Urban Powers After the Apocalypse

A small, delicate hand waved in front of Xu Mo's eyes. He snapped back to reality and realized that the little girl, Tang Guo, was still standing beside him. He was surprised. "Why haven't you left yet? Go home already."

Tang Guo slapped Xu Mo's hand away with annoyance. "You big fool! I told you I didn't bring any money. You expect me to walk all the way home, several kilometers?"

"Uh... I didn't think this through. Here, take this money and catch the bus home. Next time, don't just take things without paying. It'll become a habit, and that's not good." Xu Mo pulled ten yuan from his wallet and handed it to her. He couldn't help but wonder if he owed this little girl something from his past life. Not only did she scold him, but he also had to smile and apologize.

Tang Guo didn't take the money. Instead, she snatched Xu Mo's wallet, casually flipping through it. When she saw there was less than 200 yuan, she looked disappointed. "This is all you have? You really are poor."

"I'm just a poor guy. I've let you down," Xu Mo said with a wry smile, his face twitching slightly. If this girl were his sister, he would have already spanked her for being so ungrateful.

"Eh? What's this?" Tang Guo suddenly pulled out a photo booth picture of Xu Mo and Xu Biling from the wallet, holding it up excitedly. "What's this? Is this a picture of you and your girlfriend? Uncle, you're not pure!"

"Bull! What's wrong with taking a picture with a friend? Give that back!" Xu Mo snatched the photo back forcefully, careful not to tear it, and put it back into his wallet.

"Ow, ow! That hurts..." Tang Guo exaggeratedly held her wrist where Xu Mo had grabbed her, screaming in mock pain. When Xu Mo glared at her, she finally quieted down and muttered, "Honestly, that ugly woman is worth all your attention? Your taste in women is really pathetic."

"My taste doesn't need you to judge..." Xu Mo shot back, irritated. "I'm leaving. You figure out how to get home."

Xu Mo took back the ten yuan, thinking that since Tang Guo had a phone, she could easily contact her family. There was no need for him to worry.

"Eh? Uncle, why are you just leaving?" Tang Guo suddenly seemed anxious, catching up with him and grabbing his arm tightly. "Uncle, where are you going? Take me with you!"

This little girl was like gum stuck to him. Didn't she worry he might be a human trafficker?

Xu Mo turned around slowly, speaking with deliberate slowness. "I'm going to eat, then going home."

"I'm hungry too," Tang Guo said, looking at him with a childish pout.

Xu Mo gave up, realizing he couldn't get rid of this stubborn little girl. Well, it was just a meal. He'd let it go, and after that, they'd part ways. She wouldn't follow him home, surely...

After confirming his location with a public map on the street, Xu Mo took Tang Guo on Bus No. 13, and thirty minutes later, they got off at the pedestrian street station.

The pedestrian street was one of the most bustling areas in Shang City. Almost every road to Shang City passed through here, and it was located at the city center, making it convenient for both eating and transportation. Most importantly, Xu Mo was familiar with the area.

They arrived at a beef noodle shop on the food street. The cheerful, plump owner greeted Xu Mo immediately. "Hey, Xu Mo, bringing your little sister to eat noodles? It's been a month since I last saw you. You've put on some weight!"

Since Xu Mo often ate here, he and the owner were familiar with each other. Xu Mo smiled back and said, "My mom's been feeding me extra meals, saying I've been studying too hard and need to build my strength. Maybe I've gained some weight."

"Men need some weight to feel secure!" The owner laughed, patting his own big belly. The layers of fat wobbled rhythmically. He didn't seem very "secure," but at least it was a good feeling to touch.

"Haha, no matter how much I eat, I won't beat you, boss. Same as usual—two bowls of beef noodles, a plate of mixed appetizers, and two bottles of cola."

"Got it! Wait a sec!"

Since they'd been sitting for a while, Tang Guo kept wiping her seat with a napkin, frowning. She wouldn't sit down until the wooden bench shone with its original luster. She then sat down cautiously, only half her butt touching the seat, as if it were burning hot.

"Hey, Uncle, this is what we're eating? Is this food even fit for humans?" Tang Guo poked at her noodles with chopsticks, glancing at Xu Mo with a frown. Her eyes almost looked like she was interrogating a criminal.

Xu Mo was confused and looked at her, wondering what kind of family had raised such a bizarre child. This delicious beef noodle didn't seem so bad, but to her, it was like pig food?

"What else would we eat?" Xu Mo replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I want Pizza Hut! I want Pizza Hut!" Tang Guo slammed her chopsticks down and kicked her legs, starting a protest that drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

Xu Mo took a deep breath, barely holding back the urge to throw her out. He raised his hand and signaled to the owner. "Add a Roujiamo for this brat."

"What's Roujiamo?" Tang Guo asked, clearly not knowing what it was. Was she from Mars?

"Just think of it as China's version of Pizza Hut... Now shut up, you little girl who worships foreign things! If you say one more word, I'll throw you out to drink the northwest wind!"

Xu Mo's forehead twitched as he glared at Tang Guo, raising his fist threateningly. Tang Guo, undeterred, made a face at him, but because of Xu Mo's menacing glare, she obediently closed her mouth, sulking and muttering as she reluctantly ate her beef noodles.

Despite being annoying and sharp-tongued, Tang Guo actually ate like a refined young lady. Even though the noodles had soup, she didn't make any slurping noises, and her movements were graceful, with a rhythm that showed good manners. It was a stark contrast to the noisy, childish image she had portrayed earlier.

"What are you staring at, Uncle?" Tang Guo suddenly noticed Xu Mo's gaze and realized it was on her. She wiped her mouth with a tissue and awkwardly explained, "Sorry, I accidentally went into 'program mode' again…"

"Program mode?" Xu Mo blinked. Was she trying to tell him she was a robot from the future? A Terminator T800?

Looking at the delicate Tang Guo, she didn't look like someone who could suddenly pull a rocket launcher out of her arm. But there was definitely something strange about her. At such a young age, she had a mix of innocence and cunning that didn't fit most children.

"Why did you run off by yourself, Tang Guo? Doesn't your family care about you?" Xu Mo asked. It was winter vacation, but letting such a young girl wander around alone—what kind of parents were these?

Tang Guo's chopsticks paused for a moment. Xu Mo's question seemed to touch on something she didn't want to talk about. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with a hint of tears before she looked down. After a moment, she raised her head and grinned. "Why ask so much? Are you trying to chase me?"

"I'm not into little girls…" Xu Mo said, rolling his eyes. How could she jump to that conclusion so quickly?

Seeing that Tang Guo was deliberately avoiding the question, Xu Mo didn't press further. He respected her privacy, even if she was just a little girl. But as he was about to change the subject, Tang Guo unexpectedly spoke up again.

"When I was little, my mom passed away. My dad's always out drinking and messing around. When he remembers me, he leaves me some money. When he forgets, he leaves me at home to fend for myself. He doesn't care about me…"

Tang Guo sighed, resting her chin in her hand as she gazed out the window. Her eyes were filled with a profound loneliness.