Chapter 405: The First Step to Chasing a Girl is Always Through Food
At 8 PM, the furious Shen Wencheng woke up.
But as soon as he did, he burst into loud sobs that echoed throughout the entire research base. Anyone unaware of the situation would’ve thought it was his own sister who had died.
In contrast, Jiang Yu lay quietly in the infirmary, receiving an IV drip. He didn’t react to anyone’s presence and stared blankly at the ceiling lights.
Jiang Tong’s body had been hastily frozen by Professor Qiao and others, hoping to buy time and extract any useful findings.
After handling all the arrangements and comforting various people, Su Tao didn’t stop working until 1 AM.
Everyone else could fall apart—only she couldn’t.
Shi Zijin drifted in to report:
“Huapi picked up the bag, but she seemed to notice Lingyu. It shouldn’t be a big issue, though.”
Su Tao glanced at Lingyu, who had burrowed his head under Xuedao’s belly—no wonder he was trembling like a leaf when he returned.
“Are you exhausted?” Shi Zijin asked with concern, noticing the dark circles under her eyes.
He suddenly felt that being a ghost wasn’t all that great—like right now, when he could only watch her suffer and couldn’t help at all.
His interest in watching TV dramas instantly faded.
Su Tao massaged her temples. “Of course, I’m tired. The only thing keeping me going is the hope that the apocalypse will end soon.”
Placing a hand over her heart, she looked at him with hopeful eyes:
“There’s a voice inside me telling me that what I’m waiting for is near. I just need to hold on a little longer.”
Her conviction lifted Shi Zijin’s spirits, sweeping away the gloom he had felt all day.
Su Tao always had this mysterious power—being around her made people believe the future held hope, like the warmth of the sun.
Only someone with an unwavering heart could radiate that kind of strength.
Staring at her face, Shi Zijin suddenly asked, “When this is all over, can I properly invite you to dinner? I’ll cook.”
Su Tao raised an eyebrow, confused. “Why the sudden invitation?”
“I saw on TV that the first step to chasing a girl is always through food,” he said seriously.
Su Tao froze for a second before bursting into laughter. “Alright—but if it’s not tasty, I’m not letting it slide.”
Shi Zijin quietly decided to stop watching dramas and start learning how to cook.
The next day, Su Tao received good news. The team she had sent to capture Huapi successfully located the target site and had already set up an ambush.
The leader, Xu Qi, pounded his chest confidently. “As long as your intel is accurate, we’ll capture Huapi alive—guaranteed.”
Su Tao felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
After hanging up, she tried calling Lei Xing again—still no answer.
Zhuang Wan sighed. “They probably won’t be in the communication zone for another two or three days. Let’s just hope Chen Yang doesn’t cause any trouble.”
Setting aside that concern for the moment, Su Tao focused on managing the daily affairs of Taoyang.
Jiang Tong’s incident had delayed her work, and a mountain of tasks had piled up—there was no room for rest. Being the boss meant working against the clock.
At 10 AM, a commotion erupted outside Taoyang.
Curious, Qian Linlin opened the window and exclaimed in delight:
“Tao! Look—it must be your base vehicle! It’s so cute!”
Su Tao walked over and saw a pink-and-white, round little vehicle—slightly smaller than a regular bus—driving through Taoyang’s main gate.
She internally gasped. Wow, what an adorable car.
The tenants gathered around, buzzing with curiosity.
Su Tao went downstairs just as Wen Man jogged over excitedly, grabbing her hand.
“I thought it wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow, but it turns out men work faster when you pester them enough.”
Having rushed the delivery overnight, Luo Yan wisely stepped aside, knowing he wasn’t needed here.
Wen Man’s eyes sparkled as she asked, “Do you like it? Pink is so pretty—don’t think it’s childish. Also, I had Luo Yan modify a small feature to work with your ‘Little Sun.’ When you travel, you won’t need to turn on the heater. The area within three meters of the vehicle will stay warm.”
Su Tao genuinely loved the car and felt touched. She squeezed Wen Man’s hand and said sincerely:
“This is the most girly gift I’ve ever received. Thank you, Manman—I really love it.”
Hearing that, Wen Man beamed like a sunflower.
The pink, round vehicle parked near Taoli Building immediately became the envy of the entire complex.
Inside, it was designed like a camper van with furniture covered in lace—dominated by pink and white hues, overflowing with girlish charm, perfectly reflecting Wen Man’s aesthetic.
But don’t let its cute appearance fool you—it was equipped with defensive and offensive systems, a spacious storage compartment for long-distance travel, and even a hidden feature: the exterior color could change to blend with its surroundings.
After inspecting it, Su Tao decided it was time to retire Gu Mingchi’s old vehicle.
Meanwhile, far away in the eastern district, Gu Mingchi sneezed, feeling oddly uneasy.
Wen Man was overjoyed all morning—until lunchtime, when her mood finally dimmed.
“Tao, I have to say goodbye for a while.”
Su Tao’s appetite instantly vanished. “Are you guys going back to Qian’an?”
Wen Man shook her head.
“It’s about Wen Yu—her older brother is getting married. The Xiao family is throwing a huge wedding and invited my family. I didn’t want to go, but Luo Yan and my dad said it’s proper etiquette. If I don’t attend, it’ll seem like I’m holding a grudge.”
Su Tao was stunned.
Wen Yu’s older brother? That flashy playboy they met at the Xindu auction?
He’s actually settling down and getting married?
“So, Wen Yu is going with you?”
Wen Man nodded. “Yep. She doesn’t want to go either, but her second sister crashed at her villa and wouldn’t leave for over a week.”
Su Tao’s lips twitched. She vaguely remembered that Miss Xiao the Second had looked down on Wen Yu’s territory before—now she had the audacity to freeload. Truly, the Xiao family was something else.
“Who’s the unlucky bride?”
Despite her workload, Su Tao made it a point to follow the major family news at the base. She knew most of the prominent figures, but couldn’t imagine who would marry that scumbag.
Wen Man grinned mischievously. “It’s Miss Chu Yue from the Chu family. She’s had the worst luck lately.”
