Rebirth in the Apocalypse: My Ex-Girlfriend's Guide to Winning Me Over

"Hey, stop working and get some rest, okay? Don't you want your injury to heal? Don't even think about going out to collect crystal cores until you're fully recovered."

Zuo You was working hard with a screwdriver when Lin Lingxun's expression froze.

"I'll install the latch and then go rest."

"Put it down, I'll do it!" Lin Ling shouted domineeringly, and Zuo You guiltily put down what she was doing.

He took out a palm-leaf fan from his storage space, lay down on the rocking chair, cleared his mind, and enjoyed the freedom.

"Erdan, go put a healing orb on your sister."

The dog was very perfunctory, throwing a beam of light at Zuo You from a distance, then picking up her early education machine and continuing to learn: "m, mo-mo, one hides, one catches, two doorways are pronounced m."

......

Zuo You drifted off to sleep in the rocking chair without realizing it. When she woke up again, Lin Ling woke her up for dinner.

Dinner was plentiful: pig's trotter soup, stir-fried mutant rabbit meat, braised ribbonfish, water spinach with garlic, dry-pot cabbage, braised duck blood, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, braised chicken, braised mutton, and hand-pulled rice...

"Why do you still have hand-pulled rice? You can even make this? I love Xinjiang cuisine, hand-pulled rice, Sichuan pepper chicken, naan stuffed with meat, fried rice noodles, and big plate chicken. It's a pity that what we sell here isn't quite authentic."

Zuo You slurped her saliva, her eyes fixed intently on the several dishes of Western Region delicacies.

Li Wenli brought out a large pot of rice from the kitchen, smiled, and said, "I made this. I spent a few years in Xinjiang before and learned some techniques from a local girl. Boss Zuo, try it. I don't know if it suits your taste."

"You can tell from the color that it's definitely right, but it's a pity there are no yellow carrots, it's missing half of its soul. Oh, and there are raisins too."

Zuo You gave a thumbs up. She really likes the food from the Western Regions. She spent a summer there before and gained 10 pounds when she came back!

There's so much delicious food! I just can't stop eating.

It took me more than half a year to lose the weight back.

"Hmm, I still had some raisins, so I added them in." Li Wenli didn't expect that she shared the same food hobby as her former boss; she also loved Xinjiang cuisine.

"Don't stand, sit down and eat," He Heze announced, seeing that everyone had arrived.

He followed Zuo You's spirit of not liking to talk nonsense and took the lead in eating.

The others followed suit, picking up their chopsticks and quickly grabbing the dishes they had already chosen.

Faced with delicious food, no one was in the mood to talk, and in just 20 minutes, everyone was stuffed.

Zuo You ate five large bowls of hand-grabbed rice, plus mutated rabbit meat and a leg of lamb.

She didn't touch the rest; she was too full and felt a little nauseous.

I need to take a whole strip of digestive tablets when I get back; taking too few won't work.

Thinking of this, Zuo You and her people got up to say goodbye and prepared to go home.

He Heze: "Little You..."

Zuo You tilted her head to look at him, "Hmm?"

Their eyes met, and He Heze heard his heart beating faster and faster. He swallowed and unconsciously moved closer to Zuo You.

"Let's go for a walk, I have something to tell you."

People glanced at the two of them, intentionally or unintentionally, and Zuo You nodded calmly.

"Sister Xiaoyou! My stomach hurts..." Lin Ling felt a sour and numb sensation welling up inside her. She didn't want to go on a date with the other person!

"Hmm?" Zuo You's usually cool and aloof expression turned worried and confused. Without thinking too much, she pulled Lin Ling's hand and walked out. "Let Erdan take a look at you when we get home."

"Xiao You!" He Heze's voice rang out from behind.

"Wait at my door for a bit, we'll talk later." Zuo You didn't even bother to turn her head. Judging from the look He Heze gave her just now, what could the two of them possibly have to talk about?

It's just that little thing, isn't it?

Zuo You originally thought that once she left N City, she wouldn't have to face He Heze anymore, but she never expected this.

That damn brat, so impatient! He only arrived at the base today and he's already trying to cause trouble tonight.

It's better to resolve this sooner rather than later, so we don't have to deal with it again.

"Erdan, come and put a healing ball on Xiaoling." Zuo You instructed the dog as soon as she entered the house.

Lin Ling tugged at Zuo You and shook her head in refusal, "No need, Sister You. I feel that He Heze has bad intentions, so he made up an excuse to call me home."

Zuo You was taken aback. "I know, things always need to be resolved. I need to talk to him and make things clear. Wait for me at home for a bit, we'll go out for a walk in a little while."

Seeing Lin Ling nod, she asked Erdan to throw a healing ball to Lin Ling, to treat her illness if she was sick, and to treat her spa treatment if she wasn't.

Zuo You walked out of the villa, and Lin Ling lowered her eyes and went back to her room without saying a word. Standing by the window, she stared blankly at the two people strolling in the park, a feeling of sourness and numbness welling up in her heart.

She knew Zuo You didn't like He Heze, but she still felt a little uncomfortable.

Is it because you've settled in today and lost your usual vigilance that you're starting to overthink things?

She gently patted her face, trying to calm herself down, but looking at the two figures in the park, she couldn't calm down at all.

……

Under the moonlight, the shadows of the trees swayed, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. On the ground of the park, a few scattered solar lights emitted a dim yellow light, illuminating the path.

The two walked silently for about a minute, one after the other, before Zuo You gave up and stopped.

"Speak quickly, are you taking a sauna in this sweltering heat?"

He Heze stopped in his tracks, as if he had made up his mind, and turned to look at Zuo You.

"Xiaoyou... I like you."

His tone was very gentle, and his gaze was tender yet somewhat ambiguous. He stared intently at Zuo You, his deep affection undisguised, surging like the sea.

Zuo You remained completely calm, her tone icy. "He Heze, we are friends. If that relationship changes, we will only become enemies. There is no other possibility."

He Heze's heart skipped a beat. "Why...?"

What he really wanted to ask was: What is it about me that makes me unworthy of you?

He changed his mind before he could finish speaking.

Zuo You raised her eyes slightly and asked impatiently, "Do I need a reason if I don't like it?"

Feeling that her tone might have been a bit harsh, she softened it and made a friendly joke: "In this apocalyptic world where the future is nowhere in sight, I won't let myself have any ties."

He Heze sensed the perfunctory and distant tone in her voice, clenched his fists, and felt very unwilling.

I worked as her subordinate for over a month, doing my best without complaint, thinking I could slowly win her over, but little did I know her heart was as hard as a rock.

Seeing that he was still a bit absent-minded, Zuo You continued to deceive him, "You are very outstanding, and many girls will like you. I just want to live a good life and have no other thoughts. You don't need to waste your time on me."

After a long silence, He Heze loosened his clenched fists and said in a bitter tone, "I understand. Don't worry, I won't bother you."

"That's right. All those romantic entanglements can't compare to the satisfaction that comes from becoming powerful."

He Heze seemed to be persuaded by Zuo You, his eyes filled with determination and longing, and he nodded in agreement.

Zuo You secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As far as she knew, He Heze wasn't a scheming person; since he said that, he must have come to his senses.

Zuo You didn't want to have an unpleasant argument with him; after all, there was still a little bit of camaraderie between them.

Just then, an SUV drove up in front of them, its high beams almost blinding Zuo You.

Zuo You narrowed her eyes, stepped aside, and the SUV slowly stopped beside the two of them.

"Captain Zuo, are you on a date?" Jian Hong rolled down the car window and raised an eyebrow at the two of them.

Captain Zuo remained aloof and cold that evening.

Zuo You glanced at Jian Hong, then at Tang Haoran sitting in the passenger seat, and said with displeasure, "Deputy Captain Jian is quite the busybody."

With that, she turned and walked back.

He Heze glanced at the two people in the car, frowned slightly, and followed behind Zuo You.

"Xiaoyou, are they here to see you?"

"I don't know. If you want to know, you can ask them yourself."

Jian Hong drove slowly behind the two. Tang Haoran glanced coldly at his childhood friend and comrade-in-arms and asked in a deep voice, "Can't we just drive faster and wait in front of her house?"

"It's so dark, just help Captain Zuo light the way, it won't make a minute or two difference."