Сhаpter 16: Dау аnd Night Rеvеrsed
She cаsuаlly bought а multigrain pаnсаkе frоm а streеt fооd stall аnd alsо got a сuр of milk tеa.
Strоlling frоm оne еnd оf the strееt tо thе оthеr, shе wandеred аimlеssly, taking in the sights.
Alоng the wаy, shе tооk оut her cаmera аnd сарtured mаny night sсenes.
Shе trulу lоvеd visiting night mаrkets—thе bustling crowds, the brightlу lit strееts, wеаving through alleуs. Shе еnjoуed this fеeling of bеing оut оf рlacе аmidst the livelinеss.
Watching оthеrs rеvеl in the ехcitement was a pleаsure in itsеlf.
Таking аdvаntagе of the stablе soсial оrder аnd the fact that everyone now came out to socialize at night, the night markets were even more crowded and vibrant than before. Every evening, she would immerse herself in this atmosphere.
Eating skewers and drinking beer.
Or buying some snacks to munch on while strolling around.
After wandering for a while, Jiang Ci drove out again. Today was her last trip to collect supplies.
She settled accounts with the owners of various shops, bringing the task of gathering supplies to a complete end.
Today was the last day of August, and tomorrow would usher in September 1st.
But the 45-degree weather was not the final peak of the heat.
Jiang Ci was already prepared to face the arrival of the extreme heat once again.
This time, she was fully prepared, a stark contrast to her previous life.
After returning from collecting supplies, Jiang Ci wasn’t tired at all. Instead, she stood on the balcony and joined the neighborhood’s impromptu chorus.
There was a young man in their building who played the guitar, often singing on his balcony at night and inspiring spontaneous sing-alongs from the surrounding buildings.
This kind of super-sized neighborhood concert was quite exhilarating, and Jiang Ci really enjoyed it.
With so many people singing along, one more or one less didn’t matter. She blended into the crowd, enjoying the fun without drawing attention.
Settling into a lazy chair on the balcony, she listened to the chorus echoing around her.
Jiang Ci occasionally joined in, singing a few lines, and even recorded a video to capture the moment.
She casually shared it in the “Happy Family” group chat, spreading a bit of her current joy.
“Friends walk through life together, those days will never return, one word, one lifetime, one bond, one glass of wine…”
Si Jianhua: 【Oh, my dear, your neighborhood is so lively! It’s nothing like Xianglan Xiaozhu, which is utterly boring.】
Wen Qianyue: 【Yes, I even want to stay at your place for a couple of days. It’s too quiet here.】
Jiang Ci: 【Come anytime, you’re always welcome.】
Listening to the sounds of revelry outside, Jiang Ci couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy. No one seemed to realize the impending crisis.
Everyone simply thought this summer was unusually hot, with no further concerns.
They all believed the heat would eventually pass and life would return to normal as before.
At the beginning of September, Si Beichen returned home after being discharged from the military.
He must have caught wind of something, as he went out every night to stockpile supplies.
It was only when she overheard Si Dad complaining that the basement was packed full and the garage was being used as a warehouse that she learned of Si Beichen’s actions.
By mid-month, the temperature had already reached 50 degrees Celsius.
The government began issuing warnings, urging citizens to stock up on food, drinks, and daily necessities at home, as even hotter extreme weather was yet to come.
Online, apocalyptic theories started to emerge, but very few believed them. Most dismissed them as alarmist nonsense.September was supposed to be the month for students to return to school, but due to extreme weather, all schools had delayed their reopening dates.
Some schools had even started conducting online classes.
At the end of the month, a fire broke out at the power supply bureau due to a circuit overload caused by the persistent high temperatures, leading to a citywide blackout.
For three whole days, the government was busy repairing the circuits.
Outside, the scorching fifty-degree Celsius heat had melted the asphalt on the roads.
With air conditioning suddenly gone, more and more people in the neighborhood group chat began suffering from heatstroke.
After sealing the doors and windows, Jiang Ci took out a small generator and an air-conditioning fan from her space.
She cooled herself with the fan while eating ice cream, finally feeling a bit more comfortable.
She took out her phone and called Si Dad.
“How are you all holding up?”
“How are you, dear? Your mom, your brother, and I are staying in the basement right now. Your brother bought a backup generator, so we’re fine. Don’t worry about us. If it gets too bad, you can come back here when the temperature drops at night.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry. I’ll come back if I need to.”
Jiang Ci had her reasons for not planning to return.
When riots over food and water erupted later, the wealthy residents in the villa area would be the first targets of looting.
Not only did she not plan to go back, but she also intended to bring her family to her place later.
She scrolled through her phone.
The neighborhood group chat already had 99+ unread messages. She casually opened it and skimmed through.
[“Does anyone still have Huoxiang Zhengqi Water? My child has heatstroke. I’ll pay a high price for it.”]
[“The meat in the fridge has gone bad. Life is really unbearable these days.”]
[“It’s too hot. When will the power come back on?”]
[“Where’s the property management? We pay so much in fees, and you don’t even dare to say a word?”]
[“Thank goodness the water hasn’t been cut off. Everyone, make sure to drink plenty of water, or dehydration will make things worse.”]
[“The water is scalding hot too.”]
[“Is there any big brother with backup power at home? Can this little sister come over for a bit? I’m really dying from the heat.”]
[“Doesn’t the community have a backup generator? Such a large community, and no emergency measures?”]
[“Residents, please remain calm. According to higher-level notifications, the community’s backup power will be supplied for three hours daily, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.”]
…
Jiang Ci turned off her phone, finished her ice cream, and had a comfortable nap.
As night fell, the sound of ambulances echoed through the streets again and again.
In such scorching heat, cooking was also a torment.
She took out a serving of cold skin noodles and a roujiamo from her space.
By the bright moonlight outside, she ate her dinner.
The night was exceptionally quiet today. Apart from the sound of ambulances, there was no other noise.
After all, with the citywide blackout, it was too dark for anyone to set up street stalls.
Even if some households had backup power or generators, no one dared to make it known now.
It was too hot to cook during the day, but some people were cooking at night. Through the cracks in the windows, the aroma of food drifted into the room.
There was even the smell of meat.
Since the blackout, meat had been the hardest to preserve in refrigerators.
She wondered whose household could still stir-fry meat—wasn’t that blatantly telling everyone they had electricity?
They were really asking for trouble.
Although she wasn’t interested in who was cooking meat, she believed someone in the community would be.In the dead of night, the neighborhood gradually quieted down, and the sound of ambulances finally ceased.
Those who needed to eat had already eaten their fill, and those who couldn’t sleep during the day due to the heat now felt a bit more comfortable. Everyone began drifting into dreams.
Until the next morning, a piercing howl cut through the stifling heat and reached everyone’s ears.
Jiang Ci opened her phone and scrolled through the neighborhood group chat, following the drama online.
It turned out that a family on the 9th floor had their door pried open last night, and all their food along with a generator were stolen.
Without electricity or surveillance, and with everyone sleeping soundly in the dead of night, no one knew who had done it.
The family of four on the 9th floor woke up this morning to find their home robbed and were nearly driven mad with anger.
They immediately called the police, but the officers only took a statement over the phone and told them to wait for updates, leaving the matter unresolved.