Chapter 685: One Last Time
"Brother Zhang, there are too many dishes already. It’s enough. Let’s eat together, shall we?"
Bai Yifan looked at the table full of delicious dishes, swallowed a mouthful of saliva silently, and had already calculated in his heart which dish to pick first when it was time to eat.
"You start without me. I’ll whip up two more dishes. They’ll be ready soon."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming quickened his movements slightly, his thin lips pressing together.
The meat was obediently cut into even pieces in his hands, and this time, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming made a dish with a strong flavor.
Added some more chili peppers.
Among the many dishes on the table, the balance between meat and vegetables was well handled, with some being light and others heavily flavored.
Not too overwhelming on the stomach.
"Well, then, I guess I’ll wait a bit longer."
Bai Yifan glanced at the ribs stewing and already understood something, then quietly sat on the sofa to wait.
Leng Yebai saw Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming still cooking and took a couple of steps toward the kitchen, wanting to help with chopping or stir-frying, but was promptly pushed out by Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming.
"This time, let me handle the cooking."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s face bore a smile, the hostility previously upon him nowhere to be seen.
For a moment, Leng Yebai and Bai Xiqin thought the person in front of them was not Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming from the future, but Zhang Yiming of this time and place.
"There’s enough food. There’s no need for so much; we can’t finish it all."
Leng Yebai furrowed his brows, unsure of what Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming was up to.
"I’m just doing this once, don’t be so stingy."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, with his back to Leng Yebai, said those words, and Leng Yebai couldn’t see the fleeting loneliness and determination on Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s face.
This is it, the last time.
Leng Yebai took a deep breath and turned to sit on the sofa with Bai Yifan, waiting for dinner to start.
"What did you see there?"
Bai Xiqin felt there was something off about Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, though couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.
"Nothing really, just something very important to me."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming paused his chopping, gently tugged at the white gloves on his hands, and spoke softly.
Had it not been so quiet in the bus, Bai Xiqin would hardly have heard what Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming was saying.
"What kind of important thing?" Bai Xiqin asked again.
"Truly nothing, at least not important to you."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming turned and smiled at Bai Xiqin, with a warmth like when they first met in the library.
There was no trace of the Zombie Emperor at all.
In this instant, Bai Xiqin almost felt like she was back in her school days before the apocalypse.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming said no more, and Bai Xiqin didn’t want to press further.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming wouldn’t let anyone help with the cooking, nor with serving the dishes.
Bai Xiqin could only sit on the sofa.
Waiting.
Twenty minutes later, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming took the ribs soup from the pressure cooker and placed it on the table.
"Alright, thank you for waiting."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming didn’t remove his gloves, serving a bowl of ribs soup while wearing them, placing the first bowl toward Bai Xiqin.
As the bowl was about to be placed in front of Bai Xiqin, it turned and was set before Bai Yifan.
"Xiao Fan, have a taste and see if it’s any different."
Bai Yifan couldn’t wait any longer and picked up a spoon to drink some soup, then gnawed on a rib.
"Hmm, not bad, it’s exactly the same!"
Bai Yifan gave Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming a thumbs-up, then buried his face back into the bowl.
It’s just like the ribs soup made by Zhang Yiming from another world!
"That’s good."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming served another bowl and placed it in front of Bai Xiqin.
Not only did he serve two bowls, but he also served another one, placing it in front of Leng Yebai.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming didn’t serve himself or eat but simply watched the three of them eat.
His gaze moved between their faces, lingering especially long on Bai Xiqin’s face.
When looking at Bai Yifan, his expression was a smile of affection toward a younger person.
While looking at Bai Xiqin, it was with deep affection and reluctance.
And when looking at Leng Yebai, he was almost rolling his eyes.
Leng Yebai’s mouth twitched slightly when Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming looked at him, replying with an eye roll.
"Is it good?" Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming asked Bai Xiqin.
"Yes, although there aren’t any chili peppers, the taste is quite rich, and the radishes inside are tender and soft." Bai Xiqin nodded.
The taste was indeed good.
Bai Xiqin usually enjoyed strong flavors, and occasionally tasting something mild was quite delicious.
When Bai Xiqin nodded, Leng Yebai’s eyes were fixed on his bowl of ribs soup, as if just by looking, he could figure out the ingredients of the soup.
Upon hearing Bai Xiqin’s words, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming let out a low laugh.
"As long as it’s tasty, you should have it often; it’s good for your stomach."
After saying this, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming cast a cool look at Leng Yebai.
Leng Yebai didn’t look at Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, but silently continued to stare at the ribs soup in front.
By the time dinner was over, it was nearly dawn outside.
After they ate, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming cleared the table himself, washing the bowls, chopsticks, pots, and pans, not letting Leng Yebai or Bai Yifan help.
As if he were the man of the house here.
"I should go."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming stood before them and extended his right hand.
He still wore the white gloves.
Only they weren’t the pair used for cooking earlier.
They were a new set, very clean, without stains.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s eyes were downcast, a hint of reluctance flashing within them.
"Goodbye."
Bai Xiqin graciously extended her right hand as well, gently holding his.
She understood the pain Xiao Ming experienced after becoming a zombie; they were classmates, but the paths of their futures led in different directions.
She couldn’t find words of comfort and could only shake hands to wish him well.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming could feel the warmth from Bai Xiqin’s hand through the gloves.
Bai Xiqin could also feel the warmth in Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s hand.
His hands weren’t cold; like Zhang Yiming’s, they had warmth, but the blood underneath the skin was still black.
Bai Xiqin gently squeezed his hand, but when she tried to pull hers away, she couldn’t.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming held on tightly, his gaze fixated on their clasped hands.
The fair fingers against the gloved hand appeared somewhat mismatched.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming shifted his gaze to Bai Xiqin’s face, and this time, Bai Xiqin understood another special emotion from him.
Longing, reluctance, heat...
Unhidden.
Even facing those dark eyes, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming didn’t look away; in this moment, he was unrestrained with his emotions.
For a moment, Bai Xiqin was stunned.
After a while, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming slowly let go of her fingers.
"And you, goodbye."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming gave a glance at Leng Yebai, who wore an icy expression, and extended his fingers too.
Leng Yebai unhesitatingly gripped Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s hand.
Crunch, crunch—
It was unclear whose fingers made the crunching sound, or perhaps both did.
Anyway, neither would let the other off easy.
"I’m leaving!"
After "shaking hands" with Leng Yebai in a "friendly" manner, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming turned and left.
He didn’t greet them again, just waved at them.
His back looked incredibly lonely and isolated.
Bai Yifan suddenly recalled a line of poetry: "The wind is bleak and the river’s cold..."