Shen Yanming nodded, then got back into the car and drove directly to the foot of Qingning Mountain.

They were late to the party; several rows of cars were already neatly lined up at the foot of the mountain.

Shen Yanming didn't park next to them, but found a corner far from the foot of the mountain and parked the car there.

After parking the car, the two took out a folding tent, a small blanket, a flashlight, and other items from the trunk and headed up Qingning Mountain. As for food, they'd just get it from Qiao An's bag; the situation was unclear on the first day, so it was best to keep a low profile.

But in reality, they were still quite high-profile. Because among the people who took refuge on Qingning Mountain, very few were as well-prepared as they were; almost everyone just sat on the ground, at most using a piece of scrap paper as a cushion.

Moreover, it was clear that many people came out in a hurry, empty-handed, wearing tank tops and flip-flops, and could easily expose themselves.

Shen Yanming chose a less crowded spot, put his things on the grass, and then set up the tent on the cement road.

That's why they chose the front of the mountain instead of the back. The front mountain, having been developed, has many paved paths, so there wouldn't be many insects or ants there when pitching their tents. The back mountain, on the other hand, is overgrown with weeds, and you never know where a snake might be hiding.

Of course, there's also the reason why everyone is staying on the front mountain. Although the two of them prefer quiet, isolating themselves in an environment with limited access to information would really drive them crazy.

Like the two of them, without internet, they couldn't stand being in the car for long. Now, they desperately want to chat, or listen to others chat.

Because the two of them were so conspicuous, people came over to chat with them while Shen Yanming was setting up his tent.

"Young ladies, how come you have such complete equipment? Did you go back to the building to get these things?" an old man asked, fanning himself.

"No, we usually keep these in the car just in case of such emergencies."

The old man was surprised. "Is that so? Where did you come from? You're dressed quite neatly. What's going on outside?"

As soon as the old man asked that question, Bi Qiaoan noticed that several pairs of ears around her perked up. It seemed that many people here were from their homes and were unaware of the outside world.

Bi Qiaoan gave a brief account of the situation outside: "Most of the houses outside hadn't collapsed, but the walls were full of cracks. A lot of glass was broken, and billboards were smashed to the ground. The streets were blocked by cracks and bricks, and we had to go around several streets to get back."

"Where are the people? What about the casualties?"

Bi Qiaoan shook her head. "I don't know about that."

Shen Yanming had just finished setting up the tent when he overheard this and chimed in, "It's probably alright. Almost no buildings outside have collapsed. There might be some injuries, but the death toll is probably low."

"That's good, that's good!" Everyone patted their chests in relief upon hearing this.

Then he asked Shen Yanming, "What else have you prepared?"

"Matches, candles, safety ropes, first-aid kits, and some food. The weather is so unpredictable right now, you never know what might happen next. From now on, everyone should carry some essential items with them," Shen Yanming reminded everyone.

"Yes, just like me, I rushed out without even changing my clothes!" The woman had her arms crossed, but now that it was getting dark and there were no lights around, she stopped covering herself.

Bi Qiaoan glanced over and noticed that the woman was wearing a spaghetti strap nightgown with nothing underneath. No wonder she had been hugging her chest the whole time; it must have been quite embarrassing.

She bent down and hid inside the tent, using her bag as cover, took out a towel, and quietly slipped it into the woman's hand, whispering, "Someone might light candles or turn on a flashlight in a little while, so you can wrap it around your neck."

The woman immediately draped the towel over her chest and said gratefully, "Thank you!"

Bi Qiaoan waved her hand, "It's nothing, I'm just lending it to you. You can prepare a bag and put it by the door, put emergency supplies inside, and just carry it with you in case of an emergency, without having to spend time packing or anything."

"That's right, that's a great idea! I'll do that from now on!"

When Bi Qiaoan spoke, she didn't deliberately lower her voice, and as a result, those around her heard her. But so what if they heard? If they could really manage that, in a crisis, they might actually be able to survive with the supplies in their bags.

"Hey, are you the owners of that fighting goose?" a little boy exclaimed.

Bi Qiaoan was somewhat surprised. It was already dark, and one couldn't even make out facial features anymore. How did he recognize her?

Since she had doubts, Bi Qiaoan asked directly, "Yes, how did you recognize me?"

"Because, because, the owner of that goose, just like you, has a big belly!"

(⊙o⊙)…Big belly….Because I'm pregnant, I'm being treated like the owner of the goose? I should have known better than to admit it!

"Where's the goose? I haven't seen it."

“It’s at home, I didn’t bring it out,” Bi Qiaoan said truthfully.

Before she could finish speaking, the little boy burst into tears. Bi Qiaoan was so startled that she took a step back, but Shen Yanming caught her in time.

"The white goose will die. What if an earthquake buries the white goose?"

The boy's loud cries immediately drew the attention of everyone who had been chatting.

The boy's mother naturally heard her son crying, and she quickly stepped forward and said, "I'm sorry, my baby is a big fan of your goose. He talks about it several times a day at home, saying that the goose is really amazing."

"I came here to take refuge today, hoping to get up close to that goose. I never expected you wouldn't have brought it with you."

Bi Qiaoan felt she needed to explain, otherwise people would think she and her husband were too heartless.

"Well, we came straight back from work and haven't been home yet, so our goose is still at home."

We thought we'd wait a bit longer, and if there were no aftershocks, we'd go home to pack some things and bring the goose out with us. It's probably terrified to be alone at home during an earthquake!

"Oh, I see. I thought you were so focused on escaping that you forgot about it." Look, look, there are actually quite a few people who think that way.

"How could that be? Our goose is a member of our family. My husband and I both love it very much."

"Why don't you stay? It's too dangerous. What if there's an aftershock? What will you do with your big belly?" After realizing it wasn't intentional abandonment, some people started to advise them.

Bi Qiaoan smiled and said, "I want to go back, but I can't because my health condition doesn't allow it. As for my husband, we'll see later, it's not certain."