Chapter 47: Gathering Supplies on a Dark and Windy Night

Bowing in gratitude to dear Miracle Life 123 for the safety charm, and thanks to everyone who liked and voted for Oath. A new week has begun, and I’ll keep striving, balancing baby, work, and writing. Love you all.

“How did you get here?” Du Yun turned around and saw the eldest standing behind her, his face expressionless. She forced an awkward smile and asked.

“To see you.” The eldest was as terse as ever. His eyes, in the darkness, seemed even deeper, impossible to read.

“Hehehe, the night is nice, so I came out for a walk to clear my head. I’ll head back soon,” Du Yun said, her heart torn—on one hand, she thought his initiative was attractive and considerate; on the other, she was annoyed that her secret scavenging had been interrupted. All she could do was laugh dryly.

Thinking she might not be able to slip those bolts of fabric into her pocket, Du Yun felt as if her heart had been gouged out. The forced smile on her face nearly collapsed.

“Oh?” The eldest didn’t leave her alone as she’d hoped. Instead, he stood upright behind her, silent and unmoving, like a wooden post.

Du Yun stood stiffly at the storeroom door. She couldn’t get him to leave, but she was reluctant to go herself, unwilling to give up on the treasures inside. After a long stalemate, she finally couldn’t help but speak, “It’s late, why don’t you go get some sleep?”

“Not tired.” The eldest observed her rigid back, wondering how she’d managed to grab a bow in the fight earlier today, and also reflecting that perhaps he’d been too cold toward her. He wanted to make up for it.

But having grown up in the military, always surrounded by rough boys, he had no idea what girls liked. Wanting to be good to Du Yun, he could only offer his presence.

They stood together under the eaves, facing the moon above and the corpses of zombies in the yard. The silence was eerie beyond words.

“I’ll head back and sleep, then.” At last, Du Yun couldn’t stand the atmosphere any longer and prepared to withdraw, mentally bidding farewell to the cotton fabrics in the storeroom. It wasn’t that she didn’t want them, but there was simply no way—alas.

“Don’t go.” The eldest grew anxious when he saw she seemed upset and about to leave. He grabbed her hand tightly, confused as to why the method he’d learned from Skinny Monkey—stargazing, moon-watching—had no effect on her.

“If I don’t go and you don’t go, are we both supposed to raid the storeroom together?” Du Yun, caught in his grip, instantly remembered how tightly he’d held her earlier that day. She yanked her hand free and blurted out her true thoughts.

“Sure!” The eldest nodded, clearly pleased. So this was the kind of date Du Yun liked—no problem at all.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I wasn’t planning to take advantage or anything…” She hadn’t expected that reaction and was about to explain when, with one sweep of his arm, he drew her into the storeroom.

Once inside, Du Yun still tried to resist, but as she turned and saw the storeroom’s bounty by moonlight, she couldn’t move.

She’d looked too hastily during the day and hadn’t realized that the storeroom was packed with all sorts of goods: cloth, cotton, rice, beans, daily necessities like pots and bowls, and crates of supplies stacked in the inner room.

“Well, since we’re leaving tomorrow, and you can’t take any of this stuff with you, why not let me have it all?” Du Yun rubbed her hands together, a sly grin spreading across her face. Since sneaking around wasn’t working, she might as well say it outright.

“You want it?” The eldest looked at her in surprise. To him, nothing in this storeroom was of any real value—even the expensive nutritional supplements Du Yun cherished were just basic energy boosters in his eyes.

“Yes, I do!” Du Yun nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at grain, afraid that if she hesitated he’d change his mind.

“Then it’s all yours.” The eldest nodded. Seeing her sudden, radiant smile, he felt blinded for a moment. Though her figure was still thin and her face pale, her features were truly beautiful—especially when she smiled, it was impossible to look away.

“That’s wonderful!” Du Yun cheered and rushed into the storeroom, energetically rummaging through the piles. She thought to herself, even though he was keeping her company now, he wouldn’t stay forever. If she sorted everything out, once he left, she could stash it all into her storage space.

All the bolts of cotton on the shelves—she wanted them all!

The rice, flour, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar piled in the corner—she wanted them all!

The heap of pots and pans in the big basket—she wanted them all!

Every crate of supplies in the storeroom—she wanted them all!

Du Yun bustled about like a busy little bee, her face glowing with excitement as she darted back and forth between the two storerooms. Anything she fancied and could carry, she took herself; the rest, the eldest moved for her. Everything was gathered into one place, ready to be taken away later.

Having little experience with girls, the eldest had no idea what a typical date was like. Watching Du Yun scurry about in such high spirits, he couldn’t help but smile himself, doing these chores—ones he would usually scorn—under her direction.

After nearly two hours, Du Yun had turned the storeroom upside down. Everything she deemed useful or desirable was piled in the inner room, forming a mound half the size of the room and waist-high.

Surveying the mountain of supplies, Du Yun was filled with satisfaction, touching this and patting that, already planning how she would distribute everything. Her heart brimmed with joy.

To be fair, perhaps it wasn’t right for her to act like a petty hoarder. Back in 3016, when she was well-off and carefree, she would have scoffed at such behavior. But now, with a large family of poor but kind relatives—people who could barely fill their stomachs, much less clothe themselves—her pride meant little compared to their needs.

“How will you carry all this?” The eldest, having helped her gather the supplies, felt a bit embarrassed by the whole affair, but seeing her smile, he decided it was all worth it.

“I have a secret—will you promise not to tell anyone?” Du Yun blinked at him, her expression mysterious. After he nodded, she took a deep breath and turned around.

With a gentle wave of her hand, the entire pile of supplies—fabric, food, and all the miscellaneous goods—vanished in an instant, not a trace left.

Gone! The eldest’s face grew solemn, while inside, a storm of shock raged.