Doctor Joe

Doctor Joe, reserved and aloof, had finally settled in my home. But to my complete surprise, the first thing she did was strip naked right in front of me. A wicked thought occurred to me—this was the ideal chance to settle a past score. In my previous life, I had been a slave to my own passion for Fuching, a cunning White Lotus. I was her toady for 18 years, discarded when I was no longer needed. In the apocalypse, she had misled me, using me as sustenance for herself to survive. But today would not be that day. Revenge had knocked on my door.

Without delay, I took a snug photo of Joe and me, then texted it to Fuching along with a voice message: "Fuching, you're a nice person, but I've met someone special. Let's not communicate with each other anymore—I don't want her to get the wrong impression."

The trap was too irresistible. Fuching was not expecting it. She broke out of her connection with Wang Men and frantically tried to text someone. Having read the image, she was ready to go crazy.

"Shan! It's I who loves you, not he! Joe stays only for food!" Her hypocricy was ludicrous. "Are you any different?" I shot back, "Besides, Joe is so superior to you in every single way.

What makes you want to exchange him for me?

She answered in sobs, with incredulity etched into each word. "You were so dedicated beforehand—how can you change all of a sudden? It is bound to be that odious Joe! She's done something to you!" Her friends and Wang Men teased her.

"You selfish White Lotus—this is karma!"

Joe stood there, silently observing, before asking at last, "Do you think you are being cruel by doing this?" Her voice was soft, understanding. I smiled weakly.

"I'm sure you have your reasons," she said, her unshakeable support catching me off guard.

Later, Joe prepared a lavish lunch, bringing dishes to the table that were so delicious I could hardly believe my eyes. As I took a bite of a crunchy apple, my phone vibrated with a message from the homeowners' group chat. Auntie Lynn, who was famous for her haughtiness, was up to no good again. With claims of having government relatives, she insisted that everyone give up their food or else suffer dire consequences. Her cheek left me agog. Lynn had been one of the first to be robbed when things turned violent. That she was alive was against reason.

Joe whispered alongside me, informing me that she had left some supplies for Auntie Lynn once when she treated her grandson. But even with the supplies, enduring a brutal 2½-month snowstorm was unthinkable. Then it dawned on me—an unthinkable fact. Auntie Lynn must have eaten her own grandson to survive. Joe, having witnessed the atrocities of cannibalism under Chin Jenga's regime, was strangely insensible to the discovery.

Before I was able to think about it more, I received a call on my phone. It was Uncle Yu, with a reluctant voice as he spoke. "Calim's daughter, Tang Ba, has a fever. She's requesting fever-killing medicine."

Uncle Yu, a just man and a martial artist, wasn't a person I could refuse. However, his intentions were obvious—he had fallen in love with Calim, a clever young mother. Having lived alone for decades, he couldn't resist her cunning charm. Seeing a chance to win his approval, I responded suavely, "I have some boxes remaining. Stop by later to collect one."

Uncle Yu was thrilled. "Thank you, Jangi! I will do anything to repay this favor." Joe bent in, interested. "Do you get along with him?" she asked. I shrugged. "People do business with each other for their own gain. Uncle Yu is a good man. Having him owe me a favor could be beneficial, now." 

That night, Uncle Yu came with Calim behind her, her child held tightly in her arms. She begged, quivering, "Please, Jangi. Stay with me until Tang Ba is well." I was not taken in by her ruse at all. This was not about the child—this was about establishing a beachhead in my home. Politely, I said, "These are times of hardship, Miss Calim. I can't have strangers in. We're barely making ends meet ourselves, having to wear layers just to keep from freezing."

Uncle Yu attempted to intervene. "Jangi has already done enough for us. Let's not put more pressure on him." But Calim continued, her voice shaking with pretended urgency. "Please, Jangi. For Uncle Yu's sake, for the sake of the child—please, just temporarily."

Her coercion irritated me, but I kept my cool. "Before the apocalypse, I would have happily opened my doors to your whole village. But now, it's a different world. Everyone in this building wants to replace me. I hope you can see that."

Calim's face turned black. She flared up. "You let Joe stay! If she can stay, why can't we?" I laughed coldly. "Joe is my girlfriend. If she doesn't stay with me, where would she go?" Joe's eyes opened wide in shock, but she remained silent. Uncle Yu stepped in again, apologizing repeatedly as he took Calim away. I watched them disappear into the distance and let out a sigh.

Calim's plot could make my friendship with Uncle Yu sour—a man I was trying to maintain as a supporter. At their residence, Uncle Yu confronted her. "Medicine is in short supply. It's enough that he provided us with some—why are you so selfish?" Calim, cradling her child, appeared upset."I'm doing this for our future," she said, her tone filled with insincere sweetness.

Reserved and standoffish Doctor Joe had finally taken up residence in my home. But to my complete shock, the moment she did, she undressed fully in front of me. A wicked notion crossed my mind—this was the ideal moment to pay off an old debt.

In my previous life, I had been bound by my own dedication to Fuching, a controlling White Lotus. She used me as a sycophant for 18 years and discarded me the moment I became useless. And during the end of the world, she fooled me, having me as bait for her own survival. This time, it was different. Revenge had visited.

Without delay, I took a comfortable photo of Joe and me, then texted it to Fuching along with a voice message: "Fuching, you're a nice person, but I've met someone special. Let's not keep in touch anymore—I don't want her getting the wrong idea."

The bait was irresistible. Fuching, taken by surprise, broke loose from her affair with Wang Men and nervously checked her phone. Seeing the photo, she blew up.

"Shan! The one who actually loves you is me! Joe's with you only because of the food!" Her hypocrisy was comical. I said, "Aren't you the same? And besides, Joe is better than you in all aspects. Why would I exchange her for you?"

Her answer arrived in tears, incredulity written in every sentence.

"You were so dedicated before—how could you suddenly change like that? It must be because of that horrid Joe! She's worked some magic on you!" Wang Men and her friends jeered at her. "You vain White Lotus—this is what you deserve!

Joe stood there, silently observing, before at last inquiring, "Do you think you're being cruel, doing this?" Her voice remained steady and empathetic. I smiled weakly. "I assume you must have your reasons," she supplied, her abiding loyalty sending me stumbling.

Joe prepared an extravagant lunch a little later on, crowding the table with dishes so fine I couldn't believe my luck. As I took a bite of a crunchy apple, my phone vibrated with a message from the homeowners' group chat. Auntie Lynn, with her arrogant reputation, was up to no good.

Threatening everyone with dire outcomes if they didn't give over their food, she said she had powerful government connections. Her nerve flabbergasted me. Lynn had been one of the first to be robbed when things went crazy. The fact that she still survived defied logic.

Joe whispered next to me, that she had previously left provisions for Auntie Lynn when she was treating her grandson. But even with the provisions, enduring a relentless 2½-month blizzard appeared impossible. Then it occurred to me—an unthinkable reality.

Auntie Lynn would have probably eaten her own grandson to survive. Joe, having endured the atrocities of cannibalism during her days under Chin Jenga's grip, was silently indifferent to the discovery.

Before I could think about it some more, my phone rang. Uncle Yu was calling, his voice uncertain as he spoke. "Calim's daughter, Tang Ba, has a fever. She's requesting fever-reducing medicine."

Uncle Yu, a straight man and a fighter, was not a person I could refuse. But his intentions were evident—he had been smitten by Calim, a manipulative young mother.

Decades of loneliness had weakened him, and he could not resist her deceitful charm. Hoping to win his good graces, I answered smoothly, "I have some remaining boxes. Come over later and collect one."

Uncle Yu was beside himself.

"Thank you, Jangi! I owe you one for this." Joe leaned closer, intrigued.

"Do you have a good relationship with him?" she asked. I shrugged. "People deal with each other in order to gain something. Uncle Yu is a decent fellow. Having him in my debt could be handy at a time like this."

That night, Uncle Yu came with Calim beside him, her child snuggled in her arms. She begged, quivering, "Please, Jangi. Stay at your home until Tang Ba gets well." I knew right away that I was not buying what she was selling. This had nothing to do with the child—it had everything to do with establishing a presence in my home. Smoothly, I responded, "These are hard times, Miss Calim. I cannot open the doors to strangers. We're struggling too, to wear several layers of clothing just to keep warm."

Uncle Yu attempted to intervene. "Jangi has already done us a favor. Let's not complicate things for him."

But Calim insisted, her voice shaking with affected desperation. "Please, Jangi. For Uncle Yu's sake, for the child's sake—just for a little while."

Her coquettishness annoyed me, but I kept my cool. "Before the apocalypse occurred, I would have welcomed your whole village into my home. But now, it is another world. Everyone in this building desires to occupy my position. I hope you comprehend."

Calim's expression grew somber. She attacked. "You kept Joe here! If she gets to stay, why can't we?" I laughed harshly. "Joe is my girlfriend. If she doesn't remain with me, where else will she go?"

Joe's eyes went wide in shock, but she didn't speak. Uncle Yu stepped in again, protesting vociferously as he took Calim away. I watched them disappear and let out a sigh. Calim's plotting would jeopardize my relationship with Uncle Yu—a man I had wished to maintain as an ally. At their home, Uncle Yu confronted her.

"Medicine is in short supply. It's generous that he provided some—why are you so avaricious? "

Calim, cradling her child, appeared anguished."I'm doing this for our future," she said, her tone filled with insincere sincerity.

To Be Continued......