For 3 months now, Zhan and Yibo, as well as all the other survivors, have been in the hotel and have developed a proper infrastructure. Zhan's father took complete control of the hotel. He organizes everything. Because of him, the survivors have a regular daily routine and even go to work.

Once a week, he sends out teams with two different goals. To look for more survivors and to clear out all the stores. It doesn't matter if it's food, clothing or books. In their new permanent home, they can use everything.

Zhan works as a surgeon again and also takes care of other patients. From morning to evening he is in the medical ward and sometimes at night he helps the scientists with their research. There is not much time left for his relationship.

But Yibo is also very busy. He teamed up with other surviving police officers and they provide security inside the hotel. Since the hotel is huge and there are only a handful of trained police officers, Yibo is of course constantly on duty. Even though he misses Zhan, at the moment work comes first for him too.

But once the two of them have time and can see each other, they usually just argue. Mostly about the fact that they have no time for each other. Each accuses the other of working too much. Adding to Zhan's frustration is the fact that Yibo's parents still don't accept the relationship between him and Yibo and do their utmost to disturb the two at every opportunity and remind them that they are against this relationship.

They also insisted that Yibo move into a family room with them. They said, after all, they are a family and as long as Yibo and Zhan are not married, they insist that Yibo stay with them. Hoping that his parents would realize that Yibo was also listening to their wishes and that they would finally give in and accept Zhan, Yibo agreed and moved in with his parents. But this only created a bigger gap between the two of them.

Meanwhile, they see each other maybe only once a week and then waste their time arguing about the fact that they argue. Too much work, not enough time for each other, Yibo's parents, it was always the same topics and they were both really fed up with it. They missed each other so much, but they just couldn't find access to each other now that they were all living together in the hotel and a kind of everyday life was created.

And also today, when they saw each other, they argued again. But Yibo had finally had enough of it. He grabbed Zhan's shoulders after the latter said, "Then let's take a relationship break first and think about whether this relationship is really what we want."

Yibo was so angry at Zhan's words that he held him by the shoulders, looked deep into his eyes and asked, "Why do you always want to give up right away? Why do you always have to doubt our relationship? Do you even love me? Because it doesn't seem that way to me."

"I love you Yibo. I really do. And yes, I do question our relationship. But it's only because we can't connect anymore. We only fight when we see each other now." Replied Zhan calmly.

"If you really love me Zhan, then stop with the same old crap. Relationship break up, separation. Or your popular phrase that you are older than me and have more experiences from life because of that. Do you know how much it hurts me every time you tell me something like that? I love you like crazy and I'm constantly trying to find a solution to our problem."

"The biggest problem is your parents and the lack of time we have."

"I know Zhan. Do you know why I asked you not to make any plans today and take the whole day off?"

"Why?"

"Because today is my birthday and I wanted to spend it with you alone. And when you told me just now that you don't have much time because you want to help the scientists, I just wanted to punch you in the face, that's how angry it makes me."

"I'm sorry about that Yibo. I didn't know that. I'm sorry." Replied Zhan and hugged Yibo. He gave him a kiss and said, "I'm not leaving, I will stay with you today as promised. I wish you a happy birthday."

"Thank you Zhan. And one more thing. I'm moving back in with you in our room. I wanted to please my parents and show them that I respect them and get comfortable with the idea of me being with you. But I realized that they are using this for themselves to drive us further and further apart. They don't even try to understand how much I love you and want to be with you. That's why, I'm going to move out today and come back to our room."

"Really? You're really going to do that?"

"Yes."

"I'm so happy to hear that." Cheered Zhan and kissed Yibo's face with joy.

"ZhanZhan, I also want to ask you for something."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Please try to establish regular working hours. For example, surgeries, except emergencies, only on Thursdays. Otherwise, you should establish regulated consultation hours. So then you only have to work in emergencies in the evening or at night. My colleagues and I are currently training civilians who can support us in our work. So in two weeks at the latest, I will also have regular working hours. I really want this to work with us. And it can only if we both work at it and meet each other halfway. The evenings and nights should belong to both of us again. So the best birthday present is if you promise to please me on this. And most importantly, I expect you to never talk about a breakup or relationship pause again. You and I belong together and that should be the last thing we talk about. We should make plans together and stop fighting all the time."

"You're right. I'll set up regular hours and consulting hours. About the surgery day, well, that's a good idea, however, it might have to be Tuesdays and Thursdays. But I could integrate these surgeries into my working hours, so that I can be there for you in the evening. And yes, we should also make plans together. And one plan we've had for a long time, we should finally follow through on. Looking for our gray creatures."

"I'm afraid that this won't be easy. We would have to leave the hotel for that. And no gray or black creatures have been sighted for a month. The supply groups told about many dead black creatures. And they also said that the vampires are popping up everywhere now and mostly in masses. But since we're pretty remote and therefore harder to find, we're safe, at least for now."

"Mmm. My dad told me that the road has been repaired and now you can also see more and more that it's being used regularly. So once vampires come that way, they will definitely notice that path, that road, and realize that there are cars going that way regularly. Then we'll probably experience the first attacks here, too."

"Your dad told me the same thing. He assumes that there could be the first attacks soon. That's why his soldiers are still on their guard posts day and night. Surveillance cameras have been placed all over the compound. Among other things, because two cows disappeared last week. Since the compound is secured all around with the wall, the cows couldn't have just run away."

"So someone grabbed them?"

"Yes, that's what we're assuming at this point. Your father asked us to check the freezers. But we didn't find anything. No matter what floor. We even went to the workshops and stores."

"Crazy that we even have real stores here right? And a bar."

"Your dad doesn't want to open the bar anytime soon, though, and the stores are closed, too. They won't open until the point system works."

"He was going to start the point system last week. But something had happened to the computers and the software developers had to go back and rework the program. My dad said that soon everyone who works will get 50 points a day, in addition to 200 weekly points. The points can then be redeemed at stores. Those who don't work will get 150 points a week, kids will get 250 points. Also, we now have 4 teachers and can provide schooling for the children again."

"How many survivors are there in total now?"

"Mhhh, children between 0-12 years old we have 41. children and teenagers between 13-18 years old we have 26. and now there are 883 adults between 18-78 years old. And they're still finding more survivors. We've considered setting up a quarantine station for all those who are just arriving now. They would stay there until we were sure they were healthy."

"Good idea. But soon we'll run out of space. Ever since your father made that voice recording, about the Safe Place, more and more calls for help have been coming in."

"I know. They're thinking now about using two of the big green areas and building prefab houses on them. Also, there are plans to secure a couple of the less damaged small villages with fences and walls and make the houses there habitable again."

"They're taking on a lot. I just don't know if it's a good idea right now. Of course we need the space. But Zhan, think about how it's going to be organized. We would have to create a supply chain for food, since they can't just go shopping. The village, or villages, would have to be professionally guarded in spite of everything. And I have also heard that they are also planning to put two of the high-rise buildings that are still intact back into operation. I think it's great that they have such plans. But it's going to be hard to implement."

"I know, Yibo. And the prison will also be put back into operation. They're already doing that at the moment. They have some criminals here that they want to house there. Along with volunteers to monitor the detainees there."

"That's insane. They should tackle one thing at a time, not all at once."

"I agree. Oh yeah, I was thinking maybe you and I could move out of the hotel too."

"Uh-huh, and go where?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could convert the hangar and live there. Not right away, but maybe in a few months."

"And what about our jobs? They need you here. You own all of this."

"I know Yibo. But still, I'd like to be with you in another place where we can be alone. Oh yes, the day after tomorrow I will accompany the rescue team. They've received several calls for help from the area where we found the tunnels. We'll be on the road for about 3-5 days."

"You don't really think I'm going to let you go off alone with them, do you? I'll go with you."

"Well, you can't. You have to keep security and order here at the hotel."

"Zhan, I'm certainly not going to stay here and let you go alone. No matter how good the soldiers are, I won't let you leave with them."

"And what about your work?"

"That will have to go without me then. Because this much is certain, without me, you won't go."

"Yibo I'm an adult and I can decide for myself."

"You are in the first place my boyfriend whom I love and worry about, especially if you go out there without me. And don't come at me now with your age and experiences again. That doesn't count when it comes to love. You are my boyfriend and you definitely won't go without me! End of discussion." Said Yibo.

It's not like Yibo doesn't have faith in Zhan. But it's that he knows Zhan is planning something. And he knows it has something to do with those tunnels. Yibo thought that if Zhan really plans to go down there again, he will accompany him. He won't let Zhan go down there alone. He'd rather disappear with Zhan than have to search desperately for him afterwards.

But for now, he will go with Zhan to get his belongings from his parents' family room and move back in with Zhan. He has realized that there is no point in trying to please his parents and slowly get them used to the fact that he is with Zhan. The relationship between him and Zhan has already suffered great damage because of this, and Yibo won't and will not let himself end up losing Zhan just because of his parents.