Chapter 67: Proving You're HarmlessThe room was incredibly warm.
Zhou Ke'er felt as if she was being roasted in a furnace while wearing her thick down jacket. She couldn't stand the discomfort any longer and quickly took off the heavy clothing to cool down, not caring that Zhang Yi was pointing a gun at her.
She panted heavily, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. The warmth was overwhelming. Such a comfortable indoor temperature was the only environment suitable for human life. She hadn't felt such a simple happiness in a long time.
"Have you forgotten something? For example, this is my home, and you haven't fully passed my test yet," Zhang Yi said coldly.
Only then did Zhou Ke'er remember the man in front of her.
Zhang Yi's gun was still aimed at her.
Zhou Ke'er forced a smile, "You are really cautious. I've done everything you asked, dealt with your enemies. Isn't that enough to earn your trust?"
Zhang Yi replied calmly, "Those people were also a big problem for you. Eliminating them wasn't entirely for me; you had your own survival needs."
"Getting rid of them only proves you're somewhat useful and meets the basic conditions for being my helper."
"But now, you need to prove that you're harmless!"
Zhang Yi pointed out the crucial issue. Having survived the apocalypse for a long time, he couldn't trust anyone easily. Regardless of who a person was before, they could lose their humanity in the apocalypse. He could only trust himself, ensuring his survival.
Zhou Ke'er felt helpless. She had followed Zhang Yi's instructions but didn't know how to make him trust her.
However, she absolutely did not want to leave this warm house!
"What do I need to do to prove that I'm harmless to you?" Zhou Ke'er asked, her eyes filled with a nearly humble plea.
Zhang Yi looked at her cautiously, "You're not carrying any weapons, are you?"
Zhou Ke'er raised her hands, "Look, I don’t have any dangerous weapons on me."
Zhang Yi remained expressionless, shaking the gun in his hand.
"Raise your hands!"
Zhang Yi intended to search her to ensure she wasn't hiding any weapons.
Zhou Ke'er felt embarrassed but knew she wasn't in a position to negotiate. This warm house was too precious compared to her previous environment; it was practically heaven. She understood that to gain something, one must pay a corresponding price.
"Okay, I understand," Zhou Ke'er said, gathering her courage and complying with Zhang Yi's request. She was smart enough to know what to give up to get what she wanted.
Zhang Yi's eyes were fixed on her, preventing her from suddenly pulling out a deadly weapon. This was entirely for safety; he had no other intentions.
Zhou Ke'er slowly raised her hands and placed them behind her head, pressing her body against the door as if mimicking scenes from TV shows.
Zhang Yi cautiously approached her and conducted a thorough search.
"Is this good enough now?" Zhou Ke'er asked after Zhang Yi finished the search.
Zhang Yi confirmed she wasn't carrying any weapons. He then glanced at the medical kit on the floor and said, "I suggest you take a shower first."
Zhou Ke'er's face turned redder. She hadn't showered in a long time and knew she might smell, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Embarrassed, she hurried into the bathroom.
Zhang Yi retrieved some women's clothes from his storage space and placed them outside the bathroom door.
"Here are some clothes for you to change into. I picked a set based on your size. Try it on and let me know if it fits. If not, I'll find another set."
Zhang Yi's experience managing the warehouse had honed his eye for sizing clothes.
From inside the bathroom, Zhou Ke'er replied softly, "Okay."
Then came the sound of water running.
Zhang Yi sat down on the sofa, waiting for Zhou Ke'er to finish her shower before continuing their conversation.
In the bathroom, Zhou Ke'er turned on the shower. She couldn't hold back her tears as the hot water sprayed over her. Only after losing everything did she realize what happiness was. The conveniences of everyday life, which she once took for granted, now felt precious. Human civilization's advancements had made life so comfortable.
After half a month without a shower, Zhou Ke'er meticulously cleaned herself. After half an hour, she remembered this was Zhang Yi's house and hurriedly finished up, conscious that water was a valuable resource.
Zhang Yi didn’t rush her. He had plenty of water stored, and even if it ran out, there was an abundance of ice and snow outside.
The bathroom door opened with a click.
Zhang Yi looked over and saw a steaming arm reach out to grab the clothes he had left outside.
Soon, Zhou Ke'er stepped out wearing pajamas, her wet hair cascading down her back, creating a striking beauty. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴovᴇlꜰirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.
Zhang Yi, holding his gun, remained unmoved by her beauty. His gaze was still cautious.
He wouldn't let down his guard until he was sure this woman could be trusted. In the apocalypse, even seemingly harmless women or children could be deadly threats.
"Thank you, Zhang Yi. I haven't had a shower and used up some of your water in a long time. I hope you don’t mind," Zhou Ke'er said, feeling embarrassed.
Being in a strange man's house, she felt very uneasy. She didn’t know much about Zhang Yi and wanted to be cautious and respectful to avoid angering him and being thrown out.
Having experienced the comfort of a safe house, she didn't want to return to the freezing outside world.