Lu Ningfei hadn't even managed six hours of sleep when the insistent knocking on his door jolted him awake.
His eyes snapped open, and for a brief, blissful moment, he forgot about the overwhelming exhaustion that had settled into his bones. But reality quickly caught up to him—he wasn't in his old, familiar world anymore, and the apocalypse was looming ever closer.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the door to his room creaked open, and Si Qin's voice pierced the early morning silence. "Brother Fei! Wake up, we're going to buy that car today!"
Lo and behold, his bad luck of the day has arrived.
Lu Ningfei groaned inwardly, dragging a hand over his face. He hadn't expected Si Qin to actually wake him up at the crack of dawn for this nonsense. After all, he had practically agreed to buy the car just to shut the kid up, and now here he was, being dragged out of bed for it.
"What time is it?"
Lu Ningfei grumbled, his voice still thick with sleep as he rolled out of bed.
"Time to get up."
Si Qin replied, far too cheerful for the hour. He stood in the doorway, fully dressed in a stylish outfit that probably cost more than the average person's rent for a month. His hair was perfectly styled, and he was already looking at his phone, clearly eager to get going.
"Come on, don't be lazy! You promised, and I'm holding you to it."
Lu Ningfei sighed, pushing aside the irritation gnawing at him. He was bone-tired, and the last thing he wanted to do was entertain Si Qin's whims.
But a promise was a promise, and the sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could get back to his preparations. Besides, he reminded himself, letting Si Qin enjoy his last few months of luxury might not be such a bad thing.
He is so nice, Lu Ningfei thought to himself.
"Fine, fine."
Ningfei muttered as he dragged himself out of bed.
"Just give me a minute."
An hour later, Lu Ningfei found himself standing in the middle of a luxury car dealership, surrounded by an array of gleaming vehicles that probably cost more than most people's homes.
The sleek, modern showroom was filled with the intoxicating scent of new leather and polished metal. Salespeople in crisp suits hovered nearby, ready to swoop in at the first sign of interest.
Si Qin was practically vibrating with excitement as he flitted from car to car, pointing out features and making comments on every model he saw. Ningfei followed along, trying his best to feign interest, though his mind was still clouded with fatigue. His eyes felt heavy, and he could barely muster the energy to keep up with his stepbrother's endless chatter.
"Oh, this one is nice!"
Si Qin exclaimed, stopping in front of a bright red Ferrari. He ran his hand over the hood, admiring the sleek lines and the powerful engine beneath.
"But maybe a bit too flashy? What do you think, Brother fei?"
Lu Ningfei suddenly had a thought. This kiddo...He is not that bad right? It might be the parents at fault here.
Lu Ningfei blinked slowly, his mind sluggish as he processed the question.
"Flashy is good for you, isn't it?" he replied, his tone neutral. He couldn't care less which car Si Qin chose, as long as it was over and done with quickly.
Si Qin pouted, clearly expecting a more enthusiastic response.
"I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard, though. Maybe something more subtle?"
Lu Ningfei resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Subtle isn't really your style, Si Qin. Just pick what you like and get done with it."
But Si Qin wasn't satisfied with that. He moved on to another car, this one a sleek black Lamborghini.
"This one's cool, but black is so common. Don't you think?"
By now, Ningfei's patience was wearing thin. He had spent the better part of an hour watching Si Qin hem and haw over every little detail—whether the car was too flashy, too subtle, too big, too small, the wrong color, the wrong model.
It was clear that Si Qin was enjoying himself, basking in the attention of the salespeople and relishing the power of choice. But for Lu Ningfei, who was running on fumes, it was nothing short of torture.
Maybe he was wrong, this kiddo is bad in nature too.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Si Qin settled on a silver Aston Martin. He had spent another twenty minutes debating between different shades of silver, but the moment Ningfei's icy glare fixed on him, he finally relented and made his choice.
"I guess this one will do."
Si Qin said with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest. His earlier enthusiasm had waned, replaced by a hint of frustration at being rushed. But even so, he couldn't help but smirk as he looked at the car.
"It's pretty sleek, right? Classy but not too showy."
Lu Ningfei nodded curtly, his expression cold.
"Fine. Let's just get it over with."
The paperwork was completed quickly, thanks in no small part to the efficiency of the dealership's staff, who were all too eager to secure such a large sale.
When it was all said and done, Si Qin had his new sports car, and Ningfei was finally free to leave.
As they walked out of the dealership, Si Qin's earlier arrogance had returned in full force. He strutted alongside Ningfei, twirling the keys to his new car around his finger and grinning like the cat who got the cream.
After parting ways with Si Qin, Lu Ningfei set off on the next leg of his mission—stocking up on diesel, furniture, and other supplies. He had a lot of work ahead of him, and even though his body was screaming for rest, his mind was sharp and focused. There was no room for error, no time for indulgence. Every moment wasted could mean the difference between life and death when the apocalypse hit.
His first stop was a wholesale fuel supplier, located on the outskirts of the city. The industrial complex was a far cry from the sleek car dealership he had just left behind. The air here smelled of oil and gasoline, and the ground was stained with the remnants of countless fuel spills.
Ningfei approached the manager, a grizzled man with a no-nonsense demeanor, and placed his order.
"I need 100,000 liters of diesel fuel, delivered in bulk to a warehouse I've rented downtown."
The manager raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by the size of the order.
"That's a hell of a lot of diesel. What're you planning to do, power a fleet of trucks?"
"Something like that."
Ningfei replied with a faint smile. He handed over a substantial deposit in cash, ensuring the manager's full attention.
"I need it delivered by tomorrow. Can you make that happen?"
The manager nodded, pocketing the cash.
"For that kind of money, I'll have it there by tonight."
Satisfied, Ningfei moved on to the next item on his list—furniture. He visited a massive warehouse that specialized in selling bulk quantities of furniture, from basic office chairs to luxury living room sets.
Ningfei didn't waste time. He quickly identified what he needed and placed an order for hundreds of items—beds, chairs, tables, storage units, shelving, and more. He wanted to create a space that was functional and efficient, where he could organize all the supplies he was stockpiling.
As the manager took down his order, Ningfei's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning when he saw the name on the screen: Si Qian.
This cheap father is another bad luck.
With a sigh, Ningfei answered the call.
"What is it?"
Si Qian's voice was sharp, tinged with impatience.
"Where is your brother?"
Ningfei blinked, taken aback by the question.
"Si Qin? I'm not his keeper. Whyare you asking me?"
"He hasn't come home yet."
Si Qian replied, his tone accusing.
"You were supposed to be with him. Where did you leave him?"
Lu Ningfei's patience, already worn thin, snapped.
"I left him at the dealership after he bought his car. If he's not home yet, he's probably out enjoying himself. What's the big deal?"
Si Qian said, his voice growing more irritable,
"The big deal is that he's my son, and it's your responsibility to keep an eye on him when you're out together. If anything happens to him--"
Lu Ningfei cut in, his tone cold. "Ha, He's probably just showing off his new toy to his friends. He'll come home when he's done. Now, if you don't mind, I have more important things to do."
Without waiting for a response, Ningfei ended the call. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, his expression hardening. He had no time to babysit Si Qin. The kid could take care of himself for a few hours.