If in my last life I lived for Sun Muyang, then in this life, he hopes to at least live for someone who loves him, and he has long since realized that the only person in this world who cares about him as much as his mother does is gone. He doesn't expect this rebirth to make his life in the apocalypse easy or to be greatly valued for his awakened wood ability, but he wants to live better and ensure that those he cares about can live better too.
His mother stayed with him for five days before returning to City B. Perhaps deep down, Park Su knew that this parting might mean they wouldn't see each other for a long time, so he was particularly reluctant to let her go.
However, his mother thought it was because he had finally given up on Sun Muyang and was feeling empty inside, which made her even more displeased with Sun Muyang. At the same time, she didn't dare to bring him up too much or say too much about it. After all, many relationships aren't that strong to begin with, but the more parents oppose, the more chance the two might get together. She had never taken a liking to Sun Yang from the start because this young man, who had nothing to his name, acted high and mighty, stringing along her son. If you don't like him, just refuse outright; why give hope while saying no?
She had seen plenty of people like him, who didn't like her son but couldn't let go of the benefits her son brought. Although her son was just an illegitimate child, he had always been able to secure some advantages from that side. Over the years, these benefits had been taken by this young man; the house, the car, even the work plans he used were largely provided by her son.
He climbed the ladder step by step with the schemes her son gave him, never once thinking of her son's well-being, and as his position rose, he looked down even more on her son. It would be strange if she could appreciate someone like that. Even if her son liked men, with his looks, there would be plenty of people interested in him. Why must he choose this kind of a man of questionable character?
However, she also knew her son's temperament; the more she said when he was fixated on someone, the more interested he would become. So, she could only fret silently. Now that she finally saw her son come to his senses, it was something to be celebrated, and there was no need to say more, lest she inadvertently cause a negative effect.
Park Su reluctantly saw his mother off at the airport, and as he watched the plane ascend into the sky, he silently vowed, 'Mom, please wait for me, I will definitely come to City B to get you.'
With this thought, his desire for strength intensified. To live well in the apocalypse, one must have the ability, so the stimulated Park Su began a physical training regimen that very evening. Though he only had half a month left, every bit of preparation counted. As for the unanswered calls from Sun Muyang on his phone, he ignored them entirely; he truly didn't want any further contact with that person, considering it a waste of time.
During the day, he didn't give up on searching for the space ring's whereabouts. Perhaps because his fate in the last life was so tragic, fate seemed to give him a stroke of luck this time. On the 23rd day after his rebirth, the contact he had been looking for finally informed him that a space ring was available!
He met with this contact on the very same day, knowing how difficult it was to acquire a space ring in peaceful times, much harder than in the apocalypse, as a space that couldn't be detected by modern technology implied danger, even if it was only three cubic meters in size.
Therefore, when he followed, he wasn't entirely sure, considering he hadn't thought about dealing with anything illegal in his past life. However, this contact did have some connection with the Park family, which made them relatively trustworthy.
Especially when he was led to an ancient, elegant old house, and upon entering, he felt the strong Daoist atmosphere, Park Su felt more convinced, as such items were indeed rooted in Daoist practices.
The shopkeeper had heard someone wanted a space ring, which was a treasure of their store. Had it not been for the buyer being from the Park family and having some favors owed to them, he would have been reluctant to sell it. Now, seeing this young man with clear eyes, he felt reassured that this wasn't someone who would misuse the ring.
Park Su watched as the shopkeeper carefully took out the ring, and he eagerly took it, scanning it with his mind. Indeed, he saw a space of about four square meters. Though not large, it was better than nothing. At least, he could store a good amount of vegetable seeds and meat, though other supplies were out of the question.
He was slightly disappointed but knew he must obtain it, as even this small space could improve his diet and give him a bit more leverage for survival. So, he put down the ring and asked, "How much?"
The shopkeeper was surprised that Park Su seemed so knowledgeable about the ring; he hadn't even had a chance to introduce it, and the young man had already inspected it. He thought to himself, 'Could this child have seen such a treasure elsewhere?'
Park Su didn't like being scrutinized like this, so he reiterated his question with more emphasis, "How much?"
The shopkeeper, realizing his rudeness, quickly corrected his attitude and apologized, "I see that the gentleman is also an expert, so you naturally know the value of this item. I only have this one in stock, and although it's not an antique, it's certainly not cheaper than one. However, since I see you're from the Park family, I won't haggle. The fixed price is five million."
Upon hearing this price, Park Su felt his teeth ache. Although he didn't lack money, it wasn't easy to come up with such a large sum all at once. Moreover, he still couldn't be sure if he had been reborn before the apocalypse or into a parallel universe.
If it were the former, spending so much money, though painful, wouldn't be a loss, but if it were the latter, his life might become difficult. Five million, he truly couldn't just take out like that.
He once again lamented why he wasn't a space ability user; not only would it be valuable, but it would also save him a lot of money. Five million might just be a pile of worthless paper in the apocalypse, but before the apocalypse, it could buy a lot of supplies and food!
The price was beyond what Park Su could comfortably afford, making him hesitate. The shopkeeper, seeing his dilemma, didn't say anything further, allowing Park Su to ponder.
Just then, the sound of the shop door being pushed open came through. The shopkeeper looked up at the newcomer, his eyes lighting up, and he hurried over, "Daoist Xu, what brings you here? Do you have something good to sell?"
Park Su was drawn by the shopkeeper's enthusiasm, knowing that even when aware he was from the Park family, the shopkeeper was polite but cold. This sudden change in demeanor could only mean the other person was indeed very capable, and Park Su, having spent so much time in the apocalypse, understood that there were truly skilled people among these Daoists.
However, when he looked up at the newcomer, he was still somewhat surprised. Firstly, because this person looked too young, appearing to be around his own age, not at all like the respected Daoist the shopkeeper had mentioned.
Secondly, the man was indeed good-looking, especially with those narrow, fox-like eyes that looked quite cunning and charming, yet paired with his sharp eyebrows and a strong facial profile, he didn't come off as effeminate at all; instead, he had quite a unique charm!
For Park Su, who was already inclined towards men, this person was certainly his type. However, at the moment, his appreciation was more about admiration than anything else; after all, he had just suffered from a romantic setback and needed to prepare for the coming apocalypse. There was no room for other thoughts.
However, that didn't mean he couldn't take a few extra looks, as everyone appreciates beautiful things, right?
"I've recently drawn some talismans for exorcism and safety. See if you're interested in buying them," Xu Nuo said indifferently, not paying much attention to the shopkeeper's enthusiasm, and placed a stack of talismans on the table from his bag.
The shopkeeper's eyes crinkled into a smile upon seeing the talismans, "Daoist Xu's creations are always excellent; we'll definitely take them. Can we proceed at the usual price?"
Xu Nuo gave a cold nod, and the shopkeeper quickly took the talismans to calculate how much he would need to pay. Meanwhile, Xu Nuo turned his head to look at the gaze that had been examining him. In fact, when he first entered, he had given Park Su a cursory glance, but at that time, Park Su was looking down, lost in thought, so he hadn't seen him clearly.
Now, as he turned his head, he caught the person who had been sneaking peeks. The clean, youthful face fell into Xu Nuo's eyes, and the first impression that came to his mind was that this man had very fair skin!