Chapter 73 – Apocalypse Arc: Zombie Siege: Rebirth in the Apocalypse—My Secret Lover (11)
A parent’s love for their child is their own to bear. Watching its host grow thinner by the day, the system felt an indescribable pain. Using its spiritual energy, it forcibly woke Bai Tang from his sleep. The air was thick with a distinct masculine scent. Bai Tang’s eyes were red and swollen, and for a moment, he thought he was dreaming.
“Ah Cang~” The boy’s soft, childlike voice was hoarse. “Don’t ignore me~”
The sound of his quiet sobs made Shao Licang’s heart ache.
He pressed a gentle kiss to the whorl of hair on Bai Tang’s head, then pulled out a wet tissue and carefully wiped away the tear stains on his face. “Don’t leave me~”
“I won’t go. But Tang Tang, you can’t leave me either.” Shao Licang held Bai Tang’s gaze.
Do you have any idea how scared I was? He guided Bai Tang’s hand to his chest.
“Here.” The steady, powerful heartbeat beneath Bai Tang’s fingertips carried an almost hypnotic pull, gradually synchronizing with his own.
“I get scared too. I finally found you… I’m terrified you’ll suddenly disappear again. When you collapsed in my arms, covered in blood, I was afraid I’d never see you open your eyes again. I was afraid I’d never hear you call me ‘Ah Cang’ again…”
For the first time, vulnerability filled Shao Licang’s eyes. In the business world, people called him ruthless, a monster without a heart. But only he knew the truth—he had been waiting for someone all along. And now that he had found them, he had also gained a weakness.
“Ah Cang…” Bai Tang was at a loss, unsure how to comfort the man before him, whose eyes were tinged red with emotion.
After a moment’s hesitation, he mimicked the way Shao Licang had comforted him before. Cupping the older man’s face in his hands, Bai Tang leaned in and offered a kiss, reverent and sincere.
The soft warmth of his lips was like a trigger. Shao Licang was stunned for only a second before instinct took over.
In the business world, he was known as the “Cang Wolf.”
Now, he was like a starving predator that had just captured its prey—kissing Bai Tang with a fierce, possessive hunger, declaring his claim in the most domineering way possible.
“Hah~” Even after experiencing two different worlds, Bai Tang still hadn’t learned how to breathe while kissing.
When Shao Licang finally let him go, he gasped for air, his pale cheeks turning a flushed shade of pink from both breathlessness and excitement.
His lips shimmered with moisture, like a ripe fruit waiting to be picked. He was ready—waiting for Shao Licang to take the next step.
And Shao Licang fully intended to. But just as he was about to move, his eyes landed on the bandages still wrapped around Bai Tang’s stomach. In an instant, all of his passionate thoughts vanished.
Shao Licang adjusted Bai Tang’s pajamas and pulled the blanket over him.
“Ah Cang~~” The boy pouted in dissatisfaction, his eyes filled with emotion as he twisted his waist slightly.
“Don’t move!” The man’s voice was low and hoarse.
He buried his head in Bai Tang’s neck and shoulder. “Go to sleep. Once you’re better…” His long fingers traced from the boy’s waist to the area near his wound, the meaning behind his words unmistakable.
“I-I’m fine,” Bai Tang whispered shyly. “I… I like you, Ah Cang…”
The fire that had barely been extinguished was suddenly fueled, flaring into an uncontrollable blaze.
The man flipped over, bracing himself above the boy. Bai Tang mustered his courage and boldly wrapped his arms around Shao Licang’s neck…
Outside the door, Bai Yun stood holding a tray of late-night snacks, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh as she listened to the sounds coming from inside.
She never fought the female lead for the male lead’s affection, yet somehow, the “love interest” had become her own little brother. What kind of mess was this…?
…
At dawn, Shao Licang woke up on schedule, his biological clock as precise as ever. The boy in his arms was covered in faint marks, proof of how intense the night had been. Even though he had been as gentle as possible, his burning love for the person he cherished had made it impossible to hold back completely.
Carefully, he checked Bai Tang’s wound and was surprised to find that the injury had already healed, leaving only a faint scar behind.
“Ah Cang~ Don’t mess around…” Bai Tang groggily swatted away Shao Licang’s hand as he tried to remove the bandages. In a daze, he opened his eyes to see Shao Licang gazing at the scar with a tender expression, gently stroking it.
“Ah Cang~” Bai Tang’s voice was even hoarser than before. “It tickles~”
Shao Licang pressed a soft kiss to the scar. “It must have hurt a lot back then.”
“It did. I really thought I was going to die,” Bai Tang admitted shyly. “But I couldn’t bear to die… I wanted to wait for you, Ah Cang…”
Recalling the events of the previous night, Bai Tang felt his cheeks flush. In the last world, Ah Cang had told him that only married couples could share the most intimate of moments. And now that they had… that meant they were each other’s closest person, right?
“Tang Tang, I love you,” Shao Licang whispered, his gaze filled with deep affection. In his eyes, there was only room for one person.
“I-I love you most too, Ah Cang,” Bai Tang stammered. Then, suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment, he covered his face and turned over. In a flash of white light, the blanket now held a plump little squirrel curled up tightly.
“Zhi zhi zhi—” The round, fluffy squirrel burrowed deeper into the blanket, revealing only a pair of large, blinking eyes. But when it noticed Shao Licang still watching, it quickly ducked back inside.
Shao Licang was truly amazed. Before, he hadn’t had the chance to witness it in person, but now, he had seen a real-life transformation happen before his eyes.
“Tang Tang, come out, okay?” Shao Licang knew exactly how shy his boy was. Not wanting to startle him by pulling the blanket away, he could only coax him gently in a soft, soothing voice.
“Zhi zhi—” The little squirrel poked its head out, its pointed ears pressed flat against its head.
The texture in Shao Licang’s hands was incredibly soft. Holding both the blanket and the squirrel, he lifted them up and placed a kiss on the squirrel’s head.
“No matter if you’re human or a squirrel spirit, you’ll always be my Tang Tang.”
As soon as the words left his lips, Bai Tang transformed back into his human form under the blanket. Curling up against Shao Licang’s chest, he mumbled softly, “I want to eat nuts.”
“Alright.” Shao Licang smiled, holding his boy tightly. Whatever Bai Tang wanted, he would give. Even if it was his life, he would offer it without hesitation.
…
During lunch, Bai Tang nestled in Shao Licang’s arms, lazily directing him on which dishes to pick. The smile on Shao Licang’s lips was impossible to hide. Each time he fed Bai Tang a bite, he would lower his head to steal a kiss.
Watching this scene, Bai Yun lowered her gaze, silently poking at her rice with her chopsticks.
Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks appeared within her sight, holding a piece of braised pork.
Looking up, she met Bai Tang’s bright, smiling eyes. “Sister, eat~”
Bai Tang hadn’t forgotten. When he was heartbroken in the hospital, it was Bai Yun who cooked for him every day, bringing him meals and fun little gifts without fail. But at the time, he had been too overwhelmed to appreciate them.
“Alright, and Tangtang, you should eat too. Don’t go hungry,” Bai Yun said, her nose stinging slightly. Her little brother was thinking about her. He hadn’t forgotten his sister just because he had a lover now.
With Shao Licang feeding him, Bai Tang ended up with a round, full belly. Yet, he still hadn’t forgotten about the nuts Shao Licang had promised him.
“Hic… Hic…” Overstuffed, Bai Tang clung to the bowl of nuts the maids had brought over, refusing to let go. “Hic… Hic…”
Like lightning, he cracked the shells open in a few swift moves, the rich, nutty fragrance filling his mouth with every bite.
“Hic… Hic… Hic…”
Bai Tang reached for a third nut, only for Shao Licang to snatch the fruit platter away.
“No more.”
Bai Tang pouted. “You promised I could have nuts~” His expression clearly said, If you don’t give them back, I’m going to cry.
“You can have more later, baby. But first, come with me.” Shao Licang knelt down to help Bai Tang put on his shoes, then led him for a slow walk around the courtyard. Only after Bai Tang’s hiccups stopped did he take him to the storage room behind the villa.
The moment they stepped inside, towering piles of supplies came into view. Bai Tang’s eyes widened in astonishment as he gazed at the ceiling-high stacks of boxes. The outermost layer was filled entirely with his favorite nuts, in every variety imaginable.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pricked his finger. Before Bai Tang could react, Shao Licang had already taken his injured finger into his mouth.
Carefully, Shao Licang pulled out the fair, delicate finger and sprayed it with a pain-relief spray.
“Tang Tang, put this on and imagine storing everything inside.” Shao Licang took the jade pendant he had retrieved, dripped Bai Tang’s blood onto it, and hung it around his neck.
Bai Tang instantly understood what it was. Meeting Shao Licang’s encouraging gaze, he activated the pendant’s spatial storage ability and absorbed all the supplies from the warehouse into it.
Shao Licang pulled Bai Tang into his arms and kissed his lips. “Tang Tang, you can’t abandon me, or I’ll starve to death.”
Seeing Shao Licang deliberately pull a pitiful expression—though it was more comically distorted than convincing—Bai Tang’s lips curled into a smile. Hooking his arms around Shao Licang’s neck, he declared, “Never. From now on, I’ll take care of you.”
…
The zombie outbreak spread like a plague, quickly engulfing Z City. Hospitals were overwhelmed—people went in but never came out. Medical staff worked tirelessly, unable to return home, collapsing in corridors and locker rooms whenever they could steal a moment’s rest. Panic swept through the city as citizens raided pharmacies, emptying shelves of instant medicine. The situation grew increasingly dire.
Watching the news broadcast, Bai Yun’s expression hardened. For the first time, she played the role of a strict older sister, sternly warning Bai Tang not to sneak out again. The last time he did, he ended up getting hurt.
Shao Licang also stopped going to his company. Instead, he gathered a large group of people. In addition to the bodyguards Bai Tang had met before, several new faces appeared—each exuding a dangerous aura that made it clear they were anything but ordinary.
“Get to know each other. This is Bai Yun.”
Bai Yun greeted them with composed confidence, nodding politely to each one.
“He is Bai Tang,” Shao Licang said softly, looking down at Bai Tang, who was happily munching on his nuts.
“Hello, big brothers~” Bai Tang’s sweet voice, paired with his soft and milky tone, instantly won everyone’s affection.
“Hello, hello…” The group eagerly responded, rubbing their hands in anticipation, waiting for Bai Tang to leave their boss’s embrace so they could have a turn holding him.
He Lang rolled his eyes at his delusional brothers. You guys seriously think you have a chance? I live in the villa and still can’t get close to this little cutie. Dream on!
These men were the elite forces personally trained by the previous master of the Shao family—Shao Licang had grown up alongside them.
After everyone got acquainted, Shao Licang laid out the dire situation they were facing. The room instantly became tense. Even without watching the news, the horrors they had witnessed on the way here—the crazed people biting others—were enough to chill them to the bone.
A normal person would suddenly collapse, and when they got up again, their mouth was twisted, their face contorted, and yellowish drool dripped from their lips. It was beyond disgusting.
As the group recounted what they had seen, Bai Tang, who had a vivid imagination, pictured the horrifying scene in his mind. He successfully scared himself and instinctively curled up in Shao Licang’s arms.
Seeing Bai Tang’s frightened reaction, the men’s eyes lit up, and they started speaking even more enthusiastically.
Come here, little cutie! Big brother’s arms are strong and sturdy—I’ll definitely protect you!
Shao Licang shot them a disdainful glare before turning his attention back to Bai Tang, soothing him gently. “Do you still want some nuts? The butler should have finished roasting pine nuts by now.”
At the mention of pine nuts, Bai Tang’s eyes sparkled, and he replied in a soft, sweet voice, “Yes~”
Shao Licang threw out a casual “You guys carry on” before carrying Bai Tang upstairs.
The men, who had been talking excitedly: “…”
Boss, fine, you can leave, but why take the little cutie with you?! We were telling the story for him! Sob, sob… Why didn’t he run into our arms instead?
Author’s Note:
Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 🎑✨