Morning.

The sun had just peeped out, and the intense sunlight was already spreading across the land.

In places where zombies frequently appeared, the air was filled with a faint stench of decay.

Fortunately, after the energy tide, various plants grew wildly, purifying those foul smells, so the staleness in the air didn’t linger.

Near the Yellow River, the sand contained a wealth of calcium, and rice irrigated with Yellow River water was fragrant and sweet, while the plants grew vigorously.

Before the apocalypse, farmers had planted trees on the Yellow River Beach, which was considered an income source.

Now, the green plants growing near the Yellow River Basin became even more lush, and the air was filled with a fresh scent.

Among the fresh scent, there was also a unique earthy smell from the Yellow River’s silt.

Bai Yifan, still drowsy, yawned.

It was his turn to make breakfast today, so he woke up the earliest.

Before starting the fire, Bai Yifan first opened the car window to let the fresh air outside blow in.

As the car window slowly opened, Bai Yifan immediately saw the blue-dressed zombie standing outside.

Xiao Lan Zombie was still holding the shoes and dress Bai Xiqin had given it, and when it saw Bai Yifan open the car window, its decayed head tilted slightly, and a rotten smile hung on its lips.

"...Good morning."

Bai Yifan’s mouth twitched hard, and he struggled for a long time before saying three words.

"Hoo hoo..."

Xiao Lan Zombie’s rotting throat moved slightly, and it made a polite "roar" as a response.

Xiao Lan Zombie had a curvy silhouette and must have been a beauty in life.

Now, with rotting flesh on its face and a smile aimed at Bai Yifan,

it indeed looked quite bizarre.

"Why haven’t you left yet? Don’t tell me you’ve been standing here all night?"

Bai Yifan scratched his head, unsure of what to say.

Xiao Lan Zombie had always stayed in front of Zhang Yiming’s courtyard in the Zombie Village, and whether or not it was Brother Zhang’s zombie girlfriend, it should be considered a kind of underling.

It wouldn’t be proper to chase it away directly or to cut out its Crystal Core.

It could barely be considered an unfamiliar friend.

Xiao Lan Zombie blinked its rotting eyes, its gaze slightly vacant.

It couldn’t understand Bai Yifan’s words, only able to comprehend some simple human terms.

Zombies still communicated better with each other than with humans.

Seeing that Xiao Lan Zombie didn’t speak, Bai Yifan asked several more questions out of boredom.

"Are you really Brother Zhang’s zombie girlfriend?"

"Have you always stood outside Brother Zhang’s courtyard door to peek at him bathing?"

"Have you seen Brother Zhang bathe?"

"Do you know if Brother Zhang still uses the bathroom normally?"

"If you guys are really together, could you have children like normal people?"

...

Blah blah blah.

Bai Yifan opened and closed his mouth, speaking a heap of nonsense.

Xiao Lan Zombie stared directly at Bai Yifan, seemingly somewhat stunned.

After speaking for a long time, Bai Yifan didn’t get a single response.

Xiao Lan Zombie couldn’t speak at all, only staring at Bai Yifan with its decayed eyes.

Sizzle sizzle.

The oil was hot.

Bai Yifan started to fry eggs, chatting with Xiao Lan Zombie as he cooked, finishing a meal quite quickly.

"Time to eat!"

"Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, elder sis, Brother Leng, come down to eat!"

Bai Yifan shouted toward the second floor, then carried a plate as he got off the bus.

Walking quickly, his body was also bathed in a layer of golden light.

"This is for you, eat!"

Bai Yifan handed the plate to Xiao Lan Zombie, and before it could respond, he turned and ran.

He was the weakest in the Bai Family.

Even though one might consider Xiao Lan Zombie to be Brother Zhang’s underling, he was still afraid.

Seeing it stand outside all night, quite pitiful, he prepared a breakfast for it as well.

"Hoo hoo――"

Xiao Lan Zombie let out a suppressed sound from its throat, and its decayed nose twitched slightly.

It smelled the unique scent of human flesh and blood on Bai Yifan, a scent that nearly drove it out of control.

It wanted desperately to pounce and devour the flesh.

Sadly, no.

The emperor would be angry.

Xiao Lan Zombie forcibly shifted its gaze to the plate it was holding.

On the plate was a large, bloody steak, with a fresh egg cracked on top.

It could be considered a luxurious meal in the Zombie world.

Its decayed throat moved, and without hesitation, it threw the dress and shoes in its hands to the ground, grabbed the steak with its rotting fingers, and brought it to its mouth.

The bloody beef juice stained its blue dress, but Xiao Lan Zombie had no reaction, simply gobbling down the raw steak.

It even licked the egg clean off the plate.

It hadn’t had such a lavish meal in a long time.

In its mind existed an obsession left by its emperor.

In Zombie Village, its emperor instructed all zombies not to harm the humans living there.

Every day, its emperor’s powerful mental waves swept through the village, preventing the zombies inside from harming the humans of the Bai Family.

Repeated over and over, protecting the Bai Family had practically become the Bai Family’s own obsession.

Xiao Lan Zombie strictly followed the emperor’s commands; it wouldn’t eat the Bai Family in the village, nor would it consume humans outside.

Occasionally capturing slow-moving small animals, it could have some food.

Raw steak was one of the best-tasting things in its scarce memory.

Xiao Lan Zombie reluctantly held the plate until it was so clean it reflected light, then it reluctantly placed the plate on the ground.

It picked up the dress and shoes from the ground again.

It still held them reverently with both hands.

Its dress was stained with red blood and raw egg liquid, and its decayed nose twitched slightly, greedily sniffing the traces of blood in the air.

The Bai Family members who came down to eat noticed the Xiao Lan Zombie still standing outside.

They even noticed Xiao Lan Zombie’s uncouth way of eating breakfast.

Xiao Lan Zombie finished its breakfast, and so did the Bai Family.

Bai Xiqin got off the bus and walked straight to Xiao Lan Zombie.

Xiao Lan Zombie slowly lowered its head, not facing its decayed face towards Bai Xiqin.

Afraid of scaring the most cherished human of its emperor.

Bai Xiqin’s gaze fell on Xiao Lan Zombie’s dirty dress, and she slightly furrowed her beautiful brows.

"The clothes are meant to be worn, not held."

Bai Xiqin’s gentle voice sounded.

Xiao Lan Zombie moved its rotting toes, not understanding Bai Xiqin’s words, but feeling the voice was nice to hear, wanting to hear it many more times.

No wonder it was the emperor’s most cherished person.

"Come with me."

The control power gently landed on Xiao Lan Zombie, and a hand reached out to it.

Bai Xiqin extended her hand to hold Xiao Lan Zombie’s slender arm, leading it towards the bus.

Xiao Lan Zombie followed Bai Xiqin on its own accord.

Bai Xiqin’s words, it wouldn’t disobey, just like it wouldn’t defy the emperor’s words.

The emperor never refused this human, and it was the same.

Just...

"Why did you stop?"

Bai Xiqin led Xiao Lan Zombie to the bus door, intending to take it to the washroom to change its dirty dress.

Unexpectedly, the obedient Xiao Lan Zombie suddenly refused to get on the bus, with a bit of resistance in its vacant eyes.