Chapter 6: I’ll Follow You from Now On

Are you still thinking of the contribution value at a time like this? Luo Rui stared at Jiang Ran for a long time and slightly raised the corners of her mouth. “Of course, Ranran, this is your contribution to the team. Naturally, it's your contribution value –– what do you want?”

“What can I exchange for my contribution value?” Jiang Ran laughed mockingly. “If I can only exchange for a piece of bread...”

If you can only exchange for a piece of bread, you have the dignity to give it up, don’t you? Luo Rui smiled slightly, but before she could answer, Jiang Ran continued to speak, “Give me a piece of bread then.”
 

Luo Rui, “...???”
 

“But of course, I made such a huge contribution. I suppose I can exchange for more than just a piece of bread, right, Deputy Captain Luo?”

Now, Jiang Ran was the abandoned person in a desperate situation, but Luo Rui had the illusion that she was being forced into a sorry state.

The girl took a deep breath and asked patiently, “What do you want?”

“Can I take my pick?”

“...” Looking at the silent Si Xu beside Jiang Ran, Luo Rui stood up. “Yes, you can. Come with me.”

The girl walked outside and Jiang Ran got up to follow her. She subconsciously looked at Si Xu, who was drinking water quietly.

Meeting her gaze, Si Xu put down his glass and said seriously, “The first choice is medicine. If there isn’t any, pick food — snacks are also fine. You can kill time eating snacks on the road afterwards.”

Jiang Ran made an okay gesture and followed Luo Rui out.

Gu Yunqing, who had watched enough of the show, saw Jiang Ran leave, and he leaned close to Si Xu with an inquisitive expression on his face. “It seems that you really like that girl? That girl might be quite beautiful, but Si Xu, you aren’t a shallow man who cares only about looks — tell me, what do you like about that girl?”

When Si Xu heard his friend's question, he tilted his head and thought for a while before he blinked. “I...”

Gu Yunqing looked expectant. “What, what?”

Si Xu said, “I think I’m just a shallow man who cares only about looks.”

Gu Yunqing, “...”


  ……
 

The team's public supplies were all in the car. Luo Rui led Jiang Ran to the parking lot and opened the car door.

“Everything’s here. Take your pick.” Luo Rui said, “I’ll consider it according to the situation and see what you can take away.”

Jiang Ran glanced around the car and saw the small backpack piled up in the corner — that was Jiang Ranran’s backpack. When the team was formed, Luo Rui asked everyone to hand over their supplies. Jiang Ranran gave her only backpack to the team.

Luo Rui followed her gaze and a sneer flashed across Luo Rui's eyes. “That's yours. If you want, you can take it away.” The useful stuff in that backpack had already been transferred to another place. Zhou Jian was supposed to dispose of the backpack, but Zhou Jian didn't have time to throw it away.

Luo Rui found it an eyesore. If Jiang Ran wanted to take that item with her, Luo Rui would definitely not object to it.

Jiang Ran took the backpack and checked it. She found a key in the innermost pocket of the backpack. “I want to take this with me.”

“You want to exchange your contribution value for this item?” Luo Rui didn't care what the key was for. She closed the car door quickly. “Okay, from now on, Jiang Ranran, you and we are even.”

Her contribution value was only enough to exchange for this key? Hah. Jiang Ran couldn’t be bothered to argue with Luo Rui and nodded. “We’re even.”

“Jiang Ranran.” Seeing that she was about to leave, Luo Rui stopped her. “You’ll follow Si Xu with peace of mind from now on, won't you?”

Knowing what she wanted to say, Jiang Ran sneered. “Don't worry, I'm not a fool. I've died once. I won't continue to pester your Xie Chengzhi.”

The two of them looked at each other for a moment and Luo Rui smiled coldly. “I hope you’ll keep your word.”

  ……

On the way back, the two girls happened to meet Xie Chengzhi and Yi Xi who had finished their inspection.

The guy greeted Luo Rui first, and then looked at Jiang Ran with a complicated expression. “I heard from Zhou Jian about your matter — have you really decided to go to Gu Yunqing's team?”

She had decided? Did she have a choice? Jiang Ran rolled her eyes, not wanting to answer such an idiotic question.

“Jiang Ranran.” Seeing her disdain, Yi Xi said coldly, “Do you know what going to Gu Yunqing's team means?”

“I know.” Jiang Ran said casually, “But Deputy Captain Luo has already reached an agreement with Captain Gu, so I have to go, right?”

“Huh?” Xie Chengzhi looked at Luo Rui, puzzled. “Ruirui?”

“I accepted Gu Yunqing’s request.” Luo Rui looked as though she was put in a difficult position. “Captain Gu came to me and said that Professor Si liked Ranran very much. As long as we’re willing to make the exchange, he can guarantee the safety of our team and escort us to Xiling Base...”

“So, you sold Jiang Ranran?” Yi Xi continued to say, “Luo Rui, don't you know what Gu Yunqing meant when he said ‘liked’?”

“I know.” Faced with the questioning from her teammate, Luo Rui’s eyes reddened slightly and she said sadly, “I was just thinking. Since there’s a way to keep everyone in the team safe, as the captain, I have to give it a try –– moreover, even if Captain Gu goes back on his word, we won't lose anything.”

“Yeah.” Yi Xi mocked, “You won’t lose anything indeed.”

“I...”

“That’s enough.” Interrupting the quarrel between the two women, Xie Chengzhi put his arms around Luo Rui's shoulders and patted Luo Rui comfortingly. “Ruirui did the right thing. As the team leaders, our responsibility is to protect the safety of the entire team. Even if it means sacrificing for it...”

“Have you said enough?” Jiang Ran wasn’t interested in this guy's lengthy speech. Anyway, he was simply trying to make excuses for Luo Rui now! “If you haven't said enough, you go on. I'll leave first.”

Jiang Ran yawned, said goodbye politely and walked around the three of them toward the main door.

It could only be said that Xie Chengzhi was indeed Luo Rui's hero. No matter what happened, he would always stand by Luo Rui's side without hesitation. Thinking about it, Jiang Ran was rather envious, hah.

However, she didn't expect Yi Xi to speak up for her. She thought Yi Xi didn't like her. After all, that woman had always talked to her with cynicism.

  ……
 

Regarding Jiang Ran's returning empty-handed, Si Xu didn't express any opinion.

After dinner, Jiang Ran helped to clear the tableware. When she returned to the living room, she found that Si Xu was the only one left, and the night watchman was gone too.

“Si Xu, where are the others?”

“I told them to rest.” Si Xu sat on the sofa and threw two pieces of dry firewood into the brazier to make the fire a little hotter. "Are you cold? Come here."
 

The firelight reflected on the man's face, dividing it into well-defined boundaries, making the outline of his whole face a bit sharper.

Jiang Ran looked at his innocent-looking face and slowly moved to sit beside him.

“You've been keeping watch here all night?”

“Yeah.” Si Xu said, “We have to hurry on with our journey tomorrow. Since we have a place to sleep tonight, I let them have a good rest.”

“Where are you going next?”

“Wuzhong City. I don't know if any team from other bases has gone there. It so happens that we’ll pass by there on the way back. Gu Yunqing suggested that we go and check it out.”

Wuzhong City, like Shenmu City, was a provincial capital city. If the supplies in that city had not been taken away, it would be cost-effective for their team to make a detour there.

“Since it’s a provincial capital, wouldn't the population be dense?” A large population meant that there would be many zombies. “Will it be dangerous?”

“No, it won’t.” Si Xu said, “They’re just zombies.”
 

His tone was calm, showing his disregard for the zombies. If Jiang Ran hadn't known his strength, she would have dissed him unceremoniously.

“Oh, you’re not afraid of zombies.” She said, “You’re powerful.”

To be honest, it sounded like flattery. Jiang Ran blushed after she said that.

Si Xu was unmoved, but he agreed with her words. “Yes, I’m powerful.”

This man wasn’t humble at all. Fiddling with the burning wood with the pliers, Jiang Ran said, “They sold me.”

“Yeah, you were sold to me.” Si Xu said matter-of-factly, “You can just follow me from now on. You don't have to go back to your former team.”

“Okay.” Jiang Ran propped her hands on her chin, looked at him and smiled slightly. “I’ll follow you from now on.”

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