Chapter 351: The Collapse of Liang Yue

In her fury, Liang Yue kicked down the wooden plank blocking the door!

The two people inside were startled; Wu Chengyu, who was involved in sordid behavior on the bed, whipped around, his face paling at the sight of Liang Yue.

"Ms. Liang! What are you doing here?"

Liang Yue’s eyes fell on the blank-faced woman next to him and the half-eaten meal on the table. Instantly, everything became clear.

Her mind went blank with rage and shock, leaving her unsure of what to even think.

Her student—the one she had fought to protect in this apocalyptic world—had used the precious food she brought them for something like this?

Wu Chengyu froze, not expecting Liang Yue’s sudden arrival.

After a moment, he gritted his teeth. Since things were already at this point, he decided he might as well lay it all out. Liang Yue had a soft heart, and maybe she'd forgive him.

“Ms. Liang, I’m a young man, and I have needs. I hope you understand.”

“Besides, I didn’t force her—it was her own choice. Right? Say something!”

He patted the woman’s face.

The woman stared blankly at Liang Yue, then nodded numbly.

Even after getting caught, she showed no trace of shame. Survival was her only concern now; morality and dignity had long been cast aside.

Liang Yue’s face was expressionless, her mind overwhelmed by shock and anger, making her feel almost paralyzed.

She asked coldly, “Didn’t you all say there wasn’t enough food?”

“Then how could you waste it like this?”

Wu Chengyu’s expression changed slightly.

He couldn’t let Liang Yue know where the extra food came from.

Since she left, order among the students had become simple: the strongest ruled. Wu Chengyu, with his height and strength, had gathered a group of tough students to control everyone else.

This allowed him not only to eat well but also to barter extra food for services from the women of Xu Family Town.

Bracing himself, Wu Chengyu shouted at Liang Yue, “Ms. Liang, why don’t you just keep giving us food and mind your own business?”

“You’re not providing us with enough anyway; we still have to figure out how to survive ourselves. So it doesn’t matter how we use the food, does it?”

Liang Yue staggered backward, as if struck by lightning. She pointed at Wu Chengyu, chest heaving, but words failed her.

“Ms. Liang, could you step out? You’re kind of getting in the way here!”

Annoyed by the interruption, Wu Chengyu was defiant. He knew Liang Yue too well; her kind-hearted nature wouldn’t allow her to let him die, no matter how poorly he acted—after all, he was her student!

Kind Ms. Liang would never abandon her students in an apocalypse, right?

Liang Yue closed her eyes, turned, and rushed outside.

Removing her hat, she let the cold snow blow against her face. But the freezing snow was no match for the chill she felt in her heart.

As Liang Yue left Xu Family Town, Zhang Yi and Fatty Xu were enjoying a meal together on Lu River.

Noticing Liang Yue’s devastated expression as she approached, Zhang Yi smirked, his tone slightly mocking. “So, reality’s pretty brutal, huh, Ms. Liang?” Ɽ

Liang Yue looked up at Zhang Yi, then gave a bleak smile.

“Do you think I’m an absolute fool?”

Then, answering her own question, she said, “Yes. I really am foolish.”

Hands in his pockets, Zhang Yi replied calmly, “Don’t blame me for exposing the harsh truth. I just thought you deserved to know. What you do now is up to you; I’ll respect your choice.”

Liang Yue shook her head, her emotions in turmoil, her eyes unfocused.

She brushed past Zhang Yi and Fatty Xu, unsteady on her feet, heading back to the Shelter, longing only for a quiet place to process everything.

Fatty Xu watched her leave, then leaned in, curious. “Boss, what happened with Ms. Liang? What did she see?”

Zhang Yi glanced at him and said flatly, “Her student was exploiting women in Xu Family Town. If he wasn’t forcing them, he was trading with food she provided.”

Fatty Xu’s eyes widened. “Holy sh*t! That’s juicy! Boss, you’re no fun. You didn’t even let me catch a glimpse of the action.”

“That’s what you’re focused on?”

Zhang Yi chuckled, patting his shoulder. “That woman could’ve been one of your distant cousins or an aunt, you know.”

Fatty Xu scoffed. “My family’s mostly dead! Those left are distant relations. I don’t care what happens to them.”

Zhang Yi gave him an approving thumbs-up. “Way to keep things simple!”

Back in the Shelter, Liang Yue locked herself in her room, utterly lost. She began to wonder if everything she’d done had any meaning.

She had no idea how much time had passed before she heard a knock at her door.

“Liang Yue, are you okay?”

Zhang Yi’s concerned voice came from outside.

Quickly composing herself, she sat up, slipped on her slippers, and opened the door.

Zhang Yi noticed her slightly red eyes, as if she had been crying. Not surprising; no teacher would be unaffected by the downfall of a student they had once cherished.

“Sorry,” Liang Yue said, “I’m not feeling well today. I’ll catch up on work; it won’t affect the schedule.”

Shaking his head, Zhang Yi reassured her, “No rush. It’ll only take a few days to finish the project anyway.”

Looking down at her, he added in a gentle tone, “I was just worried about you and came to check in.”

This unexpected kindness from Zhang Yi caught Liang Yue off guard.

What was the line from that song?

*Nothing’s scarier than sudden concern from a friend.*

“I’m fine. Just need some rest,” Liang Yue replied.

Zhang Yi glanced into the room and smiled. “Are we going to talk here?”

Realizing, she quickly stepped aside. “Come in and sit down.”

Zhang Yi pulled up a chair inside. “I know today was a big blow, but I hope you can look forward. The road ahead is still long.”

“If you ever need to talk about your troubles, I’ll at least be a good listener.”

When a woman’s heart is vulnerable, both her emotions and body are open.

Zhang Yi wasn’t necessarily interested in love, but he didn’t mind if women fell for him.

After all, when a woman becomes emotionally attached, she’s often completely devoted.

Though Zhang Yi didn’t plan to take advantage of Liang Yue, he did see the opportunity to strengthen their bond, ensuring she would be even more cooperative in the future.

Author's Note