Men express their emotions very differently from women. Jiang Ning and Zheng Weili didn’t go inside; Lu Yu went in to keep him company and talk.

They didn’t mention specifics, only that it was at the residential complex that they found out he had come to the Fengcheng Hotel.

The shelter environment was too poor, so Lu Yu told him to come to Jinrong Community. “We’re now living next door to A Ning, a three-bedroom two-living-room apartment. You can move in with us first, and we’ll figure out the rest later.”

Jiang Ning called Zheng Weili over to the window at the end of the corridor. “What are your plans?”

Actually, Zheng Weili didn’t want outsiders disturbing them, but this was a special time, and friends had to help each other.

Without Jiang Ning, she and Lu Yu would also have had to stay in the shelter.

“Lu Yu is actually very sentimental. He only has you and Zhang Chao as friends. Everyone has tough times; the flood will recede one day. Let him stay with us.”

They had enough food at home to last two or three months; if it really came down to it, they would figure something out.

Zheng Weili was simple and straightforward, never overthinking things, and she firmly believed the world would eventually recover.

The two chatted by the window as Lu Yu and Zhang Chao came out of the room.

Zhang Chao walked over to them, forcing a stiff smile. “Weili, I’m going to trouble you.”

Zheng Weili slapped his shoulder. “We’re all friends. When the flood recedes, just treat us to a good meal.”

They went downstairs, sat in the rubber boat, and left. Jiang Ning handed Zhang Chao a pack of crackers.

Zhang Chao thanked her, tore open the package, and devoured the crackers hungrily, tears welling at the corners of his eyes.

Lu Yu also contributed the last of the rice balls.

“You guys must think it’s funny.”

What’s so funny? Jiang Ning had been worse off in her previous life. There’s no easy path in this apocalypse.

Back at Jinrong Community, everyone was exhausted. Jiang Ning took out two jin (about a pound) of rice and other items bought from the supermarket. “Zhang Chao, don’t say I’m taking advantage of you. When the flood recedes, you have to pay me back a hundredfold, and give me 1% more commission on orders from now on.”

His greedy expression and teasing tone were the familiar Jiang Ning, with no hint of disdain.

Zhang Chao breathed a little easier. “I’ll give you 2%.”

“What about me?” Lu Yu was especially dissatisfied. “You have to treat me and Weili to morning tea for a year.”

“Alright, that’s on me.”

They opened the door, went home, changed shoes, put on pajamas, and collapsed on the bed. Jiang Ning stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Unlike Lu Yu and Zheng Weili, Zhang Chao was a salesman with sharp insight. She had to guard the secret of the space carefully and not slip up.

For the next two days, no one went out again.

Besides reading and training, Jiang Ning stayed in the room sorting and organizing, working until her waist nearly gave out. Finally, all the goods swept from the supermarket were cleared and stacked up to the ceiling.

The big room was locked, and the key was hidden inside the space.

During this time, Zheng Weili came over once. While chatting, Jiang Ning asked about Zhang Chao.

“How’s he doing now?”

“He hardly talks and sleeps all day in his room,” Zheng Weili had a bad feeling. “He must be deeply hurt by that woman, and reality is so harsh. Do you think he might never recover?”

“He always overreacts to breakups. He’ll be fine in a few days,” Jiang Ning said, rummaging through the cupboard and taking out a bottle of white liquor. “This is from the last order he helped with. His company gave it as a client gift, and they handed me one as well. Make him gulp it down, and he’ll be fine.”

Men need to vent.

Don’t look down on Zhang Chao for being an orphan—people from that kind of background usually have stronger endurance than most.

Zheng Weili thought about it and accepted the bottle, but worried aloud: “The typhoon passed days ago, so why is the rain still not stopping?”

Not only did it not stop, but the water kept rising, making people feel suffocated and anxious.

“Who knows? Maybe one day it’ll reach the 18th floor.”

Zheng Weili: “…” Really scary!

The next day, sleeping in, the door was knocked.

Zheng Weili came over shouting, “Zhang Chao finished a whole bottle of liquor last night, a real drunk all night. This morning he’s fully revived and wants you to come talk; there’s something to discuss.”

Changing clothes and shaving, Zhang Chao looked much cleaner.

He stared seriously at everyone. “I think the apocalypse is here.”

Jiang Ning’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked at him.

“Don’t you think it’s all very abnormal?” Zhang Chao sat upright and started analyzing. “An unprecedented typhoon, the rain pouring like the sky is leaking.”

“I heard a lot in the shelter. The government is working day and night to salvage supplies from grain and oil wholesale markets. The bread and rice balls we eat come from those grains.

Our country, even without farming, has stockpiled enough food for two years’ consumption. So why do they insist on salvaging ruined grain from the water for us to eat? And only give us partial meals; the rest they try to dry and store.”

Lu Yu was surprised. “It’s been raining heavily every day. The grain can’t be transported in.”

“No, don’t underestimate the power of the state,” Zhang Chao said confidently. “If it were just the southern coastal areas affected, aid would have arrived long ago. Unless…”

This is a nationwide, even global disaster.

Before the network went down, Zhang Chao had followed news and forum posts. Many places in other provinces were also affected.

A disaster erupting everywhere at once—if not the apocalypse, then what?

Even if the flood recedes someday, normalcy won’t return quickly. That’s why the government is urgently salvaging and storing supplies.

Hearing this, Zheng Weili and Lu Yu felt uneasy. “Many people are salvaging these days. Should we try our luck too?”

Zhang Chao looked at Jiang Ning. “A Ning, what do you think?”

“The water’s too deep. Even professional divers find it hard. Ordinary people without equipment won’t manage.”

Jiang Ning flatly rejected the idea. “Even if we get lucky and salvage something, we might not have the ability to bring it back. Better to try from above the water?”

“But the malls have long been cleared out. There’s nothing left for us.”

Jiang Ning reminded them, “We don’t have to look for food necessarily. As long as we have things others don’t, we can trade those for food later.”

Lu Yu understood: grab resources before others, but what to look for?

“Medicines,” Zhang Chao said. “Everyone’s searching malls and underwater. We can try the office buildings.”

Office buildings are mostly companies and usually don’t have supplies.

Lu Yu shook his head. “Someone already swept the office building in our unit yesterday. The city’s office buildings are almost empty.”

“My company’s office building is more remote. The waterways there are complicated. Even with a rubber boat, it’s hard to get through with this water level. Some people have speedboats but no fuel, so they can only wander in the city area.”

Jiang Ning agreed. “Zhang Chao and I both know the area. We can try our luck. If we find medicines from his company, life will be much easier.”

The company isn’t a warehouse, but it has an exhibition hall. The medicine quantity won’t be large, but for a small group, it would be a big gain.

Also, that office building seems to house more than one pharmaceutical company.

Even though they’ve already stocked up, it’s only about 50,000 yuan worth. Who would complain about having extra medicine? A single pill can save your life in a critical moment!

So they need to act fast. Once others catch on, there’ll be nothing left.

After hearing this from the two, Zheng Weili and Lu Yu got anxious. “Should we ask room 1801? He has a speedboat.”