18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 284

Upon hearing the voice, Cody and Lukas snapped to his feet, "Evan."

Just as she feared, Evan seemed to be an unshakeable presence. Stella was that close to biting into her juicy meat.

Evan nodded, "You are Stella?"

Stella smiled, "Good to see you again, Evan."

After exchanging pleasantries, Evan, with a smile on his face, didn't seem to be leaving.

What to do when the boss didn't leave? Cody reacted quickly, immediately pulling up a chair for him, "Come on, Evan, have a seat. We're having a little get-together. If you don't mind, would you like something to eat or drink?"

"Am I intruding?"

Cody couldn't tell the truth, "Well, not at all."

"Alright then." Evan signaled for the waiter and ordered another round of barbecue.

Cody pulled out a glass, pouring beer for Evan.

Evan picked up the beer and sniffed it, "Hmm, this beer is good. It's been three years since the disaster, and it hasn't expired."

"Bran gave it as an apology." Stella said with a hint of awkwardness, her face calm as a summer's day, "I don't know how they preserved it, but they did a good job."

Evan laughed, "Ah, the Porras family's beer, that's good stuff. Let me try."

Sensing Stella's slight discomfort, Cody quickly changed the subject, "Evan, try the barbecue."

The barbecue was a bit damp in the thermal box and cooled off quickly once taken out, but it still tasted great.

Evan praised while eating, "Hmm, I don't know who cooked this, but it tastes more authentic than the takeouts before the disaster."

"Stella made it." Cody chatted with Evan, "Stella is the most talented among us. She's worked in restaurants, barbecue joints, bakeries, you name it. Her culinary skills are top-notch. Her dishes can easily match those of a five-star chef."

Evan sincerely complimented, "Indeed, impressive. She even excels in fights."

"Right? Back in the orphanage, when someone bullied Stella, she would chase them around the building with a brick for five laps."

Cody didn't mind sharing embarrassing stories, "Lukas and I didn't know better and once upset her, she knocked our teeth out."

Stella laughed, "Well, that’s how we met."

"Exactly, after that, Lukas and I started hanging out with her."

The waiter brought over the barbecue, and the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the cook were immediately apparent, leaving everyone with mouthfuls of chewy bits.

However, the pan-fried potato noodles were quite good, the starchy potatoes withstood the cold well, resulting in very chewy noodles. Aside from being expensive, there was nothing wrong with them.

Stella planned to get some for home too. They'd be perfect for hot pot.

While eating and chatting, Evan started the conversation again, "How's the neighborhood recently? They haven't been giving you trouble, have they?"

"Thanks for your concern, Evan." Stella's voice was full of gratitude, "Ever since you came over, those people have calmed down a lot. They haven't dared to give us any trouble."

Who? Cody and Lukas were a bit confused. They wondered who bullied Stella.

They didn't hear wrong, did they? Stella was always the one doing the bullying, who would dare to mess with her?

Their surprise was genuine, but they didn't ask in front of Evan. Especially Cody, he nudged Lukas under the table, signaling that something was off and they needed to be on guard.

Evan didn't stay long. After tasting the food he got up to leave, "I have to get back to the police station. You guys enjoy your meal, I'll take my leave."

Cody rose to his feet, escorting Evan to the door. Returning to their seats, Cody and Lukas immediately asked Stella, "What's going on?"