171: Trouble comes from the mouth

She had never said anything pleasant to her, yet she had unhesitatingly extended her hand when Guoguo and his mother needed it most.

Even if Bai Wanning was cold and harsh towards her, and even if she looked down on her as a weak woman, Jiang Dai would not resent her.

She wouldn't dwell on Bai Wanning's tone, nor would she mind the cold stares. Because she knew that Bai Wanning's kindness to Guoguo was truly a life-saving grace.

She was a mother. As long as someone was good to her child, she would do everything in her power to repay that person.

Jiang Dai would remember this bag of dried meat and a few steamed buns for a lifetime.

At this moment, Bai Wanning was unaware of how much Jiang Dai was thinking.

She took a sleeping bag from the SUV and, upon returning, saw that Guoguo was already sound asleep in Jiang Dai's arms. She then softly handed over the sleeping bag.

"Take this and go sleep inside," she said calmly.

Although the farmhouse looked big, there weren't many beds, and most of them were already occupied.

"No, it's not necessary..." Jiang Dai waved her hands repeatedly, her tone sincere and apprehensive. "I've already troubled you all too much; I can just sleep holding him..."

"Take it." Bai Wanning directly tucked the sleeping bag into her arms, saying indifferently, "You also need to take care of yourself. You're not alone now; you have a child in your belly."

"If you don't rest well and your body has problems, the pregnancy will be in trouble. Moreover, only when you recover your strength can you protect Guoguo, fight zombies, and survive."

After speaking, Bai Wanning turned and left without another word.

She didn't like to chatter, nor was she good at comforting people. What needed to be said, she had said; the rest was for the other person to understand on their own.

She disliked weak people, but for children and women, she always retained that touch of softness. Because she, too, had once struggled, felt helpless, and longed for someone to pull her out of despair, just like Jiang Dai.

She had waited her whole life, but no one reached out.

But now, she didn't want the women and children also struggling in the sea of suffering to experience that kind of loneliness and despair.

Jiang Dai understood in her heart; she could feel the tenderness hidden beneath Bai Wanning's cold exterior. She picked up the sleeping Guoguo, slowly stood up, spread the sleeping bag in the corner, and gently lay down.

Meanwhile, Lu Yin was handing a bottle of water to Lei Qian, her face full of smiles.

Although Bai Wanning couldn't hear what they were saying, seeing Lu Yin's enthusiastic and satisfied expression made her feel a surge of irritation.

Of course, Lu Yin also saw her. She turned her head and gave Bai Wanning a sweet smile.

"Sister Wanning, can we talk?" Lu Yin's tone was so gentle it was almost harmless. She knew very well that to win over Lei Qian, she first had to curry favor with Bai Wanning.

She could temporarily bow her head, pretend to be obedient and weak, just to firmly pull Lei Qian into her arms in the end.

And after that?

Hmph, she would definitely make Bai Wanning pay for today's humiliation.

Bai Wanning paused, looked back at her, and sneered inwardly.

She knew, of course, that Lu Yin was thick-skinned, but she hadn't expected this woman's skin to be so thick as to be impervious to blades and spears.

Whether it was awkwardness or disgust, this woman could always meet it with a smile.

"No." Bai Wanning responded calmly, a faint smile on her face, yet carrying an aloofness that kept people at a thousand miles' distance.

With that, she walked back to her SUV without looking back, closing the car door with a thud.

The car fell silent. Bai Wanning leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes in thought. Was it time to completely shake off Lei Qian and the others?

She disliked unnecessary disputes and endless scheming. She had seen too many people like Lu Yin and was utterly tired of them.

Since her rebirth, she had never thought of relying on anyone again, nor did she expect a man to shield her from the wind and rain.

She just wanted to live a stable life with her son, and, while she was at it, teach a good lesson to those scumbags who had bullied her and her child in her previous life.

Her goals were very clear, unlike people like Lu Yin and Da Cheng.

People like them always wanted to feel smug and associate themselves with the powerful and influential.

To get what they wanted, they would do anything, even resort to despicable means.

Bai Wanning disliked such ambitious people in her previous life, and she would certainly not like them now.

Because people like Lu Yin and Da Cheng simply had no bottom line.

Today they might be willing to please someone, but tomorrow, as soon as they could grasp someone more powerful, they could betray anyone.

Such people, to save their own lives, wouldn't hesitate to pull the rug out from under her feet... Bai Wanning had no desire to get involved with such cunning schemers.

As she was thinking, she suddenly heard someone knock on the car window.

Bai Wanning ignored it.

If it were her Older Brothers, they wouldn't knock on the window; they would just open the door and come in, as they had the car keys.

But the person outside seemed intent on waiting for her to open the window and respond, determined to bother her.

Bai Wanning frowned, opened her eyes, and irritably sat up straight. She rolled down the car window, glaring coldly at the man outside, her tone unfriendly: "What is it?"

"You hurt me, Wanning." Lei Qian looked wronged. "You just promised to be good to me, and now you're back to your old cold face."

Bai Wanning rolled her eyes, her tone as cold as ice: "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise get lost."

What did he mean, she was back to her old temper? Ha. She had just explicitly told him she didn't want to see Lu Yin, and what happened? This man accepted the water Lu Yin handed him. Did he think she was blind?

"Give me some water, I'm dying of thirst." Lei Qian wasn't angry; instead, he lowered his head, his tone softening, as if he sensed she was in a bad mood.

Bai Wanning raised an eyebrow: "The water she gave you wasn't enough to drink? You still have to come to me for more?"

"What water? I didn't even take her water bottle." Lei Qian explained, "Didn't you say not to get involved with her, not to get too close to her? I listened."

"Then where's the water bottle?" Bai Wanning narrowed her eyes.

"Guo Fu took it." Lei Qian's tone was surprisingly calm, even carrying a hint of relief, as if the water bottle not ending up in his hands was something to be relieved about.

"Wanning, give me some water." He spoke a few degrees more gently, seemingly determined to humble himself and show weakness.

Bai Wanning stared at him, as if to see whether this man was lying or not. After a few seconds, she blinked and snapped her fingers.

Clear water condensed in the air, transforming into transparent ice crystals.

The ice cubes slowly floated in front of Lei Qian. As he reached out to take one, Lei Qian realized—this seemingly ice was actually an energy body encased in water.

He carefully picked up a piece and put it into his mouth.

The ice crystal shattered, and cool, sweet water instantly flooded his mouth, incredibly delicious, even better than the mountain spring water he had once drunk at a resort.

Just as he was about to pick up another piece, a hand snatched it away.

Smack!

"Ouch!" Lei Qian slapped Mo He's hand. Mo He frowned in pain, rubbing his hand, looking at him with a wronged expression.

"Boss Lei, you're too stingy," Mo He said with a bitter face, "With so much water, would it kill you to share some with me?"

"No." Lei Qian refused without mercy, taking another piece for himself.

Mo He's eyes widened. He looked at Lei Qian, then at Bai Wanning, with a pitiful expression: "Sister Wanning, can you give me a piece too? We're almost out of water over there."

Bai Wanning glanced at Lei Qian, said nothing, and then flicked out another crystal, handing it to Mo He.

Mo He took it unceremoniously, immediately put it in his mouth, swallowed it with satisfaction, then wiped his mouth and sighed, "This water is so much better than what Sister Lu gave."