Chapter 004 Who is that woman?

City B, the old mansion of the Lu family.

"About the incident at the Winter Night Club, don't you have anything to tell me?"

Lu Shijun sat behind the desk, dressed in a sharp suit, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, standing tall like a tree.

Ignoring his dark complexion that seemed like it could drip water, his sharp eyebrows and eyes, and his angular features exuded an intimidating sharpness that seemed almost tangible, as if he wanted to impale the two "stumps" standing in front of him on the wall.

"Wang, Lieutenant, Chen, Lieutenant?"

"No, we don't dare!"

Wang Qi and Chen Xiao both stiffened, standing upright and quickly raising their right hands in a standard salute, while their eyes habitually focused on Lu Shijun...

In their hearts, they cursed, feeling as if the murderous intent in Lu Shijun's eyes was about to pierce through them!

"One last chance, what exactly happened?"

Lu Shijun slammed the table, the loud noise causing the young master Lu, who was eavesdropping at the door, to startle.

The wind was tight, and trouble was brewing!

This time, he might have really caused a big disaster with Mo Da Tou!

"Boss, I'll tell you!"

Wang Qi gritted his teeth, his thoughts shuttling between Lu Shijun and the young master Lu, feeling that it was best to choose his words carefully.

"It was planned by Young Master Lu Shijun and Young Master Mo! The young master and Young Master Mo felt that you have been living a simple and hardworking life in the military for so many years, and on that day, they specially prepared a surprise for you..."

Wang Qi looked at Lu Shijun's increasingly dark expression, swallowed hard, and tried to speak as clearly as possible.

"They prepared a surprise for you! But unfortunately, the surprise hadn't arrived yet when you and the girl got entangled in the room, turning the surprise into a farce."

"Where is that girl? Have you found her? Is she from the club or from outside?"

If he had made a mistake in his sleep, it would have been forgivable, but when he woke up, she neither made a scene nor cried, and had actually disappeared... as if she was the one who had been delivered to him.

"Boss, we found the girl. What do you want to do?"

"Do whatever needs to be done. It depends on her intentions... If she wants money, give her money. If that doesn't work, then disciplinary action will have to be taken."

Lu Shijun propped his hand on his forehead, feeling as if his head was about to explode. At such a critical moment, he had caused such a mess. Wasn't he just rushing to give the other party a handle?

But if he didn't handle it, Lu Shijun himself would feel guilty. He had been drugged, and the girl had done nothing to provoke anyone.

Chen Xiao and Wang Qi exchanged a glance. When something like this happened at such a time, everyone would be in trouble, and they could only find a way to suppress it for now.

"Boss, that girl is just an ordinary person, completely different from your aesthetic standards. If she wanted money or someone, she wouldn't have left early in the morning. It's obvious that she's not interested in you..."

Wang Qi gritted his teeth and began to babble, leaving Chen Xiao trembling in fear as he listened.

"And when we arrived, she had already left... The situation is special now, and the Winter Night Club is not an ordinary place. If the surveillance footage is leaked, it will only cause trouble for ourselves..."

Finally, unable to withstand Lu Shijun's deadly gaze, Wang Qi trembled as he spoke the last half of the sentence.

"..."

An awkward silence filled the study.

"Um, Boss, what are you really worried about? Even if the girl doesn't report you, you should be more interested in someone else. That girl looks honest, Boss, you should find someone else to cause trouble."

"Moreover, with the temper and means of the old master, the more you care, the worse the outcome will be. What if the old master takes action against her..."

"Cough, cough, I think, Boss, if you want to take responsibility, at least you should handle the old master first. That girl seems good, and if you harm her, it's just bad luck for her..."

Chen Xiao watched in astonishment as Wang Qi, with twisted admiration, continued to speak, while looking at the boss's face, which was like a bottomless pit...

After all, they were brothers who had crawled out of the trenches. If Wang Qi didn't stop talking, he would probably be left with nothing in a moment.

"Boss, there are instructions from the old master..."

"Go on."

Lu Shijun averted his gaze disdainfully, as if he wanted to punish Wang Qi on the spot.

"The old master's intention is... for the boss to spend more time with Miss Xu from the Xu family..."

"No need to bother. The old master has retired for so many years, he should enjoy his retirement... Keep an eye on the Sun family recently, there might be something big happening there."

Lu Shijun waved his hand, realizing that the situation was chaotic, and it was best to avoid unnecessary trouble for now. The surveillance footage from the Winter Night Club could be kept for several years, and it wouldn't be too late to investigate after the tense situation had passed.

"Yes, Boss!"

Chen Xiao grabbed Wang Qi and ran out, afraid that he might say something else.

"Wait, Boss."

Wang Qi suddenly realized, grabbing onto the door frame.

"Why are you so concerned about that girl?"

In response to Wang Qi's question, a heavy two-pound stone paperweight was thrown at him.

"Carry a 10-kilogram weight and walk around the old mansion 20 times."

"Boss, I was wrong, umm..."

This time, Chen Xiao quickly covered the guy's mouth and carried him out.

Why was he so concerned?

Lu Shijun walked out of the study, ready to settle the score with the young master of the Lu family.

That night, he had been drugged and had lost all sense of reason, not even taking any safety precautions! If something had really happened, it would have been harmful to both himself and the girl.

"Wang, where is Lu Shiyi?"

"Second Young Master, the young master just said he wanted to go to the Mo family's small villa to soak in the hot springs and stay for a while, to bask in the dragon's energy of the auspicious land."

"...Since when did the Mo family have a small villa? Where is it?"

"It's in City Z."

..."

Lu Shijun was at a loss, unable to do anything about his stubborn younger brother. Considering the tense situation and the current state of the Lu family, he sighed.

"...Is there any news from the eldest brother? Hasn't he already returned to the country?"

"The young master has indeed returned to the country, but due to the old master... Although the young master is in the country, he has not shown himself."

"I see."

Lu Shijun felt overwhelmed, with both of them causing him worry.

.........................

The Lu family was one of the prominent families in the capital city. However, Lin Jiu, who was far away in Z City, was unaware of the troubles of the Lu family, and she had no interest in knowing.

Seeing the courtyard filled with boxes of food, Lin Jiu's restless heart finally calmed down.

In her previous life, she had no preparation, yet her family, like a bunch of blood-sucking parasites, managed to survive. What did she have to fear now?

The courtyard was spacious, and when the house was built, Lin Jiu's family lived here. In addition to the main hall and the east and west rooms, there was also a three-room house next to the east room, providing ample space.

It took Lin Jiu two days to clean up the courtyard and rooms, and she also put new locks on the storage room for supplies.

During these two days, apart from cleaning, most of Lin Jiu's time was spent planning finances and making calls to suppliers.

She only had 500,000 yuan in hand, and she had to wait a while for the small bank loan. After working in B City for many years, she hadn't even managed to get a credit card, and now she had to apply for a few, which she used for online shopping.

Every penny had to be spent wisely.

Lin Jiu allocated the money to different accounts according to the classification of supplies and spent nearly half of the budget for purchasing durable food items. It was now the 27th day before the apocalypse.

The temperature was not very cold at the moment, and Lin Jiu was wearing a thick sweater as she sat in the courtyard, soaking up the sun, while jotting down notes on her phone.

She planned to buy the food according to the schedule, and renting a car could wait until a few days before the apocalypse.

Even the necessary gasoline for the car, Lin Jiu had already identified a gas station not far from the courtyard, and she planned to go there to refuel a couple of days before the apocalypse.

As for the steel bars to be used as weapons, Lin Jiu couldn't have them custom-made, so she had to go to a small workshop in a more remote village to find someone who could help her. It was hard to find a blacksmith these days, and the one she found only helped repair farm tools for nearby villages during the off-season. Their craftsmanship was crude, but it would be enough for forging the steel bars.

She would need about fifty steel bars, each a meter long, and they would be ready in about two or three days.

In addition to this, she also needed to plan for medicines, clothing, and daily necessities...

Lin Jiu listed everything one by one on her phone.

Although medicines were urgent supplies, it wasn't very cost-effective to start collecting them now. Buying too many non-prescription drugs would attract attention, not to mention the more precious prescription drugs.

She had no way to obtain prescriptions and medicines, and in the first two days of the apocalypse, food would be the most sought-after item by survivors. Most people had not yet realized the importance of medicines, so she could collect them later.

As for clothing... the climate had become unpredictable after the apocalypse. It was currently winter, but after the apocalypse, the temperature would suddenly rise, leading to a scorching summer.

This scorching heat wouldn't last long, and after about three months, it would be followed by heavy snowfall. Then there would be a cycle of summer and snow seasons, with extreme heat and cold.

Warm clothing and bedding were essential.

This heavy snow would slow down the movements of the zombies, as if giving humans a breather. Many initial safe havens were also established during this time.

Even in the summer after the apocalypse, all limbs had to be covered. After the apocalypse, mutated mosquitoes and flies were not to be underestimated. In winter, adequate heating was also crucial...

Lin Jiu felt overwhelmed, thinking about her miserable situation in her previous life when she was unprepared for these conditions. She sighed and continued to plan carefully.

For summer clothing, she chose sturdy and breathable sportswear. In addition, she needed plenty of undergarments that could be changed and washed frequently.

Lin Jiu's water-based ability had the function of adapting to external temperatures, so she didn't need heavy winter clothing. Windproof clothing would suffice. After considering various options, she decided that a leather jacket was the best choice.

The only downside was its cost.

Well, the cost wasn't its downside; it was her own limitation.

Lin Jiu bought seven or eight thick cotton quilts on a popular online shopping platform, which slightly eased her frustration.

When the apocalypse broke out, she would still need to collect supplies in the city. Fortunately, leather jackets were not as attractive as food and medicines, and after a month, there would definitely be some left.

As for daily necessities... Lin Jiu had suffered from a shortage of them in her previous life.

In the early stages, survivors were not aware of their importance. By the time they realized it, most of the supplies were destroyed due to the unpredictable weather after the apocalypse. Tissues and sanitary pads became as valuable as gold and more expensive than food.

Lin Jiu went on a crazy shopping spree on a popular online shopping platform, mostly buying in bulk under the guise of stocking up for a supermarket. She listed the address as a small warehouse she rented near the farmers' market.

These items would be too conspicuous if they were delivered to the courtyard, so she planned to go and collect them about five or six days before the apocalypse.

The prices for bulk purchases were much cheaper, but the money on her card was flowing out like water.

She also needed to buy bricks, tiles, and cement to reinforce the courtyard...

She decided against hiring workers, as it would attract unnecessary attention, and she could use the opportunity to build her physical strength by doing the work herself.

At this moment, Lin Jiu deeply felt the powerlessness of being broke. She couldn't even handle a small sum of over 500,000 yuan, let alone a billion.

With a plan in mind, Lin Jiu stood up and continued to tidy up the house, making space for future supplies by getting rid of some useless furniture taking up space.

Rolling up her sleeves, Lin Jiu ascended the steps. In her late grandmother's room, there were still three or four large wooden boxes, which contained her dowry.

Even if it was just for sentimental reasons, Lin Jiu didn't want to discard them. Moreover, these old-fashioned wooden boxes were well-made, waterproof, and moisture-proof, making them the perfect choice for storing medicines.

Lin Jiu's task was to clean up the miscellaneous items inside the boxes, wipe them clean, and then air them out in the yard.

Easier said than done, as Lin Jiu realized the true value of these old items when she started moving the boxes. At this moment, she deeply missed her post-apocalyptic physical strength.

Unfortunately, she neither had awakened abilities nor had undergone any training. Her body, accustomed to long hours in the office, struggled with everything she did.

Opening the box, Lin Jiu found only a few of her late grandmother's belongings. Most of her clothes and bedding had been offered at her grave. Besides an old book filled with shoe patterns, there was only a small wooden box inside the large wooden box.

Opening the wooden box, she found several old hairpins, the silver-plated ones had turned black, clearly no longer valuable. However, there was a pair of jade earrings that looked as good as new.

Lin Jiu held the earrings in her hand, feeling increasingly familiar with them. It seemed like she had seen this pair of earrings in the post-apocalyptic world... but she couldn't recall the details.

However, with five years of memories from the post-apocalyptic world, Lin Jiu couldn't immediately find the information she was looking for. She could only put the earrings back in the wooden box.

The jade beads on the earrings were translucent and lustrous, with a pure water-like color. They were the size of soybeans. Lin Jiu didn't know the value of these things, but the fact that they hadn't been taken by her parents over the years indicated that they were not worth much.

As Lin Jiu's fingers brushed over the wooden box, she thought that these small pieces of jewelry must have been her grandmother's dowry...

Before Lin Jiu could reminisce for too long, the half-open courtyard door was forcefully pushed open, and two people walked in, immediately noticing the messy old furniture in the courtyard. They stopped in their tracks, refusing to take another step forward.

It was Lin Ye and Xu Chuchu.