The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Hearing Nicole say that, Zeph frowned. “You mean Poppy’s timid? Scared of everything?”

Nicole shook her head. “Not really. She’s more of a people-pleaser. Like she’s always worried about making someone upset, so she tries to keep everyone happy without even thinking about it.

For example, Poppy would bring eggs for Nicole and Cola. When she did her homework, she would sneak glances at Nicole, like she was afraid of being disliked.

It wasn’t just with Nicole. Even with Zeph, she was careful. She pushed herself doing those training drills just to make him happy, even when she got hurt and didn’t say a word.

Nicole couldn’t help feeling sorry for the little girl.

Zeph stayed quiet for a long time.

“Poppy is my parents’ second child. They passed away in a car accident a couple of years ago. I was working out of town and couldn’t make it back, so she had to stay with our uncle.

“She used to be lively, always smiling. By the time I came back after leaving the service, she was like a completely different person.

“But I think she’s starting to change lately. She’s even begun pointing out my mistakes. Thanks for helping with that.”

Nicole understood that kind of personality all too well. Back at the orphanage, she had lived on edge every day, always trying to please people so they would see her worth.

It wasn’t just her. Most of the kids there were the same.

Thankfully, she had made it out of that place.

Poppy needed encouragement, but more than that, she needed to learn how to express how she really felt, even the negative stuff.

This wasn’t the old world anymore. If her personality and way of thinking didn’t change, it could put her in serious danger when dealing with strangers.

Fixing that wasn’t something that could be done overnight. Zeph would have to figure it out step by step.

Back in the kitchen, the braised pork had cooked down, the sauce thickening into a rich, glossy coating. It smelled incredible, tender, and full of flavor without being greasy.

So much for him being a disaster in the kitchen.

With the right guidance, Zeph followed instructions like a pro.

Nicole kept going, teaching him how to make fish stew next.

There were six people and one dog to feed. Two dishes weren’t going to cut it.

Zeph pulled out six eggs and a couple of sausages, letting Nicole take the lead again.

Jeremy and the others couldn’t help but stare.

This guy had way too much food.

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They were envious, sure, but no one asked questions.

Supplies were a sensitive topic. Pushing too far could lead to misunderstandings, and in times like these, that could get people killed.

He was willing to share. That was enough.

Three hearty dishes and a plate of stir-fried bean sprouts were served. Everyone ate until they couldn’t anymore. By the end, not even a drop of sauce was left.

“Nicole, how did you grow these sprouts?” Beatrice asked.

They couldn’t eat their hydroponic greens yet, and she was craving vegetables so badly that it hurt. A few days without them wouldn’t kill you, but the bathroom situation was rough.

She’d had enough of that.

Good thing Nicole lived next door, and she was basically a walking survival guide.

“It’s easy,” Nicole said. “As long as you’ve got water, you can grow them.”

She didn’t hold anything back. “We picked up a lot of mung beans and red beans from that office building. If you use those for sprouts, it’ll last us a long time.”

She walked them through the basic steps, then added some good news.

“The hydroponic lettuce should be ready in about two weeks. Once we harvest, I’ll show you how to grow it yourselves.”

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