No Second Chances Apocalypse

| September 25, 2023 - 9:05 PM

Lin pulled into the apartment parking lot, her truck coated in a thin layer of dust from the long drive back.

She glanced at the dashboard clock. Right on time for dinner.

Good.

She needed her parents in a good mood before she told them what she had just done.

| September 25, 2023 - 9:10 PM

She stepped inside to the warm scent of home-cooked food.

Her mother, Helen, was setting the table, while her father, Richard, was pouring tea. The usual routine.

Lin shrugged off her jacket, rolling her shoulders. "Smells good."

Helen shot her a mildly disapproving look. "You're home late."

Lin smirked. "But not too late."

Richard sat down, eyeing her. "You were out the whole evening. Work?"

Lin grabbed a plate, taking her seat.

"No," she said simply.

Helen paused, setting down the last dish. "…Then where did you go?"

Lin took a casual sip of tea, then—

"I bought a farm."

| September 25, 2023 - 9:12 PM

Silence.

Richard blinked. Helen froze mid-sit, staring at her like she had just announced she was moving to Mars.

"…You what?" Helen finally said.

Lin grinned. "I bought a farm."

Richard slowly set his teacup down. "You can't just buy a farm, Lin."

Lin smirked. "I just did."

Helen shook her head, still processing. "You were serious about this?"

Lin nodded. "Dead serious."

Richard exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Lin. That's a huge decision."

"I know." Lin's voice was calm, steady. "I also know we need a real plan for the future. This is step one."

Helen leaned forward. "And how do you expect to manage this? Work? Money? What about—"

"I'm working remotely now," Lin cut in smoothly. "Already approved."

Helen's mouth snapped shut.

Richard's brow furrowed. "…You planned this."

Lin smiled. "Of course I did."

| September 25, 2023 - 9:18 PM

For the next ten minutes, Lin walked them through everything—

The land size and location. The river access and farming potential. The renovations she'd be handling.

Then the most important long-term goal for her parents to retire early.

By the time she was done, Helen was rubbing her chin thoughtfully, and Richard had stopped looking like she had lost her mind.

Finally, Helen sighed, shaking her head.

"…You really did it."

Lin smirked. "I really did. and mom I've been thinking,"

Helen gave her a pointed look. "Clearly."

Lin smirked. "Since you're already considering starting a vet business, why not expand it into something… more?"

Helen frowned. "More?"

Lin tapped her fingers against the table. "A pony and donkey riding business. Plus a small petting zoo—rabbits, hamsters, maybe even some goats."

Richard paused mid-bite, raising an eyebrow. "You want to run a petting zoo?"

Lin shook her head. "No, Mom runs it. Think about it. Parents from the local town, nearby schools—they'd love a place where kids can interact with animals in a safe, controlled setting."

Helen slowly set her tea down, eyes narrowed in thought.

"...That's actually not a bad idea."

Lin grinned. "Exactly. You love animals, and you've been a vet for years. You already know how to care for them, and this would be low maintenance compared to a full-scale clinic."

Helen hummed, clearly considering it.

Richard chuckled. "So what's my role in all this?"

Lin smirked. "Building the enclosures, of course. And maintaining the farm equipment."

Richard shook his head, but Lin could see the amusement in his eyes.

Helen finally sighed, rubbing her chin. "...Pony and donkey riding could work. And small pets wouldn't be too hard to manage."

Lin leaned back, victorious.

"Great. Then we just need to start sourcing animals."

Helen sighed again, but this time?

Lin could tell she was already half-invested.

| September 25, 2023 - 9:45 PM

Richard Zhang leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his eyes sharp with suspicion.

"A petting zoo for your mother," he said slowly. "And what exactly do I get in this grand farm plan of yours?"

Lin smirked. She had been waiting for him to ask.

She folded her hands on the table. "Your dream hobby."

Richard raised a brow. "And what do you think my dream hobby is?"

Lin tilted her head, pretending to think. "Oh, I don't know… Maybe restoring vintage cars in a proper auto shop? Instead of sneaking off to tinker in a tiny rented garage?"

Richard's eyes narrowed slightly.

Lin knew him too well.

For as long as she could remember, her father had loved working on classic cars—fixing up old engines, rebuilding transmissions, making machines from the past roar to life again.

But living in the city?

He never had the space or time to do it properly.

And now?

Lin was handing him the opportunity.

"You'd have a full shop," she continued smoothly. "Plenty of space. Tools. You could take in clients, restore old beauties, work at your own pace. No deadlines. Just you and the machines."

Helen glanced at her husband, clearly reading his expression.

Richard tapped his fingers against the table, thinking.

Then—a slow exhale.

"You already have a spot for this?"

Lin grinned. Hook, line, and sinker.

"There's an outbuilding on the property," she said. "Needs work, but nothing you can't handle. It's big enough for a full garage setup. You'd have everything you need."

Richard leaned back again, rubbing his chin.

Lin saw it—the flicker of excitement he was trying to hide.

Helen, watching him, finally sighed. "Oh, just admit you want to do it."

Richard grunted, but his lips twitched.

"…Might be nice to have a proper space," he admitted.

Lin smirked.

| September 25, 2023 - 11:10 PM

The apartment was quiet. The dishes were washed, the lights dimmed, and the city outside hummed softly in the background.

Helen and Richard lay in bed, both staring at the ceiling, minds too restless to sleep.

| September 25, 2023 - 11:15 PM

Helen spoke first.

"…She really bought the farm."

Richard chuckled, a deep, tired sound. "Yep."

Helen turned her head toward him. "She planned this whole thing without us realizing."

Richard smirked. "She's our daughter."

Helen exhaled, staring at the faint glow of the bedside clock.

A farm.

Her own veterinary practice. A petting zoo for children.

She imagined the smell of fresh hay, the soft braying of donkeys, the warmth of rabbits tucked into her arms.

Would she still miss the city? The routine? The clinic?

Or would she finally breathe?

| September 25, 2023 - 11:20 PM

Richard shifted, arms behind his head.

An auto shop.

His own space.

No more tiny rented garages, no more making do with secondhand tools in a cramped storage unit.

A proper workshop, where he could finally take his time, rebuild classics the way they deserved.

Maybe he'd start with a 1969 Mustang.

Maybe something even older.

Richard closed his eyes, a rare satisfaction settling in his chest.

| September 25, 2023 - 11:30 PM

Helen finally sighed.

"…Do you think she knows what she's doing?"

Richard smirked in the dark.

"Absolutely not."

Helen let out a soft laugh.

"But she's going to make it work anyway," Richard murmured.

Helen hummed in agreement, eyes finally growing heavy.

For the first time in years, they fell asleep dreaming of something new.