The wind outside intensified. Mu Nan, holding an ice pop in his mouth, hurriedly checked all the windows in the house to ensure they were securely shut before returning to the room.
Qin Huai placed the folded clothes on the bed, telling Mu Nan to store them in his space later. He then brought over the dirty laundry basket and asked Mu Nan to take out more dirty clothes: "Let's wash another load while we still have water. In a few days, even if we manage to get water from underground, the pipes might freeze. It won't be as easy to wash clothes then." Although the house was heated, it was freezing outside, and the pipes were bound to freeze.
Mu Nan took out a pile of dirty clothes from his space. While Qin Huai was out during the day, Mu Nan had already done a lot of laundry, hanging clothes all over the house until there was no more space. Now that some of the clothes had dried, there was room to wash more, so Qin Huai took advantage of the time to clean another batch. After all, it was just a matter of tossing them in the washing machine.
Qin Huai loaded the washing machine and tidied up the bathroom. When he came out, he saw Mu Nan staring blankly at the leftover lamb stew on the table and said, "You just had an ice pop. Don't go from hot to cold so quickly."
Mu Nan turned to look at Qin Huai, thought for a moment, then sighed, "Forget it, I won't pack it for you. Just eat at the cafeteria. That thick coat of yours is already making people envious. If you bring your own lunch with meat in it, I'm afraid someone might gang up on you and rob you. Losing some points is no big deal, but if they take your clothes and leave you freezing, you could die. If you don't eat well at lunch, just have a good meal when you come home. We'll enjoy the good stuff in secret."
Qin Huai chuckled, "The cafeteria food isn't that bad. The auntie in the small cafeteria has decent cooking skills. The ingredients are limited, but it still tastes fine. I already had a good breakfast this morning. Lunch is no big deal. Just put the pot away in your space. Tomorrow, you can add some carrots and greens, and I'll have it with rice for breakfast."
In such cold weather, people really needed food to fend off the chill. Mu Nan was especially worried that Qin Huai wasn't eating well at work, so whenever he was home, the meals were hearty. Breakfast was rice, making sure Qin Huai was well-fed before heading to work. Whether it was because of the good food or the warm packs they used, despite the wind biting through his mask while riding his bike, Qin Huai felt warm. His coworkers, however, arrived every day with their faces pale from the cold. If the conditions weren't so limiting, and if there weren't important equipment that couldn't be left unattended overnight, some like Zhou Chuanghong would have preferred to camp at the workplace to avoid the freezing commute.
Every day, their bodies were icy cold, and many of them had developed chilblains on their hands and feet. The cracks on their skin were deep, as if cut by a knife, and some had swollen so much they could barely type on the keyboard. Their fingers could hardly bend.
Despite this, they persevered. Compared to those working outside in physically demanding jobs, they could at least sit indoors and enjoy the warmth of the air conditioning. It was a blessing, and they cherished the opportunity, doing their best to overcome the hardships.
When they noticed Qin Huai had no signs of frostbite on his hands, they couldn't help but remark, "Good-looking people really are different. Living under the same conditions, and not a single problem with his hands or feet."
Hearing their comments and envy, Qin Huai glanced at his hands. The hand cream he applied every morning and evening wasn't for nothing, and the thick gloves he wore weren't just for show. If his hands had developed sores, Mu Nan would be even more reluctant to let him go out to work.
After double-checking the program he had finished yesterday, Qin Huai noticed that Zhang Qi, sitting next to him, had been slumped over his desk for quite a while. He asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"
Zhang Qi quickly sat up, but kept his hands on his stomach: "I just have a bit of a stomachache. I'm not sick or running a fever. I'll be fine after a bit of rest." If he were actually sick, he'd be isolated. Not only would it be uncertain if he could keep his job, but the isolation period might also put him at risk of catching something else.
Zhou Chuanghong leaned over and said, "You must have caught a chill with that scarf you're wearing. It's not dense at all. The large patterns look nice, but they don't block the wind. Riding in this weather, you must have caught a cold."
Qin Huai got up to pour Zhang Qi a cup of hot water: "You should rest for now. If it still hurts a lot later, I can help you finish your tasks."
Zhang Qi accepted the hot water and quickly said, "No, it's okay. I can manage. Thank you. I'll be fine after resting a bit."
Qin Huai didn't press further. He wasn't particularly warm-hearted, but seeing Zhang Qi made him think of his own child. On the first day of the weather change, when the temperature fluctuated suddenly, Mu Nan had had a stomachache and was curled up in bed, his face pale from pain. Qin Huai had to comfort him, telling him it would be alright and that the pain would pass. Seeing someone not much older than Mu Nan pushing through discomfort in such cold weather naturally made him feel a bit soft-hearted.
In the afternoon, the team leader from the engineering department came over and said, "We need to adjust the base station interface today. Please send someone from your team to join us."
Hearing this, Qin Huai frowned slightly. It was close to the end of the workday, and an unexpected task had come up. Although he had told Mu Nan that they were very busy lately and overtime was possible, Mu Nan always waited for him at the stairway on the first floor when he came home. Even though the house had heating on all three floors, the first floor wasn't very warm. He worried about how long Mu Nan would have to wait if he returned late and if he might get worried about their safety if they couldn't contact him. As the team leader, it was his responsibility to go.
The team leader continued, "This is considered overtime. We don't know how late it will be, so we'll provide an extra dinner and five points as overtime pay. Discuss among yourselves who will go. Meet in half an hour to set off."
Five points wasn't insignificant. None of them had officially been confirmed yet, except for Qin Huai. However, due to the difficult commute in the weather, the daily wage for interns had increased to five points a day. Working overtime for a few hours could earn an additional day's wages and a free dinner, which was quite a good deal.
If there were no overtime pay, Qin Huai would have gone himself. With the extra pay, he naturally looked at the other three and asked, "Who's willing to take the overtime?"
They glanced at each other. Although it was cold outside, earning wages, and the five points that could cover more than a week's worth of food, made the overtime attractive. Zhou Chuanghong was okay, as he only needed to feed himself and wasn't very eager for overtime. But Zhang Qi and Shu Bin seemed to have family responsibilities, so the prospect of earning extra pay was quite appealing.
The first to speak up was Zhang Qi: "I'd like to go. Is that okay?"
Qin Huai assessed Zhang Qi's abilities. Routine port interface adjustments were within his capability, so he nodded, "Alright, you go then."
Zhang Qi thanked him with a smile, and Shu Bin, standing beside him, said nothing further.
With the overtime decision made, Qin Huai began packing up to leave. Zhou Chuanghong joked, "Qin, you're always so eager to leave work."
With the promise of overtime pay, Zhang Qi replied lightly, "If you're not eager to leave work, you've got a problem with your mindset."
Qin Huai smiled, "When someone's waiting at home, you naturally want to get off work early."
The other two immediately became curious: "Qin, are you married?"
Qin Huai didn't deny it, just smiling. That home had always been there; when it would become a family was up to when Mu Nan figured things out. As for announcing it, Qin Huai wasn't planning to do so yet. Life wasn't settled, and Mu Nan had grown up accustomed to being close to him, which made Qin Huai uncertain about Mu Nan's feelings. He feared that when Mu Nan learned of his changed feelings, he might react with resistance or even disgust. Without a god's-eye view, Qin Huai could only guess anxiously. Even the most decisive person could become hesitant and indecisive when facing their own vulnerabilities. The more he cared, the more he feared losing it.
Returning home through the snow and wind, as soon as he entered the yard, the door was opened, and two heads popped out—one human, one dog. The human head smiled and said, "You're back! Come in quickly and warm up. Did you get cold on the way?"
Seeing Mu Nan help him remove his hat and mask and using a warm towel to wipe his hands and face, Qin Huai smiled. He felt he was already quite happy and wondered if asking for more would be too greedy.
The successful repair of the base station allowed the local network to start operating smoothly, covering the entire community. However, it required entering an account and password to connect. No SIM card was needed, but each account could only be linked to one phone. The mobile network operated on a monthly subscription basis, costing three points per month. Though it was only a local network with limited resources, the ability to connect with others in the covered area was enough for many. The software also included a community channel, where many who were left alone after the earthquake found solace and a way to communicate. Even chatting with unfamiliar online friends and feeling the bustle of the virtual crowd was comforting.
Mu Nan was the first to receive a beta testing account. As operators and maintainers of the civilian communications, Qin Huai and his team each had three beta accounts, which was a perk for internal staff. Once officially launched, these accounts would be free of monthly fees, but the limitation was to prevent internal staff from reselling them.
With three accounts available, Qin Huai and Mu Nan each used one. Keeping the third account wasn't very practical, as giving it to a friend or leaving it unused would be wasteful. After some polite exchanges, they decided to give the account to Jian Chu. Since they worked together and went in and out together, having one account would suffice for contacting everyone. Additionally, Mu Nan often chatted with Jian Chu, so they decided to give it to him.
Now that Mu Nan could contact Qin Huai at any time from home, and Qin Huai could immediately inform Mu Nan of any work changes, Mu Nan felt much safer and even found a bit of the pre-apocalyptic feeling from the restored communication.
For example, Mu Nan, lounging with his bare feet on a coffee table piled with snacks, sent a photo of the movie playing in the background to Qin Huai with a message: "Big brother's hard work is for little brother's happy, lazy life. Keep up the good work! You're the best!"
Seeing the photo, Qin Huai smiled and replied, "Eat fewer snacks. No cold drinks allowed. At least let it sit for half an hour before drinking."
Mu Nan sent back a face with a bitter expression: "It'll turn into warm water after half an hour."
He followed up with a photo of a clear teacup: "I'm drinking grapefruit tea, hot."
Qin Huai looked at the photo of the teacup and responded, "Good."
Zhou Chuanghong stretched lazily and saw Qin Huai smiling at his phone. He commented, "Having a family really is a killer for single folks."
Shu Bin, sitting across from him, remarked while typing on his computer, "You could find someone too."
Zhou Chuanghong sighed, "In this uncertain time, finding someone is tough. Just managing to support myself is hard enough. By the way, did you guys hear about the wild beasts eating people around here?"
Shu Bin looked up, "Beasts eating people?"
Zhou Chuanghong nodded, "It happened near the school. Someone was diagnosed with the plague. The symptoms weren't severe, but it was still a shock. The person ran out of the school, and later, a military vehicle carrying people for isolation saw a body with half of it missing, with the intestines removed. It was the person who had fled."
After hearing this, Shu Bin's first thought wasn't about the death but about the disease: "Would the beasts that ate the sick person be infected?"
Zhou Chuanghong shrugged, "Who knows? Just be careful. Don't let today be your last because of a beast."
While they discussed the beasts, Mu Nan was lying on the sofa watching a movie. The laundry was done, and while there was still water, Mu Nan filled a pool in the small open space behind the house. This area, left empty when the walls were built, was small but enough for a pool. With snow falling outside, the pool would freeze solid in a day, so he planned to store the ice in the space before the neighbors returned.
Mu Nan had a lot of ice blocks in his space from the hot weather before, so he wasn't in a hurry. Slowly storing one block a day during the long winter would give him over a hundred large blocks by summer.
After finishing chores, Mu Nan lay on the sofa for a while, sent a message to Qin Huai, and then decided to rest. Just as he was about to lie down, Niu Niu, who had been lying quietly beside him, suddenly stood up and began making low, warning sounds toward the window.
Mu Nan was startled, fearing someone might be outside, and quickly covered Niu Niu's mouth to prevent it from making any noise.
He carefully approached the window with Niu Niu, trying to keep it quiet, and pulled back the curtain to look outside. He didn't see anyone, but was shocked to see a tiger sniffing around the gate of their yard.
For a moment, Mu Nan's mind went blank. A tiger—an animal he had only ever seen in zoos—was now wandering around their gate. He wondered if it had caught a scent or was attracted by the presence of a dog.
His first instinct was to contact Qin Huai, but he quickly calmed down. There were walls and iron gates outside, and several doors inside. Even if a tiger was fierce, it would take time to break through, and being careful not to make noise might avoid attracting its attention. Calming down a bit, Mu Nan took several photos and sent them to Xu Ge.
Although the network wasn't fully operational yet, the military had set up communication lines for convenience. Qin Huai had arranged for Mu Nan to add Xu Ge as a contact in case of emergencies since Xu Ge, stationed at Building No. 1, was the best person to turn to.
When Xu Ge received the photos, he was also alarmed. Tigers are dangerous, and since it was a residential area with people coming home, the situation could have been catastrophic. Xu Ge quickly gathered people and weapons and drove toward Mu Nan's location.
Feeling relieved to get Xu Ge's reply, Mu Nan was glad to have network access and the ability to contact someone. Without it, he would have had to hope the tiger would leave on its own.
Hiding behind the curtain and holding Niu Niu's mouth tightly, Mu Nan watched as the tiger eventually left. Although he couldn't see the tiger anymore, he didn't dare let Niu Niu go until he heard the sounds of vehicles and gunshots outside, indicating that the soldiers had arrived. Only then did he sit down weakly on the floor.
He released Niu Niu and patted its head, "It's a good thing you're here. If you were at home alone, you might have barked and attracted the tiger. It would have climbed over the wall and eaten you."
Niu Niu looked at Mu Nan in confusion, sniffing the air and eventually wagging its tail, nudging Mu Nan's hand with its head.
Knowing that the tiger outside was being dealt with, Mu Nan went out to the balcony to check. Seeing no cars or traces of the tiger, he returned inside and messaged Qin Huai: "A tiger just passed by our house. I smartly notified Xu Ge, and the tiger was shot!"
To avoid scaring Qin Huai with the photos first, Mu Nan sent the message before sending the pictures.
However, when Qin Huai saw Mu Nan's message, he was startled and immediately made a video call.
Mu Nan quickly answered, "I'm fine, the house is safe. The tiger just passed by and didn't come in. I notified Xu Ge right away, and I heard gunshots, so the tiger was definitely shot. Don't worry. But be careful on your way back in case there are other wild animals."
Hearing Mu Nan's voice, Qin Huai's heart rate began to stabilize. "Were you scared?"
Mu Nan replied, "I was shocked at first, but then I calmed down. Even without Xu Ge, the tiger couldn't have gotten past the walls. Tigers don't climb trees, so there's no way it could have scaled the walls. I'm fine at home. Focus on your work and be safe on your way back, okay?"
Qin Huai agreed and reminded him to check all doors and windows and make sure the curtains were closed properly. After confirming Mu Nan was indeed okay and not traumatized, he ended the call.
The call wasn't private, and the others had overheard. They were surprised to learn that the tiger had appeared right after their conversation about wild animals. Hearing it had been shot, they felt a bit relieved. Although they lived in separate buildings, they were part of the same community, so any wild animal activity nearby could affect everyone's safety.
They were also curious about Qin Huai's call. Given his obvious concern and gentle instructions, if the caller were female, it would be clearly romantic. But since it was a male, it raised questions about the nature of their relationship. Zhou Chuanghong asked, "Qin Ge, was that your significant other?"
Qin Huai nodded, glancing at them. "Recently, there have been more animals moving around from the zoo. Be cautious during your commutes."
The others, though accepting of same-sex relationships, had never encountered it in their own lives. They were intrigued by the idea of someone so accomplished being attracted to another man, feeling a mix of admiration and sympathy for the female counterparts losing out on such a good match.
After messaging Qin Huai, Mu Nan sent the photos to Jian Chu. Unlike with Qin Huai, he wasn't worried about scaring Jian Chu and sent the images straight away.
Jian Chu replied: "!!! What's going on?!"
Mu Nan: "Probably the smell of dog meat attracted the tiger. It almost came in as a guest."
Jian Chu: "Is it still at the door??"
Mu Nan: "It's gone now. I notified Xu Ge immediately, and Xu Ge came and shot the tiger."
Jian Chu breathed a sigh of relief and shared the photos with Yu Zibai, Wu Zheng, and others, who were shocked and relieved that they were working full shifts for the points. If they had been on half-day shifts, they might have been home at that time and could have encountered the tiger.
However, the tiger was not actually killed as Mu Nan assumed from the gunshots. Xu Ge's team chased the tiger, which had been injured in one leg. While the tiger could have been dealt with without further injuries, some people's reckless actions led to additional danger.