Chapter 32: I Really Am Useful

An Nan frowned. Were these people ever going to stop? If this kept up, she might as well just knife them all!

With a fierce look, she grabbed her triangular bayonet and stormed to the door, but before she could open it, a gentle male voice came from outside.

“Miss An, sorry to bother you. I’m Zhao Ping’an, your upstairs neighbor.”

Zhao Ping’an?

Wasn’t he that doomsday prepper who turned his place on the 15th floor into a fortress?

Her mood eased a little. She unlocked the armored door, layer by layer, and looked outside.

A fair-skinned man stood there, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

“What do you want?”

Zhao Ping’an looked at the slender girl in front of him, unable to reconcile her with the “female killing machine” he’d heard about. How could those delicate, lotus-root-like arms swing a giant chainsaw around like it was nothing?

He cleared his throat. “Well, we met in the elevator before. You probably saw that I bought a lot of vegetable seeds…”

Honestly, he was just here to make a good impression on his idol! In the apocalypse, strength was everything—and even before the disaster, he’d always admired strong people.

Seeing the girl watching him seriously, waiting for him to continue, he suddenly got a bit nervous.

“What I mean is, my mom managed to grow quite a few fresh vegetables. We can give you some.”

As he spoke, he opened the bag in his hand—inside were two big bundles of garlic sprouts and lettuce.

An Nan raised an eyebrow. What was this supposed to mean? In the middle of a catastrophe, a neighbor was actually offering to share food?

She declined outright. “Thanks, but I don’t really need it.”

She never trusted free handouts.

Zhao Ping’an was taken aback. He knew she must have plenty of supplies, but eating only dry rations would get old fast. She had no reason to turn down fresh vegetables—unless she was growing her own at home?

An Nan looked at him. “Anything else?”

Zhao Ping’an’s mind raced. No, he couldn’t just give up his chance to befriend his idol!

His eyes fell on her stainless steel door, and he suddenly brightened. “Do you want me to electrify your door for you?”

An Nan was stunned. What was this guy up to? First vegetables, now offering to modify her door.

Could it be… he was interested in her?

An Nan shuddered. Dude, it’s the apocalypse—don’t go catching feelings! You’re not my type.

Zhao Ping’an noticed her expression and realized she’d misunderstood. He hurriedly explained, “Idol, I mean no harm. I just want to be friends. Times are tough—more friends, more options, right?”

Idol? An Nan couldn’t help but laugh at the way he addressed her.

So this doomsday prepper was here to cozy up to her because of her fighting skills.

Seeing her expression soften, Zhao Ping’an quickly added, “I’m really useful! I can do R&D, design traps—I used to be a sought-after tech talent at several companies…”

An Nan couldn’t help but laugh at how hard he was selling himself.

This Zhao Ping’an really was something. She thought for a moment—his electric door setup was actually pretty good. So she asked, “If you help me modify my electric door, what do you want as payment?”

Zhao Ping’an waved his hands. “No payment needed! I’ve got nothing else to do anyway. I’ll do it for free.”

But An Nan wasn’t one to take advantage of others. “I’ll pay you in food. Do you want rice or snacks?”

Zhao Ping’an said, “Really, it’s fine. It’s not much work for me.”

An Nan frowned. “If you won’t accept, then forget it. I only do fair trades.”

Wow, her guard is really up! Zhao Ping’an quickly said, “Okay, then snacks.”

An Nan nodded. She figured this doomsday prepper probably had plenty of staple food at home.

Once they’d come to an agreement, Zhao Ping’an happily went upstairs to get his tools, while An Nan turned back inside to finish her meal.

If she didn’t eat soon, her food would get cold!

She’d only taken a few bites when she heard the sounds of work starting outside.

An Nan didn’t go out, letting Zhao Ping’an do his thing. She knew nothing about setting up traps, so she’d only get in the way. Better to just finish her meal.

After eating, she dug out a batch of snacks from her storage space: spicy chicken feet, beef jerky, preserved plums, cola, all kinds of spicy treats—two packs of each. Remembering he lived with his aunt, she added two bags of sunflower seeds, one original flavor, one five-spice.

When she came out with a bag full of snacks, she found Zhao Ping’an had already electrified both doors in the hallway.

He beamed at her. “I had extra materials, so I went ahead and upgraded your armored door too. Just flip this switch and a shooting port will open up.”

He explained as he demonstrated.

An Nan looked down at the snacks in her hands. Uh… did she bring too little?

She glanced outside—even the bloodstains in the hallway had been cleaned up by Zhao Ping’an.

He really was sincere!

Not enough snacks! She needed to bring more.

“Wait a sec.” She hurried back inside, grabbed more snacks, and filled up two big bags before handing them to Zhao Ping’an.

Zhao Ping’an was a bit overwhelmed as he took the bags.

This wasn’t before the disaster, when snacks were cheap and easy to give away. Now, just a single pack of beef jerky was enough to make people fight over it outside.

This girl was really nice! All he did was modify her door, and she gave him so much in return.

Zhao Ping’an looked at her with even more approval.

An Nan felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze.

What’s with that look? Does he think it’s not enough?

“Idol, do you want me to help upgrade your front door too?”

Zhao Ping’an glanced at the entrance to 1402. Idol really was something—two layers of doors in the hallway wasn’t enough, she’d even swapped her own front door for an armored one.

Three layers of doors—now that’s security!

An Nan couldn’t help but smile at his energy.

Ever since the disaster, everyone had been gloomy and pale. It had been a long time since she’d seen someone so full of life.

“No need, but thank you.”

With the two hallway doors upgraded, it was enough. An Nan wouldn’t let anyone into her home so easily.

Other than the Liu brothers, who were already dead, no one else knew her front door had two layers.

Even though Zhao Ping’an seemed sincere, after living through all she had, she wouldn’t trust anyone easily.

Zhao Ping’an scratched his head. “Then I’ll head back. Thanks for the snacks.”

An Nan nodded, watching him head upstairs.

Halfway up, Zhao Ping’an suddenly turned around, looking serious. “Idol, if you ever need help, just call me!”

You can’t be rude to someone so friendly. An Nan nodded slightly, watching him leave in high spirits.

She tried out the newly modified door. It worked great. Next time someone came to bother her, she could just flip the switch and zap them—then open fire!

No need to even step outside. Perfect.

15th Floor.

As soon as Zhao Ping’an walked in, his mom’s loud voice rang out:

“Well? You little brat, didn’t get your arms and legs broken, did you?”

“Mom! My idol is a nice lady, not some she-devil!”

Hu Cui-lan snorted. “Ha! What kind of nice lady chops people up like she’s dicing veggies?”

Zhao Ping’an handed her the snacks. “What’s for lunch? I’m starving.”

“Pfft! Out there sucking up to people, back home acting like a king! You eat whatever I make, don’t ask!”

Hu Cui-lan grumbled as she quickly tore open the snack bags.

“Ooh!” Her eyes lit up."