24: Chapter 24 I think I've fallen for you!

Early morning.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes weakly.

Five days.

Five whole days.

"Do you know how I've spent these past five days?"

Even with e-grade energy mineral water to maintain his stamina, he still felt like he was being drained dry.

Physical exhaustion.

Mental fatigue.

He felt incredibly weak all over.

Lin Yuan took a few bottles of e-grade energy mineral water from his system space and drank them in one go.

A familiar warmth surged through his entire body.

His stamina recovered slightly.

But he was still very tired.

Lin Yuan sighed and thought to himself, "If this continues, I'll collapse before the system even upgrades."

He opened the system panel to check the Goddess levels.

【Goddesses Collected: Ye Qingxue (Lev.1), Ye Qingyue (Lev.1)】

Still Lev.1.

No changes whatsoever.

Anxiety welled up in Lin Yuan's heart.

"Is this method not working?"

"Or does it need more time?"

"Is this really the way to increase affinity?"

Lin Yuan didn't know.

He could only persist.

Persist for two more days.

If there's still no effect after two days...

Then he would have no choice but to risk going outside.

"Brother Lin Yuan, good morning."

Ye Qingyue's voice sounded.

She had already gotten up and was preparing for today's training.

"Brother Lin Yuan, did you sleep well?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

"It was okay."

"And you?"

Ye Qingyue thought for a moment.

"I'm doing fine too."

"Although the daily training is tiring, I can feel myself improving."

She said this very seriously.

Lin Yuan looked at her, his heart feeling complicated.

This girl... is truly trying to adapt to the Apocalypse.

From the initial fear and anxiety...

To now being able to actively face the training.

How many days has it been?

"Brother Lin Yuan, are we continuing training today?"

Ye Qingyue asked calmly.

"Yes."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Okay."

Ye Qingyue said.

"Then I'm going to work even harder!"

"I want to improve my strength as quickly as possible."

She said earnestly, her eyes filled with determination.

Lin Yuan looked at her, feeling somewhat surprised.

This girl adjusted her mindset very quickly.

Perhaps this is the adaptability of young people.

Ye Qingxue woke up by the bedside.

Seeing her sister earnestly preparing for training, she felt complicated.

Over the past few days, her sister had indeed changed a lot.

From a delicate girl into someone who could independently face the Apocalypse.

This was a good thing, but why did she feel some unease in her heart?

Ye Qingxue sat up, silently took the water Lin Yuan handed her, and lowered her head to drink.

Throughout the process, she didn't say a word.

She just silently watched her sister.

Watching her sister become stronger and stronger.

Her heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Daytime.

Lin Yuan continued his daily training plan.

There was no other way; originally, Lin Yuan wanted to let them rest, but if they didn't improve their strength early...

It would become increasingly dangerous for them.

And today, Ye Qingyue's enthusiasm for training was even higher.

She would take the initiative to ask about various combat techniques.

She would take the initiative to ask for Lin Yuan's opinion.

She would take the initiative to ask for increased training intensity.

Even... she would earnestly ask about some detailed questions.

"Brother Lin Yuan... am I doing this movement correctly?"

"Brother Lin Yuan... where do you think I still need to improve?"

"Brother Lin Yuan... I want to learn more..."

Her tone was earnest and persistent.

Lin Yuan looked at her, feeling both surprised and satisfied.

This girl... is really working hard.

So hard that even he was a little surprised.

And Ye Qingxue...

Ye Qingxue didn't say much today.

She just trained silently.

Although not as enthusiastic as her sister, she was very serious.

Lin Yuan noticed that her eyes often looked towards her sister.

Watching her sister's increasingly diligent appearance.

Her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Gratification.

Worry.

Helplessness.

And also... a trace of self-reflection?

Lin Yuan saw her changes.

This was undoubtedly a good thing for Lin Yuan; both sisters were improving.

Lin Yuan's biggest goal right now was to improve his strength.

Only with sufficient strength could one protect oneself in the Apocalypse.

If he had terrifying strength, he wouldn't need to be so cautious.

The seventeenth day.

Evening.

Lin Yuan was so tired he was almost exhausted.

He drank several bottles of e-grade energy mineral water before he could barely recover a little.

He opened the system panel to check the Goddess levels again.

Still Lev.1.

Still no changes.

Disappointment and anxiety welled up in Lin Yuan's heart.

Although this daily life was extremely comfortable for Lin Yuan, if it continued like this...

One day, those evolved animals and plants might ignore the walls, and his life would be at risk!

"Is this method really not working?"

"Must I risk going outside?"

"What to do?"

Lin Yuan fell into deep thought.

"Brother Lin Yuan, what's wrong?"

Ye Qingyue crawled to his side and asked with concern.

"You look so tired."

Lin Yuan shook his head.

"It's nothing, just a bit tired."

"Then let me massage you!"

Ye Qingyue said happily.

"I used to massage my sister, and she said my massage was very comfortable!"

After saying that, she began to massage Lin Yuan's shoulders.

The pressure was just right.

Very comfortable.

Lin Yuan closed his eyes, enjoying Ye Qingyue's service.

Although Lin Yuan wasn't sure if Ye Qingyue wanted to serve him from the bottom of her heart.

But at least, her current performance made him very satisfied.

Night.

Ye Qingyue was still curled up in Lin Yuan's arms, holding him tightly.

As if she had completely gotten used to lying in Lin Yuan's arms.

"Brother Lin Yuan..."

She suddenly spoke.

Her voice was very soft, with a hint of hesitation.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Yuan asked.

Ye Qingyue was silent for a while, then whispered:

"I... I feel..."

"I think I... have fallen for you..."

These words were like a bomb exploding in the room.

Ye Qingxue opened her eyes wide, looking at her sister in disbelief.

What?

Sister... what did she just say?

She... she has fallen for Lin Yuan?

How is that possible?!

Ye Qingxue was completely stunned.

And Lin Yuan was equally stunned.

He looked at Ye Qingyue in his arms, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

"You... what did you say?"

Ye Qingyue looked up at Lin Yuan.

Her eyes were clear, without a hint of falsehood.

"I said... I think I've really started to trust you..."

Her voice was very soft, but very firm.

"Although I was very scared and resistant at the beginning..."

"But now... I've realized..."

"When I train with you, I feel very fulfilled."

"Although you are cold, you are indeed teaching us seriously."

"Although you coerced us with supplies at the beginning, you did give us hope to survive."

"And... during these few days of being together..."

"I've discovered... you are not as bad as I imagined..."

Ye Qingyue said this very seriously.

Her eyes held a hint of complexity, but more of it was honesty.

Lin Yuan looked at her, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

This girl...

Did she really fall for him?

Or is it Stockholm syndrome?

Lin Yuan wasn't sure.

"Brother Lin Yuan, do... do you not like me?"

Ye Qingyue asked in a low voice.

Her eyes held a hint of unease.

Lin Yuan stroked her head.

"I do."

He said calmly.

Although he knew that this "like" might not be the same thing as the "like" Ye Qingyue understood.

But at least, he did like this obedient and well-behaved girl.

"Really?"

Ye Qingyue's eyes lit up.

"Then... are we a couple now?"

Lin Yuan was silent for a while.

Then he nodded.

"I suppose so."

"That's great!"

Ye Qingyue happily threw herself into Lin Yuan's arms.

"I finally have a boyfriend!"

"Although... although the process was a bit strange..."

"But... but I'm really happy!"

She said excitedly, just like a little girl who had received a favorite gift.

Ye Qingxue listened to her sister's words by the bedside.

Her whole being collapsed.

No... impossible...

Qingyue... how could Qingyue fall for that man?

That... that man who forced them?

That... that man who humiliated them?

How is that possible?

But her sister's words were so earnest.

So sincere.

It didn't sound like she was lying at all.

Ye Qingxue bit her lip, tears streaming down silently.

She didn't understand.

Really didn't understand.

Why did her sister become like this?

Why...

"Sister, don't be sad."

Ye Qingyue suddenly turned her head and looked at her sister.

"I know you still can't accept it."

"But... sister, think about it..."

"In this Apocalypse, being able to survive is already very lucky."

"And Brother Lin Yuan gave us the hope to survive."

"Although he is cold, at least... at least he won't hurt us, right?"

"So... sister, try to accept it too..."

"That way... everyone will be a bit more relaxed..."

Ye Qingyue said this very earnestly.

But these words were like knives stabbing into Ye Qingxue's heart.

She realized that her sister's realization was much higher than hers.

But Ye Qingxue couldn't adapt for a moment; after all, she was the school beauty, a young lady, and most importantly, Ye Qingyue's sister.

No matter what, Ye Qingxue couldn't fall for Lin Yuan.

Not just because of Lin Yuan's personality, but also because the sense of security Lin Yuan gave her was not deep at all.

Lin Yuan held Ye Qingyue, looking at Ye Qingxue who had her back to him.

A smile curled on his lips.

Ye Qingyue's "confession" was indeed a bit unexpected for Lin Yuan.

But the effect was excellent, or rather, a turning point in Ye Qingxue's perception of him.

Making her start to doubt.

Making her start to waver.

Next, he just needed to continue to persist.

Wait for Ye Qingxue to also completely surrender.

Wait for the Goddess level to increase.

He would be able to find a way to get stronger!