Harrison seemed momentarily thrown off by Nadia's sneaky move. His body tensed just enough for her to flip him onto the floor, pinning his long legs down and twisting his arm back with force. Their bodies twisted together in a tight grapple, but Nadia clearly had the upper hand. Harrison looked up at her, amused, and for once, didn't go for a swift counter. "Not bad. Looks like you're roughing up the teacher now." Feeling a bit sheepish, Nadia released him and stood up. "Sorry about that—got a bit carried away." They continued sparring, working up a solid sweat after two hours of intense practice. Nadia's face was flushed, and she was breathing hard, the ache and sweat leaving her feeling oddly exhilarated. Right then, Lily came back, clutching her rag doll. "Harry, miss, I'm hungry. What's for dinner tonight?" Harrison glanced over at Nadia.Uh-oh. Was she on kitchen duty again? She'd hop to relax with some goodies from her domain along with Colby, but with all Harrison had given her, she felt too guilty to say no. That said, she really wasn't in the mood to cook. "Dumplings?" she suggested. Eager to avoid her brother's cooking, Lily clapped her hands. "Yes, yes! Miss, your dumplings are the best!" Dumplings could be made in all sorts of ways. Since they'd had boiled dumplings for lunch, pan-fried dumplings were in order for dinner. Chive dumplings were her personal favorite. Nadia went back for a quick change before returning to show Harrison how to make pan-fried dumplings. She had to admit—the smell of pan-fried dumplings was heavenly. The golden, crispy outside with juicy, flavorful filling inside was pure perfection. Thank goodness they were on the 18th floor and that it was raining outside; otherwise, the aroma might've drawn a crowd.Lily's mouth glistened with oil as she patted her little stomach proudly, exclaiming, "Miss, look! I have a baby now!" Harrison's lips twitched, holding back a smile. Kids really said the darnedest things. Nadia couldn't help but laugh, already anticipating the "health lesson" Harrison would have to give Lily soon. After dinner, Harrison took the plate out of Nadia's hands. "I've got it." With that, Nadia checked Lily's homework, then waved goodbye and headed home. Just as she opened the door, she ran into Levi stepping out of his place. "Hey, Nadia, come over for some dumplings." "Oh, no thanks, I just stuffed myself." Seeing the Youngblood siblings enjoying their meal, she overate a little herself. Levi's gaze shifted to Unit 1801, a peculiar smile spreading across his face. "Alright then, but if you want more, just come on by."There was something odd in his look that left Nadia feeling slightly guilty like she'd kept the dumplings to herself. But since Harrison hadn't extended an invitation, she couldn't very well take the liberty of inviting them over. Those dumplings had been amazing, though. She'd have to stock up on more when she had the chance. … In the following days, Nadia enjoyed staying cozily at home. She read, exercised, and made clothes for her three pets. All ten of her rabbits had survived and felt pretty hefty when she picked them up. She weighed them and saw that the largest one was already three pounds—just about ready for slaughter. Snowball had a second litter, even more prolific than the first, with twelve new babies. Unfortunately, they were born at a tough time, and their chances of survival looked slim. Elizabeth's acupuncture treatment resumed after a short break, and with good food to fuel her, she seemed more spirited. She pulled out a bag holding roughly three pounds of fine, white powder, her voice low and thrilled. "This is wild arrowroot powder, Nadia. I brought it up for you to try." It was a survival essential, so Nadia was hesitant to accept it. "Take it, dear. This is from our whole family," Elizabeth insisted, gripping her hand tightly. "If it weren't for the chance you gave Austin, our family would've starved by now." Nadia smiled. "Why don't you tell me what you need help with first? If I can help, I'll take it." Elizabeth looked sheepish. "You're a straightforward one…" She was grateful, of course, but she also knew those on the 18th floor had connections to trade for food. The Hadid Family had spent the last few days digging up wild arrowroot roots, and Austin had built a grinder to mash the chopped roots, extracting arrowroot powder through a washing process. They estimated they could produce over a hundred pounds of powder. If this weren't the apocalypse, it would be a precious commodity. But right now, simply filling their stomachs took priority. While arrowroot powder was known for its beauty and nutritional benefits, it wasn't very filling. The Hadid Family hoped those on the 18th floor could help exchange it for food supplies. Nadia thought it over. "What kind of trade are you proposing?" "One pound for one pound. How does that sound?" Nadia didn't commit. "I'll ask around and let you know." Elizabeth seemed uncertain, sensing slim chances. "If it's not possible, we're willing to exchange it for rice grits." The Hadid Family seemed realistic about their situation. Would anyone really trade good rice for arrowroot powder? In times like these, only someone well-stocked would consider it. After Elizabeth's acupuncture session, Nadia returned to her unit and tried a bit of the arrowroot powder. It had a ginseng-like flavor, mildly sweet with a slight bitterness and an earthy taste. The flavor was average, but it offered many benefits: clearing heat and toxins, quenching thirst, strengthening kidneys and spleen, aiding digestion, calming the mind, and even helping with hangovers. In an apocalypse, it was valuable. Nadia split the three pounds of arrowroot powder between Units 1801 and 1803 and mentioned the Hadid Family's request to trade it for food. Neither unit showed interest. Caleb reminisced about the fish that had escaped from the reservoir. "What a waste. Sharp Moron even came back later, saying he wanted another batch—two thousand pounds, no less." Levi shook his head in regret. "They must have connections to sell to the rich; otherwise, who would dare order that much? When they found out there were no fish left, they looked so disappointed and asked us to let them know if we ever got more." The next day, Nadia informed Elizabeth that they'd agreed to exchange the arrowroot powder for rice grits, with the caveat that the powder's quality had to be consistent. Elizabeth was thrilled. With worsening health conditions due to the apocalyptic progression, arrowroot powder would help with nourishment and recovery. A few days later, the Hadid Family prepared a hundred pounds of wild arrowroot powder, along with an extra five pounds as a thank-you for Nadia's efforts. The Hadid father and son waited with the arrowroot powder in a secluded corner outside the apartment complex. Nadia paddled over on a rubber raft, loaded the powder onboard, and took Colby for a walk outside. When they reached an empty area, she stashed the powder in her domain and replaced it with an equal weight of rice grits. Once Colby had stretched his legs enough, they headed back. The Hadids were still waiting and lit up with excitement upon seeing the rice grits in return. Waking from her afternoon nap, Nadia noticed the rain had lightened considerably. But instead of relief, a frown creased her face. The severe cold was likely coming soon.By evening, the rain had dwindled to a drizzle, and the sky even looked a bit brighter. After over three months of constant rain, countless lives had been lost to the relentless flooding. Now, at long last, it seemed like the storm might finally be ending. People stared at the sky, some cheering with excitement, others breaking down in tears, all hoping this cursed natural disaster would soon be over. They wished it was only a dream—that they'd wake up to a world still thriving, with family and friends safe and sound. Unit 1803 shared the relief, though with a hint of concern. Levi asked Nadia, "Do you think it's really over this time?" When the typhoon had ended, they'd been ecstatic, only for the floods to come in full force right after. Now the rain had stopped—what would be next? "Who knows?" Nadia replied, looking pensive. Rubbing her arms, she added, "Is it just me, or is it getting colder? It's winter now. You don't think it'll turn the south into a giant freezer, do you?" "Oh, don't jinx it!"