Rebirth of the Last Days: Double Pets

Su Qianying said, “The supplies we got together, the ones we bought last time we went from school to the supermarket.”

Pan Xiaoxuan was incredulous: “Su Qianying, say that again. Are you talking about the supplies from the last time we went to the supermarket?”

Su Qianying nodded. “Yes, when we escaped from school and went to the supermarket to get a lot of supplies. Later, since you awakened your spatial ability, I stored them with you. Now that you’re leaving, of course, you should return them.”

Pan Xiaoxuan: “…”

Pan Xiaoxuan was furious. If not for her good manners, she might have slapped her then and there. “Su Qianying, are you serious? Didn’t I already share everything from that supermarket trip with you?” She pulled her hand away, taking a few steps back. “Have you forgotten that you didn’t contribute a cent? And since then, you’ve been taking things from me every day to eat. Now, you’re actually asking me for supplies? Why don’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? On what grounds?”

“Xiaoxuan, h-how can you say such cruel things? I clearly gave you money later… You can’t just refuse to give my things back because you have spatial abilities…” she said, as tears started to fall. “I trusted you, but how could you take things without returning them?”

Pan Xiaoxuan’s raised voice had reached the doorway, where her father, Pan Dawei, could hear her.

Seeing his daughter in a confrontation, he immediately stepped forward. He quickly walked inside and asked, “Xiaoxuan, what’s going on?”

Pan Xiaoxuan turned to her father. “It’s nothing. Let’s go, Dad.”

“Xiaoxuan, are you really going to be so unfaithful?” Su Qianying stood there, eyes brimming with tears. “Forget it; if you truly won’t return it, so be it. After all, we’re still good friends…”

Pan Xiaoxuan was on the verge of losing it. If she had a gun, she’d have wanted to end this once and for all. “Stop putting on that innocent, pitiful look every time you talk to someone. Aren’t you tired of it? If I really had more supplies, I wouldn’t mind sharing some with you. But I’m already out. And as for that ‘payment’ you’re talking about—didn’t you just hand me a flimsy silver bracelet? That’s barely enough for half a packet of instant noodles.”

Hearing even just the latter part of their exchange, Pan Dawei could piece together most of what they were arguing about. Supplies weren’t an issue for him, and although he felt like lecturing this young girl who seemed so pure and innocent, she wasn’t his child. Whether she turned out well or not wasn’t his responsibility.

After all, he was no longer a teacher at the reform school.

Still, he wasn’t one to let anyone bully his daughter.

Taking a watermelon seed and rolling it in his fingers, Pan Dawei began “educating” Su Qianying. “Young lady, you can eat whatever you like, but don’t throw around accusations recklessly. That’s a serious thing, you know. Did your teacher never tell you that terms like ‘betrayal’ only really apply to close friends or family? Now, I don’t know what you and my Xiaoxuan are arguing about, but acting like this, my Xiaoxuan might just have to rough you up a bit. Look at you, crying like this. If she had actually hit you, that’d be one thing, but she hasn’t, right? But if you keep this up, I might have to let her give you a real reason to cry. And trust me, when you see your face afterward, it won’t be just tears you’re looking at—it’ll be a whole colorful palette. And I bet no young lady wants to see herself looking like that, right?”

Su Qianying was speechless.

This reckless, unapologetic uncle—was he really the usually mild-mannered Pan Xiaoxuan’s father?

Following Pan Xiaoxuan around had been a calculated decision. She’d observed Pan Xiaoxuan carefully and noted that she was the typical obedient “good girl” shaped by rigorous schooling. Coming from a well-off family, she had been raised by her parents to be polite, kind, and not inclined to bring up others’ flaws—only muttering her grievances to herself quietly.

And then, seeing that Pan Xiaoxuan had awakened a spatial ability, which others valued far more than her own strength-based ability, Su Qianying had thought it wise to forge a “sisterly” friendship with her. That way, she could hopefully have a better life in the base.

But now, not only had Pan Xiaoxuan refused to bend to her wishes, but her father—this irritatingly brash older man—had also appeared!

She stared, dumbfounded, at Pan Dawei, half afraid he might slap her. In the middle of these wild thoughts, she suddenly felt something heavy in her hands. Looking down, she was startled to see a large watermelon that had somehow grown there from a tiny seed on her palm, with a vine rapidly expanding around it.

Pan Dawei laughed heartily. “A little gift for you. Let’s not fuss over small things, alright? A young girl nagging so much—doesn’t do you any good.”

Su Qianying was left speechless again.

“Pretty sure you’re the one who nags more,” she thought silently, glaring at him.

Pan Dawei took his daughter’s hand and left the doorway. He glanced back at Su Qianying, whose face was now flushed with anger, and sighed.

“I guess I’ve gone soft in my old age,” he thought. “Otherwise, I should’ve given that young lady a proper lesson or two. Help her set up some sound principles, values, and a sense of basic decency.”

Turning back to see his daughter, Pan Dawei instantly forgot all about Su Qianying, his spirits brightening.

Other people’s children? He decided to let it go. Not his problem.

On the way, Pan Xiaoxuan expressed her admiration for her father’s relentless, unrestrained style, which Pan Dawei enjoyed immensely. Naturally, he also asked who that roommate of hers was.

At the mention of Su Qianying, Pan Xiaoxuan had a seemingly endless amount of gossip.

“We weren’t really friends to begin with. It was just that a group of us sensed something was wrong and decided to leave the school together. When we got on the bus, she happened to be seated next to me. Later, we ended up in the same room at the base because we checked in together…”

She rattled on as they made their way to the front of a tall wall with Pan Dawei.

Looking up at the wall, Pan Xiaoxuan asked, “Dad, we live here?”

Pan Dawei straightened his posture. “Yep, we’re in a big villa. Everyone gets their own room; no need to squeeze in with others.”

Those in the convoy without abilities had already been eagerly waiting by the entrance.

Aunt Pan and Grandpa Qin were overjoyed to see Pan Xiaoxuan. “Xiaoxuan, Mom missed you so much.”

After a long embrace at the door, they led her inside.

Seeing that Pan Dawei had found his daughter, others in the convoy grew even more hopeful about finding their own loved ones.

That evening, Hu Haotian brought his father and wife over and invited everyone in the convoy for a welcome banquet. It was a chance not only to eat together but also to discuss the upcoming tasks that the military would soon assign.

Except for Liu Bing, who still hadn’t found his uncle, everyone else had managed to locate family members who had previously been in the A City base.

In the afternoon, Bai Qi and his two companions went out to hunt zombies and gather crystal cores. When they returned in the evening, they were naturally invited to Hu Haotian’s place as well.

Hu Haotian introduced Bai Qi to his father, joking that the renovation costs of his own villa probably didn’t even come close to what Bai Qi’s place was worth.

“Bai Yan…” Hu’s father murmured, then seemed to realize something. “Your grandfather, is he Shi Shiyun?”

Bai Qi nodded. “Yes, that’s him.”

Hu’s father looked Bai Qi up and down, sighing with a sense of nostalgia. “You’re all grown up now. Back then, Chief of Staff Shi mentioned you to me, and I’d wanted to meet you. But then I heard you’d gone abroad…”

“So Bai is Chief Shi’s grandson,” Hu Haotian said, taken aback at first but quickly understanding.

Yes, he thought, it made sense—if not for a family with political ties, how could he have secured a villa here?

When Bai Qi’s grandfather came up, Bai Qi forced a slight smile.

If there was any regret in this second chance at life, it was that he hadn’t come back to a time when his grandfather was still alive. Even if just to see him one last time.

Seeing Bai Qi’s expression darken at the mention of his grandfather, Tang Ruo silently reached out, holding his hand.

She thought, even if this gesture couldn’t fully comfort him, at least it could offer him some support.

Bai Qi looked up at her, his eyes bright, gazing at her with such clarity.

There was a trace of concern in her gaze as well.

“I’m alright.” He reached out, gently touching her face.

His grandfather had cancer, and even if he had returned to the past, he wouldn’t have had the power to cure him.

Besides, his grandfather had been gone for a long time. He had already grieved deeply in the past. Just now, he was simply feeling a moment of sadness.

He had been given a second chance at life—how could he still be so fragile?

Perhaps, in this life, heaven intended for him to live for her.