In the bathroom, Lin Dong splashed cold water on his face, calming himself down.
"Have I been holding back for too long?"
He frowned slightly. To be honest, when he took in Sister Mei, he had already harbored some ulterior motives.
But that didn't mean he wanted to force her.
If she wasn't willing, he wouldn't push it.
At the very least, his conscience wouldn't allow it.
Huff~ Sister Mei chose to stay on her own. She must know what price she has to pay. Right now, she just hasn't convinced herself mentally yet.
No rush. There's plenty of time. These things will fall into place eventually.
He shook his head and returned to the living room.
This kind of thing should be consensual—not some beastly act of force.
There were already too many beasts in this building.
Glancing toward the kitchen, he saw that Sister Mei was no longer there.
Then he looked at the tightly shut door of the spare bedroom. Lin Dong knew—this woman was probably terrified, crying inside right now.
But he chose not to comfort her.
Let her cry. At least this way, she'd understand that his food wasn't free.
Walking to the balcony, he began his afternoon workout under the dim light.
First, five hundred push-ups, followed by pull-ups.
"One, two…"
As he counted, he pondered how to deal with Liu Erlong and his gang outside.
Liu Erlong's group wouldn't just let things go. It wouldn't be long before they sought revenge.
He couldn't guard the doors and windows alone forever—he needed rest too.
That was why he had taken in Sister Mei.
With two people taking shifts, he could ensure they both had time to rest.
In less than half an hour, he finished the five hundred push-ups, drenched in sweat. His arms, shoulders, and chest were pumped with blood, bulging with exertion.
Luckily, he wasn't short on food. Otherwise, training like this wouldn't just fail to strengthen him—it might even break him down.
After a short break and a sip of water, he started on the pull-ups.
While Lin Dong trained, the door to the spare bedroom cracked open at some point.
Peering through the gap, Yang Mei covered her mouth in shock as she watched him, drenched in sweat, muscles straining with each movement.
How… how is he so strong?
Her little brother looked slim and delicate at first glance, but without his clothes, he was covered in bulging muscles.
Unbidden, the intimate moment from the kitchen flashed through her mind, and a faint blush spread across her pale cheeks.
Her expression complicated, Yang Mei watched Lin Dong train, realizing now why he had been so impulsive earlier.
Over the past half-hour in her room, she had already steeled herself mentally.
She knew very well—Lin Dong had taken her in and fed her. How could she expect to give nothing in return?
Did she really think doing a few chores would earn her precious food?
She wasn't that naive.
The only thing she had left to offer… was herself.
Earlier, she hadn't been mentally prepared. When Lin Dong suddenly embraced her, she had instinctively resisted.
But after returning to her room, she had been gripped by fear and regret.
What if Lin Dong got angry and kicked her out?
Then she'd truly have nowhere left to go.
She knew all too well what kind of torment a woman like her would suffer if she fell into the wrong hands out there.
The horrific state of her female neighbor still flashed through her mind, sometimes even startling her awake from nightmares.
So if she had a choice, she'd much rather serve just one man.
"At least... Little Brother treats me decently."
Thinking back to how he had already started but stopped himself when her crying interrupted his excitement, she realized he was a good man. Anyone else wouldn't have held back.
At the very least, he respected her and gave her room to choose.
Lost in her thoughts, Lin Dong finished his set of thirty pull-ups.
Feeling the ache in his shoulders and back, he rubbed his muscles, though he couldn't quite reach properly. Instead, he used the corner of the wall to stretch his shoulders.
Just then, Yang Mei finally mustered the courage to step out of the room.
Hearing the movement, Lin Dong glanced over at her.
She was still wearing the torn stockings, her black miniskirt hugging her curves, and the white blouse barely containing her ample chest—still as breathtaking as ever.
Lin Dong said nothing and continued stretching.
This made Yang Mei's heart flutter nervously. Like a child who had done something wrong, she lowered her head and approached, stopping about two meters away, separated by the sofa.
"Little Brother," she murmured, "I... I'm sorry."
Lin Dong wiped his sweat and looked at her. "Nothing to apologize for. It's a mutual thing."
Yang Mei didn't dare meet his eyes. "I... I just wasn't ready."
Lin Dong nodded. "I was impulsive too. Being cooped up for half a year, the frustration got to me. I should be the one apologizing."
He needed a partner, not just an outlet for his desires.
So he didn't want to force her, nor pressure her.
He wanted both body and heart.
Sure enough, his words moved Yang Mei deeply.
Seeing Lin Dong still loosening his muscles, she quickly offered, "Little Brother, I used to go for spa massages often. I picked up some techniques—let me help you."
Lin Dong raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You know how to do that?"
With that, he sat down on the sofa.
Yang Mei circled behind him, her slender fingers working into his shoulder muscles.
"I just watched the masseuses do it a lot and learned a bit," she explained as she kneaded. "Tell me if it doesn't feel right."
Lin Dong chuckled, breathing in the faint fragrance from the woman behind him. "My muscles are really tight—it'll take some effort. Press harder."
"Okay."
Yang Mei, as if finally finding a way to be useful, nodded eagerly and increased the pressure.
Feeling the firmness of his powerful muscles under her hands, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
She had never encountered such a robust physique before.
Shaking off her wandering thoughts, she asked, "Little Brother, with things the way they are now and food so scarce, why do you still exercise every day instead of conserving energy?"
Lin Dong, savoring the smooth touch of her hands, closed his eyes and replied, "Just look at those maniacs outside. You can tell the world's changed."
"The law can't restrain those animals anymore. The only thing that can protect us is our own fists."
"If I don't train my body, how am I supposed to fight them?"
Yang Mei couldn't help but think of Li Zhiqiang—wasn't he the perfect example of a coward who only knew how to hide at home?
Looking at Liu Erlong, who had a fitness background, he took advantage of his tall and burly stature to gather a group of followers, enabling him to commit all sorts of misdeeds during these times.
She immediately found herself agreeing with Lin Dong's words.
At the same time, she couldn't help but sigh.
Noticing her sigh, Lin Dong asked curiously, "Why the sigh? Did I say something wrong?"
Yang Mei quickly shook her head. "No, no, little brother, you're absolutely right. In times like these, survival really does come down to brute strength."
"It's just that I feel like we women are naturally weaker in this regard, inherently inferior to you men."
Hearing this, Lin Dong replied, "In peaceful times, we talk about gender equality. But when chaos truly descends, women ultimately have to rely on men. In that sense, you women are indeed at a disadvantage."
Yang Mei's heart stirred at his words.
Yes, women were the weaker ones in times like these.
She had a good figure and a pretty face—if she didn't find a dependable man to rely on now, how could she survive?
A spineless coward like Li Zhiqiang, who would even trade his own wife for food, was definitely unreliable.
But her little brother was different. Not only was he strong and healthy, young with food to spare, but he also had a good heart—and he was her neighbor across the hall!
What was she even hesitating for?
With that thought, she began mentally preparing herself.
A moment later, she suddenly spoke in a soft, bashful voice, "Little brother, lie down. Let your big sister give you a back rub."
Hearing this, Lin Dong raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
(End of Chapter)