When they arrived at Minghua residential complex, dawn was breaking. Ning Xinyue went upstairs first, followed by Yan Yuansi. They hauled up three full bags of supplies.
After Li Yao pulled the patrol boat inside, she let the air out of it.
With a total blackout now, the elevator had long since stopped working, so the three of them carried their backpacks upstairs.
Passing the 14th floor, an old lady suddenly rushed out. She grabbed Yan Yuansi and started crying on him.
Li Yao raised an eyebrow — the old lady really had a sharp eye. She held a nail gun, Ning Xinyue had a dagger, and Yan Yuansi had nothing.
The old lady wailed,
“Our family has no food left. You’re capable, can you spare some food for me?”
Li Yao had seen plenty of people like this and didn’t even flinch. Before, Ning Xinyue thought Li Yao was cold-hearted, but now she just thought Li Yao was so cool.
Yan Yuansi couldn’t stand the old lady’s crying and pulled out two packets of instant noodles from his backpack. The old lady greedily eyed Yan Yuansi’s huge bag, wanting more, but when she caught Li Yao’s cold glare, she dared not say a word.
“Go upstairs.” Li Yao didn’t want to see Yan Yuansi playing the good guy. She strode ahead, rolling her eyes at Yan Yuansi — always causing trouble for her.
After they went upstairs, the old lady hid the instant noodles with the rice and flour she had stored before. Judging by the amount, she could eat for half a year.
Looking at the two noodle packets, she said,
“Such kind people. They surely won’t bear to see an old lady like me starve.”
“Mom, did you just go out?” Sun Xiaoyun seemed to have heard her grandmother’s voice. She hadn’t eaten for two days and was already hallucinating from hunger.
Wu Jiahui looked at Su Xiaoyun with disdain.
“I just saw someone upstairs going out to find supplies. That girl can go out, and you can’t even do anything at home? How did my son marry such a jinx?”
Sun Xiaoyun sneered,
“I want to find supplies too. I haven’t eaten for two days, and I haven’t even left the complex yet. I might as well die outside.”
She went to the kitchen to look for food, complaining as she searched,
“If you want food, go get it yourself. I’m not going.”
Seeing her grandmother’s good spirits, she guessed there was still food hidden somewhere in the house—definitely the old lady’s doing.
Wu Jiahui snorted and went back to her room. Her food was all reserved for her son; the daughter-in-law, an outsider, would have to find her own.
Sun Xiaoyun’s face darkened after searching the kitchen. The old lady really hid the food well.
At the 35th floor, Li Yao shut the three doors behind them.
They took off their raincoats in the foyer, feeling much lighter, though their clothes were soaked.
Li Yao said,
“I’ll take a shower first. When I’m back, we’ll divide the supplies.”
She went to her bedroom and paused the livestream, leaving the equipment in the living room, then enjoyed a luxurious bath.
Coming out with a slight blush on her face.
Yan Yuansi and Ning Xinyue were already out.
They kept supplies they needed in their backpacks. Li Yao placed the supplies they had stored at her place on the floor and went to the kitchen to make three bowls of ginger soup for Yan Yuansi and Ning Xinyue to drink.
After working all night, her stomach was growling. A hot bowl of noodles was just perfect. She took out a bowl of fresh shrimp noodles from her space.
Yan Yuansi happily divided the supplies. It was his first time doing something like this—quite novel. About 30% were food, plus some everyday medicine like anti-inflammatory and fever reducers.
Li Yao felt her phone vibrate. She took it out to see the residential property network still holding up.
Everyone was discussing that the people in building 43 had a patrol boat.
【I saw the people from building 43 have a patrol boat. They were gone all night, and their backpacks were bulging when they came back.】
Li Yao squinted, surprised someone had been watching them all night.
【Building 43 is far from us, but I’d pay a high price. I wonder if they’d lend me their patrol boat.】
Someone quickly asked in the property owners’ group if there was a user with a patrol boat in building 43.
Their building had over 40 floors, with an occupancy rate of 80%.
Hearing that building 43 had a patrol boat, the previously hopeless residents now felt a bit hopeful.
Immediately, people rushed out and went floor by floor asking if anyone had a patrol boat.
Li Yao watched clearly in the group chat. They had asked up to the 20th floor, so they should be close.
Half an hour later, someone knocked on Li Yao’s door. She told Yan Yuansi to answer while she stood behind the door with the nail gun.
Yan Yuansi felt bitter. His sister looked like if his answer displeased her, she’d shoot him.
“Who’s there?”
Yan Yuansi spoke, and when the person outside heard a man’s voice, their tone softened.
“Are you the one who went out last night to find supplies?”
Li Yao shook her head.
Yan Yuansi replied,
“No.”
The person outside was disappointed but still asked,
“Do you know who it was? If you do, could you please share the information?”
“No idea.” Yan Yuansi swallowed nervously, eyeing Li Yao’s nail gun.
Li Yao was satisfied with his answer. The nail gun wasn’t really meant for outsiders but for Yan Yuansi. If his answer had displeased her, the nails would have been driven into his flesh without hesitation.
There couldn’t be a soft-hearted saint on her team. If he couldn’t remember that, he would have to taste the bitter consequences.
The person outside was silent for a while before resignedly going upstairs.
Li Yao listened to the sounds and knew things wouldn’t end so easily. If they kept searching for supplies, they would be exposed.
For now, they would enjoy the few days of peace.
The two knocked on every door on the 45th floor before dejectedly returning home.
【Everyone, we knocked on every door in building 43, and they all said there’s no patrol boat.】
Other building residents who were jealous instantly scoffed, with some enjoying the drama.
【Someone’s definitely lying.】
【We’re neighbors, shouldn’t we help each other? Building 43 shouldn’t be so stingy.】
【Exactly, surviving this long is already hard. If they find supplies, they save lives.】
【Patrol boat owners in building 43, come out! We have no food left. My wife and kids can’t hold on.】 This was a voice message.
The man’s voice choked up, as if he really couldn’t survive.
Li Yao snorted coldly, turned off her phone, and went to the kitchen to prepare her delicious food.
Yan Yuansi and Ning Xinyue, who were training, exchanged looks. That was one scary cold snort.
【Our sister Yao is really cool.】
【Going to cook again. I love how seriously Sister Yao takes cooking.】
【There’s an old saying on Earth: if you want to win someone over, win her stomach. Now my heart and soul belong to this woman.】
【I just love this woman’s endless energy.】