Mu Nan thought about it for a moment and felt that if his brother only mediated but didn't help him, he would be very upset. If it were someone he cared about, it would be even more distressing. No wonder Jian Chu and Yu Zibai were having a falling out. Mu Nan looked at Jian Chu, unsure of what to say. This was not something that could be resolved with a few words from outsiders, so he couldn't help but sigh.
Jian Chu laughed, "Why the sudden sigh?"
Mu Nan glanced ahead and deliberately raised his voice a bit, "My brother is also great at fighting. Yu Zibai, how long have you been practicing Taekwondo? Do you know who is better between you and my brother?"
Yu Zibai turned around, smiled, and glanced at Qin Huai with self-awareness, "Your brother must be better. I practiced Taekwondo when I was very young. After my mother passed away, I stopped training and only practiced occasionally."
Mu Nan was surprised and thought maybe even Xu Ming was a hidden expert. Was he the only one on their floor without any skills? After his initial shock, Mu Nan suddenly had a realization. Although he wasn't sure if his guess about the reason for their argument was correct, he felt he would be very angry or sad if he were in Jian Chu's place.
Jian Chu had fought with a person from the Zhang family, and Yu Zibai had only stood by and tried to mediate but hadn't actually fought. Although Yu Zibai was rationally right, people are essentially emotional beings.
Mu Nan summed up, "Isn't it super reassuring to have my brother like that? When looking for a partner in the future, you'd want someone like my brother—someone who protects you without reasoning, to make you feel secure, right?"
Suddenly being included as a top candidate for a future partner, Qin Huai, who was actually just a mediator, thought, "???" Was his brother finally understanding something?
Jian Chu, who seemed to have understood Mu Nan's point after this long roundabout conversation, glanced at Yu Zibai and nodded, "Indeed, anyone who becomes your sister-in-law will be very fortunate."
Yu Zibai, who had been feeling a bit awkward with Jian Chu over the past couple of days without knowing the reason, seemed to understand something now, feeling a bit amused and helpless.
Noticing the atmosphere between Jian Chu and Yu Zibai becoming a bit stranger, Mu Nan moved back to Qin Huai's side. He could only help so much.
Since they decided to check out the pet hospital to see if there was anything useful to take, they went home after collecting their supplies. Mu Nan had previously bought a small trailer for hauling soil, so he brought it along, just in case someone needed to pick up some dog or cat food.
The pet clinic where Xu Ming worked was not far from their neighborhood. He had rented a place in their area because it was convenient for work. The group exited through the back door of the neighborhood and reached a road. This road used to be lined with snack shops, with many people and barbecue stalls in the evenings. But now, it was deserted, with only the streetlights still on and no people around.
Mu Nan pointed to one of the shops and said to Qin Huai, "This place makes the best guokui. The filling is generous and it's run by a guy from Northeast China. Unfortunately, they don't do takeout, so you have to come down and buy it yourself. The line is always really long."
When Qin Huai left, this street was still run-down, and the nearby old buildings were awaiting demolition. Although they had been repaired now, the current emptiness was worse than the old dilapidation.
Following Mu Nan's directions and imagining his life during the years he was away, Qin Huai reached Xu Ming's clinic.
The clinic's storefront was small but deep, with two floors. The first floor sold products and had a space for pet bathing, while the second floor was for treatment. Since the clinic was small and didn't have many large treatment machines, most visitors were locals bringing their pets for bathing. After Xu Ming opened the door and lowered the blinds, he turned on the lights. The place was stifling hot from the power outage the previous day, even hotter than outside.
Xu Ming said, "Look around and take whatever you need. Just take it; if you don't, it will spoil anyway."
Jian Chu asked, "What if the items are gone? Won't the clinic owner be upset?"
Xu Ming smiled, "The clinic owner left a while ago. He has several stores, not just this one, and he hasn't paid this month's salary. He told me to sell whatever I could from the store and treat it as settling the salary."
However, with so few people willing to spend money on pet supplies right now, even if he sold or gave things away, he probably wouldn't find buyers. It wasn't worth the effort for a month's salary. It was better to help out the neighbors. After all, it was a favor, and if things got worse, he might have a few people to rely on.
Some items they could understand themselves, but without Xu Ming, they couldn't make sense of the medications, especially since many were individually packaged rather than in boxes.
Xu Ming opened the still-warm medicine cabinet and took out some pre-packaged medications: "These are anti-inflammatory, these are for treating coughs and colds. Although they're for pets, they can be used by humans if absolutely necessary. This cough syrup is still unopened, and should keep in the fridge for a while. This pile is for treating wounds—bandages, hemostatic powder—that could still be useful. Take what you need."
Qin Huai said, "Let's put these on the trailer first; it's too hot here to linger. We'll sort them out later." Everyone agreed, taking all the useful items and planning to sort them out later.
While checking the medications, Mu Nan found some large-sized pee pads and took as many as he could, stacking them on the trailer. Seeing some empty boxes nearby, he swept various pet snacks and cans into them. He wanted to take as much as possible, regardless of its usefulness.
Jian Chu followed suit, grabbing empty boxes and taking whatever he could find, even from inside cabinets. It was his first time doing something like this, and he found it quite exhilarating, despite it being all pet supplies.
They were also lucky to find a few boxes of pet shampoo in the back storage. Although it was meant for cats and dogs, it could be used by humans too. Pet shampoos were reportedly more expensive than human ones, but as long as it didn't damage anything, it was worth taking. By the time they left the small clinic, it was almost empty, and the trailer was fully loaded. Qin Huai and Yu Zibai pulled it in front, while Mu Nan and the others each took a direction to guard the boxes to prevent them from falling.
On their way back, they saw two young men sneaking around, apparently trying to pick a lock on someone else's store. When they saw the group, they hurriedly ran away, probably because they realized that the street was deserted and were hoping to find something valuable inside.
Mu Nan thought to himself that people might feel uneasy when they see someone around, but in the future, when they see them dragging boxes, their first reaction might be to come over and rob them.
Back at the neighborhood, a familiar neighbor saw them dragging so many items and asked curiously, "Where did you get all this stuff?"
Xu Ming smiled and replied, "It's just dog food. My boss shut down and ran away without paying wages, so there were some leftover dog food at the clinic. We took it back to see if we could sell any of it."
The neighbor immediately lost interest and commented, "With people struggling to make ends meet, who cares about dog food? You're probably wasting your time."
Xu Ming sighed, "What can we do? We're barely making ends meet, so we're just giving it a try."
Back on the seventeenth floor, Xu Ming asked, "Where should we put these things?" He only had the air conditioner on in the bedroom, so there was no extra space for sorting these items.
Qin Huai didn't say anything, and Jian Chu said, "Let's put them in our place. Our living room is quite spacious."
Xu Ming checked his watch and realized it was already past 1 a.m., so he suggested, "Let's sort it out now. We won't need to get supplies for the next day or two, and it's better to get it done now."
Jian Chu, feeling tired, agreed that it was better to finish it in one go.
Qin Huai said, "Alright, we'll go back to use the restroom first and come over soon."
Having been out for so long, he felt he needed to rehydrate. Water was scarce, so he didn't want to drink from someone else's supply.
Back at home, Mu Nan took out a pack of previously opened wet wipes from his storage. Since towels also required water, he preferred using wet wipes. He had bought a lot of them, thinking that even if there was a water shortage, wet wipes would be useful. Qin Huai brought him a bottle of water, "Drink some, you must be overheated."
Mu Nan sipped slowly, as drinking too quickly might be refreshing but uncomfortable later. Small sips were enough to quench his thirst and cool him down. After drinking most of the bottle, Qin Huai finished the last bit.
Mu Nan fanned himself and handed Qin Huai some wet wipes, "Wipe your face, it's all red from the heat. Should we bring something when we visit others? And for Xu Ming, even though the items aren't his, without him, we wouldn't have them. We should at least show some gratitude for the useful items like those pee pads."
Qin Huai said, "Take two bags of frozen dumplings."
Mu Nan thought it was a good idea and took out two bags of large dumplings, with six per bag. It was just the right amount to give as a gift.
Seeing that they brought items, Jian Chu quickly declined, "You can give them to Xu Ming Dumplings are expensive now, so keep the rest for yourselves."
Mu Nan replied, "These were made during the pandemic when I was bored at home. I still have some at home, and these have been frozen for a long time. Take them, and don't be polite."
Jian Chu felt a bit embarrassed, as they hadn't really helped and receiving dumplings felt like taking advantage. But seeing Mu Nan's insistence, she glanced at Yu Zibai, who then stepped forward to accept them, "Thanks. As always, if you need anything, just ask. I may not have much, but I can offer some help."
Mu Nan smiled and handed another portion to Xu Ming, "You might want to take it home before it thaws."
Xu Ming didn't refuse and nodded readily, "Alright, you can distribute the rest. I've already taken some items I need, so there's no need to give me any more."
Jian Chu, concerned about the heat, took out a fan from the living room even though the air conditioning was on, "You all start sorting. We don't know how to use these things anyway."
After confirming that they didn't need the pee pads, Mu Nan placed all of them on his cart and, along with Jian Chu, started unpacking the items, "This looks like jerky, no additives, chicken and duck meat. Do you want to open a bag and try it?" Jian Chu opened a bag, and it indeed smelled of meat, crispy and fragrant. It didn't taste much at first, but after a few chews, it was quite flavorful. "This is good."
Mu Nan took out the few bottles of insect repellent spray that could be used for both pets and humans: "We already bought a box of this before, so we don't need it. We'll take a bit of the anti-inflammatory medicine, bandages, and hemostatic powder. The rest, you can take. There are also some cans here—can pet cans be eaten by humans?"
Xu Ming, who had just come over after putting the dumplings back at home, answered, "They contain meat and have a high meat content, but the taste might be a challenge."
Mu Nan clicked his tongue, "Then never mind. We don't need it. We'll just take the pee pads and these medicines. The rest, you can handle."
Seeing several boxes, including some bottles of shampoo, Jian Chu asked, "Why don't you take some of these too? Even though living supplies are now limited in availability, such a large bottle will last a long time."
Mu Nan didn't need the shampoo but took a bit anyway. The rest, which he couldn't use, was left to Jian Chu to deal with.
Looking at the pile of items, Jian Chu wondered, "Do you think if I set up a stall downstairs, I could sell these things?"
Mu Nan gave him some advice: "Look, there are small packages of dog food. You could let people try those. Maybe if they find them acceptable, they'll buy them."
Jian Chu was skeptical, thinking that people wouldn't want dog food even if they knew it could be eaten.
Setting up a stall was just an idea, but with some items that looked edible, and with everyone currently unemployed and idle, it seemed like a good way to pass the time. If they could make some money, it might help them buy more things. As if by coincidence, or perhaps due to market demand, the day after they moved the items from the clinic, someone in the community group asked if anyone wanted to join a trading group and posted a group code for the residents to join voluntarily. The group was for people in the area to trade surplus items. Of course, the trades were negotiated privately, and safety was each person's responsibility. The group admin only provided a communication platform and didn't have the resources to ensure safety.
Since they had nothing else to do, Mu Nan joined the group to get more information, and Jian Chu joined soon after. When they joined, the group was selling water—500ml bottles for 70 yuan each, with no purchase limits.
Although their area was an old neighborhood, there were still quite a few wealthy people around. Many tenants were businesspeople with some savings. During tough times, they were cautious and didn't buy much. But now, with the overall situation worsening, money didn't bring security, and with daily life becoming difficult, people were eager to buy anything available, especially scarce items like water.
During the lockdown period, there had been many scams involving group purchases. Now, with so much chaos and frequent incidents of violence, people had lost trust in group purchases. Instead, they preferred to pay for items and receive them immediately, often buying from familiar people for added safety.
Mu Nan didn't follow the others to buy water. At 70 yuan per bottle, even though Qin Huai had some money left, it seemed a waste. He'd rather buy a few more boxes of chocolate.
Soon, Mu Nan saw Jian Chu's post about dog food in the group: 300 yuan for a 10-kilogram bag, with photos of the packaging and home delivery available.
The group had various trades, but most were for food and drinks. This was the first time dog and cat food had been offered, and many people commented:
"People can't even afford to feed themselves these days; who cares about cat and dog food?"
"Can this food be eaten by humans? What does it taste like?"
Jian Chu quickly responded, "It can be eaten by humans, but it doesn't have much flavor—kind of like unsalted crackers, crispy, with a high meat content. It should meet basic nutritional needs."
The inquirer seemed to be just curious, and after asking, didn't follow up. Jian Chu wasn't discouraged and continued posting photos of pet snacks, canned food, and other items. There were several inquiries about the pet shampoo. Since they had several boxes of it and wouldn't use it all, Jian Chu decided to sell some. The shampoo was in large 1-liter bottles, priced at 500 yuan each.
Even though personal care items were now limited, and many people lacked the resources to bathe regularly, there were still those who could afford it and would want to buy shampoo.
Jian Chu was surprised by the interest in the items he posted. Many people contacted him privately. Although only a few bottles of shampoo were sold, there were many inquiries but fewer purchases. Finally, Jian Chu announced in the group that he would set up a stall the next day where people could try the dog and cat food on the spot and take it if they liked it.
After wrapping up these tasks, it was well into the night. Mu Nan had been watching the group chat and occasionally making playful comments, like "Wow, this looks delicious" or "Is this meat?" trying to attract attention.
Meanwhile, Jian Chu's hands were sore from typing on his phone. Mu Nan, sitting cross-legged on the bed, enjoyed the watermelon cut by Qin Huai and watched the excitement. After finishing the watermelon, Mu Nan put down his fork and said, "I thought they might actually keep the stuff for themselves, but it turns out there's a trading group. It's like wishful thinking coming true."
Qin Huai finished the leftover watermelon and explained his new method of cutting the fruit: He now cut the entire watermelon into boxes, so they could eat a box at a time. If any was left, he would finish it. This method was better than leaving half a watermelon in storage, which lost its freshness after repeated freezing and thawing.
When Jian Chu posted in the group about setting up a stall, Mu Nan asked Qin Huai, "Should we go help?"
Qin Huai replied, "If they ask, then we'll go."
As soon as Qin Huai finished speaking, Jian Chu sent them a message with the time for the stall and asked them to bring the small cart. Jian Chu thought it was simple: since the items were originally Xu Ming's and they had moved them together, the profits from the stall would be split equally among their three families. If they divided the profits per person, Xu Ming would end up with less, as the items originally belonged to him. So, it made sense to divide the profits by household—Xu Ming provided the items, Jian Chu provided the effort, and Mu Nan's family provided transportation. It was a good arrangement.
Even setting up a stall in the community came with the risk of theft. So, despite initially planning to stay indoors, the group decided to go out. Their presence would deter any potential troublemakers. Qin Huai didn't want Mu Nan to go out, but seeing Mu Nan's enthusiasm, he decided not to stop him.
Soon, Jian Chu set up a table under a streetlamp at the base of their building. Concerned about the lighting, Mu Nan brought a portable lamp from home. As they were arranging items on the table, some people who had just returned from collecting supplies came over to check it out. "What are these?"
Jian Chu introduced, "Dog and cat food. Want to try some? It's made of meat and provides good nutrition. 300 yuan for 10 kilograms. It's not meant to be a staple food, but a few pieces can help stave off hunger."
Seeing that they could sample it, the person wasn't shy about trying it. Although it was for pets, since it was meat-based, they decided to give it a try. The taste was quite plain, like unsalted crackers. Before the person could say anything, two men who had been following the group's posts and knew when the stall would be set up came over. The older one asked, "Can I see the expiration date?"
Jian Chu quickly responded, "Sure, feel free to check."
One of the men, who looked to be in his thirties, and the younger one, who seemed to be under twenty, inspected the dog food bag's date and the anti-counterfeiting mark. After confirming everything was fine, the younger one, who was likely his brother, said, "The date is quite fresh."
The older man asked, "If we buy more, can we get a discount?"
Seeing that they were serious buyers, Jian Chu said, "250 yuan per bag, but we don't deliver."
The man thought for a moment and nodded, then took out his phone and scanned Jian Chu's payment code for 1,000 yuan, taking four large bags of dog food.
The person who had sampled the food didn't expect anyone to actually buy it and hesitated, "250 yuan per bag?"
Jian Chu smiled and said, "That's for those who buy in bulk. Since you're the first one to check, you can get it at that price too. If you want, I can pick out a better-tasting one for you. I've tried them all, and some taste better than others."
The person, unsure of his own thoughts but feeling that buying would be better than missing out, agreed, "Alright, I'll take one too."
Mu Nan, sitting on a flowerbed opposite them, couldn't help but ask Qin Huai, "Brother, do you think they're buying this for themselves or for pets at home?" If it's for themselves, the taste is quite unique. He had tried it and found it gritty and unpleasant.
Qin Huai replied, "The first two were definitely buying for pets. As for this one, it's probably for themselves."
Mu Nan shrugged. "Well, as long as it's edible. Who knows, this bag of dog food might actually save someone's life in the future."
Mu Nan's speculation turned out to be accurate. The person who bought the dog food was just curious. With rice prices soaring, buying a large bag of food for a bit over 200 yuan seemed like a good deal. When the earthquake hit and the world descended into chaos, finding edible items in the ruins became difficult. The family relied on that bag of dog food to survive until they reached a government-run survivor base, where they found work and managed to stay alive.