18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 288

No one knew exactly who smuggled them out, but Austin knew that all the fish hatchlings from the agricultural department could be acquired if you had the right contacts.

Austin exchanged for the fish with supplies, probably after some transactions, so it really wasn't cheap. There was some leftover spices from yesterday, so Stella decided to make a fish stew.

Rosie was diligent, with Dylan assisting her.

When Stella wasn't looking, Dylan slipped a small pack of chocolate-covered almonds into Rosie's pocket. Snacks were too precious and Rosie didn't want any.

"Rosie, I saved these especially for you. We have more at home." As he said this, he peeled one and placed it in her mouth, "Is it sweet?"

"Mmm." Rosie smiled at him, "You're so nice, Dylan."

Encouraged by her praise, Dylan was overjoyed, whispering into her ear, "I only gave one to the others."

By "the others", he was referring to the adults’ children.

Rosie, being singled out for special treatment, was pleased. "After dinner, I'll teach you some boxing, Dylan."

"Sure!" Dylan squatted next to her, helping with the chores. "The water's too cold, Rosie. Let me do it."

Father and son, both inept in the kitchen, relished the creamy fish stew, and they were extremely content.

"Dad, the fish head Rosie made is really good."

Austin corrected his son, "Nonsense, Stella made it."

"Rosie fried the fish, and I helped with the veggies."

"Really? You can do that now? You're amazing, son."

As they chatted and ate, Austin noticed Stella's glowing complexion and asked, "Some wealthy ladies have been looking for skincare products. So you have a supplier?"

Actually, she did have quite a few stashed away in Arcadia.

"What brand do they want?"

"It doesn't matter what brand, as long as it's fragrant and hasn't gone bad."

Austin wasn't well-versed in women's skincare products, but considering it was four years into the apocalypse, finding something usable was already a feat. Regardless of the ladies' pickiness, they were constantly lowering their standards.

A few months ago, he managed to sell a bottle of generic moisturizer. At first, everyone complained it smelt worse than manure, but in the end, they nearly came to blows over it. As long as there was stock, he could sell it at a high price.

"I have a few bottles. I'll let you take a look."

She had got quite a lot from the supermarket before, and collected another batch from the office building. No matter how long they lasted, they would be harder to sell in the future.

"Can you source some condoms?" Austin continued with his requests, "Those are in high demand, and everyone wants one."

In the early years of the apocalypse, many wealthy individuals had indulged themselves with no rules, resulting in a myriad of diseases. If it had been before the apocalypse, curing these diseases wouldn't have been an issue. But where would you find medicine in the apocalypse?

Therefore, they quickly learned their lesson, but it was already too late. Now, medicine was worth its weight in gold.

"Cough, cough."

Jasper almost choked on a fish bone when he heard Austin asking Stella for condoms at the dinner table. His face turned a bit red.

Austin glanced at him, finding his shyness amusing. Stella, on the other hand, surprised them all with her response, "I don't have any, and even if I did, I'd keep them for personal use."

"Cough, ha-ha, ha-ha-ha." Austin nearly choked again, "That's a fair point. Jasper, you're a lucky man."

At the table, Rosie was confused, "What are you guys talking about?"

This time, Jasper truly choked. Fortunately, it was just on some pickled cabbage.

She actually could sell some, but she probably wouldn't be able to trade them for anything she wanted. Better to just let it be.

After dinner, Stella brought down several bottles of unopened skincare products from upstairs, "These are what we found when we were out scavenging before. You can try selling them, no loss if they don't sell."

Austin readily agreed, "Sure, no problem." He was confident he could sell anything.

Stella also brought down a couple of cigars, "A friend gifted these, but I think they might have lost their flavor."

These were the cigars Lukas had given them yesterday. Jasper didn't smoke, and Arcadia had plenty of better choices. There was no need to keep these stale cigars.

Austin was overjoyed by the unexpected windfall, "What do you guys need in return?"

"If you can get fresh beef or lamb, that would be great."

Austin, itching to do business again after a few days off, left his son behind in Building 50 and departed.

In the afternoon, Stella thought about taking the children out for a bit since it was the holiday season. Jasper didn't object, so they took the kids and drove out.

Even during the holidays, they had to be mindful of safety and couldn't venture into dangerous areas.

They went to the city square, where the weather was sunny, and there were surprisingly many people out and about.

There were security patrols around, so the criminals didn't dare to cause trouble.

The government had arranged for festive decorations and performance to celebrate the New Year. The Christmas costumes were a bit worn and the team was hastily put together, so the performance lacked the grandeur and thrill of the pre-apocalypse era. But it was still a sight to behold.

Applause would break out from time to time, and the faces that were usually hardened by the harsh apocalypse gradually softened. Some even teared up amidst their joy.

Rosie was curious, "Dylan, what's this?"

"It's a tradition during our Christmas celebrations. Many people perform these dances to celebrate."

Dylan had some faint memories of it, "Rosie, when I was little, dad would take me to watch it."

After watching the dances, it was time for some photos. Cooper locked in the car whined in protest. This wasn't fair!

They took plenty of photos, and then Dylan pulled out his own phone, "Rosie, can I take a picture with you?"

"Sure, Dylan."

They took a selfie together, and Dylan quickly hid his phone.

There was also music playing in the square, with some old and familiar Christmas songs. It really felt like the holiday season. Many people started to sway to the rhythm.

Stella spotted a familiar figure and walked over to lightly tap her shoulder, "Katie."

Stella would have never guessed that Katie could dance so well. The steps she put forward were clearly those of a seasoned pro.

On the other hand, the other three members of the Moore family were shyly standing to the side, waiting.

"Stella." Katie hadn't expected to bump into her and excitedly grasped her hand. "You're too kind, my dear. We owe you for the supplies, but you've given us even more."

Her kids were like dummies; despite all the reminders, they still brought back chickens, rabbits, and herbs.

"It's alright. We just happened to have plenty. If we didn't give it to you, we'd give it to someone else."

Katie sighed, her withered hand holding Stella's tightly. "Stella, you've taken such good care of us over these years, and we owe you so much."

"Katie, don't be so formal with me. There aren't many of us left from Sunrise Sanctuary. Let's just consider it a bond between people."

Katie was a born optimist. She was a bit thin, but her spirit was still strong. What made her even happier was that Mikey was dating someone.