It took over three hours to walk from the suburbs to the city center, and Chu Yian now felt like her legs were about to give out.
At 11:40 p.m., they finally arrived in the city.
By now it was almost midnight, but the streets were still bustling with people—
Wandering through alleys, cooling off, buying and selling.
The daytime city scenes seemed to have simply shifted to nighttime, especially the shops with generators. The hum of the generators roared, business at the doors was booming, and customers came in a steady stream.
However, one place was even more crowded than the shops—
The utility poles.
The more desperately people wanted power, the more they pinned their hopes on the electricians.
Up top, a transformer was being repaired by a single worker;
Below, a crowd watched intently, supervising.
The veteran electrician with years of experience was overwhelmed, too nervous to come down. Even Chu Yian couldn't help but glance over a few times.
But soon, Lu Qingyuan led her toward a nearby store. He quickly bought two sets of men's clothing, then hurried to a rental car shop.
Despite the late hour, the rental shop was still open.
Inside, a handful of people sat, fanning themselves in the dimly lit space—not customers but clearly the owner's friends or family. They chatted quietly in the cool spot.
"Business is tough. During the day, it's too hot to go out; only at night are the streets busy. With the power and water cuts, rent doesn't drop a penny."
"I don't even dare to hire extra help anymore. What a headache."
The voice was obviously the owner complaining.
"The weather forecast says this heat will last another week. Not sure if that's true."
"Who knows when it will end. This afternoon, another elderly person was carried out near our neighborhood."
"In Nanfu District, a repair electrician died of heatstroke too."
...
Dead from the heat isn't rare anymore in this weather.
After hearing their conversation, Chu Yian realized the city's situation was worse than she had imagined.
But none of that was her concern—she was here just to buy a car with Lu Qingyuan.
He went straight into the shop, passed by row after row of vehicles, and zeroed in on one.
Swipe card, grab keys, and leave.
After a long night on foot, Chu Yian's legs ached and her feet throbbed. The moment she sat in the car, she sighed deeply.
Air conditioning. Sitting in the car was just comfortable!
She even dozed off for a bit in this environment. When she opened her eyes, they had already left the city.
Lu Qingyuan drove to a gas station.
At this 24-hour gas station, business was better than many shops. People lined up to buy fuel—
Both diesel and gasoline.
After waiting a long time, it was their turn. Lu Qingyuan filled the car's tank with gasoline.
Zzzzzt…
A crackle of electricity.
The previously dim gas station lights suddenly brightened.
"Power's back!"
"Electricity's on!"
People watching the connected power supply cheered, and the first thing many did was call their families.
Standing in the crowd, Chu Yian overheard at least five people confirm their homes had power again. Everyone was ecstatic, itching to get home and blast the air conditioning.
Lu Qingyuan also suddenly received a call. Chu Yian couldn't catch the other side's words, but heard his replies:
"It's okay."
"Power's back in the city."
"I'm fine."
As he spoke, his eyebrows furrowed.
"What?"
"Mm, got it."
...
Chu Yian didn't know what was said, but the car that was about to leave the city suddenly turned around and headed back inside.
"Where did you buy the generator?"
"In Beipu District."
Chu Yian gave directions and led him to the generator shop.
As power was restored in the city, the streets instantly emptied of pedestrians.
When they arrived, the generator shop was just about to close.
"Boss, any generators left?"
"Sold out."
The recent blackout had everyone scrambling for generators. Most had been sold. The owner mainly dealt in parts and repairs.
Heat, sudden power outages—
Where some worried, others rejoiced.
Businesses selling generators and giant ice blocks had their orders spike; they had no stock left.
Lu Qingyuan looked at the owner.
"I'll pay five times the price for one. Can you spare one?"
"Well... I can order one for you tomorrow. When will you come to get it?" The owner couldn't resist the money.
Lu Qingyuan raised the stakes.
"Can you get it tonight? I'll pay ten times the price plus 10% extra rush fee."
Money talks.
That very night, a new diesel generator arrived—proof that with enough cash, no problem was unsolvable.
"Teacher Lu, why spend over ten thousand yuan on a generator worth barely a thousand?"
Chu Yian didn't understand.
"I just got word the heatwave is uncontrollable and I need to stay a few more days at your place."
"Well, then stay!"
Chu Yian nodded.
She was happy to spend time gaming together anyway. She quickly realized the generator was for future use.
Lu Qingyuan acted fast.
After buying the generator, he went straight to the bank.
The bank was closed, but the ATM glowed softly. He withdrew twenty thousand yuan—not because that was all he had, but because each card had a daily withdrawal limit of twenty thousand.
He threw the cash into the car, then went to an electronics store still open.
He bought two fans, an electric cooker, and an induction stove.
He kept busy until three or four in the morning.
That time was exactly when the morning market opened.
Chu Yian waited for Lu Qingyuan to finish, then got out and loaded the car's backseat with bags of groceries and fruit.
On her way back, she caught Lu Qingyuan on a call, vaguely hearing the word "flame-retardant board."
By the time Chu Yian got back in the car, Lu Qingyuan had finished the call.
Finally, their all-night shopping spree ended at 5 a.m.
Back home, Chu Yian switched on the lights, dragged the sofa near the kitchen door, and cranked the kitchen air conditioner.
She quickly took a cold shower, changed into pajamas, and collapsed on the sofa, instantly asleep.
Lu Qingyuan walked past, paused at the sofa.
Chu Yian was curled up small, sleeping peacefully. Her pajamas seemed a bit large, revealing a broad patch of skin at the shoulder from the collar.
He leaned in slightly, even catching the faint scent of her shower gel lingering in the air.
After a moment, Lu Qingyuan straightened, didn't look at her, and walked past.
A while later, he came back with a thin quilt and gently tossed it over her.
Game Day 6, 8:00 a.m.
Chu Yian woke after only three hours—woken by the heat!