After soaking in the water for a while, Qin Huai told Mu Nan to get out. He didn't let him stay in the water too long. Although the earlier incident had scared Mu Nan and left him with little appetite, Qin Huai still made him eat a bowl of cold porridge. At that moment, anything hot would probably be unappetizing. After they both ate, they went to bed. Perhaps because they were back in familiar surroundings with someone reassuring by his side, Mu Nan quickly fell asleep.
Qin Huai watched him for a while, and seeing that he was sleeping peacefully, he too closed his eyes.
This power outage lasted quite a while, and the two of them slept until almost noon. Without air conditioning, even though there was some residual cool air and the fan kept blowing, the temperature inside the house started to rise as the sun beat down outside. They were eventually woken up by the heat, which was so intense that the bamboo mat on the bed had a person-shaped imprint of sweat.
Mu Nan sat up, feeling hot and irritated. Even though the house was completely shaded from any light, the heat seemed to seep into every corner of the room.
Qin Huai got up and turned on the battery-powered light. Mu Nan rubbed his eyes, trying to fully wake up. "It's so hot."
Qin Huai replied, "We might have to slaughter the chickens later."
Mu Nan looked up at him, and Qin Huai explained, "At this temperature, keeping these animals alive is becoming too difficult."
Mu Nan sighed in disappointment, "Are they dead?"
Qin Huai shook his head, "Not yet, but they're barely hanging on."
Mu Nan sighed again, "Yesterday, we even gave each chicken its own fan and ice blocks. Forget it, let's not stress the chickens anymore. It's too difficult to keep them alive in this heat. Let's slaughter them and focus on the vegetables."
Even though they wouldn't have fresh eggs anymore, Mu Nan had already stocked up on hundreds of boxes of eggs, enough to last them for years.
The power hadn't come back yet, and the generator had already been running all night, with not much fuel left. Fortunately, they had plenty in reserve, so they took out another fully charged one. After washing up, Qin Huai took a cage of chickens into the bathroom, where he skillfully bled and slaughtered them. Once the chickens were lifeless, he had Mu Nan store them in the space. Without electricity, the house was too hot to boil water for plucking feathers, so they had to set it aside for now.
After scooping out some water to rinse off the sweat and the blood in the bathroom, Qin Huai came out to a blast of cool air. The electricity still hadn't come back, but Mu Nan had put away yesterday's pool and brought out an inflatable pool without water in it, filled with large ice blocks. Two fans blew cool air towards the bed, and when Qin Huai emerged, Mu Nan quickly asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Qin Huai sat down on the bed, fanning himself, and said, "Let's just have cold porridge again. It's too hot to eat anything else."
Mu Nan took out two bowls of porridge from the space, along with a few side dishes stored in containers. With the fans blowing cool air, they had a relatively comfortable breakfast. Mu Nan, who was used to looking at his phone while eating, saw that the group chat was full of discussions about the power outage. While their house remained cool with ice blocks and fans, others were describing their homes as literal saunas. The midday sun had turned some homes into furnaces, especially for those who had only a thin curtain to block the sunlight, unlike the thick, heat-insulating fabric they used. The indoor temperature in those homes was beyond imagination.
"People are going to die. Is there anyone who can help? It's unbearable!"
"When is the power going to come back? I don't care if it explodes, I'm turning on the air conditioner during the day!"
"When is the cooling station going to open? I can't take it anymore. I'll spend everything I have to stay there. What's the use of money if I'm dead? Once I get in, I'm not coming out!"
"Does anyone have a couple of bottles of water to spare? I'll buy them at a high price. I was supposed to get water today, but without power, I can't even get down the stairs, let alone fetch water."
"Isn't the elevator running on generator power?"
"The elevator only had power for a short while yesterday. They turned it off halfway through the night. Do you know how expensive fuel is now? We can't keep running the generator non-stop. When is our community going to install solar panels? Even if it's just to keep the elevators running, it would be worth it."
Someone in the group was asking for help, saying that an elderly family member was in critical condition. They were constantly tagging the community group, asking them to power the elevator so they could get the person to the hospital.
The community was already overwhelmed. During the day, it was impossible to move around outside, and even standing under shade could cause heatstroke. The staff were also human; they couldn't go out either. Apart from trying to calm people down in the group chat, there wasn't much else they could do. After all, they had their own families to care for. If it weren't for the government still providing three meals a day and weekly distributions of essential supplies, no one would want to do this kind of work, dealing with death daily and making tough decisions while still being blamed and criticized.
But soon, the group's conversation shifted to yesterday's elevator incident. While they didn't know what happened to the people stuck in other buildings, they knew that five people from their building had been sent to the hospital. After Qin Huai and Mu Nan had gone upstairs, some others began showing concerning symptoms. Some were lucky and received timely medical attention, recovering after an IV drip. However, one person didn't make it; they started convulsing on the way to the hospital, and by the time they arrived, the emergency room was overwhelmed. There were too many patients and too few doctors, who were working around the clock. The person died at the hospital.
Two people from their building who were trapped in the elevator died yesterday. One was a very frail young man, under thirty, who started convulsing on the way to the hospital. The other was the elderly man from their floor, Old Zhang, Zhang Jianwen.
Mu Nan was stunned when he saw the news. "Grandpa Zhang next door died."
Qin Huai was also surprised. "He died? They couldn't save him?"
Mu Nan shook his head, "That's what it says in the group chat." Zhang's family probably hadn't returned yet, so they hadn't heard anything from outside.
One person had been smart yesterday, realizing that with the power out, they'd be cooked alive at home if the electricity didn't come back during the day. So, they eagerly helped the community take people who were suffering from the heat to the hospital and then stayed there, refusing to leave. However, they didn't just disappear into the hospital. The hospital was under strict management now. A place as important as a hospital could not afford to lose power. To prevent people from crowding into the hospital just to enjoy the air conditioning, the hospital had imposed a strict rule: only one family member could accompany each patient.
So, this person stayed with the frail young man, helping out wherever they could and reporting back to the community group with any updates. However, when it came to Zhang Jianwen, this person's tone couldn't help but carry a hint of sarcasm.
Someone, not fully understanding the situation, started ranting about it in the group chat, probably because they had some free time.
Yesterday, seven people were trapped in the elevator: four members of the Zhang family, a mother and her son, and that frail young man. The elevator was stuck for a long time, hot, suffocating, and airless. The first person who couldn't take it was the middle-aged woman, who had gone out with her son to bring water to her elderly mother, who lived in another building in the same community. They got trapped in the elevator on their way back, with nothing on hand for emergency relief. As the woman became increasingly distressed from the heat, her son naturally turned to others for help, asking if anyone had water. He was willing to pay any price to get a bottle for his mother to drink.
The frail young man had nothing on him, clearly without any water, but the Zhang family had backpacks. Although it wasn't clear if they had water, they were the only ones with bags, so the boy begged them for help, practically kneeling in desperation. But the old man in the Zhang family claimed they didn't have any water, saying their bags only contained clothes.
Whether it was because they didn't want to be taken advantage of, or for some other incomprehensible reason, the Zhang family held out for nearly an hour without drinking any water, even though they were also suffering from the heat.
The result was that, except for Zhang Jianwen's wife, who had sprained her ankle and couldn't go out, the four of them had gone out that night to collect supplies, with water and noodles in their bags. But the old man refused to share, and in the end, he didn't drink any water either. The middle-aged woman was sent to the hospital immediately and was saved, but when Zhang Jianwen collapsed, it took more than ten or twenty minutes for the car to return. By the time they reached the hospital, it was too late to save him.
Zhang Jianwen probably thought he was still in great shape—stronger than some younger people—so he believed he could tough it out. But no matter how strong he felt, he was still over seventy years old. In the end, his refusal to share water cost him his life.
The twists and turns of this story left Mu Nan utterly shocked and puzzled. "What was Grandpa Zhang thinking? Just because he didn't want to share water, he decided not to drink any himself? They were trapped for nearly an hour, and his most cherished grandson was in there with him. To lose his life over some water—it's just too baffling."
Qin Huai said, "As some people age, their thinking can change. It's a natural result of brain aging, which is why many young people find it hard to understand the stubbornness of some elderly. It's not that they're being irrational on purpose; it's just that their mental faculties have declined. Zhang Jianwen was used to being the authority in his family, and even if his behavior was unreasonable, his children and grandchildren didn't dare to contradict him. His usual stubbornness and authoritarian attitude were the main causes of this tragedy."
Mu Nan sighed softly, thinking how foolish and tragic it was to lose one's life over something so minor.
Recalling what he had seen in the group chat earlier, Mu Nan asked, "Is Grandma Zhang alone at home now?"
Qin Huai glanced at Mu Nan. "Probably, why?"
Mu Nan hesitated, "Should we check on her?"
He was thinking that Grandma Zhang was around the same age as his own grandmother. With the power out and the house so hot, an elderly person alone might be at risk. After all, they lived on the same floor and didn't have any serious grudges. If something happened, and her family returned to blame them, it could cause trouble. But if they did check on her, they worried that others might take advantage of their kindness in the future. Mu Nan didn't like the Zhang family, especially after a brief encounter during a previous incident, finding them to be selfish and inconsiderate.
Qin Huai didn't want to get involved, especially since he had disliked the Zhang family since childhood. However, he didn't mind playing the good guy for Mu Nan. But before they could act, Xu Ming, who lived next door to the Zhangs, went over to check first. Xu Ming probably learned about the situation from the group chat and was concerned about the elderly woman being alone at home in the heat. Even though there wasn't much they could do if something happened, they could at least offer some ice water. But instead of being grateful, Grandma Zhang responded angrily.
Because the three households were close together, any commotion could be heard by all. Jian Chu and his family, who were already in the living room, heard Xu Ming knocking on the Zhangs' door and curiously opened their door to take a look. "What's going on?"
Xu Ming, using his phone as a flashlight, looked at Jian Chu. "Didn't you check the group chat?"
Jian Chu shook his head. "Not yet."
Xu Ming said, "You should take a look. I'm just checking on the elderly person next door."
Jian Chu closed the door quickly, knowing that the house was still a few degrees cooler than outside, and leaving the door open for too long would let the heat in. Back inside, he climbed into bed in the dark, found his phone, and started scrolling through the 99+ messages in the group chat. When he got to the part about the elevator incident, he exclaimed, "That old man from next door is dead!"
Half-awake, Yu Zibai rubbed his eyes, his voice hoarse, "Who?"
Jian Chu nearly shoved the phone in his face. "The old man from the Zhang family next door. He got stuck in the elevator last night. They had a whole backpack of water, but didn't want to share it, so they didn't drink any either. After nearly an hour, he just keeled over. I've never seen anyone die from being so selfish before."
Yu Zibai flicked him on the forehead. "He's gone now, so don't say things like that. What's the situation next door now?"
Jian Chu replied, "The old lady from the Zhang family sprained her ankle, so she didn't go out yesterday. Now she's alone at home. I think Dr. Xu went to check on her because of her age and the power outage, worried she might not be able to handle the heat."
Before Jian Chu could finish his sentence, they heard a loud, angry voice from next door, "What the hell! Can't a person get some sleep in the middle of the day? Stop knocking, you're driving me crazy! Get lost!"
Jian Chu was stunned: "What's going on? Why so aggressive?"
Yu Zibai, hearing no more commotion outside and the sound of the door closing, guessed that XuMing had left. He said, "It's likely that the old lady is alone at home. Knowing it's not safe right now, she probably thought someone might try to take advantage of her, so she fiercely drove them away."
Just as Yu Zibai had guessed, Grandma Zhang, hearing no more knocking outside, breathed a sigh of relief. With her husband and grandson stuck outside due to the power outage, she was the only one at home. She worried that if she opened the door, someone might rob them of everything. She turned on her phone, squinted her old eyes, and dialed the first number in her contacts list. But no one answered. In broad daylight, who knows where they were hiding from the sun and whether they were safe.
Jian Chu quickly tagged Xu Ming in the group chat on their floor, asking if he'd been treated like a fool. Xu Ming replied with a shrugging emoji. Mu Nan sent a question mark, so Jian Chu quickly explained what had just happened, concluding, "In the future, stay as far away from the Zhang family as possible. We can't afford to deal with people like them."
Mu Nan clicked his tongue, "Definitely can't afford it. We'd better keep our distance from now on."
Qin Huai patted the spot next to him, inviting Mu Nan to sit down. After fiddling with the computer for a bit, he put on an apocalyptic disaster movie. As soon as Mu Nan saw the title, he said, "I've seen this one."
Qin Huai replied, "Then let's watch it again."
As he got Mu Nan settled in to watch the movie, Qin Huai got up to check on the plants both inside their house and next door. The temperature was too stifling, and the plants had wilted. Qin Huai squatted down and poked at them with his hand. When the air conditioner was running, the plants could still survive, but now that the power was out, they were in bad shape after just one night. If their indoor plants were like this, the open-air farmland outside was probably already cracked and dried up.
When Mu Nan was halfway through the movie, he noticed Qin Huai, shirtless and drenched in sweat, carrying a bag of seedlings covered in dirt. As he watched the sweat drip down Qin Huai's abs, Mu Nan felt a little lightheaded. Before he could think about why seeing Qin Huai sweat made him dizzy, his attention shifted to the plants Qin Huai was holding. With a frown, he said, "No way, the plants died too?"
Qin Huai replied, "With temperatures over fifty degrees, it was too much for them."
Mu Nan sighed and lay back on the bed. "Another lifeline cut off."
Qin Huai chuckled, "We bought a lot of seeds, didn't we? You can pack this soil away later. Depending on whether we stay here or move somewhere else, we can figure it out then. For now, gather up these seedlings, and we can wash and cook them—they're still edible."
Mu Nan got up, packed the small bag into storage, and Qin Huai headed to the bathroom for a shower. When he came out, freshly cleaned, Mu Nan handed him a box of ice cream. Qin Huai took two bites before handing it back. He didn't like sweet, creamy things and preferred refreshing ice pops instead.
Mu Nan knew Qin Huai didn't like creamy ice cream, but he did. This way, after Qin Huai had his two bites, Mu Nan could enjoy the rest of the box.
Before he could indulge, Qin Huai preempted him, "Only half."
Mu Nan flopped onto his side, placing the ice cream on the mat, propping his head up with one hand while eating spoonfuls of ice cream and watching the movie. He didn't respond.
Qin Huai glanced at him, smiled, and leaned back against the bed to scroll through his phone. When the movie ended, Qin Huai asked, "Your thoughts?"
Mu Nan lay on his back, turned his head to look at Qin Huai, and thought for a moment. "The protagonist's plot armor?"
Qin Huai tapped him on the forehead, "Eighty percent of accidents happen because of people you know. Look at how many times in this movie the protagonist got into trouble because of people he trusted."
Mu Nan then realized the point Qin Huai was trying to make with the movie. "You could've just told me that directly instead of making me watch something I've already seen."
Qin Huai laughed, "If I had just told you, you might not remember it. I know you're soft-hearted because she's around the same age as our grandma and an old neighbor. If it were someone completely unfamiliar, you wouldn't have hesitated about whether to check on them. But many problems come from people you know."
Mu Nan said, "I know. I'm not that easily swayed." The real reason he hesitated to check on Grandma Zhang was that he was worried if something happened to her while she was home alone, her family might hold a grudge against them, accusing them of ignoring a neighbor in need. He had seen similar situations in his previous life and was thinking that, even if they planned to go to a government shelter later, they'd still be living here for a while. Having a family with a grudge against them would only cause trouble.
Qin Huai lightly pinched his face, "You better be right! But since you discussed it with me first and didn't act on your own, I'll reward you with a serving of braised shrimp today."
Despite the heat, the mention of braised shrimp instantly revived Mu Nan's appetite. The porridge he had eaten earlier had already been digested by the time the movie ended. As soon as Qin Huai mentioned it, he quickly set aside the computer and went to the small table to take out some food from storage. The braised shrimp Qin Huai had made earlier was Mu Nan's favorite—it tasted better than any restaurant's. Last time Qin Huai made it, Mu Nan hadn't gotten to eat many.
Seeing Mu Nan ready to dig in, Qin Huai couldn't help but say, "Don't eat too much. Once it's gone, it's gone. Save some for later." If he didn't hold him back, Mu Nan would eat the whole bowl in one go without considering his stomach.
Mu Nan realized he was right, so he took a clean container and scooped out a small portion from the large bowl. Thinking it looked too little, he added a few more shrimp, then stored the rest away. "Eating less each time, huh? Do you think if people adapt to this extreme environment, our lives can ever go back to how they were?"
Qin Huai said, "We definitely can. Throughout history, every period of great advancement has been accompanied by various natural disasters and human-made calamities. As long as humanity can endure, it's an opportunity to rebuild from the ruins. So, we need to survive until order is restored, to witness the new world that emerges from the destruction."