Chapter 26: Tang Tang Says No

That night, Lin Yuwei drifted off to sleep with an unprecedented sense of "fulfillment." Having experienced the intimacy between a man and a woman for the first time, she slept with remarkable peace amidst the silence of the apocalypse. Physical exhaustion and mental satisfaction intertwined in her mind, and even in her dreams, she remained entangled with Qin Feng.

In another dormitory, Tang Tang also enjoyed a sound sleep. Her stomach was no longer empty, filled instead with a sense of satiation. Since the zombie crisis began, this was the first time she had felt a true sense of security. Yet, deep within her peaceful dreams, a faint voice stirred.

"Tang Tang, are you really going to go to another boy's dormitory?"
"This is the first time you've gone to see another man behind your boyfriend's back."
"Is it really okay for a girl like Lin Yuwei to keep such a 'fish pond' of men?"

That voice kept reminding her that Qin Feng was a threat, a massive unknown.

The next morning, the fourth day of the zombie crisis. Sunlight pierced through the mist, revealing a beautiful day with blue skies and white clouds, yet it could not dispel the deathly silence hanging over the campus. There was no word from the military, and once again, the sound of drones was absent. Over in the boys' dormitory building, the snack reserves had finally hit rock bottom, and wails echoed from balcony to balcony.

"Damn you, zombies!"
"God, when will this zombie crisis end?"
"Don't think I'm weak just because I'm usually quiet!"
"Curse you, zombies! I want to go to class! I want my 8:00 AM lectures!"

Hunger began to spread through the boys' dormitory, a terror more immediate than the zombies below. No boy had the heart to ignite bedding to burn the monsters down below anymore.

In Room 302 of the girls' dormitory, Lin Yuwei stretched on her soft bed. The first thing she did upon waking was pick up her phone and send a message to Qin Feng with a smile.

Lin Yuwei: [Hi, handsome, are you up yet?]
Qin Feng: [I'm up. Did you sleep well last night?]

Lin Yuwei’s lips curled as her fingertips tapped on the screen.
[I did, but it’s a bit sore...]
Qin Feng’s reply came quickly: [I’ll be gentle today.]
Lin Yuwei: [I finally understand what they meant by 'stand up and pedal'...]
Qin Feng: [Come over. Today I’ll treat you to tomahawk steaks and '82 Lafite!]

Lin Yuwei’s eyes brightened instantly at the message, as if she could already smell the charred aroma of the steak and the mellow richness of the red wine.
[Great, I’ll bring Tang Tang with me right away.]
Qin Feng replied with one word: [Good.]

That single word made Lin Yuwei’s heart tremble; a sense of pleasure from being controlled surged within her. She climbed out of bed and walked to the closet. Today, she would dress meticulously for her master. She chose a tight-fitting black dress that accentuated her exquisite curves, then draped a loose white coat over it, perfectly concealing the temptation while creating an alluring sense of mystery. Her refined makeup added even more charm to her already beautiful face.

Her roommates, Geng Xuan and Pan Yu, were already awake, watching her with eager eyes. Last night, they had shared the bit of food Lin Yuwei brought back, and they were still savoring the memory.

"Yuwei, you're finally up."
"Hurry over to Qin Feng's place, we're starving," Geng Xuan urged.
Pan Yu chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! Does the great Qin Feng have more delicious food today?"
"The braised pork you brought us yesterday was so good. My mouth was practically dripping with oil..."

Lin Yuwei cast a cold glance at her two roommates. "Remember, keep your mouths shut. Don't go making trouble."
Geng Xuan nodded eagerly, "Yes, yes!"
Pan Yu quickly promised, "Right, right! We won't say a single word to Wu Changle."

Lin Yuwei hummed with satisfaction. Holding her phone and tossing her long hair, she hummed a tune, walked out of the dormitory, and headed straight to 303 to find Tang Tang.

***

"Knock, knock, knock."

Tang Tang opened the door and blinked, surprised to see Lin Yuwei dressed to the nines.
Lin Yuwei smiled and said, "Let's go, let's head to Qin Feng's. He said he's treating us to tomahawk steaks today."

Tomahawk steaks.
Those three words struck like lightning, shattering the confusion in Tang Tang's mind. A light of longing instantly appeared in her eyes, but it dimmed just as quickly. She remembered Wang Zi’s words: Qin Feng had a gun and was dangerous; he told her to stay away. She couldn't go to another boy's dorm behind her boyfriend's back. She really couldn't.

"I..." Tang Tang hesitated, trying to find the words to refuse.

Suddenly, a shout came from the balcony of the boys' dormitory across the way.
"Tang Tang! I have some instant noodles for you, catch!"
It was Wang Zi. The leader of the boys' dorm still cared deeply for his girlfriend and intended to give her his last pack of noodles. He held a plastic bag containing the noodles, along with a stone to add weight, and tied the bag shut. With all his might, he threw it across.

The plastic bag traced an arc through the air. Tang Tang and Lin Yuwei watched, their hearts in their throats. However, Wang Zi’s aim was slightly off.

"Thwack!"

The bag slammed heavily against the wall below Tang Tang’s balcony. The noodles inside shattered on impact, and along with the rock, they fell limply into the shadows below. A few zombies wandered over, sniffed the package, shook their heads, and moved on.

Wang Zi shouted in frustration, "Ah... I'm sorry! I didn't get it onto your balcony!"
Many girls from other balconies were watching the spectacle of Wang Zi’s attempt to pamper his girlfriend. Seeing the noodles fall, they let out long, disappointed sighs.

"What a shame."
"Isn't Wang Zi the captain of the basketball team? Why is his aim so bad?"
"Maybe he’s starved? The boys don't have any strength left."
"Hmph, looks like the campus beauty is out of food too. I thought she was hiding in her room enjoying herself."

A complex mix of emotions surged in Tang Tang—touched, yet filled with an indescribable disappointment. She couldn't be bothered to respond to the jeers from the other balconies. She waved at the boys' dorm, "Wang Zi, it's okay! Don't throw any more, just eat it yourself!"

Although she said it was fine, her stomach churned even more violently from the small incident. Across the way, Wang Zi nodded in regret and kicked a water bottle on his balcony.

Tang Tang turned to Lin Yuwei. "I'm not going. I'm not hungry, and... I don't want to go to another boy's dorm behind Wang Zi's back."
Lin Yuwei shrugged, her expression indifferent. *What are you pretending for?* she thought. *Didn't I say the same thing to myself? Didn't I vow not to betray Wu Changle? But hunger doesn't lie, does it? Which girl can resist sugar? Human genes are wired to love eating!*

"Oh, alright then. No worries, I'll go eat the tomahawk steak by myself."
Lin Yuwei smiled faintly, turned gracefully, and headed toward room 301. Tang Tang watched her pretty back and sighed, envious of her ability to juggle her boyfriend and her "simps" with such ease.

Knock, knock, knock. Lin Yuwei knocked.
Qin Feng opened the door. He wasn't surprised to see only Lin Yuwei. It wasn't easy to win over a cold, high-status girl like Tang Tang. Qin Feng didn't waste any time; he pulled Lin Yuwei into his system space and spent 1,000 points to unlock a new Western set meal.

[Five-Star Hotel Seafood Buffet (Grade C): Two servings—Australian lobster, Norwegian salmon, French rack of lamb, Canadian geoduck, Russian king crab, New Zealand green-lipped mussels, French foie gras, Spanish ham, pasta, and various exquisite desserts and drinks. Cost: 1,000 points.]

The next second, a seafood feast appeared on the dining table in the center of the room.

***

The massive Australian lobster was bright red, its meat succulent. The Norwegian salmon was sliced into uniform, translucent pieces, shimmering with an alluring orange glow. The French rack of lamb sizzled, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Lin Yuwei’s eyes were fixed on the spread. "Wow, is today's meal more expensive than last night's?"
"Of course. This is the same seafood buffet from the Hilton Hotel, 600 yuan per person."
"Wow, baby Qin Feng, you're amazing!"
"How am I amazing?"
"You... hehe, you're amazing everywhere..."

Qin Feng and Lin Yuwei sat at the table and feasted, watching a variety show on the TV. They laughed and ate, almost forgetting that it was the end of the world. After they were full, they naturally ended up in bed.

***

Thirty minutes later...

Lin Yuwei was covered in a light sheen of sweat, her body limp, feeling an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Afterward, they showered together and then cuddled on a large double sofa to binge-watch a show. Lin Yuwei leaned into Qin Feng’s arms, watching a movie on the 55-inch wall-mounted TV, feeling as if she were living in a dream. Later, she lay on a fully automatic massage chair, enjoying the relaxation from head to toe. Apart from not being able to go out shopping, this place was paradise.

[Ding!]
[Host has completed the third intimate interaction with Lin Yuwei. Duration: 30 minutes.]
[You have brought Lin Yuwei immense pleasure, gaining emotional points.]
[Name: Lin Yuwei]
[Gender: Female]
[Height: 168cm]
[Weight: 55kg]
[Body Type: Pure and Alluring]
[Beauty Score: 90]
[Major: Foreign Languages]
[Hobbies: Dance, Gardening]
[Emotional Progress Bar: Proactive Simp (Simp, Ultimate Simp)]
[Joy +10,000 points: Derived from the peak sensory experience provided by the host.]
[Deducting 1,000 points for the seafood feast.]
[Host's current remaining points: 59,000.]

Time ticked by. Before she knew it, it was 5:00 PM. Tang Tang, in room 303, was finally starving to the point of agony. People are like that—if you're always hungry, you endure it, but once you've tasted the heights of fine dining, being forced back into starvation magnifies that hunger tenfold, a hundredfold. As the saying goes: "It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury back to frugality."

Tang Tang’s stomach burned, and her mind was filled with the flavor of that fragrant bowl of rice from the day before. Humans cannot resist the temptation of carbohydrates. Her reason and desire were locked in a fierce battle.

In the end, desire won. With trembling hands, she sent a message to Lin Yuwei.
"Yuwei, what are you doing?"

Lin Yuwei replied almost instantly.
"I'm here."

Immediately, a barrage of photos hit her phone. The images showed golden roasted lamb chops, succulent lobster meat, and a glass filled with dark red liquid, all set against the backdrop of a luxurious, comfortable room.

Lin Yuwei followed up with a voice message, her tone filled with laughter and a hint of seduction: "Come over. Just do a little housework and you can eat steak. It’s not like it’ll cost you a piece of your flesh."