Chapter 48: Fleeing in Panic

Bai Wenbin, seething with rage, pounded on the door so hard it sounded like thunder.

Next door in 1302, Sun Peng and Wang Xiaoyu were just about to go to sleep when they heard the furious banging outside.

Wang Xiaoyu jumped in fright, thinking someone was knocking on their own door. Only when she heard Bai Wenbin shouting did she realize someone was causing trouble for Chu Peipei across the hall.

Clutching Sun Peng’s arm, she whispered, “Peng-ge, someone’s banging on the door across from us.”

Sun Peng had heard the commotion too. He narrowed his eyes. “Isn’t that perfect? Someone’s dealing with her for us. Too bad those guys last time only robbed her and didn’t kill her—wasted all my effort.”

Sun Peng was a cowardly schemer. He’d never get his own hands dirty unless he could ambush someone; he always incited others to do the dirty work.

Because of the buzz cut incident, he’d been watching Chu Peipei for a while. But even though she was just a woman, he never dared confront her directly, always looking for a chance to catch her off guard.

But Chu Peipei was extremely cautious, and he never got the opportunity.

So Sun Peng resorted to spreading rumors while out scavenging, telling others that 1301 was stocked with food, hoping to get others to do his dirty work.

He hadn’t expected that group to only rob her and cause her to miscarry, but not actually kill her.

He’d thought Chu Peipei was dead and gone, but to his surprise, she showed up again, alive and kicking.

What a tough woman!

Was she made of iron or something?

Now, seeing someone else come to cause her trouble—so furious they sounded like they’d smash the door down—Sun Peng was delighted. This time, she was done for.

He pulled Wang Xiaoyu into his arms with satisfaction. “Babe, let’s go to sleep and let them kill each other!”

...

Meanwhile, Chu Peipei, at home, had also heard the banging.

She’d just been lying in bed, drifting off to sleep, when the noise startled her awake.

She pressed a hand to her pounding heart, grabbed the boning knife by her bed, and got up to head for the entryway.

Peering through the peephole, she studied the figure outside for a while before recognizing the swollen face as the man who’d caused trouble at Annan’s place earlier that day.

He was still alive?

Annan had confiscated all his family’s supplies, so Chu Peipei had assumed he and his sister were as good as dead. She hadn’t expected him to survive.

That wasn’t like Annan at all.

But Annan always had her reasons for what she did.

Chu Peipei gripped the knife tightly, thinking about what to do.

Earlier that day, if Annan hadn’t shown up in time, she would’ve been beaten to death by this man.

There was a natural difference in strength between men and women, and she’d just had a miscarriage, leaving her extremely weak.

If it hadn’t been to protect Annan, she wouldn’t have found the courage and strength to fight back.

But now, she was in even worse shape than she’d been earlier.

After a long day of scavenging and fighting, she was completely drained.

And Bai Wenbin was different from those scavengers outside.

Those people didn’t have any personal grudge against her—they just wanted food. If they couldn’t get it here, they’d move on. It wasn’t a fight to the death.

But Bai Wenbin was different. She’d ruined his plans today, and Annan had beaten him to a pulp.

From the way he was pounding on the door, it was clear he wanted to tear her apart.

Chu Peipei thought for a moment, then put down the boning knife.

There was no way she could win a knife fight now—she’d strained her arm earlier, and it was so sore she could barely lift it.

Luckily, Annan had given her a nail gun.

That didn’t require much strength.

She found the nail gun and nervously aimed it at the door.

Outside, Bai Wenbin had started kicking the door.

After a whole day of humiliation, he was burning with rage, summoning all his strength—he didn’t even care about his still-bleeding shoulder.

He kicked the door furiously, “Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Chu Peipei watched the shaking door, clutching the nail gun, her palms slick with sweat.

She had to make the first shot count. If she couldn’t take him down quickly and he managed to grab the gun, she’d be in real danger.

She focused all her attention, then suddenly had an idea.

She opened her mouth and shouted loudly:

“Annan, wake up! That guy from the 8th floor is here again!”

The banging outside stopped abruptly.

Bai Wenbin froze in shock. What was going on?

Annan was sleeping at her place?!

His mind raced.

How could Annan be staying at someone else’s place…

Did she know he’d come for revenge and came to protect Chu Peipei on purpose?

Or was Chu Peipei just bluffing to scare him?

His thoughts spun in circles, and he stood there, paralyzed with indecision.

He couldn’t help it—Annan had left him with too much psychological trauma.

Every time they’d clashed, he’d come out worse, each time more miserable than the last.

Chu Peipei heard the noise outside stop and knew she’d made the right call.

Ha! Scared, aren’t you?

He really was afraid of Annan.

Earlier that day, he’d been about to turn the tables on her, but the moment Annan opened the door, he’d bolted for home in terror.

Clearly, Annan was a terrifying figure in his mind.

Seeing that he was still hesitating outside, Chu Peipei decided to up the ante.

She shouted again, “Annan, are you up? Hurry, he’s right outside the door!”

As she spoke, she quietly retreated toward the bedroom.

Then she deliberately stomped her feet, pretending to be Annan walking toward the door.

At the door, she put her hand on the handle and slowly began to open it.

She was betting everything.

She was betting he wouldn’t dare stay.

If he did, she’d fire the nail gun immediately.

Nail that bastard to the wall!

With her other hand gripping the nail gun tightly, Chu Peipei nervously opened the door.

Outside, Bai Wenbin was already in turmoil after hearing her shouts.

When he heard real footsteps slowly approaching the door, his heart leapt into his throat.

No way—was it really Annan?!

At that moment, the door slowly opened, and a sharp sound sliced through the air.

A nail whizzed past Bai Wenbin’s cheek.

His pupils contracted.

It really was Annan!

Annan’s nail gun!

Bai Wenbin didn’t dare look back. He spun around and sprinted down the stairs as fast as he could.

Chu Peipei smiled—she’d won the bet.

She raised the gun and fired at his back, but her aim was off and Bai Wenbin ran so fast that the nail only grazed his ear.

Looks like she’d have to practice her shooting tomorrow.

What good were weapons if she couldn’t use them properly?

Once his figure disappeared, Chu Peipei closed the door and went back to bed.

Tch, she’d expected a fierce battle, but the guy had been scared off in no time, fleeing in panic.

Meanwhile, Bai Wenbin ran for his life, bursting into his apartment and collapsing onto the sofa.

He sat there for a while, then finally broke down and sobbed.

So humiliating!

He was suffocating with frustration!

He cried so hard he almost passed out, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Bai Wenbin woke up hungry, gritted his teeth, and made a decision."