Qin Huai was carrying a small crossbow. The corridor was pitch black, and despite his deliberate concealment, even Yu Zibai didn't notice that he had something in his hand. When they finished their registration and went downstairs, Qin Huai, naturally, didn't reveal himself and directly turned back into his home.
Seeing Mu Nan still hiding by the door, looking outside, Qin Huai pushed him inside: "They're here to check the residents and collect supplies."
Mu Nan asked, "They're so fast, they've already swept down from upstairs?"
Qin Huai replied, "With so many people, of course, the speed is quick. Each person is responsible for one household, and there are only five households per floor. They can clear it all in no time."
Mu Nan, curious, asked, "Don't the people in the camp know about their actions? The people who used to live here haven't returned. Even just the rice and water in the house could last for a while. Isn't it better than rummaging through ruins outside for survival?"
Qin Huai said, "Just because our building didn't collapse doesn't mean everyone escaped safely. Don't forget, many people who were at the cooling points at the time haven't returned yet. So, perhaps some of those with closed doors are already unreachable."
The camp's arrangements were mostly divided by neighborhoods. If the community committee still existed, the community members were responsible for the survivors in their area. Otherwise, if they relied entirely on the military, they wouldn't have time for anything else. Just managing the survivors alone would be overwhelming. Since a count had already been done when the survivors were initially settled, matching the occupants of the undamaged buildings was relatively easy. If the household head was still present and uninjured, they could return home. The camp had many sick people now, and staying in their own homes, even without water and electricity, was still better than staying in a high-risk infection zone.
Those who couldn't find the household heads were temporarily assigned to live in the places that seemed healthy for now. Otherwise, if people gathered together, the risk of transmission would increase, and it could lead to disastrous outcomes.
Lower floors were easier to allocate. Since the military was managing and coordinating, even if some people sneaked into undamaged homes to search for things, they didn't dare falsely claim to be the household heads unless they were sure the real owner was dead. Thus, there weren't many cases of impersonation or disputes over who got which room. The allocation process went relatively smoothly.
For higher floors, some were willing to move, believing that living high up, away from the pile of corpses on the ground, was safer. Others were reluctant, feeling that the higher the floor, the worse the conditions. Even if it was forty degrees outside, climbing up and resting a bit could be manageable. But now, with temperatures over fifty degrees, climbing to the twenty-something floors could be life-threatening, so they were unwilling to move there.
The military didn't force anyone. Registration was voluntary. As for those household heads who were still around, they didn't have to return home if they didn't want to. However, most wanted to go back, even if there was no water or electricity. Home was still home, and it provided a sense of security compared to living outside. They had avoided going back not only because the floors were high, and the earthquake had left them too exhausted to climb, but also because they feared the building might collapse. After all, if they had barely escaped, what if the earthquake wasn't over? After all, aftershocks could come days later. So even if there was food and water at home, they were afraid to go up.
But now, with more and more people in the camp falling ill, they didn't know if the building would collapse, but staying in the camp seemed like a matter of time before infection became inevitable.
Most of the personnel had been allocated, and soon, the camp had been reduced by more than half. After dispersing the densely packed survivors, the medical team finally had a bit of relief. Although the number of sick people had not decreased and continued to rise, the pressure had lessened significantly without the concentrated population. However, the speed of disease spread had not slowed down. As time went by, the stench from the decay beneath became more intense. Watching the soldiers who had fallen due to excessive exposure to corpses, the military commander responsible for their area grew increasingly silent. Sometimes he felt like just burning all the ruins clean with a fire, but reason stopped this wild idea. He could only repeatedly tell himself to hold on a bit longer; the difficulties would eventually pass.
The harsh conditions outside were not visible to Mu Nan; they were just distant issues for him. However, in recent days, their building had indeed become much livelier, with many people coming and going. Some people, when passing their floor, would stop to admire the large iron gate and even seemed to consider installing a similar security door on their own floor. But not all neighbors on the entire floor were easy to deal with. With so many people, there were various opinions, and it was uncertain whether they could come to a consensus.
Hearing the commotion outside, Jian Chu remarked at home, "Fortunately, we went back and smoothed out the walls of the two households where we removed the security doors. After a few days, it should be dry. Otherwise, if people saw that the security doors were taken from their own doorways, they might come over and cause trouble. Luckily, Qin Huai remembered that those families hadn't returned before the earthquake. The relocated residents probably don't know whether the original households had security doors. By the way, what exactly does Qin Huai do? How can he remember so many details and even notice these things?"
Yu Zibai replied, "People with ability often remember various aspects of their surroundings without realizing it. It's not that strange."
Jian Chu rolled around on the bed, thought for a moment, and then picked up the intercom to speak to Yu Zibai: "I saw that Mu Nan has a lot of DVDs. Do you think it's okay if I borrow a couple of them to watch? It's so boring with nothing to do at home."
Yu Zibai hesitated, noticing Jian Chu's conflicted expression as he held the intercom. He averted his gaze somewhat awkwardly. Though it was only a brief moment, he wrestled with his thoughts before responding calmly, "It should be fine."
Jian Chu quickly got up, sat properly, and pressed the intercom: "Mu Nan, Mu Nan, calling Mu Nan."
The response came quickly, "Yes, what's up?"
Jian Chu said, "Could I borrow a couple of DVDs? I'm bored with nothing to do."
Mu Nan replied, "Sure, come over and choose them yourself."
Jian Chu hurriedly put on his slippers and went over from the balcony.
Mu Nan brought out an entire box of DVDs. Although he had downloaded many TV shows, he had also bought a lot of DVDs. These items were extremely cheap to stock, and no matter how long or popular the show was, a DVD cost only a few bucks. What he brought out was just a small part of his collection, representing some classics.
Qin Huai sat on the bed typing on his computer, while Jian Chu sat on the floor with Mu Nan, picking out DVDs. Noticing Qin Huai typing incessantly, Jian Chu curiously asked Mu Nan in a low voice, "What's your brother doing? There's no internet, so what could he be typing? Is he writing a journal?"
Mu Nan said, "My brother is working on a game, making a modified version of Snake for me."
Jian Chu was amazed, "Your brother is amazing, he can even make games. Is there anything he can't do? He can cook, is smart, and can even make games. Is there really such a perfect person in the world?"
Mu Nan chuckled, "Probably the only thing my brother can't do is have children. He knows almost everything else. He studied software programming in college, though not specifically game design, he did audit some game development courses, so he knows a bit about it."
Jian Chu sincerely admired, "Impressive, a programmer who can maintain such thick, black hair."
Jian Chu chose two DVDs of Hong Kong dramas, with one series having hundreds of episodes, which could last several days.
When he returned, Yu Zibai was busy with something and didn't come over until Jian Chu had plugged in the notebook and inserted the DVDs into the computer. Jian Chu then waved to Yu Zibai, "What are you busy with? Come and watch with us."
Yu Zibai replied with a "Hmm," took a deep breath, and got onto the bed. His slightly restless and anxious mood was immediately interrupted by the sight of the words "Tam Heartstorm" on the computer screen.
Mu Nan popped a grape into his mouth. He loved summer black seedless grapes the most. Though the skin was a bit thick, the flesh was sweet and not sour. He sighed, "Grape skins can't be eaten; it feels a bit wasteful."
Qin Huai said, "If you want to eat them, you can."
Mu Nan shook his head, "I don't want to. They're too thick and astringent. I'll just leave them in the bag. When it's half full, I'll add some water. I read online that fermenting them for half a month can turn them into fertilizer."
Qin Huai replied, "You can just throw them in a soil pot without adding water, and they'll work as fertilizer."
Mu Nan wondered, "Really? Why does the internet say they need to ferment for half a month?"
Qin Huai didn't know either. He hadn't farmed before, but speculated, "Maybe it's to neutralize some harmful substances in the peels for the soil. Anyway, using peels directly as fertilizer works. When I was young, I saw my aunt cut up banana peels and throw them directly into the vegetable garden as fertilizer."
Mu Nan responded with an "Oh," peeled a grape, and offered it to Qin Huai. After Qin Huai ate one, he shook his head, "You eat them yourself. They're too sweet."
Mu Nan lightly clicked his tongue, "That's not good. Fruits and vegetables need to be consumed in certain amounts every day; otherwise, you'll get constipated."
Qin Huai ruffled his hair, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine without worrying about my constipation."
While the two were having fun on the bed, the iron door outside was knocked again. Mu Nan quickly packed everything back into his space. Qin Huai went to the door and looked through the peephole. It was the security door at the stairwell next door being knocked. Yu Zibai had already gone out to check. Qin Huai pushed Mu Nan into the room, saying, "Stay in here and keep the door closed. Don't come out to join the commotion." He then put on his mask, took the crossbow left outside, and went out.
Yu Zibai stood at the door, eyeing the burly man outside with suspicion. "Is there something you need?"
The man held up a set of keys and said, "I swapped apartments with the resident in unit 3 on your floor. Please open the door."
Yu Zibai glanced at Qin Huai, who frowned and asked, "Unit 3 on our floor?"
The man, despite his fierce appearance, was quite polite. "Yes, their name is Zhang. I live on the fifth floor. They have an elderly person who can't climb so high, so we swapped. Please open the door."
Qin Huai nodded at Yu Zibai. Yu Zibai went over and opened the security door but quickly stepped back, wary of the man's intentions.
When the man came in, they saw that he was followed by a woman. The woman tried to move some things from the stairwell into their new apartment, but the man gently pushed her aside. "Let me handle this. It's too heavy for you. Stand back so you don't get too hot."
Judging by the man's protective behavior, the woman was likely his wife. She looked quite delicate compared to the rugged man. They had several items with them, including several suitcases and large bundles wrapped in what seemed like bed sheets. It was unclear how long it took them to move all these items from the fifth floor, taking breaks on each floor.
After piling all their belongings in the hallway, the man closed the security door and wiped his sweat, saying, "I didn't expect you to have these security doors on your floor. It's good it makes sleeping at night a bit safer. This swap was worth it! My name is Niu, but everyone calls me Da Niu. We'll be neighbors now. Although we don't know how long this old building will last, if you need any help, just let me know."
Yu Zibai, though still cautious, responded courteously, "Hello, I'm Yu, and this is Qin. As you can see, both sides have security doors. It's to prevent people from sneaking in. The main concern is not theft but the possibility of disease. So if the doors can stay closed, please keep them that way. With the current situation outside, we need to be extra careful."
Da Niu nodded in agreement, "That's right. What we fear the most is someone with an illness coming here and spreading it. Extra security is always better. You young people really think ahead!"
Seeing that Da Niu didn't seem difficult to get along with, Qin Huai went back inside. Although another stranger had moved in, he hoped that this person would be as easy to deal with as he seemed.
Back home, Qin Huai told Mu Nan about the situation. Mu Nan was a bit surprised. "They swapped apartments? So the Zhang family won't be coming back downstairs?"
Qin Huai replied, "I suppose so. Is there someone named Niu on the fifth floor? I don't think I've seen them."
Mu Nan thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "I haven't seen anyone with that name in the community group. They don't seem to have talked much, but there was someone with the name 'Three-headed Cow' in the trading group who mentioned wanting to trade water for eggs, saying his wife was not well and needed eggs to help her health. I wonder if it was him."
Qin Huai said, "It doesn't matter much now that they've moved in. Anyway, with the doors closed, interactions should be minimal. Stay vigilant; if anyone knocks again, it might not be Jian Chu and the others. Don't open the door easily."
Mu Nan nodded and, seeing nothing else going on outside, lay back on the bed. He pulled out a plate of fries from his space. The fries were still bubbling with oil; he had saved them right after they were fried. He didn't like soggy fries, preferring them with a bit of crunch. He also took out a bottle of spicy ketchup, which was tastier than plain ketchup.
Qin Huai came out after washing his hands and saw Mu Nan lying on his side, eating fries while watching his cartoons. He couldn't help but laugh, "Eat less you just had grapes."
Mu Nan glanced at the fries and then looked at Qin Huai. "These don't need to be saved. In the future, people will get tired of sweet potatoes and potatoes. They're the only things that are filling and easy to grow. After all, potatoes can even be grown on Mars."
Qin Huai laughed, "That's from a movie."
Mu Nan dipped a fry in the ketchup and fed it to Qin Huai. "The fact that they made a movie about potatoes being grown on Mars shows how resilient they are. Otherwise, why didn't they make a movie about growing rice on Mars?"
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn were considered the main foods of the future, along with millet, which, though not very palatable, was drought-resistant. It was ground into flour and made into corn cakes, which became a staple food. Before he died, one could buy half a kilogram of corn cakes for a dollar, and a brick mover's daily wage could cover that. It was enough to support a family.
Before he died, people had just survived a harsh winter, and a new order was gradually being established. If the future continued with such extremes of heat and cold, life could still go on slowly. It was just uncertain whether the future would ever calm down.
Qin Huai got into bed and patted Mu Nan on the buttocks. "You have so many excuses. Move over you're taking up the whole bed."
Mu Nan adjusted himself, shifting from lying sideways to lying lengthwise, freeing up half the bed for Qin Huai. "How can that be an excuse? It's based on persuasive facts."
Qin Huai said, "Nan Nan, your hair has grown long again. Do you want to get it trimmed?"
Mu Nan ran his hand through his hair and looked back at Qin Huai's head. "Sure, you can cut it for me, and I'll cut yours. I think if I cut hair a few more times, I could open a barbershop and make some extra money."
Mu Nan set up a small stool by the bed and laid down a disposable tablecloth on the floor. This way, the hair clippings would fall onto the cloth and be easy to clean up, instead of scattering all over the floor.
Qin Huai had also improved his skills. The first time he cut Mu Nan's hair, it was uneven and looked like a dog had chewed it. Now, he could use several types of scissors to give it a bit of style, avoiding just a buzz cut. While Qin Huai was cutting, Mu Nan held up a mirror and asked uncertainly, "Brother, do I look a bit chubby? My face seems a bit rounder."
Qin Huai glanced at the reflection in the mirror and poked his shoulder blade. "It's just bones you're not fat."
Mu Nan frowned. "I run every day, so I eat more. Even though I'm working out, I'm consuming more, which might mean I'm absorbing better. I can't eat more; everyone else looks skinny and pale, while I'm just fat and plump. Doesn't that make me look too appetizing?" He knew that whenever disaster struck, there were always those who took advantage.
Mu Nan glanced at Qin Huai, who was still focused on cutting his hair but couldn't help but smile. "You do look quite appetizing, like you'd be delicious."
Mu Nan considered himself to have a metabolism that didn't easily put on weight. He had eaten a lot throughout his life but never gained weight. In his previous life, he was at his thinnest during this period due to the harsh environment making it hard to eat. Perhaps having Qin Huai around made him more relaxed and less affected by hunger, so he didn't restrain himself as much. But not gaining weight didn't mean he couldn't put on some pounds. With everyone cooped up and starving, he had gained weight, which wasn't hidden by just wearing more clothes in winter.
Qin Huai pinched his chin and turned his face to inspect it. "You've been indoors too long, so you're just paler. You haven't gained weight, so feel free to eat. If you do put on weight, you'll get to use all those cosmetics you bought, like contour sticks and slimming creams."
Mu Nan lifted his chin and freed his face from Qin Huai's hand. "It's called contouring cream, not slimming cream. That sounds too frightening."
Qin Huai chuckled. "Yes, I've been watching a lot of beauty videos these days. At least I know what all those products you bought are for now."
It turned out that Qin Huai was right. Mu Nan's paleness was due to a lack of sunlight, making him look a bit chubbier. His weight hadn't changed significantly; any fluctuation of one or two pounds was within the normal range. Relieved, Mu Nan thought it was unfair that he had to actively diet while others were starving.
Xu Ming arrived downstairs with a few supplies: some rice, flour, and water. These were materials distributed from above. As a medical team doctor, Xu Ming received more food credits than the average person. He couldn't consume it all by himself, so he had saved up and exchanged it all for food. This would allow him to stay indoors for ten to fifteen days without going out. Combined with the food he had stored at home, he could last a month or so.
After struggling to reach the seventeenth floor, Xu Ming found that their floor had been fitted with security doors. It was clearly the work of their two neighbors, who were the only ones who would do something like this. Despite the inconvenience, it was indeed safe—protecting against thieves and potential infections. Xu Ming knocked and called out. In the current silence, any call could be heard inside, so Yu Zibai soon came out, surprised to see Xu Ming. "Are you here to stay, or just to rest?"
Xu Ming said, "I'm staying. I can handle minor injuries, but for epidemics, even if I know some medicine, it's not much help."
Yu Zibai said, "That's good, then. By the way, we have a new neighbor on this floor. The Zhang family swapped apartments with someone from the fifth floor, probably due to the elderly person's difficulty climbing stairs."
Xu Ming smiled, "The Zhang family really lost out."
Yu Zibai asked, "Why?"
Xu Ming explained, "Soon, high-rise buildings will be equipped with solar power. But elevators need to be checked. If the elevators weren't damaged by the earthquake, they could be used for power. If damaged, there's no way to repair them. Our buildings are among the few that survived intact. The damage to the elevators shouldn't be severe. When the outside is full of corpses and the virus is rampant, especially airborne viruses, living on a lower floor surrounded by ruins is less safe compared to a higher floor."
Yu Zibai frowned, "Will the Zhang family come back then?"
Xu Ming shrugged, "Let them cause trouble if they want. It doesn't concern us much."
Noticing Xu Ming's exhaustion, Yu Zibai said, "You should go back now. I'll find some extension cords and run one from the bathroom window for you. I'll also bring you the air conditioner later."
Xu Ming nodded, "Okay. I'll go back and get some rest, self-isolate for a few days. If there's anything, we'll get in touch. If not, there's no need to."