Chapter 320
Collin''s office was a testament to his dedication. It was a cluttered sanctuary where suits mingled
with sleeping bags, hinting at countless nights spent far from theforts of home.
Ste wasn''t one toe empty-handed; she brought gifts that breathed of old-world charm—a box
of aged Earl Grey tea. This was no ordinary tea; its value increased with time, much like a fine wine,
provided it was stored properly. To enhance its vintage allure, she had deliberately scuffed the tin
with sandpaper.
Her offering was more than a gift; it was a token of respect. "Dr. Collin, I didn''t present you with a
mentor''s giftst time. I''m making it right now—please, you mustn''t refuse."
Although tea couldn''t fill a stomach, it nourished the soul. Collin knew the worth of such a gift and
was reluctant to ept it, but Ste was persistent. "It''s not a bribe, just a traditional mentor''s gift.
It''s something to lift your spirits during those long hours of toil."
The gift box was hefty, packed with two pounds of tea—enough to revitalize not just Collin but his
colleagues as well.
Despite his protests, Collin capitted. His heart was warmed by the familiar aroma he hadn''t
encountered for many years, a luxury from a bygone era.
Collin had once enjoyed a modest cup of tea with his mentor, nothing fancy but deeply cherished.
Now, with this premium gift in hand, he nned to pay homage to his old teacher.
He led them to the archives, a ce where the sudden cataclysm had ravaged much, though
thanks to Ste''s scanning pen, electronic copies of precious data were preserved amidst the
wreckage of failingputers.
Collin was generous with his knowledge and eager to share with those who hungered for learning.
Ste was well-prepared and armed with high-capacity USB drives ready to absorb every byte of
information they were willing to offer.
To express her gratitude, Ste presented Collin with aptop, gently used but still efficient—a tool
she believed would be indispensable to their research.
Collin''s joy in epting theptop was palpable, and he soon introduced Ste to Hugh, a
colleague with a wealth of expertise in surgery. Hugh, once known affectionately as the “chubby
angel” among his peers, had withstood the erratic demands of his profession—the endless hours in
the OR, irregr meals, and a battle with the bulge that seemed unwinnable.
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Now, as lean as a bolt of lightning, Hugh was intrigued by Ste''s self-taught surgical skills. As they
discussed the nuances of trauma surgery, it became clear she was both bold and meticulous.
Impressed by her skill, Hugh tested her suturing technique with a piece of leather and was satisfied
enough to take her on as his apprentice, providing her with his self-authored textbooks—precious
resources on emergency treatment and postoperative care. They were printed on valuable paper,
and the ink was densely packed on each page.
In the spirit of tradition, Ste offered Hugh a box of Earl Grey as a mentor’s gift.
With new knowledge in hand, Ste drove back to Griffith. Her heart felt light with aplishment.
But as she neared her building, a wail of grief echoed from number 28—a reminder of the daily
tragedies in this new world. She continued to her own door, only to be halted by a neighbor on
patrol.
“Ste, you’re back?” the neighbor asked, a note of urgency in her voice.
Ste nodded, puzzled by the concern.
“If you had returned just a few hours earlier, old Lyle might have been saved.”
Old Lyle, the once-prosperous businessman from number 28?
Curiosity sparked within her, Ste inquired, “What happened to him?”
They recounted the tale of Lyle’s hidden stash of supplies, a lifeline for his family during the darkest
days, now vanished—looted by unknown hands. The loss had shattered him, and in a world where
even rat poison was scarce, he had chosen a de to end his pain.
Ste was known for her medical skills in Building 50, so Sophia came specifically to kneel down
and plead with her. Ste frowned and asked, "Who said I''m skilled?"
The incident of Sophia kneeling and begging had been witnessed by the security personnel at the
entrance when they left.
Sensing that something was off, Sophia quicklyughed and said, "We''re not sure either. We just
happened to see Sophiaing to find you during our patrol."
After speaking, they hurriedly caught up with the patrol team.
Rosie came out with Cooper to open the door, looking a little unhappy.
Ste asked, "What''s wrong?"
Rosie sighed, "Someone bad-mouthed you."
Wasn''t itmon for people to bad-mouth her? The whole neighborhood used to see her as an
enemy.
At that time, Rosie was on duty when someone ran over and said there was a suicide attempt in
Building 28, asking Ste to help save the person. She truthfully exined that her brother and
sister-inw were out and might not be back for a while.
But not long after, a woman came over and acted as if she was in distress. Soon, rumors spread
about Ste refusing to save a life.
"Is that it?" Ste couldn''t help but chuckle when she saw Rosie getting angry. "People have
mouths, so they will gossip. As long as we have a clear conscience, that''s all that matters."
As they entered the house and went upstairs, Ste took the opportunity to teach Rosie a lesson.
"Rosie, do you know why Sophia knelt in front of our door?"
Rosie thought for a moment and said, "To force you to help save someone? But I told her you
weren''t here."
"Yes, her behavior is called moral ckmail," Ste exined to her. "The reason she didn''t believe
you is probably because someone misled her, saying that I was at home but deliberately refusing to
help."
Ste had a clear idea of who was behind all this. It was none other than those few individuals who
didn''t dare to openly confront Building 50 and could only resort to underhanded tactics behind the
scenes.
"What should we do now?" Rosie, who had more interactions with outsiders, felt increasingly aware
of theplexity of human nature. She didn''t want others to speak ill of Ste.