Chapter 145
Because before leaving, he had said that he might stay overnight at Qinghe's place, and this would be the first time he was negotiating cooperation with them, so many details needed to be agreed upon, and it was possible that some time would be needed. So Mu Nan did not expect Qin Huai and the others to return in the morning. After delivering the leather and cloth to Yang Jing, he fertilized and watered the melons and grass at home, fed the chickens and rabbits, and then started to do a thorough cleaning at home.
When they left, the air conditioner in the house was on all the time, the doors and windows were closed, and they had only been away for two or three days, so the house couldn't be that dirty. But Qin Huai was not there, and he didn't want to sit around and wait for nothing, so he simply disinfected the entire house and cleaned it. As for cleaning, for Mu Nan, it was either not done at all or left it in a mess, or if he did it, he had to do it thoroughly. He even got on the floor and wiped the bedroom on the third floor carefully, just to make the house clean. It happened that he had used up his energy, so he could sleep until dark to avoid being unable to sleep because of worries.
As a result, just after finishing the cleaning and taking a shower and about to go to bed, he received a message from Qin Huai. Mu Nan was surprised and quickly got up from the bed. He actually went and came back on the same day.
Jian Chu and Song Jia also received the news immediately, so after replying in the group, they ran to Mu Nan to prepare things. Jian Chu was a little annoyed: "If I had known that this could develop a career line, I would not have sold the oil the day before yesterday. At least I can use it repeatedly several times."
The environment is like this now, so there is no condition to be particular about it, let alone using it repeatedly. Even if it turns black, as long as it is not poisonous and cannot kill people, some people will not mind. Of course, they will not use it so exaggeratedly. At most, they will use it a few times and then sell it to get their investment back.
Song Jia was a little worried when he saw Mu Nan carrying the big barrel of oil that he had stockpiled last time. These oils were stockpiled when the online mall was first launched in winter, when supplies were not so tight. Although he didn't know what kind of oil these were, the oils sold by the government would not kill people, and the oil looked clear and clean. Although it was filled into the old mineral water barrels, not sealed oil barrels, it was still oil after all.
At that time, this large barrel of oil cost twenty points. Identity cards had not yet been replaced, and points had not yet been converted into currency, so Qin Huai and his friends stockpiled a lot. They had a lot of points at that time. The deer they hunted, the canned food they found, and even the vegetables Qin Huai grew at home could all be exchanged for points, so they stockpiled them without hesitation.
Qin Huai's family stockpiled a lot of oil, but his family and Jian Chu's family were afraid that this kind of unsealed bottled oil would go bad in the summer, so they only bought one hundred points worth of oil, which means five barrels. Such a large barrel is enough to last a year if you save it. As a result, now, not only has the oil price skyrocketed, but the purchase limit makes it impossible to buy it even by rushing to buy it. Only Qin Huai's family is rich enough to take out a little to do business.
But this is not a long-term solution after all. Although they had stockpiled a lot of oil at the beginning and the oil barrels survived the flood without breaking, they will run out one day. Song Jia said: "If we want to develop this business line, we must at least find a channel to buy oil. Otherwise, even if we use all the stocks of these companies, it will not last long. Besides, we have to consume it ourselves. We can't just sell it abroad and make money but not be able to fill the gap at home."
Mu Nan said, "Let's use it today. They should have already thought of what we can think of. Then we can work together to find a solution."
After checking the time, several people walked towards the small square with their things. They had a tricycle, a stove, firewood that had been soaked in water and dried, and even some coal that had been moved to the rooftop and soaked in water and dried. All of them could be used. Song Jia rode the tricycle loaded with a lot of things, while Jian Chu and Mu Nan followed behind on bicycles. Before leaving, they said hello to the girls and told them that Niuniu was still at home, so they could leave her there if they had any problems.
Niu Niu has many uses. She can defend and attack, stay at home to protect the yard, and also go out to deliver messages.
However, when Song Jia said this, Sun Sisi rolled her eyes: "By the time Niuniu runs over to find you, our cell phones would have already called the police eight hundred times!"
When they arrived at the small square, they hadn't come yet. It would take more than ten minutes to get here. Jian Chu took out his phone and said, "Let's set up a group for those who buy bamboo worms. If you are interested, join the group. When you open a stall in the future, just shout in the group. After all, it will be a stable source of customers."
Mu Nan said: "Then I'll leave it to you." He didn't want to get involved in these things. Although it was online, it would be noisy if there were too many people.
Song Jia sat aside and fanned himself through the mesh clothes. He wore a vest under the mesh to protect himself from mosquito bites without being too stuffy. But it was really hot to be covered from head to toe, even with just a layer of mesh, it was still hot.
"I feel like it's almost sixty degrees again now."
Jian Chu said with sweat all over his body: "It doesn't matter, as long as it doesn't kill me. Anyway, I am more resistant to heat this year than last year. Human potential is really infinite."
Mu Nan was also fanning himself, and saw a black car approaching from a distance: "They are coming!"
Song Jia and Jian Chu turned their heads and quickly stood up and waved.
Mu Nan ran over and handed the thermos to Qin Huai: "Are you tired? Are you hot? Did the trip go well?"
Qin Huai took a few sips of ice water. "Not tired, hot, smooth. The time is agreed upon. We will go there once a week. Cai Wentao will help us collect things. If we are lucky, we may be able to get some mushrooms next time."
Mu Nan was surprised and asked, "Mushrooms? Why didn't we see mushrooms last time we went there?"
Qin Huai: "On the day we left, a former comrade of Uncle Cai came looking for his relatives, and he brought a lot of mushroom bags with him. That person now lives in the Cai family. His relatives haven't been found yet, but Qinghe is his hometown, so whether he can find them or not, he plans to settle down in Qinghe, so he found a windowless room in the Cai family to grow mushrooms."
Mu Nan also had mushroom bags in his space. He had bought some online before. Later, his brother saw his shopping list and bought more, but he never had the chance to take them out. Maybe he was too busy growing melons and vegetables to think about mushrooms. Anyway, if he wanted to eat mushrooms, he had ready-made ones in his space. Besides, growing mushrooms was very tiring, even more tiring than growing vegetables, so they didn't go through so much trouble.
While the two were talking, they had already started working, pouring oil to heat the pan and cleaning the bamboo worms. This time, as they had experience, the bamboo worms had already been cleaned and could be put into the pan directly. Cumin and chili powder in a plastic bottle, a whole can of salt, and a tray for sprinkling ingredients were all placed on the tricycle.
Jian Chu held up a small trumpet and shouted in a mighty voice: "I'm selling bamboo worms. Fresh and delicious bamboo worms, fried in oil, with cumin and chili. Don't miss it if you pass by!"
When people saw them setting up the stall, they had already gathered around. The last time they sold bamboo worms, many people heard the news and came over, but they were sold out. Now seeing that the stall was set up again, those who lived close to home quickly paid and made reservations, and then ran back to get lunch boxes. Those who lived far away had nothing to pack their food, so they could only buy 50-cent bamboo worms to eat one each to satisfy their cravings. Those who had lunch boxes and were relatively wealthy would buy a few dollars at a time to take home as a snack.
These bamboo worms are much more delicious than the diced worm meat sold in online shopping malls. Although they are both fried, the lack of seasoning makes the food quite different for people who like strong tastes.
Qin Huai asked Daniu to fry some first, sprinkled some seasoning on it and put it in two disposable lunch boxes, then handed them to Jian Chu: "You are more sociable than Nan Nan, you and Song Jia go together, one box for the neighborhood committee and one for the police station."
This kind of thing is still necessary. I didn’t give it away last time because I was just thinking about making a quick buck and being done with it. But now I obviously want to continue to develop, so I have to manage some of the surrounding relationships.
Jian Chu handed the loudspeaker and cell phone to Mu Nan, and he and Song Jia each carried a box and walked towards the neighborhood committee and police station opposite the small square.
Although Mu Nan is not sociable and is not good at socializing, he is not incapable of socializing. So after Jian Chu and the others left, Mu Nan stood on a high place with a loudspeaker to maintain order. He also held out his phone for those who wanted to join the group to scan the code: "I will inform the group when there are new products arriving. Yes, I will tell the group when there is news, so that you don't make a wasted trip. They are not available every day. This is just bought from Qinghe. It grows naturally on the mountain, so there is no fixed source of goods. I will sell it if I can dig it up. If I can't dig it up, there is nothing I can do."
As the bamboo worms were put into the pot, the fragrance began to waft around and more and more people gathered. Many of them had not bought any last time, but were tempted by the fragrance and couldn't stop thinking about it, so when they saw they were available for sale this time, they didn't hesitate anymore.
Some of the ones I bought last time were well received after I ate them. After all, they are still meat. After two or three years of eating light food, I suddenly ate something with a strong taste. I didn’t get enough of it but missed it more, so I bought them without hesitation.
Mu Nan's mouth was dry after talking for a while. Jian Chu and Song Jiacai came back and quickly handed them the loudspeaker and cell phone. He wanted to drink some water to moisten his throat.
In the distance, a group of workers were dragging carts of bricks and following a wealthy man who lived in District 2 into the residential area. Although the scorching sun made it impossible for any green plants to survive, these neat and tidy houses looked much more comfortable than the chaotic outer city. One of them was even wandering around with a furtive look in his eyes.
Seeing a crowd of people gathered in the small square and the smell of meat, a man named Ma San with droopy eyebrows and yellow teeth couldn't help cursing: "So many people are starving to death outside, this rich area is really worthy of being called a rich area, and you can still eat meat, damn it."
The person who was listening to his complaints sneered: "What's the big deal? The end of the world is only the end of the world for the poor."
Ma San couldn't help but sigh as he looked at this house which was so different from the one in the outer city. His shifty eyes were full of greed and calculation. If he could make a fortune here, he would have to eat out for a long time.
When this group of ragged porters, who exuded a strong odor of sweat, passed by the side passage, Qin Huai looked up with a sense of something, and saw one of them he had probably never seen before. For some reason, it was as if a needle suddenly pierced his brain, and the pain was so severe that he almost fell down. If Yu Zibai hadn't pulled him aside, Qin Huai would have almost fallen into the frying pan.
Mu Nan was startled, his face turned pale, and he ran over nervously: "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Qin Huai rubbed his forehead and said, "It's okay. I was distracted for a moment."
Seeing that Qin Huai didn't look very well, Wu Zheng said, "You guys go back and rest first. We are here. Qin Huai has been running twice in a row, and I'm afraid he must be very tired."
Qin Huai wanted to say no, but when he saw Mu Nan's face turned pale with fear, he didn't force it: "Then I'll trouble you here."
Daniu waved his hand and said, "It's okay, it's okay. Go back and have a rest. Don't get too tired."
Qin Huai handed the car keys to Yu Zibai. It didn't matter whose garage the car was parked in, as they were in the same yard after all. He and Mu Nan rode back.
As soon as he entered the house, Mu Nan quickly got him a pair of slippers to change into, and helped him upstairs, fearing that Qin Huai would faint again. A person who was usually in good health suddenly fainted like this, which really scared him. This was also the reason why he didn't dare to tell Qin Huai when he occasionally felt a little uncomfortable. He took the other party too seriously. A little headache or fever was a big deal, especially now that this hospital didn't even have the most basic medicine, let alone treatment.
Qin Huai hooked his arm around Mu Nan's neck and said with a smile: "I was just distracted for a moment. Look how scared you are. I'm not even seventy or eighty years old."
Mu Nan frowned: "You are still laughing. You almost fell into the frying pan just now. Let me feel if you have a fever."
Qin Huai lowered his head and let him feel it. After confirming that the temperature was normal, Mu Nan said, "Do you want to take a shower? Or just rest, or lie down for a while first."
Qin Huai rubbed his hair: "It's really okay, you don't know your brother's health yet."
Mu Nan muttered, "It's only when people with good health get sick that they are scary."
For those who are in poor health, some minor illnesses and pains are really not a big deal. But for those who are in good health, once they get sick, it will be a huge trouble.
Mu Nan ran the bath water for Qin Huai and did not ask him to close the door. She squatted at the door and waited until he finished his bath and lay on the bed. She took his temperature again and confirmed that it was normal. Then she put a bunch of medicine on the cabinet next to her, including medicine for headaches and fevers, anti-inflammatory and analgesic medicines, just in case.
Seeing that he was busy all the time, Qin Huai pulled him into his arms and said, "I'm really fine. I don't have a headache or any discomfort. Maybe I'm just tired from driving for a long time. Stay with me and sleep for a while."
Mu Nan asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something before going to sleep?"
Qin Huai shook his head: "I've eaten in the car. It's almost dawn. Go to sleep and eat after you wake up."
Mu Nan looked at his face and felt that it was even rosier than her own. She was sure that Qin Huai was really fine and not just pretending to be fine, so she lay down beside him and stopped making trouble: "Then when you wake up and feel hungry, you must call me and eat the ready-made food directly, so you don't have to cook it yourself."
Qin Huai smiled and replied, "Okay."
Qin Huai was also tired from driving. He hugged Mu Nan but for some reason he felt upset and couldn't fall asleep. The face of the porter kept appearing in his mind. After he fell asleep, he kept dreaming about it.
Qin Huai knew that he was dreaming. In his dream, he returned to their former home. The house was empty, with nothing in it. However, the empty house was completely different from the emptiness he remembered leaving.
The house was dirty and messy, the walls were a little broken, and there were rags on the windows to block the sunlight, which looked like ordinary bed sheets. All the doors were open, as if it had been looted. He returned to his house, which was also empty. Dust was still floating in the air, and the dust was very thick, as if no one had lived there for many years.
The corridor outside was even dirtier and messier. There were even a lot of bloodstains on the walls. There were also some signs of people living on the ground, torn clothes, broken shoes, and a pile of dirty and black things piled up in the corner.
Qin Huai walked down the stairs one floor at a time until he walked out of the building. He saw collapsed ruins all around him and no one was there. This place had become an empty city after being swept by disaster and plague.
He didn't know where to go, nor how to leave here, but even in his dreams, he remembered that he was looking for Mu Nan. In a trance, he remembered something. He remembered that he took Mu Nan away, and they came to the university town to resettle their home in that three-story building. Remembering where Mu Nan was, Qin Huai immediately went to find him.
He walked for a long time, but it seemed like not very long. The feeling was very strange. He knew he must be dreaming, but he felt like he was not dreaming.
He came to the university town and saw the eye-catching building. Qin Huai felt a little strange. The building had obviously been collapsed by the flood, so how come it was still there?
He remembered the way home, in that small building, as long as he went back he would be able to see his Nan Nan. But the surrounding environment changed again, he was clearly walking towards the second district, but somehow he ended up in the outer city until he saw Mu Nan, but the Mu Nan he saw was completely different from the Mu Nan he remembered.
He was very thin and pale, looking much grayer than he remembered. The clothes he wore seemed to be hanging empty on his body. Even looking from a distance, he could imagine that the man was probably just a bag of bones.
A pain began to spread from the heart to the whole body. Qin Huai rushed over and wanted to hug the person in his arms. He wanted to ask Mu Nan how he got himself into this state, whether he was sick, or if he didn't eat well. But Mu Nan seemed unable to see him. He couldn't hug her, and it seemed like he couldn't hear her words.
Qin Huai was very anxious, and vaguely remembered that he was dreaming. He thought that it would be fine when he woke up, and then he would be able to hug Mu Nan.
He followed Mu Nan and saw him standing on the side of the road, staring at a skinny little girl squatting on the ground. He watched him hand a very rough tortilla to the girl, and then followed him back to a shed at a corner.
That house couldn't really be considered a house. It was just a small room built with building boards with a small window. Because it was a transition from winter to summer, the sun was not very strong, so the window was not blocked. Mu Nan opened the door and walked in. There were not many things in the house. There was a bed on the floor, a few clothes hanging on the wall, and a few cardboard boxes piled in the corner.
Just as he was looking around the room, a group of people rushed in, four in total, one of them stood outside, seemingly keeping watch, and the other three entered the room. Qin Huai frowned and dodged in front of Mu Nan. But he forgot that this was a dream, and no one could see him in this dream.
He watched helplessly as the group of people pushed Mu Nan into a corner, kicked over several cardboard boxes in the corner, and several bottles of water rolled to the ground, along with several food boxes.
Mu Nan was so scared that he didn't dare to resist and let them take away his food and water. However, those people seemed to have more than just that in mind. One of them even tried to pull them away.
Mu Nan had never experienced such a scene since he was a child, and was obviously frightened. He pushed those people away and wanted to run away, but those who had robbed his food and water had no intention of letting him go.
Qin Huai's eyes turned red with hatred, but he could do nothing. He couldn't even touch a corner of her clothes.
In the chaos, a pause button was suddenly pressed because of a smear of blood. One of the men with a fierce look slapped a skinny man and roared, "Ma San, what the hell are you doing!"
The man named Ma San's face turned pale in an instant, his hands were stained with blood, and he was backing away in panic.
A group of people came without warning, and then fled in a hurry.
Inside the house, Mu Nan fell to the ground with a knife stuck in his stomach.
Qin Huai wanted to rush over, wanted to stop Mu Nan's bleeding, wanted to call for help, but he could do nothing.
He watched the blood on the ground getting more and more, watched Mu Nan's clothes being stained completely red, watched the light in Mu Nan's eyes fade away little by little, watched the tears flow after Mu Nan closed his eyes, and the call of "brother" that could no longer be uttered.
Mu Nan woke up, stretched out his hand and touched nothing beside him, then quickly opened his eyes and saw Qin Huai sitting beside the bed, then he rubbed his eyes and sat up: "Brother, why didn't you call me when you woke up? You said you would call me when you woke up. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?"
Qin Huai turned around, took his hand that was rubbing his eyes, and said softly: "I have told you many times not to rub your eyes carelessly."
Mu Nan heard his voice sounded a little strange, so she turned around and tried to turn on the light, but was hugged by Qin Huai. She immediately touched Qin Huai's body worriedly: "Brother, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
Qin Huai spoke in a hoarse voice: "I had a terrible nightmare. Let me hug you."
Qin Huai hugged him so tightly that it hurt Mu Nan a little. But perhaps because she sensed Qin Huai's uneasiness, Mu Nan did not struggle. She stroked Qin Huai's back again and again: "What kind of dream scared you like this? It must have been terrible. Okay, okay, don't be afraid, Meng Meng flew away."
Qin Huai was not amused by the way Mu Nan coaxed the child. He could not laugh. The scenes in the dream would not go away from his mind no matter what. The horrible blood-red ground could not be dispelled even though Mu Nan was held tightly in his arms. The fear in his heart could not be dispelled.
Mu Nan said, "Turn on the light. The room is dark. Turn on the light and it will be bright. All nightmares will disappear."
Qin Huai let go of Mu Nan, held his face with one hand, and kissed him from his forehead to his lips: "Don't turn on the light, Nan Nan, I want you."
Qin Huai's abnormal behavior made Mu Nan not think of refusing, and he obediently reached out and hugged him.
In the darkness, Mu Nan did not see the blood in Qin Huai's eyes.
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