Kapitel 50: 50
Time was of the essence. After hearing that Yu Zhiwan actually had a rough formula for the zombie virus antidote, Pei Yujang mentioned that she had found a piece of rotten flesh at the water plant. Yu Zhiwan thought for a moment and then said to her:
"We need to go back to Yicheng. I have a completely secure laboratory there, and I'll have some people come to take a look. Organization A might have branches throughout the entire country and even abroad. Yicheng is their headquarters, so it's unclear how far their research has progressed."
"So, don't get your hopes up too high. I'll do my best."
Pei Yujang nodded enthusiastically.
In fact, she still held a lot of hope.
Based on what Yu Zhiwan had said, assuming it was all true, if Yu Zhiwan had held the secret to the antidote when she escaped from that underground lab and if the system mentioned that the heroine would "destroy the world" after turning evil, could it be that she had indeed developed the antidote for the zombie virus but hadn't released it?
If so, this would indeed contribute to the destruction of the world.
A normal person like Yu Zhiwan couldn't live beyond a century. The average lifespan of humans in the interstellar era was around 100 years, with the longest-living elder reaching 160. But most people passed away within a few years after turning a hundred.
So, if the antidote for the virus was hidden by her with no successor to continue the work, this life-saving formula could vanish, leaving future scientists to start from scratch, which would take time.
Standing on the shoulders of giants is vastly different from starting from nothing. Pei Yujang remembered that after she was born, she also received various vaccines, but the effects were minimal.
"At that time, the zombie beasts and regular zombies were different. If you got bitten by a zombie, you were doomed. But the zombie beasts were mutated animals, not highly contagious, so getting vaccinated could protect you…"
Pei Yujang murmured.
She couldn't and wouldn't blame Yu Zhiwan for not releasing the antidote. After all, even if they lived on the same planet, two people's different experiences could lead to completely different views of the world.
Even she herself couldn't guarantee that if she faced more malice than goodwill in life, she would still be rational enough to put in all the hard work to save those who had once wronged her.
With these thoughts, Pei Yujang's mood grew heavier, but her mind didn't wander for long before she heard Yu Zhiwan softly call out to her:
"Are you hungry now?"
Pei Yujang had been starving for a long time, with her stomach growling in protest. She nodded quickly and answered:
"A little."
Yu Zhiwan: "Then I'll cook?"
Pei Yujang initially wanted to say, "I'll help you," but then reconsidered, realizing that she'd likely just be in the way in the kitchen, so she held back.
After seeing Yu Zhiwan head into the kitchen, Pei Yujang opened her food delivery app, planning to order two cups of milk tea to celebrate their newfound partnership.
In the kitchen, filled with a light scent of cooking oil, Yu Zhiwan turned the exhaust fan to its highest setting. She put on her Bluetooth headset and made a phone call while taking out two plump green peppers from the refrigerator.
Pei Yujang had just told her to cook less since she ordered delivery, and soon fell asleep on the sofa while waiting for the food to arrive. Yu Zhiwan planned to stir-fry the potatoes with fresh beef and green peppers.
The meeting channel was filled with arguments, but most were in favor of Yu Zhiwan's decision. She barely spoke, focusing instead on tasting the stir-fry and adjusting the seasoning with a pinch more salt.
The aroma of the potatoes and beef was tantalizing, with the green pepper adding a subtle note. Once she finished cooking, Yu Zhiwan wrapped up the meeting with a brief conclusion and exited the call.
Pei Yujang was fast asleep on the sofa.
Her nerves had been on edge for so long, and she had cried twice in one day. Her skin was naturally pale, and in the dim light, the faint redness on her neck was still visible. Her eyes, red from crying, made her look like a little rabbit. She almost never showed this vulnerable side to anyone, but since Yu Zhiwan was blind, she allowed herself to let go a bit.
Pei Yujang's sleeping posture wasn't exactly graceful either. Since she had grown close to Yu Zhiwan, she didn't care much about maintaining an image, sprawled across the sofa with one leg even hanging off the edge.
Yu Zhiwan maneuvered her wheelchair closer, not waking her up immediately but instead silently watching her for a while. It was only when Pei Yujang's phone rang that she groggily woke up.
"Hello? Yes, yes, I'm coming to get it at the door."
The security in this community was quite strict, making it difficult for delivery drivers to enter. Residents needed to swipe their cards to enter the main gate and again to access the elevator, so most chose to go down and pick up their orders themselves, and Pei Yujang was no exception.
When Yu Zhiwan ordered food, it was usually Pei Yujang who fetched it, but Yu Zhiwan seldom ordered delivery since it was inconvenient.
A few minutes later, Pei Yujang returned with two cups of milk tea and a few small dishes, all favorites of theirs. Ordering small portions helped avoid waste, and she had also gotten a large bowl of rice to share since there were plenty of dishes.
While she was busy unpacking, Yu Zhiwan brought out the sweet soup she had prepared along with the stir-fried beef and green peppers. Pei Yujang, unpacking the milk tea, noticed a card inside and chuckled:
"These stores are getting cleverer; buy two drinks, and they throw in a card."
After arriving in this world, Pei Yujang noticed how much girls loved "collab editions," especially cute little animals. This milk tea shop was running a collab promo that Pei Yujang hadn't even noticed when she ordered—two drinks came with a "love card." Collect five different cards, and you could get two free drinks.
This card featured an adorable long-eared white dog, clearly designed to appeal to many girls. Pei Yujang had seen this little dog more than once before and had even considered a collab when needing to boost orders. But since it was a popular IP with many partnerships, she had crossed it off her list.
"Do you like it?" Yu Zhiwan asked.
Pei Yujang shook her head, then realized she couldn't see it: "It's okay. I'm not really into cute stuff."
It was a shame Yu Zhiwan couldn't see; Pei Yujang wondered if she'd like such things. The store had sent a card, but it couldn't be appreciated by touch alone.
The two shared a simple, peaceful dinner. The atmosphere was so comfortable that it felt like they had returned to the early days when Pei Yujang was still "Xiao Yu." They often sat like this, talking about whatever came to mind, letting time slip by unnoticed.
After discovering the water plant in Xiangcheng, this was the first time Pei Yujang had felt so relaxed. Yu Zhiwan's involvement had given her a significant boost in confidence.
After dinner, Pei Yujang turned the conversation to what she had seen at the KTV that day—Chen Furen secretly making a deal with that friend—and shared her suspicions about those people.
Yu Zhiwan listened intently to Pei Yujang's thoughts and then asked her:
"Are you planning to contact the Xiangcheng Mayor directly?"
"Blindly approaching her won't work. I plan to investigate the water plant thoroughly, gather evidence, and then anonymously send some of it to her. Depending on her reaction, I'll decide what to do next."
Although historical records depicted the Xiangcheng Mayor as a benevolent and caring leader, some things had already changed subtly since Pei Yujang's arrival.
Pei Yujang didn't want to gamble with the lives of the entire city, so she planned to test the mayor first. If she was still as depicted in history, they could slowly collaborate, and then look for other opportunities.
Foreknowledge was her advantage, but relying too heavily on it could lead to pitfalls. Pei Yujang was well aware of this and took every step cautiously.
Yu Zhiwan didn't object to her plan but suddenly changed the subject:
"We're going back to Yicheng in a few days, right? I heard there's a music festival near Yicheng. Should we go together?"
"A music festival?"
Pei Yujang had never cared much about entertainment, but after Yu Zhiwan mentioned it, she quickly searched online and discovered that there was indeed a music festival near Yicheng, with tickets going on sale tonight at midnight.
This music festival was quite commercial, featuring not just singers and rappers but also famous actors and popular young stars. Pei Yujang even recognized the names "Chen Lulu" and "Fang Nianjing."
When they used to go out together, Yu Zhiwan usually suggested dining out or strolling in parks, so this was the first time she had expressed interest in such a lively event.
Pei Yujang had never been to a music festival, but curious after Yu Zhiwan's suggestion, she quickly researched it online. She found out that the event would be held in a stadium in a nearby city to Yicheng, with a capacity of over ten thousand people—not a small affair. The large venue and deafening music made it a perfect place for a company outing.
Yuerong's business was booming, thanks in large part to the plan Yu Zhiwan had proposed. Pei Jinhuai was thrilled with this "daughter-in-law" and often called to ask about them, even inquiring about their marriage plans, much to Pei Yujang's amusement.
Seeing that ticket prices weren't too steep and that group purchases offered discounts, Pei Yujang immediately called Pei Jinhuai.
"A company outing? Sure, do you want to include the whole company or just specific departments?"
"The whole company. Everyone's been working hard lately."
With the increased order volume, the entire company had been busy for some time. The planning department led the charge, but later on, the production line workers were the busiest, often barely having time to eat before returning to work, putting in extra hours to meet the demand.
Pei Jinhuai had initially been unsure whether the plan would work and, having experienced overstock in the past, was hesitant to stock too much.
Yuerong had rarely seen such a large order volume, and the numbers seemed unreal. After the first day of pre-orders, they started producing, but it took a while to catch up, with the entire company pulling together to get through it.
After earning the profits from everyone's hard work, taking them to a music festival was no big deal.
However, Pei Yujang made sure to note that not everyone might want to go to such a lively event; some might prefer to rest. Pei Jinhuai set up a reservation form at the company, allowing employees to sign up if they wanted to attend and giving those who didn't a day off.
The day before the music festival, they returned to Yicheng.
After landing, Pei Yujang went to pick up the tickets from Pei Jinhuai's place—they had been specially arranged by her assistant.
The VIP box tickets were for "the top of the hill," offering a great view, a private bathroom, and partitioned seating. The sound quality was excellent without being deafening, unlike the front row, where the speakers could be overwhelming.
Attendants would also bring fruit, and the service was top-notch. Pei Yujang had read glowing reviews on the app; despite lacking interaction, the experience was worth every penny.
Neither she nor Yu Zhiwan were fans of any of the performers, so they didn't mind the lack of interaction—just hearing the music was enough.
The apartment they had rented was still available, kept for trips back to Yicheng. After picking up the tickets, Pei Yujang planned to drop Yu Zhiwan off at home, as her parents weren't home, and the tickets had been left there. Yu Zhiwan hadn't come upstairs, waiting for her downstairs instead.
As Pei Yujang prepared to leave, Jiang Wenxiu, hearing the commotion, came out of her room. Noticing that Pei Yujang was about to leave with the VIP tickets, she stepped forward and tapped her on the shoulder.
Seeing Jiang Wenxiu's mysterious expression, Pei Yujang raised an eyebrow and immediately stood at attention:
"Hey, can you spare me two of those company outing tickets? I'll trade you for two regular ones."
Pei Yujang paused, puzzled:
"You have tickets already, so why do you need ours? The company tickets are stamped and seated together, with no special placement."
She initially thought Jiang Wenxiu wanted them for some other purpose, but then the girl blushed.
Having known Jiang Wenxiu for so long, Pei Yujang was surprised to see her displaying such a shy expression for the first time.
Jiang Wenxiu took a deep breath, as if steeling herself:
"They're for a friend. I want to go to the music festival with her, but she says it's not worth spending money on."
Given the generous monthly allowance from Fan Zhaozhao, who had her own career—though not as successful as Pei Jinhuai—supporting a young girl was no issue.
Pei Yujang thought for a moment and understood. Jiang Wenxiu probably wanted to invite her friend to join her but knew the friend might refuse if she paid. At that age, girls often had thin skin and strong pride; if the friend's family was struggling, she might decline the offer.
So, Jiang Wenxiu came up with this idea, claiming the tickets were leftover from the company outing—no harm in using them, right? This way, it would be easier for her friend to accept.
Pei Yujang handed over the tickets and took the two regular ones in exchange.
Downstairs, she found Yu Zhiwan sitting under a streetlamp.
Although Yicheng wasn't as warm as Xiangcheng, spring was gradually approaching. Omega felt the cold more acutely, and Yu Zhiwan wore a red scarf that contrasted beautifully with her pale neck.
From a distance, Pei Yujang mistook the moths fluttering around the streetlight for tiny butterflies dancing around the woman's head, their wings fluttering in the hot light.
That red scarf was the one Yu Zhiwan had knitted earlier, after the Christmas incident when Pei Yujang had bent down to pick up some trash, and someone had stepped on her scarf. It wasn't until she got home that she noticed it had unraveled slightly.
Yu Zhiwan had volunteered to knit her a new one. Although Pei Yujang had considered just buying one online, she didn't want to dismiss the thoughtful gesture, so she had happily agreed.
Who would have guessed that Yu Zhiwan's scarf would be even more beautiful than the one she had bought online, with a hidden pattern and her initials embroidered inside?
Pei Yujang had marveled countless times at how skilled Yu Zhiwan was—not only was she adept in the lab, but she could also effortlessly cook and play the piano.
The scarf was made of high-quality material, and the initials didn't irritate her neck. Pei Yujang loved it so much that she wore it all the time, washing it by hand with extra care to avoid damaging the color or the embroidery.
Yu Zhiwan had said she had made one for herself too, similar in style but with subtle differences. Pei Yujang hadn't noticed the difference at first but now smiled as she ran to her, holding out the VIP tickets, and spun her wheelchair around in circles.
Yu Zhiwan felt a bit dizzy but didn't ask her to stop, letting Pei Yujang indulge in this harmless but playful "prank."
"What's going on? Why are you suddenly so happy?"
Finally, when Pei Yujang stopped, Yu Zhiwan gripped the wheelchair's armrests, catching her breath.
"I'm just feeling really happy," Pei Yujang beamed, her eyes forming crescent moons, "much happier than before."
Sometimes she wondered if it wouldn't be so bad to live an ordinary life, free of burdens, just working in a company, clocking in and out, and only worrying about rent and living expenses.
But some things had to be done by someone. Those thoughts usually faded quickly, replaced by anxiety.
Yet after meeting Yu Zhiwan, Pei Yujang realized that many of her worries could be resolved.
"I like having you in my life."
Pei Yujang defined her unexpected happiness for the day, handing the tickets to Yu Zhiwan, who asked:
"What are these?"
"Our VIP tickets."
"Just for us?"
"Just for us." Pei Yujang stopped and looked down at Yu Zhiwan under the streetlight, noticing the faint dimples on her cheeks. She asked, "Why are you smiling?"
A few days ago, when Pei Yujang called Pei Jinhuai to arrange the tickets, Yu Zhiwan had listened for a bit before saying she was going to take a bath and sleep. After that, she hadn't spoken much.
Pei Yujang wasn't dense—she knew Yu Zhiwan was a bit upset that their one-on-one outing had turned into a company event. But after holding it in for a few days, she finally handed the dual VIP tickets to Yu Zhiwan, who couldn't help but break into a smile.
Pei Yujang's lips curved up as she quietly muttered, "Little rascal."
"Still so easy to please."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Rangliste 
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Stein