The smile on River Larkin’s face was stiff, a fact he hadn’t even realized himself. "It’s nothing, just a small token between friends. Don’t worry, I promised I’d help you deal with those three brothers, and I’ll definitely do it!"

After speaking, his gaze swept past Stella Sterling toward the room behind her. "I already have a preliminary plan for this. There are a few things I’d like to discuss with you. Would it be alright if I came in for a bit so we can talk?"

As River Larkin’s eyes scanned the room, his expression darkened. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down and not act too strangely.

He hadn’t gone inside, and Stella Sterling’s apartment was just as dark and unlit as any other, but standing at the door, he didn’t feel the same icy chill he felt in his own home.

This sparked a suspicion in his mind. ’Could Stella Sterling’s apartment still have heating...?’

Now that the power was out, everyone had to rely on layers of clothing and their own stamina to survive the cold. For her to still have heating at home, it meant her apartment—

He grew excited. And then there was Stella Sterling’s hair. He hadn’t gotten a good look yesterday since she was wearing a hat, but now he could see it. It was well-maintained, soft and smooth!

’This means she still has water at home, and she’s not short on it either!!!’

From the moment the power went out completely, everyone seemed to have a premonition and began to conserve everything, especially water.

Every household started hoarding water, and sure enough, the water supply was cut off soon after.

But people had stored some beforehand, so drinking water wasn’t a current concern. When push came to shove, people would also collect snow, which would provide water once it melted.

So, people weren’t short on water. As for food, since there was still gas, they could cook as long as they had grain.

Some families even started making dry rations, preparing for the day the gas ran out and the situation still hadn’t improved.

But even with a water supply, no one dared to be wasteful, let alone use it for bathing. After all, the melted snow was bone-chillingly cold. Besides a few brave souls, no one dared to bathe in it.

Some women who couldn’t stand it any longer would heat a little water for a sponge bath, only to be berated by the men in their families.

In the past few days at home, he had heard his fair share of arguments from neighboring apartments.

And yet, here was Stella Sterling, and her hair—

’My previous guess was right. This woman’s home must be full of supplies. Choosing to work with her is definitely the right move.’

At this, the last trace of displeasure in his heart vanished. He could barely conceal the excitement on his face.

Stella Sterling frowned. ’I was careless,’ she thought. But her brow quickly smoothed. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t the person she used to be. Even if this man wanted to rob her, he’d have to see if he was strong enough.

’Besides, he doesn’t have much longer to live!’

Hiding the coldness in her eyes, she looked up, acting as if she hadn’t noticed him sizing her up. "This matter is a test of your ability, so I won’t interfere. How you do it, how you execute the plan—that’s all up to you. There’s no need to discuss it. Otherwise, if you need my help with even this, what’s the point of our partnership?"

River Larkin’s excitement subsided slightly. He retracted his gaze and looked at Stella Sterling. "That may be true, but this concerns your enemies. You don’t want to be involved at all—"

"I don’t!"

His expression turned a little awkward, but his tone remained calm. "But if we’re partners, I’d also like to see what assets you bring to the table—"

He had wanted to discuss things with her, and also find a chance to get inside her apartment to see the situation for himself. After all, everything so far was just his speculation. There was no concrete proof, and he could only rest easy after seeing it with his own eyes—

But to his surprise, Stella Sterling’s expression suddenly changed. The smile she wore just moments ago vanished, and her face turned cold. "If you don’t think I have the assets to be your partner, you’re free to find someone else!"

"No, that’s not what I meant!"

SLAM!

River Larkin hadn’t even finished his explanation before the door slammed shut in his face. The deafening sound made his head ring.

At that moment, his expression soured. He felt that what he’d said was perfectly reasonable. A partnership should be based on equality and mutual consent, but Stella Sterling’s behavior just now—

’I’ve shown such sincerity, even giving her food and drink for free. Isn’t that enough for her to change her attitude a little?’

Taking a deep breath, he put a smile back on his face. He took two steps forward and said softly, "Don’t misunderstand, that’s not what I meant. Since I’ve chosen you, it means I acknowledge you as a partner. I misspoke today. Next time, I’ll bring what you want when I come to see you!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

With that, he turned and left. It wasn’t until he was heading down the stairs that his expression turned grim and ugly.

’This Stella Sterling is so difficult. If I hadn’t already invested so much effort into this, I really wouldn’t want to put up with her!’

Meanwhile, back in her apartment, Stella Sterling was nowhere near as angry as he imagined. In fact, the moment the door closed, her expression returned to a state of calm, and she cheerfully headed into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

’Acting? Pfft, anyone can do that. I want to watch a dog-eat-dog fight. If I get involved myself, what’s the point?’

Now, after she’d provoked him like that, he would only become more impatient. This dog-eat-dog show might start very soon.

"LA LA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA LA—" Stella Sterling hummed a song from a teen drama she watched as a child while stir-frying her favorite green beans, happily preparing lunch for herself!

When she wasn’t busy, the process of cooking was a pleasure and a great way to relieve stress!

Right now, because of the available gas, quite a few households were still able to cook meals.

Especially since supplies had been distributed yesterday, people were happy and saw a glimmer of hope. Everyone wanted to eat a decent meal, so over the past day or two, plenty of people were cooking when mealtime came around.

Her cooking wouldn’t attract any attention!

But as time went on, people would find themselves short on more and more things. Even if they found ingredients, they wouldn’t have a way to cook them. Many would have to resort to air-drying their food or eating it raw.

Before long, fewer and fewer families in the complex would have the means to cook. That’s when it would become inconvenient to try and make anything.

Therefore, while she still had the chance, she always cooked her own meals. She had plenty of free time now anyway, which she could manage however she pleased.

After a while, when everyone’s stored gas ran out, she would stop cooking and just take out ready-made meals from her Space.

That way, she wouldn’t draw so much attention.

"Scrambled eggs with tomatoes!"

"Steamed sea bass!"

"Stir-fried green beans with meat."

"Alright, time to eat!"

Looking at the home-cooked meal before her, she sighed in satisfaction. She first scarfed down two large mouthfuls of white rice, then started sampling the dishes.

On the table were her favorite dishes, and on the screen was her favorite show. She ate the meal in utter contentment, finishing the entire pot of rice and all three dishes without leaving a single scrap.

And that was a portion that would have normally fed three people!