In the frozen goods district, the variety was dizzying: every kind of hot pot meatball, shrimp paste, lucky bags, bacon, semi-finished products, grilled sausages, dumplings, wontons, chicken strips, chicken cutlets, popcorn chicken, steaks, brown sugar ciba, ice cream, milk cakes, and traditional yogurt.
Qiao Xin quickly pointed out a few items she and Lin Qing absolutely disliked, then instructed the owner to assemble a fifty-thousand-yuan order of everything else.
While the goods were being loaded, Qiao Xin ducked into a hardware shop. She bought a substantial supply of accessories: screws, plumbing parts, adapters, wrenches, screwdrivers, electric saws, chainsaws, axes, steel pipes, insulation boards, and more.
She’d been so busy that lunch had long since passed. Sitting in her van, she pulled a steaming braised eggplant rice bowl from the space and polished it off in seconds.
She drove to an alley behind the main market and parked. This was a “miscellaneous market”—a labyrinth of fabrics, clothing, sewing supplies, and bedding.
Stalls spilled out onto the sidewalk, displaying their wares on wooden pallets. She bought one hundred pairs of unisex canvas shoes with rubber soles at eighteen yuan a pair, one hundred pairs of waterproof non-slip rubber shoes, and thirty pairs of high-top rain boots. She ordered fifty sets each of waterproof overalls, raincoats, beekeeper veils, and safety goggles.
Then came the threads of every color, scissors of all sizes, various gloves, socks, sleeves, aprons, zip ties, and ropes… she bought them in massive quantities, along with buckwheat pillows, moisture-proof mats, slippers, pajamas, yarn, cotton gauze, and rolls upon rolls of cotton and silk fabric.
Suddenly, she spotted a wedding supply shop. Qiao Xin went in and bought two sets of wedding-themed bedding and various decorations for a bridal chamber. As she left, the corners of her mouth curled into an unconscious smile.
Right next door was a bridal boutique specializing in traditional Chinese Hanfu. They were so ornate and colorful that Qiao Xin couldn’t help herself; she walked out carrying three large shopping bags.
By the time she finished everything, the sky was darkening. She thanked the shopkeepers who helped load her van and drove away.
Next was “Sports Street,” packed with athletic goods. Windproof and waterproof parkas, hiking shoes, mountaineering boots, climbing ropes, baseball bats, and mountain bikes—she picked and chose until she had another massive pile, directing the staff to load it all onto the truck.
Qiao Xin didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she walked to the very last shop at the end of the street. It specialized in blades—the kind frequented by collectors. She’d only heard of it back when she was working through school.
The owner was a greasy, middle-aged man who gave her a perfunctory greeting and told her to look around. She did a quick lap and selected two Tang swords and two daggers. She didn’t dare buy more; she didn’t want to raise any suspicions.
“Boss, how much for these Tang swords and daggers?”
The owner glanced at them. “Six thousand, firm. No haggling.”
“Can you sharpen them for me? I’ll take them.”
“Fine. I’ll go to the back and sharpen them. Give me a minute.” The owner stood up, took the two Tang swords from her, and disappeared through a back door.
Qiao Xin waited quietly for half an hour. When the owner finally returned, he laid the swords on the table. “They’re both sharpened. Be careful with these. That’ll be twelve thousand—I’ll throw the two daggers in for free.”
Qiao Xin scanned the payment code, thanked the owner, and stepped out of the shop. She let out a long, relieved breath, already planning to order pepper spray, tasers, watermelon knives, and long daggers online once she got back tonight.
Returning home late today, she quickly tapped out her remaining orders and collapsed into bed, determined to keep the momentum going tomorrow.
Ever since she had started stockpiling, the frantic anxiety in her heart had eased, but it hadn’t vanished. It was a constant reminder. She hadn’t dreamed of Lin Qing again, and she had no idea how he was faring. Before drifting off, she checked her account balance: 1,689,000 yuan. She had burned through over two million in a single day—money really didn’t last long at all.
The next morning, Qiao Xin was up early and headed to the furniture and building materials market. She wanted to test if modern appliances would work inside her space. After buying a haul of goods, she busied herself loading the van. She also picked up twenty solar panels and three each of diesel and solar generators.
It took two trips to clear the shop. Qiao Xin drove to a secluded road behind the market, parked in the shade, and sat inside, diving into the space with her mind.
She wanted to renovate the vacant cabin to see if these modern conveniences would function. If she succeeded, their lives would be infinitely more comfortable.
The space lacked a sun, but it was filled with brilliant, constant light. Qiao Xin chose a spot a short distance from the cabin, installed ten solar panels, and connected the power cables to the batteries. She double-checked the wiring, and when she walked over, the indicator light on the battery bank lit up. Perfect. Power.
She ran to the cabin, focused her mind, and materialized a ladder. She climbed onto the roof, secured an iron frame, gave it a firm shake, and felt satisfied. With a thought, she conjured a solar water heater, which materialized perfectly onto the frame. I’m a genius, she thought.
She connected the inlet and outlet pipes, secured them, and climbed down to install the indoor plumbing and showerhead. Then, she spent a few hours wiring the two rooms, installing lights and switches, and connecting them to the solar panels outside. Back inside, she flicked a switch—the room flooded with light.
Working through school and getting that electrician’s license really paid off, she cheered, giving herself a mental pat on the back.
She surveyed the room, mapping out the layout. The shower would go in the back corner. I’ll go out and buy large glass panels later to partition this off, so I don’t soak the rest of the room, she planned. The floor needs a revamp, too.
The washing machine went to the other side. She set it up, connected a power strip, and installed a vanity, a mirror, and a toilet in the far back corner, planning to partition that off later as well.
Once the layout was set, she used the electric saw to cut into the flooring. She used her mind to dig the drainage trenches, routing them underground until they reached the back of the cabin. She drilled an exhaust vent, slanted a large-diameter pipe through it, and sealed the joints with glass glue. The toilet, bathroom, and vanity drains were now all connected.
The physical labor left her panting on the floor, but the plumbing was finished.
The last step was the water supply. She drank a large cup of stream water, discovering it slowly restored her stamina. After a five-minute rest, she began digging a canal from the edge of the fields, laid a large-diameter white pipe, heat-sealed the joints, and connected it to the cabin’s internal system.
She opened the main valve at the stream, then turned the indoor faucet. Water surged through the pipes. The toilet tank filled, and a press of the button proved the flush had plenty of pressure.
Water and electricity—I’ve done it!
She was thrilled. She had to go out and buy even more appliances and spare parts now. Even if they ended up in the ancient past, their quality of life wouldn’t have to suffer. The thought alone set her pulse racing with excitement.