ARBW Chapter 19

Pei Yuhuai’s timed mission was still incomplete, and without finishing it, he couldn’t claim the mission rewards.

Looking at Lin Mian, who still hadn’t let go of his hand, Pei Yuhuai asked, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Lin Mian wanted to say that there was nothing, that he just wanted to hold Mr. Pei’s hand a little longer.

But such words, given his personality, were impossible to voice.

So, upon hearing Mr. Pei’s question, Lin Mian instinctively shook his head and withdrew his hand.

“No, there’s nothing.”

“Alright, wait here for me. Once I finish the mission, I’ll come back to keep you company.”

Hearing the word “mission” from Mr. Pei, Lin Mian hesitated slightly. He didn’t inquire about the mission’s nature, as his attention was immediately captured by the latter part of the sentence, “I’ll come back to keep you company.”

Mr. Pei had too many secrets, and because there were so many, they were shrouded in mystery.

This led Lin Mian to unconsciously overlook many clues, even when he noticed them.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t curious, but the gap in their status and position was too vast. He didn’t dare to be too curious, fearing that his excessive curiosity would make Mr. Pei think he lacked propriety.

For instance, at this moment, even though he heard the word “mission,” he instinctively chose to ignore it.

After saying this, Pei Yuhuai turned to leave.

But seeing Lin Mian, small and standing there watching him, Pei Yuhuai’s heart softened. He hesitated for a moment and decided to give Lin Mian another gift.

He had already used the two opportunities to increase favorability by giving gifts today, and continuing to do so wouldn’t boost it further.

However, this wasn’t important. Lin Mian was special to him, and even if it didn’t increase favorability, he was willing to give him gifts.

With this thought, Pei Yuhuai clicked on Lin Mian and chose to give a gift.

This time, he gave Lin Mian a box of freshly cut fruit.

The fruit had been washed and included watermelon, strawberries, apples, and mangoes.

Lin Mian was very thin, clearly having not eaten well since childhood.

Previously, when Pei Yuhuai had given him a cup of milk tea, Lin Mian had treated it like a treasure.

Now, giving him a box of fruit to eat while waiting would surely keep him from getting too bored.

Looking at the fruit in his hands, Lin Mian’s face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Mr. Pei had given him another gift, but he had nothing to offer in return. He suddenly felt useless.

“Alright, eat this first. By the time you finish, I should be back.”

After saying this, Pei Yuhuai truly left.

He still had three timed missions to complete. Once done, he could return to chat with Lin Mian.

Watching Mr. Pei walk away, Lin Mian sat down on a nearby bench.

He slowly ate the fruit, which came with a fork.

This kind of freshly cut fruit was clearly not cheap.

In this resource-scarce post-apocalyptic world, such refined iron forks were rarely seen by Lower Class People like them.

Not long after Pei Yuhuai left, Cheng Xiaowan came looking for him.

Lin Mian shared the fruit with her, and Cheng Xiaowan didn’t hesitate to accept.

The two sat together, eating the delicious fruit and whispering about something.

Lin Mian, upon hearing something, blushed and glared at her before deliberately eating all the strawberries she liked.

After about twenty minutes, Pei Yuhuai finally completed his timed missions.

He claimed the rewards and handed them over to the two people from before, instructing them to distribute the supplies to the town’s residents.

This time, the rewards were fruits and vegetables, which were a pleasant surprise for the townspeople who only had rice, flour, and water.

When Pei Yuhuai returned to find Lin Mian, Cheng Xiaowan took her leave.

Tomorrow, Pei Yuhuai’s small villa would be completed.

With a house ready, he would need to consider finding a partner.

Looking at Lin Mian before him, he suddenly thought Lin Mian would be a good choice.

He was beautiful and had a personality that Pei Yuhuai liked.

If Lin Mian were his partner, he felt the game would be quite enjoyable.

With this thought, Pei Yuhuai looked at Lin Mian and said, “My residence will be ready tomorrow. I’d like to invite you to live with me. Would you be willing?”

Lin Mian hadn’t expected Mr. Pei to say such a thing.

To him, it sounded almost like a proposal.

Lin Mian’s face turned red, and his hands trembled with nervousness.

“Me?”

“Yes, would you be willing?”

“But why? I’m not that great.”

This wasn’t Lin Mian being modest; he genuinely felt he wasn’t anything special.

In this post-apocalyptic world, good looks weren’t rare.

His beauty was the least impressive thing about him.

Pei Yuhuai said, “How could you say that? I think you’re quite good.”

Moreover, whether it’s liking or disliking someone, there often isn’t a clear reason.

Human emotions are often driven by feelings.

As long as the feeling is right, whether the person is good or bad, they are the best when you like them.

For instance, Pei Yuhuai felt that Lin Mian was the best at this moment.

Seeing that Lin Mian couldn’t immediately give an answer, Pei Yuhuai considerately said, “It’s alright, take your time to think about it. You can answer me whenever you’re ready. Don’t feel pressured or troubled by my status.”

After that, Pei Yuhuai bid farewell to Lin Mian. He had many tasks to attend to in the afternoon, and Lin Mian needed some personal space. It was better not to linger.

After Pei Yuhuai logged off, Lin Mian returned to his residence.

He had wanted to discuss this with Cheng Xiaowan, but found that she had gone to collect their share of the fruits and vegetables. He could only sit quietly in his bedroom, lost in thought.

When Cheng Xiaowan returned, and they were dividing the supplies, Lin Mian told her about Mr. Pei’s proposal.

Cheng Xiaowan excitedly said, “You’re so silly. What’s there to think about? Of course, you should agree. Once you do, you’ll be Mr. Pei’s lover, and you’ll have everything you want.”

“I’m not after his things.”

“Of course, I know. You’re not after his possessions or his power. You’re just attracted to his good looks and his gentleness towards you. These aren’t conflicting. Look, Mr. Pei is handsome, gentle, and has power and wealth. Even if you desire all of that, it’s not a crime.

Listen, now is not the time to be aloof or pretentious. While he’s infatuated with you, seize the opportunity. Sleep with him first, then reap the benefits. Even if he leaves you later, such a dignified and gentle man will surely give you a generous parting gift.

Don’t feel pressured. He likes you and wants to sleep with you. By doing so, you’re providing him with emotional value. Taking his things and benefits is a fair exchange, and you shouldn’t feel embarrassed.”

After hearing Cheng Xiaowan’s words, Lin Mian suddenly felt a chill.

He stared at her, thinking that his feelings for Mr. Pei were genuine and heartfelt.

But in others’ eyes, it seemed… different.

Cheng Xiaowan seemed to assume that Mr. Pei wouldn’t truly love him and that his affection was just a fleeting fancy.

Lin Mian wanted to argue, believing that Mr. Pei wasn’t like that.

He didn’t want the shallow transaction Cheng Xiaowan described.

He wanted to be with Mr. Pei forever.

But he didn’t know how to refute her and felt his own thoughts were naive.

Perhaps Cheng Xiaowan was right?

After all, both he and Mr. Pei were men. With Mr. Pei’s family background and status, he would surely want children in the future. The inability to bear children alone would put him at a disadvantage compared to ordinary women.

Thinking this, Lin Mian’s once fervent heart cooled significantly.

The next day, Pei Yuhuai logged in again and went to complete his timed missions.

After finishing, he looked at the completed villa.

He then assigned the construction team to build the town’s walls.

Their town had no walls; previously, to prevent people from escaping, an electric fence had been erected around the town.

Now, the fence was powerless and essentially useless.

Remembering Lin Mian’s mention of their nightly patrols, Pei Yuhuai decided to build town walls first, eliminating the need for such arduous patrols.

Building walls was a massive project, and even the Special-grade construction team would take some time.

Thinking that the townspeople were all ordinary folks, Pei Yuhuai worried that if attackers came while he was away, they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves.

This led him to think about his Ability Slot.

The Ability Slot could grant ordinary people Abilities.

He considered giving the Ability Slot to Lin Mian, allowing him to gain an Ability. Even if Pei Yuhuai wasn’t around, Lin Mian would be safe if something happened.

After some thought, Pei Yuhuai headed towards Lin Mian’s residence, wondering what kind of Ability Lin Mian would like.