The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 525

Chapter 525

Nicole’s cheeks were flushed from drinking, and her eyes were unfocused as she gave Zeph a crooked smile.

Zeph set the bottle aside and pulled her into his arms. “Nicole, if something’s bothering you, you can talk to me.”

Talk to him?

Nicole let out a soft, bitter laugh. She didn’t know what to say, much less where to begin.

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, rose onto her toes, and kissed him hard. Her hand slipped down to his belt…

“Wait. Let me lock the door.”

After closing the curtains, they stayed in bed until they completely lost track of time.

By the time Nicole woke up, it was already the next day, and her emotions had finally settled.

Poppy had already brought the chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits home, and was carefully feeding them.

“Brandon, thanks for helping me take care of them. Once they’re grown and start laying eggs, I’ll give you some.”

“No problem. By the way, I learned how to do somersaults over the past few days. Come over later, and I’ll show you.”

“Okay.”

“My dad gave me something good to eat, and I saved some for you.”

“Thanks.” Poppy pulled some dried sweet potato from her pocket. “I made these from the sweet potatoes I grew. You can have some, too.”

Zeph finished making breakfast in the kitchen, then went upstairs to wake Nicole. “Still tired? Do you wanna sleep a little longer?”

She was exhausted and sore all over, but she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time.

She sat up and leaned against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Zeph rubbed her head. “You don’t have to thank me. Just don’t forget what you said yesterday.”

“What did I say?”

“You have a family.” Zeph smiled. “We’re a family.”

Nicole’s face grew warm. “We never actually got married, so it doesn’t count.”

“We live like a married couple. How does that not count?”

Nicole noticed that Zeph was becoming not only more shameless, but much better at arguing, too.

She got up, washed, and had a simple breakfast.

Afterward, they got to work. They sorted the medicinal seedlings they had collected, mixed the nutrient solution and growth enhancer, then soaked the roots of the seedlings damaged by the harsh climate.

The healthier plants were transplanted directly into the black soil garden. Once they were strong enough, they would be moved outside.

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For a while after that, Nicole stayed home. Zeph and Poppy handled any work visible from outside, while she tended the plants in the storage space and taught them the basics of medicine and herbal remedies.

Mitchell spent most of his time conducting research in Grayport, but once a week, he made time to visit the Westbridge local center. He spent half the day teaching qualified students and the other half seeing patients and writing prescriptions.

He didn’t want alternative medicine to die out, so he taught his students free of charge. His only requirements were a strong foundation and genuine talent.

He was far too busy to teach everyone himself, so he had to be selective. Students with less experience were taught by his more advanced students instead.

So far, Nicole was the only student he had personally taken on.

His medical services, however, weren’t free.

The fee was modest. Each patient paid about seven ounces of food for a consultation and prescription, with medication charged separately. Needle therapy cost half a pound of food.

Mitchell wasn’t the only doctor seeing patients. Other physicians from the research institute also worked at the clinic, and all the food they collected went toward keeping the cultivation greenhouses running.

Mitchell had already tested Nicole’s knowledge. The fact that she taught herself alternative medicine to such an advanced level during the apocalypse was impressive.

She already had a solid foundation. What she needed most now was hands-on experience.

So, Mitchell had her assist him during clinic hours and assigned her several uncomplicated cases.

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