Zhang Yi's attitude towards the messages from the female residents was indifferent. He merely regarded them as amusing little stories and couldn't even be bothered to reply. Of course, there were a few bold women who sent him private selfies directly, but Zhang Yi only glanced at them briefly, finding no real interest.
Most of these women were too self-confident. A few were somewhat attractive, but the majority were average at best. They lacked the professional skills of certain online streamers who had mastered the art of swaying their hips—there wasn't much to see. Did they think this was enough to tempt men? Perhaps a few men couldn't resist, but not Zhang Yi.
As for some of the male residents, their intentions were even simpler. Either they acted as though they were Zhang Yi's brothers, calling him "brother" or "little brother," begging him for help, or they were older men trying to morally blackmail Zhang Yi into taking care of them. The most repulsive of all was a certain man with inappropriate interests—and Zhang Yi had no desire to discuss what that man wanted.
After browsing through the messages, Zhang Yi grew bored. He grabbed a phone stand, placed his phone in front of him, hoping for something more creative, and then lay on the sofa. As he drank red wine and ate foie gras, he admired the beautiful snowfall outside.
Half a month had passed, and the snow outside still hadn't stopped. The entire city was buried under it, and according to Zhang Yi's memory, after a month, the snow would rise to bury everything below the fourth floor. How much longer it would snow, he wasn't sure, but there was no real reason for him to go out. Going outside was for the hope of survival, but nowadays, no one knew where one could survive—except for Zhang Yi.
Supporting his chin lazily, Zhang Yi mused, "Staying indoors all the time is boring. Maybe I should go out for a bit." When most of the people in the building were dead, he could go out for a stroll. He suddenly remembered that he had several snowmobiles stored in his warehouse. They had originally been meant for a nearby artificial snow park.
With those, even if the snow piled up to ten meters thick, Zhang Yi would still have a way to get out. "Although it's not time to leave the house yet, this method will allow me to get some fresh air later, once it's safe."
Zhang Yi felt a little tempted. Staying indoors for too long could be dull, and a bit of relaxation outdoors wouldn't hurt. He had state-of-the-art cold-weather gear, and with the snowmobile, he wouldn't fear temperatures even as low as minus 60 or 70 degrees Celsius. He continued flipping through the messages from his neighbors out of boredom, but one message caught his attention.
Zhou Ke'er's message wasn't a plea for sympathy or a private photo; instead, it was a calm request for an exchange.
"Mr. Zhang, the food and medicine in our home are nearly exhausted. I hope you can help. In return, I can provide medical assistance in the future."
"Zhou Ke'er?"
Her image flashed in Zhang Yi's mind. She was a doctor at Tianhai City's First People's Hospital, 26 years old, tall and slender, with a height of at least 175 centimeters. What left the deepest impression on Zhang Yi wasn't her cold, aloof beauty, but her impressive 36D figure. Especially in winter, when she wore a black sweater, her curves were so prominent that Zhang Yi couldn't help but sneak a glance every time they met in the elevator.
"No wonder she's a doctor, very rational. She didn't beg for sympathy but wants to make a trade, huh?"
Zhang Yi appreciated Zhou Ke'er's attitude. In an apocalypse, only people with value had the right to survive. Zhou Ke'er had demonstrated her worth—her medical expertise. After all, without a certain level of skill, one wouldn't be able to work at Tianhai's First People's Hospital.
In the apocalypse, medical skills were highly valuable. Even though Zhang Yi had stocked up on medicine and studied some medical knowledge, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could handle every illness. Having a doctor nearby would undoubtedly provide him with great security in his post-apocalyptic survival.
The key thing was that Zhang Yi had also evaluated Zhou Ke'er's character. In his previous life, she had died because she gave her food to Xie Lihua. Whether out of utter despair or genuine kindness, Zhang Yi saw a glimmer of humanity in her actions.
Zhang Yi shifted his position, adjusting his left hand on his thigh and resting his chin on the other. He muttered to himself, "Maybe I should keep her around to take care of me and... my good friend?"
"Although I'm living comfortably now, my friend is suffering, and that's a problem."
Zhang Yi was a young man full of vitality, and he wasn't shy about these matters. In a world where morality and ethics had crumbled, there was no need for humans to live repressively—just be honest about one's desires.
"Hahaha!"
Zhang Yi suddenly burst into laughter. He slapped the armrest and said, "I'm really tempted, but alas, alas!"
He looked up at the ceiling and said wistfully, "I'm terrified of dying. Even though Zhou Ke'er is a good option, without absolute control over her, I can't let her in."
"Well, let's wait and see!"
"There will surely be other survivors. With my resources, finding a good doctor and a good woman won't be an issue, right?"
Zhang Yi wasn't worried. After all, he had been through death before.
He replied to Zhou Ke'er: "I'm in good health right now, and I don't need a doctor. But I do have plenty of medicine, and food is not a problem either."
"If you want to trade, you'll need to offer something useful to me."
It didn't matter how beautiful or talented the doctor was—nobody would get anything from him for free. Zhang Yi had never done a losing deal.
After a long silence, Zhou Ke'er finally responded.
"Can it be considered a pre-paid medical fee? I... I really can't hold on anymore."
There was a hint of hesitation and shame in Zhou Ke'er's voice. It was clear that if she hadn't been pushed to her limits, she wouldn't have easily begged a man she barely knew for help.
Zhang Yi thought for a moment and replied, "I can give you food and medicine, but you'll need to do something for me."
"What is it?" Zhou Ke'er asked.
Zhang Yi said, "These neighbors of ours are likely planning to come after me. If you hear anything about how they plan to act, let me know."
Zhang Yi knew that these desperate neighbors would eventually attack his home, but he wasn't afraid. He had invested a fortune in building this steel fortress, hand-picking many of its features. The goal was to prepare for this very moment!
His home now resembled a fortress, albeit with somewhat weaker firepower. Even if an armed group of soldiers tried to break in, it wouldn't be possible without heavy weapons. Let alone these half-dead neighbors, starved and freezing for two weeks.
His offer was simply an excuse to give Zhou Ke'er a reason to accept. Plus, having an inside source could provide an extra layer of security, allowing him to prepare in advance.