Ice Apocalypse (Season 1)

Chapter 35: Plastic Sisters

Zhang Yiru sighed, "Does this woman think I'm a junk collector?" While Fang Yuqing, a green tea white lotus flower, knew how to act cute and dress up, Lin Cainong had nothing besides being self-deprecating and narcissistic.

Out of mischievousness, Zhang Yiru smirked and said, "Oh, is that so? But I just scolded Fang Yuqing harshly. Since you two are good friends, wouldn't it affect your relationship if you followed me?"

Lin Cainong's eyes lit up, sensing an opportunity. Without hesitation, she said, "What friends? We just share a rented place. To gain your trust, let me spill some dirt on Fang Yuqing. You don't know how much I despise her! This woman is lazy; these days, she refuses to go to the toilet because she claims it's too cold. She even uses mineral water bottles to urinate, disgusting me! Despite her innocent appearance, she frequents nightclubs to find men. If she encounters a rich second-generation, she'll do whatever it takes. If she's short on money, she resorts to selling herself. With a monthly salary of only 5,000 yuan, how can she afford cosmetics and designer handbags? Charging only 1,500 for a night, so cheap! I can't stand such a woman."

This revelation surprised Zhang Yiru; he had no idea about Fang Yuqing's side business. He bit his lip, feeling that the world was becoming absurd. Fortunately, he wasn't foolish. Although he pursued Fang Yuqing, he wasn't desperate like Zhou Peng, the pitiful lapdog.

To win Zhang Yiru's trust, Lin Cainong continued exposing Fang Yuqing's dirty laundry. "Despite her innocent appearance, she has had several children. During college, she had a few contractors supporting her for four years."

Zhang Yiru silently observed, recording her words as evidence. Clearly, Lin Cainong held resentment against Fang Yuqing, who overshadowed her in both cuteness and beauty. In this world, few women willingly played the supporting role for others. In university, why were the best friends of those drifting goddesses usually unattractive and overweight girls?

After venting her emotions about Fang Yuqing, Lin Cainong continued expressing her feelings to Zhang Yiru. "Zhang Yiru, do you know how difficult it was for me to watch you pursue Fang Yuqing all these years? Now I finally have a chance to confess to you. Let me be your girlfriend! I will love you sincerely. Moreover, aren't you lonely at home? Having a woman by your side can help with many things."

Lin Cainong was practically implying that she was willing to do anything if she could go to Zhang Yiru's house. Unfortunately for her, Zhang Yiru had no interest in such a person. He forwarded their conversation to Fang Yuqing and calmly said, "Although I'm touched, let's forget about this."

Unwilling to give up, Lin Cainong asked, "Why? Don't you need a woman right now?"

Suppressing his nausea, Zhang Yiru replied to his phone, "I do like women, but you're too ugly." Having said that, he muted the phone and tossed it aside.

Listening to Zhang Yiru's voice message, Lin Cainong's expression changed dramatically. He... said she was too ugly? This was a serious slander! Every time she posted her well-Photoshopped pictures online, countless people praised her as a beauty!

In Lin Cainong's desperate anger, a furious scream echoed. "Lin Cainong, you bitch!" Fang Yuqing exploded upon seeing Lin Cainong's disparaging words, and the two engaged in a physical brawl. They pulled each other's hair, pinched each other's arms, and only stopped when they were too exhausted to continue, still glaring at each other fiercely. If it weren't for the cold weather and the need to coexist under one roof, they might have killed each other.

Lin Cainong clearly understood what had happened and now hated Zhang Yiru as much as Fang Yuqing did. But like Fang Yuqing, her envy for Zhang Yiru might be even stronger. As long as Zhang Yiru agreed to let them into his room and share some food, they would crawl over like obedient dogs, abandoning their dignity.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yiru continued his simple and dull life of affluence. Every night, he turned on the TV to watch the news, something he had never bothered with before. Although the news was still filled with misinformation, it provided some external information.

"Official notice from Tianhai City: To meet everyone's electricity needs, there will be power supply from 1 to 2 p.m. every day. High-power appliances cannot be used, only low-power devices such as electric kettles and phones can be heated."

"Now, major power plants are in a period of shutdown, and power is scarce. We hope everyone will consciously reduce electricity usage to avoid large-scale and prolonged power outages."

Zhang Yiru raised an eyebrow at this news. The tone of the female anchor was serious, and the content was no longer focused on comforting the public. This implied that the authorities had given up concealing the extent of the disaster nationwide. When control was lost, they could only release information comprehensively, letting everyone recognize the reality and find ways to self-rescue.

As expected, Zhang Yiru opened his phone to find that various chat groups had exploded. Some cursed the authorities for inaction, some wept in despair, and many were offering to buy supplies at high prices. The price of instant noodles had soared from 2,000 yuan per pack two days ago to 5,000 yuan per pack!

Zhang Yiru couldn't help but feel speechless. The inherent greed of humanity was laid bare for all to see. Even though they knew the world was in an apocalyptic state, money had virtually no short-term utility. Yet, they were still willing to exchange food and drink for money.

Zhang Yiru said nothing. He observed everything like a detached observer. Life had to go on, even in the absence of hope. People didn't want to die, even if it meant surviving in misery. Therefore, amidst the curses and chaos, they would continue to struggle desperately for survival the next day.