Chapter 145 - 142: The Apocalyptic Overlord Arrives 19

Chapter 145: Chapter 142: The Apocalyptic Overlord Arrives 19

"Sister Ji, Zhao Gang and I are married, so... we shouldn’t stay in separate rooms, right?"

An Ran glanced at Zhao Gang, then quickly hid behind him.

"In that case, I’ll..."

Ji Xiaosong was about to say she would take Room 1 herself, but Gu Lin suddenly stood up. A faint scent of cedar washed over her as his shadow completely enveloped her.

"I just checked the weather forecast. There’s another thunderstorm tonight."

An Ran let out a snort of laughter, and Zhao Gang jabbed her in the small of her back with his keys.

Ji Xiaosong felt the tips of her ears burn. Gu Lin’s fingers brushed almost imperceptibly against the nape of her neck. From an angle no one else could see, his thumb pressed down on her racing pulse.

"Besides, the next time you get a stomachache from sneaking ice cream in the middle of the night, are you going to ask An Ran to rub your belly for you?"

Ji Xiaosong’s knee bumped against the jade table beside them, and a glass bottle on its surface nearly toppled over.

’She remembered that night in the RV when she’d eaten ice cream. Gu Lin had silently warmed her cramping stomach with his palm, the scent of mint balm and his body heat seeping into her pores.’

"You two can have Room 1, then."

An Ran pushed them together, stifling her laughter. "It has a double bed. Plenty of room for whatever you two get up to."

The others took the hint and quickly retreated to their rooms, coincidentally falling into the same arrangements they’d had in the RV.

Gu Lin hooked his pinky around Ji Xiaosong’s. "Come on, let’s go inside too."

"I’m going to wash up first. After a day like this, I feel disgusting."

Without waiting for Gu Lin to reply, Ji Xiaosong slipped into the bathroom.

Steam condensed on the frosted glass, forming winding rivulets. Ji Xiaosong had just wet the ends of her hair when she heard the soft click of the door unlocking.

Gu Lin hung a bath towel on a gold-plated hook, the cuffs of his black shirt already rolled to his elbows, revealing the prominent veins on his forearms.

"Need some help?"

He took the shampoo from her palm, his fingertips sinking into the rich lather.

The stream of water suddenly shifted, and a warm spray splashed against Ji Xiaosong’s back.

She recoiled instinctively, the small of her back bumping against the cold edge of the marble countertop, but Gu Lin’s hand was there in an instant to steady her.

The citrus scent of the shampoo intensified in the steam, blooming into an intoxicating sweetness. He lowered his head, his Adam’s apple grazing the dripping ends of her hair. "Why are you trying to get away?"

"I’m not..."

The sound of the shower drowned out the rest of her sentence.

Gu Lin’s thumb traced a slow path up her spine, stopping to press and circle the prominent vertebra at the base of her neck.

Suds slid down her shoulder blades to her waist. He suddenly leaned in and bit the strawberry quartz stud on her right earlobe, the cool touch of the metal making her knees go weak.

Her bathrobe sash had come undone at some point. Through his soaked shirt, Ji Xiaosong could feel the taut curve of the muscles in his back.

Gu Lin suddenly lifted her by the hips and sat her on the counter, trapping her between the cool marble and the heat of his chest.

The silver chain on his wrist dangled down, casting flecks of silver light against her collarbone with every movement.

"Cold?"

He captured a bead of water from her shoulder with his lips, his palm closing around her ankle.

Soapy water trickled down the curve of her calf, pooling on the tile floor in a stream with a pearlescent sheen.

Ji Xiaosong’s toes curled, pressing into the fabric of his pants. The metal belt buckle dug into the sole of her foot, making her skin feel hot.

Someone must have bumped the showerhead, because a sudden jet of cold water blasted their chests where they were pressed together.

Gu Lin grunted and pulled her flush against him, his damp eyelashes brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear.

A drop of water trickled from his jaw into the collar of her robe, tracing a glistening path down her heaving chest.

Suddenly, a knock came from outside the bathroom. An Ran’s voice, tinged with amusement, cut through the steam. "Room service! Delivering bath salts—"

Gu Lin’s thumb firmly stroked the outer corner of Ji Xiaosong’s eye, which was flushed red from the heat. As he turned away, the scent of cedar that clung to him was thick with lingering desire.

He braced one hand on the doorframe, water dripping from the tips of his hair into the hollow of his collarbone. "Leave it by the door."

The frosted glass showed two overlapping silhouettes. In the roiling steam, the silver chain made a soft, clinking sound amidst the shifting light and shadow.

Early the next morning, Ji Xiaosong’s internal clock woke her.

She squinted, trying to make out the time.

It was broad daylight—almost seven o’clock.

She nudged Gu Lin, who was still holding her tightly. "Time to get up. Everyone’s waiting for me to hand out the supplies."

Gu Lin groggily opened his eyes. Morning light streamed through a gap in the curtains, tracing the line of his high-bridged nose and the slightly tousled ends of his hair.

He pulled Ji Xiaosong tighter against him, his voice husky and languid with sleep. "Just a little longer. Just a few more minutes."

As he spoke, he nuzzled her neck, his warm breath tickling her skin.

Ji Xiaosong’s cheeks flushed. She chided, "We can’t. I made a promise to everyone, and I can’t go back on my word."

She managed to wiggle out of Gu Lin’s embrace and sit up, grabbing some clothes from the side and pulling them on.

Gu Lin sighed in resignation and got up as well. "Alright," he said, pulling on a shirt, "I’ll help you."

Ji Xiaosong turned to look at him, her eyes curving into crescents. "With you helping, it’ll get done much faster!"

After quickly washing up, Ji Xiaosong and Gu Lin left the room hand in hand.

An Ran, Zhao Gang, and the others were already waiting in the living room. When they saw the couple emerge, knowing smiles spread across their faces.

"There you are,"

An Ran teased. "Any later and we would’ve thought you’d gotten lost in there."

Ji Xiaosong’s cheeks flushed. She cleared her throat. "Alright, alright, stop it. Let’s have breakfast. After we eat, I’ll go restock the warehouse. You guys can go to Base Commander Xiao and get the mission for rebuilding South City."

Everyone nodded. Ji Xiaosong went into the kitchen, and in the blink of an eye, the dining table was laden with food.

There were pan-fried buns, their skins crispy and fillings plump, bursting with savory juices at the first bite.

Golden, fluffy fried dough sticks, crispy and delicious with every bite.

A thick, creamy congee with century egg and lean pork, the rice cooked until soft and the flavors of meat and egg perfectly blended.

Several plates of crisp, refreshing side dishes, their sweet and sour flavors perfect for cutting through the richness of the meal.

There was even freshly squeezed juice, its fruity aroma and vibrant color tantalizing.

Everyone gathered around the table, their eyes wide with pleasant surprise at the magnificent spread.

While helping herself to a bowl of congee, An Ran said with a laugh, "Xiaosong, your storage space is a gourmet treasure chest! With you around, we’ll never have to worry about food. I’m definitely sticking with you for future missions."

Ji Xiaosong passed her a plate of bright red strawberries. "Of course."

’None of the team members on this mission were troublemakers. Ji Xiaosong was happy about that; she much preferred working with collaborators like these.’

After breakfast, they went to the warehouse, where Ji Xiaosong filled all the storerooms in one go.

To keep the fresh ingredients from spoiling, she also set up a preservation Barrier.

There were a good number of elderly people and children at the Southern City Base. Taking into account that the base provided their daily food and formula, Ji Xiaosong added extra supplies of baby formula for various stages, as well as baby food.

Gu Lin and the others had already departed, leading a group of Superpower Users to begin rebuilding South City.

Ji Xiaosong was about to head over by herself when Zhou Jian Country pulled up beside her in a car.

"Xiaosong, they’ve already gone ahead," he said. "Uncle Zhou will give you a ride. As it happens, I’m also heading to the city center for the reconstruction."