Chapter 7

It was a typical afternoon when I ran into him—the last person I ever expected to see. I was at the mall, strolling through the aisles, carefully picking out baby supplies. Now that I knew the genders of the triplets—two boys and a girl—I was making sure to buy things that would fit each one. I was focused, distracted by my task, running my hands over soft clothes and imagining their little faces when I brought them into the world.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar figure. My heart sank.

There, standing near a clothing rack, was Jia Du. The father of my children.

He was talking to a woman, laughing in a way that made my stomach twist. She was tall, with glossy hair and a bright smile, leaning in close to him as if she had the right to be that close, to share his attention. I froze, feeling my chest tighten.

I hadn't expected to see him. I hadn't even thought about him since I'd learned about the apocalypse or the responsibilities that had come with my new life. But now, in this moment, it felt like a cruel reminder of everything I couldn't control.

I shouldn't be affected. I couldn't afford to be affected. But when I saw them together, something inside me twisted painfully, like a knot tightening in my gut. I wanted to turn around, to walk away, but somehow, my feet remained glued to the floor. I had no idea what to do, how to react.

And then, just as I thought I might escape unnoticed, Jia Du's voice rang out. "Xui Bai?"

I flinched. The way he said my name—so casual, so indifferent—it cut deeper than I would've expected. It was like I was nothing more than a passing acquaintance to him, a distant memory that he didn't need to acknowledge.

I turned slowly, forcing a tight smile to mask the sudden rush of emotions.

"Jia Du," I said, my voice coming out flat, cold. "I didn't expect to see you here."

He looked me up and down, his gaze lingering a little too long on my swollen belly, and I felt a pang of humiliation. I was six months pregnant now, and while my body had become more of a reminder of the life inside me, it still felt like an alien presence in this situation. I wasn't the person I had been, and I was sure he was noticing that change.

"You look... different," he said with a nonchalant shrug, as though he wasn't commenting on my physical state but simply observing an object. His eyes flickered briefly to the woman at his side, who was now giving me an odd look.

I could feel the judgment from both of them, like they were trying to piece together a story that wasn't theirs to tell.

"Yeah, well, things change," I said, forcing myself to stand tall, even though every muscle in my body was begging me to retreat. "I'm just here picking up supplies for the babies."

His eyes narrowed, then he shifted his attention to the woman beside him, who was now practically glaring at me. "I guess you're handling everything yourself then, huh?" he asked, his voice dripping with condescension. "Not that I'm surprised."

His words stung more than I expected. They cut like a blade, reminding me of how little he cared about anything that wasn't about him. But I wouldn't let him see how deeply it affected me. I had bigger things to focus on than his opinions.

"Yes," I said, smiling tightly. "I am handling everything, Jia Du. The babies are mine, and that's how it's going to stay." I wasn't sure where the words were coming from, but they felt good coming out. "But I'll manage. You don't need to worry about it."

He snorted, a derisive sound that made my blood boil. "I wasn't worried. Besides, it's not like you can handle things on your own forever. You'll need help eventually." His words were a clear reminder of how little he cared. He had never wanted this responsibility. He'd never wanted me.

I felt my hands tense, a sudden anger bubbling inside me. This was exactly what I had expected from him. He was a coward, and nothing would ever change that.

"Well, I'm not asking for your help," I said, my voice sharper now. "I'm not the same person I was before, Jia Du. I have other people in my life who are actually supportive."

His eyes narrowed, as if something I said struck a nerve, but he quickly masked it with a fake smile.

"Fine, if that's how you want to play it," he said, his tone dripping with insincerity. "But you better think about what you're getting yourself into. You won't have it easy, you know."

Before I could respond, the woman beside him stepped forward, her smile colder than before. "Are you done now? Jia Du's time is precious, you know."

I stood there, staring at the both of them, feeling like I was suffocating under the weight of their disdain. I knew what they thought of me. I knew what they thought of my situation. But I didn't care anymore.

"I'm done," I said, forcing myself to turn away. "And you should enjoy your time together. I'm sure you've got plenty of that to catch up on."

I didn't look back as I walked away. The moment I turned the corner, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, as if I had escaped a suffocating room. But the sting of Jia Du's words remained, echoing in my head, reminding me of all the things he would never understand.

He wasn't worth my time, I knew that. But it didn't stop the hurt.

I shook it off and focused on my task. I had to be strong—for the babies, for my future. This world, this future, wasn't about Jia Du anymore. It was about me and the triplets, and I would do whatever it took to protect them.

As I pushed my cart through the aisles, my mind wandered to the apocalypse that awaited us, to the preparations I was making in secret. I couldn't let anything distract me. The future was coming, and I had to be ready for it.

And this time, I wasn't going to be alone.

I stepped into the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind me. The familiar, quiet space gave me a moment to breathe, a break from the world outside. I stood there for a moment, gathering my thoughts as I looked at the baby supplies in my arms. I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the world was about to change in ways I couldn't even begin to prepare for.

But for now, there was something I could control. My powers—my ability to store things in the space pocket I had—was the one advantage I had in this strange, parallel life. The little 'pocket dimension' wasn't just a novelty; it was an essential tool for everything I needed to do, especially now that I was preparing for three babies. I had to take advantage of it.

I sighed, the tension in my shoulders easing as I placed the supplies into the air, watching as they vanished into the space with ease. Clothes, blankets, diapers—everything was swallowed up with a flick of my wrist. It was comforting, knowing that I could organize and store things as I needed without worrying about running out of space or taking up more room than necessary.

With everything safely tucked away, I took a moment to glance at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My six-month pregnant belly was more pronounced now, though it didn't seem to slow me down. The light from above caught the curves of my face, making my features seem softer than I remembered. I didn't look like the same person, not anymore. But then again, I wasn't.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the bathroom, mentally prepping myself for what was next. There were other things to buy—essentials that weren't baby-related but still necessary for this new life I was building.

I exited the store and moved on to the next one. This time, I wasn't just shopping for the babies. I had a list of supplies that had nothing to do with cute clothes or diapers—things that would help me survive once everything fell apart. The apocalypse was coming, and I couldn't wait for it to catch me off guard. The supplies I was gathering now weren't just for the babies—they were for all of us.

As I walked through the aisles, I made sure no one was watching. My eyes darted around, scanning the shelves for anything useful. It wasn't just food I was looking for; I needed survival essentials, things that could withstand long periods of time. Freeze-dried meals, first aid kits, flashlights, water filters. I added them all to my cart, making mental notes on how I would store them once I got home.

I couldn't tell anyone about the apocalypse—not yet. The future had to be kept under wraps, at least for now. But I knew what I needed, and I wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of preparing for it.

By the time I was finished, my cart was nearly overflowing. I stood there, a sense of urgency bubbling up inside me as I looked over the haul. Baby items and apocalypse supplies—it felt like the strangest combination of preparations for a new life and an impending disaster. But there was no turning back now.

I made my way to the checkout line, the bags piling up as I scanned each item, one by one. As the cashier rang up the items, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. I was building something for the future, even if I wasn't sure how much time I had to make it all come together.

And as I left the store, I couldn't help but glance down at my growing belly, a quiet determination settling into my chest. The world might be falling apart, but I wasn't going to let it take me down. The triplets would have a future, no matter what. And I would make sure of it.