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Chapter 86

 

After receiving the notice, Lian Qingmiao carefully handed over his work to the students, ensuring they recorded everything clearly before letting them go for dinner. He then headed to the Refugee Management Office to meet his family. 

 

Hao Jian, feeling that such a warm family reunion didn’t require her presence, decided to visit An Minghui instead. 

 

After updating An Minghui on the situation on Haixin Island, Hao Jian asked, "So, have you identified the three brothers?" 

 

"Yes. Wei Guojia, the eldest of the triplets, is a graduate student at the Wudaokou Vocational Technical College. Wei Renmin, the second brother, enlisted in the military at eighteen, joined a special assault team at twenty-two, and was injured during a drill earlier this year. His injuries couldn’t fully heal, leaving him with lasting aftereffects, so he retired. As for the youngest, Wei Shehui... I must say, their parents are truly exemplary successors of socialism!" 

 

"You’re acting—" Hao Jian hesitated. 

 

"Acting what? Less serious and rigid than before?" 

 

Hao Jian neither agreed nor disagreed. 

 

An Minghui explained, "Even though my responsibilities have increased, I feel a bit more at ease. I’ve come to understand that some rules from before aren’t entirely applicable now. Besides, the higher-ups no longer insist we strictly enforce peacetime regulations... Of course, the basic principles remain unchanged." 

 

"Back to the Wei brothers. There’s limited information on Wei Shehui. He has a weaker constitution, so his family dotes on him the most. After graduating from university, he stayed to help with the family business. It’s said he has extraordinary talent in computing, and their company’s invincibility is attributed to his 'protection.'" 

 

Hao Jian wasn’t surprised by Wei Shehui’s abilities. She asked, "With such talent, why hasn’t the country recruited him?" 

 

An Minghui hesitated before replying, "He’s been approached, but they also imposed several conditions. Unable to accept them, he declined. The unit figured there are plenty of talents in the world and didn’t insist, so..." 

 

Hao Jian nodded, signaling she understood. 

 

"Later, the cybersecurity department reached out to him. Although he didn’t agree to join, he proposed an exchange of terms. What exactly he exchanged with them is unclear, but ever since, the 'Wei Brothers' Guards' have become a team that collaborates with official entities." 

 

"In that case, they don’t seem to be an issue anymore." 

 

"Matters across different departments and levels aren’t for us small players to worry about. My personal suggestion is, if you have a chance to interact with them, it doesn’t hurt to observe." 

 

Hao Jian skipped dinner and returned straight to the dormitory, which was still pitch dark. It was evident that Lian Ru Ning hadn’t come back yet. 

 

She didn’t turn on the lights, instead collapsing directly onto her bed for some rest. 

 

Hao Jian wasn’t sure if Lian Ru Ning would return, knowing she likely had much to discuss with her mother. 

 

Just then, the dormitory door opened, and the lights flicked on. Hao Jian turned her head to see Lian Ru Ning returning. 

 

"I went to An Minghui’s place to look for you. He said you’d already come back," Lian Ru Ning said. "I figured you probably hadn’t eaten yet, so I brought you a bowl of soup noodles. Are you hungry?" 

 

Hao Jian got up, gave Lian Ru Ning a quick kiss, and smiled. "I wasn’t hungry before, but now I am." 

 

"Why, is my presence making the food taste better?" Lian Ru Ning teased. 

 

"Exactly. Just looking at you is appetizing enough." 

 

Lian Ru Ning blushed slightly at her words, breaking apart the disposable chopsticks and handing them to her. "Hurry up and eat before the noodles soak too long in the soup!" 

 

As Hao Jian ate, she asked, "Have you settled Auntie and the others?" 

 

"Yes, my mom and dad are staying together, and Xiao Ruoji is in the building opposite. A lot of my dad’s colleagues are asking him how to contact the 'Wei Brothers' Guards.' I think they’re going to be quite busy for a while." 

 

 

Fortunately, although the authorities couldn’t spare the manpower to bring the families of these researchers over, they had reserved dormitories for their relatives. No matter how they managed to bring their families over, like Gao Ruosu and Lian Ruoji, they’d be accommodated here.  

 

"Is Auntie's health okay?" 

 

"She had mild heatstroke, but the doctor has already checked her out. It's nothing serious." 

 

Lian Ru Ning then shared what she had heard from Lian Ruoji about their harrowing experience over the past few days: 

 

A few days before the incident, Lian Ru Meng contacted them. She felt that something was off. People everywhere seemed strange, especially in the area where she was sketching. That place, known for its chaos, later became the site of various incidents involving people attacking and biting others in public. 

 

Although the authorities responded promptly to handle the situation, she still felt uneasy. She called home to confirm that her family was safe, then secretly left her group. 

 

She called her parents again, but it seemed they didn’t take her concerns seriously. Worse, when her unauthorized departure was discovered, she was scolded. 

 

With no other choice, she urged Lian Ruoji to take good care of their parents and promised to return home as soon as possible. 

 

Lian Ruoji, who stayed home most of the time and rarely browsed the internet for gossip, hadn’t been as concerned as Lian Ru Meng. However, after reading some news reports, he became more alert and spent the following days accompanying Gao Ruosu to school. 

 

On the day the internet went down, he went to have lunch with Gao Ruosu in the cafeteria. There, they noticed a lecturer behaving strangely. Remembering online descriptions of symptoms seen in people infected with the virus, Lian Ruoji quickly pulled Gao Ruosu aside to hide. 

 

Soon, the lecturer lost control and bit a passing student. The cafeteria descended into chaos, but fortunately, it was the holiday season, so there weren’t many students. Most people managed to flee quickly. 

 

Lian Ruoji and Gao Ruosu initially planned to return home, but before they could leave the cafeteria, chaos erupted in the adjacent medical school. Lian Ruoji stopped a medical student to ask what was happening and learned that some students had been bitten during hospital internships, and the hospital had already begun isolating people. 

 

The thought of "zombies" suddenly came to Lian Ruoji’s mind. The more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed. He grabbed Gao Ruosu, scavenged some food, and found another place to hide. 

 

The mother and son were trapped on campus for three days, eventually running out of food. Later, a group of survivors suggested heading to the riverside docks to find boats for escape since the docks were close by. Not wanting to starve, Lian Ruoji and Gao Ruosu agreed to join them. 

 

After enduring numerous challenges, the group finally reached the docks. However, there were very few boats left, and multiple groups began fighting to secure spots. Realizing they couldn’t compete in the melee, Lian Ruoji and Gao Ruosu fled along the riverside. 

 

Eventually, the mother and son encountered a retreating security team. The team rescued them and brought them to the Haixin Island shelter. 

 

Initially, conditions at the Haixin Island shelter were poor and chaotic. Everyone wanted to stay inside the auditorium, which was not only safe but also had air conditioning. 

 

After a few days, more security teams arrived to support the shelter. The situation gradually came under control, and people began to adapt, albeit reluctantly. 

 

Since there was no such thing as a free lunch at the shelter, anyone who wanted better living conditions had to work. Lian Ruoji, worried that Gao Ruosu couldn’t endure the weather, volunteered to work. 

 

The mother and son couldn’t contact their family, and although they were anxious, they could only wait. After the authorities registered their information, they frequently inquired about their family’s whereabouts. When they finally heard news of Lian Qingmiao, it gave them a glimmer of hope. 

 

To their surprise, while they were just discussing Lian Ru Ning and Lian Ru Meng’s whereabouts, Lian Ru Ning showed up only two days later, and she brought news about Lian Ru Meng. 

 

Although Lian Ru Meng hadn’t been found yet, knowing she was relatively safe was enough to create a sense of reunion among them. 

 

"Dad wants Xiao Ruoji to consider joining the security team or finding a job at the Refugee Management Office. He feels bad about freeloading off the government's resources without contributing." 

 

Lian Qingmiao's attitude toward her daughter and son was vastly different. At least in Hao Jian's eyes, Lian Qingmiao had much higher expectations for Lian Ru Ning. 

 

"And what does Ruoji think?" 

 

"It's not very practical for him to join the security team, and he's still pretty young. He's not quite qualified to work at the Refugee Management Office as a staff member either, so he'll probably end up assisting in the archives department, helping with file sorting and collection." 

 

"I remember the archives are located near Southern City University. Staying there to work isn’t a bad option." 

 

Hao Jian finished her noodles, took a sip of soup, and noticed Lian Ru Ning seemed to be deep in thought. 

 

"What's wrong? You've been staring at me all day. If you have something to say, now’s the time." 

 

Lian Ru Ning mustered her courage, licked her lips nervously, and said, "I—I’m going to take a shower first." 

 

Hao Jian followed her, stopping the door before it could close. Tilting her head, she asked, "Is it because I showed a bit of interest in that photo, so you asked Professor Lian about it?" 

 

Lian Ru Ning froze: Why must you be so smart? You scared me half to death! 

 

Seeing her reaction, Hao Jian chuckled. "Looks like I was right." 

 

Lian Ru Ning wrestled with whether to bring up the matter of Hao Kan to Hao Jian. She knew it would be impossible to keep it from her, but bringing it up herself felt inappropriate. 

 

Her conflicted expression made her look all the more adorable. Hao Jian's smile deepened. "Judging by your face, I didn’t mistake the person in the photo. It’s Hao Kan, isn’t it? I guess he’s still alive, probably living as a successful man somewhere. You’re worried it’ll hurt me, so you’re hesitant to tell me." 

 

Lian Ru Ning's lips and throat went dry. I knew I couldn’t hide it from her! 

 

Looking at Hao Jian’s smiling face, Lian Ru Ning felt both heartache and frustration. “You’ve figured it all out, I don’t even get a chance to say anything.” 

 

She suddenly hugged Hao Jian, her emotions welling up. Holding back her tears was futile, and they spilled over. “Stop pretending to smile. I know it hurts you. Just cry, it’ll help you feel better. If you think crying alone feels too silly or lonely, I’ll cry with you.” 

 

Hao Jian's faint smile faltered, and she slowly restrained it. After a pause, she placed her hand around Lian Ru Ning’s waist. 

 

Does it hurt? Yes, it hurts. 

 

Do I want to cry? Yes, but I feel there’s no point. 

 

However, hearing Lian Ru Ning's sobs, Hao Jian belatedly realized that tears had already started streaming down her face. 

 

"I told myself, there's no need to cry for him, he's not worth it. And there's no need to cry for my mom either, because she's long gone. Crying, resenting, it changes nothing. If that's the case, why bother?" 

 

Lian Ru Ning said, "But what about you? Don’t you deserve to vent your feelings?" 

 

"You're right, but I don’t want to vent this way." A sense of clarity dawned in Hao Jian’s heart. "If I ever see him again, I’ll vent in my own way." 

 

Lian Ru Ning released her, staring at her in confusion. "Huh?" 

 

Hao Jian wiped her tears and then helped wipe Lian Ru Ning's as well. She thoughtfully said, "When he left, I was only sixteen, still a minor. He still owes me two years of unpaid child support. And let’s not forget the time and money we spent searching for him and tracking his whereabouts. He needs to repay all that, plus emotional damages. I’ve calculated, it’s at least 100,000 yuan." 

 

"...?" 

 

Lian Ru Ning saw that Hao Jian was serious. The heavy mood lightened slightly, and she hesitantly asked, "You… don’t plan to ask for more? He committed bigamy, though he and your mom didn’t register their marriage, common-law marriages were legally recognized back then. By law, he’d owe your mom at least half of his assets upon divorce." 

 

Hao Jian flicked her forehead. "The Hao family’s land, properties, and inheritance from my grandparents became mine when his household registration was annulled." 

 

"...Oh." 

 

The two stared at each other for a moment before both burst into laughter. 

 

Hao Jian’s laughter faded quickly. “So, his bigamy means that while my mom was still alive, he married another woman? Maybe even had kids with her?” 

 

Lian Ru Ning froze, hastily cutting off her laughter, but almost choked on her own saliva. Slowly realizing what she had just said, she wished she could bite her tongue off. At the same time, she marveled at Hao Jian’s skill in coaxing information out of her. 

 

At this point, it seemed impossible to keep the remaining details hidden, so she decided to tell Hao Jian everything.