Surviving the apocalypse with a wife and a system! [GL]

She asked whether there was anything else in the kitchen they needed to bring, whether the child had a favorite cup, whether Yan Laojin wanted to pack the medicine separately. Every question was ordinary, but together they made the whole thing feel stable. The more stable the process felt, the less awkward Yan Cijin became.

At one point, the child got tired of sitting still and climbed into Bai Li’s arms again. Bai Li easily lifted her and let her sit on one hip while she carried a bag with the other hand. The little girl immediately wrapped her arms around Bai Li’s neck and looked at her with sparkling eyes. Yan Cijin watched that and felt another tiny tug inside her chest. Bai Li was good with children. It was almost unfair how naturally she could handle both a child and a room full of supplies without looking strained. Yan Cijin thought that maybe Bai Li would be the kind of person who could keep a family steady even when the world outside was crumbling.

The thought was so sudden that she herself was surprised by it. Family. She had not meant to think that far. Yet the word had already formed in her head, and once it was there, it would not disappear so easily. She looked away quickly before anyone could notice the faint change in her expression. Bai Li, fortunately, was busy securing the backpack and had not noticed anything unusual. The little girl was busy touching the dinosaur’s ears and making little sounds of approval. Yan Laojin went to fetch a small bag of daily supplies. Everyone had a role. Everyone was moving forward. That was enough for now.

Finally, Bai Li checked the last bag and told them they were ready to head out. She reminded Yan Cijin not to forget anything important and offered to come back with her later if they found more items that needed to be moved. Yan Cijin nodded, then glanced down at her shorts pocket again. The finger cots were still there, folded and tucked away where she had placed them earlier. For some reason, that small detail suddenly felt extremely obvious. She could feel her face getting hot again, even though nothing had actually happened. Maybe that was the worst part. Nothing had happened, and yet everything in her heart still felt unsettled.

Before they actually stepped out, Bai Li still took one more look around the room. She was not the kind of person who liked leaving loose ends behind, and the habit had followed her into every part of life. She checked the windows, made sure the fridge door was closed properly, and confirmed that the bags near the door had not been forgotten. Yan Cijin noticed that and quietly helped her by picking up a small shopping bag that had been left on the sofa arm. The bag only had a few light things inside, but she still carried it without complaint. Bai Li looked at her for a second and thanked her in a low voice. That small exchange should have been nothing at all, yet it made Yan Cijin feel strangely useful, like she was part of the process instead of just standing beside it.

When they opened the door and stepped into the hallway, the atmosphere outside was a little colder than inside the apartment. The building had not fully lost its normal look yet, but the cracks were there if someone paid attention. A few doors were shut tightly, and the hallway lights were still on, though one of them flickered weakly at the far end. Bai Li had already gotten used to scanning her surroundings wherever she went. She held the little girl more securely for a moment and listened to the faint sounds from a few apartments nearby. There were voices, footsteps, and the distant hum of people still trying to act like today was an ordinary day. But it was not. Everyone could feel that now, whether they admitted it or not.

The little girl looked around with wide eyes as if the hallway itself was part of a new adventure. She whispered to Bai Li that the corridor was a little dark. Bai Li lowered her head and told her not to worry, that they were just going downstairs for a bit. Yan Cijin took the bags from Bai Li when the elevator doors opened, and Bai Li did not fight her on it. The bags were not heavy enough to matter much, but the gesture still made Yan Cijin feel less awkward. She liked doing something useful. Standing there and being taken care of too much would only make her mind wander again. At least carrying bags gave her somewhere to put her hands.

The elevator ride was quiet for the first few seconds. The little girl pressed herself against Bai Li’s side, still hugging the dinosaur, while Yan Laojin stood calmly with her own bag. Yan Cijin stood close enough that Bai Li could catch the faint scent of her skin in the closed space. That scent, mixed with the soft smell of the child’s shampoo and the clean fabric of the bags, made the elevator feel even smaller. Yan Cijin looked straight ahead and tried to keep her expression normal. Bai Li did not seem bothered at all. She was just watching the numbers drop and occasionally checking whether the child was standing safely. That only made Yan Cijin feel more off balance. Bai Li could be this calm in such a tight space, and somehow that made her own heart beat even harder.

When the elevator stopped on the first floor, the door opened to a lobby that was quieter than usual. A few residents were talking in low voices near the entrance, probably discussing water or food again. One older man carried two large buckets with a grim look on his face, and a woman beside him kept glancing toward the outdoor taps as if she still hoped there might be a little more water left somewhere.

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TO BE CONTINUED.

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