Chapter 40
Chao Youqian was lying comfortably in the rocking chair on the balcony, basking in the sun. Of course, it was in a large flat in the city. Although the sunshine was good in the villa, the mosquitoes in the yard were still too dangerous for someone like him who was prone to attracting mosquitoes.
How many people have dreamed of a quiet life without being disturbed by neighbors, but this cannot be realized due to financial and other factors.
After the renovation and cleaning of the 25th floor was completed, life became more comfortable. One household per floor and three floors were all cleaned, eliminating all neighborhood conflicts and no one would know about it when you go clubbing at home.
The weather in H City is getting better and better, just like the situation of virus X. It has been sunny for two consecutive days.
In rainy weather, there will always be a damp smell unless you run all the home appliances such as dehumidifiers, fresh air machines, air conditioners, air purifiers and ultraviolet disinfection lamps at the highest settings like them.
Many people suffer from allergies or even respiratory discomfort due to the serious breeding of dust mites in their homes due to the lack of sunlight for disinfection. The flu also strikes people with weak immunity in the gloom.
Because people with virus X are afraid to go to fever clinics, and pharmacies have implemented control measures on some medicines, there are endless complaints about this online.
After the sun came out, the damp and moldy smell of everything was swept away. The X virus infection gradually disappeared under control, just like SARS, and people's mood became optimistic.
When taking a walk in the community, you can see homeowners who have not enclosed their balconies drying quilts and sheets of various patterns. Chinese people have a mysterious obsession with the effect of natural sunlight on clothing.
The photovoltaic panels at home have also started running again. Now they are charging the solar cells while consuming electricity to prevent battery aging due to long-term non-use of electricity.
The unusual rainfall across the globe was like a gust of wind, healing the hole in the sky that had been there for over a month, leaving no trace. However, flooded farmland and houses, and road closures caused by landslides still require solutions.
The northern cities have finally escaped from the steaming weather in the south. Northerners who used to not know what "boiling water" meant have now experienced firsthand the irritation of rain being like hot water and the ground steaming. As long as it doesn't rain, everything is fine.
However, people are always complex and multifaceted. After a few days of sunshine, they start complaining that it is too hot and they are about to melt.
Although masks are still required in public places in China, the hot weather makes everyone sweat all over their masks as soon as they go out. A wet mask stuck to the face will not be effective in preventing the epidemic, so it is only worn in air-conditioned rooms.
After major shopping malls resumed operations, there was no sign of an economic downturn. In S City, where lockdowns were lifted, cafes in major shopping districts were packed, and lines at designer bag stores rivaled those at train stations during the Spring Festival travel rush.
From this one-sided perspective, people's living standards have increased rather than decreased.
Chao Youqian curled his lips in disdain when he saw the self-media outlets using these individual examples to suggest the current consumer boom. China has a population of over one billion, and even if only a small fraction are wealthy, there are still many people. Furthermore, the pandemic has given the wealthy more ways to make money, which simply means the gap between the rich and the poor is widening.
Among his and Lang Xin's mutual friends, there's one in the logistics business who's doubled his wealth in just two months. Another owns his own production workshop, switching directly from a production chain to making masks, earning millions during the initial outbreak when the shortage was greatest.
Those who have suffered salary cuts and bankruptcy due to the epidemic are all hidden beneath the surface of the wealthy making huge profits. Scrolling to the bottom of this self-media article, it indeed contains advertisements, which are recommendations about the stock market and funds.
Chao Youqian took a quick look and realized this self-media outlet had absolutely no sense of the financial markets. If he really invested his entire fortune as he suggested, the end result would be little better than bankruptcy. He immediately reported the article, accusing it of fraud and other false information.
That was all he could do. After the X virus disappeared, stock prices around the world saw a surge. Chao Youqian sold all his short-term stocks and only kept a few long-term stocks as a souvenir.
Now there is no trouble with rain, so you don’t have to remember to bring an umbrella when you go out, but it is really easy to get heatstroke when the temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius and you are under the sun.
If it weren't for the chickens he had grown attached to and the well-grown fruits and vegetables in the villa, Chao Youqian could have spent the entire summer in the cool air-conditioning of the large flat.
Chao Youqian's circle of friends has also resumed the grand scene of checking in from various travels. Due to the high number of deaths from the X virus infection abroad, the riots have not been suppressed, so he is enjoying the beautiful scenery of various parts of the motherland in his circle of friends.
He really admires these friends who travel around. Even in such hot weather, they still persevere in visiting tourist attractions. When they take photos in the middle of the day, the heat waves from the sun can be seen in the photos!
However, the period of random travel photos lasted less than a week. The weather forecast after the news ended reminded everyone to be careful of heatstroke. Even places such as Changbai Mountain and plateau grasslands, which have always been summer resorts, reached a historic temperature of over 30 degrees Celsius.
The heat island effect is even more pronounced in cities. The asphalt on the roads shows signs of melting, and the perceived temperature soars to over 40 degrees Celsius. You will definitely sweat within ten minutes of turning off the air conditioner, and the surface temperature has reached a terrifying 70 degrees Celsius.
The subtropical climate has become almost tropical, and as soon as you step outside of air-conditioned areas, you're left with sweat-soaked clothes and sunburned skin. The high temperature forecast for areas with high latitudes and longitudes is only 31 or 32 degrees Celsius, seemingly maintaining the Nordic charm of mild summers.
Fortunately, it didn't rain any more, and the temperature could be lowered in the shade of the trees and by the sea.
However, local international students have been complaining on social media platforms that the apartment dormitories are extremely stuffy, with the thermometer showing almost 40 degrees Celsius. However, the cost of purchasing and installing air conditioners has reached sky-high levels and the supply still cannot meet the demand, so they can only solicit money-saving cooling methods.
After brainstorming, we came up with several tips: hold a frozen mineral water bottle under your arm, use prickly heat powder on your body, and the best combination is a cool mint shower gel + the same type of floral water, and open the refrigerator and use a fan to blow some cool air.
Finally, there is a psychological comfort. Just get through these few weeks. There has never been high temperature and strong sunshine for several months in a row. Didn’t we grit our teeth and get through the rainy and humid times before?
Prices have also risen sharply, just like the temperature. The losses caused by the continuous rainfall a while ago have not yet been sorted out, and the high temperature has dealt another heavy blow to the crops in the farmland.
Smaller countries are even less able to withstand the changes. Fast food restaurants in many small countries are no longer stuffing hamburgers with tomatoes and lettuce, but with shredded cabbage. Vegetable prices in supermarkets are skyrocketing, and even lettuce from the gardens of immigrants from Country Z, who have a tradition of farming, is suddenly incredibly valuable.
Domestic price controls have ensured the price of rice and flour, but the prices of meat, eggs, milk and other products have been rising uncontrollably due to the lack of forage, and some vegetables and fruits that are very dependent on temperature for growth are also sold at extremely high prices.
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