Chapter 8: The Typhoon Arrives

Lin Buwan checked everything over once more and found no mistakes or omissions. Through the wall, she could hear the puppy howling and whimpering, its cries mixing together. Goodness! So young, yet already so loud!

As soon as Lin Buwan entered the room, the puppy spotted her and immediately fell silent, only letting out a few soft whines. She felt a headache coming on, tinged with a bit of regret.

"Are you a little clingy pest?" Lin Buwan tapped the top of the puppy's head with her finger.

The puppy responded skillfully, licking her finger with its tongue. Its big, round eyes glistened as it gazed up at her—no wonder Lin Buwan had softened and taken it in.

She tidied up the house a bit, stowing some items away into her dimensional space, making the house look neater and less cluttered than before. Otherwise, the moment Hua Xiao stepped in, she would have noticed something amiss. But now the space was packed to the brim, leaving hardly anywhere to set foot.

Her phone vibrated—it was Hua Xiao calling.

"I'm on my way," Hua Xiao grumbled, full of resentment. "I really don't get you—why hot pot in this dreadful weather?"

"Stop complaining. I'll be waiting for you at home, so hurry up," Lin Buwan replied before hanging up and returning to her tasks.

It wasn’t even five in the evening, yet the sky was already dark, as if it were seven or eight o'clock. The temperature had dropped a lot, and wearing short sleeves indoors, Lin Buwan felt a chill.

Before long, there was a knock at the door. Lin Buwan glanced through the peephole—there stood Hua Xiao and Yu Su, arms full of bags, their hair damp and bedraggled, looking rather disheveled. But better this than risking their lives in the coming super typhoon.

Lin Buwan opened the door and welcomed them in.

"You have no idea how fierce the wind and rain are out there!" Hua Xiao chattered, complaining nonstop. "You really know how to pick a day!" As she spoke, she spotted something new in the small living room—a chicken... a chicken coop?

"Lin Buwan, have you started raising chickens now?" Hua Xiao looked incredulous as she walked over for a closer look. "So tiny—is it a pet chicken?"

For a moment, Lin Buwan was unaccustomed to Hua Xiao's incessant chatter, but quickly adjusted. That was just how Hua Xiao was—she could talk for ages on her own. Sometimes, Lin Buwan barely needed to say a word; just listening was enough.

The presence of others made the house feel alive, no longer so cold and silent.

"Yes, it's pretty cute, just keeping it for fun," Lin Buwan replied offhandedly.

"What the—did you also bring home a puppy?" Hua Xiao and the little dog locked eyes, and she couldn’t help reaching out to pet its head. "Hmm, it looks a bit like a rat. Lin Buwan, have you been through something? Your taste is getting weirder and weirder."

Lin Buwan was silent for a moment. "I found it on the way home today. I was afraid it wouldn't survive if I left it."

Hua Xiao laughed. "You're actually quite kindhearted. Even if it does look a bit like a rat, it's still pretty cute."

"Put your things in the next apartment for now," Lin Buwan said. "We'll eat over there tonight—this place is too small."

Yu Su, having stood by listening to their banter for some time, finally found something to do. "I'll handle it. You two keep chatting."

"Alright, I’ll go unlock the door next door," Lin Buwan said, heading out to open the neighboring apartment.

For a moment, only Lin Buwan and Hua Xiao were left in the living room. Hua Xiao didn’t mind; it had only been a few days since they’d last seen each other. Usually, they met nearly every day at work, and even on weekends, they’d often meet for meals or go shopping. But for Lin Buwan, it felt like she hadn’t seen Hua Xiao in ages. She thought Hua Xiao was just as adorable as always, still so full of words.

"So why did you suddenly call us over? You’re acting strange lately," Hua Xiao scrutinized Lin Buwan's face, searching for clues. "Is it because of Ji Dong? The day I dropped off your medicine, I saw him with some woman when I got back to the company."

"Not to criticize, but Ji Dong is trouble," Hua Xiao continued, not missing a beat.

Lin Buwan smiled. "And how would you know?"

"Well, his reputation isn't great in our building," Hua Xiao replied. "You just like his looks, but who knows what a mess he is inside."

"Stop worrying. I’m not interested in Ji Dong anymore," Lin Buwan said.

Hua Xiao nodded. "Good. Then why the sudden dinner invitation?"

"With the typhoon, the company’s bound to give us time off," Lin Buwan joked lightly. "The apartment next door is empty; it’s boring being home alone, and no one’s coming to view the place. Might as well let you guys enjoy a luxury apartment for once."

"Pfft, who cares? When we save up enough to buy a place, we’ll keep a room for you—come stay anytime. It’ll be way fancier than this," Hua Xiao replied with a grin.

"I don’t want to be a third wheel!"

Their laughter filled the room, and soon it was time to head next door for hot pot.

Yu Su was indeed impressive. While the two women chatted, he deftly washed and sliced the ingredients Lin Buwan had left in the next apartment, organized the fridge, and stored all the perishables neatly away.

As the two women entered arm in arm, the bold aroma of hot pot filled the air. The familiar scent made Lin Buwan’s stomach growl. In the apocalypse, she’d had nothing to eat, and not even a soul to talk to. But this life was different—Hua Xiao was alive, she had her own portable home, and she’d even found a puppy.

"Perfect timing—the meatballs just went in," Yu Su said. "They’ll need a while, but you can start with the beef and lamb."

Hua Xiao raised her eyebrows at Lin Buwan. "Well? Isn’t Yu Su capable?"

"Alright, you have the best taste!" Lin Buwan replied, genuinely happy for her friend and for their reunion.

Hua Xiao had brought plenty of food, bedding, and a change of clothes, so staying here would be no problem. Besides, Lin Buwan had prepared a lot as well; in the early days of the apocalypse, they would be better off than most.

The super typhoon was expected to make landfall at midnight, and already the wind could be felt picking up strength. On such a high floor, the howling was even clearer, and when the storm truly arrived, the whole building would sway. Lin Buwan’s apartment block was only twenty stories—not especially tall—but in the city center, hundred-story towers had been snapped in half by the wind.

As the hot pot meal neared its end, they suddenly felt the building tremble.

"Did you feel that? The building is shaking—is it an earthquake?" Hua Xiao exclaimed.

Lin Buwan’s heart sank. Had the typhoon come early? Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the building swayed again, this time more violently—enough that the hot pot on the table shifted.

"It’s not an earthquake—the typhoon is here," Lin Buwan said, glancing at the time. It was already nine o’clock. "I’m worried about the puppy being home alone. I’ll head back—you two tidy up, and message me if anything happens."

Hua Xiao nodded. "If you get scared, just call me over."

Lin Buwan agreed, then reminded them, "If the wind gets really strong, hide in the bathroom—there are no windows." With that, she opened the door and quickly returned to her own apartment.