Olivia frowned and sighed. "Turning on the AC helps, but it eats up so much power! My generator's fuel won't last much longer. Nat, tell me—when will this disaster finally end? The heat can't go on forever, right?" Natalie thought to herself. End? Not for another two years. But she didn't show it on her face. "I don't know how long it'll last," she said calmly. "But one thing's for sure—we need to take control of our fate." She looked Olivia straight in the eye. "Instead of hoping this apocalypse ends soon, it's better to prepare yourself and face it confidently if things go south." "We need to take control of our fate," Olivia repeated, as if the words had enlightened her.She suddenly understood. If the heat kept climbing, was she really going to just lie at home, burn through the last of her fuel, and let herself die in the sweltering heat? "Nat, you're right. Instead of praying for a miracle, I should make some preperation! If trouble comes, I'll deal with it. Tomorrow I'll figure out a way to get more fuel!" Natalie looked at her, all fired up like she'd just had a shot of pure energy, and couldn't help but sigh with a smile. Sure enough, doctors were always tough and disciplined. Just a few words of encouragement, and they were instantly full of determination again. She asked gently, "So, what's your plan for getting fuel?" Olivia lifted her chin. "I'll wait until it cools down tonight, then check out a gas station." Natalie fell silent. Well, great minds think alike. But the truth was, Olivia probably wouldn't find much there.Those scavenger crews had already been working through the night, tearing up stations for every last drop. If they had gone after the ones out in the countryside, there was no way they would have left the city stations untouched. By now, there couldn't be much left. Still, she couldn't crush Olivia's resolve. She suggested, "Besides gas stations, a lot of abandoned cars on the road still have fuel in them." Olivia pondered this and nodded slowly. "Good point. I'll need a siphon pump, though. Otherwise, I'd have to suck the fuel out by mouth. I'll ask Harold—he's got all sorts of gadgets lying around." She glanced at Natalie and asked, "Nat, do you want to come with me to look for fuel?" Natalie shook her head and said, "I'll pass. I can't stand the heat, and my fuel supply is fine for now." If she went along, Olivia would feel obliged to split whatever they found, which would mean even less for herself. Besides, Natalie had 90,000 gallons of fuel tucked safely away in her storage space. No need to sweat it out chasing scraps. The gas and diesel Natalie collected yesterday could have supported two more people like Olivia. But Natalie wasn't about to do that. For one, she couldn't explain where all that fuel came from or how she stored it. For another, even between friends, help needed limits. There's a saying: give a little help and it's gratitude; give too much and it turns into resentment. Nobody can support someone forever. Only when both sides move forward together can a friendship truly last. Olivia understood. "Alright then, go get some rest. I still have a bit of lemonade left. I'll bring some over to Harold and Mrs. Dunn." Natalie watched her leave, then shut the door. She headed into her storage space to scatter fertilizer and plant seeds again—this time, echinacea. She had only planted a small test patch before, but now she opened up a larger area. Once it grew, it would be enough to use and even sell during the plague season. When she finished her work, Natalie went back to finish the comedy show. After that, she moved into the kitchen to make dinner. On the show, the celebrities were slurping down spicy ramen noodles, and it triggered her cravings. Tonight, she'd make her own upgraded version. The first time she ate spicy ramen, she only felt the burn—it didn't seem all that tasty. But after improving the recipe, she'd gotten hooked. Here was her method: Pan-fry an herbed chicken cutlet, a few slices of luncheon meat, and a soft-boiled egg. Boil the noodles for four minutes, then drain the water. Pour in a splash of milk, bring it to a boil, and stir in the seasoning sauce until it thickens. Add the chicken and luncheon meat pieces, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle seaweed flakes on top, cover with a slice of cheese to melt, and finish with the fried egg. All done! This way, the ramen wasn't just fiery but rich and flavorful, with better nutrition too. The milk also lined the stomach, protecting it from the chili's sting. Natalie plated the noodles and then pulled out the real star from her storage space—the ramen's best friend—fried chicken coated in honey mustard. This was from before the apocalypse—Natalie had bought it at a little fried chicken shop from the street vendor. Since her bowl was already full of sides, she only added two pieces of fried chicken for herself. Lucky, however, was drooling at the smell and barking non-stop.Natalie sighed, then dumped the rest of the six pieces of fried chicken into her bowl. No sauce, of course. Lucky glanced at Natalie's bowl, then at her own. "Arf, arf, arf?" You've got noodles. Why's mine so boring? Natalie noticed she still hadn't touched her food and instantly understood what she meant. "Hah, little pup, you sure are greedy." She tossed a bit of noodles into her bowl and gave her a knowing look. Now that she had everything he wanted, Lucky happily lowered her head and started eating. But after just one bite, she started panting and wheezing, then bolted to the water bowl like her tail was on fire.