"I'm really about to starve to death. I don't know how long it's been with only cabbage and radishes to eat. I'm so cold, I really feel like I'm about to freeze to death. I'm so scared, I can't sleep, I can't do anything, I'm in despair, I really feel like I'm about to die soon. Thank you, thank you for saving me..."

Ashley Grant's outburst of sobbing left Henry Clark at a loss, not knowing where to put his hands.

After hesitating for a moment, Henry Clark placed his hand on Ashley Grant's back, gently patting as he said, "Don't cry, hmm, don't cry. Things will get better from now on."

"I'm just so grateful to you... Thank you, brother."

Henry Clark let out a light sigh and said, "Actually, I'm telling you all this because I'm afraid I might die one day. If I die and you're still alive, then these things can still be useful. You should know, in the current situation, we really could... could run into an accident at any time."

Ashley Grant paused for a moment, but then she cried even harder.

Henry Clark continued softly, "We're both survivors of this apocalypse. We're companions. I can only rely on you, so of course I have to give you all these things. You should understand, to survive, two people have a much bigger advantage than one, so you don't need to be so moved. What I'm doing is just what I should do."

Ashley Grant lifted her head, and after awkwardly wiping the wet patch she'd left on Henry Clark's chest, she said, "You're such a fool. Also, even if it's easier for two people to survive, no one would be willing to share everything with someone else like you do."

Henry Clark laughed and said, "That depends on the situation. For example, if I ran into two people, I definitely wouldn't reveal myself, because those two are probably already a small group. Two people sharing is always better than three. If I ran into a man, I wouldn't easily bring him here either, let alone give him everything, because you never know what's in people's hearts."

After he finished speaking, Henry Clark patted Ashley Grant's shoulder and smiled, "Your brother here is very afraid of dying, so I wouldn't trust others easily. I'm telling you this to remind you: if you ever meet strangers in the future, you must be careful. Because in this kind of apocalypse, the deepest kindness in human nature will show itself, but so will the deepest evil."

Chapter 8: Night Talk

The fire in the kang stove was lit, and the earthen bed quickly became warm, eventually even hot, warming up the whole little house.

But by the second half of the night, when no more wood was added and the fire in the kang went out, the temperature would drop, and the room would only get colder.

Henry Clark had a sleeping bag, so when he slept alone it was fine, but now there were two people, and only one sleeping bag.

The simplest solution was to spread the sleeping bag open, with Henry Clark and Ashley Grant each covering part of it. This way, neither of them would be very warm, but at least neither would freeze.

The only problem was that sharing one sleeping bag meant they had to be very close.

It was only at this moment that Henry Clark realized Ashley Grant didn't smell very good. After two months without a bath, even with new clothes, the smell wouldn't be pleasant.

But all that was secondary. After a long day, Henry Clark quickly drifted off to sleep.

He heard some faint but strange noises, which made Henry Clark, who hadn't been asleep long, suddenly open his eyes and sit up quickly. His left hand grabbed the knife by his pillow, and after his right hand gripped the handle, he remembered he wasn't sleeping alone anymore.

There was someone else lying beside him. Realizing this, Henry Clark first felt an inexplicable joy, then let out a long sigh of relief.

Ashley Grant let out a faint murmur in her sleep, but after Henry Clark's sudden movement made some noise, her voice disappeared, and even her breathing became silent.

Henry Clark knew what was going on. For the past two months, he hadn't been able to sleep soundly, and Ashley Grant's situation was even worse, so there was no way she could sleep deeply now.

Extreme fear, tension, loneliness—after being in this mental state for so long, it would be strange if Ashley Grant hadn't become especially alert.

"You're awake, right?"

After a moment, Ashley Grant replied softly, "Mm."

"I'm just not used to having someone else beside me. I got startled awake just now. It's nothing, let's go back to sleep."

Henry Clark explained, worried that Ashley Grant might get the wrong idea.

After all, it was just a man and a woman alone, and in a situation where only morality could restrain Henry Clark, it was normal for Ashley Grant to be afraid.

Ashley Grant also let out a soft sigh, then sat up and said quietly, "I can't sleep. It might take me a long time to fall asleep again."

Of course, in this world now, insomnia must be a pain that most people have to face.

Henry Clark said softly, "Me too. Let's talk for a bit, then."

"Mm, can we have a little light?"

"No, batteries are precious, and pine torches are too smoky."

"Alright, um, what should we talk about..."

Ashley Grant hesitated, and Henry Clark said quietly, "Let's not talk about family, anything else is fine."

He didn't want to face that bloody wound in his heart, at least not yet, so Henry Clark set the topic boundaries in advance.