Mother in the apocalypse

Long Hua stood frozen in front of the bathroom mirror, his eyes locked on the unfamiliar face staring back at him. It had been an hour already, though he couldn't recall how the time had passed. His neck ached from the strain of holding his head in a fixed position, so he turned it slightly to relieve the tension. The reflection in the mirror mirrored the motion.

Long Hua blinked, and the teenager in the mirror blinked back. The sight unsettled him further.

He covered his eyes in frustration, unable to bear the bizarre reality before him. In his heart, he silently cursed his fate. The person in the mirror was certainly not him!

The reflection had a soft, almost ethereal quality. Eyes that gleamed with a hauntingly seductive intensity, a nose delicate like a swan's neck, ending in a round tip that shimmered with a pink glow. His lips were plump, painted in a deep, succulent shade, as if freshly bitten into a cherry. Black hair, as dark as obsidian, cascaded to just over his shoulders, while his skin was pale and dewy—though it had a sickly undertone, with dark circles beneath his red-rimmed eyes. His waist was impossibly tiny, as though it could snap in the wind.

Long Hua recoiled inwardly, his mind screaming. What is this? His well-defined, spiky hair, his golden, sun-kissed skin, his sharp, masculine jawline—where had they all gone? Most importantly, his pride and joy—his 9-inch Dragon, a symbol of his manhood—was gone! His most sacred family jewels, gone!

He stumbled back, his legs giving way beneath him as he collapsed to the floor. What did I do to deserve this? He thought, his voice rising in silent despair. God, Buddha, Allah—why have you forsaken me?

A gentle knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Xui Bai, are you alright?"

A voice, soft but insistent, called from the other side of the door. "You've been in the bathroom for two hours, and Zu Mu and I still need to get ready for class."

"Yeah, if you're this upset about your breakup with Jiu Ye, just stay home and skip school today. Chen Na can cover for you, and the professor won't mind," another voice chimed in.

"Zu Mu!" someone scolded, though the tone was light, with no real anger.

Zu Mu chuckled. "Just kidding, mostly!"

Xui Bai? Long Hua blinked. Who are these people? He had no recollection of their names, and no idea who they were. His confusion deepened.

"Uh... I'm fine now? Just give me a few more minutes to... tidy myself up?" His voice was raspy, as if he'd been crying, and he hoped it conveyed just enough vulnerability to avoid any more probing.

"Of course! We'll grab something from the cafeteria. Just don't blow up the bathroom, alright?" Zu Mu said with a slight tease, though the playful tone had faded, replaced by something more serious.

"Zu Mu, stop being mean!" Chen Na's voice protested, but it was clear she was in no mood to argue.

Long Hua listened as their footsteps faded down the hall. His confusion deepened—he didn't know where he was, who these people were, or how he had ended up in this strange situation.

Sitting on the toilet, a strange discomfort began to build within him. He desperately needed to relieve himself, but a thought crossed his mind—was it even appropriate to do so? Was it... sexual assault? He didn't know the rules of this body, but before he could reason through it, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. It spread quickly, an icy, unfamiliar sensation flowing through his veins. Sweat poured down his face as he tried to calm himself, but it was too much. His body began to convulse, the need for water unbearable. It felt as if he was dying of thirst, like a parched lake that hadn't seen rain in centuries.

The pain was unbearable. His body refused to cooperate, and before he could stop it, he vomited—thick, black sludge that smelled foul and was as thick as tar. It dripped from his scalp and down his face.

With no more strength to stand, he stumbled into the shower, desperately trying to wash off the black substance. He didn't care about the temperature of the water, or the strange, pulsing sensation that seemed to sink into his skin. As he cleansed himself, his body began to shake uncontrollably. He hit his head on the shower door and blacked out.

Zizzz—memories began to flood his mind, melding with his soul.

[Jia Du, I'm pregnant. What should I do?]

[...silence.]

[Jia Du?]

[I don't know. Why are you asking me?]

Zizzz—the memories blurred and became disjointed.

[She really said that? What does she want? You to marry her?]

[I spoke to my father. He'll take care of it.]

Zizzz—

[What? You're pregnant?! I would never raise a foolish girl like you. Do you know how much money we spent to send you to school? If I'd known this would happen, I would've saved the money for your brother's education. Get out. Don't come back.]

Zizzz—

[Don't worry, Xui Bai. Chen Na and I will take care of you and the little ones.]

[Zu Mu!]

[Hahaha.]

Zizzz—

[About my son... I realize you're already four months along. I'm willing to compensate you, and... for your child. You understand, right? Here's a check. You'll receive a monthly allowance to raise... .]

Zizzz—

[Did you hear? Xue Bai is pregnant! That's why she's trying to graduate early!]

[No way, are you serious?]

[She's always acting like a goody two-shoes, but look at what she's really like.]

[What a slut. I heard she doesn't even know who the father is.]

[She should just drop out. We don't need to associate with her anymore.]

Zizzz—

[Congratulations, Miss Long Xui. The babies were born healthy, but... sadly, the third one didn't make it.]

Zizzz—a breaking news sound filled his mind.

[Today, on the news: reports of a fast-spreading flu-like virus in the southernmost city of Jiangsu, China.]

Zizzz—

[Chen Na, take Xui Bai, little Xiǎo Dān, and Xiǎo Huì, and get out of here.]

[AH! ZU MU!]

Zizzz—the world around him spun, and his mind was no longer his own.

I woke up with a lingering sense of motion, as though the world was still swaying beneath me. For a moment, I couldn't understand what was happening, who I was, or how I ended up in Xui Bai's body. But as I lay there, my mind started to come to grips with the soul integration, my consciousness merging with hers. I was awed by this girl's strength, her willpower to keep pushing forward in life, to move past everything—even in the face of the hardships she'd been dealt. I couldn't help but admire her resilience, something I knew I would never have had the strength for. But now, in her body, I felt at peace, somehow whole.

Wait... The realization hit me like a cold wave. I wasn't in the bathroom anymore. I wasn't alone in confusion. I was in a hospital room. The sterile smell, the white walls, and the soft beeping of machines reminded me of that truth.

As I tried to sit up, still dazed, a frantic voice called out from beside me.

"Xui Bai, are you okay?"

I turned to the source of the voice, and for a second, I could only blink in stunned silence. What I saw was an angel—no, not just any angel, but a living, breathing vision of beauty. Honey blonde hair, eyes the same soft color, and lips that seemed made for a kiss. But what really made my jaw drop was... those boobs! At least an F cup, I thought dazedly, unable to tear my eyes away.

But before I could even begin to process the situation, a second voice chimed in, laughing softly.

"Calm down, Ai Na. You're making it sound like she's about to die!"

I turned to look, and my breath caught in my throat. Holy shit, you're a fucking goddess! The woman standing before me was tall, athletic, her short black hair tipped with red. Her black eyes gleamed with a sharpness that suggested a no-nonsense attitude. She stood at least 5'11"—a striking figure that commanded attention.

"Ah, you're right, Zu," the first woman, Ai Na, said, sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Xui Bai... but are you really pregnant?"

The question came so suddenly that I blurted out, "How did you know?!"

Chen Na and Zu Mu stared at me, their eyes wide, as though I were the one being foolish.

"Xui Bai, we're in a hospital..." Chen Na said slowly, her voice soft, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.

I couldn't believe I had forgotten something so simple. My cheeks burned as I turned my gaze down, no longer sure how to speak.

Zu Mu, sensing my discomfort, quickly changed the subject. "Anyhow, the doctor said you passed out from stress. If you're not careful, it could harm the children inside you!"

I glanced down at my slightly rounded belly. I should be about four months pregnant by now, and the realization hit me all over again—three little lives growing inside me. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on my chest. Gently, I rubbed my abdomen, unsure how to comfort the souls inside. How do I do this? I wondered.

As I lay there, I noticed the electronic clock beside the bed. The date read May 19th, three days since Xui Bai had gone home, and already, her father had disowned her. She had received a few thousand yuan from her mother as she left, but that money was running out fast. I began to worry about how she would manage, especially when Jia Du's father was supposed to contact her within the next 24 hours to invite her to a café and discuss things.

If I remembered correctly, Jia Du's father had offered Xui Bai a choice of any house he owned, as long as it was under 2,500,000 yuan. He had also given her 1,180,000 yuan, but even that wasn't much in the grand scheme of things.

I frowned, trying to think about how I could make this money stretch. My mind was reeling with the implications of everything when I heard Zu Mu's voice snap me out of my thoughts.

"Hello? Xui, Earth to Bai," Zu Mu said seriously, her tone cutting through my haze. "I need you to tell me everything that's going on."

I knew it wasn't really my place to speak, but I figured it was better to tell them everything—after all, I wasn't sure how long I would even be in this body, or if I would ever return to my own.

And so, I explained everything—the truth about my situation, the strange merging of our souls, and how I found myself trapped in this strange new life. The room fell silent, heavy with the weight of my words.

Finally, Zu Mu broke the silence, a grin spreading across her face. "Don't stress, Xui Bai. Me and Chen Na will help take care of you and the little Buns!"

As she said this, she looped her arm around Chen Na's waist, pulling her into a side hug. Chen Na flushed bright red, stammering, "Z-Zu Mu!"

The sight of them, so familiar and yet strange, made me laugh. They were just like they had been in my dreams—supportive, kind, and ready to face whatever came next with me.

The day passed quickly, and I had my final check-up with the nurse. By the time I was ready to leave, Zu Mu and Chen Na were waiting for me at the door.

"Who wants BBQ?" Zu Mu asked with a silly grin, spotting a corner store just outside the hospital.

"I do! I'll buy the drinks, you buy the ingredients. Don't forget the veggies!" Chen Na replied with a determined expression.

"Hell yeah, I'll meet you at the checkout!" Zu Mu bounced around excitedly, her energy contagious.

"I'll get dessert!" I said, smiling at them, and they both nodded happily.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt a small spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could make this new life work.