Chapter 84: Taoyang? Never Heard of It—Must Not Be in Great Condition
When Wu Zhen returned home, his wife took his toolbox and coat from him, while his son sat obediently at his desk, reading and learning to recognize characters.
Their home wasn’t large—just a 60-square-meter, two-bedroom apartment. It was near the wealthy district, with decent security and a good environment.
His wife was gentle and considerate, his son was intelligent and well-behaved, and although his job sometimes made him feel like a performing monkey, the pay was excellent. They never had to worry about food or safety.
In his spare time, he could even cultivate his personal hobby on their balcony… It was true, as he had said: life was good. There wasn’t much that needed changing.
“You look like you’ve got something on your mind,” his wife suddenly asked.
Wu Zhen hesitated for a moment before replying, “Uncle Mei sent someone to find us.”
His wife was visibly surprised. “Uncle Mei is still alive? With a son like his… and his leg injury… how did he—” survive until now?
Wu Zhen sighed. “I didn’t expect it either. I’ll call him later and find out more.”
His wife didn’t press the issue and turned to help their son with his studies.
If only this were before the apocalypse… There would be schools, teachers to educate children.
Damn apocalypse. She couldn’t even find a complete set of elementary school textbooks, let alone a proper school or teachers.
Later that night, just before bed, Wu Zhen took a deep breath and dialed the number.
An old, familiar voice answered, “Who is this?”
“Uncle Mei, it’s me—Wu Zhen.”
The old man on the other end became emotional. “Xiao Zhen! What about your father, huh?!”
Wu Zhen suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
Ever since the apocalypse began and society collapsed, his father had gone from being a respected university professor to a useless burden that no one needed.
His old friends had either died or cut ties, but Uncle Mei had never let go of their friendship.
For over ten years, he had never forgotten.
Wu Zhen’s voice choked up. “Uncle… my dad’s gone.”
A long silence followed. After what felt like an eternity, the old man’s trembling voice asked, “How did he pass?”
“There was no medical care in Shou’an. He was sick for too long… and we couldn’t save him.”
“And you? Who do you have with you now? Why don’t you come to Taoyang and live with me? I know Shou’an—those warlords don’t care about ordinary people. It’s too dangerous there.”
Taoyang?
Not Dongyang?
What is Taoyang?
Never heard of it. Probably not in great condition.
Wu Zhen didn’t ask further and simply said, “Uncle, I’m married now. My son is six years old. Our family is doing okay in Shou’an. Why don’t I send someone to pick you up instead? You can live with us. We’re not wealthy, but we have enough to eat and drink, and we can guarantee your safety.”
Uncle Mei could hear it—Wu Zhen was doing well in Shou’an.
But no matter how well he was doing, a base ruled by warlords who disregarded human lives could never last.
“Uncle, don’t worry. If you come here, we’ll treat you like family. It’ll be much better than living alone in Dongyang.”
Uncle Mei sighed. “Xiao Zhen, to be honest, I don’t have to worry about food or shelter where I am. I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment with air conditioning. There’s even someone assigned to take care of my daily needs, and I have access to medical treatment. They’re even working on a way to help me walk again after all these years.”
Wu Zhen froze, doubting his own ears. After a long pause, he asked, “What is Xingxian doing in Dongyang?”
Mei Xingxian made something of himself? He actually takes care of his father now?
The old man scoffed, “This has nothing to do with that ungrateful brat. I’ve already cut ties with him. Everything I have now is thanks to Tao-girl. You must’ve met her already—otherwise, you wouldn’t have my contact information.”
Wu Zhen thought back to the young woman he had met earlier in the day. He hadn’t expected her to have such influence in Dongyang.
Living in an air-conditioned home… access to medical care… since when was Dongyang this well-off?
Uncle Mei patiently explained, “This is exactly why I’m asking you to come to Taoyang. You probably haven’t heard of it—it’s right next to Dongyang, and it’s run by Tao-girl. When I say we don’t worry about food, have medical care, and access to doctors, I’m not exaggerating. Recently, Taoyang has even started building its own agricultural farms. Soon, we won’t have to worry about vegetables and fruit either.”
To prove his point, Uncle Mei sent Wu Zhen a few photos of Taoyang.
When Wu Zhen saw the sunlit greenhouses, he was shocked. He suddenly recalled what Su Tao had told him earlier about running his own plantation…
So she wasn’t just talking big—she was serious!
Uncle Mei continued in a serious tone, “I helped Tao-girl design and plan the land layout for Taoyang. She’s generous—she gave me three spots for people to move in. That’s perfect for you, your wife, and your son. You’d get a two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen, a large balcony, and air conditioning. Electricity is dirt cheap—you can use as much as you want.”
