Lan Jin said, "Take it. I saw the food you bought. It's all meant for long-term survival. Sure, it'll fill you up, but it's short on vitamins. It's fine for now since we're still eating at the cafeteria, but if things turn out the way your parents suspect, and something happens down the line, our bodies won't hold up on just that stuff. These lemons, pomelos, and oranges can all keep for a long time, especially the lemons. Put them in your fridge for now. Later, just squeeze a few drops into water to drink—it's good for your body. Besides, I didn't use contribution points to get these. Don't argue, just take them."
There was no winning an argument with Lan Jin, so Huang Jinghe accepted the fruit. Afterward, he gave his parents a call.
When Huang Jinghe's parents heard about the fruit, they said, "If she already gave it to you, then just keep it. I bet Sister Lan is thanking you for taking her out to buy things and helping her withdraw cash. Since that's the case, it's only fair. You help her, she helps you. That's how it should be."
Then Huang Jinghe's father asked, "By the way, I told you to seal off the attic window. Did you do it?"
Huang Jinghe replied, "I got some cement. I'll seal it myself later, both inside and out. The glass is newly installed dual-layer anti-archery glass, so I'm not planning to remove it. I'll just cement over it directly."
"Good. You don't have to take out the glass, but you must seal it up tight. Don't give anyone a chance to sneak in. I know you've been careful getting supplies, but you never know, right?" His father continued, "Did you hear anything about the missing supplies from the supermarket when you were out?"
"I did," Huang Jinghe said. "They say during the poisonous fog, a group of people made off with the supermarket's goods. But no one's been able to figure out who did it. And the way they did it is strange too. Who steals most of the stock and still leaves a little behind? Doesn't make sense."
His father agreed, "Exactly. So stay alert at home. Don't blame your mom and me for being paranoid, but some things just need to be taken seriously. Your rooftop and attic are too close together. It's safer to block them off. Plus, with all that stuff you've got at home, you can't be too careful."
Before, the 33rd floor only had Huang Jinghe living there, and his parents were already worried sick. Now the entire floor was full. If something really went wrong, the situation would be even more dangerous than before. How could they not worry?
Huang Jinghe's mother sighed, "If only you were living on the same floor as Sister Lan."
But Huang Jinghe's father didn't quite agree. "Living on the same floor isn't necessarily a good or bad thing. Either way, this setup is already pretty ideal."
"Jinghe, stay in touch with us. As long as we see your message, we'll reply right away."
After ending the call, Huang Jinghe got busy sealing the window. Once he finished, he took a few photos and sent them to his parents to reassure them that the job was done, hoping to ease their minds even a little from afar.
As for those supplies from the supermarket—
Back when the poisonous fog was still lingering, news about the stolen goods couldn't spread. Most people had no idea. But now that everyone could go outside again, rumors started flying fast. Lan Jin had already caught wind of it vaguely on the day she went to withdraw money. And when she visited the supply center, the whispers were even louder.
The story grew bigger and wilder by the day, with several versions floating around.
But none of them sounded remotely believable.
As someone who actually knew the truth, Lan Jin found the rumors ridiculous.
Not that she had anything to worry about. She wasn't afraid of being found out.
First, there had been poisonous fog the entire time. Even if the cameras had night vision, she had been wearing a full protective suit with a gas mask. No one could have seen her face. So how would anyone know it was her?
Second, this was the digital age. Phones and devices could be tracked. But although she had brought a phone with her, it had stayed inside her storage space the whole time. She'd figured out the route herself, without any outside help. What could they possibly track?
And about the gas station incident—sure, she used a phone, but it wasn't her own. That big warehouse supermarket had everything. The phone she used was one she'd picked up the day before during the "zero-yuan shopping" spree. She hadn't even put a SIM card in it. Even if the location could somehow be traced, who would know it was her?
She had only turned the phone on when she was near the gas station, used it to navigate until she recognized her surroundings, then stored it back in the space.
A phone that appears out of nowhere and disappears into thin air—good luck tracing that to a person.
And no, she wasn't worried about whether a phone without a SIM card could be used. She only needed the map function, which came pre-installed. Offline maps didn't even require login. She was confident they had no way to track her.
As for the building's entrance card, she didn't use her own either. Remember that "obstacle" she ran into downstairs before heading out? She had quietly taken that person's keycard. Even if someone checked the access log, it would implicate everyone in the building. Why should they suspect her in particular?
And besides, if they wanted to accuse her of stealing the supplies, they would at least need to produce the evidence. Find the goods first, then we can talk.
That was why Lan Jin wasn't worried. As long as no one came knocking directly at her door, she would pretend the entire matter had nothing to do with her.
So whatever happened next, let it happen. Lan Jin never gave the issue a second thought.
…
After being open for seven straight days, the supply center finally closed. It didn't matter if people had finished spending their RMB or not—it was shut.
There would be a reopening, but RMB wouldn't be accepted anymore. As for when exactly the next opening would be, Lan Jin couldn't recall clearly. The next phase involved using gold instead of cash. In her previous life, she had already converted all her gold into contribution points early on, so she hadn't followed the details too closely. She just remembered that the gap between closures wasn't very long.
A few days later, a job recruitment notice quietly appeared in the neighborhood group chat. It quickly grabbed everyone's attention.
The notice was clear: they were hiring laborers for physical work. People were advised to consider their own capabilities before signing up.
But the offer included food and lodging, with a daily wage of three packs of instant noodles and two bottles of mineral water. It was too tempting. Nobody could resist. Even old grannies in their eighties hurried over to apply.
The recruiters were overwhelmed. In the end, they had to set an age limit: only those between 18 and 45 would be considered. Clearly, they needed people with physical strength.
Lan Jin sent a message to Huang Jinghe: Are you thinking of signing up? I'd recommend against it.