exchange

The campfire flickered, casting its warm light. Zhang Jingyao stumbled as Zhang Hongbing dragged her along. Through her loose outerwear, the undulating curves of her body were clearly visible, her slim waist and shapely hips on full display whenever the wind lifted her clothing. Her mature feminine allure was undeniable, despite the blemishes on her face—acne and discoloration that made her appear almost repulsive. And, just as Zhang Hongbing had remarked, a foul odor emanated from her, though in an attempt not to hurt her pride, Chu Xiang refrained from pinching his nose. 

Zhang Hongbing, with a boisterous laugh, snatched the Zippo lighter from Chu Xiang's hand, pushing Zhang Jingyao toward him. "Chu Xiang, I'll trade you my wife. Don't worry, she's the real deal—authentic, no fakes, and definitely worth more than this lighter. You can keep it; I'll find you another one later." 

Chu Xiang nearly rolled his eyes. "What kind of joke is that? Let's not even discuss whether she's your wife. We're not in the business of selling people. You've taken my cigarettes and lighter—just take her back to the car and let her rest. I need to close my eyes for a bit." 

Zhang Hongbing quickly retorted, "Come on, I'm not trying to take advantage. You think I'm some kind of thug like Wang Bo? Sure, I may look like one, but I don't act like one. Since I've taken your smoke and lighter, it's only fair to make an exchange. I could give you gold, but what good is it? You can't eat it, you can't use it. A woman, on the other hand, is much more practical. Alright, Jingyao, from now on you'll stick with Chu Xiang. Do whatever he asks, understand?" 

Zhang Jingyao remained silent, not resisting the "transaction" of her life. She simply stood there, allowing Zhang Hongbing to do as he pleased. It seemed that, in this chaotic world, a woman left without a man's protection wouldn't last long. Besides, she probably figured that no man would be interested in her anyway, so following anyone wouldn't matter. 

Chu Xiang wasn't disgusted by Zhang Jingyao's appearance or smell, but he found the entire situation absurd. This wasn't the old society where people sold their children out of desperation. Even if she were to be sold, surely she wasn't worth just five packs of cigarettes and a lighter. The group they were in was supposed to be about mutual help and equality. Otherwise, they would meet the same fate as the others Chu Xiang had known—being overrun and torn apart by the zombies. 

"Zhang Hongbing, take her away now. Otherwise, I want my cigarettes and lighter back," Chu Xiang said sternly. 

Zhang Hongbing laughed it off. "Alright, alright, have a little sympathy. You've seen how I'm barely surviving, let alone feeding her. Our food is gone, and I'm not sure I can even feed myself. You're doing a good deed here. Goodnight, my friend. With a beauty like her around, you'll have sweet dreams tonight." 

Chu Xiang was stunned. Zhang Hongbing was clearly shirking responsibility. What was he talking about—exchanging cigarettes and a lighter for a woman? Ridiculous! He didn't know how Zhang Hongbing had met Zhang Jingyao, but he should have helped her with her food situation. Yet, he was throwing her at him as if she were a mere object to be traded. What could Chu Xiang do? 

Seeing the forlorn look in Zhang Jingyao's eyes, Chu Xiang's heart softened. She might not be beautiful, but she had a good figure. If he ignored her face, her body was worth looking at. He tried to comfort himself with that thought and then said, "Alright, stop looking at me like that. You're free to stay or go. Zhang Hongbing was just joking. Go back to the car and get some rest." 

To his surprise, Zhang Jingyao didn't want to leave. She looked at Chu Xiang and said, "Let me stay with you. I know medical care, and I might be able to help you. Since you're injured, I can help clean your wounds and change the bandages…" 

At her suggestion, Chu Xiang absentmindedly touched his forehead. The wound didn't hurt at all. He tore off the bandage and touched it—astonishingly, it had already scabbed over! How could this be? It had only been three days since his fever started, and even if Song Jun had given him ginseng and He Shou Wu, it shouldn't have healed so quickly. It could only mean one thing: evolution. But why had he been left with such a large scar? He already had trouble getting girls to like him, and now he'd have even less hope of showing his face in public. 

"You see, my wound has healed, so there's no need for any special care. Heh, though it's still not fully healed and without medicine, you can't do much, right? But if you're willing to travel with me, I'll make sure you get a share of anything I find to eat, and I'll take you to Copper City, if I can." 

Zhang Jingyao glanced at Chu Xiang's forehead, her surprise momentarily flashing across her face. "Thank you, Chu Xiang." 

After that, she fell silent. She didn't return to the car, but instead sat near the fire with her knees pulled to her chest. It seemed she really was going to follow him. This was their first conversation, and neither of them knew how much the other would come to influence their life. Perhaps that was the way life worked: in the days to come, no one would know who would truly become a part of whom. If they could foresee it, Zhang Hongbing wouldn't have spent every day lamenting and regretting his decisions. 

As the fire crackled, Chu Xiang added more wood to the flames and gazed into the distance. In the far-off sky, there was a flicker of light—perhaps a fire, or maybe a distress signal from survivors. What had happened to the world? Was the country even taking any emergency measures? When would this constant worry and fear end? 

In the early hours of the morning, Song Jun woke up. He glanced at Zhang Jingyao, who had curled up near the fire, but didn't say a word. Chu Xiang didn't offer an explanation either. The two had been through so much, they could read each other's thoughts without speaking. 

The night passed peacefully. In the early hours, faint gunshots echoed from the southwest. Lieutenant Xu Changtian was already awake and went down to the river to inspect. The broken bridge was beyond repair by these people. It had likely been blown up deliberately, much like the lockdown during the SARS epidemic. However, this time, the T-virus wasn't something that could be stopped by cutting off transportation. Instead, it had become a barrier preventing human escape. 

Though it was early spring and the water level was low, the river was still knee-deep. The vehicles abandoned on the riverbed showed how easily they could become stuck in the sand. Xu Changtian walked anxiously along the riverbank. If they couldn't cross the river, who knew how long they would have to take the detour? This was the only official road to Copper City; any detour would only lead them to the zombies. 

"Squad Leader! Squad Leader!" Corporal Zhang Debing called from the road. "There's news, come quick!" 

Chu Xiang was already awake. Zhang Jingyao stood behind him, and for a moment, he thought he had imagined everything from the previous night. Had he really exchanged cigarettes and a lighter for a woman? Though her appearance was less than desirable, at least she had a good figure. 

There was no food, only half a bottle of water. Song Jun took a sip, and Chu Xiang tossed the rest to Zhang Jingyao. This was the poorest group of survivors he had ever been with. Food was becoming increasingly hard to find, and they couldn't afford to starve to death, so venturing out for food seemed inevitable. 

Chu Xiang and Song Jun were inspecting an abandoned motorcycle by the roadside. It was a Chinese-made Qianjiang 250-3, its handlebar slightly bent, but other than needing fuel, it seemed usable. The modified trunk only contained a few pieces of clothing. 

"Hey! Everyone, gather around! There's news from the central!" Zhang Debing shouted from the Honda CR-V. The first to rush over was Zhang Hongbing, his face full of smug satisfaction. He was clearly excited about getting rid of a piece of merchandise. The others followed suit—Qin Hai, Wang Jinbao, Wang Bin, and finally, Chu Xiang, Song Jun, He Er, and Wang Bo arrived just as the broadcast started, or perhaps it was the second round of announcements.