Mouse Shadow

Cheng Jun straightened up and massaged her aching lower back, leaning on the hoe to rest for a moment.

Turning to look at Shen Yi, she saw him wielding his hoe vigorously at the other end, seemingly tireless.

The sunset glow draped over Cheng Jun, and the gentle pastoral scenery with its brilliant, gorgeous views made her momentarily dazed.

If it weren't for these peculiarly colored plants constantly reminding her,

She would have almost believed she was still on Earth.

"Bring the seeds over, scatter a few in each hole,"

Shen Yi, who had already turned the soil twice, called out to Cheng Jun.

The soil here was very fertile and easy to till.

"Oh."

Responding with a sound, Cheng Jun picked up the prepared vegetable seeds and scattered them one by one.

Shen Yi then pulled out a small water pump from the car, inserted it into the artificial lake, and started it up with the battery.

The crisp water was continuously drawn in.

Shen Yi attached a rubber hose and sprayed water to irrigate the field.

After finishing up, they stood together looking at the land before them, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.

The genes in their bones seemed to awaken, and smiles spread across their faces.

Shen Yi reached into the ice chest in the back seat and took out two cold drinks, handing one to Cheng Jun.

Opening it and drinking deeply, the coolness traveled straight down their throats, dispelling the heat from their labor.

Ice cubes were one of the conveniences of having electricity.

"Let's head back, it's getting late. We'll just need to come water it every few days,"

Shen Yi said, leaning against the door drinking his soda.

"Yes, in a few days we'll have vegetables to eat."

Cheng Jun nodded with a smile, taking off her straw hat, letting her dark hair cascade down like a waterfall.

She gathered her beautiful hair with both hands, revealing her slender swan-like neck, holding a green hair tie between her lips.

After days of working, her skin was no longer as pale as before, showing a healthier color.

Spending day and night together, Shen Yi never tired of seeing these scenes.

They drove home, Shen Yi went upstairs to prepare dinner, while Cheng Jun stayed downstairs to put away the tools.

After preparing two simple dishes, Shen Yi called Cheng Jun up for dinner.

At the dinner table, Shen Yi noticed something odd about how Cheng Jun was holding her chopsticks, and asked:

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine."

"Let me see your hands."

Cheng Jun silently shook her head, hiding her hands behind her back.

But she was no match for Shen Yi, who forcefully grabbed her hands and opened her palms to examine them.

Her delicate palms were covered in blisters, some already burst and raw red.

Shen Yi fell silent at the sight; he had experienced such blisters before and knew the piercing pain.

"I'll wash the dishes after dinner, don't get your hands wet, and I'll put medicine on them later."

Cheng Jun was like a cornered duck, with only her stiffened mouth left to protest,

"It's nothing, it'll be fine in a few days."

"This isn't a small matter. We have no doctors or medicine here. If it gets infected, it's no joke."

Shen Yi looked at her with a serious expression.

Not just her, but Shen Yi himself was also trying his best to avoid injuries.

Cheng Jun's lips quivered a couple of times, but she finally didn't talk back.

After cleaning up, Shen Yi sat beside Cheng Jun.

"This might hurt a bit."

Opening her palms, Shen Yi left the smaller blisters alone as they would heal naturally, but the larger ones and those that had burst needed disinfection and medication.

"Hiss..."

Despite Shen Yi's warning, the intense stinging still made Cheng Jun draw in a sharp breath.

These blisters were from hoeing in the afternoon, and Shen Yi hadn't expected her to endure so much - most people would have given up when their hands turned red.

Although she worked slowly and didn't turn the soil well, for a pampered young lady who had never done manual labor or known much about crops, she was doing remarkably well by not complaining about the hardship.

While thinking this, Shen Yi quickly wrapped her hands in gauze, his tone softening,

"Don't let the wounds touch water, they'll heal in a couple of days. Why did you foolishly make yourself suffer like this?"

Tears had been hanging in Cheng Jun's eyes for a while, and upon hearing this, she quickly turned away, not wanting him to see.

Though her palms hurt, her heart felt incredibly warm.

...

Time is like this - remembering while moving forward, never willing to pause.

Cheng Jun wrote the number 74 with a marker on a load-bearing wall.

This was her 74th day in this world.

She clearly looked more fulfilled, her entire demeanor having undergone significant changes.

Less fragile and more capable, her expression was cool and composed.

When everything required self-reliance, the environment truly shaped a person.

"Cheng Jun, breakfast is ready!"

In the next second, her composure instantly broke as she revealed a bright smile.

"Coming!"

Nearly three months of living together felt like several years; time seemed stretched out, and they had become close enough to talk about anything.

The pressure of survival had disappeared, but the puzzles that followed were no less numerous.

Had humanity been extinct? Were there other survivors? What was the source of these strange plants in large numbers?

Recently, whenever they had time, they would drive around the city exploring.

Whether using megaphones, playing music, or honking the horn,

They had tried every method possible to attract attention from others.

At each location, Shen Yi would persistently turn on the radio, hoping to catch some signal.

But they seemed like they were stranded on a deserted island, cut off from the world.

No one responded.

From the driver's seat, Shen Yi, wearing sunglasses, asked Cheng Jun who was writing and drawing beside him,

"Which direction should we go today?"

"Southeast, let's finish exploring the area we didn't complete last time."

Cheng Jun said while marking an X on the map to make her decision.

Looking closely, the map was already covered in X marks, indicating all the places they had visited.

"Alright then, fasten your seatbelt, the experienced driver is about to take off!"

Hearing her answer, Shen Yi immediately stepped on the gas, joking around.

"Ah, you're crazy!"

Cheng Jun was startled by the sudden acceleration, and after steadying herself, she playfully punched Shen Yi's shoulder in mock anger.

This was met with his triumphant laughter.

The car sped southward.

As usual, Cheng Jun pulled out a megaphone from under the seat, playing broadcast messages on loop to try to attract attention.

By noon, the megaphone that had been working all morning had run out of battery, and naturally, there had been no responses.

Cheng Jun put away the megaphone as usual, and they stopped the car in the middle of the road to rest.

Shen Yi set up a sun umbrella while Cheng Jun unfolded the chairs.

They took out the lunch boxes they had prepared before leaving home and began to enjoy their meal.

The car door was half open, with melodious music flowing from inside.

After the satisfying meal, they reclined their chair backs, each holding a cold drink, and began their afternoon rest right there on the zebra crossing.

Amidst the chaotic streets and ruined city, only music could be heard.

They napped carelessly in the center of the intersection.

This surreal scene went unseen by anyone - it was a romance unique to the apocalypse.

Shen Yi lay with his eyes half-closed, humming along to the music without a care.

Suddenly, something caught his peripheral vision, making him sit up abruptly.

A dark shadow had flashed beneath the car.