Lan Jin's explanation made perfect sense. After all, whenever something new comes along, it's only smart to wait and see how others react before making a decision. Plus, she and Huang Jinghe had their own battery-powered setup at home. Sure, they didn't have air conditioning, and fetching water was a hassle, but everything else was more or less the same as before. Compared to the unknowns of the new base, their current setup was still more comfortable.
But while Lan Jin and Huang Jinghe were content, Ling Jiang was feeling conflicted. "I actually do want to take Grandma to the base," she said, "but the moment we go, Lao Shi and I will be separated. We don't even have a car right now. Once we leave, it'll be hard to come back. Grandma's not on board. She's worried that I'm getting older, and if I split up with Lao Shi now, I might never find someone else."
Lao Gao immediately chimed in, "That won't happen. You two have such a strong bond."
Then Lao Gao turned to Lan Jin and Huang Jinghe to explain. "Sister Ling and Lao Shi have been classmates since elementary school. Same for middle and high school. They only went separate ways in college. Real childhood sweethearts. But it wasn't until they were both past thirty that they finally got together. Don't ask me what they were doing all those years, but I can tell you, they're solid. They won't break up."
"Sure, we're not splitting up," Ling Jiang said, "but the problem is, without a car, once Grandma and I move, we won't get to see Officer Shi often. Grandma's just being cautious. It's not unreasonable."
Lan Jin nodded. "Makes sense. Why don't you both wait a little longer? See how things go over there after more people move in. See how things change here too once the crowd thins out. And maybe Officer Shi will have a plan of his own. It's not like this is your only chance to go to the base. You can take your time. There's no rush."
Maybe it was because none of the four of them were in a hurry, but after that conversation, they didn't bring up the topic of the base again.
One week later, two buses pulled up at the gate of the complex. These were meant to take the registered residents to the new base. But even after everyone who signed up boarded, the buses still weren't full.
However, once that group made it to the base, things changed fast. Not only did the water, electricity, and air conditioning all work as promised, the internet was still running too. The moment they settled in, residents started sharing photos and messages in the community chat, full of excitement. The pictures showed tidy dorm rooms, working appliances, clean facilities.
It was more than enough to sway a lot of hesitant people.
Soon, many more residents started signing up.
And over that week, the busiest place by far was the supermarket. Supplies were only available through contribution points now, and with everything so scarce, most households couldn't afford to keep extra stock. Apart from lining up for water or meals, the supermarket had become the heart of the complex.
But even with all the activity, supplies were still limited. There were purchase limits in place, and every household had mouths to feed. In the end, even with people eager to leave, it was impossible to relocate everyone at once.
By the time the second wave of residents left for the base, the calendar had finally flipped to December.
…
The heat hadn't let up. After weeks of staying around sixty degrees Celsius outside, the temperature finally surged past seventy.
Leaves had turned brittle and yellow. The ground was cracked and parched. Sand and dust swirled constantly in the wind. But none of that was the worst part. The hotter it got, the more the insects multiplied. Before, you could get by wearing long sleeves and pants when stepping outside. Now, it felt like you'd get swarmed the second you stepped out. The heat was unbearable, the filth hard to ignore.
Lan Jin and Huang Jinghe talked it over and finally decided to stop attending their boxing classes.
Their decision didn't surprise Lao Gao and Ling Jiang. No matter how many contribution points you had, you couldn't keep spending endlessly.
But now that Lan Jin and Huang Jinghe had pulled out, Lao Gao's boxing gym had to close down.
Still, the two of them had spent a solid month training. Half a month of actual classes. Lan Jin felt she had gained a lot. With proper technique to go with her strength, she could now fight far more efficiently. Her sense of personal safety had noticeably improved.
As for Huang Jinghe…
That was another story.
In the entire two weeks of training, not a single day went by without him crying out in pain. It didn't matter if Lao Gao or Sister Ling was teaching. The result was always the same.
For Huang Jinghe, the month had been a blur of bruises and frustration. But in private, Ling Jiang said to Lan Jin, "Xiao Huang has come a long way. If things really get serious, you'll see the difference."
That reassured Lan Jin. As long as it worked, the contribution points hadn't been wasted.
Another week passed. As the third wave of residents was being relocated, Lan Jin began paying closer attention to the weather.
In her previous life, it was right around this time that the heavy rain had started. That rain had caught people on the road, soaking everything, making travel a nightmare. But now, not only had the rain not arrived, half a month had gone by with nothing but blazing sun.
It left Lan Jin uncertain.
So many things about this apocalypse were different from before. Would the rainy season still happen?
And if Huang Jinghe's parents called now, asking them to leave, would she go or stay?
Before she could decide, it happened.
One morning in the last days of December, a soft patter of rain started tapping against the weather awning outside.
At first, it was a gentle drizzle, barely a whisper. But soon the sound grew louder, joined by cheers echoing through the building. Residents were celebrating. After months of nothing but scorching heat, even a light rain was a relief. It might not cool the air much, but it would help keep the mosquitoes down. That alone was cause for joy.
Still, the first rainfall brought more than cheer. The scent of damp earth, mixed with dust and grime, filled the air. It was far from pleasant.
Lan Jin turned on the humidifier, added a drop of peppermint oil, and waited. As the scent spread, the air gradually became more breathable.
It had been a long time since the last rain. So when Qiao Qiao woke up and saw the wet windows, she got excited right away. She ran to the window, trying to open it so she could go outside and play.
Lan Jin gently stopped her. "Let's play in the rain later, alright? First we eat breakfast. What do you want this morning? We'll go out after."
The moment breakfast was mentioned, little foodie Qiao Qiao forgot all about the rain. She grabbed her tiny chair and marched over to the coffee table, deep in thought.
"Bun. Same as yesterday. Yummy one."
Yesterday, Qiao Qiao had eaten custard buns. The ones with cute cartoon shapes. Nearly every child loved them. And Qiao Qiao had eaten them not just yesterday, but every day for a week now. She had zero interest in trying anything else.
Lan Jin took out a few custard buns for her and added some meat buns for herself. With a glass of soy milk, breakfast was ready.
But before mother and daughter could finish eating, screams rang out from outside.
"Aah! What kind of rain is this? It hurts!"
The cries echoed up through the building, more than one, and very close by. This wasn't just some isolated incident. Something was wrong with the rain.
Lan Jin's heart skipped. She glanced at Qiao Qiao, who was chewing happily at her bun, completely unaware of the danger. She reached out and pulled her daughter close.
"Good thing we stopped to eat first," she said softly. "If you'd gone out earlier, you'd be crying just like them."