Meteor and Wish

Just as she arrived in the hallway, Ning Yu immediately recognized those sounds.

The amorous sounds clearly indicated lonely men and women "studying hard" late at night.

After just a few minutes, the room that was producing those sounds fell silent.

Only faint breathing could be heard.

Suddenly, a female voice spoke from inside:

"It's okay, three minutes is already impressive!"

As if consoling someone who hadn't studied hard enough.

Three minutes of studying was certainly showing a lack of academic dedication, though perhaps they were simply too exhausted to continue.

With her keen hearing, Ning Yu recognized it as Sun Jiao's voice.

She immediately guessed that since Sun Jiao had been making eyes at Fatty Zhao earlier that day, the man in the room must be him.

"Boss Zhao, about the food..."

Sun Jiao's weak voice emerged from the room again, followed by rustling sounds.

Soon after, the doorknob turned as someone prepared to exit.

Ning Yu hid in the shadows, blending perfectly into the dark hallway.

Sure enough, Sun Jiao emerged from the room, her face still wearing an alluring, ingratiating smile directed inside.

Her clothes were disheveled and her face flushed, clearly showing signs of recent "studying."

The door clicked shut behind her as she stepped fully into the hallway.

Her expression changed dramatically the moment the door closed.

Ning Yu could read it clearly: emptiness, loneliness, and disgust.

She was clutching some food items, obviously given to her by Fatty Zhao.

The two had clearly engaged in a transaction, though who knew how many times this had happened before.

The disgust in her expression wasn't just for the act itself, but seemed more directed at herself.

Sun Jiao kept trying to please Fatty Zhao just to maintain this arrangement.

She had no choice - without food, she couldn't maintain even basic dignity.

Fear of zombies and death had overcome shame, and she chose to sell her body for food - it was her last remaining asset.

Such things weren't uncommon in this apocalyptic world.

Suddenly, Sun Jiao seemed to sense Ning Yu's gaze and asked nervously:

"Who... who's there?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if afraid of being heard.

The hallway was too dark to see clearly, and when there was no response, Sun Jiao decided it must have been her imagination.

She turned and returned to her own room with the food.

A moment later, Ning Yu emerged from the darkness.

Though this transaction was just a minor incident, she no longer felt like returning to her room. She simply locked her door to prevent anyone from attacking Shen Yiyue.

Then she walked down the hallway, heading for the gymnasium's rooftop.

She was thinking about what Shen Yiyue had said and couldn't sleep.

After being interrupted by this little episode, she decided to go to the roof for some fresh air.

The gymnasium's rooftop was very spacious, essentially empty but with a decent view.

The roof was slightly cool, though Ning Yu wasn't bothered by the cold.

Upon reaching the top, she looked up at the endless starry sky.

Since the city lost its lights, the Milky Way had become visible - perhaps looking just as it had tens of thousands of years ago, eternally bright.

Few people could appreciate such enchanting night views anymore. Unlike the beauty above, the world below had become hell, overrun with zombies and monsters.

Her silver hair floated gently in the night breeze under the faint starlight, soft and delicate like windswept willow branches.

Ning Yu raised her amber eyes, and the starry river reflected in her beautiful pupils as if captured within them.

Her small, delicate figure stood there looking upward, momentarily wordless, as if engaged in a silent conversation.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind her.

Ning Yu hadn't brought her knife, but a silver crossbow quickly materialized beneath her clothes.

"Sister Ning Yu?"

The person who had come up was actually Bai Xuan.

Bai Xuan was clearly surprised to find someone else on the rooftop.

Before her stood Ning Yu in a black sleeveless dress, bathed in starlight, her exquisite face expressionless and aloof.

She turned suddenly to look at Bai Xuan, with the endless starry river as her backdrop.

The scene was so beautiful that Bai Xuan was stunned:

Could Sister Ning Yu be an angel who descended from the moon? How could anyone be so beautiful?

"Bai Xuan? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Ning Yu broke the silence first, asking her.

"I couldn't sleep, so I come up to the roof for some air whenever I feel this way."

Bai Xuan replied somewhat shyly, as if her secret base had been discovered.

But Ning Yu walked over and gently took Bai Xuan's hand, saying:

"Come, keep sister company while watching the stars."

Bai Xuan was startled for a moment, then quickly nodded, showing a happy expression:

"Yes, okay!"

She had always been alone when coming up here for fresh air and stargazing, but today she finally had company, and it was Sister Ning Yu whom she liked so much.

The two sat together on the rooftop steps.

Bai Xuan also took in the vast starry river, feeling the night breeze.

The gymnasium roof was quite high, free from the stench of zombies.

The breeze carried a familiar summer scent, as if closing one's eyes could transport them back to normal days.

Bai Xuan was immersed in this illusory beauty.

Until Ning Yu tapped her, and she opened her eyes.

Before her appeared a lollipop, strawberry flavored - one of Ning Yu's personal treasures.

She was showing a gentle smile as she said to Bai Xuan:

"This is your special reward for keeping sister company while stargazing."

Bai Xuan instinctively wanted to refuse - before the apocalypse, she could have had as many lollipops as she wanted.

But since the disaster struck, she and her classmates had often gone hungry, eating whatever they could find, grateful for any food at all.

It had been so long since she'd tasted a lollipop that she was already imagining the sweet and sour strawberry flavor.

Her mouth was already starting to water.

"Sister Ning Yu, this is really too..."

Before Bai Xuan could finish refusing, Ning Yu had already unwrapped it and handed it to her, brooking no rejection.

She had no choice but to accept it, though she couldn't help feeling joy - what child doesn't love sweets?

Ning Yu took out another one of the same flavor for herself.

"Look over there."

"That's Perseus..."

Ning Yu began pointing out and explaining the stars to Bai Xuan.

Bai Xuan listened in a daze, watching Ning Yu's amber eyes sparkle in the night sky.

She really wished she had a sister like this.

On the empty rooftop, two girls - one older and one younger - sat on the steps together admiring the Milky Way.

One pointed at the sky while explaining something, while the other listened intently.

"Wow! Sister Ning Yu, look! A shooting star!"

A white point of light with a tail moved across the sky - it really was a shooting star.

Bai Xuan's face lit up with excitement as she closed her eyes and clasped her hands to make a wish.

Ning Yu watched her calmly, waiting for her to finish.

"Sister Ning Yu, aren't you going to make a wish?"

Having finished wishing, Bai Xuan looked at the unmoved Ning Yu with innocent curiosity.

Make a wish?

What wish would I have?

World peace?

That has nothing to do with me, I have no wishes.

Ning Yu thought self-mockingly, but lied to Bai Xuan:

"Sister already made her wish. What did you wish for, Bai Xuan?"

Hearing Ning Yu's question, Bai Xuan immediately showed a hesitant expression:

"Mom said that if you tell your wish, it won't come true..."

"But telling Sister Ning Yu... that should be okay!"

Bai Xuan quickly made up her mind, her small face full of desire to confide:

"I hope Teacher Zhang finds lots and lots of food right away! So everyone can eat!"

Bai Xuan's bright eyes were full of hope, and when she said "lots," she made an exaggerated gesture with her hands.

Hearing this, Ning Yu smiled and patted her head.

They continued admiring the starry sky.

Another quiet and beautiful summer night.

But there was one thing Ning Yu didn't say, and had no intention of saying.

That is, shooting stars had another meaning:

They represented a life that was fading away.