Rebirth: Leading Families to Survive in the Apocalypse

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Knowledge
 

Lu Hao and Su Jin sent Nie Qing back to his grandparents’ house and then returned to their own home. They were moving tomorrow, and tonight was their last night staying there.

Su Jin felt somewhat sentimental; she really liked this home, after all, it was the only home she and Lu Hao had together.

“Don’t be sad, we will have a home in the future too,”

Lu Hao said gently, hugging Su Jin from behind and resting his head on her shoulder.

Coming out to drink water from his room, Lu Guanhai passed by with his eyes covered, silently chanting to himself that he hadn’t seen anything, hadn’t seen anything at all…

Once back in his room, Lu Guanhai turned on his phone and sent a message in his group chat, which was named “Middle-Aged Men Squad.”

Lu Guanhai: Awkward, just went to get some water and caught my son and daughter-in-law hugging on the balcony…

Su Xiangzhe: I told you living there was inconvenient, but you didn’t believe me. Nowadays, young people all live on their own.

Nie Qing: 冂力冖凵人亻入十厶亠匸…

Lu Guanhai: We have an illiterate here

Su Xiangzhe: Be careful with your words, just in case he understands

…

Nie Qing had learned to use a phone these past days. Lin Xiuyuan gave him an old Wood phone from his house, saying it still worked but needed to be charged often.

But he didn’t know how to type, although Lin Xiuyuan had set up a WeChat account for him, he only learned how to send voice messages, he didn’t know how to type…

Not knowing what those two old men were talking about again, Nie Qing frustratedly took out a first-grade language textbook and gloomily stared at it.

Some lines were written on the book cover:

School: Forward Elementary School;

Class: Class 1-3;

Name: Mao Qiqi…

While Lu Hao was showering, Su Jin packed some of her favorite furniture from the house into the “Space.”

She and Lu Hao had chosen a small courtyard house at the Lu Residence. The courtyard only had three rooms; using the center room as a living room and the two side rooms as bedrooms. She placed the recently packed furniture into these three rooms.

She also stored some useful appliances like a rice cooker, induction cooker, washing machine, TV, and electric kettle… A heater and fridge were unnecessary because the temperature inside the “Space” was constant, neither hot nor cold.

A refrigerator was even less needed, as the “Space” had its own preservation feature, which was far more effective than a fridge.

Moreover, the electricity generated by her solar panels was somewhat limited, just enough to maintain some small household appliances, though TVs were not a problem.

With this in mind, she opened her phone again and ordered 10 gasoline generators, 10 solar generators, and 10 sets of high-power outdoor batteries.

She had come across these items online by chance and had exclaimed then: Almighty Taobao~

Just then, Lu Hao, having finished his shower and drying his hair, walked over. During his shower, he had thought about tonight and felt increasingly that something was off.

Su Jin’s reaction concerned him greatly, yet Su Jin didn’t tell him anything.

He had waited for so long, hoping Su Jin would tell him, but it seemed as if something was holding her back, and he didn’t want to wait anymore. He had to break through this barrier; he couldn’t let anything stand between him and Su Jin.

At that moment, Su Jin was lying on the bed browsing on her phone, clearly still online shopping. He gently took the phone from her hand. Su Jin looked up at him, bewildered, unable to resist kissing her red lips.

“Xiao Jin, is there anything you want to tell me?” His forehead against hers, they were extremely close.

Su Jin shook her head.

…

Still not giving up, he continued to ask, “Chen Xiarong?”

At the mention of that name, Su Jin frowned.

“I hate her,”

“Why, can you tell me why?”

Finding a breakthrough, Lu Hao relentlessly continued to ask.

“I can tell you, but don’t get angry,”

“Yeah, I promise.”

Having secured the promise from Su Jin, she told Lu Hao about the cause of her death in her previous life, including how close they had been to meeting each other, which was a source of regret.

After hearing this, Lu Hao was devastated.

He was angry, wishing he could tear that woman to pieces.

He was even angrier with himself, as Su Jin’s tragic end was largely due to him.

Su Jin was frightened by Lu Hao’s reaction; after hearing her story, he simply held her in silence, seeming angry while also appearing regretful.

What about the promise he made? Su Jin wanted to cry.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” If Su Jin had told him sooner, perhaps he would have lost control and killed that woman upon their meeting today.

“Because, I have considered it. Although she killed me, she never harmed you. If there is a next time, I will personally deal with her,” she had said.

Her way of “dealing with” was naturally to kill Chen Xiarong.

Lu Hao was even angrier.

She killed Su Jin, and Su Jin was still saying she hadn’t harmed him at all?

“Su Jin, I think you need to reflect on this,” he said.

Lu Hao usually did not use her full name; but since he used it just now, was he still angry? But what did she need to reflect on?

That night, Su Jin endured Lu Hao’s anger, and in the moments before she lost consciousness, she lamented in her heart: what exactly should she reflect on?

In the morning, Su Jin, exhausted, lay beside the bed replying to her family’s group chat messages. Her family had originally planned to help move, but she insisted no help was needed as there wasn’t much to move—the three of them would suffice.

Lin Tianhui: Are you sure there’s nothing much to move? I recall the furniture I got for you was quite expensive!

Lin Xiuyuan: Aunt, it’s crunch time; are you still thinking about escaping with the furniture?

Lin Cheng: Sister, don’t mind him; I just gave him a thrashing.

Huang Yunxiang: If Xiao Jin says there’s no need to move them, then let’s not. There’s everything we need upstairs anyway.

Mao Zhihang: Are you sure you don’t need us to drive over to help?

Su Jin: No need, don’t worry, we’ve got this.

Since Su Jin said they had it under control, the family didn’t insist further. Anyway, they were close by, so they could always call and come over to help if needed.

Lu Hao walked in feeling refreshed and was momentarily guilty when he saw Su Jin on the bed.

Su Jin pretended not to notice and tried to continue sleeping. But Lu Hao sat on the edge of the bed and softly said, “I’m sorry.”

Su Jin: …

Continuing to pretend to sleep was not going to work, so Su Jin got up and angrily asked, “What were you angry about last night? Didn’t I tell you everything?”

Lu Hao’s anger had mostly dissipated by then, and what mattered most to him were Su Jin’s thoughts. He said, “She hurt you, and I can’t allow that.”

Su Jin finally understood. Lu Hao was reminding her that even if it was something from a past life, she shouldn’t have to bear it alone.

“I understand, Lu Hao. I won’t do this again.”

“Yes, as long as you understand,” Lu Hao said, patting Su Jin on the head, his demeanor gentle and harmless once more.

Lu Guanhai was quite happy about the moving; having the whole family in one building was a joyful thought. So, he got up early and felt a bit bewildered looking at the empty living room, then remembered—most likely, Xiao Jin had already stored everything in the Space.

“Xiao Jin, should we also take the things in the room I slept in? That bed was quite comfortable,” Lu Guanhai asked.

“Of course, Dad. If you like it, we’ll take it.”

Her portable warehouse could hold much more, and as Lin Tianhui had said, when she and Lu Hao got married, Mr. and Mrs. Su had bought the best furniture for them as a wedding dowry. It would be a shame to throw it away.

Lin Tianhui felt even sorrier seeing her daughter and son-in-law carrying only a few bags of clothes, thinking about the expensive rosewood furniture she had selected with care. Oh, what a wasteful daughter!

Su Xiangzhe, although somewhat distressed and feeling it was a pity, went to comfort Lin Tianhui instead.

Su Jin felt a bit helpless, thinking that perhaps her mother would see her “handiwork” soon and thus not dwell on it any longer.

Lu Guanhai felt terrible, knowing about the Space yet unable to tell anyone, which made him feel guilty every time he saw Su Xiangzhe and Nie Qing. How much longer would his son and daughter-in-law have to keep it a secret?