Сhарtеr 24: Collесting Wаtеr
Тhe water truсk wаs parkеd right next tо thе gоvеrnmеnt suрermаrkеt. Тhe lights in frоnt of thе supermаrkеt werе on, аnd twо рoliсе offiсеrs wеrе stаtiоnеd inside tо maintаin оrder.
One pеrson sаt at а tаblе bеside the wаter truck, rеsроnsiblе for rеgistering ID infоrmation, whilе аnоthеr wаs in chаrge of distributing watеr bаsеd оn hеadcount.
Ву thе time Jiаng Ci аnd Si Beiсhеn аrrivеd, the line hаd аlreadу stretchеd аrоund twо streеts.
Аfter joining the queue, they оverhеаrd sоmеоne аhead cоmplаining quietlу, “Will therе even be any water left by the time it’s our turn? There are so many people.”
“If there isn’t, they’ll just have to bring more. The government can’t just abandon us.”
“It’s so hot, so hot! Can’t everyone spread out a bit? Aren’t you all hot?”
“Still squeezing and pushing over there—have you no manners?”
“Anyone who keeps arguing can get out! All this noise is making me irritable. It’s already hot enough without you adding to it. So annoying!”
Jiang Ci gently tugged at Si Beichen’s sleeve, pulling him back a couple of steps.
Even though it was nighttime, the temperature remained high, making everyone feel restless and uneasy.
With so many people crowded together, the smells of sweat, stinky feet, and the sour odor of clothes and bodies that hadn’t been washed for who knows how many days were overwhelming. Jiang Ci could even detect them through her mask.
Si Beichen noticed Jiang Ci struggling with the smells in the line and leaned down to say, “I’ll wait here in line. Why don’t you go browse around the supermarket nearby?”
Jiang Ci avoided his hand as he reached for her water bucket and shook her head gently. “I won’t go. It’s fine—I can bear it.”
Seeing that Jiang Ci truly didn’t want to leave, Si Beichen didn’t insist. He also didn’t want her too far away from him. With so many people around, he was worried someone might be lurking in the shadows, observing the crowd and ready to follow and rob someone.
Human nature itself couldn’t withstand such tests.
The two waited in line for quite a while, but the queue only moved forward two steps—literally just two steps.
Jiang Ci silently repeated to herself: I’m not annoyed, I’m not annoyed. A calm heart brings natural coolness, a calm heart brings natural coolness.
Just as Jiang Ci was quietly trying to convince herself, someone suddenly ran up beside her, patted her shoulder, and exclaimed excitedly, “Xiao Ci!”
Turning around, she saw it was Wu Ya.
Jiang Ci was delighted to see her good friend. Although they lived in the same residential complex, they hadn’t run into each other because they weren’t in the same building and didn’t live close by.
“Where’s Jiang Chengrong?”
Wu Ya pointed toward the back of the line. “He’s waiting in line back there. I saw you when we first joined the queue, but the lighting was too dim, and I wasn’t sure. I’ve been staring at you for a while before I confirmed it was you.”
Jiang Ci craned her neck to look toward the back of the line and finally spotted Jiang Chengrong standing in the dark, crowded queue, waving at them.
She waved back to let him know she’d seen him, then turned to Wu Ya and asked quietly, concerned, “How have you and Jiang Chengrong been doing?”
With so many people around and prying eyes everywhere, she didn’t dare say too much, afraid of drawing attention, and kept her voice low. “We’re doing alright.”
The two whispered back and forth, sharing bits of conversation.
Jiang Ci learned some basic details and found out that Wu Ya and Jiang Chengrong were managing fairly well, which put her mind at ease.
She quietly added, “If you run into any difficulties, come find me.”
Wu Ya nodded.
She glanced at the tall, well-built man in front of them, whose face was obscured by a mask, then nudged Jiang Ci’s arm and asked gossipily, “Who’s this guy? You seem pretty close with him. Boyfriend?”
Jiang Ci smiled helplessly. “This is my brother.””You have an older brother? I never heard you mention that before.”
“Not by blood…”
“Oh, I see.”
Wu Ya noticed the man ahead turning to look at her and immediately grinned, calling out, “Hello, brother!”
Si Beichen had sharp hearing and knew this was Jiang Ci’s friend. He didn’t say much, just nodded before turning back to continue waiting in line.
“Alright, Xiao Ci, I’ve got to go find Jiang Chengrong now. I’ll drop by Building 8 to hang out with you when I have time.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
Jiang Ci didn’t try to keep her. Wu Ya had been to her place before and could always visit her at home whenever she wanted.
“If anything comes up, just come find me or Jiang Chengrong, okay?”
After saying that, Wu Ya gave Jiang Ci a quick hug and dashed off.
Not long after Wu Ya left, angry, bickering voices erupted from the front of the line.
Jiang Ci stood on tiptoe to look ahead and immediately perked up. Ha, another juicy drama to watch.
She saw a woman in a tight-fitting red jumpsuit struggling to carry a bucket of water back, bending over with effort.
Under the dim streetlights, the woman’s curvaceous figure was unmistakable, and the hazy night added a wordless allure to her appealing shape.
Many men in the line had already set their eyes on her, with wolf whistles and murmurs of admiration rising and falling.
One young man was anxiously trying to step forward to help the woman with her bucket.
But an older woman beside him was gripping his arm tightly, refusing to let him leave the line.
This young man was none other than Zhou Junming from the 9th floor of their Building 8, the one who played the guitar and sang beautifully.
The older woman beside him was his notoriously difficult mother.
Jiang Ci shifted her gaze to the woman struggling with the bucket.
If she guessed correctly, this woman was likely the alluring widow from the 13th floor of their Building 8.
Tsk tsk, this was getting interesting.
Zhou Junming desperately tried to pry his mother’s fingers off, shouting angrily, “Mom, let go!”
His mother only tightened her grip. The young man was strong, and in her panic, she plopped down on the ground and started making a scene.
“Zhou Junming, you unfilial son! Just you try going over there! Do you not want your mother anymore?”
After all, he was her precious son, so she couldn’t bring herself to curse him too harshly. Instead, she directed all her fury at Zhao Yunqiu.
“You seductive fox! How dare you try to lure my son! I won’t let you off!”
“You little tramp, just you wait! Take a look at yourself in the mirror—what kind of person are you? A stinking widow like you isn’t worthy of my son!”
“Look at that butt and those breasts—clearly not a decent woman! What respectable woman goes out dressed like that? She’s obviously a habitual man-snatcher!”
“Everyone, keep an eye on your own men! Don’t let this seductive fox steal them away!”
The older woman was a force to be reckoned with. After her barrage of insults, whispers spread throughout the line.
Zhao Yunqiu endured the scolding without a word, putting on a pitiful, long-suffering act as she continued struggling with her bucket.
This immediately stirred sympathy among the men.
One man, driven by lust, ignored his own wife’s protests and stepped forward, ready to help Zhao Yunqiu.
Seeing another man with ill intentions approaching Zhao Yunqiu, Zhou Junming panicked.
With a forceful tug, he wrenched his arm free from his mother’s grasp, shoving her so hard that she lost her balance and fell backward.
The older woman let out a pained “Aiyo!” but ultimately failed to hold onto her precious son.Zhou Junming angrily rushed to Zhao Yunqiu’s side and forcefully shoved the ill-intentioned man away.
The man was not one to be trifled with either, immediately grappling with Zhou Junming in a brawl.
Seeing her son fighting with another man over a flirtatious widow, the middle-aged woman immediately sat on the ground, wailing and crying for her parents.
The line stretched so long that neither end could be seen, yet not a single person was willing to step forward and break up the fight, all assuming the posture of spectators.
Uninvolved matters are best left untouched—no one wanted to invite trouble upon themselves.