In the end, it all came down to seeds. She had already stocked up on every kind of vegetable seed she could think of. The best part? They were cheap. A thousand yuan worth of seeds could feed her for the rest of her life.
Seeing that she still had plenty of money left, Lan Jin couldn't help eyeing the saplings sold in the shop. She ended up buying a good variety: fruit trees, tea bushes, you name it. Even if the space couldn't grow them, just storing them inside wouldn't spoil them.
Next came the most important part: medicine.
Lan Jin didn't know anyone in the medical field, so there was no way she could get large quantities of supplies. She had no choice but to take the dumbest but most straightforward approach. Pharmacies were everywhere nowadays. All she had to do was go from store to store, buying small amounts each time. Eventually, it would add up. As long as it wasn't a serious illness, over-the-counter meds would do. If the illness needed something more, she'd just have to go to a hospital.
Sure, it took time, but she still had more than half a month left. That was more than enough.
And as for the risk of someone catching on to her buying patterns? Lan Jin wasn't worried. She had calculated it all. With only half a month left, even if someone noticed something strange, there wouldn't be enough time for them to act on it. By the time they figured it out, the world would have already fallen apart. Who would still care about some suspicious shopping habits then?
Besides, going from store to store had its perks. Every time she went out, she could pick up some snacks or treats that she and her daughter loved. She stashed everything inside the space—from breakfast to lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, even midnight snacks. Nothing was left out.
The panic-driven shopping spree from earlier days had now been completely healed by the joy of eating and relaxing. Over the course of those two weeks, she and her daughter built some truly sweet memories together.
And just like that, more than half a month passed. April had officially arrived.
There were only five days left before the apocalypse.
Lan Jin had finished buying everything on her supply list. If there was anything missing, she couldn't think of it right now.
There was something else, though—something important. She couldn't help but wonder if her rebirth had caused a shift in the timeline. Just in case, starting in April, she planned to stay indoors as much as possible.
But the very same day she made that decision, a random thought popped into her head.
She wanted a dog.
In the apocalypse, people would become dangerous and twisted. Life would be both cruel and dull. Sure, she had already downloaded a bunch of cartoons, educational videos, books, and toys for her daughter. But a child couldn't just talk to her mother all day. A dog would make things better—a loyal companion and a friend for her daughter.
She scrolled through videos online, debating what breed to get. Eventually, her eyes landed on the Rottweiler.
Strong. Loyal. Protective. Rottweilers were powerful guard dogs with small appetites and a strong immune system. They were practically tailor-made for survival in the apocalypse.
Once the idea stuck, she acted right away. That afternoon, she brought her daughter to the pet market. After picking out the Rottweiler she felt the most connected to, she bought loads of dog food, canned meat, and cozy dog beds. One mother, one child, one dog. The three of them left the market happily.
While Lan Jin and her daughter enjoyed a peaceful and cheerful life, things weren't going so well for the two people who had recently moved in across the hall: her ex-husband and his mistress.
It was already frustrating enough that Lan Jin ignored them every time they crossed paths. But now she was gone—completely disappeared—without so much as a goodbye. Worse still, she had actually sold the apartment. If they hadn't seen the real estate agent bringing people over for viewings, they'd still be in the dark.
So really, Lan Jin selling her house had absolutely nothing to do with them.
But Ren Xing was furious. "We're home almost every day. We didn't hear a single sound from that apartment, and now people are coming to look at it? She must have put it up for sale a long time ago."
Meng Ying nodded quickly. "Exactly. She just vanished. Do you think she did this on purpose?"
To be honest, it wouldn't be surprising if Lan Jin moved out deliberately. After all, these two had the audacity to move in right across from her. What did they expect? That she'd welcome them with open arms and invite them over to gossip and eat sunflower seeds?
Still, there was one thing the pair couldn't figure out. They were home almost all the time. They didn't have jobs, sure, but even when they went out, it was never for long. So how had Lan Jin managed to move out without either of them noticing?
After going back and forth, they could only think of one possible window: the New Year holiday.
Meng Ying scowled. "It must've been during the New Year break. We were only gone for those seven days. There's no way she moved all that stuff in one go. She had to have waited for us to leave and then called in movers. She's so sneaky."
Ren Xing, though still angry, wasn't stupid. "Even if it was during New Year, moving companies usually take time off too. Same with part-timers. I think she just left, but her stuff might still be in the apartment. I should've gone in to check. If her things are still there, then we've got time. She'll come back for them eventually. No one just leaves everything behind."
But Meng Ying didn't agree. Even if the furniture was still there, that wasn't safe. Lan Jin had money now. She could just buy all new stuff for a new place. Who would keep old furniture when they could afford better?
She clenched her fists, her heart aching at the thought. That money should've been hers. "If I had that kind of cash, I'd replace everything too. Who wants secondhand junk? Brother Xing, we need to figure out where Lan Jin moved. We have to keep an eye on her. What if she spends it all? Then we'd be left with nothing."
Ren Xing hadn't thought that far ahead. He knew Lan Jin well. She wasn't someone who spent recklessly. Still, the fact that she was now out of sight was the real issue.
"She must've moved to avoid us. But I know the locations of all the properties she owns. I'll check them out in a few days. We'll know soon enough."
Meng Ying had wanted to keep pushing him to act faster, but one look at Ren Xing's impatient face made her back off. She didn't want him getting suspicious. If he started doubting her, what if he got the money and didn't share it?
So she softened her tone. "Brother Xing, don't be mad at me for worrying too much. You know what Lan Jin is like. She's too simple. I'm not saying she'll blow the money, I just worry she might get tricked. If she gets scammed, all that money would be gone. I wouldn't care if she spent it on herself. After all, she's your daughter's mother. But if she lost it to some scammer, wouldn't that be awful?"
If she'd said anything else, Ren Xing might not have agreed. But calling Lan Jin "simple"? That, he could get behind. If she wasn't so naive, how would he have ended up with her coworker?
Yes, that's right. Meng Ying wasn't just the mistress. She used to work in the same department as Lan Jin.
These days, coworkers barely interacted. Everyone just came to work and left. Outside of office hours, they were basically strangers. The fact that Meng Ying had still managed to get close to Ren Xing said a lot about how naive Lan Jin must've been.
At least, that's what they thought.
The truth? Lan Jin had always known.
That was why she got a lawyer early on and planned everything in advance. Otherwise, when a man cheats, how often does the wife walk away with all the money and property?
Even before the court case had wrapped up, the final result had already been locked in. When Meng Ying found out Ren Xing didn't get a single cent, she lost it and caused a huge scene at work. And news of her affair and arrogant behavior toward the original wife spread through the company like wildfire.
At first, Meng Ying tried to pretend she didn't know and kept showing up for work. But after a few days of whispers and glares, she resigned.
Lan Jin resigned too. Not because she cared what others thought, but because there was no one to look after her child. Besides, she had enough money now. Staying home was no burden.
As for Ren Xing, he had never held down a real job. He lazed around, barely contributing anything. When Lan Jin gave birth to their daughter, Ren Siqiao, he conveniently became a stay-at-home dad. A useless one.
Lan Jin had lost count of how many times she regretted falling for someone like him.
But somehow, there was someone even more blind than she had been. Someone who willingly became the mistress of a man like that.
So that's how it was. The three of them—no, four, including the child—were all unemployed, idling around at home every day.