Font Size:
“Let’s not venture too far. We don’t know if the weather will change in the coming days, so we should stay close to home to be able to respond quickly,” Ji Kangyong said solemnly.
“Why so serious? We’re talking about having fun! It’s just a few days out, not something terrifying,” Zhang Heping replied, his excitement about the trip evident in his voice.
Bi Qiao’an looked at the three men and suggested, “Let’s find a place nearby. A two or three-day trip would be perfect. If we don’t seize the opportunity now, we might not have the chance later.”
Shen Yanming squeezed her hand and agreed, “Yeah, two or three days won’t affect anything.” For him, going farther was fine too. As long as Qiao’an wanted to go somewhere, he would gladly follow.
After some thought, Ji Kangyong said, “Okay, there are a few scenic spots near Hai City, just a two or three-hour drive from the city. While we’re out, we can keep an eye on any changes in the city. It shouldn’t have too much of an impact.”
Li Zhaozhao quickly nodded. “That’s settled then! Let’s do it during the National Day holiday when everyone has time off. Heping, remember to swap your shifts in advance.”
Zhang Heping agreed, “Alright, I’ll arrange it as soon as I get back.”
Seeing that they had reached an agreement, Bi Qiao’an asked, “What do you guys think of my two classmates?”
Li Zhaozhao shuddered, recalling the loud girl who had sat with them at the wedding. “We only met them once. What impression can we have? But your classmate certainly has quite a temper.”
Fearing that Bi Qiao’an might be upset, Ji Kangyong quickly interjected, “Don’t listen to his nonsense. He has poor taste.”
“Pfft! My ex-girlfriends were all fair-skinned, tall and beautiful. You’re saying I have poor taste?” Li Zhaozhao retorted indignantly.
Ji Kangyong rolled his eyes at him. “How many of them were sincere? They were all after your money. Think about it, with your fat body, how many of your ex-girlfriends would have stuck with you through thick and thin?”
Though angry, Li Zhaozhao couldn’t deny the truth in Ji Kangyong’s words. Still, he felt he could salvage some dignity. “So what? I’m slimmer and more handsome now. I can definitely find a pretty wife.”
Listening to their bickering, Bi Qiao’an swallowed her words, deciding not to intervene.
Shen Yanming, knowing her thoughts, comforted her by gently stroking her hair and whispering, “We can invite your two classmates and the young people from our company. Going out together will be lively and give them a chance to get to know each other. As for whether they’re meant to be, let’s leave it to fate.”
Bi Qiao’an nodded, and Shen Yanming addressed the group, “When the time comes, we’ll invite more young people to join us. Once we’ve decided on the number of people, time, and place, we can make the necessary arrangements. We’ll create a group and communicate via WeChat.”
The others agreed that this was a good plan.
After eating and drinking their fill, they watched TV together until after 4 PM when Ji Kangyong and Li Zhaozhao took their leave.
Shen Yanming gave each of the three men a gift, which they happily accepted without hesitation.
Li Zhaozhao rummaged through his bag and exclaimed, “Old Shen, you’re so generous! I thought you wouldn’t give me any wine, but you’re really generous!”
Shen Yanming snorted, “With a friend like you, how could I keep my wine safe? But this is a one-time thing. I’m giving away three bottles and keeping only five for myself.”
“Hey, one bottle is enough, one bottle is enough! When I finish it, I’ll come back to mooch off you!” Li Zhaozhao joked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
Ji Kangyong, carrying his heavy bag, asked cheerfully, “Are these all fruits from Nan City? They look really fresh.”
“Not all of them. Hai City doesn’t lack fruits now. With some effort, you can buy them,” Shen Yanming replied vaguely.
Ji Kangyong nodded, indicating his understanding.
After Ji Kangyong and Li Zhaozhao left, Zhang Heping remarked, “I didn’t expect to get a share too.”
Shen Yanming rolled his eyes at him. “You think you’re special?”
Zhang Heping clarified, “I just thought since we see each other often, and they haven’t seen you in a while…”
In late September, changes were occurring throughout the country.
Anyone paying attention would notice that every one or two kilometers, in cities and villages alike, a group of workers in yellow uniforms were digging holes, preparing to build dry toilets.1
Logically, using excavators would be faster, but there were too many dry toilets to be built across Qinghua, and there simply weren’t enough excavators. Therefore, a combination of machines and manual labor was necessary to complete the task.
Many people noticed this but didn’t give it much thought. The topic trended on Weibo for a while but quickly faded away as other news took its place.
Qingyu Community was vast, housing over ten thousand residents. After the property management and the logistics department of the Qinghe Alliance successfully applied, they decided to build two dry toilets within the community.
Initially, the residents opposed the idea and nearly complained to the relevant authorities. However, when they saw dry toilets trending on Weibo and realized that they were being built nationwide, and not all communities could have them, their attitudes changed, recognizing the privilege of having these facilities.
It wasn’t that other communities couldn’t build them, but there weren’t enough workers. The logistics department of the Qinghe Alliance had to prioritize ensuring the construction of dry toilets in each neighborhood. Only when they had extra capacity could they allow communities to hire workers at their own expense.
Of course, communities could also hire construction workers themselves to build the dry toilets.
However, whether it was hiring workers through the Alliance or finding them independently, not all communities were willing to spend money on such projects, deeming them unnecessary or too costly.
In the end, with the approval of the homeowners’ committee, the property management and workers built one dry toilet each in the southeast and northwest corners of Qingyu Community.
As days passed, the people of Qinghua had the illusion that life was peaceful and good.
Why? Because the water supply hadn’t been cut off today!
Ever since the rain stopped, the citizens had been worried, counting down the days until the water would be cut off, dreading the moment it would happen.
So, they were all happy that today was another day without water interruption!
Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an knew that there wouldn’t be a water shortage in the short term. At the very least, the heavens had given humanity a one-month transition period, but they couldn’t say anything.
Since the authorities hadn’t given a specific timeline, it seemed that Zhang Chenjun hadn’t reported it.
In fact, Zhang Chenjun hadn’t told Qiu Manlai because, in her previous life, she hadn’t paid attention and only remembered that water was scarce in the second half of the year.
As days went by without any decrease in water supply, some people began to doubt whether there would be a drought at all.
So, they stopped conserving and started indulging in food and drink, quickly depleting their stockpiles, believing that the crisis had been averted.
Of course, this was only a small portion of the population, and they were destined to suffer and regret later when the reality of the situation would become apparent.
1. Example of a Dry/Composite Toilet:
As you journey through the pages of this apocalyptic tale, I hope it has captivated your imagination and stirred your emotions. If this story has resonated with you, I humbly request your support.
🌟 Please consider leaving a rating and a thoughtful review on novelupdates.
🔓 For those who wish to delve deeper into the mysteries of this unfolding apocalypse, I invite you to support me on my Ko-Fi buker. There, you’ll gain access to exclusive advanced chapters.
🙏 Thank you, dear readers, for embarking on this journey with me. Your dedication means the world.
Stay curious, and may the flames of hope guide you through the darkness ahead. 🔥
Katra1212[Translator]
Hi I'm Katra! Translator by day, lemon aficionado by night. Secretly suspects a past life as a citrus fruit. Squeezing the joy out of language, one word at a time.🍋