Uncertain whether it was sincere or just acting, Ah Ben still chose to stay. 

Jiang Ning didn’t mind. It would leave on its own when it grew tired of staying there. It didn’t consider Building 50 a paradise, where trouble seemed to find its way whenever something went wrong. 

After Qin Chuan and the others took the second course of medicine, official news finally arrived: the development of medication to resist the killer smog was successful. 

It was estimated that He Tianming had argued with reason, and Fengcheng was indeed given a special treatment; they received more medication than other cities. 

Since the medication arrived in batches, it temporarily couldn’t meet the needs of all survivors, so they had to resort to a lottery system and send one person from each household to draw. 

Jiang Ning deliberately tuned to the Yuecheng Channel and found that the Yuecheng authorities did not announce this news to their people. 

Thinking about it, it wasn’t surprising. Yuecheng was a provincial capital city with more government officials and employees of state-owned enterprises than Fengcheng. Therefore, there would be even less medication available for the general public. 

It was estimated that they would have to wait for a few more days. 

With the successful development of antiviral drugs, the eerily quiet villa area finally showed signs of life. 

Some homeowners began to leave their houses and were planning to participate in the lottery. 

Before leaving, they didn’t forget to carefully wash their hands, muttering three times to show sincerity, “Please, to all the gods, ensure that I’ll have a golden finger this time… *cough* *cough* *cough*… Oh my goodness, if I cough to death…” 

Only now did Jiang Ning realize that nearly one-fifth of the homeowners in the neighborhood had been lost due to the smog virus. This didn’t even account for the slums or other areas, which were even more severely affected. 

“Sis, where’s my dog?” 

In the smog, Rong Sanshao approached while wearing a breathing helmet. 

Yes, it was the kind that looked like a motorcycle helmet, with an oxygen pack inside for breathing freely. 

Coming from the wealthiest family, their actions were indeed extraordinary. 

Like master, like dog, the cured Ah Ben still followed behind the second generation of slippers. 

Jiang Ning wasn’t angry. Could she really argue with a dog? 

Just as she was about to close the door, unexpectedly, a large head squeezed in. 

It came back again and this time it’s dragging its own doghouse, along with two bags of premium dog food and toys. 

Jiang Ning, who didn’t want to argue with the Rong family over the dog, “…” 

Ah Ben still looked pitiful, dragging its doghouse to the corner of the yard and not forgetting to offer its own dog food and toys to its big brother. 

Jiang Ning chuckled at this, “Do you think it sees itself as a human?” 

Huo Yishen deeply agreed, “I think so.” 

“It makes me feel like I’m abusing it.” 

In the end, she gave the ground floor to Ah Ben, but she absolutely did not allow it on the second floor. 

It wasn’t that Jiang Ning disagreed, but Coke sneered. Only the big brother deserved to live on the second floor. As for a mere follower like Ah Ben, did it know what overstepping was? 

The weather became increasingly hot and humid, without a trace of wind. By the time the third batch of lottery for medicine came, it was nearly 45 degrees Celsius. 

The air became scorching hot. Thinking about the volcanic ash in the outdoor air, Jiang Ning gave up on the idea of turning on the air conditioner and instead took out a fan and added ice cubes to it. 

Although the temperature was harsh for humans, experts were pleased because if it continued to rise, it could slow down the spread of the smog virus. 

The hazy volcanic ash particles in the air, when exposed to sunlight, would raise the temperature. Higher temperatures were not favorable for virus reproduction and survival. 

45-degree Celsius weather may seem like a high temperature, but the survivors had undergone the test of extreme heat, and their tolerance had greatly increased. 

As for the recovering patients, they began to plant again, but many people started to panic. Regardless of how carefully they nurtured them, seeds either wouldn’t sprout, or even if they grew green leaves, they would quickly wither and turn yellow. 

The inability to plant would lead to starvation. The survivors suddenly panicked. 

The authorities quickly provided an explanation: due to the strong acidity of the volcanic ash and smog, when it lands on the ground, it contaminates the soil, making outdoor planting impossible for a short period. 

The relevant departments suggested that since there had been no rain during this time, the deeper layers of soil should still be uncontaminated. It was suggested to excavate and try planting indoors. 

So, there was a wave of hoarding soil. 

Many went out with shovels or spades to dig up soil, then brought it home in bags. 

Who knows what disasters might come in the future, so they might as well hoard more. 

Those who hadn’t built glasshouses on their rooftops were now envious of the last two villas. 

Even the King of Copycats, Qin Chuan, admired Building 50 endlessly. These two individuals were definitely not ordinary; they could predict natural disasters with precision. 

He immediately gathered sharp mouthed monkey and the others, “All of you better think hard. What did Jiang Ning hoard from you guys before? If you can’t figure it out, none of you will eat tonight.” 

As he spoke, he glared at Sharp mouthed Monkey, specifically addressing him by his surname, “Especially you. Every time she needs supplies, she comes to you. Think hard!” 

Sharp mouthed monkey felt wronged, “Boss, it’s been so many years, how can I remember so much?” 

Qin Chuan took off his golden Chelsea pointed shoes, “How about I help you refresh your memory?” 

Sharp mouthed monkey panicked, “No, no, no! I’ll think, I’ll think! Please, give me some time.” 

Was he joking? If that big pointed shoe came down, it would be odd if it didn’t poke him to death on the spot. 

He quickly snatched the shoe and wiped the dust off with his sleeve, “Boss, let’s talk calmly. My memory is usually good. Isn’t it just because I’ve recently recovered from an illness with lingering effects? Please give me some time.” 

“What are you all idling around for?” Only then did Qin Chuan let him go, putting his shoes back on. “Aren’t you hungry? The rooftop glasshouses are still empty. Hurry up and plant something.” 

While other families were bustling around, Jiang Ning remained relaxed. Back in Aoyuan, she had hoarded nutrient-rich soil long ago. If needed, she could always bring it out. 

Lu Yu called over the intercom, inviting Jiang Ning and Huo Yishen to dinner and mentioning that he wanted to ask for a favor. 

As for what favor, he didn’t mention it on the intercom, but he sounded quite cheerful. 

After taking the medicine, the survivors continued to recover. Although the smog persisted, as long as they had antibodies, there would be no relapses. 

Being cooped up indoors for so long was uncomfortable, so Jiang Ning decided to accept the invitation. 

Considering that both families were not wealthy, she didn’t plan to bring the two dogs along, fearing they might eat too much food and burden the hosts. 

She guessed even that the Tibetan Mastiff was probably ashamed of his appetite, so he lived cautiously in Building 50. He didn’t dare to eat too much in front of his big brother. He would go back to the Rong family from time to time to have a big meal, and then come back with a bulging belly. 

The Rong family knew he was serving two masters, but they didn’t mind. They always gave him food whenever he came. 

The two of them brought Doudou and went to Mansion 42 for a meal. 

Wow, there were two cars parked in the yard—one sedan and one SUV. 

Sounds came from the rooftop; Zhang Chao and Lu Yu were figuring out how to install a solar generator. 

Jiang Ning was surprised. While other families were returning to poverty due to illness, they were actually becoming rich. 

She remembered the flashy red Ferrari; it seemed to belong to a certain socialite. 

If she wasn’t mistaken, both families were making a fortune from the dead. 

Hearing the commotion, Zheng Weili came out to greet them, “Come inside quickly. The smog outside is too severe.” 

As old acquaintances who knew each other well, she didn’t hide anything. She even volunteered to provide the information, “Since the virus outbreak, many households in the neighborhood have been wiped out. When we cleared the bodies and disinfected the area, we brought back the usable supplies.” 

Both families only took from households that were wiped out, and they found two cars, a solar generator, as well as clothes, shoes, furniture, and so on—basically anything useful. 

Even if they didn’t need them themselves, they could trade them with people in need. 

Many people did the same; they didn’t just take from wiped-out households but even targeted single-parent families. 

With the smog making it hard to see, as long as you covered your face, you were fine.