Chapter 29 — The Dining Table
“Hmph.” Yan Fei let out a cold chuckle and slowly nodded. “I’ve decided.”
“Huh?” Luo Xun blinked at him in confusion. He’d just come back, dead tired from hauling supplies, and all he wanted now was a shower and sleep. What was Yan Fei even angry about?
His gaze instinctively drifted down, avoiding those chilling eyes—only to land on Yan Fei’s lips. They’d regained their healthy color, the corners tilted slightly upward, exuding a faint, dangerous allure.
They looked… really soft.
Luo Xun violently shook the thought from his head. Before he could say anything, Yan Fei leaned close, voice low against his ear:
“If you ever dare go out alone again,” he whispered, “I’ll melt your door shut.”
…Metal powers weren’t meant to be used like that, okay?! And wasn’t that a total waste of resources?!
What the hell was going on with this guy?!
Luo Xun’s brain was mush. And now, with Yan Fei standing so close, his whole face burned scarlet. Sure, in his previous life the apocalypse had already “bent” him, but back then he’d been too busy struggling to survive. He never wasted precious crystal cores to sleep around with questionable people. There was one person he’d once gotten close to—someone he’d thought he might actually build something with—but before anything could happen beyond holding hands and huddling for warmth, that person died.
So, up to this point—even now—Luo Xun, this man, not to mention having his first sleepover or first kiss, has absolutely no experience when it comes to being close or intimate with anyone!
The closest creature to him is that little guy—but that’s a dog! Not the breathtakingly beautiful man standing in front of him!!
“You—what are you doing?!” Luo Xun stammered, awkwardly pushing at Yan Fei’s shoulder—he didn’t dare touch his chest, afraid of brushing his injuries. He’d only been gone five days! How did this guy suddenly change? What on earth had happened during these five days?!
“I—I was just worried about you being sick! Once you’re better, who would stop you from going out?” Then, recalling how effortlessly Yan Fei had helped him carry things earlier, Luo Xun’s expression shifted in realization. “Wait—are you completely recovered?!”
Yan Fei’s gaze drifted from Luo Xun’s flushed ears and neck back to his face. His reaction was still the same as when they’d first met—unable to handle even a hint of teasing. Wait a second… could it be that his earlier suspicion was right? Could Luo Xun actually be… that way?
A spark of clarity flashed in Yan Fei’s mind. The anxiety and frustration he’d felt these past few days because Luo Xun hadn’t returned—he hadn’t really thought about it before. But now, being this close to him, his heart started to race uncontrollably. A thought suddenly surfaced—he wanted to be closer, to keep Luo Xun by his side forever…
This home’s warmth—this comforting feeling—only existed because he was here. If he could keep that warmth, make Luo Xun completely his… then that would truly be the end of the past and the beginning of a new life.
If this were still before the apocalypse, Yan Fei’s life would have followed its preplanned track. Even if he suddenly became curious about another man—wanted to explore or “experiment” a little—it would have been nothing more than curiosity, a fleeting thrill. Even if he’d truly fallen for someone, he would have hidden it, afraid to show it to the world.
But now, he wanted to try—really try. Not because it was something new or forbidden, but because of Luo Xun himself. It had nothing to do with gender, nothing to do with rebellion or boredom—it was simply because Luo Xun was Luo Xun.
No one else could make him so anxious after only five days of silence.
No one else could make his heart ache from longing.
No one else could make him feel such rage and grief that he’d want to avenge him if something had happened.
Luo Xun was stunned to see that Yan Fei didn’t answer his question—instead, he smiled. That smile was so beautiful it made Luo Xun’s heart tremble, dazzling yet impossible to look away from.
“I’m fine now.” Yan Fei had no intention of confessing his newfound feelings right away. After all, Luo Xun couldn’t escape anymore—they’d already agreed to live together, and that had been Luo Xun’s idea. So he wouldn’t be letting him go.
As for their “relationship”… Yan Fei’s peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, the tear mole at the corner glinting seductively enough to make Luo Xun dizzy. “My injuries are completely healed. What did you bring back today?”
“Woof…” The little guy, who had been ignored for far too long, lay on the floor pitifully with its chin on its paws, tail tucked between its legs—it couldn’t squeeze in between the two humans who were standing too close together! When Luo Xun turned toward it, the dog instantly leapt up, its tail wagging so fast it was a blur.
“I brought back a bunch of steel plates, metal fittings, that kind of stuff…” Luo Xun crouched down to catch the half-grown dog that bounded into his arms, grateful for the distraction after Yan Fei’s unnerving behavior. “Did you eat enough these past few days? Seems like you’ve grown again…”
Then his eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh, right! We found a convenience store on the way. I didn’t take much, but I got a few packs of frozen beef and lamb slices. Let’s have hotpot tonight!” he said, already unpacking the bags.
Beef and lamb slices didn’t weigh much, but they took up a lot of space, so Luo Xun hadn’t stocked any before the apocalypse. Now that he’d found some, there was no way he’d let the chance go to waste.
Luckily, the weather outside was freezing—it was deep winter—and the convenience store still had backup power when they arrived. The electricity had eventually gone out, but the meat in the freezer hadn’t spoiled yet. Otherwise, they’d have been left with nothing but biscuits and chips again.
“Sounds good. The balcony vegetables look about ready to harvest anyway,” Yan Fei said with a smile. Luo Xun’s cooking wasn’t anything fancy, but it always had that comforting, homey flavor—something no restaurant could replicate. Even though Yan Fei hadn’t gone hungry while Luo Xun was away, even the dumplings or buns Luo Xun had prepped in advance and left behind didn’t taste the same when reheated. Maybe it was psychological… or maybe it was because now, he wasn’t eating alone. (The dog didn’t count.)
The frozen meat had softened by now. Luo Xun stuffed it into one of the two working freezers. He’d also gotten a couple packs of bacon, which he stored alongside them.
After changing clothes and stacking the metal sheets neatly in a corner, he went to the balcony to pick some greens.
The baby bok choy had grown quite a bit—still small, but enough for a nice meal. The sprouts and bean shoots in the greenhouse had also matured. Luo Xun left a portion to regrow for seed and gathered the rest for hotpot.
“By the way, any of these bean sprouts mutate?” Luo Xun asked while inspecting the seed trays. Before leaving, he’d told Yan Fei to destroy any plants that started looking strange. Judging by how healthy everything looked, Yan Fei must’ve handled it properly.
“Yeah, a few turned odd colors, so I burned them,” Yan Fei replied, following him into the greenhouse.
Some mutated plants could evolve beneficially—larger yields, even new species—but Luo Xun didn’t want to risk it. Better to destroy them than come home to find Yan Fei and the dog eaten by mutant plants.
“Alright, let’s just use some for now. I’ll plant the rest tomorrow morning.”
He took out the vegetables, then unpacked the hotpot base and dipping sauces. Soon, the electric stove and pot were set up.
They even had frozen tofu—something Luo Xun had bought before the apocalypse and tossed into the freezer. Fresh soybeans from their plants wouldn’t be ready until next year, and making tofu from scratch was a hassle. This frozen batch was coming in handy now.
He washed the bok choy, sprouts, and cilantro, sliced the tofu, and pulled out one pack each of beef and lamb. The two sat down together, waiting for the pot to boil.
Yan Fei had never been that fond of beef or lamb hotpot before—he preferred all sorts of mushrooms, tripe, and fish balls—but tonight, eating this “simple” hotpot with Luo Xun felt more satisfying than any gourmet meal.
As Luo Xun dropped some lamb slices into the pot along with vegetables, he sighed. “Too bad we haven’t planted any cabbage yet.” Cabbage took much longer to grow than the others—even if he’d planted it right when he moved in, it probably wouldn’t be ready by now.
“We’ll make do for now. There’s always next time,” Yan Fei said, dropping a few slices of lamb into Luo Xun’s bowl before taking some for himself.
Luo Xun had eaten fairly well since the apocalypse began—especially given his ten years of experience in his previous life. Back then, there were days when he didn’t even have clean water to drink. After the apocalypse, with most crops mutated, good food was rare and often tasteless.
To be able to eat until full, and even enjoy it—that was already a blessing. To eat familiar flavors again? That was luxury.
Most post-apocalyptic crops mutated in terrible ways, and only a tiny fraction evolved to taste better. That was why Luo Xun had focused on collecting as many crop seeds as possible at the start—if he could cultivate a few good varieties, life would be much easier.
In his previous life, he’d only survived comfortably because he’d discovered one high-quality mutated leek variety, which he sold exclusively to a powerful figure in the base. That connection had kept him safe for years.
You could survive in the apocalypse without backing, but if you had no survival skills, no resources, and no allies—good luck staying alive.
Compared to Luo Xun’s thorough preparation, Yan Fei had suffered a bit at first. He’d lived downtown, and although he’d realized what was happening early, he’d underestimated the danger. By the time he saw that almost everyone around him had turned into zombies, he’d only managed to grab some instant food. He hadn’t had a proper meal until he met Luo Xun.
So even if this hotpot wasn’t fancy, it was infinitely better than the past few days’ meals.
Though he hadn’t left the apartment recently, Yan Fei kept the radio on all day. No matter how much the broadcast tried to sound calm, it couldn’t completely hide the truth. Combined with what he’d observed in the neighborhood, he’d pieced together a pretty clear idea of the situation outside.
They ate and chatted, refilling the pot again and again until the food was gone. Luo Xun even went to the balcony to cut some leeks and greens to toss in for a final round.
The little dog lay under the table, its own bowl in front of it, filled with some cooled-down greens and two small pieces of beef and lamb. Earlier, it had secretly carried one piece of meat and dropped it on Yan Fei’s shoe, using the shoe as its “dining table” while happily chewing away. Yan Fei, blocked by the dog’s tiny body, didn’t even notice his shoe had been turned into a plate.
After dinner, both men were too lazy to move. Then faint voices—laughter, even a woman’s—echoed from the hallway. Luo Xun turned toward the door in surprise. “Someone else moved in? 1602?”
Yan Fei shook his head. “No, fifteenth floor. They came a few days after you left. A group of college students—men and women. Haven’t met them.” He’d only seen them once, from the balcony.
Luo Xun thought for a moment, then nodded. “1602 was already registered. The military knows about it. They won’t touch those units for now.”
In older apartment blocks, though, it was different. When soldiers cleared zombies there, if they could confirm that the entire household had turned and died—and found proof like property or household registration documents—their belongings would be confiscated, and the property reassigned.
Although it was tedious and somewhat time-consuming, at least it ensured that most people’s interests were protected.
The remaining houses would be allocated to suitable residents after another month or so, when the base population grew larger.
Yan Fei shrugged indifferently. “Maybe the new arrivals have abilities—or something else. The radio’s been broadcasting every day lately, urging ability users to register and assist with clearing zombies and rescuing trapped survivors.”
“We’ll talk about it in a couple of days. I’m going to sleep for an entire day first,” Luo Xun said, stretching and yawning.
After thinking for a moment, Yan Fei stood up. “I’ll clean up. Go take a shower and get some rest.” He’d been out for days keeping busy, and these chores were still manageable for him. Just as he got up, the little creature that had been sitting on his shoe tumbled off, and Yan Fei glanced down—his expression instantly darkened.
“What’s wrong?” Luo Xun asked curiously, following his gaze. He saw a large greasy stain on the top of Yan Fei’s soft coral fleece slippers—and rolling off along with the little creature was a half-eaten piece of meat, beef or maybe lamb.
Clutching his stomach, Luo Xun nearly doubled over laughing. Did this little thing think his slipper was a dining table? That’s… a new level of talent!
Yan Fei bent down and flicked the creature’s forehead twice. At first, the little guy didn’t react and thought Yan Fei was playing. Its head stung slightly, but it still bounced around excitedly, trying to pounce on his hand. When it finally caught him, it bit down—not hard—and began to gnaw and lick his finger as if it were a bone.
Yan Fei flicked the slobbery dog away and looked at his hand with disgust. “Your dog needs training!”
Luo Xun laughed so hard he almost rolled off the couch. Between gasps he managed, “You—you’ve been home for days, and you didn’t train it either! And you even gave it your slipper as a dinner table! Why didn’t it eat on my shoe, huh?” Clearly, it was a matter of karma.
Yan Fei shot him a sidelong glance, lips curling into a mischievous smile. Then, without warning, he reached out and smeared the dog drool on Luo Xun’s face. Luo Xun yelped, tumbling off the couch.
“Who wipes dog spit on someone’s face?!” he shouted, still laughing and too weak from laughter to stand straight.
“Isn’t it your dog? And aren’t you about to take a shower anyway?” Yan Fei replied calmly, walking out of the bathroom while shaking water droplets off his clean hands. He headed to the table to clear up the dishes.
The little creature, clutching its tiny bowl, was now engaged in a fierce battle with a piece of greens, completely unaware that it had just sparked a full-blown war between the two humans.
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