Chapter 396: Chapter 396
"Mom, Dad, little sister, it really is you!"
Outside the small courtyard stood a man in his thirties wearing a khaki short-sleeved shirt, his face filled with pleasant surprise. Behind him followed a boy under ten years old, dressed in a matching short-sleeved outfit.
"Big brother?" Hearing the voice, Shen Qing snapped out of her training state, her face lighting up with joy.
Indeed, the newcomers were none other than Shen Huai, the original body's maternal uncle, along with his son Shen Muyan.
The family reunion was naturally an occasion of boundless happiness, especially for the elderly Shen couple who had previously imagined all sorts of worst-case scenarios. Seeing their biological son safe and sound now brought them immense relief.
According to Shen Huai, their family had followed a small team heading here over half a month ago.
Before the apocalypse arrived, although Uncle Shen had followed his parents' advice to stockpile some food supplies, it ultimately proved insufficient. With two adults plus a child in the middle of growth spurts, their stored food became stretched thin in less than a month.
To make matters worse, supermarkets had by then become high-risk zones.
The only consolation was that all three family members remained unharmed, with no supernatural mutations occurring.
This was also why he was able to quickly spot their family after seeing the registration forms.
"Wonderful! Everyone being safe is what matters most!"
Uncle Shen, whose face already showed weariness from these short but difficult times, roughly wiped his face, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.
"Yes, surviving is what counts, just surviving is enough!" At the dining table, the elderly Mrs. Shen also said with red-rimmed eyes.
Especially seeing how her eldest son's vitality and spirit had clearly diminished compared to before.
"By the way, Ah Jun, where's your wife?"
Not spotting the other person present, Mrs. Shen couldn't help feeling somewhat worried.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Shen Huai's gaze suddenly dimmed momentarily, and he set down the slice of cured meat he had been holding with his chopsticks.
This action immediately made everyone's hearts tighten.
It was Shen Muyan who spoke up from the side: "Mom should be helping out on the city walls right now."
"Today happens to be Mom's rotation duty!"
He then added with some happy emphasis: "Grandma, Grandpa, Mom has a metal-based supernatural ability! She can whoosh out iron spikes and shields!"
"She's super amazing! It's only because Mom protected us along the way that Dad and I could safely get here."
"The entire journey, it was Mom who protected us!"
"Then Ah Jun truly is remarkable!"
That child really remains as outstanding as ever.
Mrs. Shen praised instinctively, but couldn't help sighing inwardly when she saw her silent eldest son nearby.
As for Shen Qing, who had always admired her clever and capable sister-in-law, she could only feel happy hearing this. Biting excitedly into a freshly picked strawberry, she couldn't resist saying:
"As expected of sister-in-law!"
Meanwhile, Lu Ting nearby noticed something, glancing at his enthusiastic wife, then at his lively and adorable daughter not far away, his desire to level up growing increasingly urgent.
An Ning, as a simple, naive eight-year-old child—what could she possibly do!
She merely silently recited in her heart toward the somewhat dejected Uncle Shen: Serves you right!
As the saying goes, the heavenly dao's wheel of justice turns—and these words truly hold truth.
Speaking of the original body's aunt, Madam Gu Jun—she was truly an exceptional woman combining beauty and intelligence, a goddess-like presence in their social circle since childhood, enough to make even the usually proud young lady Shen Qing starry-eyed.
Unfortunately, such an outstanding daughter didn't get reliable parents. By the time Madam Gu worked hard to graduate early and take over the family business, the family company had already been nearly bankrupted by her father.
Her mother immediately filed for divorce, and under the dual blows to his career and marriage, Father Gu ended up in the ICU that very night, leaving a massive mess for a young woman barely in her twenties.
No matter how intelligent and capable she was, a young, inexperienced girl facing these challenges found herself overwhelmed. Coincidentally, An Ning's eldest uncle Shen Huai appeared at this time, not only personally providing connections and guidance but also having the Shen Corporation inject a substantial amount of funds, barely stabilizing the nearly bankrupt Gu Corporation.
And the critically ill Father Gu in the hospital.
Perhaps out of gratitude, maybe due to other factors. In any case, the two soon married.
At that time, it was a perfect match between talent and beauty, a union made in heaven, and they quickly had Muyan.
Unfortunately, the good times didn't last. No matter what, the Gu Corporation still had considerable gaps compared to the Shen family, and to some extent, after this incident, became even more dependent on the Shens.
Especially since it involved the crucial elements of "favor" and "obligation."
Perhaps feeling secure in his position, or maybe for other reasons—regardless, whether Uncle Shen actually cheated or not, An Ning hadn't witnessed, but he was never short of female companions around him.
The elderly Shen couple had tried advising him before, but at that time Shen Huai didn't see any problem:
"It's just professional contact, Mom and Dad are overthinking it. Ah Jun isn't someone who nitpicks over such matters..."
These words were actually shared by young lady Shen Qing when occasionally complaining about her unlucky brother.
As for Madam Gu's reaction, An Ning didn't know, but given that lady's calm and steady nature, she definitely wouldn't make a scene recklessly like young lady Shen Qing would.
Tsk, An Ning thought to herself. In the past it might have been manageable—even for the sake of Father Gu who lived long-term in the hospital, and little cousin Muyan, Madam Gu might have endured a bit longer.
Let's just say, the balance of power has completely reversed.
Glancing at her little cousin quietly enjoying the delicious food, as if completely unaware he'd just stabbed his father right in the heart again, then looking at the visibly haggard Uncle Shen before her, An Ning couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
Sure enough, the next moment she heard Mrs. Shen ask concernedly:
"What about Old Gu now?"
Uncle Shen shook his head heavily again: "As soon as we got the news, Ah Jun and I drove to bring Dad over, but that very day the disaster... Fortunately the family reacted quickly, plus the doors were securely locked."
"That's why nothing worse happened."
Regarding this, the elderly couple could only sigh.
"That child Ah Jun must be heartbroken!"
After all, though Old Gu had been rather irresponsible, he truly had no equal in how he treated his only daughter. Looking again at her son's dispirited expression, the clear pain in his eyes—even Mrs. Shen didn't know what to say.
Who could they blame!
As for Madam Gu Jun's character and temperament—just seeing how even during such dangerous times she hadn't abandoned her unlucky son...
If only before, ah...
Instinctively raising his hand to rub his forehead, Dad Lu bowed his head and silently pushed around the few remaining grains of rice in his bowl.
In the evening, after seeing off Uncle Shen and little cousin, when An Ning came out for some water, her excellent hearing unsurprisingly caught the clearly intense breathing from the married couple next door.
But what surprised An Ning came later. Roughly two hours afterward, sensing the noticeably agitated thunder and lightning elements in the air, clearly someone was still diligently cultivating at this hour, continuing until late night, even showing faint signs of a breakthrough.
Well, what can I say—Dad here is really putting in the effort.
The question is, doesn't he get tired?
Sigh, looks like I need to step up my game too!