Chapter 266
Suzy paused mid-motion. "So he’s a doctor? What specialty?"
Liam replied, "Holistic medicine. Apparently his family has practiced it for generations."
"That’s impressive."
Suzy understood better than anyone how valuable a doctor was in a post-apocalyptic world.
Tilting her head, she looked at Liam. "Is that why you’ve been keeping in contact with them?"
Liam shook his head.
"Not entirely. Still, I think it’s good to know people like that. Don’t you?"
"True."
Suzy agreed wholeheartedly.
These days, having a doctor as a friend was practically the same as carrying a life-saving talisman.
The conversation drifted away from the subject.
Suzy lowered her gaze and finished the last spoonful of porridge before setting the bowl aside and leaning back in her chair.
Turning her head, she watched Noah eating with his cheeks puffed out and lips glistening with oil. The sight brought an involuntary smile to her face.
Beside him, Liam quietly worked through his dumplings. Every so often, he would reach over and gently wipe the corner of Noah’s mouth.
The tenderness of the gesture made Suzy feel as though he radiated a strange aura of parental warmth.
"Liam."
"Hm?"
He looked up, a dumpling still held between his chopsticks.
"Can you tell me more about that new organization in the complex?"
Suzy’s expression turned serious. At this point, one thing was clear: compared to Aaron and his group downstairs, the so-called organization operating within the residential complex posed a far greater threat.
At the very least, Aaron and his companions weren’t the type to rob people on sight or seize supplies by force.
They had even helped Liam. That alone suggested they weren’t bad people.
The organization was different.
Suzy had no doubt that sooner or later, they would come knocking. People already knew this building was occupied.
Where there were survivors, there were supplies.
And wherever supplies existed, that organization would eventually investigate.
"I don’t know much about them myself," Liam said quietly. "The encounter I told you about was my first interaction with them."
The memory clearly wasn’t pleasant.
Fortunately, Aaron and the others had appeared when they did, allowing him to escape the situation.
Unfortunately, that intervention had also earned them an enemy.
Before leaving, the group had openly threatened revenge.
Liam sighed.
"They’ll come eventually. You should prepare yourself mentally."
Suzy nodded.
"I figured as much."
"Actually, it isn’t just me. Aaron’s group has already crossed them too."
It all came down to resources.
In times of scarcity, everyone wanted a larger share.
The organization relied on strength in numbers and intended to claim everything for themselves.
Aaron and his companions refused. An altercation followed. The two sides even came to blows. In the end, the organization gained nothing and retreated in humiliation.
But the grudge remained.
Among everyone living in the building, only Suzy’s group had yet to come into direct conflict with them.
"If they come after you, contact me immediately."
Suzy met Liam’s gaze.
"You’ve got me too."
Her tone was light, almost casual.
Yet the words struck Liam with the force of a falling boulder.
His heart lurched.
Warmth spread through his chest as countless impossible hopes bloomed inside him.
"Okay." His voice came out rougher than intended. "I will."
Outside, the sky remained dull and overcast.
The clouds hung low. The snow had stopped.
Inside Liam’s apartment, however, the cold still lingered.
Even bundled in layers, Suzy could feel it creeping through her clothes.
Noah polished off the last two dumplings, set down his chopsticks, patted his stomach, and let out a satisfied little burp.
Liam finished his final dumpling as well.
The lunch Suzy had brought disappeared completely. Not a single bite remained.
Turning toward her, Noah blinked his large eyes.
"Suzy, I’m full."
"Good job." Suzy smiled. "You ate so much and didn’t waste anything. That’s amazing."
Praise from anyone else might not have affected him.
Praise from Suzy was different.
Immediately, Noah seized the opportunity.
"If I was that good, can you play with me for a while?"
He clutched her sleeve tightly as he spoke, his voice soft and pleading in the uniquely effective way only children could manage.
"You just finished eating." Suzy pinched his cheek. "Get some rest first."
The boy’s face had become noticeably thinner over recent weeks.
The poor diet was clearly taking its toll. The realization tugged painfully at her heart.
"You two sit for a bit."
Liam stood and began gathering the dishes.
"Just pack everything back into the bag," Suzy said. "I’ll take it home later. Don’t wash anything."
There was no running water anymore. And at temperatures this low, touching water for any length of time could destroy his hands.
Suzy, on the other hand, had no shortage of water. Her shelter had a constant supply of temperature-controlled water.
More importantly, she had a dishwasher. All she needed to do was load the dishes and press a button.
The simple thoughtfulness of her words stirred something deep inside Liam.
Was she worried about him?
He couldn’t stop himself from wondering.
Lately, it seemed as though Suzy was always taking care of him.
Too much, perhaps.
The insulated containers sat neatly inside the black thermal bag on the corner of the coffee table.
The living room remained bitterly cold.
The temperature had already dropped to minus twenty-five degrees Celsius.
Without heating, conditions were deadly.
Even dressed in thick layers, Suzy felt the cold seeping in from every direction whenever she sat still.
It felt like countless tiny needles pricking her skin.
She rubbed her hands together and breathed out a cloud of white vapor.
Liam noticed immediately. A faint crease formed between his brows.
After a moment of hesitation, he spoke, "It’s too cold in the living room. Why don’t you and Noah go to the bedroom? It’s warmer there."
Then he added, "I’ll tidy a few things up first. It won’t take long."
Before she could respond, he hurried toward the bedroom.
A few moments later, sounds of movement drifted from inside.
Then his voice followed.
"You can come in now."
Noah grabbed Suzy’s hand.
"Come on. It’s much warmer in there."
Suzy allowed herself to be led inside. Liam was already waiting.
The moment she stepped into the bedroom, she immediately noticed the difference.
The temperature was noticeably higher.
Her gaze swept across the room. Compared to her last visit, several things had changed.
The drafty windows had been covered with insulating foam sheets to block the wind and preserve heat.
The layout remained largely the same.
The most obvious difference was the bed.
It was now piled high with thick blankets, creating a soft mountain of warmth against the relentless cold outside.