18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 128

Katie, a prudent woman, would often inquire about the growth of the potatoes on the 18th floor. She would inform her son and grandson to make advance arrangements for frost-resistant agents. Little by little, she had accumulated a big bucket full over a span of three months.

When Stella asked for help, Katie readily agreed. She gave out five pounds of antifreeze and declined to accept any potatoes from Stella.

The potatoes were in exchange for the original ones, and she didn't like owing favors. Facing the Moore family's generosity, she secretly slipped a frozen slab of bacon into the bag.

Not a lot, just about a pound. Bacon was a luxury, more than enough to compensate for the antifreeze.

They almost ended up in a quarrel over the exchange. Stella wasn't good at social interactions. She quickly left with the antifreeze.

Katie shook her head, "That child is so stubborn. Everything has to be clear-cut."

She picked up the potatoes from the 18th floor and looked at them, "I was worried she wouldn't know how to plant them, but she's doing better than us."

...

It took Stella two days to plant all the potatoes after getting the antifreeze.

The pots she found weren't enough, so Jasper nailed together some planks and made a few troughs. Together, they planted 100 pounds of potatoes. Not only was the balcony full, but also the corridors and stairs were all occupied.

Jasper was no slacker when it came to labor. He took on all the physically demanding tasks, while Stella did the lighter ones.

The supplemental lighting wasn't sufficient, so it had to be done in batches and at different time intervals. Jasper was the one taking care of it, and he never asked Stella for help.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Anything, I'm not picky."

She didn't order anything since she was a freeloader. She would eat more of what she liked and less of what she didn't.

From that day on, Stella didn't cook anymore. She and Cooper ate at Jasper's place every day. She couldn't believe that she had been eating there for three months. Really, she hadn't contributed a single grain of rice or piece of vegetable.

But she kept track of how much she ate. She wanted to see when Jasper would show signs of impatience. When that happened, she would pay him back with interest.

Jasper was a determined one. Instead, it was Stella who couldn't keep up. She had never seen a man who could keep his cool like him. He cooked every meal and never let her wash the dishes. He didn't even mind that Cooper ate a lot.

This almost broke Stella's defense.

She was so frustrated that she secretly sought Lukas' advice. This was not something Cody could help with. He had never been successful in love.

"Why don't you want him?"

No one had more experience with love than Lukas. After hearing the whole story, he was immediately anxious, "Stella, are you silly?"

What? He was actually scolding her!

"He's a free laborer. He's strong, capable of earning money, and he can work and help you alleviate loneliness." This was the first time Lukas was so disappointed with her, "You're so smart, how can you be so confused about this? If Jasper were gay, I would have made a move on him, he wouldn't have a chance with you."

Stella was shocked. She seriously doubted Lukas' sexual orientation.

"Stella, we grew up together. It's not like the old days when you could have a meal as long as you worked hard. Now, it's too difficult to have a full meal.

“We can bring back a lot of good things every month. In fact, we are risking our lives for them. We don't even know if we can survive tomorrow.

“Whether you love someone or not isn't as crucial as staying alive. The key is having someone by your side, someone who stands in front of you when danger arises. You don't have to be as guarded when facing them as you do with strangers. That's true happiness."

For the first time in her life, Stella heard Lukas say so much, and it was all heartfelt.

He was more beautiful than a woman, and everyone in the orphanage knew he always relied on women. But he never got angry and always had a smile on his face.

Stella was a bit curious and asked in a low voice, "Do you really love Angela?"

Lukas lit a cigarette and took a few puffs before saying, "At first, I just felt safe with her, but now I can't do without her. You're capable, Cody is smart, but I have nothing, and my body is so weak.

How can I get by without taking shortcuts?"

Everyone had their struggles, but what could you do? Crying in front of them? Tears were the cheapest thing.

Actually, he was quite grateful for the disaster. His health was getting better, and he could earn money to support his woman. The feeling of standing upright was great.

"Stella, it's really tiring to be alone for a long time. You need a companion to face the storms. Don't close yourself off or lose the ability to love just because you've been hurt by Hector. I think you didn't get it wrong this time. Jasper is much better than Hector. I may not be as good as you and Cody in other aspects, but I'm pretty accurate when it comes to reading people. I guarantee you won't be wrong this time. Just give yourself a chance.

“Besides, who says being together means forever? There's no forever in the apocalypse. If you're tired or you feel you two are not suitable, just break up. Why bother overthinking it?"

After patting her shoulder and returning to his room, he declared his loyalty to Angela, "Honey, I miss you."

Thinking about what he said, Stella felt a bit confused, but also enlightened. She continued to mooch off Jasper and remained lazy.

But for some reason, during their evening training, the usually easygoing Jasper suddenly became aggressive, suppressing Stella at every turn.

Stella, who was cornered, became desperate and used her secret move. Her sneak attack failed, and she was caught by him and slammed against the wall, "You still want to try that?"

Stella came to her senses and wished she could hide, "I..."

Just as she was about to speak, Jasper suddenly lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

Stella was shocked, her face turning beet red, "What are you doing!"

"If you try that move again, I'll kiss you."

If he hadn't dodged, given her ferocity, it was not impossible that he would have been seriously injured there.

Stella was embarrassed and turned her face away, "I'm sorry. I was impulsive."

She tried to push him away, but he didn't budge.

Jasper stared at her, "Stella, aren't you going to give me an answer?" This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Let me go first."

He let go and handed her a towel and some hot water.

Stella wiped her sweat, sat on the sofa and drank water. After thinking for a while, she spoke, "Do you really want to be with me?"

"This is the first time I've liked a girl. I don't want to give up easily."

Stella thought for a moment, "I eat a lot, and Cooper eats even more. Although you have a lot of supplies, they won't last for a few years if we join you. And Cooper once saved my life. I can't possibly abandon him to save food."

Thinking of her past life, Stella took deep breaths, "If it weren't for Cooper, I would have died a long time ago. In my heart, he is an indispensable family member, not something I can just throw away.

"If you choose to be with me, it means that both Cooper and I will be relying on you in the future. That doesn't seem fair to you. I don't want you to regret your decision when we hit a rough patch. For me, Cooper is what Rosie is to you. That’s how much I value him."

"I've thought about all these things you're worried about," Jasper said, looking at her. "You don't have to worry about food. Once the harsh winter passes, I'll find a way to get more food. I won't let you or Cooper go hungry."

When he laid out his intentions and stance, Stella had no room to argue. She felt a sense of relief. "If you're so adamant, we can give it a try. But if it turns out it's not working, we should not force each other to continue. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

From that moment on, their eyes met, and Jasper held her hand.

Although the relationship had just been officially established, they had known each other for almost a year. After practicing together every day, considering it for three months, and facing life and death situations, Stella thought there was no need for unnecessary shyness or pretense. She did not push his hand away.

"Clang!"

The food bowl fell to the ground. The dog, Cooper, looked at the scene before him, his face filled with surprise. He rushed over like a gust of wind and forcefully pulled them apart.