Chapter 18: Private Caregiver

Moments later, Zhang Su led the woman into the living room and sat her down; she clutched a tissue, sobbing pitifully like a wronged little wife.

She still wore that silk pajama set, her slightly long wavy hair spilling over her shoulders, her slender yet curvaceous figure the kind men desired and women envied, still carrying a pleasant perfume.

Her skin was well-maintained, but her posture and demeanor revealed she was around thirty—what people called a light-mature woman.

“Um, you two are amazing—you actually killed the monster in the hallway. Could you tell me what happened?”

The woman voiced her curiosity, sincerely admiring Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu; she’d nearly wet herself watching them fight the monster.

Zhang Su’s face remained cold. “Don’t just want to pry. First, tell me what’s going on with you!”

He didn’t want to deal with this woman, but if she kept causing a ruckus, the noise might draw zombies from even farther floors!

“Sir… I, I’m…”

She faltered the moment she opened her mouth, as if hiding something painful.

Seeing her dawdle, Zhang Su grew impatient, sneered, and said: “Honestly, I’ve got nothing to tell you. Go back. Just don’t make noise—the monsters hunt by sound!”

He waved his hand, ready to shoo her out.

“No, no, brother, sir…”

The woman, seeing his displeasure, quickly waved her hands, stood up, and grabbed Zhang Su’s arm, forcing a seductive smile.

“Don’t touch me. Name, age, occupation. I remember 802 was empty—where did you come from?”

Zhang Su pulled his arm free, unimpressed by her clinginess—he’d take liberties himself, but not from her.

“I—I’m Zhong Xiaoshan, twenty-nine. I… I used to be a nurse at Hospital Three, now I’m a private caregiver…”

Her voice trailed off, clearly nervous.

“Private caregiver?”

Zhang Su narrowed his eyes, lips curling into a smirk. “Sounds fancy—so you’re a mistress? Zhong Xiaoshan? You really live up to your name!”

“Pfft…”

Zheng Xinyu hadn’t expected Zhang Su to be this cruel; she puffed out her cheeks, barely holding back laughter.

“Hehe…”

Zhong Xiaoshan laughed awkwardly.

“Is 802 your apartment or your client’s?” Zhang Su pressed.

Since she’d come this far, Zhong Xiaoshan stopped hesitating and answered bluntly: “It’s Director Hu’s place. I’ve never been here before…”

Thinking of it, Zhong Xiaoshan felt a thousand frustrations—her first time here, and she’d stumbled into this monster mess. What a headache.

“Is this Director Hu around fifty, tall and thin, with thick glasses?”

Zhang Su pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and peered at Zhong Xiaoshan through the smoke.

“Director Hu doesn’t wear glasses, sir. Maybe you’re mistaken.”

Zhong Xiaoshan paused slightly, then replied.

Zhang Su nodded inwardly—he’d seen that man long ago, and it must’ve been Director Hu. He’d deliberately lied about the glasses to test her.

“Maybe. So where’s Director Hu now?”

“Yesterday afternoon, Old Hu gave me the keys and told me to wait for him. Then he called at night saying the hospital needed overtime—he’d be working all night. I woke up and couldn’t reach him anymore…”

As they talked, Zhong Xiaoshan grew noticeably calmer; she instinctively crossed her legs, then abruptly pulled her pale, long legs back when she saw the man across from her.

“So you came here to relax, ended up stuck instead, right?”

Zhang Su studied Zhong Xiaoshan with amusement.

“No… I’m really just a caregiver. Not relaxing. Not… relaxing…”

Zhong Xiaoshan’s expression twisted; the word sounded absurd to her.

“Sir, what exactly happened? The internet’s gone, water’s gone, and now there are these monsters that bite anyone they see—like a zombie movie. It’s terrifying.”

As she spoke, Zhong Xiaoshan hugged her arms, subtly pressing them together.

Zheng Xinyu watched the overtly feminine Zhong Xiaoshan and scowled inwardly. She’d pitied the woman earlier, thinking she was helpless facing the disaster alone—but now, seeing her flirtatious posturing, she found her annoying.

Zhang Su stared calmly at Zhong Xiaoshan. “Sis, stop squeezing. Right now, who cares about that? Can it block zombies?”

“Pfft…”

Zheng Xinyu finally burst out laughing, quickly clamping her lips shut—but couldn’t help laughing again, glancing at Zhong Xiaoshan’s flustered hands, thinking Zhang Su was a real bastard.

“You said it yourself—it’s like a zombie movie. We think it’s a zombie virus outbreak. Where it came from, why it exploded, how it spreads—we don’t know any of it. All we know is this mess.”

Zhang Su shrugged helplessly.

“Then… do you know how far the zombie virus has spread? Everything around me is chaos—did the entire Gangcheng District collapse?”

Zhong Xiaoshan asked, tense.

Zhang Su licked his lips, took a small sip of water, and said: “Prepare yourself. This outbreak isn’t limited to Gangcheng District.”

“Ah…”

Zhong Xiaoshan gasped, incredulous: “Does that mean… the entire Qincheng…?”

Zhang Su nodded without elaborating. If Zheng Xinyu’s phone hadn’t briefly regained network, and if not for so many online netizens, he wouldn’t have known the full scope either.

Knowing didn’t mean sharing.

“No wonder I’ve only heard two police sirens and two helicopter flights in all this time—so the whole Qincheng is in chaos…”

Zhong Xiaoshan gripped her pajama skirt, her face turning paler, slumping helplessly against the sofa, her expression gray with despair. Some answers had long been in her heart—she just refused to admit them until someone forced her to face reality.

“Your observation is sharp.”

Zhang Su thought: You actually heard two police sirens? I didn’t hear even one.

“Thank goodness my parents live in the countryside—the village’s population density is low. They should be safe, right?” Zhong Xiaoshan murmured, as if to herself, or perhaps asking Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu.

Zhang Su waved his hand. “Miss Zhong, we’ve said what needed saying. Your parents’ situation is your own to find out.”

“Um, you two…” Zhong Xiaoshan knew Zhang Su was dismissing her, but she didn’t rise. Her eyes darted to the takeout box of self-heating rice in the trash, and she swallowed hard.

“Do you have any food left? I… I’d like to buy some. Honestly, I haven’t eaten in a long time.”

To maintain her figure, Zhong Xiaoshan ate only two carefully balanced meals a day—bird food, in plain terms. Since yesterday, she hadn’t eaten for twenty-seven hours.

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(End of Chapter)