Chapter 26 The temperature dropped
The next morning, Bai Tang woke up from the cold.
It was still a bit cold under the covers. Just as I was about to get out of bed, I saw Gu Yanxu open the door and come in.
"Why are you awake? Are you too cold? I felt cold and wanted to go back inside to cover you with a thick blanket," Gu Yanxu said.
Bai Tang looked at him and said, "The temperature has dropped again; extreme cold should be coming soon."
"Tangtang, get dressed and have breakfast first."
After washing up, Bai Tang put on an extra layer of clothing before heading to the restaurant.
Bai Jiyang and Lin Fan were seen huddled together on the sofa.
What are you doing?
"Sister-in-law, we call this'squeezing in to keep warm'."
Bai Tang turned and went to the bedroom, then took out several sets of thicker clothes in different sizes from her spatial storage, intending for them to choose for themselves.
"Wow, I knew my sister-in-law was the best."
They squeezed together to get their clothes, and Bai Tang prepared several sets of thicker clothes for each of them, just like an old mother.
After breakfast, Bai Tang suggested, "Why don't we install a stove inside the house, so we can react in case the temperature suddenly drops one day?"
"Okay, we'll do as you say, sister-in-law. We'll obey unconditionally."
Now, Lin Fan and the other two all know they need to latch onto their sister-in-law's coattails. They agree to whatever Bai Tang says, and Gu Yanxu is relegated to second place, since he listens to Bai Tang.
Bai Tang took out six more stoves from her space. One was for her and Gu Yanxu's bedroom, one for each of the other four people's bedrooms, and one for the living room of room 2001.
They got right to work, installing ventilation ducts for each furnace. Although they weren't using them now, they knew they would be useful when the extreme cold arrived in a few days.
Moreover, if it's used these days, there's no guarantee that other people in the neighborhood won't see the smoke.
They won't seem out of place if they use something when everyone else is burning things for warmth.
These next few days I can only use two extra thick blankets.
After the stove was installed, Bai Tang heard a commotion downstairs, so they went to the window to take a look outside.
It turned out to be an official rescue team that had come to the rescue.
Through the glass, I could see people carrying large and small bags trying to squeeze onto the inflatable boat, but the rescue team members would never let them push like that.
Rescue team leader Chen Weiliang shouted through a megaphone:
Please don't crowd. Our inflatable boats have limited space. Let's just grab the necessary items and make sure everyone gets to the base first, otherwise the inflatable boats won't be able to carry everyone.
"No, I can't lose these things."
"The thing is, we lost our stuff, what are we going to use at the base?"
The building exit was in chaos for a moment.
Rescue team leader Chen Weiliang then used a megaphone to shout:
We really can't carry that much stuff. The inflatable boats are too small to hold that much, and our rescue team doesn't have that many inflatable boats either.
If you insist on taking all that stuff with you, then none of us will be able to leave. Let's all be understanding of each other.
Those whose homes were flooded in the community were thinking of going to the base, where at least they would have a place to live, unlike being crammed in the stairwell and having to guard against others stealing their supplies.
Those who had homes had two kinds of thoughts. One was: "I have a home. What will I do if I leave and lose my home? I won't go to the base."
Another reason is: there's nothing to eat at home, so it's better to go to the base to get a meal.
In the end, the official rescue team took several days to pick up a lot of people from the community, including many from Bai Tang's building. Anyway, Bai Tang didn't plan to stay at the base in the early stages.
The construction and management of the base in the early stages were not perfect in any way. Going there would only be a hassle. It would be better to stay at home, since they have food, drink, and heating.
Besides the officially established bases, some small faction leaders also set up smaller bases. However, life in those smaller bases was even worse than in the early stages of the official bases, and those who entered them lived in a miserable state.
Especially when the extreme cold arrives soon after, with a sharp drop in temperature, freezing, and snow, it will be even more difficult for people in those small bases to survive.
Anyway, Bai Tang and the others planned to wait until the extreme cold subsided before going to the base.
After all, it's chaotic when you go there in the early stages, so it's better to wait until they've managed things better before going.
Bai Tang and the others watched as people left the community one by one, especially the few households upstairs in their building.
Bai Tang waved his hand and said, "Tonight we'll have mutton hot pot to warm our bodies and stomachs."
Bai Tang went into the kitchen and took out fresh mutton from her spatial storage, asking Gu Yanxu to slice it so they could have mutton hot pot later.
I also made a pot of broth with lamb bones and fried a few lamb ribs.
The power had been cut off in the neighborhood long ago, so Bai Tang and the others were using the gas cylinders they had stockpiled to cook.
Bai Tang also prepared dipping sauces, giving each person a bowl. Those who wanted sesame sauce could mix it, and those who wanted oil sauce could mix it.
Soon the hot pot was boiling, and Bai Tang took out some hot pot meatballs and put them in, then picked a handful of fresh lettuce from her space to cook in the hot pot.
Of course, Bai Tang and the others didn't forget about canned food while eating meat. Now that it can eat meat, Bai Tang cooked a piece of mutton for it without adding much salt, then cut it into small pieces and put it in its food bowl along with canned cat food.
He was engrossed in eating the canned food with great relish.
At the dining table, Bai Jiyang took a bite of mutton and exclaimed, "My God, this is so satisfying, so blissful!"
"Yeah, the broth that the boss made smells so good, and it's a hot pot with two broths, I love it!" Lin Fan chimed in from the side.
Gu Yanxu said, "We made a hot pot with two broths because we were worried that some of you might not be able to handle the spiciness."
Outside, the temperature was gradually dropping, but inside, a hot pot was in full swing. After eating the mutton hot pot, they all felt much warmer.
Bai Tang went back to her bedroom and took out four black backpacks, giving one to each of Bai Jiyang, Lin Fan, Lin Feng, and Lin Zhou.
"What's in here, sis?" Bai Jiyang asked, picking up the backpack.
Bai Tang said, "This is a first aid kit that Xu Ge and I packed together. It contains some first aid supplies and some food. In case we accidentally get separated one day, these things will keep you safe for a while."
Lin Fan and his group opened their backpacks and found the following items: five bottles of water, ten bags of compressed biscuits, two packs of ham sausages, a whistle, alcohol, iodine, gauze bandages, hemostatic medicine, a small flashlight, a raincoat, a rope, a lighter, matches, gloves, and a multi-functional knife.
Bai Tang and Gu Yanxu put everything they might need inside.
There are six copies, one for each person, and the contents are exactly the same. Although it seems redundant for Bai Tang to have one, it is just in case.
There were also some miscellaneous small items, which Bai Tang then put back in for them; they were all necessities.
Bai Tang said to them, "Take good care of this bag. If something happens, the contents of this bag will help us get there in time."
Bai Jiyang said, "Sister, you've thought of everything too thoroughly."
"Sister-in-law, you and the boss are so thoughtful." Lin Fan quickly flattered her.
Lin Feng and Lin Zhou also said, "It's all thanks to your wife's thoughtfulness."
Gu Yanxu chimed in from the side, "Are you guys asking for a beating?"
A joke instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere.
Before going to bed that night, Bai Tang reminded them to cover themselves with thick blankets so they wouldn't get cold.
Sure enough, that night, the air outside suddenly turned cold, and the temperature dropped to 0°C.