Chapter Seven: The First Batch of Relief Supplies

"It's so cold outside, who would go out?"
"In this weather, leaving the bed is risking your life! If you want to go, go by yourself!"
"I'll offer two cans."
"I have a car. Bring your child downstairs right away, I'll go with you! It's a life, after all." There were still kind-hearted people.

An hour later, the group received a video from the person who sought help, thanking those who assisted her and expressing gratitude for meeting a veterinarian on the way.

Her DouDou—a Samoyed—was lying on a blanket, chest and belly gently rising and falling, as a man in casual clothes examined it. The good Samaritan appeared in the frame, his face drawn and weary, with people behind him. The hospital had its own backup power, but he was clearly struggling to hold on.

Jiang Huan was frying chicken bites at the time. The cold weather made her crave high-calorie fried foods even more. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside, tender and juicy within. The milk tea was sweet but not too rich, and the taro balls and purple sweet potato spheres inside made for a delicious pairing.

After finishing her fried chicken and hot milk tea, and filling her stomach, Jiang Huan didn't slack off on exercise. She took Jiang Xi to the stairwell for their workout, usually going down to the tenth floor.

On their fifth trip, she felt fatigue herself. Just as she reached the door, the elevator sounded, and two people approached from afar.

Strangers.

In this winter, who would suddenly come here unannounced?

Jiang Huan sent her brother back to their apartment. Inside her sleeve, her dagger was already flipped out, pressed against her wrist, ready to deliver a fatal strike if needed.

"Ah, so someone really lives this high up. With generators, we can't supply the elevator for long, so getting around is a real problem."

The two approached and introduced themselves as being from the neighborhood committee. "Miss Jiang, hello. We've been ordered from above to count the actual residents.
Given the current snowfall and drop in temperature, it won't stop anytime soon. To prevent frostbite and other issues, supplies will be distributed soon, and we need to tally residents and resources. Please cooperate with the inspection. We promise not to touch anything."

"Inspection is fine. Let me just inform my brother, so he won't be startled."

Jiang Huan went inside first, quickly storing away anything that shouldn't be seen. Her grip on the dagger never loosened. When they entered, they saw only the siblings, and the supplies in the living room amounted to a pack of instant noodles, two bottles of water, and a bag of bread—not even any biscuits.

Her brother seemed a little off, drawing a triangle next to her name.

So pitiful; perhaps she should get a little extra when supplies are given.

When the two said the supplies had arrived, they told her she might need to go down to around the tenth floor to collect them, and advised her to try to move to a lower floor if possible, so neighbors could look out for each other. Then they left via the temporarily activated elevator.

Once Jiang Huan confirmed the elevator had gone down and not returned, she finally relaxed.

Back in her apartment, Jiang Huan realized she’d missed some things when stockpiling, like gasoline and diesel. She needed to make a trip to the gas station sometime, and perhaps not overlook the bank vault either.

After organizing, she took out some grilled fish and a bottle of peach-flavored fruit wine, eating slowly. The fish was delicious, as were the side dishes—spicy and fresh, though the small bones required patience.

Jiang Xi didn't like the red dishes, so he ate duck leg rice, happily munching on the fragrant and tender duck leg.

Once they were full, Jiang Huan stored everything back in her space and wondered how to handle the waste that would accumulate. Maybe she should toss it whenever she had a chance to go out?

Suddenly, the quiet neighborhood erupted with noise, mostly from downstairs.

Jiang Huan heard the sound of vehicles.

Jiang Xi peered out and exclaimed, "Sis, cars!"

Jiang Huan looked down as two vehicles drove in.

At the same time, the neighborhood loudspeaker blared again, this time with the speaker trembling.

"Ahem, residents, please pay attention. The soldiers are distributing supplies for us now. All residents above the tenth floor, please gather on the tenth floor. Supplies will be given per person.

Time is tight, the elevator can't be used, so supplies will only be brought up to the tenth floor. If you're not able-bodied, contact property management. Supplies will be handed out according to the registration list. Do not take more than your share, do not rush, and please do not disturb our soldiers."

After repeating the announcement seven or eight times, people in olive-green uniforms stepped out of the vehicles.

Jiang Huan wrapped herself tightly in her coat and headed to the tenth floor. The stairwell doors were all closed, and ice had formed thickly around the doors and windows—even indoors, the temperature was about minus thirty degrees. The first floor was worse, exposed to a less secure entryway, though luckily, it seemed uninhabited.

When she reached the tenth floor, a refined-looking man was standing at the stairwell, looking down.

"Hello," he greeted Jiang Huan as she descended.

They chatted politely, and Jiang Huan learned that he was Mr. Qiu—the one with the cat avatar.

They hadn't spoken much when strong footsteps approached from above. Both looked down and saw it was the supply distributors, so they stepped down a few stairs, indicating they lived on the twelfth and twentieth floors.

"You live so high up? Try to move lower—if something happens, it's hard to escape from that height," a young soldier advised Jiang Huan.

Jiang Huan nodded, keeping her head down.

After the supplies were distributed, Jiang Huan noticed she received an extra quilt and a military coat compared to Mr. Qiu.

Mr. Qiu's face changed instantly; he'd offered cigarettes and tried to make friends, but got nothing extra.

Jiang Huan was puzzled, too.

The man beside the young soldier glanced at the notes and sighed.

"Old Chen from the neighborhood committee specifically told us to give you and your brother these. Use them well."

The young soldier seemed to know the man, blurting out, "So you're the girl with nothing at home. Old Chen, even before he died, wanted to send you extra quilts."

"Xiao Fang! Enough!"

The man barked, startling the young soldier, who glanced at everyone's faces, realizing he'd spoken out of turn.

What if the girl felt too guilty to use the supplies?

"Sorry, Captain."

Seeing Jiang Huan's confusion, and with most of the story already spilled, the captain could only explain, "He didn't die for you—it was two days and nights of nonstop overtime; his body couldn't withstand it."

Jiang Huan felt complicated inside.

She hadn't expected that a middle-aged man from the neighborhood committee, a stranger to her, would...

"Miss, make good use of the supplies he left you. Surviving in this environment is the most important thing."

"I understand. We will survive." Survive to the end.

Having received the supplies, Jiang Huan tried to keep herself unaffected, but when she returned to her bed and looked at the military coat hanging on the wall, her feelings grew even more complex.

Downstairs, the loudspeakers repeated words of encouragement, similar to previous days, but soon the automatic announcements were replaced by a human voice:

"Residents and tenants, we've received orders from above. Our neighborhood needs to accept some survivors.
Due to old buildings collapsing and rural homes freezing and becoming uninhabitable, many places can't be lived in anymore. Over a hundred people are being assigned to our neighborhood. They bring their own supplies and won't use up your original resources. Please understand, don't panic. These people will be arranged in buildings with fewer residents."

Latest update: the temperature has dropped another eight degrees. Please be careful, keep warm, do not go out, do not go out! Before the next round of supplies arrives, please conserve resources, adjust your emotions—this is a difficult time, and we must all work together to get through these hardships.

She saw security and property managers pointing at her building and shaking their heads, apparently choosing not to place newcomers here for some reason. Most people were assigned to other buildings.

Well, probably because they didn't have keys to this building.