Zhou Peng attentively courted Fang Yuqing at his side.
However, it was quite clear that Fang Yuqing wasn't interested in the likes of Zhou Peng.
In terms of financial status, Zhou Peng was much worse off than Zhang Yi; he didn't even own his own house but rented.
Still, with a smile, Fang Yuqing said to him, "Thank you, Zhou Peng. However, I happen to have plans with friends that evening. What a coincidence!"
A look of disappointment flashed across Zhou Peng's face.
He had spent an entire month's salary on those two concert tickets!
He had been hoping to take the opportunity to confess his feelings to Fang Yuqing during the concert.
But it all fell through unexpectedly.
Zhang Yi, witnessing this scene, displayed a mocking smile.
He knew that Zhou Peng, this sycophant, would ultimately get nowhere.
However, Zhou Peng, in his disappointment, saw the smiling Zhang Yi and suddenly felt an upsurge of irritation.
To divert his own embarrassment, he immediately went over to Zhang Yi and said, "Zhang Yi, your way of doing things is so unprincipled!"
"A big man like you, letting a woman help you move things. Aren't you ashamed?"
"Yuqing came to work today, complaining of back pain. I hope you won't trouble her next time with such matters!"
Zhang Yi gave Fang Yuqing a glance.
So it was this woman who had spread the word.
With feigned nonchalance, Fang Yuqing said, "It's nothing, really. My body isn't actually suffering from any issues."
"It's just that I'm not suited for heavy labor; I think I twisted my waist a bit."
As she spoke, she even pinched her waist and furrowed her brows, displaying a pained expression.
Zhou Peng, wanting to showcase his masculinity in front of Fang Yuqing, immediately pointed proudly at Zhang Yi: "You better give Yuqing 500 yuan for medical expenses."
Unexpectedly, Zhang Yi's gaze turned frosty, and he berated Zhou Peng, "Helping me with the moving was her own initiative; I didn't ask for her assistance."
"Besides, what are you exactly, to be giving orders and lecturing me here?"
"You really think you're someone?"
Zhang Yi's scolding was fierce and satisfying, which left both Zhou Peng and Fang Yuqing stunned and confused.
Zhou Peng, just a simple clerical worker in the warehouse, without power or influence.
The only reason he dared to criticize Zhang Yi was that Zhang Yi usually had a good temper and didn't like to squabble with others.
But seeing Zhang Yi actually angry, Zhou Peng immediately became timid.
"Why are you yelling so loudly?"
"I was just discussing with you."
Zhang Yi sneered and turned to leave.
He couldn't be bothered to waste his breath on Zhou Peng.
Because in Zhang Yi's view, everyone now seemed like the walking dead to him.
In a month's time, 99% of the people around him would be dead, succumbed to the apocalyptic ice storm.
Why would he bother arguing with the doomed?
After Zhang Yi left, Zhou Peng ran over to Fang Yuqing and whispered, "Yuqing, I told you Zhang Yi is no good. You'd better stay away from him in the future."
Frowning, Fang Yuqing was puzzled.
In recent days, Zhang Yi seemed like a completely different person.
He no longer approached her to greet her.
He even stopped talking to her at night or saying goodnight.
"There must be something fishy!"
Fang Yuqing thought to herself secretly.
...
After work, Zhang Yi drove straight to a five-star hotel in Tianhai City.
It was the restaurant he had reserved before, Hongfu Tianxia.
The manager of Hongfu Tianxia, hearing of Zhang Yi's arrival, immediately arranged a guest room for him with a beaming smile.
The room in a five-star hotel cost over a thousand yuan for one night.
Yet Zhang Yi didn't mind the expense at all.
Anyway, he still had a few million in hand; he would only feel it wasteful if he couldn't spend it all.
That night, unexpectedly, the white lotus Fang Yuqing took the initiative to send a message to Zhang Yi.
Fang Yuqing: "Zhang Yi, I happened to pass by your house today and saw someone renovating it!"
Zhang Yi curled the corner of his mouth, "Hmm, yes."
Fang Yuqing: "You've been acting so strange lately, hoarding stuff and renovating your house. Is something going to happen?"
Zhang Yi couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
Although this white lotus was malicious, she wasn't stupid.
It seemed his recent string of peculiar actions had caught her attention after all.
But Zhang Yi didn't care; other people's opinions were meaningless to him now.
"Nothing much."
He replied coldly and then tossed his phone aside.
At the other end of the line, Fang Yuqing, unsettled by Zhang Yi's indifference, felt very uncomfortable.
For the past two years, Zhang Yi had always been very good to her.
He always showed concern and would find various excuses to chat with her every night.
However, lately, he had been acting like a completely different person towards her - cold and indifferent, not even initiating conversations.
This made Fang Yuqing very uncomfortable.
She might not be interested in Zhang Yi, but she absolutely wouldn't allow him to lose interest in her.
In Fang Yuqing's view, it was like losing a fish from her pond.
Even though Zhang Yi wasn't a second-generation rich kid, he was considered a quality middle-class catch.
If she couldn't marry a rich second-generation man, she might still consider accepting Zhang Yi as a fallback.
Fang Yuqing picked up her phone and sent another message.
"It feels like we've been in touch less lately. It's gotten a bit lonely."
But after waiting for a long time, she still didn't get a reply.
Fang Yuqing bit her lip, growing restless.
"This damned Zhang Yi, has he been cursed lately? I actually took the initiative to message him, and he dares not reply!"
Her roommate, Li Cainin, hearing Fang Yuqing's complaints, came over with a giggle.
"Zhang Yi has been acting weird recently. Who knows why he's buying so much food and drink, and he's even ordered so many banquets from the hotel."
"It really does seem like there's going to be a shortage of supplies."
Fang Yuqing's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.
She said to Li Cainin, "Ning Ning, do you think something might really happen soon? Has Zhang Yi gotten some news, and that's why he started hoarding goods?"
Li Cainin paused at that, then burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
"Yuqing, have you lost your mind? If something were going to happen, there would definitely be an official notification."
"We should just stay calm. If we hoard goods, others will laugh at us for being foolish."
Fang Yuqing, upon hearing this, also gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"You're right."
...
Zhang Yi stayed for several days in a suite at the five-star hotel.
He went nowhere, spending these days purchasing banquet services from various hotels on one hand.
On the other, he began to practice using a compound bow and crossbow in his room.
Fortunately, Zhang Yi had been fond of hunting and had a decent foundation.
Now, within a fifteen-meter range, he had a particularly high hit rate.
Especially with a professional compound bow in hand, such modern equipment could enable an ordinary person to fire arrows comparable to those of ancient archers.
Forget about dealing with humans, even if he encountered wild boars, jackals, or large canines, he could inflict significant damage.