What is the correct way to add/modify files such that the changes are synchronized?

Suppose I have a server "server" and a windows client "client" (more after some time); everything direct mode.

I created the repos on the server:

 cd bin
 git init
 git annex init server
 git annex direct
 git annex add .
 git annex sync

On the (Windows) client using cygwin:

 git annex clone ssh://me@server:/srv/bin
 cd bin
 git annex init client

Then I want to add files on the client:

 git annex add tools
 git annex sync

At this point I wonder that the data is not copied to the server but only metadata! I then used

 git annex sync --content

but then everything from the server is leeched as well (as if I could have called "git annex get .")

What is the intented workflow such that added/modified files on the client always go to the server, modified/new files from the server are always pulled but ONLY if I previously got the file/directory via "get annex get"?