Chapter 20: 902 Doesn't Seem Like a Good Person

Gu Pan was very alert and looked at the other person, asking, "How did you know we had this?"

The girl hadn't expected Gu Pan to ask this and felt a bit nervous. "I live on the 9th floor. I’ve been knocking on doors from the 9th floor down, but none of the previous households had any."

Hearing this, Gu Pan was satisfied enough. "I don't have much to spare, but I can give you two pads. Wait a moment."

With that, Gu Pan went inside, closed the door, and went to the bedroom to get some sanitary napkins. Since they were both women, there was no need to be completely heartless about something she could help with; after all, this wouldn't bring any trouble upon herself.

She took two pads, walked to the door, opened it, and handed them to the girl.

Unexpectedly, the moment the door opened, the girl tried to squeeze into the room. "Big sister, do you have any food? Could you give me some of that too? I couldn't buy any food, and I'm going to run out today."

Gu Pan pushed the girl back out and stepped out herself. "Don't push your luck. I’m not doing this because I’m a pushover, but because we are both women and I understand your embarrassment. However, if you're trying to take advantage of me, you’ve come to the wrong person."

Having said that, she placed the two pads in the girl's hand. She wouldn't go back on her word, but this was someone to keep at a distance from now on.

Once Gu Pan went back inside and closed the door, Lu Ruisheng said, "Let's install the iron gate once the power is cut. Otherwise, it will be annoying not knowing who might come knocking in the future."

"Agreed. We'll install it as soon as the power goes out," Gu Pan replied.

Just then, they heard the girl knocking on the door across the hall. It seemed that Chen Shaonan’s family had overheard the conversation between Gu Pan and the girl, as Duan Shumei promptly told her they didn't have any.

Afterward, they heard the girl heading downstairs.

Neither Gu Pan nor Lu Ruisheng had any impression of this girl. They only knew about the 901 resident who had money for bottled water; this one must be from 902. She was quite mysterious and had never spoken in the group chat. People like that were the ones to be most wary of. Her visit today was actually for the best; at least they now knew what kind of person lived in that unit, which would be useful to keep in mind when things got chaotic later.

By the afternoon, there were more and more requests for supplies in the group chat—not just for food, but for toilet paper and hot water. Since electricity was only supplied at night, households without thermoses—those relying on electric kettles that kept water warm—found that the water wouldn't stay hot once the power was cut. With no hot water during the day, they had to beg for it in the chat.

Most households had already run out of their stored water, and many were beginning to melt snow to boil for drinking.

Duan Shumei from 702, a chemistry teacher, posted a scientific tip in the group: if a household had a water filter, it could be detached and used to filter melted snow before boiling it, making it safer to drink.

Their residential complex was relatively well-off, so most homes had filters installed. Those who didn't had to trade for them or buy them from others. Either way, Gu Pan and her husband were determined not to get involved in any of this.

Because the supermarket was still selling goods—even though it required waiting in long lines—people felt that as long as it kept selling, their turn would eventually come. Some even believed that the weather would warm up soon and that they would quickly return to the days when they could buy whatever they wanted to eat.

But the next morning, everything changed.

Around ten o'clock, the group chat exploded with the news that the supermarket would stop selling goods starting tomorrow.

Resident 901: How can this be? I haven't managed to buy anything yet! If they stop selling, do they want us to starve to death?

Resident 802: I stood in line all night yesterday and didn't even get anything. Now they say they aren't selling anymore starting tomorrow? I nearly froze to death last night. It’s a good thing those of us in line built a bonfire and took turns warming up, or we would have died out there.

Resident 402: Then when will they sell again? Why is there no news? Are we just supposed to sit here and wait?

Many people started tagging the building manager.

Building Manager 401: I don't have any news either. The notice from above only says that they will notify everyone in advance when the supermarket has stock.

Resident 1001: Is this really the end of the world? Look at the temperature—it shows no sign of rising. And I heard through the grapevine that the electricity supply is going to be cut off, too.

Resident 102: What? If the power is cut, how will we keep warm? How will we boil water?

Resident 201: Are they expecting us to light fires inside our rooms to keep warm?

Resident 801: Even if we burn fires for warmth, we don't have anything to burn. Are we supposed to burn our furniture? There’s no insurance for this; who would reimburse us for that later?

Gu Pan watched these messages and sighed. They were thinking so optimistically about reimbursements, not realizing that it was uncertain whether they would even be alive by then.

It wasn't just the residents' group; all the other groups were in an uproar as well, all filled with people unable to buy supplies and anxious about the next day. More rumors were circulating about power and internet outages.

Many people complained that they could lose anything but the internet, otherwise, life would lose all meaning.

Lu Ruisheng watched and sighed as well. The meaning of life? One has to be alive for there to be any meaning.

He and Gu Pan sat there, watching the chat and sighing repeatedly. They knew things that others didn't, but they couldn't speak of what they knew.

That night, there was no announcement, but the electricity supply time was shortened to only three hours, from 12:00 AM to 3:00 AM.

Before dawn, the group chat blew up. People were saying they had been woken up by the cold and had nearly frozen to death. With the weather this cold and no guarantee of power, it was a matter of life and death.

Yesterday, when someone in the group mentioned the possibility of a power cut, most people dismissed it as a rumor. But the unannounced shortening of power hours made many realize the truth, and they panicked. Was the power really going to be cut? And wouldn't the internet go down with it?

Early in the morning, Gu Pan put on her down jacket and left the bedroom. Now, only the bedroom was warm. They hadn't set up any heating equipment in the living room, fearing that a sudden knock on the door might reveal to someone that they still had power and heat, which would seem suspicious.

They had to wait until things were truly chaotic to install the iron gate. Only then, when they wouldn't let anyone in, would they set up heating in the living room.

Gu Pan sat on the sofa, scrolling through hundreds of chat messages. People were finally starting to have a premonition of the apocalypse.

That morning, they had scallion pancakes with eggs and a cup of hot rice cereal each, which kept them warm.

Resident 901 came down to knock on their door to buy food. He was a young man in his early twenties, wearing a high-end designer down jacket—clearly a boy from a wealthy family.

He was quite polite, saying to Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng, "Older brother and sister, do you have any extra food you could sell me? We can discuss the price; just tell me how much you want."

Gu Pan said, "We only have enough for ourselves. We don't have anything to spare. I'm sorry."

Resident 901 looked disappointed. "I understand. If you find any way to get food, please let me know. Money is no object."

Gu Pan agreed, "Alright, if I do, I'll let you know."

Resident 901 thanked them and went to knock on the door across the hall.

Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng closed their door and returned to the room. At a time like this, it was impossible to reveal that they had supplies, or it would only bring trouble upon themselves.