Chapter 21
The dire situation brought about by the X virus epidemic continued to intensify, and Lang Xin's so-called family members did not send a single greeting.
He had previously refused to be placed in a position of influence and then merged his company with a large corporation, which had already torn his reputation. Severing the already shallow and hypocritical connection, he felt relieved and no longer needed to listen to the hypocritical lies.
Hearing that the old man of the Lang family was in poor health, Lang Xin's numerous "brothers and sisters" and their mother were like sharks smelling blood. They ignored the call to ban gatherings during the epidemic and all moved into the old house and gathered together like raising insects.
Chao Youqian's family in this life did come to ask a question, but it was just a brief one, to show their kindness. After all, the second branch of the Chao family, where his grandmother lived, controlled most of the resources, so they had to do something to save face.
He doesn't care about these people. He just copies and pastes a set of perfunctory words and sends them to the other party. Then they will know his attitude and will not continue the awkward conversation without knowing his attitude.
News is everywhere. In the age of self-media, nothing can be completely concealed. Everyone has a mobile phone, and with the camera mode turned on, they can capture videos of everything.
In the face of a major emergency that occurs once in a century, the quality and ability of the management of the three blockaded cities, S, W and G, were exposed nakedly and displayed to the eyes of the people of the whole country.
City S, which has the highest GDP and the most developed economy, is the slowest in action and has the most problems. In just one week, chaos occurred frequently. Sometimes the flow of materials was not smooth and the logistics chain was broken. Sometimes, some people refused to cooperate with the grid workers and climbed over the wall to run out of the community.
At the same time, City S has the largest population among the three cities. The hospitals are far from enough to stabilize the exponentially contagious X virus. With a population of more than 10 million, even a few percent of the population can make the hospital crowded like a can of sardines.
Both W and G cities experienced the equally terrifying SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. Now, Virus X has returned with a vengeance. Legacy response measures are still circulating within the medical system, and technological advancements have enabled relatively well-organized epidemic prevention and treatment. However, the short-term rise in vegetable prices and the shortage of disinfectant and masks are issues that cannot be solved overnight.
The medical staff were under greater pressure than anyone else. Protective suits were in short supply, and the patient influx seemed endless. Doctors and nurses were constantly being infected with Virus X. Their former colleagues, fighting side by side, were now dying in their beds, a tremendous psychological burden.
They only managed to hold on in this intense work environment with only a few hours of sleep a day by gritting their teeth. They finally breathed a sigh of relief after the WHO issued a series of announcements and medical and material aid arrived from China.
Special inspection teams from the central government were stationed directly in three cities, and the CDC hotline opened an online channel. Although sporadic tragedies still occurred due to inadequate measures, it finally gave hope to the depressed people.
Celebrities who used to be frequent hot searches have become low-key. Everyone's mind is on the epidemic. When things are calm and free, some people may like to read gossip and talk about celebrities' private outfits. Now the most important thing is of course to let useful information come up and give it more exposure.
Some celebrities and their fan clubs organize donations of money and materials, and do good deeds as if they have a secret code, for fear of being on the hot search and being scolded for trying to gain popularity.
In the first week after the official action after the emergence of the X virus, chaos and order coexisted, warmth and darkness went hand in hand.
Although other cities in the country, except those under lockdown, are also in a state of silence, the atmosphere is much better.
The permanent population of Chao Youqian's community is far below the average, with more than 30 households totaling only about 100 people, and there have been no cases of infection yet.
Despite the high property management fees, the building manager's dedicated service is also very good. In addition to delivering goods to homeowners who value their lives and never go out, they also prepare epidemic prevention gift packages that can be delivered to the door or left in the lobby for pick-up.
After receiving a private message from their housekeeper, Lang Xin and Chao Youqian learned that the gift package contained a box of 50 individually wrapped medical masks, two bottles of alcohol spray, and two bags of disinfectant wipes. These items are currently in short supply, and in cities severely affected by the epidemic, a single package can fetch hundreds of yuan.
The families living here are not poor. It’s not that they can’t afford things, but the huge demand has cleared out the inventory. If they want to buy things, they have to find channels and pay extra money, which is time-consuming and laborious.
The fact that the property management company was able to buy such a gift package and then give it away, regardless of its original intention, has greatly increased the owners' favorability towards the property management company, and the tens of thousands of property management fees paid every month are no longer in vain.
Although the 26th and 27th floors were connected to form a small duplex, they were still considered two houses and they were the respective owners. Since the beginning of the epidemic, they were told that there was no need for home delivery and that if there were any items, they could leave them in the lobby on the first floor. The building manager directly told them that two gift packages were placed downstairs.
Chao Youqian lay on a custom-made recliner designed to fit the human body and protect the cervical spine, leaning sideways to text his roommate Wu Gu, who was also confined at school:
How's the school situation right now? I haven't seen any cases in City B, so everything should be fine.
Wu Gu replied immediately:
[Stop talking. The school has closed the dormitories, and I eat the same food every day. If I had known, I would have listened to you and gone home this summer. Now I can't study at school, it's a waste of time.]
Chao Youqian's hair was ruffled. Lang Xin told him the message from the building manager and pulled him up. "Don't lie down anymore. Come with me downstairs for a walk. The neighborhood is quiet. Let's breathe some fresh air."
"We can breathe just as well with the windows open. I'll go lie down on the balcony and look at the green to relax my eyes." Chao Youqian deliberately contradicted Lang Xin. He had actually stood up and was pulled to the entrance to put on an N95 mask and medical gloves.
Lang Xin changed his shoes and was fully prepared. He glanced at Chao Youqian, the little rascal who seemed well-behaved on the surface but was now leaning against the wall typing. He took out a mask, untied the straps on both sides and put it on his face.
Chao Youqian replied to Wu Gu:
[The school closed its dormitories? Why is University B reacting so strongly? Closing the school is fine, at most a few hundred students will remain during the holidays.]
Apparently, Wu Gu also had a strong desire to complain. Being alone in the dormitory, and being a top student, he felt even more uncomfortable if he didn't play games or watch TV series.
[Alas, I heard there's a meeting in City B, but that picture is all tarnished. There's a case back home, a distant relative who had a fever and stayed in his room without telling anyone. When he was found, his skin was sticking to his bones. He was taken away for testing and confirmed to be infected. Maybe Virus X is more serious than we realize.]
Chao Youqian looked up and asked Lang Xin to put on the mask for him. His ear was pinched, and he glared at him and changed the input to voice.
[Then take good care of yourself. You're safe if you don't leave the dormitory. You can read more of the papers you're directing.]
The other side replied with an OK, Chao Youqian put on his gloves, jumped, put on his shoes tightly, opened the door and was about to go downstairs for a walk after a long absence.
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