Chapter 18: A Heart for a Heart
Su Tao, of course, simply waved her hand and crossed out the name.
It was quite surprising that Li Lianrong was actually willing to let Jiang Jinwei move out.
She wondered how her life in the military was going.
Su Tao didn’t expect to find out so soon. During dinner, the chatterbox Dang Xingyan started complaining while eating:
“That woman couldn’t stay put. She was assigned to the logistics team to collect gear from the dead, but she got so scared that she jumped straight into the arms of the boss of the Third Division. He kicked her away immediately.”
Su Tao couldn’t help but twitch her lips.
Cen Tianjiao, who had also bought a boxed meal, chimed in:
“Su, the landlord, this place has changed so much! I almost didn’t recognize it when I walked in.”
Su Tao asked, “How long can you stay this time?”
As she spoke, she looked at Shi Zijin.
Shi Zijin initially intended to say he was worried and wanted to return to the site with the special investigation team the next day.
But when he met Su Tao’s gaze, the words got stuck in his throat. After a quick turn on his tongue, they came out as:
“Three days, I guess.”
Su Tao sighed in relief—thankfully, he wasn’t leaving the next day. Her mood lifted:
“Get some good rest. I recently bought a game console. Let’s play together tomorrow!”
She was tired of watching TV. After browsing through the home decor store for a while, she finally found a game console loaded with over a hundred mini-games and equipped with four controllers—perfect for multiplayer fun.
Seeing her playful excitement like a child, Shi Zijin couldn’t help but chuckle.
However, Su Tao didn’t get a chance to play games the next day because Jiang Ze was bundled up in a sack and tied up at her door by her enthusiastic tenants.
When Meng Xiaobo threw the wriggling, muffled figure onto the ground, Su Tao was stunned:
“What are you guys doing?”
The mastermind behind the sack ambush was none other than Xing Shuyu, the “mastermind strategist.”
Lu Tao and the others handled the beating.
Meng Xiaobo’s girlfriend, Yang Ju, spat at the figure on the ground:
“Scumbag! How dare you turn the truth upside down and file a false complaint? I’m going to make sure he understands the consequences of spreading rumors. Close the door—let Xiaobo at him!”
Meng Xiaobo, with his massive fists ready, moved forward.
Su Tao’s soul nearly left her body from fright:
“Stop! If you hit him like that, you’ll kill him! Let him go—just scold him a bit.”
Lu Tao cracked his knuckles:
“I’ll do it. I’m not as strong—I won’t kill him.”
With that, he started a round of punches and kicks.
Since the sack was filled with flammable materials, Jiang Ze didn’t dare use his powers. He was afraid that instead of burning his enemies, he’d end up disfiguring himself.
As soon as the sack was untied and his mouth freed, Jiang Ze burst into tears, begging for mercy:
“I really know I was wrong! Please, everyone, stop! I swear, if I spread any more rumors about Taoyang, I’ll be a pig, I’ll be a dog—my whole family will be gutted by zombies…”
Su Tao interrupted him:
“Enough, enough! Just get out of here…”
Xing Shuyu, now satisfied, didn’t make it any harder for him. She cut the rope binding his hands with a small knife:
“Get lost.”
Jiang Ze, his face bruised and swollen, scrambled away without daring to look back.
Watching the whole scene, Shi Zijin chuckled softly:
“Boss Su has earned a lot of loyalty.”
Su Tao shook her head at him:
“It’s not just loyalty—I gave my heart, and they returned it with theirs. I want them to live well, and naturally, they want Taoyang to be well too.”
Shi Zijin’s smile faded:
“But what if one day, one of them turns against you?”
Su Tao looked at him:
“So what if they do? I’ll still be the landlady, and I’ll still take responsibility for every single one of my tenants. Major Shi, aren’t you the same? You protect so many people, and not all of them are kind or good. Does that mean you should give up on your mission because of it?”
Shi Zijin was momentarily stunned, then his smile returned, his beautiful, delicate phoenix eyes narrowing:
“Boss Su is absolutely right.”
Su Tao raised her chin slightly:
“Wanna play games with me?”
“If I’m on your team, I’m in.”
It took Su Tao two evenings to finally finalize the list of fifteen tenants. She sent notifications to each of them, asking them to report and register at Taoyang within three days.
At the same time, Shi Ziyue’s short-term lease finally ended. Following her wishes, Su Tao bought a new single bed, complete with a soft mattress, carpet, and a cozy goose-yellow bedding set, along with a soft wool blanket.
Next to the single bed, she set up the long-desired desk, paired with a wheeled chair. There was also a storage shelf across from it, dedicated to holding her books.
The bathroom was sectioned off with white dividers, and a three-tier shelf was added for toiletries. The shower area was upgraded with higher-quality Changhong glass to achieve dry and wet separation.
Overall, the renovation costs nearly matched those of Cen Tianjiao’s luxurious single room.
When Shi Ziyue returned from school in the afternoon, she opened the door to see the brand-new room. She excitedly kicked off her shoes, jumped onto the bed, and ran around barefoot. She couldn’t wait to put her books and belongings on the new desk.
“Sister Taozi, you’re amazing! I love my room so much! I’m inviting my classmates over tomorrow!”
Seeing her so happy, Su Tao felt deeply satisfied:
“Then invite as many as you want. I’ll prepare some delicious food for you all.”
“Okay!” Shi Ziyue eagerly started calling her classmates, unable to wait even a moment.
Leaning against the door frame, Shi Zijin smiled at Su Tao:
“Thank you. Ziyue hasn’t been this happy in a long time. She never had her own room growing up. Before, when I left her with relatives, she had to share a room with her cousin, even sharing the same desk, often leaving her with no place to put her own books.”
Su Tao felt a surge of compassion. She remembered how, back in the Su family, she used to follow Jiang Jinwei around, saying nice things just to use her desk for a bit. Usually, she had to flip over her bedding and lie on the bed frame to read and do homework.
She hoped Taoyang would continue to thrive, giving more people their own private spaces and belongings.
“Do you have any more vacant rooms here? Preferably for three people,” Shi Zijin suddenly asked.
Su Tao shook her head:
“Not at the moment, but in about a week, I should have one available.”
Once the next batch of tenants arrived and paid their first month’s rent, she’d have enough funds to upgrade to level 3. At that level, she could unlock a one-bedroom apartment that could accommodate up to three people.
Shi Zijin nodded:
“Then please hold a room for me. Huzi has an older sister with two kids, and she’s looking for a place to live. After considering all the options, your place seems the best. Also, tomorrow we’re planning to see Huzi off. Would you like to come?”
“Absolutely!” Su Tao agreed without hesitation.
The next day, Su Tao and Shi Ziyue got ready early and took the Pioneer Army’s vehicle to the Dongyang Martyrs’ Cemetery.
In the post-apocalyptic world, land was scarce. There wasn’t enough for the living, let alone for the dead.
When ordinary people died, their bodies were usually thrown out of the base. Only martyrs like Zhuang Hu were cremated, with a small amount of ashes preserved in a black box and sent to the martyrs’ cemetery.
Su Tao stood in the cemetery, her gaze sweeping over the densely packed rows of black boxes, arranged so tightly that those paying their respects could hardly find a place to step.
Her heart felt unbearably heavy as she followed everyone, placing Zhuang Hu’s ashes into his small designated spot, listening as the funeral host recounted his life story.
