Chapter 14
Successfully appeased, Chao Youqian swallowed the chocolate in his mouth. It wasn't overly sweet, his highest praise for a dessert. He used the kitchen coffee machine to make an Americano, no sugar but half a cup of milk, and finished it with a sigh of satisfaction.
"The coffee machine will definitely remain unused. Although it uses capsules and doesn't require you to press the grounds yourself, this unnecessary power consumption still needs to be reduced. I remember we have a box of concentrated coffee liquid and a box of instant coffee powder in our storage room, which is definitely enough for us to drink."
Lang Xin downed the remaining coffee in his cup. "The question of whether the food at home is sufficient isn't whether it's enough, but whether we can finish it all. However, some dried goods and preserved meats can be stored longer if kept dry, and vacuum packaging can also extend their shelf life."
Nodding, Chao Youqian adjusted his mindset. Blind faith in books is worse than having no books at all. The original novel had a brief introduction, with the outbreak date clearly defined, but also a gradual progression. It stopped updating when the protagonist shut down the school. The synopsis did state that the protagonist would enter a safe haven and secure a stable job, but it still lacked a sense of purpose. Reality still depended on them.
Chao Youqian reviewed the various apocalyptic movies and novels he'd recently watched. If their world were divided into different channels, what genres would they be? A once-in-a-century magnitude 7 volcanic eruption collided with a strange infectious virus. Establishing safe havens instead of orderly, universal control...was it because of a shortage of manpower due to a drastic population decline? Or was it just the beginning of a catastrophic era?
As he thought about it, he started chewing his fingers again. This time, Lang Xin held onto his hand tightly and refused to let go. He used the excuse of comfort to express his feelings, "Don't think too much. As long as we're together, there's nothing to be afraid of."
In fact, Chao Youqian is not a complete emotional idiot, but when it comes to Lang Xin, with whom he grew up, or even feels that he has seen her since childhood, he has never been in love in his two lives, and when he hears some corny words that are so cheesy that ordinary couples can't say them, he only feels close to her.
She had spent the short twenty years of her previous life studying, and in this life she did not want to follow her family's wishes and have a childish romance with a group of kids in Hong Kong Island. Together with Lang Xin, she decided to go to the mainland to develop her own career and life.
In college, Lang Xin's thoughtful and considerate actions subtly repelled those rivals who had been vying for power in Chao Youqian's adulthood. Amidst the teasing and teasing of those around him, Chao Youqian remained naive. Now, due to a sudden apocalyptic disaster, he has a vague understanding of Lang Xin's deepest feelings, but at the moment, he is only gradually beginning to understand them, through a piece of paper.
A smile appeared unconsciously on Chao Youqian's face. His hands were slightly cold due to the numbing speculation and the abnormal weather. Lang Xin's warm palm was like a warm silk thread, bringing him back to the solid reality.
The news of the magnitude 7 volcanic eruption has swept the world. Bloggers have begun to popularize the impact of the same-level eruption 200 years ago on various countries. In addition to the abnormal temperature and frost that greatly reduced grain production, some seemingly major historical events such as Napoleon's Waterloo have also been listed as being related to the butterfly effect (very large) brought about by the volcanic eruption.
After reading for a while, Chao Youqian's eyes became sore because of the densely packed small characters quoted from the literature. No matter, they had already prepared everything to the best of what money could afford.
The 60-square-meter balcony on the 26th floor of the large apartment is divided into three areas, with the largest area occupying half the total area. The chicks I bought aren't making much noise yet; I simply add water, food, and replace the gaskets daily. Some of the vegetables we've grown are ready to be harvested and eaten. To prevent future damage, I've stored two spare hydroponic equipment sets in the balcony locker. I've personally tended to them for a few days, doubling the amount of nutrient solution, soil, and other supplies needed, filling the locker to the brim.
Separated by a thick, nail-free curtain, the second area was the smallest, fitted with racks for drying clothes in the sun when the dryer wasn't in use. The final area housed a tea table and lounge chairs. Against the wall was another ground-floor storage cabinet, filled with Chao Youqian's handpicked sealed tea bags, powdered drinks, and tea cakes he didn't understand why they were so expensive but bought anyway because they tasted so good.
After sealing the windows, only the two small ones on either side can be opened. The rest have been thickened and reinforced, ensuring they can withstand typhoons in H City, a city untouched by typhoons. For safety reasons, the windows that can be opened and closed are not fitted with screens. Instead, portable, removable magnetic screen curtains are used to facilitate ventilation and keep out mosquitoes and large objects. While fresh air is beneficial, it shouldn't be relied upon excessively.
The two basement levels of the villa were filled with canned goods. A complete water purification system sat next to the well they dug. The rooftop was shielded from view and covered with solar panels. The four floors above ground were filled with items recommended by netizens, enough to last them for years. The cars in the garage were replaced with new energy vehicles, one RV and one SUV, as Lang Xin could afford. Through a friend's introduction, he had both vehicles fully functional in the shortest possible time.
A warehouse with a basement level, located in a remote area of H City, a ten-minute drive from them, had been purchased directly from the original owner using an anonymous card and registered to a new identity they had created. Inside were five sets of doomsday canned food Chao Youqian had purchased again from a Costco warehouse in China, over a thousand pounds of vacuum-packed rice, long-shelf drinking water, and various other long-lasting food supplies.
The apartment in City B was simply covered in dust covers, with furniture and other items. At over 100 square meters, it was quite large. Considering the dense population near the apartment in City B, Chao Youqian decided not to use it as another temporary storage point. He then made an online purchase of a single-story warehouse on the outskirts of City B, closest to City H and within a short drive. He then filled it with supplies and equipment using the same method, replacing the main door with a sturdy material that would leave only a mark with a hot welder.
"bite----"
Chao Youqian's phone received a rare WeChat call, which made him feel a little strange. People who knew him knew that he was impatient with unstable phone calls and usually sent text messages. Who called him? He was afraid that it was an accidental call.
When I picked it up, I suddenly realized that it was my graduation thesis supervisor. I hadn't been in touch with him since the defense and graduation. Now the story was repeating itself. In the increasingly absurd yet cruel reality, this annoying WeChat call seemed to be setting a benchmark for him.
"Hello? Is this Chao Youqian-kun?"
"Yes, teacher, what do you want to talk to me about?" Chao Youqian already knew what was going to happen next. He was unlucky enough to be randomly inspected and needed to have his thesis reviewed again. It would be best for him to be present in person, because different levels of inspection might require further revisions or the provision of detailed information.
As he expected, the teacher asked him with a slightly apologetic tone to return to school in the near future and reserve more time to wait for further notice at school, otherwise it might affect his graduation file.
Chao Youqian also replied apologetically that he would, and as a good student, he had deceived his teacher for the first time in his life. He also added guiltily that if there was an unexpected situation and he couldn't go back, he would definitely do it as soon as possible.
Lang Xin took his phone with amusement and stuttered, telling a lie to his teacher for the first time. "Hello, teacher. I'm Chao Youqian's brother. We're not in City B right now, and tickets are hard to come by during the tourist season. I'll let you know if I can return as soon as you notify me."
Listening to Lang Xin's smooth and pleasant lies, which had the teacher saying yes again and again, Chao Youqian patted the man who was taking advantage of the teacher and pretending to be his older brother. Although Lang Xin's age on his ID card was indeed a few years older than him, he was the real older brother!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
