Without even blinking, she blocked the number.

Less than a minute later, the phone rang again — an unfamiliar number.

Even a toddler could guess it was Yang Weicong or one of his friends.

Once more, Jiang Ning refused to be a sucker; if it came down to sharing a single grain of food, she’d rather lose.

She turned off her phone and found Doudou asleep on the sofa, curled up in a ball, looking uneasy even in her dreams.

She checked her temperature; the fever had dropped to 38 degrees Celsius.

Better to keep her resources hidden — with Doudou around, she couldn’t keep making gourmet food.

Jiang Ning ate a clump of soggy tomato and egg noodles but found it surprisingly delicious.

The balcony had an emergency escape window open; the rest were covered with frosted window film — light could come in, but no one outside could see clearly inside.

Jiang Ning took out a planting pot and some soil, then several pounds of potatoes. She cut the ones with sprouts into chunks, mixed the cuts with wood ash to prevent rot, then planted them in the pots.

After planting about twenty pots, she stored them on the balcony.

Then she planted several pots of garlic, scallions, lettuce, bok choy, and water spinach.

She took out hollow hanging hooks and hung the planted pots on the iron railings.

With careful tending, she could achieve vegetable self-sufficiency.

Before washing her hands, a loud knocking came — “Jiang Ning! Jiang Ning!”

The voice was unfamiliar, but if she guessed right, it must be one of Yang Weicong’s classmates.

Heh, looks like they’re really starving.

“Jiang Ning, you love cooking, can you spare us some food?”

“We’ll buy it from you, double pay, no, five times, is that okay?”

“Friend request sent, please accept, I’m transferring money now.”

“Come on, we’re all friends, and we’ll see each other later. Why do you have to be so ruthless?”

Through two stainless steel doors, the voices weren’t very loud, but their words grew nastier. They angrily kicked the door once.

Jiang Ning grabbed a kitchen knife, flung open the door, and swung it fiercely. “Who kicked the door?!”

Outside stood three boys. They brightened at the door opening, knowing Jiang Ning was Yang Weicong’s loyal admirer — no one would let their “male god” go hungry.

Their snacks were eaten last night, they had missed breakfast and lunch, and now only a few bottles of beer left, making them hungrier.

Yang Weicong said Jiang Ning was strange — hoarding things obsessively, letting stuff expire uneaten, living like an old grandma.

They often mocked her behind her back but didn’t expect to be caught like this.

Before they could speak, the knife came swinging. Scared, they dodged aside.

Furious, one yelled, “Jiang Ning, you’re crazy!”

Jiang Ning blocked the door with a cold glare. “Get lost. I don’t have sons as shameless as you.”

They were stunned. After a moment, they shouted back, “Jiang Ning, what the hell do you mean?!”

“If I’m not your mother, why should I care about what you eat or drink?” Jiang Ning’s anger flared. She pointed the knife at them: “Kick the door again, and I swear I’ll chop you up for snacks.”

She had survived three years after the apocalypse, fought, killed, and witnessed humanity’s worst.

Seeing her murderous look, their scalps tingled.

“You… we’re all friends! And we’re not even refusing to pay!”

“Even if I had food, I wouldn’t give it to you — I’d feed it to dogs first.”

“How you talk behind my back — do you really think I don’t know?”

Jiang Ning scanned them coldly, “You look down on me so much. If you have the guts, don’t come begging. How come you go soft after missing just two meals?”

They blushed with shame, trembling in anger.

“Tell Yang Weicong to stop cuddling the school beauty while coming to me for food. Living off others but pretending to be high and mighty — how cheap!”

“If you dare think about me again, I’ll post everything on the school forum and community chat. Let’s see if he still has any shame!”

“You… you’re brave!”

Missing just two meals and still wanting to save face — plus Jiang Ning going crazy with a knife and a look like she wanted to eat them — they guessed Yang Weicong and Su Mengyao’s relationship must have really gotten to her.

“Let’s see about that!”

They left with harsh words, slinking away.

Jiang Ning said nothing, slashing her knife into the wall, scaring them into running off.

That threat would keep them away for a while.

She closed the door and found Doudou awake, tears in her eyes but too scared to cry, trembling on the sofa.

This kid’s condition wasn’t right — she’d probably suffered deep trauma.

Throwing the knife back into the kitchen, Jiang Ning softened her voice, “Doudou, don’t be scared. Those were bad people, but I chased them away.”

She touched her forehead; the fever was gone.

Hearing her stomach growl, Jiang Ning asked, “Want something to eat?”

Doudou nodded, then shook her head, “Where’s brother?”

1801 still hadn’t come back. Jiang Ning made an excuse to go to the kitchen and brought out a bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee from her space.

Doudou was starving, eating while nervously glancing at Jiang Ning as if afraid she’d suddenly get angry.

So sensitive — probably from a troubled family.

Jiang Ning gently stroked her head and gave her a lollipop.

“Thank you, sister.”

Doudou was well-behaved, quietly curling up on the sofa.

Jiang Ning opened her phone to scroll through messages and saw Yang Weicong asking for help in the group chat.

Yang Weicong was sunny and handsome, well-known at school, good at pretending to be popular, and renting out apartments to many students in the neighborhood. Handsome guys quickly attracted pretty girls.

“I have bread and self-heating meals here. Senior brother, if you need, come get them.”

The message was from a pretty girl on the 12th floor — Jiang Ning vaguely remembered her as an accounting major, petite and cute, also one of Yang Weicong’s sycophants.

One willing, one willing to be taken advantage of — nothing to say.

But she probably didn’t expect that more than just Yang Weicong would come — a whole crowd was heading there.

This was a swarm of locusts — nothing left alive after they passed.

Jiang Ning had seen the girl coming back with groceries; she probably cooked and stored some food at home.

If she was smart enough to realize the damage after being mooched for two meals, she could stop the losses in time.

Jiang Ning thought for a bit and also posted a “hungry” message in the group.

Her social standing wasn’t high enough — no one replied.

Then she offered 20 yuan for instant noodles or bread. Still, no one responded.

Outside, the typhoon raged; old windows in the neighboring building shattered, wind howled through the house, and the street flooded increasingly.

It turned out to be a once-in-a-century super typhoon — many people were nervous, and the group chat lost its morning liveliness.

Doudou fell asleep again; Jiang Ning worried she’d catch a chill and covered her with a blanket.

Suddenly, persistent knocking sounded.

“Doudou.”

Only when she recognized it was 1801 did Jiang Ning open the door.

1801 was soaked, wearing a raincoat, holding the sticky note she had put on the door.

“Doudou’s at your place?”

Jiang Ning nodded. “Doudou caught a cold and fever, cried so hard she vomited and almost choked. I gave her medicine, and the fever’s down. You can take her back and keep giving her cold meds.”

1801 was surprised and worried, “You’re a doctor?”

“Somewhat knowledgeable.”

1801 came in and felt Doudou’s forehead.

Just when Jiang Ning thought he might take her away, 1801 suddenly said, “Sorry to bother you. My name’s Huo Yishen. I just moved in last night, and my place has nothing. The typhoon probably won’t stop anytime soon. I need to go out to prepare some things. Can Doudou stay with you for now? I’ll come pick her up tonight.”

Jiang Ning was surprised, “It’s such a big typhoon — can you even go out?”