Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: The White Lotus

Zhang Yi stepped out of his house, and the outside scene was peaceful, filled with human joy and contentment. Many parents were playing with their children in the community square, their faces full of happy smiles. But Zhang Yi knew that in just one month, all of this would be shattered. He walked briskly out of the community, and not far from the entrance was a Michelin three-star Western restaurant. A meal there would cost at least five to six thousand, and in the past, Zhang Yi had always hesitated to go in and eat. But now, he didn't care at all. Once inside the restaurant, Zhang Yi found a seat by the window. He ordered the most expensive dishes on the menu and also asked for a bottle of Lafite wine. By the time everything was set, he had already spent 50,000 yuan. Even the restaurant staff gave him flirtatious looks, assuming he was a wealthy second-generation heir. After all, how could an ordinary person afford such an expensive meal? Zhang Yi didn't care about their thoughts. Once the table of delicious food was served, he began to wolf it down. Perhaps it was because of the six months of ice-cold end-of-the-world conditions, but eating such delicious food moved him to the point of almost tearing up. Thus, his eating habits became somewhat fierce, drawing the attention and murmurs of the surrounding diners. But Zhang Yi didn't mind. After all, in the apocalypse, people could even kneel and beg for a pack of instant noodles. At that time, all civilization and morality would be reduced to nothing. While Zhang Yi was eating in the restaurant, a woman walking outside stopped in her tracks. It was a woman with flowing long hair, delicate makeup, and Gucci high heels. She was none other than Fang Yuqing, the woman who had betrayed Zhang Yi and caused his death in his past life. Beside her was her close friend, Li Cainin. Both women couldn't help but glance inside when passing by the Michelin three-star restaurant. They had always longed for such high-end places. Unfortunately, their financial situation didn't allow them to splurge in such places. But that didn't stop them from casting lingering glances inside. Perhaps they could spot a potential wealthy target—someone to hook up with. As it happened, Fang Yuqing was surprised to see Zhang Yi inside, surrounded by a large table of top-tier dishes. "Isn't that Zhang Yi? How does he have the money to eat here?" Fang Yuqing exclaimed. Li Cainin was also surprised, covering her mouth. "Zhang Yi? Is he actually this rich?" While speaking, her eyes subtly glanced at Fang Yuqing, and she smiled. "Yuqing, you're really lucky! The guy chasing you, turns out he's an invisible rich second-generation!" "Look at all that food on his table, at least fifty or sixty thousand yuan. Who can afford such an expensive meal?" Li Cainin's tone carried a hint of envy. She knew that Zhang Yi had been pursuing Fang Yuqing for half a year. But Fang Yuqing had been stringing him along—never rejecting him, but never agreeing either. Fang Yuqing was a complete gold-digger. She always believed she could marry a high-quality rich second-generation heir and live a life of luxury. However, for someone like Zhang Yi, who owned a car and house in Tianhai City, she couldn't bear to give up on him. So, Fang Yuqing had always treated Zhang Yi as a backup plan. But now, seeing Zhang Yi enjoying a luxurious meal worth tens of thousands of yuan all by himself, Fang Yuqing began to have doubts. "Could it be that Zhang Yi is actually a hidden rich second-generation?" she thought. Fang Yuqing propped her chin and began to ponder. The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. "Right, isn't this a common trope in TV dramas?" "The person who is actually very rich but pretends to be an ordinary person in order to find true love." Fang Yuqing spoke with such conviction that she almost convinced herself. Her eyes brightened. If that were true, she'd be saved a lot of trouble. After all, Zhang Yi had been pursuing her for so long. She felt that if she just gave him a little nod, Zhang Yi would immediately propose to her. Li Cainin also urged, "Yuqing, let's go inside and find Zhang Yi!" In reality, she was eyeing the delicious food on his table. After all, this was a Michelin three-star restaurant, and the food there was something an average person would never get a chance to try. Fang Yuqing hesitated for a moment but then shook her head. "Isn't that inappropriate? It might make him think I'm a gold-digger." "How about this, we wait outside and pretend to run into him by accident?" Fang Yuqing wasn't foolish. She wouldn't lower her status just for a meal. Even if Zhang Yi really had money, she had to maintain her goddess demeanor. Only by doing so would she be able to control Zhang Yi in the future if they ended up together, keeping him as her "dog." So, the two of them hid not far from the restaurant, waiting for Zhang Yi to come out. Zhang Yi ate for over an hour and, feeling completely satisfied, patted his round belly. Next, he planned to head to a nearby supermarket to buy some supplies. Although he was confident he could transport supplies from the Walmart warehouse, it's always best to be cautious. It was better to prepare some materials in advance in case of any unforeseen events. After all, he had experienced hunger before, and he couldn't afford to let any accidents happen. Zhang Yi paid for his meal and walked out of the restaurant with the waiter's warm smile. At that moment, a familiar voice rang out from nearby. "Zhang Yi, what a coincidence!" Zhang Yi turned around, and to his surprise, it was Fang Yuqing and Li Cainin. Fang Yuqing moved her hair behind her ear, deliberately exposing her fair neck and pink earlobes. Zhang Yi sneered in his heart. This was a classic trick used by "green tea" types. The goal was to make men fall for her unconsciously. As a top-tier green tea and white lotus, Fang Yuqing was naturally very skilled in this. Unfortunately, Zhang Yi was no longer the naive "dog" he once was. After all, not long ago, this woman had caused his death. She had even wanted to break his ribs and make soup with them! Thinking of this, Zhang Yi's gaze suddenly turned cold, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes. It wouldn't matter if he killed her now, since the apocalypse was coming soon. Fang Yuqing shivered under his gaze and nervously said, "Zhang Yi... what's wrong with you?" Zhang Yi quickly retracted his gaze, saying淡淡, "It's nothing, I mistook you for someone else." He suddenly changed his mind. Killing this woman so easily would be too kind for her. It would be better to let her experience the despair of the apocalypse before using his methods to make her suffer and die. With his mind set, Zhang Yi now had enough time to prepare, and with his memories of his past life, he had a hundred ways to make her die painfully. So for now, there was no need to deal with her. What mattered most right now was to create the safest shelter possible, so that he could live comfortably and securely in the upcoming apocalypse.