But this time, I didn't react like I did in my previous life. Instead, I nodded seriously. "You're right. It's so hot right now, and the café is doing great business. I'll go work there tomorrow to help pay for Daniel's college."

The three of them didn't expect me to agree so easily. They had prepared a whole list of arguments and excuses, but they didn't need any of them. They just nodded in stunned silence.

I meant what I said. I packed up all my notebooks and study materials and gave them to Daniel, sincerely telling him, "Daniel, you can do it. You're the family's hope."

That night, Cynthia and I lay in bed.

Our room didn't have air conditioning, and it was so hot at night that we couldn't sleep.

Cynthia whispered to me, afraid of waking the other three, "Bella, why did you do that? You're the one who should be going to college, not Daniel. Our family isn't so poor that they can't afford it.

"The preference for boys in our family is way too strong. You should stand up for yourself."

If it were my previous life, I would have said the same thing.

But this time, I didn't.

In my last life, my rebellion only got me insults and beatings.

Soon, the temperatures would start rising. In many places, it would reach 194 degrees Fahrenheit, and the ground temperature would exceed 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Crops would fail, and even people wouldn't survive.

When the extreme heat came, going out during the day would be impossible. It would be like stepping into a giant oven. We could only venture out at night to scavenge for food.

But with five people in the house, no matter how much we found, it was never enough.

Moreover, Cynthia ate something spoiled and got sick shortly after.

Under the pressure and demands of Gary and Audrey, I had no choice but to hold back my tears and take Cynthia out of the house, finding a place for her in an empty building.

But I never imagined that the air conditioner in the building wouldn't work. By the time I returned that evening to bring her medicine, Cynthia had already passed away from the heat and her illness.

Not even two months later, Gary forced me out as well, and I died on the streets.

Now, when I looked at the sweet Cynthia in front of me, I was so sad. In my previous life, I had failed her. But since fate has given me a second chance, I must protect her at all costs.

As I gently stroked Cynthia's hair, I wanted so badly to tell her that I had been reborn, but she was still so young. I was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle the truth and worried she might accidentally reveal it. So instead, I whispered, "Cynthia, studying isn't the only way to a good life. When I make some money, I'll save it for you to go to school."

Cynthia looked at me, puzzled, but said nothing and simply nodded.

I couldn't help but ask, "Cynthia, if I ever hurt you, would you forgive me?"

Cynthia's expression grew even more confused, but she still answered, "Of course, you're my sister!"

Following my plan, I left the house early the next morning, even before the sun came up.

But I wasn't going to work. I needed to prepare for the end of the world. Based on my calculations, we only had about two months left.

I had read plenty of Apocalypse novels, but none of them ever explained how to stock up on supplies with no money. And I didn't have any of those convenient cheat codes or pocket dimensions.

With empty pockets and not a cent to my name, how was I supposed to prepare?

After thinking it over, I decided to turn to online loans.

Although online loans were a trap, I didn't have any better options.

I applied to every loan platform I could find. Despite being young with no assets or income, the sheer number of platforms worked in my favor, and I managed to borrow over eight hundred thousand dollars.

I also took some gold jewelry that Audrey had hidden at home, scraping together a total of one million dollars.

With that money, my first step was to rent an abandoned bunker in the countryside. This bunker stayed warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In my previous life, many people had survived the apocalypse by taking shelter in such places.

This particular bunker was perfect for us.

It had a massive iron door weighing several hundred pounds. Although it had a lock, it wasn't much use. Once locked from the inside, no one outside could break in, not even with hundreds of people.

Even better, the bunker had its own underground water supply. The previous owner had installed a hand pump, and when I tried it, it still worked.

The real estate agent looked at me curiously and asked, "Why would you rent a bunker in the middle of nowhere?"

I had already come up with an excuse. "I'm planning to open an immersive escape room experience."

With a bit of pleading and persistence, I managed to pay just one month's rent upfront. The agent originally wanted a security deposit and advance payment, but since the bunker was hard to rent out, he reluctantly agreed to my terms.

After securing the location, I started stocking up on supplies.

The bunker wasn't small. Just by the feel of it, the temperature inside was about twenty degrees cooler than outside. I wasn't sure if it would change after the apocalypse brought extreme heat.

I had considered buying a few air conditioners, but then I realized the outdoor units would be vulnerable. If someone discovered we were hiding there and sabotaged the units, we could end up roasting to death inside.