Rebirth: Leading Families to Survive in the Apocalypse - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Lucky Star Su Jin
 

“Dad, are you serious? When did this happen, and why didn’t you tell either of us?”

Su Jin was very surprised. She knew her in-laws always used to quarrel, but she had never imagined they would divorce.

“A month ago, we had a big fight, and she wanted a divorce, so I agreed,” Lu Guanhai said with a sigh.

About a month ago, roughly around the time Lu Hao and Su Jin got married, Lu Hao had guessed the reason for their big fight—it must have been because Lu Guanhai gave all his savings to Lu Hao.

“Dad, to be honest, I’m actually happy that you and Liu Meifang are getting a divorce,” Lu Hao said.

“What? Why?”

Why would his son be happy about his own divorce?

“That’s actually the next thing I want to talk about, but first, I need to be sure—Dad, are you willing to come with us?”

Lu Hao was confident because Lu Guanhai wouldn’t refuse.

“I, why wouldn’t I want to? I’m all alone now; I’m even worried you might find me bothersome,” he said.

He didn’t expect his son to say this so suddenly. Could it be Xiao Jin was pregnant and they wanted him to stay to help take care of the child?

Lu Guanhai looked towards Su Jin’s belly.

Su Jin: …

“Dad, what are you thinking? Why would we ever find you bothersome? We’d love for you to come,” she said.

Su Jin knew her father-in-law was thinking off track again and signaled Lu Hao to quickly explain.

“Dad, the reason we asked you to come today is that there’s something important we need to tell you. We were worried you might not agree, but now it seems our worry was unnecessary,” Lu Hao continued.

Lu Hao then told Lu Guanhai about Su Jin’s abilities and their encounter with zombies this month. He hadn’t mentioned the Space yet because he wanted to gauge Lu Guanhai’s reaction first.

“What? You mean, the apocalypse is coming?”

Lu Guanhai couldn’t quite believe it, but his always serious and sincere son had said it, and his obedient and sensible daughter-in-law too, so he dared not disbelieve it.

“Yes, Dad. Now Su Jin, her entire family, and I all know about it and are actively preparing for it,” Lu Hao said.

“Old Su, I mean, is Xiao Jin’s dad also convinced?”

Lu Guanhai and Su Xiangzhe were old comrades and friends; if his old friend was convinced, why wouldn’t he be?

“Yes, Dad. My parents, as well as my maternal grandparents, they all know about it,” Su Jin added.

“Dad, when I just mentioned wanting you to come with us, this is what I was referring to—I want you to join us,” Lu Hao said with certainty, ready to persuade Lu Guanhai no matter what.

“Xiao Hao, Xiao Jin, I have nothing now. If you don’t despise me, I’d be more than happy to stay with you,” Lu Guanhai said, almost moved to tears. This was the first time his usually reserved son had asked him to stay.

Su Jin breathed a sigh of relief and was also happy for Lu Hao. Now that Father Lu was Lu Hao’s only relative, having him stay with them would ease their worries.

“Dad, do you remember the pendant you gave to Lu Hao’s mother?” she asked.

Su Jin wanted to tell Lu Guanhai about the Space as well, feeling it would be better to inform him before telling her own family.

“Of course, Xiao Jin. That was handed down to me by Lu Hao’s grandfather. It’s been in the family for who knows how long. I found it quite pretty and meaningful, so I gave it to Lu Hao’s mom,” Lu Guanhai said, curious as to why his daughter-in-law was asking about it.

“Did Grandpa ever tell you anything else? Like about another ‘Space’?” Lu Hao pressed.

“No? What other space?”

Lu Guanhai found it even stranger. What on earth were these two trying to say?

Before his eyes, Su Jin took out a leaf and a jade slip from nowhere and handed them to Lu Hao.

“Dad, extend your hand.”

Lu Hao did as Su Jin said, dripping a drop of Lu Guanhai’s blood onto the jade slip.

After Lu Guanhai entered the space, he thought he was dreaming until the slight pain in his finger made him realize this wasn’t a dream.

“Xiao Hao, Xiao Jin, what place is this?”

Lu Hao explained the origin, discovery, and purpose of the space to Lu Guanhai and took him on a tour around the Lu Residence.

Su Jin didn’t follow. It was a conversation between father and son; she didn’t need to stick around. Besides, she believed that after not seeing each other for so long, it was good for Lu Guanhai and Lu Hao to have an open-hearted chat. She didn’t want to meddle unnecessarily.

The seeds planted in the space had grown to knee-height after these days, especially the corn, which was almost reaching Su Jin’s neck and looked green and robust.

Further back were the fruit trees Lu Hao planted. The previously bare saplings had grown stout, and to Su Jin’s delight, some branches even began to sprout buds.

It seemed they would have fruit to eat very soon.

The Spirit Field in the space was truly remarkable. Even if they couldn’t collect food outside, they could be self-sufficient in the space.

Having walked around most of the Lu Residence, Lu Guanhai still found the existence of the space incredible after hearing Lu Hao’s explanation, for he had never heard of such a space in his life.

“Son, this space was opened by Xiao Jin. Perhaps only she can open it, so don’t be too selfish in the future,” Lu Guanhai said with deep earnestness.

“Dad… I’m just afraid you would be too selfish.”

“You child, how could your father be selfish? I’d love to drag Old Su and the others in here for a drink and a game of chess. It’s livelier with more people around. Otherwise, are we just going to stare at each other all day in here?”

When Lu Guanhai heard his son think of him that way, he immediately disagreed; he didn’t want to merely stick around his expressionless son all day. How boring!

Lu Hao had not expected Lu Guanhai to be such an open-minded person. He had been worried his father would be reluctant to let others in once he knew this space was their family’s ancestral heritage, but it looked like he had worried for nothing.

You couldn’t deny that in some respects, Lu Hao and Lu Guanhai were similar. Both were unwilling to monopolize the space. Though they both were cold-natured and not talkative, the resolution to share adversity with family might just be in their genes.

Lu Guanhai toured the space with Lu Hao again and was thrilled to discover they could even farm and raise livestock and poultry. His lifelong dream of returning to a pastoral life, of cultivating land and raising flowers, was coming true.

This Xiao Jin, she truly was the lucky star for both father and son!

The lucky star, Su Jin, came out of the chicken coop with a basket full of eggs, smiling as she showed them to the men. The hens they had brought back last time had already started laying eggs, and many chicks had even hatched.

Lu Hao took the basket of eggs from her, finding it a bit heavy; he didn’t want Su Jin to carry it.

Seeing the loving look between the two, Lu Guanhai felt at peace.

After leaving the space, Lu Guanhai was incredibly grateful for his solitary status.

Fortunately, he had already divorced Liu Meifang; otherwise, his son and daughter-in-law wouldn’t be confiding in him like this. And if Liu Meifang knew about the existence of the space, well, he didn’t dare think further about that.

Ever since the divorce, the more Lu Guanhai thought about it, the more he felt it was unwarranted. How did she manage to fool him? Initially, he just wanted companionship in his old age. It was a good thing he only lost a small two-bedroom apartment—after all, as his son and daughter-in-law said, with the Apocalypse coming, houses and money would be pointless.

With that in mind, Lu Guanhai handed a bank card to Su Jin, saying, “Xiao Jin, this is the pension I’ve collected over the past few months. There should still be some money in it. Could you see if you can help me spend it?”

Su Jin: …

Could you please stop giving me money to spend? Do you think it’s easy for me?