Renting an ice storage unit wasn't difficult. Although their city wasn't a coastal one and didn't have a thriving seafood industry, there were several large seafood distribution markets. These markets acted as a transfer station for seafood from the coast to the inland areas, and many fresh markets also required ice. Thus, the volume of ice coming in and out was quite significant. Handling ice from these sources wasn't too conspicuous.
After Mu Nan applied insulation film and curtains to the windows in both houses, Qin Huai had also taken care of his end. Trucks weren't allowed on the roads during the day due to the heat, so Qin Huai preferred to transport the ice at night. They hired workers to help load ice into the refrigerated trucks, which Qin Huai then drove to the rented warehouse. Mu Nan would then transfer the ice into storage overnight, making two or three trips to store several tons of ice.
Dealing with the oil was even simpler; no fake certificates were needed. After contacting private buyers, Qin Huai simply drove a small truck to load the oil. He presented himself as just an intermediary, and people didn't ask many questions. There were many private oil dealers who did the same thing—buying oil from others and reselling it for a profit. As for how others sold it or whether they were checked, that was none of their concern.
However, since Qin Huai was buying frequently and often taking several loads a day, the oil sellers grew curious. "Your business seems pretty good?"
Qin Huai smiled and handed the seller a cigarette. Looking at the workers loading the oil, he said, "If the previous source hadn't caused trouble, I wouldn't have needed to find a new one. I never worry about selling what I have, just about having enough stock."
The oil dealer was surprised. He hadn't expected the young man to be so experienced. Seeing that Qin Huai had many contacts and was prompt with payments, he tentatively asked, "Do you only deal in oil?"
Qin Huai glanced at him. "Why, do you have other products?"
The oil dealer replied, "Yes, how about white liquor?"
Qin Huai had already arranged a few boxes of white liquor in B City, but he didn't drink. The stock was just a precaution for future needs. However, if the price was right, he didn't mind buying more. "What brand and price?"
The oil dealer named a brand and opened his phone's calculator, typing in a few numbers. Qin Huai shook his head. "Too high. At that price, I won't make much profit, and it's not worth the hassle."
Seeing a potential deal, the oil dealer smiled and negotiated, eventually reaching a lower price. Qin Huai then agreed, "Alright, I haven't dealt with white liquor before, so let's try it. I'll start with a batch, and if it sells well, I'll come back to you."
The oil dealer was delighted, immediately calling Qin Huai "brother" and expressing enthusiasm. As long as there was money to be made, they were all friends! White liquor was even more profitable than oil. The price of oil was fixed, and the profit margin was limited. In contrast, white liquor had different channels and prices. Selling a few bottles of white liquor could yield more profit than selling several barrels of oil. For a businessman like Qin Huai, who seemed to have many contacts and could handle various products, the oil dealer was eager to establish a relationship. If he could stabilize the white liquor line, it would help make up for the losses from the past few months of the pandemic.
Unfortunately, the oil dealer's good plans didn't have much time left to make him money.
On the day the temperature in their city first broke 40°C, a small car exploded while driving. Fortunately, there were no casualties. The car had started smoking, and the occupants immediately stopped and ran to the back seat to grab the fire extinguisher. Some passing vehicles also stopped to help, but the fire couldn't be extinguished, and the car eventually exploded. When the situation became apparent, those helping and the car owner instinctively ran further away, and just as they moved, the car exploded with a loud bang.
Qin Huai was driving at the time, navigating through a roundabout with the flow of traffic. The exploding car was behind him, and the explosion blocked all the vehicles behind. If he hadn't been at the front, he would have been trapped in the middle of the road. Even though Mu Nan had once dreamed about the risk of vehicles and electronic devices exploding as temperatures rose, seeing it in person was still startling.
As soon as Qin Huai got off the bridge, Mu Nan called him. "Brother, where are you?"
Qin Huai replied, "On the way back, I'm already on Qingchuan Avenue."
Mu Nan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Hurry back once you're done. If you need to pick up anything else, I'll go with you tonight. I just saw the news about the car explosion on Konggang Bridge, and it scared me."
Qin Huai said, "Already on the news? The car that exploded was behind me. I saw it too. Don't worry, I'll be home soon, in about ten minutes."
Mu Nan urged, "Then hurry up. I'll be waiting at home."
Every day, Qin Huai informed Mu Nan of his plans and activities to avoid causing him worry. While Mu Nan was making dumplings at home, he saw news about the car explosion on Konggang Bridge in their community group. Alarmed, he immediately called Qin Huai, since Konggang Bridge was a route Qin Huai took to get home. Hearing that Qin Huai would be back soon, Mu Nan felt reassured. He decided that Qin Huai shouldn't go out anymore; with the rising temperatures, there was no room for chances. They had enough supplies, and any remaining money could be considered a loss—his safety was paramount.
Qin Huai parked in the underground garage. By the time he got from the garage to the apartment, he was already drenched in sweat, highlighting the intense heat.
As soon as he entered the apartment, Mu Nan handed him a damp towel. "Wipe off the sweat and cool down first. After that, take a shower. It's so hot; let's have cold noodles for dinner. Do you want ice-cold Coke or beer? I put a few bottles in the freezer, so they're probably already slush."
Qin Huai chose beer. After cooling down and sitting in the air-conditioned room, he ate the cold noodles and said, "We'll collect ice again tonight. I'll cancel the ice storage rental and stop buying oil. With the high temperatures, flammable and explosive materials are too risky to transport unless immediately stored in the space. We've got enough daily supplies for a few years. Tomorrow night, we need to go out again to collect the RV we ordered. We'll park it in the warehouse first. If we keep it in the neighborhood, it'll attract attention."
Mu Nan asked, "How much money do we have left?"
Qin Huai checked his account on his phone, excluding a few pending payments. "About 300,000 yuan." The RV was bought with a loan. The first thing he planned to do was to take Mu Nan to see the vehicle and handle the loan. The loan processing was relatively quick after the pandemic's economic downturn, taking just over ten days, though the vehicle had not yet arrived. He had been pushing the dealership, and it had finally been expedited.
Mu Nan sighed, "We still have that much money."
After returning from B City, they had been constantly stocking up. The most troublesome was the ice; other than that, they bought a lot of bottled water, drinks, various frozen foods, fresh meat, and some vegetables and fruits. To avoid drawing attention, they didn't buy in large quantities, but it still added up over time. They also purchased clothes, shoes, bedding, and many large items like generators, solar panels, and batteries. Even with the daily spending, they still had over 300,000 yuan left. Spending money had never felt difficult, but if not for avoiding attention, spending would have been easier.
Qin Huai said, "It's a pity we don't have enough time. Otherwise, we could have modified a vehicle to use outside. Modified vehicles are more durable than regular cars. The remaining money might not be enough for that." During the pandemic, even if they had money, no one dared to risk their lives for vehicle modifications. Now that they could go out, time was too tight, so the idea of modifying a vehicle was abandoned.
"Forget it. For the next few days, let's go out in the evening, buy some things, and maybe get some ice cream and popsicles."
Mu Nan agreed and then asked, "You're not going out this afternoon, right?"
Qin Huai replied, "No, I'll stay home this afternoon and help you with the dumplings."
Mu Nan smiled. "I've already finished making the dumplings with the defrosted meat. Let's take a nap this afternoon. The nocturnal lifestyle is starting again."
Qin Huai looked at him. "Again?"
Mu Nan paused slightly, then grinned. "I get more inspiration at night. I used to draw at night and sleep during the day."
Qin Huai frowned. "Not sleeping at night and not getting up in the day will ruin your health."
Mu Nan huffed and ignored Qin Huai's advice. He finished his meal, climbed into bed, and started searching for TV shows to pass the time.
They took a nap together in the afternoon. After dinner and a bit of housework, they left for the evening. Feeling the contrast between the cool indoors and the heat outside, Mu Nan sighed, "I'm melting. I feel like I'm turning into a puddle."
Qin Huai chuckled. "You know how hot it is outside and still want to go out."
Mu Nan sighed. "I'd rather not go out if I could avoid it. But if we stay inside all the time, what if there's a power outage later? While people can adapt, there's always a process. So, it's better to experience the heat a little each day and get used to it."
The supermarket was busier than expected, but many people were just pushing empty carts back and forth, seeming to be there more for the air conditioning than for shopping.
When someone lamented about price increases, Mu Nan glanced over. He wasn't very sensitive to prices, unless it was something he was familiar with, like mineral water that suddenly jumped from two yuan to five or six yuan a bottle. That's when he would notice a price increase.
Qin Huai, on the other hand, was much more attuned to price changes. Holding a bottle of yogurt that Mu Nan liked, he said, "This bottle used to cost 23.6 yuan."
Mu Nan looked at the price tag. "Now it's 27.5 yuan. That's a 4 yuan increase."
Qin Huai put a few more bottles into the cart. "With the hot weather, the demand for such items has risen, and transportation costs might have increased, so the price naturally goes up."
Mu Nan picked up a bottle of Yakult. "What about this? Has it gone up too?"
Qin Huai nodded. "It's gone up by 2 yuan. It's okay. If you want it, take a few more."
Mu Nan wanted it, of course. Even though he already had plenty stored in his space, more wouldn't hurt. They casually picked out some yogurt and snacks, filling up a shopping cart. At the checkout, Mu Nan noticed several sandwiches that he used to eat often in the refrigerated section. He grabbed a few and then saw some microwaveable meals. "I haven't tried these. Should we buy a few boxes to try?"
Qin Huai walked over and said, "Sure, buy them."
There were only a few microwaveable meal options left, all different flavors. Mu Nan decided to take them all. When he reached the last one, he heard someone nearby with a smile say, "Could you let me have the last box?"
Mu Nan turned and saw Dr. Xu, who lived on the same floor as them. He quickly said, "Dr. Xu, what a coincidence. Which flavor do you want? We're just trying new things."
Dr. Xu picked up the last black pepper flavor. "One is enough. Thanks."
Qin Huai asked, "Dr. Xu, just off work?"
Dr. Xu nodded with a sigh. "The high temperatures have been brutal. Even when avoiding peak heat times, some pets have suffered burns, and some have had severe injuries to their paws. There have been many cases of heatstroke, so the hospital is particularly busy."
Mu Nan was puzzled. "Pets?"
Dr. Xu smiled. "I'm a veterinarian."
Mu Nan realized he had thought Dr. Xu was a physician for humans.
Dr. Xu then remembered something and said to them, "Are you in the community group? Could you add me? I didn't join earlier because I was working during the day and didn't have time. I've missed some community updates."
It wasn't a big deal. Mu Nan took out his phone. "I'll add you now and then put you into the community group. Were you not at home during the pandemic?"
Dr. Xu shook his head. "I stayed at the hospital for a few months. If it weren't for some kind-hearted volunteers occasionally bringing food, I would have starved. I didn't expect things to develop that way. There were a few cats and dogs that had just undergone surgery and needed care, and with heavy rain and smog, I was worried about the road conditions, so I ended up staying at the hospital for several months."
Mu Nan commented, "That must have been tough. I'll add you to the group, and you'll be able to get the updates once the group owner approves."
Dr. Xu smiled. "Thanks!"
Dr. Xu seemed to be just buying dinner, so he went to check out after grabbing the microwaveable meals. Mu Nan turned to Qin Huai and said, "I thought he was a human doctor when I heard about his surgeries. I was impressed that someone so young could already perform surgeries."
Qin Huai laughed. "You used to want to be a veterinarian when you were young. When Auntie wouldn't let you keep a dog, you resolutely declared you'd become a veterinarian and have countless cats and dogs."
Mu Nan laughed. "I had many dreams as a kid—keeping pets and being a vet, running a small store selling snacks, becoming a bus ticket seller because I liked riding buses, running a crepe stand, selling fried chicken, making milk tea. Dreams change according to interests."
Qin Huai chuckled more. "Your dreams were quite grounded. People usually aim to be scientists, astronauts, or big business owners."
Mu Nan said, "It turns out that reading more is essential. Those scientists and astronauts probably have better lives than big bosses. They're hard-to-find talents and the backbone of the country. As for bosses, unless they can significantly impact people's livelihoods and accumulate wealth even after setbacks, they might end up struggling."
Only a few businessmen reach that level of wealth. Just like in Mu Nan's previous life, there were a few rich businessmen and expatriates who donated huge sums for space projects. Though Mu Nan didn't know exactly where the money went, the fact that the government could provide resources later indicated preparations for the future.
Stockpiling items in large quantities now was irrational. Even if it was a small-scale issue for those in charge and might not be noticed, unexpected problems could still arise. So, staying home and doing nothing was the safest option.
Despite saying they did nothing, Mu Nan and Qin Huai still spent a lot each day—shopping every couple of days, driving farther at night to store bought items, and making sure not to draw attention when returning to the neighborhood. They also bought items online, spending thousands a day, with packages of daily necessities arriving discreetly.
Though the heat was unusually intense, hovering around 42-43°C, and had made some people wary, most just lamented that this year was exceptionally tough and unbearably hot.
Until an elderly person collapsed from heatstroke on the ground, passersby hesitated for a moment before more people arrived to witness and move the collapsed person to a shaded area. Unfortunately, the person's skin that had touched the ground was severely burned, and despite emergency treatment at the hospital, they could not be saved. The news of their death spread, making people realize that the extreme temperatures were not just oddly hot but potentially deadly.
Mu Nan's neighborhood was relatively lucky. Being an old community, many of its facilities had reached their maximum service life and had safety concerns. During last year's renovation of old neighborhoods, theirs was the first to be upgraded. Previously, the lower floors used underground water and the higher floors used water from tanks. After the renovation, all water sources were changed to underground water, and the power supply and cabling for the entire neighborhood were completely replaced.
However, the neighboring community had just started upgrading its water supply when the pandemic halted construction. Their water pipes were still not renovated, and thus the electrical boxes had not been updated either. One afternoon, a loud explosion occurred—the transformer in the neighboring community's electrical box blew up. The two buildings sharing that transformer, housing over 600 households, all lost power.
The explosion happened around two or three in the afternoon. Mu Nan and Qin Huai, who had their day and night reversed, were startled awake by the blast. Pulling back the curtains, they saw no unusual activity outside their building and felt relieved. Soon, someone shared photos of the burning transformer in the community group.
Mu Nan said, "With such a loud noise, I thought something had happened to our building."
Qin Huai was also startled. "Last night, the transformer at the Civil Aviation dormitory blew up, and now another one today."
Mu Nan lay back down. "Thankfully, our equipment was recently replaced; otherwise, we might have had a trifecta of explosions."
Qin Huai also lay back down but couldn't fall asleep after being startled, so he began checking his phone.
The hottest topic online was the global heatwave. Some people claimed that polar glaciers were melting at a visibly rapid rate. If the glaciers melted, it might bring about a new, unresolved virus, as those ice layers contain not only ancient beast corpses but also ancient viruses from thousands or even millions of years ago.
Besides viruses, the melting glaciers causing sea levels to rise would severely threaten human living environments. Some cities or small countries might permanently disappear under the rising waters.
Of course, these future crises were still somewhat distant from their current lives. The biggest issue they faced now was the renewed shortage of medical resources.
The extreme temperatures made it difficult for people to travel, but they had no choice but to go out for their livelihoods. Not everyone had the luxury to stay indoors. The previous pandemic had already left many in debt, and without quickly earning money, survival would be difficult. Many thought that as long as they avoided direct sunlight and stayed hydrated, there would be no serious problems. However, those who overestimated their conditions faced consequences ranging from heatstroke and hospitalization to death.
Some people even died before reaching the hospital, and the number of heat-related deaths was significant. The exact death toll was not published—not out of unwillingness to inform the public and encourage stockpiling supplies to combat the disaster, but out of fear that such information would cause greater unrest and chaos.
Many people were rational and orderly, but there were even more who were frantic and unable to handle the pressure. Some even exploited public sentiment for profit, with little regard for the social harm their inflammatory rhetoric might cause. For those driven by profit, once they achieved their goals, others' survival was irrelevant.
Thus, many people criticized the authorities for concealing information, but if the truth were revealed, the situation would likely be even worse.
In their community, there was a nurse who, due to her work, had seen a lot of heatstroke and heat-related deaths. She took the situation seriously and informed everyone in the community group to stock up on food and water if possible, avoid going out during the day, and if going out at night, stay with friends or family to avoid being unnoticed if fainting from heat. Delayed discovery might mean death.
Before the pandemic, such extreme temperatures might not have been as alarming, and stockpiling a month's worth of supplies would have seemed sufficient. But having just survived the previous deadly disaster, many people, even without the extreme heat, might already be inclined to stock up. The current abnormal heat only heightened their anxiety.
As a result, nationwide, and even in some foreign countries, a stockpiling trend began.