Chapter 198: I can be your woman
She accepted the food and water without eating immediately and began to address Elijah's earlier question.
"Yes, that zombie appeared out of nowhere, elusive and deadly. It killed many survivors in our community. If I hadn't been able to sense its presence, both of us wouldn't have survived. Although we weren't killed by it, the zombie kept wandering around nearby, and I didn't dare to go out to look for food.
If you hadn't appeared and killed it, we might have starved to death!" Lillian said, still fearful at the thought of that elusive zombie.
As she finished speaking, her energy seemed to drain away, and she swayed a few times, nearly falling. Elijah quickly supported her.
"Why don't you sit down, eat something, and rest for a while?" Elijah suggested, holding her arm.
He felt her warm, delicate skin, and the softness under her armpit pressed against the back of his hand. Looking closely at her skin, it was translucent and radiant, like white jade, exuding a porcelain-like glow.
The pallor on her face added a touch of fragility to her mature charm, making him want to cherish her even more.
Honestly, Elijah, who was used to nights of revelry, found it a bit uncomfortable traveling without the company of women.
Seeing Lillian, so close and helpless, with an impeccable figure and appearance, stirred some feelings within him.
However, he quickly suppressed these thoughts, as he still intended to recruit her and utilize her sensing abilities to continue his journey.
What Elijah didn't know was that when he had that fleeting thought, Lillian, through her sensing vision, noticed a slight yellow light emerging from the center of Elijah's otherwise green aura.
This yellow-green light was subtle but enough for Lillian to detect.
Lillian paused momentarily, understanding that this change indicated Elijah had some unspeakable thoughts about her.
As a mature woman, she was quite perceptive about such things, knowing that men were often attracted to beautiful women like her.
Over the years, she had encountered many who coveted her, and after the apocalypse, some survivors in the community had made their intentions blatantly clear, using various threats and bribes, almost resorting to force.
So, she didn't find Elijah's reaction inappropriate. What surprised her was that the yellow light quickly dimmed.
The ability to suppress his desires, combined with the strength to kill that zombie...
Lillian's resolve strengthened.
They couldn't stay trapped here forever, as the community's food and water would eventually run out.
With zombies densely populating the area, she couldn't ensure long-term survival for herself and her child.
But Elijah was different; he had clearly come from the outside, could control a group of zombies, and had experience in surviving and navigating the outside world.
Thoughts flashed through her mind, and then Lillian said, "The unit next door is unoccupied. Why don't we rest there for a while?"
"Sure," Elijah agreed, still supporting her. Lillian didn't ask him to let go. They walked to the next unit, and Lillian skillfully took out a key and opened the door.
"They turned into zombies and wandered in the hallway. I dealt with them and got the key. Their food and water helped us survive for a few more days," Lillian explained as she opened the door. Read new chapters at m_v-l'e|m,p| y- r
"Being able to kill zombies on your own is impressive!" Elijah praised.
"Alas, I can only handle ordinary zombies. If I encountered the one you killed, I would have been helpless and just waited to die."
"Indeed, that zombie was not something an ordinary person could handle," Elijah agreed with a nod.
The two of them entered the apartment, closed the door, and sat on the sofa.
After a moment of hesitation, Lillian continued, "Elijah, you're so strong. Can you take us with you when you leave? Don't worry, we won't be a burden. My ability allows me to sense people's intentions and, as you saw today, detect zombies hiding in the shadows."
An ability like Olivia's? Elijah was a bit surprised but quickly understood.
No wonder she had been willing to warn him and even meet with a stranger.
She must have seen that he had no ill intentions, emitting a green light.
That ability could indeed be very useful! He had originally planned to invite her to join him, but knowing she had a child now made the situation more complicated and dangerous.
Seeing Elijah's hesitation, Lillian grew anxious. Recalling the change in colors she sensed in his aura, she blurted out, "If you take us with you, I... I can be your woman. Even though I'm older..."
"I'm willing, of course, but I'm worried the child is too young, and I can't ensure her safety," Elijah responded, swallowing as he looked at Lillian's heaving chest, the white shirt straining as if it might burst open at any moment.
"Besides, you don't look old at all. If it weren't for the child, I would have thought you were younger than me!"
Everyone loves compliments, especially when they are about looking young. A delighted smile appeared on Lillian's face.
"Don't worry, Nora is very well-behaved."
"Your daughter is named Nora? That's a beautiful name!" Elijah remarked.
Hearing this, Lillian's expression darkened before she forced a smile. "Nora isn't actually my daughter. She's the child of one of my clients. My own daughter might already be... But over these days, I've come to treat Nora as my own."
Elijah was genuinely surprised to learn that the little girl wasn't her biological daughter. Lillian then briefly recounted her story.
Lillian had been a nurse in a hospital when she was younger.
Later, with her husband's support, she opened a high-end spa and beauty salon for women.
Nora's mother was a loyal customer of the salon.
They had known each other for many years and had become good friends.
Nora often accompanied her mother to the salon and was very familiar with Lillian.
Sometimes, when Nora's mother had engagements, Lillian would help take care of her.
Unfortunately, the outbreak of the zombie virus trapped her here.
What shocked Elijah even more was that Lillian had a daughter who was already in college.
Based on the typical age of marriage, Lillian had to be at least over forty.
However, her appearance didn't show it at all, and she could easily pass for someone in their twenties.