152: In the end, she was just being delusional.

"How is that possible? I heard it with my own ears, it can't be false. This is firsthand news!" The young man immediately retorted.

"Hmm?"

Gong Qiumu said somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. It's just that Cheng Siyu and that rude girl weren't secretive when they talked, so I overheard them."

The young man blushed slightly as he continued, "I didn't want to listen, but before I could leave, I heard such explosive news."

So it was true after all?

She had known they were fiancés, and it was only a matter of time before they got together. Why did she still care? It was truly self-humiliation.

Ai Yue couldn't help but sigh internally. Although she had tried her best to avoid falling for him in the past, she had unconsciously developed feelings for him. She thought that by staying far away from him, the pain would fade with time.

But upon hearing such news so suddenly, she still couldn't control the sadness in her heart, even though she had warned herself.

Ai Yue suddenly became immersed in her sorrow. Although she wondered if there might be some misunderstanding, the words came from the two people closest to Gu Xiheng, and it was a private conversation, so she couldn't help but believe the truth of the matter.

Ai Yue kept trying to convince herself that this was for the best, so she wouldn't repeatedly hold onto hope for something impossible.

Since they were truly together, whether Gu Xiheng was willing or for some other reason, she had to take back her heart and no longer get involved between them, lest people think she was a third party.

From now on, they would be strangers!

Familiar strangers.

Ai Yue made up her mind, and her bewildered eyes slowly became firm.

"Sister Ai Yue, Sister?" Gong Qiumu waved his hand repeatedly in front of Ai Yue, calling out.

"Huh?" Ai Yue, startled awake, asked with a clear expression, "What's wrong?"

"That's what I should be asking you, right? What's wrong with you? You suddenly froze, and you didn't react when I spoke to you!"

"Oh, nothing, I just remembered some things. Sorry about that."

"Hey, it's fine! The auction is starting."

Gong Qiumu waved his hand indifferently. He often zoned out when others were talking, so he understood.

Ai Yue looked down, and indeed, a bearded old man was giving an opening speech.

The display screen in front of Ai Yue already showed the items to be auctioned.

They were compressed biscuits made from 20,000 bags of maggots, high in protein.

When the auction item was revealed, the hall below erupted in an uproar. It was known that, to this day, no base or force outside a base had achieved large-scale grain cultivation.

Therefore, food supply remained a problem. People's current diet still consisted mainly of wild vegetables, maggots, and various insects.

Only the higher-ups of the Safety Tower could occasionally have a piece of meat and fine grains; ordinary people couldn't eat them, and even maggots were rarely available.

Only a small number of people could eat fine foods like rice.

So, when high-protein maggots appeared, many people, especially forces and gangs outside the bases, showed wolf-like, determined gazes.

For those who hadn't entered the Safety Tower, surviving outside was extremely difficult, and food was extremely scarce. Some even kept the old, weak, women, and children in captivity to eat their flesh.

Those sitting in the private rooms were people who didn't lack these foods, so no one spoke up to compete.

The forces outside the Safety Tower had all come prepared this time. They didn't have much else, but they had accumulated quite a few transparent stones over the years.

Soon, the compressed biscuits made from maggots found their owner: a fierce-looking, two-meter-tall strongman who bid ten transparent stones for them.

Most of the subsequent auction items were food, supplies, and daily necessities like bicycles. Ai Yue didn't lack any of these and saw no need to compete with those who truly needed them.

It wasn't until the end of the first day's auction, when some traditional Chinese and Western medicines began to be auctioned, that Ai Yue showed a little interest.

However, Ai Yue didn't bid; she just watched with interest.

Since the Apocalypse, medicine has been essential for everyone. So, the medicines put up for auction by the Songzhou Safety Tower this time were not of good quality, and only people on the first floor participated in the bidding.

Soon, the first day's auction ended, and everyone dispersed.

Just as Ai Yue was about to leave, Gong Qiumu grabbed her.

Why was he staying with Ai Yue, not leaving her side, and telling her secrets? It was all for this moment, to keep her, to persuade her to stay in the Safety Tower for a while, and then to stay in the Safety Tower permanently.

This time, Ai Yue did not refuse Gong Qiumu's kind offer and readily agreed.

Gong Qiumu was so happy that he was about to pull Ai Yue to tour the base.

As they left, they happened to run into Gu Xiheng and others coming down from the third floor.

Gu Xiheng looked at Ai Yue with deep eyes, and his clear, low voice sounded, "Ai Yue, you must be done with your matters, too. Shouldn't old friends get together? This time, please give us some face and come with us."

"Since they are old friends, they should thoughtfully give us new friends the time to spend with her, right? Brother Gu," Gong Qiumu said with a grin.

Gong Qiumu said with a grin.

"Besides, Sister Ai Yue just agreed to tour the Songzhou Safety Tower with me. If you want to get together, let's do it another day."

"Ai Yue, that's not fair. It's been so long since we last saw each other. Now that we finally meet, shouldn't you be with us? After all, we all came out of the Yingjin Safety Tower together. Outside, it's only right that we stick together."

Mo Li said with a smile.

"Brother Mo, what are you doing? I already told you, Sister Ai Yue promised me first. Besides, Sister Ai Yue isn't leaving; everyone is in the Safety Tower. Why do you insist she go with you right now?"

Gong Qiumu then turned to Ai Yue and said, "Right, Sister Ai Yue."

Seeing that Ai Yue had no intention of objecting, Gu Xiheng immediately interrupted, "Alright, there's only one road back to the base. Let's walk together."

"Yes, yes, let's walk together, it's livelier with more people." Mo Li didn't give them a chance to refuse, and they all crowded around Ai Yue and Gong Qiumu as they went downstairs.

Ai Yue saw this and didn't object. If she objected again, it would seem a bit unreasonable.

She said with a smile, "Okay, let's go together."

A large group of people, with Ai Yue in the middle, walked towards the base.

Cheng Siyu, who was following behind, had a terribly gloomy expression, and her beautiful eyes revealed a hateful gaze, staring intently at Ai Yue.

This scene was witnessed by Gu Xitian, who was next to her, looking relieved that Ai Yue hadn't noticed her.

Gu Xitian had never seen Cheng Siyu look so terrifying before. That exquisite face was torn to shreds, scaring her to the core.

She couldn't help but blurt out, "Sister Siyu..."

Cheng Siyu instantly withdrew her terrifying, malicious expression and looked at the stunned Gu Xitian, saying, "What's wrong, Xitian?"