5: Isn't it just doing that?

Qin Lin stared at the screen, his heart tightening.

He was an orphan; at a time like this, there was no one left who could care about him.

He hadn't expected his ex-girlfriend to send a message asking about his safety.

The thermometer showed it was already forty degrees below zero outside.

Inside the workshop, thanks to the electric heaters, the temperature was maintained around zero degrees.

This was already paradise.

Qin Lin sat by the furnace, adding the last few wooden planks inside.

The generator roared in the corner, and the electric heaters emitted a steady heat.

【Activation Progress: 22/24 hours】

【Energy: 79/100】

【survival points: 22】

Only 2 hours left.

Almost there.

Just as he was preparing to rest, a sound came from outside the iron door again.

This time, it wasn't a knock.

It was an impact.

"Bang! Bang!"

Someone was using something to smash the door.

Qin Lin immediately grabbed his Entrenching Shovel and turned off the electric heaters.

Light would expose his location.

The workshop plunged into darkness, with only the faint glow of the furnace fire remaining.

The banging stopped.

Then he heard a familiar voice:

"Qin Lin! I know you're in there! Open the door!"

Qin Lin was stunned.

Su Yuran?

How did she find this place?

Moreover, he hadn't recognized her voice at first.

"Qin Lin! Please! Open the door! I'll really die!"

The voice carried a sob, along with the chattering of teeth from the cold.

Qin Lin hesitated for a few seconds, then walked to the door and opened a small observation slot.

Su Yuran was standing outside.

But she looked nothing like the proud School Beauty from yesterday.

Her down jacket was filthy and torn in several places, revealing the cotton stuffing inside.

Her hair was a mess, and there were ice crystals formed from frozen tear tracks on her face.

The most shocking sight was her feet.

She was wearing only thin sneakers; her socks were soaked through, and her ankles were red and swollen from the frost.

When she saw Qin Lin through the observation slot, a light of hope erupted in her eyes.

"Qin Lin! Let me in! Please!"

Qin Lin didn't open the door.

He looked at her calmly for a full ten seconds.

Then he said:

"Didn't we break up?"

Su Yuran's expression froze.

"You... what did you say?"

"Yesterday afternoon, you were the one who brought up the breakup," Qin Lin said word by word. "You said 'only a ghost would regret it.'"

Su Yuran's lips began to tremble.

"I... I was just speaking out of anger at the time..."

"Out of anger?"

Qin Lin laughed.

"Then what are you doing coming to find me now?"

"I... I'm cold... I'm hungry..."

Su Yuran's tears fell, instantly freezing into ice beads.

"The power in the dormitory building went out, the heating stopped, the water pipes froze and burst... everyone ran away... I can't find my family, and they can't find me. I don't know where else to go..."

She crouched down, hugging her shoulders, her whole body shaking as she cried.

"I was really wrong... Qin Lin... let me in, okay... I'll be obedient... I'll do whatever you want..."

She whispered that last sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Qin Lin looked at her.

Scenes from his past life flashed through his mind.

In the ruins, when she left, she hadn't even given him a second glance.

But now, she was begging outside his door.

"The interest is very high," Qin Lin said.

Su Yuran looked up, her face still streaked with tears:

"What?"

"I said, yesterday you broke up with me, and today you come to beg me."

Qin Lin pulled open the iron door.

"The interest is high. Are you sure you want to come in?"

The door opened a crack.

A warm current of air rushed out, hitting Su Yuran's face.

It was the first trace of warmth she had felt since the disaster struck.

She hardly hesitated, scrambling and crawling to squeeze through the door.

Qin Lin closed the door again.

Su Yuran collapsed on the floor, greedily breathing in the warm air.

Although it was only around zero degrees in the workshop, it was far better than the forty below zero outside.

Qin Lin turned on the electric heater.

Light and warmth filled the workshop together.

Su Yuran looked at the electric heater, then at the roaring generator in the corner.

Then she looked at Qin Lin's car parked by the furnace.

The car was piled high with food and water.

Her gaze became complicated.

"You... you knew it would be like this all along?"

Qin Lin didn't answer.

He walked to the furnace and served a bowl of freshly heated soup.

It was made with instant noodle seasoning packets and some beef jerky added in.

"Drink it."

Su Yuran took the bowl, her hands still shaking.

She took a cautious sip; the hot soup slid down her esophagus, warming her nearly frozen internal organs.

She almost burst into tears.

After finishing the bowl of soup, she finally regained some strength.

"Thank you, Qin Lin..."

"No need for thanks."

Qin Lin sat opposite her, watching her.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I've always known your whereabouts."

Qin Lin slapped his forehead; he had almost forgotten she was the young miss of the Su Family.

Finding out someone's location didn't even require her to do anything herself.

"Instead of waiting for your family at school, why did you come looking for me?"

"I was scared at school, and I don't know what happened to my family; not a single one of them came for me, and I couldn't go back."

Qin Lin didn't bother thinking about her family's affairs.

According to the situation in his past life, she wouldn't be found and taken away by her family until a month later.

"Let's talk about the interest."

Su Yuran's body stiffened.

"What... what do you want?"

"First, this car is mine."

Qin Lin pointed at the black sedan.

"Everything inside is mine. You are staying here as a guest, not the master. Understand?"

Su Yuran bit her lip and nodded.

"Second, you have to work. Cleaning, cooking, collecting fuel—you have to do all the work required for survival."

"Third..."

Qin Lin paused.

"Without my permission, you cannot leave this place. Nor can you bring anyone else here."

Su Yuran's expression changed:

"You... you want to imprison me?"

"No."

Qin Lin shook his head.

"It's protection. It's very dangerous outside right now; with your looks, you'd be dead if you went out. But if you're unwilling, the door is right there. You can leave now."

Su Yuran looked toward the iron door.

Outside the door was a frozen Hell of forty degrees below zero.

She lowered her head.

"I... I'm willing."

Qin Lin nodded and took a blanket out of the car, throwing it to her.

"Go sleep in the car for a bit."

Su Yuran took the blanket, hesitated for a moment, and asked:

"Why are you being so good to me? After how I treated you yesterday..."

Qin Lin smiled slightly.

"Because you need me."

"And I..."

He looked out the window at the raging blizzard.

...also need a beginning."

Su Yuran didn't understand what he meant.

But she obediently wrapped herself in the blanket and sat in the car.

The seat was reclined; though it was hard, it was much better than outside.

Qin Lin sat by the furnace, adding fuel.

The electric heater hummed.

The generator roared.

The wind and snow battered the corrugated iron roof.

In the workshop, there was a man, a woman, and a car.

And in his mind, that constantly ticking countdown:

【Activation Progress: 23/24 hours】

【Passengers: 1】

【New member detected, survival point accumulation speed +10%】

Qin Lin closed his eyes.

The car would be activated soon.

When that time came, everything would truly begin.

He had taken in Su Yuran not only because she was his ex-girlfriend and had shown concern for him,

but also because he saw the passenger count.

This must be useful; otherwise, it wouldn't have appeared for no reason.

Since it appeared, it had its purpose and reason.

Of course, he also truly lusted after her; he certainly wasn't going to give that up.

After all, this was like a gift from the heavens; if he could have her, it would be a delightful thing.

Meanwhile, Su Yuran lay in the car she had looked down upon yesterday, watching Qin Lin's back through the car window.

The firelight danced upon him, outlining a solid silhouette.

She suddenly felt that bringing up the breakup yesterday might have been the stupidest decision of her life.

But it seemed there was still a chance to make up for that mistake.

As long as she could afford the... "interest" he spoke of.

"Hmph, isn't it just doing that? I already agreed to it long ago, so why is he still putting on an act with me?"