Chapter 326 – Life Is a Soap Opera

“Ling Mo, you… you’ve been doing alright these past six months?”

Wu Pengfei’s emotions had calmed significantly, but his gaze toward Ling Mo was still complex.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Leaning against the railing, Ling Mo pulled a cigarette from his backpack, lit it, and handed it to Wu Pengfei.

Wu Pengfei took it with trembling hands and eagerly took a deep drag.

“Here, wrap his head.”

Ling Mo dug out some bandages, a hemostatic spray, and disinfectant from his backpack and waved Luo Ni over.

Luo Ni nervously took two steps forward, as if afraid of getting shocked, and gingerly received the items from Ling Mo.

Her bandaging skills were quite decent, but Wu Pengfei’s injuries were severe, causing him to wince and gasp in pain from time to time.

“I didn’t expect… you and Ye Lian to still be alive.”

Wu Pengfei said, exhaling smoke and looking at Ye Lian, who was standing across the street.

Ling Mo didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded.

“Even more surprising is how you’ve become such a big deal now. Seriously impressive! You’re more capable than anyone I’ve ever met!”

Wu Pengfei turned to Ling Mo with admiration, sighing, “I’ve come to understand that at this point, everything is meaningless except for strength. Although I’ve ended up like a dog, seeing my brother doing well and knowing Ye Lian is okay… I’m truly happy. Thank you for saving me! But to have you see me like this… I’m really ashamed. Look, Ye Lian doesn’t even want to talk to me.”

“Uh, no need to thank me. But Ye Lian…”

Ling Mo scratched his head, showing a helpless expression.

Should he tell him that Ye Lian didn’t even recognize him?

In Ye Lian’s current memory, the only thing that remained was anything related to Ling Mo.

Even if Ye Lian remembered him, it wouldn’t matter she was a Zombie. To Ye Lian, all humans except Ling Mo were simply prey.

“But it doesn’t matter. Ye Lian didn’t pay much attention to me back then either, so I guess she wouldn’t remember me now, right?”

Wu Pengfei sniffed and suddenly said, “Sometimes, when I think about it, I realize how foolish I was back then. I gave up on such a good brother. If I were to die, that’s probably the thing I’d regret the most…”

“What exactly happened to you back then?” Ling Mo frowned and asked.

“Do people become especially fragile when they encounter disasters?”

Wu Pengfei didn’t answer directly. Instead, he showed a wistful expression and said, “During the day, you work yourself to exhaustion just to survive, but at night, you lie awake, thinking about the past. It all seems so regretful, like everything you did was stupid. It’s really frustrating. I’ve lived for over twenty years, and there’s not a single thing I’m proud of. I used to think cutting ties with you was the most manly thing I’d ever done, but now, I regret it…”

“The most manly thing? Are you out of your mind?” Ling Mo was stunned.

Wu Pengfei took a final drag on his cigarette and then smiled bitterly, “Yeah, aren’t I? They say if you don’t have a phase of being immature, you haven’t truly been young. But I was too foolish back then! Let me ask you, are you and Ye Lian a couple now? Don’t tell me you still haven’t confessed to her?”

“Uh…”

Ling Mo was at a loss. He hadn’t confessed to Ye Lian yet.

The reason was simple: he wanted to wait until Ye Lian regained all her memories. Only then would a confession have any meaning.

The most important thing was, as long as her memories weren’t restored, she wouldn’t understand what “I love you” meant!

He couldn’t use a bunch of metaphors to confess, could he?

What was he supposed to say? “You are my Virus Gel? So I can swallow you whole.”

Wu Pengfei looked at Ling Mo’s expression and immediately understood.

He opened his mouth wide and finally spat out two words: “Unbelievable! I really can’t believe it. Even a fool could see that you like her! You practically followed her around every day back then!”

“Shh, isn’t that creepy?” Ling Mo glanced across the street and then looked at Xia Na.

They already called him a Loli lover and a Lolicon; there was no need to add the title of a stalker to his name…

“Weren’t you a creep back then?” Wu Pengfei retorted.

Luo Ni chuckled, “Isn’t that creepy?” But as soon as she met Ling Mo’s gaze, she shivered and quickly apologized, “I’m… I’m sorry…”

Wu Pengfei flicked his cigarette butt to the ground and shook his head. “I might as well tell you now, I had a crush on her too back then. But… you were my brother, and I fell for your girl? It made me feel like a scumbag. Besides, I could tell that Ye Lian liked you. When she talked to you, she looked you in the eyes. When she talked to me? Forget it, she only asked about you…”

This was the first time Ling Mo had heard any of this. Not only was he intrigued, but even Xia Na, who was pacing nearby, had her ears perked up, listening intently.

“So you ran away?”

Ling Mo felt a mix of emotions. This situation sounded so melodramatic!

But then again, isn’t life just one big soap opera?

“Don’t get the wrong idea. Back then, I was just a lovestruck teenager, and among the girls I knew, Ye Lian was the prettiest and the cutest. Not liking her would have been strange. But as I grew up, I realized it was just admiration and fondness, not as serious as I thought. That’s why I say I was foolish back then trying to play the tragic supporting character who steps aside for the main couple, like in those TV dramas… Damn, I was just an idiot!”

Wu Pengfei continued, his tone tinged with frustration.

Ling Mo couldn’t help but laugh. This might have been a big deal back then, but hearing it now, it was almost comedic…

It seemed that the half-year of hardship had made Wu Pengfei come to terms with many things.

With everything out in the open, the two of them shared a knowing smile.

Then, Wu Pengfei began recounting some of the events that transpired after the disaster struck.

When the catastrophe first started, an elder in his family mutated, triggering a tragic incident.

After fleeing in tears, he discovered that the entire neighborhood was engulfed in a similar horrifying scene.

“I don’t really remember what happened at the time. When I came to my senses, I was hiding in the property management office with a few security guards and dozens of other residents. But there was no food there, so we were forced to venture out. Some people died along the way, while new survivors joined us… Later, that security guard, Leader Guan, who is now dead, awakened special abilities…”

Wu Pengfei’s expression grew somber. “After Leader Guan became powerful, everyone respected him, calling him ‘Boss,’ obeying his every word, and trying to curry favor with him. But I knew him better than anyone else. When he couldn’t even afford to eat, I got him the security job. I knew all about his past and what kind of person he was. Maybe that’s why he particularly hated me… As long as I was around, his scars were exposed…”

Ling Mo could easily imagine how miserable life must have been for Wu Pengfei, being despised by the most powerful person in the group.

However, despite Wu Pengfei’s straightforward nature, he wasn’t suicidal. He lowered his profile, deliberately tried to please Leader Guan, and managed to survive because, although Leader Guan hated him, he didn’t go as far as to kill him.

But beatings like the one today happened every few days.

People in the group, like that short guy, often picked on him deliberately.

Only Luo Ni treated him well and didn’t use him as a punching bag.

Hearing how his once-bold friend was now living so miserably, Ling Mo couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

After the catastrophe, societal order collapsed, and the power structure was completely reshuffled.

Previously, wealth and status made someone important; now, only those with combat prowess were respected.

“Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. Were you with Ye Lian at the time? And who are those two beautiful girls?” Wu Pengfei wiped his face and asked.

His question made Luo Ni slow her movements, a hint of interest appearing in her eyes.

She had been quite afraid of Ling Mo earlier, but after listening to Wu Pengfei and Ling Mo’s conversation, she found him to be an intriguing, ordinary person.

Coupled with the aura of strength surrounding him, Luo Ni suddenly found herself very curious about Ling Mo.