“There’s nothing at home, just be careful.”

Jiang Ning hesitated for a moment but agreed. He had stored some food supplies, so he was safe.

Going out to get supplies was better than trying to scheme against her.

1801 glanced around the living room, “Thank you for taking care of Doudou.”

“You should, you helped me yesterday too.”

Jiang Ning was naturally cautious, so he had already stored the supplies away early. The kitchen only had some modest winter melon, pumpkin, and Chinese cabbage.

Huo Yishen nodded deeply and then left.

The food plan was delayed. Jiang Ning turned on the bathroom light and took out some unwashed pork intestines from the space to continue working on them. Unexpectedly, halfway through, the power went out.

After closing the door, she quickly slipped back into the space.

The electricity inside the space was still on. Overjoyed, she felt more confident about surviving the dark apocalypse outside.

People’s hearts are unpredictable. Even with children, Jiang Ning remained extra vigilant. That night she cooked cabbage noodles.

Since Doudou had a cold and couldn’t eat eggs, she added a strip of ham sausage instead. To her surprise, Doudou ate very happily.

Getting used to her, Doudou wasn’t so timid anymore. “Sister’s cooking is delicious. Brother cooked the meal badly.”

1801 was just barely over twenty and it was normal for him not to cook well. Seeing that she had a good appetite, Jiang Ning gave her another half bowl.

Before six o’clock, it was already completely dark.

The Jinrong community was on higher ground, but the water still flooded to the community gate.

The chat group was still lively, but fewer people posted pictures of food. The raging typhoon and blackout finally made them scared. Anxiety spread.

Jiang Ning raised the price to 30 yuan but still no one responded.

First, they were neighbors—if they greedily bought from her, meeting in person would be awkward later. Second, they were afraid too, and cautious about this terrible weather.

With the power out, the entire city plunged into darkness, and the dazzling lights of the past were gone, bringing invisible unease.

Jiang Ning drew the curtains and turned on the solar lamp.

Doudou was scared and instinctively grabbed her clothes’ hem.

Not knowing how to care for kids, Jiang Ning continued to play cartoons on the tablet.

Around eight o’clock at night, 1801 returned.

He wore dry casual clothes and carried a bag, “Jiang Ning, thank you for taking care of Doudou.”

The bag was quite heavy—potatoes, two cabbages, 2 jin of noodles, a box of cold medicine, an alcohol stove, and solid alcohol tablets.

Huo Yishen reminded her, “The power is out; the water might stop too. You better stock up.”

Jiang Ning thanked him and politely declined a few times but accepted the items.

After he left with Doudou, she immediately closed the doors and windows, turned on the gas stove, and started cooking pork intestines in various ways—braised, spicy and sour stir-fried…

Sweet and sour ribs, corn pork rib soup, flame-drunk goose, and green pepper beef.

She was busy cooking until late into the early morning. When she took out the kitchen waste, she noticed water stains on the hallway floor.

Footprints with water stains disappeared at 1801’s door…

Going out during the day, then going out late at night?

With three stainless steel gates, ignoring danger to store supplies day and night, not only reminding her to store water, but the items he gave had significance.

Back in her room, Jiang Ning fell into deep thought—this 1801 was not simple.

…

The rain was cool and she slept very comfortably.

Outside it was still dark, Jiang Ning kept sleeping.

When she got tired of sleeping and opened her phone, it was already past ten in the morning.

She went to the balcony. Outside everything was covered in gray dust, the sky and water blended with no clear boundary.

From below she faintly heard noisy shouting. Looking down, Jiang Ning realized water had already flooded into the community. The first-floor residents were getting water inside.

The power had gone out yesterday; the chat group was quieter, but some still posted pictures showing water reaching the ankles of several residents.

Emergency calls couldn’t get through, and even if they did, it was useless—the duty station had been flooded.

Residents cursed and scrambled to move upstairs.

This area was close to the university town; few houses were vacant. Those who didn’t live there rented out their places.

Some savvy people had already asked in the chat group if anyone could temporarily take in others.

Normally neighbors helped each other, but now with no power and gas cut off in the morning, no one dared take in others casually.

It’s easy to ask for help but hard to send people away. What if they come and don’t leave? Living arrangements are a problem, and so is food.

The biggest fear was helping someone and ending up making enemies. The chat group was silent.

First-floor residents were frustrated—they couldn’t just block the stairway, right?

The typhoon and rain were relentless, the stairs were wet and damp—adults could endure it, but how could children?

Many were unwilling to give up, so they went door to door, knocking and asking.

If it was impossible, they were willing to pay for a hotel stay.

Residents either didn’t open their doors or said their homes were full. There really was no solution.

The door knocked again. Jiang Ning was surprised at how fast the first floor moved, but it was 1801.

He had also just woken, looking a bit tired. “We changed our door; can we put the old one at the staircase landing?”

Jiang Ning eagerly agreed and quickly helped.

Together they installed the old door at the 18th floor stairwell.

Although it was ‘helping,’ 1801 did all the work; Jiang Ning just held it in place and got a key.

When the first-floor residents came upstairs and saw the door at the stairwell, their faces turned green with anger, cursing as they turned to leave downstairs.

Jiang Ning listened upstairs and thought it was good—it saved a lot of trouble and danger.

This door temporarily blocked many problems, but it wouldn’t last forever. Later she would install one at her own door.

Others weren’t stupid. If two doors were suddenly installed, it would be obvious that there was stored food on the 18th floor.

If people rushed in, no matter how many doors, they wouldn’t stop them.

When it got extremely cold, she could take them out again.

…

With the natural gas cut off, Jiang Ning took out a gas cylinder from the space and after fiddling for a while installed the stove. Closing doors and windows, she continued frying and cooking.

Even if the smell leaked out, the rain would wash it away.

But it was uncomfortable—kitchen damp, greasy, like a steam sauna. Jiang Ning was soaked in smell.

But if she didn’t cook now, she would dare not use fire later.

She had a spicy hot pot meal and broke out in sweat, the heat making her feel great.

The water level kept rising, already halfway up her calves.

To avoid anxiety, Jiang Ning turned off her phone and had a comfortable nap, then went into the space to clear some land.

Seeing the timer show a pitifully small number, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Time is life. The hoe swung vigorously, and her two fair hands quickly developed blisters.

Ten square meters didn’t seem big but was especially tiring to till.

After leveling the soil, Jiang Ning divided it into four plots, sowing different vegetable seeds in each—she didn’t forget to scatter a few eggplant, green pepper, and cucumber seeds to plant later in the corners.

The land was limited; she had to use it efficiently without waste.

The space’s time synchronized with the outside but seemed not to change with the seasons. She thought for a moment and planted a tangerine and an old grapevine seedling in the corner.

Rushing, it still took two hours, making her feel like she was cutting off her own flesh.

Coming out of the space, she found the water had stopped rising. The internet was spotty—felt like the whole world was about to shut down…