Chapter 69
Qin Huai and Mu Nan stayed in the house preparing for the migration, so they didn't pay much attention to the noise outside. They didn't know if the news of going to the university town had spread. The noise upstairs and downstairs had obviously become much louder in the past two days. They could hear some people going up and down the stairs and dragging things in the house.
There was no need to organize their things. As for food, they planned to have someone take away a few bags of vacuum-packed rice, a few boxes of instant noodles, a few bags of heat-resistant dry goods, such as dried potatoes and sweet potatoes, and some opened flour, cooking oil, and seasonings. Qin Huai asked Mu Nan to pack them in special small boxes. When eating in a big pot outside, there would definitely not be enough oil and salt, so it would be okay to prepare some for adding some flavor. In addition, a few bottles of sauce were also prepared.
Mu Nan's space has the most sauces, including chili sauce, bean paste, beef sauce, garlic sauce, and basically everything you can think of for rice, cooking, and soup. Later, Qin Huai also had people buy a lot of sauces in City B, and also bought a lot of small bags of beef sauce of 10 grams. As long as it is not directly exposed to high temperatures, it can be stored for a period of time, at least it should be enough for consumption on the road, and eating one bag at a time and opening one bag at a time also avoids the problem of not being able to finish it and spoiling it due to high temperatures. Although it should be impossible to not finish it, there are so many soldiers besides them, and a small bottle of sauce is more than enough for one meal, but those small bottles are also in glass bottles, which are too heavy. Mu Nan can't put everything in the space and just pretend outside, so there must be something in this bag, so he tries to compress the space to reduce the weight.
Looking at the space full of supplies, Mu Nan didn't know what to take out. It seemed that nothing could withstand high temperatures or storage. They were going to hand in the pasta, so there seemed to be nothing left in their bag. Disinfection, cooling, medical emergency kits, spare protective clothing, masks, all were put into the large mountaineering bag, and at least half of the space was left. "Are we only going to take these sauces for food? What else can we bring?"
Qin Huai said: "You can put some small breads, some small packages of beef jerky, and some biscuits. Just put these things outside. You can eat the rest secretly if you can, but if you can't, just bear with it."
Mu Nan nodded: "It's not that I can't help it, but I feel that if I eat with the soldiers, I may not be able to eat enough."
He was fine, his appetite was just like that of an average person. Qin Huai's appetite was a bit big, and he consumed a lot during the hiking. He was afraid that Qin Huai would not be full, but it didn't matter. He had prepared a lot of food for eating on the road early on, and would just stuff it into Qin Huai's mouth whenever he had a chance.
When Mu Nan was packing his backpack, he found some fan hats in the space. There were smaller ones that could be charged with USB, and some big fisherman hats that could be charged with solar energy. Mu Nan put the hat on his head and asked, "Brother, can I wear protective clothing with this hat?"
Qin Huai glanced at him and said, "The one with a sun hat is fine. The fan is just extended here, so it won't affect the protective suit. The bucket hat is a bit too big."
Mu Nan put three fisherman's hats outside and three sun hats, and let Jian Chu and the others choose when the time comes. He and Qin Huai will definitely wear protective clothing, but they can't give their protective clothing to others. Judging from the current situation of the plague, it will not be over in ten days or half a month. There have been several global plagues in history, and the time can even last for hundreds of years. Even if their protective clothing is not disposable but reusable, what if it is particularly difficult to produce this thing in the future, or even there is no condition for production? The things stored in his space may be used by him and Qin Huai for a lifetime, so he will not be stingy with things that can be given generously, but he can't be generous with this kind of thing related to his own life. However, he can take out some protective masks. He bought a lot of these and can afford them.
So he and Qin Huai couldn't wear this fisherman's hat. But Jian Chu and the others could if they needed it. There were two small electric fans inside the fisherman's hat that could be used to blow the water. They were solar-powered. They could be placed in the sun during the day and used when traveling at night. If you feel too hot wearing a hat, you could choose this kind of open-top sun hat and only wear it around your forehead. However, this type of hat needs to be charged.
While Mu Nan was busy with these odds and ends, Qin Huai was still staring at the small notebook that recorded the time and events. Mu Nan said, "It just records those events, what else are you looking at?"
Qin Huai: "We can't just prepare food."
Mu Nan was puzzled: "What else do I need to prepare? I have packed a lot of clothes. Summer clothes are thin and light, so they don't take up much weight."
Qin Huai said, "No, it's March now, and it will snow in June. If the snow comes without warning and the temperature drops directly, then we can only leave the team and find a place to escape the winter alone. Otherwise, we won't be able to take out the things to keep warm. If there are signs that the temperature will drop slowly, the military may not be able to transfer the supplies here so quickly, so we need to prepare them ourselves."
Mu Nan thought about it and realized the same thing: "But if we bring cotton clothes and quilts, that would be too much."
Qin Huai: "Let me think about it. Where is the notebook for purchasing supplies? Let me take a look."
Mu Nan took out the notebook that recorded the supplies from the space and handed it to Qin Huai, then lay on the bed without saying a word. At present, everything that could be prepared had been prepared almost. If needed, they could be secretly taken from the space. After all, it was impossible for others to rummage through their bags. As long as the backpack looked bulging as if it was filled with a lot of things, it would be enough.
After checking the material resources, Qin Huai actually saw a solution that could be tried: "Nan Nan, take this out." Qin Huai pointed at the camping trailer and said, "I also asked someone to buy a box of those big mountain wheels. Take it out too. I'll see if I can modify it."
Mu Nan hurriedly searched in the space and took out what Qin Huai wanted. The camping trailer was the one they bought in the outdoor goods store in the mall. It was the most expensive and largest model. The clerk said that the trailer could withstand a weight of 150 kilograms. Mu Nan was attracted by the load-bearing capacity of the trailer, thinking that it might be useful when searching the ruins. Qin Huai still had a lot of money at that time, and they had almost used up all the food they could store, so Mu Nan bought several without hesitation, thinking that they could have replacements if they broke down.
The large mountain wheels that Qin Huai mentioned were bought later from those travellers. They are twice as big as the wheels of the trailer. The bigger the wheels, the easier it is to navigate through the obstructed roads in the ruins. If you encounter an obstacle that is really impossible to pass, two people can lift it up. In this way, towing the vehicle can be truly light. However, the prerequisite is that Qin Huai can modify and replace the wheels.
Qin Huai looked at it carefully and said, "It can be modified. Take out another car and call Yu Zibai and Xu Ming over. This car is a bit difficult to carry the things of the three of us. If they need it, let them modify it themselves."
Mu Nan quickly took out the intercom to call Jian Chu, and asked Jian Chu to call Xu Ming over. Soon, the three of them came through the balcony door together. This was Xu Ming's first time to Qin Huai's house. Seeing their living room was clean and refreshing, he couldn't help but sighed softly: "It's true that keeping things tidy means living comfortably."
Jian Chu felt that his words were very obviously meant to imply something: "My house is also very clean, okay."
Xu Ming chuckled. They were probably getting ready to leave, so Jian Chu's family was rummaging through boxes and cupboards to organize their things. The living room was filled with all kinds of sundries. It was nothing like Qin Huai's house. There was only a bed and a small dining table in the living room. The tables, chairs and benches were probably all put away. At this moment, two camping trailers were placed next to the dining room. The space in the dining room was quite large, and several people could sit on the floor and tinker without feeling crowded. The whole house was clean and fresh, and the air conditioning made people feel very comfortable.
Mu Nan was afraid that they would get too hot from all the work, so even though he had turned on the air conditioner, it was just right if they just sat still. Moving would still make them sweat, so he took out a small floor fan and shook it directly towards them.
Jian Chu saw that the three of them were doing well, so he didn't want to squeeze in. He sat next to Mu Nan and discussed with him what to bring: "We still want to bring some food ourselves. Let's hand in most of it. After all, it's tiring to carry it. Keep some for yourself. If you're not full, you can have a snack. I was thinking about modifying your previous trailer so that it can haul more things. Later, I thought that the cart was too small and couldn't move in the ruins, so I gave up the idea."
Mu Nan: "So how did you plan to modify it before?"
Jian Chu: "Just make a cloth bag, put it on the bottom of the car, dig out the wheel area, and then cover the things on the trailer, like a fence to prevent things from falling off, just like your camper, with cloth bags on all four sides."
Mu Nan said, "Why don't you do another job? I always feel that the enclosures on all four sides of this car are not enough. Do you think you can add a cover cloth on top so that people can't see what's on our car."
Jian Chu looked at the two cars and thought it was feasible, so he said, "Wait a minute, I'll go back to get the tools. Do you have any cloth at home?"
Mu Nan nodded: "Yes."
When Jian Chu went to get the tools, Mu Nan went into the room, pretending to take something out of the closet, and took out a piece of dark-colored cloth that blocked out the light. They were modifying the wheels over there, and he and Jian Chu were installing the cover over here. With a division of labor and cooperation, they quickly got the car fixed. With two large campers, it was much easier to haul things along the way.
Qin Huai said, "We found some compressed blankets in the ruins before. We'll put them under the car as shock absorbers. This way, the things on top won't be bumpy all the way, otherwise the car will be damaged."
Yu Zibai nodded: "That's fine, this way we can bring more daily necessities, and we can hand over the rest."
Xu Ming didn't have much stuff, just some clothes and food. Jian Chu and his family were also tenants, so they didn't have much to clean. It was just right for the two families to share one car. Jian Chu also said, "If you have anything you can't put away, wait for us to pack it. Maybe we have space here."
For a house like Mu Nan's, where they have lived for decades, there must be a lot of things that they cannot bear to part with. Once they leave, they may not have the chance to come back, and some of the things at home may not be there when they come back, so it is inevitable that they have a lot of things.
The transportation on the road was done, and the rest was for each family to clean up by themselves. On the morning of the departure day, Shi Yuanfei brought people to help them collect their things. Those who wanted to leave together had to drag their things to the military headquarters by themselves, but the Qin family had a solar power generator, so they had to come and haul it, after all, it was a large item. As for the food, they could just carry it along.
When they arrived, Qin Huai had already moved the generator out of the house, Jian Chu and Xu Ming were dismantling the solar panels, and Yu Zibai was taking them out one by one. Seeing that they were all prepared in advance, Shi Yuanfei thought it would be easier: "If this generator can be successfully landed in the university town, it will be returned to you. In fact, if it can be rebuilt on the original site, your family will live more comfortably than most people. Unfortunately, the collapse here is too serious, and there is no condition to rebuild on the original site."
Jian Chu couldn't help but ask, "Can I exchange supplies for generators?"
Shi Yuanfei said, "Not yet. The military's supplies haven't been sorted out yet, and we don't know what the situation is like in the university town. We have to wait and see after the planning and construction. But it is said that the damage there is not as serious as here. The power supply is much easier to restore than the complicated lines here. After all, it is a newly developed urban area with fewer residents and newer equipment. In short, no matter how bad the situation is, it shouldn't be worse than here."
Some people dragged the generators and solar panels down, while others were counting the food and supplies that each family was going to hand in. Supplies naturally refer to clothes and quilts. All that could not be taken away had to be handed in. They could be redeemed later or directly exchanged for points with the military and government. This was also a way to preserve supplies as much as possible. It was better than throwing away the things that could not be taken away after people left. Now, whether it was food or supplies, there was no condition to re-produce them, so it was good to preserve more.
There was so much commotion in the corridor that Daniu had come out to watch the excitement. Seeing that they were already counting the food, Jian Chu said to Daniu, "The situation here will get worse and worse. Aren't you going to leave?"
Daniu shook his head: "No, my wife's body can't bear this hardship, so she will stay for the time being. Don't worry, as long as I live here, no one will harm your family."
Jian Chu didn't care and said, "That's okay. If you think he's a good person, you can let him live here. After all, you're alone and it's not good to make too many enemies. Find a few more people to stick together. Anyway, we won't come back after we leave." Although they have lived here for a few years and have some feelings for him, it's a rented house after all, and the feelings are not deep. They don't care whether the house will still be there in the future. After all, it's not their own house, and they always lack a sense of belonging.
Daniu smiled and said, "Then I wish you a safe journey and everything goes well."
After the supplies were counted, Shi Yuanfei emphasized the gathering time again. The sunlight during the day was not so strong now, so they planned to start their journey at six in the afternoon. They would definitely travel by day and hide during the day. When it was hot during the day, they still couldn't stay outside the building in the sun, so they could only try to avoid it.
The solar panel in the house had been removed and the air conditioner could not be used. There was only a little cold air left in the house. Mu Nan took out the batteries, used the air-conditioning fan to cool down the room, and took out a swimming pool of ice. Then he sat on the bed and looked around the room in silence.
This is where he grew up. Every corner of this house is filled with countless memories. This house gives him a sense of security at home, making him feel that by hiding here, the disasters outside will be far away from him. But now he has to leave, and after leaving, he may never come back, which makes Mu Nan feel a little melancholy.
Qin Huai sat next to Mu Nan and raised his hand to rub his head gently: "Can't bear to part with it?"
Mu Nan nodded. This was his home. Although wherever Qin Huai was, that was his home, the memories he had accumulated in this house since he was a child were not so easy to let go of.
"Brother, why do you think the world has become like this?"
If it hadn't turned out like this, even if he still moved away, the house would still be there, and he could come back anytime to visit, instead of migrating away in the face of a survival crisis like now. If he had the conditions to come back in the future, he didn't know what this place would be like. If he couldn't come back, then this place would really only become a memory.
Qin Huai held Mu Nan's hand without saying anything. He didn't know why it turned out like this, but what could he do? In front of the power of nature, human beings are huge, yet small. Huge enough to destroy nature, and small enough to be destroyed by nature.
"Sleep for a while. I'll set the alarm. We'll get up at three o'clock. Eat something and get ready to go over there to gather. Keep your energy up. We don't know how hard it will be on this journey, so sadness will only last for a short time. Soon you won't have the energy to be sad anymore."
Mu Nan sighed and lay down on the bed. He didn't know when it would be the next time he would sleep so comfortably in bed.
Although I was melancholy, I could still sleep. Today I dismantled the solar energy system and spent a long time at home. It was almost time to leave. I had not slept well yesterday because I was worried about leaving, so I fell asleep soon after lying down. Maybe I felt that leaving was a decision that had been made and it was settled. I didn't have too many distracting thoughts in my mind. I slept very soundly and didn't wake up until I was woken up by the alarm clock set by Qin Huai.
He didn't know how long it would take to have a good meal in the future, so Mu Nan took out a lot of dishes, but he was afraid that he would be vomited by the smell outside when he went out, so he didn't take much meat, just a plate of sweet and sour pork ribs, and the rest were some vegetarian dishes, braised eggplant, dry pot cauliflower, stir-fried meat with shiitake mushrooms, and a bowl of chicken soup with cordyceps.
The two of them finished their meal early and ate a full meal, so that they would have digested most of the food by the time they set out. They wouldn't be too full and feel nauseous from the smell outside, nor would they be hungry.
After eating, Qin Huai took down the air conditioner. When Mu Nan had someone install the outdoor unit, he only made a fixed iron railing and placed the outdoor unit in the air. It was not fixed. As long as the air outlet connected to the inside and outside of the air conditioner was removed, the outdoor unit could be put into the space by simply reaching out, and then the wire pipes of the cabinet inside could be removed and it could be put into the space directly.
This air conditioner is more resistant to high temperatures than ordinary household air conditioners in China. Mu Nan only bought two units at the beginning, so he had to take them away if he could. However, after installing them into the space, they would have to find a chance to take them out again. Fortunately, he had been careful before and bought two units of different brands and different colors. Otherwise, if he installed them back at home in the future, he would not be able to let Jian Chu and others come to visit, otherwise it would be difficult to explain.
They had agreed to meet at the door at 4:30, so there was no need to worry about Jian Chu and the others coming over, so Mu Nan cleaned up everything in the house, even the thermal insulation curtains and baffles that had been installed in the house. There was nothing much in Qin Huai's house, only some old furniture from decades ago, which Mu Nan also collected. They were all made of wood, as he felt that if needed in the future, they could still chop wood and make fire. Although they bought a lot of coal, it would be a waste to throw it away.
Because he had to wear protective clothing outside and the weather was hot, it was naturally better to wear something cooler inside. Mu Nan only wore a vest and a pair of shorts, and chose comfortable and thin hiking shoes. As soon as he put on the protective clothing in the house, Mu Nan started to sweat a little, but after turning on the fan on the hat, he was still able to cool down a little with the help of the ice that had not yet been stored in the space.
Qin Huai was putting shoe covers on his shoes. It was too dirty outside. If he didn't wear shoe covers, he would have to carry a lot of dirt and bacteria on his shoes. Mask Mu Nan didn't wear the ordinary protective mask, but a mask with mint and borneol inside, which could block some of the stench outside. After everything was arranged, Qin Huai checked him from front to back and made sure there was nothing missing. Then he dragged a small trailer full of supplies and opened the door of his house.
Mu Nan followed behind and couldn't help but look back at the empty house. He was born and grew up here. This time, it should be his second time leaving. Maybe after leaving this time, there will be no possibility for him to come back.
Qin Huai patted his head and said, "Let's go."
Jian Chu and the others were waiting at the door and did not rush them. Although they could not empathize with the feeling of leaving their warm home forever, they could understand it, so they gave them enough time to say goodbye.
However, the two did not waste too much time. They called Daniu out so that he could restore the wardrobe later. Then they said goodbye to this neighbor with whom they had only been together for a short time and walked into the elevator.
Daniel waved to them from outside: "Have a safe journey."
Jian Chu and Mu Nan also waved to him until the elevator door closed. They both couldn't help but sigh at the same time, then looked at each other. Jian Chu said, "You look so safe."
Mu Nan said: "I remember you also bought protective clothing at that time."
Jian Chu glanced at Yu Zibai and shrugged, "He wanted me to wear it, and I wanted him to wear it. We couldn't agree on whether to wear it or not. I've brought it with me anyway. It cost thousands of dollars to buy it, so I can't throw it away."
Mu Nan patted the small bag on his trailer and said, "We have some masks. If you don't have enough, just tell us. We also have disinfectant."
In just two sentences, the elevator reached the first floor. Fortunately, the elevator was now powered, otherwise it would be difficult for them to move so many things down. The solar generator alone would probably be difficult to handle.
Although Xu Ming has lived at home for a while, he has long been accustomed to some of the smells outside when he was in the medical team. Now he wears a mask as a layer of separation. Although it cannot block out all smells, it can still block out some if he breathes carefully.
Jian Chu and Yu Zibai, who had stayed at home early and seldom went out, were hit hard by the disgusting scene and smell downstairs as soon as they came down. Even though they tried hard to suppress it, they still couldn't help retching and vomiting. Having grown up in a civilized city, they had never felt the feeling of walking in a pile of dung in their lives.
With the scent of mint surrounding his nose and a protective goggles on his eyes, Mu Nan walked calmly. Even though it was very hot, it was worth it!
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