I'll give you the opportunity to be my slave

From the moment my dad brought those six people into the house and asked my mom to help them find clothes and wash up, I was replaying the scene from when I brought those three mentally ill people home. I sat on the sofa with a gloomy face, my eyes following their every move, my gaze filled with displeasure.

They neither politely declined nor were overjoyed; they simply followed orders with blank expressions, remaining unmoved even by my menacing gaze. They were probably bewildered by this plot twist. Originally, they were on opposing sides, the loser a villain; escaping death was already a blessing. Who would have thought that not only would they survive, but they would also have a bath, new clothes, and soon-to-be food?

My mother is a very maternal woman, and she's very tolerant of young people. Even if there were two girls she'd fought with, her heart would soften the moment she saw their pale, bruised, and pitiful faces, heads bowed and barely daring to breathe. I think she even felt guilty, thinking it was her own daughter who had tormented them like that. So, she immediately felt guilty and busied herself rummaging through the clothes she'd brought back from the supermarket to find suitable items for each of them. She then directed Binbin to take them upstairs one by one to shower, all while managing to prepare a whole table of dishes.

Of course, there is one exception.

"Tell him to leave. I'm annoyed just looking at him," my mother said to me, watching Wu Bainian timidly walk upstairs.

I crossed my legs and said nonchalantly, "What's there to be annoyed about? I'm not annoyed at all."

"You heartless bastard! You've brought him home again after all this time. I think you haven't learned your lesson yet!" My mother was furious.

"Do you think your daughter is really stupid, falling for the same person twice?"

"That's right!"

"Sigh, how can I explain this to you?" I sighed and advised, "I told you not to worry about it because it's not worth it. If you get angry over him, people who don't know the situation will think he's so powerful, making us unable to forget him even after all these years. Where there's no love, there's no hate, right? If you glare at him like that, people might think I'm still stuck on the past and laugh at me! Look at him now, homeless and starving, doing bad things to get by. What ability do you think he has to make me suffer?"

My mom rolled her eyes at me and said, "That makes sense, but I'm afraid you'll pity him! Don't I know you? You're like a tomboy, yet you like this kind of good-for-nothing scumbag."

I said helplessly, "I really can't explain it to you. My tastes have changed a long time ago. I don't like this kind of thing anymore. I've learned my lesson. In fact, you should thank this guy. He completely changed my unrealistic criteria for choosing a partner."

My mom smiled slightly: "So what kind of things do you like now?"

I looked at the ceiling with feigned longing: "A hero, who used to be a prince on a white horse, is now a hero on a white horse. He's eight feet tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he's majestic and awe-inspiring. He can fight Wen Chou for fifty or sixty rounds."

"Hahaha!" Binbin jumped down the steps and slapped me on the shoulder: "I am Zhao Zilong of Changshan! Sis, you're dreaming!"

My mom knew I was talking nonsense again. She glared at me and stopped me from playing around with Binbin, saying, "Don't take this lightly. What are we going to do about that guy surnamed Wu?"

I shrugged: "If he had any backbone, he would have left in shame as soon as my dad let him go. But I think he's very keen to stay for dinner, and he might even stay overnight or refuse to leave."

My mom angrily exclaimed, "No way!"

I laughed: "Hey, I see him no differently than a cat or a dog, so don't worry about it. I was planning to let him go out and kill zombies if he had the nerve to freeload here, at least I'd have another human shield. But seeing how angry you are, I'll talk to him after dinner and tell him to get lost."

My mom hesitated for a moment and then said, "Fine, fine... If he doesn't cause trouble, let him stay put. Anyway, I'll keep an eye on him. If he dares to talk nonsense to you, I'll chop him up. Starting tomorrow, you'll go out with Xiao Bo and the others to find things!"

If I still have any negative feelings towards Wu Bainian, it's because of the trouble he caused my mother. Just like the fact that he was my ex-boyfriend, the trouble still lingers even after he left. It's been years, and it must be incredibly painful for her to constantly feel uneasy about someone for her daughter's sake. I pretended not to hear and let Wu Bainian stay to resolve this problem, hoping that one day my mother would see him without any lingering emotion, truly reaching the point of "it's none of my business."

At lunchtime, the team finished work, and my dad brought out the large round wooden platter that we only use once a year when relatives come to visit for the New Year, and placed it on the original rectangular dining table. Although the living room is quite large, it was already somewhat occupied by furniture and other items, and with this large table, the flow of movement was blocked.

My mom cooked three pots of white rice, served a large bowl of braised shiitake mushrooms with cured pork, a large bowl of wide rice noodles stewed with pickled beef, and four side dishes of stir-fried tofu skin, stir-fried rice cakes, small drunken fish, and pig's ears. She also chopped a large plate of homemade pickled spicy turnips. The colorful and fragrant dishes laid out on the table made for a rare and abundant meal, especially without fresh meat and vegetables.

All ten of us sat down, but the other six didn't. They stared at the food on the table, clearly starving and swallowing hard, but they remained rational and didn't pounce on it.

They all gave each other a quick wash and changed into clean clothes, but the injuries on their faces and heads were even more noticeable. Blackie had a half-finger-long gash on his forehead, which my dad had hit him with a stool. Fatty Luo and Li Qiang both had bruises on their faces, and their bodies probably weren't in much better shape. They were all huddled together, looking cramped and uncomfortable; it was quite an unpleasant sight.

Before my dad could speak, I kicked a folding stool at the black guy: "What, are you waiting for your elders to invite you?"

Blackie glanced at me, then lowered his head and sat down on a stool. The others followed his lead and pulled up their stools to sit down as well.

My dad was very satisfied with the effect of his "good cop" role, and became even more amiable: "Eat up, eat up, don't be shy."

Yu Zhongjian and the others didn't show any expression. After my parents picked up their chopsticks, they started eating on their own. The food was good today, and everyone ate with relish. In no time, chopsticks passed around, and the dish was quickly reduced to almost nothing.

The six of them finally picked up their chopsticks. Some picked up food, while others ate rice, keeping their heads down as much as possible to avoid eye contact with anyone. Chen Ruonan and Qin Yun ate a couple of bites, and then tears started streaming down their faces.

"Smack!" I slammed my chopsticks down, and the table fell silent instantly as everyone stared at me. The two girls were so frightened that they quickly wiped away their tears, not daring to swallow even with a mouthful of rice in their mouths. Only Yu Zhongjian remained unaffected, calmly and slowly chewing on his dried bean curd sticks.

"Let me say a few words." As soon as I opened my mouth, I saw that my dad was about to get angry, so I quickly gave my mom a look, and she hurriedly tugged at him under the table.

"I didn't mean to make you lose your appetite, I just have something on my mind that I can't eat until I get it out in a clear way." I stared at the group of six, my target quite clear. "Although my dad is the head of this family and his word is law, I don't think we should do things against other people's wishes. We've had our fight, we've been punished enough, and we're even about the matter of coming to provoke us. If any of you want to leave, we absolutely won't stop you. Consider this a peace meal. I'll say it again, it's best to leave each other alone, otherwise, we're not afraid of another fight. If any of you want to stay, I also have one thing to say: regardless of gender, we don't tolerate useless people. This place is all about contribution points."

Blackie put down his chopsticks. He nodded gratefully to my dad first, then asked with some difficulty, "What contribution points?"

“Work,” I said matter-of-factly, “a ton of heavy and tiring work, charging into battle, killing corpses, moving supplies, standing guard, reinforcing the walls—these are all standard contributions. We also have to be vigilant against groups of unfriendly survivors.” Seeing his face darken, I added, “Don’t think too highly of yourself; there are people more capable than you. We need to negotiate and negotiate; if we can’t reach an agreement, bloodshed will ensue. If you want to stay, you can’t back down; you have to obey orders. Don’t come to the checkpoint and say, ‘If you don’t go, I’ll be ready to stab you to death with a knife.’”

The six people were clearly made very anxious by me. They looked at each other but didn't say anything.

I picked up my chopsticks and poked at my rice, laughing, "It's always been my style to be upfront about the unpleasant things beforehand, to avoid any arguments later. Although my dad told you not to repay kindness with enmity, I also understand that there are plenty of ungrateful people in this world. I think this matter is settled, but maybe you're still holding a grudge, right? I understand. Once you leave our house, you can come back to cause trouble if you want. If you don't want to leave, you'll have to follow the rules from now on. You don't need to answer me now. We'll talk after we finish eating. If you want to stay, just let me know. If you want to leave, the door faces south, so just go your own way. Let's eat."

Although I agreed to let Yu Zhongjian stay and strengthen the team, it doesn't mean I can't make things difficult for them and put pressure on them. People with criminal records have to be on their guard. How can they not have the awareness of being dependent on others for a roof over their heads and to fill their stomachs? If there are six more hungry ghosts competing for food, how much less food will I have to eat?

Unfortunately, my attempt to annoy them didn't seem to work very well. Blackie just awkwardly twitched his face and then silently continued eating. The other five were the same; they weren't as conflicted as I had imagined. As soon as I finished speaking, they clutched their rice bowls tightly, as if afraid someone would snatch them away, and devoured the three large pots of rice in a whirlwind. Their appetite for the rice cooker was even more unrestrained than before.

As a result, I didn't get a second chance to ask for more rice, and Li Tonggu grumbled that he wasn't full. My dad pretended to scold me a couple of times, said a few ambiguous words, and the meal ended relatively smoothly.

After the meal, the team members dispersed to rest. Liu Meili helped my mother clear the table. Wu Bainian whispered something to Qin Yun, who then rolled up her sleeves, didn't say a word, and went to help collect the bowls and basins, taking them straight to the kitchen to wash. Seeing this, Chen Ruonan also went to help my mother. Perhaps because she was younger and hadn't done much housework, she didn't wipe the table very cleanly, and didn't know how to fold up the chair, making herself quite flustered. My mother kept saying, "Take a break, take a break," making her blush with embarrassment.

I usually do all these chores, but today I can finally relax and be the boss. I continued sitting on the sofa, holding the cup of tea my dad had just brewed but hadn't had a chance to drink yet, and deliberately gave a forced smile as I looked at the people standing in front of the TV cabinet, feeling like I was some kind of domineering landlord or HR manager.

The black guy was the first to walk up to me and said stiffly, "I'll stay. Just tell me what you want me to do."

Then Fatty Luo and Li Qiang stepped forward: "We'll stay too." Wu Bainian moved his lips but didn't say anything.

"You think you can just stay like this?"

Blackie and his gang froze. I was smugly ready to say a few more sarcastic remarks when my dad came out from the inner room, nudged my head, and snatched the teacup from my hand. “I haven’t even had a sip yet! You’re just wasting my good tea! What are you putting on airs for? Hurry up and take them to rest.”

"I...I'll have them introduce themselves so they can get to know each other."

"Don't these people know each other? They haven't slept well for two days. Tell them to go upstairs and get some rest. Stop talking nonsense all the time. They have things to do this afternoon!"

I so regret playing the good cop for my dad! He was so focused on enjoying being the nice guy, he didn't even consider whether the stern role was over. Sleep? I've been on duty all night and haven't slept! He comes to bother me with anything I say, making me lose all face. He's such a drama queen!

Feeling embarrassed and annoyed, I jumped up from the sofa, swinging my arms and yelling, "Fine, fine, go to sleep, go to sleep until you're exhausted! No more introductions, nothing more to say, do whatever you want!"

Blackie and the others looked at me with different expressions as I suddenly erupted. My dad pulled everyone away, saying, "Let's go upstairs, don't mind her, she's always acting strangely."

I was so angry I felt like I was going to vomit my lungs out. What kind of father is this? Who am I protecting all day? Just then, I suddenly saw Wu Bainian secretly laughing with his head down. I instantly flew into a rage, pointing at him and yelling, "Wu Bainian, what are you laughing at?!"

Wu Bainian panicked: "Aifeng... I'm not..."

"You son of a bitch, get out outside and carry bricks! You're not getting dinner until you've carried a thousand bricks today! And you're not allowed to sleep inside either!"

Wu Bainian's face turned ashen, and he looked at my father for help. My father didn't say anything more, just shook his head and smiled, leading the man upstairs.

Wu Bai Nian was at his wit's end, and I finally felt a little less resentful towards my father. I smiled coldly and said, "Didn't you say you were going to be my family's slave? I'll give you that opportunity!"

His comrades, understanding the principle that circumstances dictate actions, abandoned him without hesitation and went to enjoy sleeping on the floor in the storeroom. Wu Bainian had no choice but to dejectedly and listlessly scavenge for bricks in the rubble field for the entire afternoon, baked by the blazing sun and steamed by the rising heat, sweating profusely and his face glistening with oil. I watched him from the rooftop for a while, and seeing that he was indeed behaving himself, I went to catch up on my sleep.

I woke up to find the sun already setting. I was startled when I opened my eyes; there were two more people in the room. I had no idea when or how long they'd been there. They didn't say a word, and even their breathing was barely audible; they just sat quietly on the two folding beds opposite each other.

I rubbed my eyes: "What are you two doing? Watching me sleep?"

The little girl's voice was barely audible: "Aunt Cheng told us to stay in this room..."

I scooted up and leaned against the headboard, my head still a little fuzzy, and casually said, "Oh, go ahead and stay. One bed for each of you. There are lots of underwear in the closet, so you can pick some to change into."

Qin Yun hurriedly said, "No, no, how can we wear your clothes?"

I glanced at her and said, "They're all new from the supermarket. Find your own size; mine won't fit you."

Qin Yun blushed and quickly thanked him.

I slowly got out of bed and dressed. "Has anyone assigned you work?"

The two shook their heads, so I said, "Go out and kill zombies with us to get supplies, or stay at home. Besides cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning, we might have to build a wall in a few days. What do you say?"

As I expected, the two chose the latter. I didn't have any expectations for them and said directly, "Then you two should be more diligent at home. My mother is getting old and it's tiring for her to take care of so many people. If you can share some of the burden for her, that's like paying rent. I can't guarantee anything else, but at least you'll have enough to eat."

The two nodded repeatedly, their faces filled with emotion. Chen Ruonan, perhaps feeling that she hadn't performed well today, made a special statement: "I will do my best and I will definitely learn to cook."

"How old are you?"

I'm nineteen.

I looked at Qin Yun, and she immediately said, "I'm twenty-one."

I twitched my lips and gave a forced smile: "You're young, you'll learn slowly." Then I went out.

Staring at my slightly rough skin in the bathroom mirror, I stared blankly for a while. What was I doing when I was nineteen or in my early twenties? Probably skipping classes and getting into trouble with gangs all the time… Although I'm actually twenty-six and twenty-seven by the Chinese reckoning, I'm not old, but looking at those two girls with their clean, youthful faces, I felt a little melancholy. Youth is wonderful; regardless of looks, just the abundance of collagen in their faces makes you want to pinch them. I don't feel like time is flying by; how did I suddenly become almost thirty?

My melancholy was short-lived; I quickly dismissed it. So what if they're young? Experience is true wealth, okay? Sending them out to kill zombies would only scare them to death; those who can't even take care of themselves are all useless! Besides, Liu Meili is a year older than me! The thought of her being the one to blame made me feel much better.

Feeling better, I hummed a little tune as I went downstairs, only to find the place deserted. I peeked into my second uncle's room and saw Liu Meili feeding him through a nasal tube. I greeted her, and she told me everyone was practicing martial arts in the alley.

The gate was wide open, and several men were lined up in the alley, with Zhou Yi explaining the essentials of fighting in a lively manner.

As he explained and demonstrated, his small stature was as fast as lightning. He grabbed Fatty Luo's collar and flipped him over, throwing him to the ground with swift and decisive movements. Fatty lay on the ground for a long time without being able to get up.

Zhao Zhuobao, Li Tonggu, Hei Ge, Li Qiang, Wu Bainian who had moved a thousand bricks, and even my dad, all looked solemn and serious, mimicking Zhou Yi's movements with great enthusiasm.

Han Bo was gesturing aimlessly inside the gate, so I retorted, "Whose idea was this?"

"Xiao Yu." Han Bo came up and tried to grab my collar. I quickly raised my arm to block him and kicked him hard in the groin.

Han Bo was startled and took a few steps back, saying with displeasure, "Why do you always use this trick? Is this a move a girl should use? It's too vicious!"

I proudly twirled my toes: "Countless heroes have fallen beneath my 'child-severing' kick. Do you dare to disagree?"

"insidious!"

I didn't think much of it and looked around: "Why is this guy surnamed Yu telling everyone to learn Sanda (Chinese kickboxing)?"

Han Bo pulled me behind the door: "Keep your voice down, don't let those guys hear us. We've decided to take them to the No. 2 grain depot the day after tomorrow."