Chapter 47: Rick's Family Meeting
The employee residential district was located on the basement level of the Hive Center.
Warm yellow lights glowed from Rick's villa, making it look just like any ordinary home in the neighborhood.
But at this moment, the atmosphere in the kitchen felt tense.
Lori stood by the sink, mechanically wiping the same glass over and over again.
The glass had long since become clean, but she simply couldn't stop.
Rick had the day off today—a rare occasion since he didn't need to lead a scavenging team outside.
He quietly slipped from the living room into the kitchen. Seeing his wife's back turned toward him, a mischievous smile crept across his face.
He tiptoed closer before suddenly wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Hey!"
Lori jolted in fright.
The glass slipped from her hand and shattered loudly across the floor.
She froze for a moment before abruptly shoving Rick away. When she turned around, her eyes were already red.
"What are you doing?!"
She practically shouted.
"You're home, so why couldn't you greet me normally? You scared me to death!"
Rick immediately raised his hands apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I thought you heard me coming in. Don't be angry."
He glanced at the broken glass scattered across the floor.
"I'll clean it up. Don't move."
Lori took a deep breath and brushed away his hand.
"I can do it myself. Go sit down."
Rick stood there silently, watching his wife crouch down to pick up the shattered pieces. A vague feeling settled in his chest that something was wrong.
Lori normally wasn't like this.
He had startled her before, but she had never reacted this strongly.
Scratching his head awkwardly, he asked carefully,
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Lori tossed the broken glass into the trash and stood there with her back facing him for several seconds.
"Wait until Carl gets home," she finally said.
"Let's have a family meeting. He has the right to know certain things."
Rick's heart suddenly sank.
A family meeting?
What kind of family meeting?
He suddenly remembered what he had heard recently—Ed had been forced to divorce, and Carol had moved out with Sophia.
Could Lori be thinking about that too?
He scratched his hair anxiously, sat down on the sofa, and fell into uneasy silence.
That afternoon, Carl came running home with his backpack bouncing behind him.
"Dad!"
The moment he saw Rick, he rushed over excitedly.
Rick hugged his son and ruffled his hair.
"How was school today?"
"Pretty good."
Carl grinned brightly.
"Today Mr. Paul taught us how to read maps. Daryl mixed up north and south, and everybody laughed at him."
Rick forced a smile, but his eyes remained fixed on Lori.
Lori walked out of the kitchen, wiped her hands dry, and sat down across from them.
"Sit properly," she said seriously.
"I have something to tell you."
Rick and Carl sat side by side.
The father and son wore nearly identical nervous expressions.
Lori looked at them silently for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"I'm pregnant."
The living room fell silent for three full seconds.
Rick's eyes slowly widened.
His mouth opened slightly as though he couldn't process what he had just heard.
Subconsciously, he rubbed his face twice before speaking in a trembling voice.
"You… what did you say?"
"I'm pregnant."
Lori repeated calmly, though her fingers trembled slightly against her knees.
"Carl, you're going to have a little brother or sister."
Rick suddenly stood up, then sat down again, only to stand back up once more.
He opened his mouth several times, but no words came out.
Finally, he pulled Lori tightly into his arms.
"Oh my God… oh my God…"
His voice was hoarse with emotion.
Carl ran over and wrapped his arms around his parents' legs.
Looking up excitedly, he asked,
"A little brother or sister? Really? When will they come out?"
Rick released Lori, crouched down, and hugged his son tightly.
Then he looked back at Lori, his eyes slightly red.
"How far along are you?"
"About two months."
Lori avoided his gaze as she answered.
Two months.
Rick silently counted the days.
That was shortly after he had returned to her side.
Overwhelmed with happiness, he didn't know what to say anymore. He simply held her hand tightly.
Meanwhile, Carl had already begun thinking about names for the baby.
Lori looked at the smiling faces of her husband and son, and a faint smile appeared on her lips as well.
But the smile never truly reached her eyes.
In another villa not far away, Amy busily moved around the kitchen.
Today, she had spent a large amount of contribution points at the community supermarket, exchanging them for a chicken, a bottle of red wine, and two candles.
Inside the oven, the roast chicken sizzled as oil dripped onto the tray, filling the kitchen with a rich aroma.
She placed the candles into candle holders at the center of the table before setting out two wine glasses and pouring the wine.
Afterward, she stood in front of the mirror and changed outfits three times before finally choosing a beige dress.
It wasn't overly formal, but it suited her perfectly.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang.
Amy quickly walked over, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
Wu Fan stood outside.
He wasn't wearing a suit today—just a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
In his hands was a bouquet of flowers.
They weren't expensive flowers, just roses picked from the community garden: red, yellow, and white blooms tied together with hemp rope.
"You're five minutes late," Amy said, though the corners of her lips had already curled upward.
Wu Fan handed her the flowers.
"I saw them blooming nicely on the way here, so I picked them."
Amy lowered her head and smelled the flowers before standing on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the cheek.
"I forgive you."
Even though she knew he was obviously lying, she still couldn't resist liking this charming man.
The candle flames flickered gently atop the dining table.
The roast chicken was crispy on the outside and tender inside, while the wine—though not from any famous winery—was already considered a luxury in this world.
The two chatted casually, discussing everything from new recruits at the base to the progress of the wall construction project, from Carol's divorce to the jokes Carl had recently made at school.
Wu Fan talked far more than he usually did in the office.
Amy rested her chin on one hand as she listened quietly, occasionally adding a comment while refilling his wine glass.
"You know…"
By the time Amy finished her third glass, her eyes had begun to look slightly unfocused.
"You're usually very serious and intimidating in the office. But right now, you seem like a normal person."
"I am a normal person," Wu Fan replied.
"No."
Amy shook her head slowly.
"You're the boss. Everyone's afraid of you. Merle fears you, Rick respects you, Andrea admires you—but nobody dares to sit down and eat with you like this."
She stood up, walked around the table, and sat beside him.
The alcohol had flushed her cheeks pink, and her bright eyes shimmered softly in the candlelight.
"But I'm not afraid of you."
She leaned closer and whispered softly,
"I've never been afraid."
Wu Fan looked at her silently.
Amy reached out, grabbed his collar, and pulled him closer.
Then she kissed him.
The kiss was long and deep, carrying the taste of red wine and the warmth of candlelight.
Afterward, she pulled him up from the chair and pushed him toward the bedroom.
Wu Fan tried to say something, but she silenced him with another kiss—with her body and with those dazzling eyes.
"Don't talk," she whispered.
"Just kiss me."
That night was wild.
Even wilder than the last time.
It was as though Amy was releasing all the fear, loneliness, and pressure she had endured since the apocalypse began.
She bit his shoulder, clawed at his back, and whispered things into his ear that she would never normally dare to say.
Wu Fan held her tightly, feeling her trembling body, her heated breath, and the sting of her nails against his skin.
Outside the window, the community's artificial sky shifted into nighttime mode.
Countless stars dotted the deep blue dome overhead.
The stars didn't twinkle because they weren't real.
But at this moment, nobody cared whether they were real or not.
As dawn approached, Amy finally calmed down.
Curled against Wu Fan's arm, she nestled in his embrace like a cat that had finally found a home.
"Wu…"
She murmured his name sleepily—not "Boss," but his actual name.
"Hmm?"
"Will you stay here tonight?"
Wu Fan remained silent for a moment before answering softly.
"Yes."
Amy said nothing more.
Her breathing gradually steadied as she drifted to sleep.
Outside the window, the artificial stars slowly faded away as the dome transitioned into morning mode.