Chapter 65


    The first time Rosie got into a fight, it left a deep impression on her young mind. She clung to


    Jasper''s neck, "When I grow up, I''ll protect you too."


    "Alright."


    "I''ll protect Ste too, and Cooper."


    "Alright."


    Next, they sold fish, with Jasper showing her the ropes.


    Ste listened silently. Jasper''s teaching methods were rough, but in a world where order had


    copsed, maybe Rosie would have been worse off if they''d stuck to the old ways of kindness and


    gentleness.


    "Yes, what your brother taught you isn''t wrong."


    Curious, Ste asked Rosie, "Have you ever been hungry or been beaten up?"


    Rosie lowered her head, nervously fiddling with her clothes.


    "That''s okay. You don''t have to talk about it if you don''t want to."


    "When Jasper didn''te home, I was so hungry. My cousin bullied me, and my aunt scolded me."


    "Do you want to go through that again?"


    "No!" Rosie shook her head vehemently, her voice tinged with a sob. "I don''t want to."


    "Well, remember that feeling. If anyone ever treats you like that again, you fight back. Don''t be


    afraid. They can''t beat you."


    "But my aunt said the police would take me away."


    "As long as you''re not the one starting trouble, the police won''t take you away." Steforted the


    little girl, "Today, when you fought, the police didn''te to get you, did they?"


    Relieved, Rosie said, "I''ll listen to Ste and Jasper. No one will bully me anymore."


    Cooper growled his agreement from the side.


    Ste tugged at his ear, "Don''t encourage Rosie to fight."


    However, Rosie was already riled up, her small fists clenched as she dered, "Fighting is easy. If


    anyone dares to bully me, I''ll beat them."


    In the past, she always felt inadequate. She trained hard every day, but was no match for her


    brother. But after getting into a fight with someone else today, she realized that she wasn''t weak.


    Jasper was just too strong.


    The boy who tried to steal her candy couldn''t even beat her with one hand, huh.


    Changing the subject, Ste asked, "Rosie, what did you get for the fish you sold today?"


    Rosie responded quickly, "We got some tools, textbooks, a dress, and a hairband."


    A pink bunny-shaped fluffy hairband, which she was currently wearing on her head, made her look


    even more adorable.


    "But Ste, did we lose out on brother''s fish? Cody and Lukas said we only got useless stuff."


    "No, as long as you think it''s worth it, it''s okay."


    Everyone had different needs, and anyway, Jasper wasn''t short of supplies.


    The things Lukas and Cody got in exchange were more practical: two packs of salt, dried


    vegetables, sanitary pads, and a lighter.


    Ang passed her a pack of sanitary pads, "Even in the apocalypse, we still have to bleed every


    month. It''s such a hassle."


    Ste refused, "I have plenty. You keep it."


    Ang didn''t insist, "Lukas and Cody are hooked. They want to go again tomorrow. Do you want to


    join?"


    "No thanks, I''m staying home for a few days. You go have fun." No need to babysit.


    Angughed gleefully at the idea of a day out.


    Ste spent the rest of the day teaching Rosie math andnguage. When Rosie finished her


    homework, Ste sat on the couch to continue her project. Finally, she had finished her first thermal


    suit for Cooper. She called him over, "Cooper,e here."


    The suit was ck, to hide any dirt.


    The cold was brutal, so Ste had made a onesie thermal suit, with a hole for Cooper''s tail. There


    was another hole at the rear end, so he could relieve himself.


    Wait, there should be another hole. Not wanting to put diapers on Cooper, she cut another hole.


    Cooper looked like he had juste out of a coal mine with this ck suit.


    Rosie was blunt, "It looks ugly."


    She realized her mistake and immediately covered her mouth, looking at Ste with innocent eye. ‘I


    didn''t mean it, Ste.’


    The insulted Cooper bit at the suit: ‘Get this ugly thing off me. It''s ruining my looks.’


    Steforted him, "No way, Cooper is the most handsome dog in the world."


    Rosie tried to make amends, "Cooper isn''t ugly. He''s even more handsome than my brother, and


    the suit Ste made is beautiful."


    Cooper looked at Ste, "Woof!" Really?


    Ste petted his head, "I''m not lying, my dog is the most handsome on the street."


    Cooper was pleased with that and nuzzled into her arms: ‘If I''m so handsome, make me another


    one.’


    This time, she chose a dark green fabric. While making the suit, she observed Cooper''s reactions.


    Unfortunately, his thick fur meant he didn''t feel the change in temperature now, so he didn''t react to


    the suit.


    When she finished the second suit, she used the leftover fabric to make a suit for Smoky and


    Snowy. It wasn''t pretty, but it wasn''t about looking good. As long as it kept them warm, it was good


    enough.


    At noon, Jasper came to pick up Rosie. Ste stopped him and handed him a nail gun, "I almost


    forgot to return this to you."


    "Keep it."


    Ste was surprised. This was a life-saving tool, and he was just giving it to her?


    "I modified it myself. I have another one."


    Ste only had 200 bullets, each one precious. She''d only use it in a life or death situation, so she


    didn''t expect him to be so generous.


    But nothing in life was free, "What do you want in return? Anything I have is fine."


    Food, alcohol, cigarettes, and medicine, he could take whatever he wanted.


    "You''ve been teaching Rosie well; she''s already learned a lot."


    They had talked about it. She was teaching Rosie and he was teaching Cooper. Plus, Cooper had


    improved a lot. His quick growth provided her with a lot of security.


    Ste told him to think about it; this was his only chance.


    "Rosie wants to eat pie, but I don''t know how to make them."


    That was it? Ste was stumped.


    "Yes, Ste, I want to eat pie." Rosie looked up at her, her big eyes full of longing.


    Good food was always worth it. He''d given her a nail gun, so she would teach him how to make pie


    today.


    Sadly, making and rolling out the dough was a major undertaking, and she wasn''t about to use up


    all the pre-made pie crusts she''d stockpiled.


    However, while Jasper might not have been a culinary whiz, he was a dab hand at manualbor. So


    they started making some pie.


    They moved their operations to 1801, where Ste rolled up her sleeves and asked, "Does the


    cooler in your car still work? We could make a bunch and freeze them. That way, if Rosie fancies


    some, you can just pull them out and pop them in the pot."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "Sure."


    Thinking she could squirrel some away for herself, Ste specifically chose arge bag of flour,


    mixed it with water, and handed it to Jasper to knead.


    Kneading dough was a tough job, but for him, it was a piece of cake.