Doomsday Asylum Chapter 21

Ning Xin had never considered this question at all, and she was stunned in place by his question.

The doctor had made it clear that he suffered from multiple personalities. If the condition were to be controlled, evidently one of those personalities would disappear. Which one would remain?

Would it be him, who was always timid and couldn’t leave her side, or would it be Lao Nie, who was willing to use the chance of reincarnation to send her home?

Either way, both of them would miss her terribly.

Ning Xin’s relaxed mood instantly vanished.

“Well… I’m not sure either.”

Nie Ran looked at the two large bags of medicine in his hand.

“Do you want me to take it?”

“Hmm?”

“If Sister wishes it, then I will. As for the result… let’s leave it to fate.”

He dressed like a fool and spoke like one too.

People came and went around him. Previously, to Ning Xin, everyone was just a passer-by .

Until today, until facing him, there was a connection beyond business.

“There’s no rush for this. Let’s talk about it when we get back. Come on, Sister will take you to eat something delicious.”

She avoided the difficult decision, grabbed Nie Ran’s arm, hailed a cab, and headed to the busiest and most bustling shopping mall in the city.

Nie Ran, unlike his previous noisy self, was quiet all the way, unable to muster any enthusiasm.

Ning Xin tried talking to him, but he barely responded. Just as she was worried about how to cheer him up, as soon as they got out of the car, he suddenly cast aside his troubles.

“Wow, it smells so good!”

He stood outside the entrance of the shopping mall, taking a deep breath, his face full of astonishment. “What is this smell?”

Ning Xin glanced around and pointed to the nearby grilled fish shop.

“It should be grilled fish. Do you want to eat?”

“Yeah!”

He nodded vigorously.

This shop was considered upscale in the industry. While other shops only charged around a hundred yuan for a grilled fish, this one cost over three hundred yuan, with an additional seating fee.

Ning Xin had only heard about it before and had never been willing to come and eat.

Every time she came to this mall, she would just browse the supermarket and have some spicy hot pot before leaving.

But if they were to eat here, it would easily cost three to four hundred yuan.

Ning Xin’s heart was aching.

“Sister?” Nie Ran asked curiously, “Don’t you want to eat?”

“I do, of course I do. Let’s go in.”

Three to four hundred yuan was just three to four hundred yuan. She had been saving for over twenty years, it was time to splurge a little.

Ning Xin was prepared for a significant expenditure, but to her surprise, they encountered a hurdle when they entered the shop.

The lobby manager looked at Nie Ran, who was dressed oddly, with difficulty and tactfully said, “Ma’am, our store is temporarily unable to accommodate special needs groups. We hope you can understand…”

Special needs group?

Were they afraid Nie Ran would go crazy halfway through eating?

Hmph, this was outrageous!

She was initially very angry and wanted to argue, but when she looked back at Nie Ran, he indeed stood out from the crowd.

He was quite good-looking, and dressed like this, it was a bit of a waste.

Ning Xin changed her mind and pulled him out of the shop, whispering softly,

“Let’s eat later. First, let’s go buy something.”

“What are we buying?”

She didn’t explain, but took the elevator up to the clothing floor and walked into a men’s clothing store.

Despite being in the clothing business herself, Ning Xin was most afraid of going into clothing stores.

Because her figure was decent, any clothes she tried on looked good on her, and with the sincere or insincere flattery from the store attendants, she couldn’t help but feel floaty and wanted to take all the clothes home.

With the internet being so developed nowadays, she mostly bought her clothes online or from supermarkets.

It had been almost a year since Ning Xin last stepped into a clothing store.

The store attendants were much more enthusiastic than those at the restaurant and immediately greeted them with smiles when they saw them.

“Hello, are you buying clothes for this gentleman? What kind of clothes do you need?”

Ning Xin was afraid of being tricked by them, so she said they were just browsing.

The attendants were tactful and stepped aside, no longer bothering them.

It was her first time buying men’s clothing, so she had no experience at all. As she looked around, everything seemed similar; it was just a matter of size.

Since Nie Ran was tall, they had to choose something larger.

Ning Xin pointed to a shirt on the wall.

“Can he try this on?”

“No problem.”

The attendant took it down and also grabbed a pair of pants, then let Nie Ran go into the fitting room to change.

Nie Ran held the clothes, looking helpless as he glanced at Ning Xin.

“Sister, I don’t know how to put it on. Could you help me?”

A hint of surprise flashed across the attendant’s face. Ning Xin chuckled awkwardly and pushed him into the fitting room.

“It’s better to handle everything by yourself in crowded places in the future.”

“Why?”

“Otherwise, others will look down on you.”

There were always people who liked to discriminate against those who were different from the group. When she first came out to rent a house, the landlord’s attitude changed immediately upon learning she was from an orphanage and had no parents.

Not only did the utility bills skyrocket, but the rent also increased frequently. Whenever something in the house broke, whether it was a light, a table, or even a leaking wall, she had to pay for repairs.

After that, Ning Xin learned to be smart. She never exposed herself in front of strangers and endured any grievances rather than bottling them up. Even if she only threw tantrums and cried, it was better than holding it in.

Nie Ran listened in a daze as she buttoned up his shirt and helped him put on his pants, going through a series of struggles before finally getting him dressed.

As they walked out, Nie Ran stood in front of a full-length mirror, his reflection clear on the glass.

The light gray shirt, dark black pants, made of smooth and stiff fabric, tailored perfectly to his body, outlining beautiful lines and contours.

A few store attendants couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement and crowded around to praise him.

“This is just too perfect. If you change the slippers to leather shoes, it’ll look even better.”

Ning Xin used to think their compliments were insincere, but this time, even she thought so.

Having a clothing rack here made choosing clothes a joyful experience.

She picked up one piece after another, while the attendants kept recommending.

Nie Ran almost lived in the fitting room, changing one outfit after another.

Seeing that Ning Xin couldn’t seem to stop him, she quickly called a halt and swiped her card to pay.

They had tried on over ten pieces of clothing, each one looking absolutely stunning, making it impossible to give up on any of them.

Because they didn’t have shoes, they also bought several pairs of leather shoes and sneakers.

So, with one swipe of the card… beep, the payment of 5789 yuan was made.

Looking at this hefty bill, it took her a while to come back to her senses after walking out of the store.

Nie Ran touched the new clothes on his body, feeling curious.

“Sister, what’s wrong with you?”

Ning Xin took a deep breath, suppressing her heartache.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go eat.”

“Okay.”

However, on the way, they passed by a hair salon, and she stopped again.

They had bought clothes, but his hair also needed a trim; it was long enough to be a bird’s nest.

They walked into the salon, and half an hour later, they spent another 68 yuan.

After coming out, Nie Ran looked completely refreshed from head to toe.

Many people turned their heads to look, but their gazes were no longer filled with the disdain of seeing a mentally ill person; instead, they were amazed and shy.

Ning Xin suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction, reaching out her hand and waiting for Nie Ran to hold it before saying,

“Let’s go eat.”

They didn’t want to go to the grilled fish restaurant again, so she chose a hot pot restaurant that she had been eyeing for a long time.

As the young waiter served the dishes, she kept stealing glances at Nie Ran with flushed cheeks.

But this fool didn’t notice at all; he was too busy staring at the hot pot in amazement.

“Is there fire underneath? Why can’t I find it? Where’s the fire?”

Ning Xin smiled and patiently explained to him as she watched the waiter leave.

“This is an induction cooker; it just needs electricity.”

“Yeah, look at the light bulbs, speakers, and screens here, they all use electricity.”

He looked around and was even more amazed.

“Awesome! It’s magical!”

“Do you really like it here?”

“Yeah.”

“Unfortunately, we can only stay for a few days. We’ll have to go back afterward.”

“Can we take electricity back with us? So that there will be lights and induction cookers there too.”

Ning Xin had this idea but wasn’t sure how much they could take back.

“Come on, we can eat now.”

The hot pot was boiling, and Nie Ran was very afraid, hesitating to reach out.

Ning Xin had to transform into a motherly figure, eating by herself while also taking care to pick up food for him.

Whenever he encountered food he didn’t recognize and was afraid to eat, she had to explain each one to him.

Halfway through the meal, two girls from the adjacent table approached shyly and asked, “Are you Zhang XX from Douyin?”

Nie Ran looked confused.

Ning Xin quickly intervened, “No, he’s my brother.”

“Your brother is so handsome, is he an internet celebrity? Can we take a picture with him?”

She was about to refuse, but the two girls immediately hugged Nie Ran’s arms, taking several photos together before giggling and running off.

Nie Ran stood there, still in shock. “What were they doing just now?”

“It’s nothing, nothing. Let’s eat.”

After eating, they needed to hurry home. Having such an attractive man with her could be troublesome.

After satisfying their hunger, Ning Xin didn’t linger, she hailed a cab outside the mall and headed back home.

It was already late, and going to the store would be a bit rushed. It was better to go home and get some sleep. They could deal with other matters tomorrow.

Upon arriving home, they encountered another issue.

Her apartment was a one-bedroom unit, always occupied by her alone, naturally having only one bed, a single bed at that.

Where would Nie Ran sleep?

Ning Xin stood in the living room, looking around, then pointed to the sofa, asking,

“Can you sleep here?”

“What about you, Sister?”

“I’ll sleep in the bedroom.”

Nie Ran asked, “Can I sleep in the same room as you?”

This place was too unfamiliar to him, and he was scared.

Ning Xin heartlessly refused, “The bed is too small.”

“I can sleep on the floor.”

She remained silent with a stern face, leaving Nie Ran no choice but to give up.

“Alright, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Now this was more like it. What’s the big deal about sleeping together every day? Even if they were siblings, they should sleep in separate beds at their age.

She let Nie Ran tidy up the sofa himself, then grabbed a set of pyjamas and walked into the bathroom, preparing to take a shower.

Her shoulder hadn’t fully healed yet, and it hurt when she took off her clothes, making her grimace.

But… was she really good-looking?

She hadn’t had time to think about this question before, but now she stood in front of the mirror, carefully observing.

Fair skin, big almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose.

Indeed, she was quite decent.

She touched her cheek, thinking that she wouldn’t have to work from dawn till dusk anymore in the future. She should take the opportunity to buy more pretty clothes and dress herself up nicely.

Splish, splash.

The hot water poured down.

She stood under the showerhead, closing her eyes, enjoying this long-lost convenience.

Just as she had started applying shower gel, Nie Ran suddenly knocked on the door urgently.

She said nonchalantly, “Wait a moment, I’ll finish washing and then come out.”

“No, Sister, it seems like there’s a thief! Hurry, come out and take a look!”

“A thief?”

“Yes, they’re trying to break in!”

Ning Xin, thinking of her previous experience with burglary, immediately turned off the shower and dried herself with a towel.

Before she could even put on her clothes, the person outside came in, shouting sharply, “Who are you?”

Nie Ran also countered, “Who are you?”

“This is my house!”

Ning Xin didn’t have time to put on clothes. She hastily wrapped herself in a towel and rushed out, only to freeze upon seeing the person clearly.

It was… the landlord?

She had prepaid two years’ rent previously, precisely to avoid rent increases and being disturbed by the landlord.

She had planned to negotiate a rent reduction this time, but he had actually broken in by himself?

Seeing her, the landlord turned pale with fright, trembling uncontrollably.

“You… you… weren’t you supposed to be dead from a car accident? Ghost!”

He threw down whatever he was holding and screamed as he ran away.

**************

The author has something to say: I’m back to work again, sobbing o()o

This story will be featured on VIP tomorrow, and there will be a big update then. Hope everyone can support it!

By the way, I also want to recommend my upcoming work. Check out my column for more information: “End of Days Restaurant.”

Meng Li originally intended to purchase a management game, but mistakenly ordered a post-apocalyptic battle game.

Unable to get a refund, she decided to make the best of it and play the battle game as if it were a management game.

So while other players were busy fighting monsters and levelling up, strange scenes could often be seen in her gameplay.

“Do you need this mutant boar meat? Can you give it to me? I’ll trade it with you for ore.”

“Do you want to try some smoked pork jerky? 5 gold coins per portion, it restores 30 HP, and most importantly, it’s delicious, a great deal!”

Meng Li happily cooked and sold food, becoming an illegal merchant in the game.

One day, the merchant seduced an NPC and brought him home, intending to make him her exclusive delivery guy, providing free labour.

Unexpectedly, life took a surprising turn afterward. Not only did she build a small restaurant and obtain a business license, turning her illegal business into a legal one, but she also sparked a wave of entrepreneurship in the game.

During her moment of triumph, she couldn’t help but scrutinize her delivery guy.

“Are you really just an NPC?”

—

As the apocalypse loomed, humanity couldn’t stop it. Xie Yan organized a department and modified a holographic game, allowing humans to train their survival skills and combat techniques inside it. Occasionally, he would log in as an NPC to check for bugs.

Little did he know that a random decision would completely derail the game.

As he looked around at the proliferation of restaurants, clothing stores, and barber shops, he felt a sense of frustration.

His assistant could only comfort him: “Minister, this is the will of the people. And our success rate in predictions is 99%. Perhaps this really is the most suitable method of survival.”

The last meeting before the apocalypse, the department invited the most influential players in the game to the scene, preparing to inform them of what is about to happen.

As the two passed by each other, Meng Li suddenly grabbed the sleeve of the man with a cold temperament.

“Wait! Have I seen you somewhere before?”

—

“Bought a Little Broken Planet”

The interstellar war god Bai Ji was sentenced to death for desertion from the battlefield.

His daughter, Bai Rongrong, at sixteen, sold her father’s few remaining assets, bought a discounted remote planet, and escaped the overwhelming insults and attacks.

The small asteroid was barren, without life, and all that could be seen were ruins.

Bai Rongrong parked her spaceship and set up a makeshift residence, setting herself a goal –

To turn this small broken planet, which belonged only to her, into the best planet in the universe.

She began to clean up the debris, improve the soil, and purify the water sources, labouring alone.

Until one day, she dug out… a man from the garbage heap?!

#Falling in Love with the Spirit of the Earth#

#Every inch of land you tread on is my skin.

#Every drop of water you drink is my blood. #At night, as you lie on the earth, it is I who embrace you, admiring the vastness of the starry sky#