Shopping and Stockpiling

Lin Xiao exuded an air of cold indifference that kept people at a distance, and his attitude towards Su Mengli was as frigid as the ice in the depths of winter. Su Mengli and Li Shihan, as sensitive as hounds, immediately sensed this anomaly. However, ever since they had mentally labeled Lin Xiao as a "covert rich second-generation," instead of being deterred by his coldness, the two of them were like sharks that had caught a whiff of blood, becoming even more eager and proactive in getting close to him. In their distorted perception, it was perfectly normal for wealthy people to have a bit of a temper; they saw it as a symbol of status and a captivating, unique demeanor!

"Hey, Lin Xiao, were you just dining at this restaurant?" Li Shihan wore a deliberately nonchalant expression on her face, but there was an unmaskable curiosity and inquisitiveness in her voice. Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao's brow furrowed slightly without being noticeable, and a fleeting trace of disgust flashed in his eyes. He knew all too well that this woman, just like Su Mengli, was of ill intent. Recalling his previous life, she had also been involved in the malicious acts that had harmed him. Her greedy visage when seizing food and her indifferent attitude, even going so far as to kick him while he was down when he was besieged by others—Lin Xiao remembered every single incident vividly, and his hatred welled up once more.

"Hmm." Lin Xiao squeezed out a single word through his gritted teeth, his voice so cold that it could freeze one to death. Subsequently, he casually stuffed his hands into his pockets, took steady strides, and walked towards the supermarket without looking back, leaving Su Mengli and Li Shihan looking at each other in bewilderment. However, this did not dampen their determination to follow him closely. "Lin Xiao, where are you headed?" Su Mengli quickly plastered on a fake, tender smile, and like a clingy kitten, she quickened her pace and scurried after him. "Going to the supermarket," Lin Xiao remained as laconic as ever, and the impatience in his voice became even more pronounced. At this moment, it was as if a fire was raging in his heart. If it weren't for the need to carefully lay out his revenge plan, he would have desperately wanted to take the life of this woman who had caused his tragic death in his previous life right then and there.

Su Mengli secretly shot Li Shihan a meaningful glance, and the calculation in her eyes was obvious to anyone with a discerning eye. Immediately after, she feigned surprise and exclaimed, "What a coincidence! We were also planning to buy some things. It's just on the way!" Lin Xiao sneered inwardly. How could he not understand their motives? They must have seen him enjoying a luxurious meal at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant and started to indulge in wild fantasies that he was a wealthy heir in disguise. That was why they had suddenly become so effusively enthusiastic. It was both ridiculous and pathetic. Lin Xiao was too impatient to engage with them and quickened his steps, eager to shake off these two troublesome individuals as soon as possible. But the more he distanced himself, in the eyes of Su Mengli and Li Shihan, the more he seemed like a cold, aloof, and wealthy rich second-generation. After all, in their understanding, ordinary people simply didn't possess such confidence and panache.

The two of them clung to Lin Xiao like two pieces of stubborn chewing gum that couldn't be shaken off. Su Mengli took it even further, deliberately edging closer to Lin Xiao and pretending to accidentally brush his arm with her hand as they walked. Her affected demeanor was truly nauseating. Every time Lin Xiao cast a cold glance at her, she would immediately put on a bashful expression, blush, and quickly turn her head away like a startled fawn. Lin Xiao mocked her inwardly. This Su Mengli had truly taken the act of a "green tea" woman to the extreme. If she were to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, she might actually win an Oscar for Best Actress with her hypocritical facade.

Lin Xiao strode into the supermarket, casually grabbed a shopping cart, and headed straight for the food section with the air of a king about to inspect his territory. Seeing this, Su Mengli and Li Shihan hastily pushed their own carts and trotted after him, looking like puppies afraid of being abandoned by their master. "Lin Xiao, were you dining with someone?" Su Mengli wore a seemingly concerned smile on her face, but in reality, she was fishing for information, trying to extract more details from Lin Xiao. Without turning his head, Lin Xiao replied indifferently, "Can't I eat alone?" Su Mengli's eyes lit up instantly, as if she had discovered a hidden treasure, and she quickly explained, "Oh, that's not what I meant. The food there is incredibly expensive. I just thought you were treating someone important to a meal!" At this moment, Li Shihan couldn't help but interject, "Lin Xiao, your monthly salary is only around ten thousand yuan, right? This one meal probably cost you about half a year's salary. It seems your family left you quite a substantial inheritance!" Upon hearing this, Su Mengli thought to herself that something was amiss and shot Li Shihan a fierce glare, silently cursing her in her heart for being a brainless fool. As an expert in the ways of a "green tea" woman, she knew full well that when dealing with wealthy people, the most important thing was to focus on emotions. Bringing up money was simply a major taboo! Li Shihan also realized she had said the wrong thing, and her face turned alternately pale and red. She quickly laughed it off and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Hahaha, I was just joking. In fact, we're all good friends. Money isn't really that important." However, Lin Xiao completely ignored their performance as if they were nothing but air.

As soon as he stepped into the food section, Lin Xiao's eyes immediately lit up with a burning desire. The dazzling array of goods on the shelves were no longer just ordinary products in his eyes; they were the lifelines in the apocalyptic world. During the days of starvation in his previous life, he had to stretch a pack of instant noodles over two days, savoring every bite. That unforgettable feeling of hunger had instilled in him an almost obsessive longing for food. At this moment, he was like a traveler who had been wandering in the desert for a long time and had finally found a source of water. He rushed towards the shelves without hesitation, his hands flailing as he tossed sausages, instant noodles, self-heating hot pots, and various seasonings into the shopping cart in one go, his movements decisive and without the slightest hesitation. His actions left Su Mengli and Li Shihan beside him stunned. Their eyes widened, their mouths agape, and their faces were filled with disbelief. "Lin Xiao, why are you buying so much food? Are you going camping?" Su Mengli stammered, her voice filled with confusion. "Hmm," Lin Xiao replied briefly, and his hands didn't stop for a moment. Li Shihan leaned in and whispered in Su Mengli's ear, "Do rich second-generations eat such cheap stuff when they go camping? I don't think he looks like one." Su Mengli also felt a twinge of doubt in her heart upon hearing this, but when she thought of that luxurious three-Michelin-starred meal, she was reluctant to give up the fantasy that Lin Xiao was a rich second-generation. After all, if she missed out on this "golden turtle婿," she felt that she might never have the chance to live the life of a wealthy lady that she had always dreamed of.

Su Mengli's eyes flickered with a calculating look, and she plastered on a flattering smile once again. She ran up to Lin Xiao and said insincerely, "Lin Xiao, do you need my help?" Looking at her hypocritical face, Lin Xiao suddenly came up with a brilliant revenge plan. Since free labor had presented itself, he might as well make use of it. Moreover, he could use her to further his revenge. A vivid image flashed through Lin Xiao's mind: after the apocalypse arrived, Su Mengli, tortured by hunger and fear, would be reduced to a pitiful state, crying and kneeling in front of him, desperately begging for food. At the thought of this, the corners of Lin Xiao's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint, imperceptible sneer. He still had a month to prepare for his survival plan in the apocalypse. With his abilities and resources, it wouldn't be difficult for him to build an impregnable shelter and ensure his own safety. In terms of daily necessities, with his position as the supervisor of the Walmart warehouse, he could definitely obtain a large quantity of supplies. In this way, he would not only be able to survive unscathed in the apocalypse but also live a relatively comfortable life. Why not play along with Su Mengli's thoughts and deliberately reveal some information about his stockpiling of supplies to her, making her think that she had latched onto a wealthy man? Then, when the apocalypse came, he could let her experience the feeling of falling from heaven to hell. Just imagining the scene of her crying and begging him for help made him feel a sense of satisfaction.

As for the possibility that Su Mengli might leak the information to those ill-intentioned neighbors, leading to their siege, Lin Xiao was already well-prepared. As long as his safe house was built firmly enough and equipped with advanced defense facilities, he didn't need to worry about being besieged. Instead, he could use this opportunity to wipe out all those neighbors who had betrayed and harmed him in his previous life and carry out a hearty revenge. Just thinking of those people's frustrated and helpless looks in front of him, a hint of fierceness flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes, and the smile on his lips became somewhat twisted. It was the exhilaration of long-suppressed hatred about to be unleashed. Hmm, this plan was feasible. Lin Xiao calculated in his mind and decided to find a professional security company later to customize an impregnable safe house. If this plan didn't work out, he would resolutely leave the city and build a hidden underground shelter in the remote wilderness. In any case, he had to secure an absolutely safe living space for himself in the apocalypse. This was his promise to himself and his counterattack against the tragic experiences of his previous life.

The corners of Lin Xiao's mouth curled up in a meaningful arc. Looking at Su Mengli and Li Shihan, he said indifferently, "Then you can help me push the cart." Upon hearing this, Su Mengli thought she had finally gained Lin Xiao's approval and nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice, a proud smile spreading across her face. Lin Xiao then turned to Li Shihan and ordered, "You go and get another cart too." Although both of them were filled with confusion and puzzlement, at the thought that Lin Xiao might be a rich second-generation and that they might be able to reap some benefits from him in the future, they obediently did as they were told.

Lin Xiao continued his frantic shopping spree in the supermarket. He selected a large quantity of non-perishable foods. In addition to the common instant noodles, sausages, cured meats, and canned goods, he also carefully chose some high-quality dried goods and compressed foods, all of which were precious supplies that could sustain life in the apocalypse. He used a separate shopping cart to load fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, and some live fish. He wanted to use this purchase to test whether his alternate space had any special effects on storing fresh products, as this was related to his future diet quality and living standards in the apocalypse. Soon, the three shopping carts were stuffed to the brim, piled high like small mountains. Lin Xiao deliberately gave the carts filled with beef, mutton, and canned goods to Su Mengli and Li Shihan to push. These items weighed at least four or five hundred pounds in total. How could two frail women bear such a weight? After walking just a few steps, they were already panting heavily, and large beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads, dripping onto the ground.

Su Mengli gasped for breath, a look of dissatisfaction crossing her face. She pouted and complained, "Lin Xiao, how many people are going to eat all these things? Are you planning some secret activity and deliberately not telling me?" Looking at her delicate and affected appearance, Lin Xiao felt a wave of disgust. He sneered and said, "You never know what might happen. What if the world ends someday? I'm stockpiling more supplies to ensure my survival." Lin Xiao was speaking from the bottom of his heart, but to Su Mengli and Li Shihan, it sounded like a lame joke. There had once been a Doctor Li who tried to warn the world of the impending disaster, but he was treated like a madman and no one believed him. Su Mengli couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter and covered her mouth, saying, "Oh, if you don't want to say it, that's okay. Why tell such a joke? But I've helped you so much today, so you can't forget about it. You have to treat me to a big meal later!" As she spoke, she blinked her eyes, her gaze filled with suggestion. Her greedy eyes seemed to already envision herself sitting in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant enjoying a delicious meal.

The corners of Lin Xiao's mouth twitched into a half-smile, and he said, "Sure. But I've been really busy with work recently and can't spare the time. Let's make it next month. I'll definitely treat you then." Upon hearing this, Su Mengli was overjoyed and exclaimed excitedly, "Great! We have a deal. You can't back out!" Hearing this, Li Shihan quickly chimed in and said obsequiously, "Yes, yes! Let's go together, heehee!" She thought to herself that it was such a great deal to be able to get a free meal just by helping to push a cart. Su Mengli shot Li Shihan a fierce glare when she saw her lack of tact, but Li Shihan pretended not to notice and remained immersed in the joy of the upcoming big meal.

Lin Xiao pushed the fully loaded shopping cart to the checkout counter and dumped all the purchased items onto the conveyor belt at once. The cashier couldn't help but look surprised when she saw so many things. Soon, the bill was printed out, and this shopping trip had cost over ten thousand yuan in total. Lin Xiao didn't even blink an eye as he took out his credit card from his wallet and completed the payment with a flourish. He knew very well that in the upcoming apocalypse, the value of these supplies would be immeasurable, at least tens of thousands of times more valuable, or even priceless. Because by then, money would be worthless, and even if you were extremely wealthy, you might not be able to buy a single bite of food to save your life.

Since Lin Xiao had bought so many supplies, the supermarket staff readily lent him the shopping cart to make it easier for him to transport them. Lin Xiao didn't hold back and ordered Su Mengli and Li Shihan to help him push the supplies home. In fact, Lin Xiao had his own car and could have easily driven to pick up these items, but he thought that since there was free labor available, he might as well make use of it. Moreover, he could take this opportunity to torment these two former enemies of his.

Although the two women kept complaining about being tired and their arms were so sore that they could hardly lift them during the journey, at the thought of the big meal Lin Xiao had promised, they were instantly invigorated, as if they had been injected with adrenaline. So, the three of them pushed the three carts full of supplies and staggered towards the direction of the community. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on them, casting long shadows. However, beneath this seemingly harmonious scene lay Lin Xiao's deep-seated hatred and the upcoming revenge plan. A showdown in the apocalyptic world was quietly unfolding.