Chapter 7

Chao Youqian felt like a pig that was being raised to be slaughtered for meat when it reached its weight. After waking up, he had the hotel meal at noon, swallowed a few pills and a cup of instant powder, and was then persuaded to lie on the bed for a nap.

Even though he felt perfectly relaxed and his temperature was normal, Lang Xin was incredibly nervous. Chao Youqian knew he'd been frightened yesterday, so he didn't act like a spoiled child and just lay back in bed. But he resisted, reserving his right to lie awake and watch a movie.

Lang Xin didn't leave either. Instead, they leaned against the bedside pillow and watched a high-rated movie. It was about a hapless astronaut stranded on Mars who was growing potatoes. Chao Youqian suddenly had an idea and said, "We could grow some crops at home. The balcony on the 26th floor is big enough to store a lot of things."

This clever guy, full of fantastic ideas, could even think of things to prepare for in real life from movies when he was sick. Lang Xin smiled and said, "Okay, there are ready-made home planting kits on the market now. We can just buy one with pre-grown seedlings. But we'll buy them tomorrow and complete the list you made while we're at it. Take your medicine and get plenty of sleep at the hotel today."

Chao Youqian's desire to leave was dispelled, and he remained in his room. He was a little reluctant to check out the next day; it was actually quite comfortable. It would have been even better if Lang Xin had let him swim in the heated rooftop pool before leaving.

Pulling the suitcase out of the room, the two of them were still wearing medical masks. The elevator to the top floor went down smoothly. When they arrived at the lobby, they saw coughing sounds among the people waiting for the elevator.

Lang Xin took the opportunity to whisper, "Don't you remember the kid who coughed up blood in the hospital? There are so many people sick right now, the virus might have already begun to spread and become latent. The swimming pool upstairs isn't private after all. You've just recovered from your illness. What if you get infected by going to a public pool?"

Chao Youqian nodded dejectedly. When Lang Xin was a child, he taught him to drink more hot water and wear more clothes in a condescending manner. Now that he has grown up, he is strictly controlled by him. It has to be said that it is a cycle.

The large flat is a half-hour drive from the hotel, right next to the city park, and within two kilometers of major shopping districts, hospitals, and other infrastructure. Last night, the oversight team returned to City B with a triumphant finish, posting photos and videos of the two properties meticulously cleaned.

Having registered my license plate number in advance, I drove through the security gate and into the basement garage without any problems. Since I bought the top and second floors, and they connected them, I also had a large garage with four parking spaces.

From this floor, you can swipe your card and ascend directly to the 26th floor. This is where the security and privacy of this large, two-elevator-per-unit apartment comes into play. Each unit has its own floor, and access is impossible without a card. Each floor's fire exits are controlled by your own key, and you can't use the fire escape stairs to access other floors privately.

This was another building across the street, unobstructed. Its roof wasn't open, but rather a closed, sloping roof, allowing accumulated snow and water to slide off. The building had been built less than five years earlier, and its construction was earthquake-resistant and fireproof. Unless a helicopter arrived with heavy machine gun fire, their home would be impossible to breach from the outside.

Custom-made stainless steel sliding gates were installed at the elevator entrances and fire exits on both floors. A lawyer confirmed that as long as the area in front of the elevators isn't a common area but is included in the property ownership certificate, neither the property management nor the relevant authorities can remove it. Of course, offering to pay for a convenient passage is also an option. After paying a small fee to the real estate agent and property management, the installation went very smoothly.

The gates are still open to allow for easy access for the cleaning team and those who will be delivering goods. Both floors have battery-powered smart locks with visual peepholes, and there are also mechanical keys for when the battery runs out.

When you need help from the property management or other personnel, you only need to send the password. After the service is completed, the password of the gate can be changed by yourself in the online program. It is the third line of defense besides the elevator and rolling gate.

After unlocking the door with my fingerprint, I found the house was spotless, with a faint scent of disinfectant in the air. I flipped on the main control for the fresh air system, and the air pumped into the room was refreshing.

As expected of H City, which has no heavy industry and focuses on developing tourism and cultural industries, the air next to the park becomes fresher after being purified by the fresh air system.

The bright and clean house is spacious and airy, its minimalist, light-luxury design aesthetic looking classy and elegant. However, it will soon be filled with supplies, and the designer sofas and furniture will become secondary.

On the 26th floor, apart from replacing the glass with a double-layer, thickened, explosion-proof, bullet-proof, light-transmitting and privacy-protecting type, and replacing the white gauze curtains with cleaned, thick, sound-proof, heat-insulating and light-blocking curtains, there are not many other changes.

The original 98-inch large-screen 4K TV on the TV wall in the living room was moved to the audio-visual room, and it and the 150-inch sound-transparent screen each occupy a wall. The Eames recliner and massage chair are installed opposite the two screens respectively. Combined with the perfect sound system and soundproofing, the feeling of satisfaction is overflowing.

The master and guest bedrooms each had custom-installed, top-of-the-line air conditioners, and the en suite bathrooms and walk-in closets were spotless and dust-free. The bedding was the same brand you'd find in a five-star hotel, and thanks to a thorough cleaning, the sheets, pillows, and quilt exuded a freshly laundered lavender scent.

The kitchen was fully equipped with appliances. Besides the existing steam oven, microwave, and dishwasher, there were also several gas stoves on the spacious countertop. A more powerful garbage disposal was installed under the sink, the open-flame stove was connected to the gas tank, and the wiring for the induction cooktop was fully installed.

The laundry room originally located in the nanny's room was also incorporated into the storage room. The independent third bathroom was equipped with a washing machine and dryer, and other places were converted into storage cabinets.

After connecting the two floors, we didn’t have enough time, so we chose a simple staircase and used the slide next to it to transport heavy objects downstairs.

The 27th floor is more spacious than the 26th floor. More than a dozen oversized storage cabinets occupy the space of the living room. Except for the master bedroom, the three rooms are simply installed with multifunctional combination metal storage racks for storage. They are heavy-duty and can be snapped in and moved.

There's no natural gas in the kitchen, so there are four large gas tanks under the stove. The same model garbage disposal is a spare, and the rest of the space is occupied by three newly purchased freezers and a large refrigerator.

The balcony facade and the ground are full of installed solar panels. They may be covered with anti-peep film and their efficiency indoors will be lower than hanging them on the roof or exterior wall, but safety and privacy come first. Once so many solar panels are hung out, they will definitely attract people's attention.

The solar battery in the nanny's room and the fully charged battery storage battery share half of the space. The water tanks in the two bathrooms show the seriousness of the installers. The manual switch controls the water pipe, and the water purification equipment can easily replace the filter element.

Chao Youqian explored every corner of the two-story flat and was as satisfied as Lang Xin. Next, it was time to stock up and fill up all the empty lockers!