Chapter 24
The rising temperature stimulates people's emotions. The arrival of the heat at this time brings more than double the worries and troubles to everyone.
Medical staff and other relevant workers wearing protective clothing, manual laborers working outdoors... Although persistence is victory, most people live in a convenient society after the development of modern technology, and high-intensity work in a high-temperature environment constantly challenges people's bottom line of collapse.
Walking on the street with only a mask on makes you sweat and have difficulty breathing. People who are stuffy in a full set of protective suits are like being in a big steamer. In order to resist the X virus, there are three layers of masks and gloves stacked inside the protective suits. More and more people are suffering from heatstroke and fainting.
Measures were quickly implemented, dividing the hospital into a specialized hospital for X virus and a hospital for general patients, and installing split air conditioners to prevent the circulating air from carrying the virus.
But these efforts are still a drop in the bucket in the generally scorching heat. People brave the scorching sun to transport supplies and ensure transportation, while still working tirelessly in heavy protective gear. All we can do is offer our sincerest blessings to these selfless individuals and provide them with assistance to the best of our ability.
Iced drinks, snacks, cooling teas and medicines were distributed to various locations, and air-conditioning fans donated by the company also arrived, finally easing the tense and irritable mood under the high temperature.
This year's summer is extremely hot. Not only have the highest summer temperatures in various provinces and cities in China broken the records of the past few decades, but even countries in the southern hemisphere that should have entered winter have maintained temperatures around 30 degrees.
In Country E, where 80% of residents lack air conditioning, people are already soaking in fountains at tourist attractions, and beaches are packed with people. Due to the impact of the X-virus epidemic, logistics have slowed, labor costs have skyrocketed, and the cost of installing air conditioning has more than doubled. The heat wave has caused numerous deaths and heatstroke, and energy costs are still rising, creating serious challenges for people's livelihoods.
The economy of the vast American country has been in a downturn as the uncontrolled epidemic and wildfires caused by high temperatures have spread. The stock market has been halted three times in a week, proving the truth that if you live long enough, you will see everything.
The global extreme weather reminds people of the volcanic eruption natural disaster a while ago, but the historical data is thin and only records the abnormally low temperature in the second year of the volcanic eruption. There is no concrete evidence to prove that the current high temperature is related to the level 7 volcanic eruption.
The final explanation given by meteorological experts was that the atmospheric circulation was abnormal, which had no direct relationship with the volcanic eruption, but the ocean also had a certain degree of abnormality, and the El Niño phenomenon might occur.
Chao Youqian can feel the summer heat from his electricity bill. Central air conditioning runs throughout both floors of his home, maintaining a constant 24°C. The hotter the weather, the more electricity is used. While this amount pales in comparison to their savings, the impact of the persistent 37°C heat is still palpable.
There are many things stored at home, and the largest space outside of the refrigerator and freezer is occupied by food and water stored at room temperature. However, room temperature storage does not mean that things are kept at home, but generally refers to 20-25 degrees Celsius, so this consumption is necessary.
The high temperature in H City is better than that in southern cities. As long as you don't stay under the scorching sun, the perceived temperature at home or in the shade will be several degrees lower than the theoretical 37 degrees.
The hottest places in the world are usually located in deserts, where temperatures can reach over 50 degrees Celsius and as high as 58 degrees Celsius. Now the temperatures in cities in some tropical countries have exceeded this limit, and due to backward economic development, the number of deaths due to high temperatures has reached triple digits.
The temperature in the locked-down city surpassed 40 degrees Celsius. The air conditioning in the large quarantine center was insufficient, only dropping it to 28 or 29 degrees Celsius. Even if you didn't move, you'd break out in a sweat. People lost their former enthusiasm, their bodies clinging to the sticky sweat. Showering inside the quarantine center was inconvenient; the showers were shared and required waiting in line. Everyone lazily lay in bed, awaiting their recovery and discharge.
Not everyone is happy about being cooped up at home. The weather is hot, and things can't be stored. Opening windows for ventilation is daunting, and the heat is unavoidable, so the air conditioner has to run 24 hours a day.
Using air conditioning for a long time has an impact on human health. Elderly people with underlying diseases such as rheumatism will experience swollen and painful joints, and even joint deformations. It is also a bit harmful to young children. Children's body systems are not fully developed, and they are most susceptible to respiratory diseases such as rhinitis.
But it is impossible for people to endure the high temperature of over 40 degrees. These diseases are chronic and not fatal. However, if the air conditioner is not turned on in high temperatures, dehydration and shock may occur quickly.
Choose the lesser of two evils. In the scorching hot weather, almost no one is walking on the street, and all you can hear is the buzzing sound of the air conditioner outdoor unit.
The worst hit are those living in these hot cities without air conditioning. Some usually return to their hometowns or to cooler climes in the summer, while others try to save money, figuring the highs will only be over 30 degrees for a few days and they'll be fine.
The heat was unbearable at home, and buying a new one was essential. Air conditioners were available during the pandemic, but the installers couldn't enter the residential complex. Most people lived in high-rise buildings, and without safety devices and specialized equipment, securing the outdoor unit was impossible, making this a difficult process.
So there was this kind of news: #Hilarious! An air conditioner installer installed dozens of air conditioners in the residential complex where he lives#. In a phone interview, the worker said that the number of air conditioners he installed this month was several times more than before the epidemic.
Behind the comedy is tragedy. Not every community has relevant professionals, and there are even more people who are struggling at home.
Y City, the coolest city in China, is located at a high altitude near the mountains, so summer temperatures never reach 30 degrees Celsius. Few homes have air conditioning. On the hottest days, when the temperature is around 31 or 32 degrees Celsius, I head to the cafes in the shopping district to enjoy the air conditioning, returning home when it cools down in the evening.
The lockdown triggered by the X virus and the unprecedented sustained temperature of 35 degrees Celsius has left many people sweltering at home, drinking water like crazy and unable to sleep. Turning on fans and opening windows has had little effect on cooling the air.
Fortunately, the number of people infected with the X virus in Y City has been kept in the single digits and they are all close contacts of previously infected people. The government has opened a green channel to allow air conditioner installers to enter and exit the community, but it uses a one-to-one model, with one team of workers only responsible for one community to prevent contact between multiple people.
The hot weather made the tips for avoiding the heat go viral and were even broadcast on the news broadcast.
First of all, you should not open the windows randomly. You should choose the time in the morning and evening when the temperature is relatively lower. Secondly, families with the conditions can buy some heat-insulating curtains or heat-insulating paper to block ultraviolet rays and lower the indoor temperature. Lay a cool mat, drop some toilet water into cold water and wipe it with a towel. If there is no air conditioning, you can freeze some ice cubes and ice water in the refrigerator, put them in a basin and place it in front of the fan.
Besides these official calls, there are even more folk remedies for cooling down in the summer heat. These include freezing a bottle of mineral water and tucking it under your arm, using water mattresses, and using misting fans. Online stores are dominated by various cooling gadgets. However, during periods of extreme heat, logistics operations are slowed down due to reduced staffing, and there have even been incidents of large trucks spontaneously combusting and exploding on highways.
Compared to places where express delivery is not available, everyone can still be more patient. Everyone is facing various difficulties under the X virus. Mutual tolerance can benefit both ourselves and others, maintain a positive attitude, and keep the body healthy and immune.
This is the third week of being quarantined at home. Chao Youqian and Lang Xin stay home completely, never leaving the house. Their refrigerator is fully stocked from last week's stocking. The high temperatures mean the building manager has reduced the number of deliveries they pick up to once a day, but since there are no confirmed cases in their complex, they can pick them up themselves.
The weather was too hot, and everyone had stocked up a certain amount of goods in the previous two weeks. Everyone understood the pain of walking in the sun when the temperature was almost 40 degrees Celsius. The delivery time for orders was after the sun went down.
Chao Youqian and Lang Xin went to pick up the large amount of goods they bought in the second week by themselves. On a night when the temperature was only around 20 degrees Celsius, the two of them went directly to the entrance of the community and pushed a cart to pick up the goods.
Before the high temperature hit, Chao Youqian saw online posts about various restaurants introducing new takeout packages in order to increase sales, and he tried them out of greed.
Excluding hamburgers, there are a bunch of them frozen in the refrigerator. Take them out, thaw them slightly, heat them in the oven, and add a slice of cheese to make the taste even better.
So for the last three days of the second week, they ordered one or two takeout meals every day and asked the building manager to put them in the elevator. They controlled the elevator button for the 26th floor at home and then sprayed the outer packaging on the shelf at the door with alcohol to disinfect it so they could get the food without face-to-face contact.
The epidemic in H City is not serious, and you can still order takeout as usual, but the delivery fee has increased a bit. For distant restaurants, there are two options: city-wide delivery and errand delivery. As long as delivery is available, it is not a problem. Happy ordering.
The food at the morning tea restaurant was delicious. The purple-gold chicken feet were soft, glutinous, and sweet, the steamed taro pork ribs were flavorful and meaty, and the shrimp dumplings were filled with three fresh shrimp. A table cost a few hundred yuan, slightly higher than dining in a restaurant. I had some pre-made food from this chain at home, so I didn't have to worry about missing out.
The hot pot was delivered in a large package, complete with the pot, the pre-cooked ingredients in a box, and the toppings in smaller boxes. You can add the ingredients to the condiments section when you order. The beef was excellent quality, and I generously ordered three servings of tripe and duck intestines, which are relatively small portions.
We chose a tomato and chili oil hot pot. After finishing, Lang Xin decided to stock up on another case of hot pot base. He ordered ten more servings of each beef dish from the hot pot restaurant and bought dozens of bags of hot pot base. Note to the vendor: I just ordered something really good, so I'm stocking up at home. No need to send the pot.
The errand boy saw the same name, and was a little confused. He had already given the gift once, so why did he give it again? Chao Youqian gave the errand boy 100 yuan. At that time, the temperature was 27 or 28 degrees, and riding an electric bike for several kilometers was not close.
That evening, they also ordered a seafood barbecue and hot pot, filling them up without a main course. Summer is all about crayfish, skewers, and ice-cold beer, and they both stayed up late to enjoy this dinner and late-night snack.
For the prawns, I ordered three flavors: spicy, sour, and fragrant. For the crayfish, I chose salted egg yolk, five-spice, and spicy flavors. I ordered four crab roe, which were fresh, sweet, and moist, with so much crab roe and meat that it overflowed with the bite.
The taste is very good, but seafood dishes are not easy to preserve. I bought seasoning packets from the online WeChat store opened by the boss, so I can cook shrimps and other frozen seafood in the freezer in the same way.
Their last takeout meal was roast duck. This restaurant had a very good reputation on the review boards, and surprisingly, their sauces were the most praised. Chao Youqian and Lang Xin had tried them out of curiosity when they visited H City.
After a phone call with the owner, I also bought five bottles of their secret sauce along with my meal: two non-spicy and three spicy. Wrapping the sliced roast duck, scallions, and cucumbers in the sauce in spring rolls was a delicious experience.
Both of them have Cantonese flavors and can eat spicy food. There are several boxes of clay pot rice with different flavors in the instant rice. The delicious sauces are mixed with soy sauce, and it is absolutely delicious when poured over the rice.
There are also tendon cakes that are stockpiled, and the pre-prepared dishes include a wide variety of roast meats. A steamed bun wrapped with roast meat and sauce can replace roast duck and become another delicious dish.
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