Chapter 12

Ye Xingchen, How Dare You Hang Up On Me

Chen Rou’er was momentarily taken aback by Ye Xingchen’s icy and distant tone. However, she quickly responded, “Ye Xingchen, where are you? Why did it take you so long to answer my call?”

“If you have something to say, just say it,” Ye Xingchen replied.

Ye Xingchen couldn’t be bothered to listen to her hypocritical attitude any longer. It was clear she had a request but was putting on an arrogant facade.

Chen Rou’er was provoked by his words and couldn’t contain her temper any longer. “You! Did you already know about the drastic temperature drop? Is that why you stocked up on so many things beforehand?”

Chen Rou’er’s voice trembled, and in her heart, she kept reassuring herself not to lose Ye Xingchen, her personal ATM machine.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xingchen’s face was filled with a mocking expression. Just as expected, this woman was always trying to climb higher, acting all innocent. How had he been deceived by her before, unable to see her selfish and greedy nature hiding beneath her surface?

Ye Xingchen slipped into his slippers and walked from the room to the living room. He leaned back on the couch and lazily spoke, “I heard a friend mention it casually. Who would have thought the temperature drop would be this severe?”

There was even a thin layer of sweat on his body, a result of the air conditioning’s barely breathable chill.

He picked up the TV remote and, with his legs crossed, stared at the screen that displayed the vast expanse of snow. The snow outside had already buried the entire street, and even the flower beds on either side were hidden beneath the snow. Although the screen showed the city he had lived in for so many years, all Ye Xingchen felt at that moment was fear and anxiety.

In his past life, just like most people, Ye Xingchen thought that the temperature drop would only last a few days before warming up again. It was only later that he realized the snow continued without pause, and that’s when he panicked and followed the crowd to the supermarket.

But that was already a week after the apocalypse had arrived. Many essential goods had been bought up, and if not for the food supplies sent by the company’s CEO, he might not have survived even a month of the snow’s arrival.

By that time, water and power had been cut off, and those unprepared were left freezing and starving to death.

Lost in thought, he was pulled back by Chen Rou’er’s voice on the phone. “Hey! Ye Xingchen! Are you even listening to me?”

Ye Xingchen let out a tired “mm-hmm,” but Chen Rou’er continued to chatter.

“No wonder you suddenly bought so many things. Seriously, you could have told me about this beforehand. I nearly caught a cold from the cold…”

Ye Xingchen furrowed his brow and simply hung up the call, not wanting to continue listening to Chen Rou’er’s pretentious blaming.

As of now, the temperature drop had just started, and there hadn’t been power, water, or internet outages yet, so the TV still worked.

Even with Ye Xingchen having a constant power supply, it was likely that the TV and internet wouldn’t function in the near future.

On the news channel, two anchors were already wearing heavy down jackets. Despite the professional heating equipment indoors, if even news anchors were wearing such clothing, it indicated that the temperature had reached a point where heating was insufficient.

The female anchor adjusted herself, facing the camera, and tried to control her trembling lips. “Today at noon, a strong cold front swept across the country, causing a rapid drop in temperatures nationwide, averaging a decrease of forty degrees Celsius.”

“Regarding this sudden cold front, meteorological agencies are conducting research. In the coming days, everyone should focus on staying warm and guard against frostbite. If not necessary, please try to avoid going outside.”

“The authorities will handle this issue appropriately. We hope everyone stays calm, refrains from panic-buying, and does not spread or believe rumors. The cold wave will pass soon.”

Ye Xingchen sneered at the anchor’s words. After the Ice Age arrived, survival depended on oneself. Trusting the news and staying at home until the authorities provided updates would undoubtedly lead to becoming one of the first casualties.

The top right corner of the TV screen prominently displayed that the outdoor temperature in Jinghai City had dropped to minus 11 degrees Celsius!

Earlier in the day, around 11 AM, the temperature had even reached 33 degrees Celsius. In other words, within half a day, the temperature had plummeted by 44 degrees.

Ye Xingchen casually brought out his dinner from his space. The speed of this temperature drop was exactly the same as in his previous life. The difference was that in his past life, he had frantically searched for warm clothes and bedding, struggling with scarce food supplies, feeling both cold and hungry.

But now, he wore silk pajamas, held a glass of red wine, and had a steak for dinner. He couldn’t feel the biting cold outside at all.

As he sliced the steak, his phone pinged with a new message. Curious about what those who had mocked him earlier were talking about now, he picked up his phone.

The message at the top was from Chen Rou’er.

“Ye Xingchen, how dare you hang up on me!”

“The snow outside is so heavy, and I’m so cold…”

“Ye Xingchen, what are you doing? Why aren’t you replying to my messages?”

“It’s snowing heavily now, and I can’t go out. Didn’t you buy a lot of food before? I’m a bit hungry now. Can you bring me some?”

“To be honest, I do have good feelings for you. But why have you been so cold to me recently? Bring some food over. I think Chu Yao was wrong; I actually have feelings for you. If you behave a bit better now, maybe I’ll give us a chance.”

Ye Xingchen raised an eyebrow as he read the messages. It had to be admitted that Chen Rou’er, as Jinghai University’s beauty queen, was not only attractive but also intelligent.

She knew that with heavy snow like this, there would be opportunistic vendors raising prices, making food expensive. Naturally, she didn’t want to venture out in the sub-zero temperatures to buy food, so she intended to seek food from Ye Xingchen, her loyal ATM. After all, in the past, Ye Xingchen had been completely obedient to her.

But the present Ye Xingchen was no longer the fool she had charmed before. He saw through her intentions—asking for food, expecting him to deliver it, and claiming it was to test his sincerity?

Thinking of all the events from his past life, how Chen Rou’er had deceived him, led him into traps, and manipulated others to kill him, Ye Xingchen couldn’t help but smirk. Test his sincerity? What a joke!

A playful smile played on Ye Xingchen’s lips as he picked up his phone and sent a message back to Chen Rou’er.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I didn’t stock up that much. Most of it’s gone by now. Look, I just grilled a steak!”

He sent the message, along with a picture of the steak and wine on his table, intentionally capturing his appearance in silk pajamas, and then sent it to Chen Rou’er.