Yu Xifeng finished cooking the last pot of rice and cleaned the kitchen utensils.

Before going to sleep, she lay on the bed playing a very old game — Fruit Slice.

It was a one-minute time limit round. Each fruit sliced earned points, but slicing a bomb ended the game immediately.

This round, she was lucky, consecutively slicing several bananas that doubled the points. The score was impressive, and she could see the possibility of breaking the record.

In the last twenty seconds, Yu Xifeng carefully avoided the bombs, focused her energy, and concentrated on slicing the fresh fruits.

A furry paw suddenly reached over and pressed on the tablet. Yu Xifeng’s breath caught.

Bang—

The bomb exploded.

Game over.

Little Orange stepped onto the tablet, pressing his head against Yu Xifeng’s chin, rubbing affectionately.

“Go away.” Yu Xifeng grabbed Little Orange by the back of his neck and lifted him off the bed, carrying him outside.

She slammed the door shut.

Yu Xifeng returned to the bed and restarted the game.

The next few rounds weren’t so lucky — only a few bonus bananas appeared. Even without hitting any bombs, she couldn’t break the record.

She felt like dragging Little Orange back in just to give him a good scolding.

She turned off the light and went to sleep.

The new bedding was something she brought back from the shopping district — soft, warm, and extremely comfortable.

Probably because she had slept enough the previous day, Yu Xifeng tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. She pulled out her phone again.

The messages in the community group chat had reached 999+, refreshing rapidly.

“Hallway is so cold, how long will this damn rain last?”

“The building’s been shut for five days, only two bags of wontons left in the fridge, I’m starving, how long will this rain last?”

“Delivery fee is 2000 yuan per order! Why not just rob it? Anyone want to split the order with me?”

“You still have two bags of wontons? I only have water left.”

“Building 1, anyone with food? I’m willing to pay five times, no, ten times the price.”

“Also in Building 1, is there a kind soul who can share some food with me?”

“@Chenchen’s dad, can I buy a bag of rice from you? I’ll pay 200 yuan.”

“All the cars are flooded, my new car I just got last month.”

“I’m about to starve and still have to work online.”

“This damn class is useless.”

“Is the government just eating rice? So many people trapped in the complex, just watching us starve.”

“Yeah, the rescue teams pass right by our door every day, are they just going to watch us starve here?”

“Funing supermarket is still open, can someone lend me a kayak? I’m willing to pay 200 yuan a day.”

“Anyone selling kayaks?”

“Can’t buy one now, they used to be 500-600 yuan, now they’re up to 30,000 yuan.”

“Spending 30,000 yuan on a broken boat, must be rich.”

“The rain will stop soon anyway, so it’ll be useless.”

“You first have to survive till the rain stops.”

“How dare you talk like that, you’re just a spoiled rich brat. If you’re so capable, give me your apartment number. Let’s see if you survive till the rain stops.”

“You look like an angry dog (smile).”

“F*** you #%&*&.”

“Okay okay, stop fighting, harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth.”

“I’m on the 4th floor of Building 2 now, if you’re capable, come over and show me.”

The messages were a chaotic mess, all kinds of things being said.

Yu Xifeng yawned. Outside the door, Little Orange let out a reluctant meow, drowned by the sound of the steady rain.

Yu Xifeng ignored it.

Scrolling through her phone, sleepiness crept up, and she didn’t even realize when she fell asleep.

After waking up, the time of day was unclear. Her phone still displayed the community group chat.

People in the group sure could talk — the two who had been arguing last night were still insulting each other all night.

They lived in the same complex and never met in person despite all the fighting?

No point.

“I want to know who can still afford breakfast now.”

“Used to just eat once a day, now I feel if I lie down any longer I’ll really become a corpse.”

“I’m eating two meals a day now, basically on a diet.”

Chenchen’s dad: “Building 2, Building 2, if you really have nothing to eat, you can come to my place. Not much food, just half a catty of rice. Since we’re neighbors in Building 1, I won’t charge — just a little goodwill. Don’t mind me.”

“Brother, you’re so generous.”

“Brother, you’re so generous.”

“Brother, you’re so generous.”

“Brother, you’re so generous.”

The chat was flooded with thumbs-up emojis.

Yu Xifeng had met Chenchen’s dad once.

She thought for a moment and sent a message in the group.

Luckily, everyone in the group was anonymous; no one knew who was behind each avatar.

Lucky: “Chenchen’s dad, have you discussed this with your wife?”

Her message stood out in the group.

Chenchen’s dad: “Your wife has a short temper and narrow mind. She’s been sulking and giving me attitude.”

Chenchen’s dad: “I’m ignoring her.”

“Haha, brother, you’re this [thumbs-up emoji].”

“Brother’s status in the family is top-notch.”

“Exactly, women just fuss over trivial nonsense every day.”

In Building 2, at Chenchen’s home.

Chenchen was a boy under six, very fair-skinned and wearing clean clothes.

A woman pushed Chenchen into the room. “Be good, Chenchen. Go play with the blocks in the bedroom. Build a big house for mommy to live in.”

Chenchen obediently nodded. The bedroom door was closed by the adult.

Chenchen’s mom took a deep breath and looked at the man on the sofa. “Why did you give away our rice?”

“This is helping in a time of need. I’ve already announced it, don’t embarrass me,” the man said.

“Embarrass you? Now is not the time. Other people can’t even buy food through connections, and you’re just giving it away with a wave of your hand. Did you discuss this with me? What are we going to eat? What about Chenchen?”

The man lay on the sofa, scrolling on his phone, unmoving.

Chenchen’s mom gritted her teeth. “People praise you, and you actually think you’re someone important.”

The man finally put down his phone, gave her a look, and said, “Half a catty of rice, are you serious? Look at your face — do you look like a crazy woman?”

Chenchen’s mom snapped like she’d been bitten by a rabbit’s tail and burst out hysterically: “You drove me crazy. Did you discuss giving away the rice with me? You’re so generous — why don’t you pay off our mortgage then?”

“You think I embarrass you?” The mom gave a bitter smile, worse than crying, “The biggest shame in my life is marrying a man like you.”

The room fell silent for a moment. A ceramic bowl shattered on the floor.

“We can’t live like this anymore. Get out!”

Yu Xifeng saw in the group chat that someone complained half a catty of rice wasn’t enough to eat and wanted some meat.

Everyone in the group knew that Chenchen’s dad had once shown off huge lobsters and steaks in the chat.

“Brother, can you share a piece of steak? I’ll pay.”

“Not even one piece? Half a piece would do.”

“Yeah, yeah, plain rice has no taste at all.”

Yu Xifeng snorted coldly.

In peaceful times, one big lobster and one steak was just one meal’s portion.

What Chenchen’s dad bragged about looked impressive but was eaten up very quickly.

Originally, his family could have lasted much longer through the disaster.

“Honestly, I think that’s enough. People willing to share rice at this time are already doing good deeds. Have some dignity.”

“No way, half a catty of rice and you’d lick someone’s dirty feet? I’ll give you 500 yuan if you kowtow once.”

“He has so much at home, sharing a little is only right. It’s not like it’s something valuable.”

Yu Xifeng got tired of reading.

She laid out a yoga mat at the gym and did some high-knee warm-ups.

After jogging lightly for twenty minutes, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her skin.