Chapter 37: A brother like this

If anyone had told him that he will cry in front of someone he only knew for a day without a care for his image, Huo Zaiyuan will surely peg that person as crazy. However, right now he is doing exactly that, sobbing miserably in the bosom of a man he only knows for a day. Still, after he finishes crying, he feels a lot better as his long-repressed emotions are finally released.

Tear tracks still on his fair face, dark eyes shining brighter than ever due to tears, nose red like a rabbit's, slightly pursed lips. This countenance strongly resembles a bullied young married woman. But Long Zhanye doesn't tease him, for his heart aches faintly on behalf of this youth he came to know for only a day.

"Do you want to cry some more?" Retrieving a handkerchief to wipe his face, Long Zhanye asks softly.

"Not going to cry anymore. I've exhausted all my tears." Shaking his head, Huo Zaiyuan looks out the window to discover that the sky has already darkened. The array he had been setting up just now is more than halfway done, but it seems like he wouldn't be able to complete it today.

"Since you have no more tears to shed, then you mustn't weep anymore." Draping his arm over the other's slim shoulders, Long Zhanye continues. "I, Long Zhanye, cannot be said to be some good person, but I will never renege on any promises I make. So long as Little Yuan doesn't object, then I will be Little Yuan's family. If anyone dares bully you, cause you to be unhappy, I will beat that person up."

Obviously, these words were meant to make Huo Zaiyuan feel cared for, only when Long Zhanye is saying all these, that facial expression, that aura..it all brings to mind the image of a hoodlum, and Huo Zaiyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Then what if you bully me?"

"That absolutely will not happen." Shaking his head, Long Zhanye declares confidently.

Staring at the excessively self-confident man, Huo Zaiyuan's eyes expressed a mild smile. After some thought, he says. "Older brother, I'm hungry. I want to eat fried rice."

There is still a lot of food stored in the canteen as well as quite a few bottles of liquid gas. In addition, nothing has been contaminated so making fried rice wouldn't be a problem. Only, the man who previously was so filled with self-assurance, upon hearing the youth in his embrace wants to eat fried rice, immediately deflates a little as he slowly lowers his head to look at Huo Zaiyuan.

"That..would instant noodles be all right?"

"...."

In the end, it falls to Huo Zaiyuan to cook two large bowls of fried rice in the kitchen, and using the chicken pieces in the canteen's freezer, he also serves up a mouth-watering chicken soup.

"Un, little Yuan is really skilled in cooking. If you were a girl, I wouldn't hesitate to marry you." Long Zhanye is perfectly contented with the meal, after finishing the large bowl of fried rice, he follows up with two bowls of chicken soup.

Hearing his words, Huo Zaiyuan wasn't offended. Instead, the corners of his lips curves up as he retorts. "If I was a woman, even if you want to marry me, I wouldn't agree."

"Dear, your older brother Long is a young and promising captain of A City, what's there not to like?" A sulk forms on that attractive face, as though he ate a bitter melon.

Long Zhanye's tragic expression cause Huo Zaiyuan to giggle. Swallowing a mouthful of rice, he teases. "Then Lord Captain Long, why are you not protecting A City, instead coming all the way to Z City?"

At first glance, it is easy to tell Long Zhanye is a military man, but he never thought he (LZY) would be so high on the military hierarchy. A Captain in A City's military district ah! What a lofty position!

"Finding a wife.."

"...." Never was Huo Zaiyuan expecting this answer. Choking for a good while, he eventually manages to speak. "Have you found a wife yet?"

"No." Long Zhanye shakes his head, exuding a feeling of defeat, muttering. "That little devil really knows how to run. I went to his house but his family said he has already left. Went to the apartment he rented but the unit was empty. Went to other cities to look but eventually didn't find him either. Finally received information that he came to Z City. I've searched for over two months, until the apocalypse occurs, but have yet to find him."

"Older brother Long, you must really love that person." Listening to Long Zhanye's recount, Huo Zaiyuan exclaims in his heart with admiration. What strong determination ah!

"Not. One. Bit."

(Translator’s notes: To clear up any confusion, LZY says ‘他’ but since it sounds the same as the female ‘她’, HZY doesn’t know if LZY is referring to a male or female.