, Yang Jie suddenly opened his eyes and, amidst her exclamation, pounced on her once more. A short while later, Li Siyao and Zhao Baitong woke up—there was no help for it; when someone is trying to sleep next to a construction site, there’s no way to ignore it.

Two hours later, Yang Jie sat with his arms around the women, and under Yang Rongrong's questioning, he began to clear things up. Having already overheard the truth yesterday, Yang Jie naturally laid everything out, though he kept the existence of his apocalypse bunker a secret. There was no need to be overly cautious about the coming apocalypse; even if someone ran out and shouted it to the world, how many people would actually believe it?

"Then... can I join you?"

The corner of Yang Jie's mouth curled up. "Haven't you already joined?"

Yang Rongrong playfully pounded her small fists against his iron-hard chest. "Annoying! I mean your team!"

Yang Jie’s mischievous hands roamed over her satin-like skin. He had to admit, the skin of women from his home country was three blocks ahead of those from the West. "My team has high standards. Not just anyone can join."

"Then tell me, what are the requirements?" Yang Rongrong didn't care about the apocalypse itself; she was interested in Yang Jie's attitude toward it. As the saying went, it was hard to understand a situation just by looking at the facts; it was better to look at the person. As long as you judged the person correctly, the situation rarely went awry.

"First: You don't need powerful combat skills, but you must have some ability to protect yourself."

"Second: You can only bring one or two relatives, and they must pass Zhao Baitong's screening."

"Third: You must be able to follow orders."

"Fourth: You need to have a specialized skill, preferably one that compensates for the team's weaknesses."

"Fifth: I haven't thought of one yet, so that's all for now."

Yang Rongrong immediately looked toward Li Siyao and Zhao Baitong, her expression questioning. Zhao Baitong yawned, her red lips parting slightly. "Don't look at me. We both have combat experience. Li Siyao is our fire support—she’s not afraid of a fight—and I handle intelligence, logistics, and risk assessment."

Li Siyao chuckled, "You aren't planning on surviving the apocalypse by acting, are you?"