C140 Sun Meng Wanted to Know What Happened(2)

"Absolutely, Bing, just give the word!" Liang Hui chimed in, "Whatever you need from us, just command and we'll do it."

As the group eagerly awaited instructions, Tang Bing paused his work and, gripping the fire axe, pondered for a moment. "Here's what we'll do: gather all the vegetables from the farmland, then see if you can plant more! If the land is for my use only, come tell me. But if it's available for everyone, help me plant vegetables within all the enclosed fields!"

"Got it!" Liang Hui, upon receiving Tang Bing's directive, quickly took her mother's hand. "Mom, let's start with the harvesting!"

"Sure!" Lin Leyan nodded in agreement, "Off we go!"

"Auntie! Huihui! Hold up for me!" Zhao Dagang called out, rushing to catch up.

Qin Mengli glanced at Lin Leyan and the others, then back at Tang Bing. After a brief hesitation, she followed suit.

"Why aren't you joining them?" Tang Bing asked, noticing Sun Meng hadn't moved.

"You promised a resolution yesterday, yet there's been no word!" Sun Meng pouted, looking up at him. "Bing, do you really think I'm so easily deceived?"

"Of course not," Tang Bing thought to himself, "If you were, I wouldn't be in such a quandary!"

"So where's this resolution?" Sun Meng demanded, glaring at him. "Are we pretending last night never happened?"

"It's not that, it's just..." Tang Bing was clearly torn.

"If you act like nothing happened, I'm powerless," Sun Meng said sadly. "After all, you're the leader here; we all have to follow your lead. Even if you did take advantage of me last night, what can I do today? In this apocalyptic world, it seems we women are stripped of our dignity."

"What do you take me for?" Tang Bing couldn't stay silent any longer, upset by her words. "The very thing you're describing is what I despise the most!"

"Then why won't you give me an explanation?" Sun Meng sulked.

Tang Bing let out a deep sigh, his face a mix of emotions. "Sun Meng, can you give me some time to sort things out?"

"I've already given you my first kiss, and you've seen all of me. The only thing left is my first time!" Sun Meng said, her head bowed and lips bitten, "Bing, all I'm asking for is an explanation! Even if you decide to act like yesterday never happened, that would still count as an explanation."

"I told you, I need time to think!" Tang Bing said, setting the fire axe aside with difficulty, "You're aware that I haven't gotten over Qin Mengli yet. My heart's a mess. And you know your own feelings better than I do. You're both aware of the reasons you've gotten close to me. With everything already so complicated, have you even considered how I feel?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Meng gently embraced him, "Bing, I don't know Qin Mengli's motives, but I can guarantee my feelings for you are genuine! You've been in my heart ever since you saved me in the hospital, and that's the truth! Believe me, my intentions are pure! If I didn't have real feelings, I wouldn't degrade myself by being intimate with a man I didn't care for."

"I don't know…" Tang Bing gently pried Sun Meng's hands off and pushed her away, "I've already said my mind is in turmoil. Give me some time to think!"

"Bing, I realize you're still not over Qin Mengli," Sun Meng spoke softly, "She's been ingrained in your heart for over four years. Her sudden change of heart must be confusing you even more! But think about it, she nearly assassinated you for another man. If you were in her position, could you really move on so quickly to someone who was involved in your first love's death?"

"Enough!" Tang Bing interjected, "I'm aware of my own feelings, I don't need you to tell me."

"Bing, I just want you to see the truth," Sun Meng sighed, "You and Qin Mengli will never work out, she's not capable of loving you sincerely. But I'm different. I truly like you from the depths of my heart, and I feel like you're the only one for me."

"I've already said it, let me take a moment to cool off and think!" Tang Bing closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "There's no way I could have any sort of connection with Qin Mengli. After over four years, I'm well aware of her mindset! Who could possibly know her better than I do? Do I really need you to school me on this?"

"The observer gets lost in the game," Sun Meng replied. "And it's all too easy to get caught up again, especially with someone you have feelings for. Bing, I just don't want to see you get hurt by her."

"I'm not a toddler!" Tang Bing opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on her. "Besides, I'll give some thought to what's going on between us. I'm not sure if what you're telling me is true or not, how genuine your feelings for me are, or if I can even accept this new relationship so quickly. My mind is a whirlwind right now, but I promise to think things through. I've certainly taken advantage of you, and I recognize that. But love isn't so straightforward. We're not living in ancient times... That's not to say your honor isn't important to me. Just... my thoughts are a complete mess at the moment. Give me some time, and I'll give you an answer."

"Okay!" Sun Meng nodded gently. "If that's what you've decided, Bing, I'll wait for you. You can come to me anytime, and whatever your decision, I'll accept it. But I need to tell you—I really, truly, deeply like you! There's no deception here. Maybe there's a selfish part of me that's fighting for this, but I swear my feelings for you are sincere."

"Alright, go back and help the others now," Tang Bing said with a soft sigh. "I'll come to you once I've sorted things out."

"Sure! I'll be waiting," Sun Meng said as she approached him, stood on her tiptoes, and gently pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss.

Tang Bing stood there, dumbfounded. He hadn't anticipated Sun Meng's bold move.

As she pulled away, Sun Meng opened her eyes to Tang Bing's face, so close to her own, and felt a rush of warmth flood her cheeks. She turned and scurried off in haste.

Watching Sun Meng's figure vanish behind the wall, Tang Bing touched his lips, still feeling the ghost of her kiss, and pondered the unexpected sweetness of the moment.

His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, struggling to discern the truth behind Sun Meng's words.

Her expression, demeanor, and tone all seemed so genuine. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that he simply didn't possess the kind of allure that would make a sweet girl like Sun Meng fall for him.

The more he pondered, the more his thoughts tangled. Images of Sun Meng's shy, yet stunning figure from the previous night flashed in his mind, sending a wave of heat through his body and leaving his throat parched.

With a hard swallow, he vigorously shook his head to clear the clutter of thoughts and refocused on the task at hand—chopping down trees.

Tang Bing spent the entire afternoon felling trees around the house, feverishly constructing barbed fences.

By dinner time, he had erected five additional layers of defense. Now, seven barbed fences encircled the clearing outside the house, a formidable barrier against even a horde of hundreds of zombies.

Out here in the wilderness, they were well-fortified against the threat of zombified creatures.

The house's doors and windows had been reinforced, providing an effective barrier against the aerial assault of zombified birds. Tonight, they could rest easy, secure in their stronghold.

In the fields, they had harvested a bounty of vegetables and fruits, now forming a small hillock in the hall.

Tang Bing was astounded by the yield; with such abundance, food shortages were a thing of the past.

Even more astonishing was the discovery that the rest of the team could also sow and fertilize the fields.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Lin Leyan, Liang Hui, Qin Mengli, Zhao Dagang, and Sun Meng, every inch of farmland within the walls was now sown with a fresh crop of produce. By tomorrow, they anticipated another bountiful harvest.

"Bing, we could stay in this haven forever!" Zhao Dagang exclaimed with infectious enthusiasm. "Whatever we plant ripens in a day. We can grow whatever we crave! We're not short on water, we can generate our own power, and there are hardly any zombies around! We've got nothing to worry about!"