By June, Jiang Ci had more or less finished stockpiling her supplies.
She first did the math.
Including the 200 million Si Beichen had given her, she had a little over 4.2 billion in total.
The daily orders from the various shops-frog and fish hot pot, grilled fish, barbecue, lamb rice noodles, rice noodles, breakfast, self-heating hot pots, crayfish, meat from the slaughterhouse, all kinds of snacks, large jugs of water, and so on-came to about 30 million altogether.
Vegetables cost 20 million, and medicine cost 50 million.
The modified vehicles cost 100 million; gasoline, diesel, and other fuels, 400 million; weapons, 100 million; clothing and seafood, 100 million; grain, cooking oil, and the like, 100 million; and drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, coal, air cooler fans, solar heating panels, and so on, 100 million.
All those miscellaneous purchases had only cost her 1 billion.
She still had over 3.2 billion left.
With no other choice, Jiang Ci began assigning herself spending targets.
Another 200 million for vegetables, another 200 million for meat, another 200 million for fruit, another 100 million for clothing, 400 million for bulletproof glass, security doors, hardware fittings, and other renovation materials, another 200 million for grain and cooking oil, another 200 million for medicine, another 400 million for cars, planes, and yachts, 100 million to stockpile gold, another 100 million for charcoal, fire axes, protective goggles, nail guns, recurve bows, generators, and so on, and another 100 million for daily necessities and the like.
Those miscellaneous purchases added up to another 2.2 billion.
She still had 1 billion left.
Through someone else, Jiang Ci managed to buy a survival capsule developed and manufactured by a high-tech company. It was waterproof, fireproof, earthquake-resistant, and pressure-resistant, and cost her 200 million.
For the final 800 million, Jiang Ci went abroad again and spent a month splurging overseas before she finally used it all up.
Her Infinite Space was now filled entirely with supplies, especially at the end of the rectangle that extended infinitely. She had no idea how far the supplies stretched.
Never mind supporting herself for a lifetime-even if ten more people came along, she would dare to support them for ten lifetimes.
Jiang Ci converted the last 20 million in her account into gold and stored it in her space.
It was already late July.
The weather was extremely hot, with daytime temperatures reaching 39 or even 40 degrees Celsius.
Jiang Ci was sensitive to both cold and heat. During the day, she mostly stayed home with the air conditioning on, eating watermelon, reading novels, and watching videos and TV dramas.
After sunset, she would go out for a stroll and collect the dishes she had ordered.
On some weekend evenings, she went to Fragrant Orchid Cottage for dinner.
Si Beichen had not come home again since his last visit for her mother's birthday.
Most of the family of four's conversations took place in the Happy Family group chat.
Apart from the discordant notes of their parents constantly pressuring her and Si Beichen to get married, everything was harmonious and loving.
She sent Si Beichen a message: [Bro, hurry up and get a girlfriend. It's all because you can't find one that I'm getting dragged into this.]
Si Beichen ignored her completely. He was more responsive when she asked him for spending money.
Soon, August arrived.
One afternoon, Jiang Ci went downstairs to throw out the trash.
The moment she reached the ground floor, the stifling heat made it hard to breathe. There was not the slightest breeze, and she felt as though she had stepped into a steamer.
Every breath was hot, and she could barely catch her breath.
Holding her trash, she stood motionless in the shade beneath her apartment building, yet she still felt herself beginning to sweat. The steaming air made her uncomfortable.
No wonder she had seen reports of heatstroke while scrolling through the news these past few days.
Especially among construction workers and food delivery riders and couriers working outdoors, she had heard that their internal organs had cooked. Quite a few had died of heatstroke.
Jiang Ci slowly finished throwing out her trash, then quickly jogged upstairs and went home to get back to the air conditioning.
She checked the temperature on her phone. It had already reached 45 degrees Celsius outside.
A friend had posted a photo on Moments of their foam-soled slippers. After a walk outside, the soles had melted.
She pulled the balcony curtain open a crack and looked out. Only a handful of cars were still driving along the road. The streets were practically deserted, with hardly anyone outside.
She opened the Happy Family group chat.
Jiang Ci: [Dad, Mom, stay home and don't go out. It's way too hot outside. You'll definitely get heatstroke if you do.]
Si Jianhua: [Don't you go out either, sweetheart. The news says lots of people have died of heatstroke. Your mom and I aren't going out.]
Wen Qianyue: [I just went outside to see what it felt like. It's too hot. What's wrong with this weather? How are people supposed to live?]
Si Beichen: [The weather bureau has issued a red alert for extreme heat. I heard temperatures will keep rising. Dad, find a chance to stock up on more food and drinks at home.]
Si Jianhua: [I stocked up on quite a bit a couple of days ago. I'll go out and get more over the next couple of days. Aren't you getting ready to leave the military? Have you submitted your application? When can you come home?]
Jiang Ci: [Bro, you're leaving the military?]
Si Beichen: [I've submitted it. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be back in September.]
Si Beichen: [Yes, I'm getting ready to leave.]
Jiang Ci: [Welcome home~]
Si Jianhua: [Sweetheart, living alone makes even meals inconvenient. Why don't you come back and stay here?]
Wen Qianyue: [Yes, come back and I'll cook for you.]
Jiang Ci: [No need. Let's talk about it when my brother comes back. Go out in the evenings after sunset and buy some more food to keep on hand.]
Si Jianhua: [All right, got it. Don't worry.]
Jiang Ci's orders with the various shop owners ran through the end of August.
Throughout August, the weather grew increasingly hot and stifling. Jiang Ci kept going out every day after sunset to collect her supplies.
In the 45-degree heat, the scorching sun baked the trees lining the roads until they withered and yellowed ahead of time.
The landscaped strips in the residential complex had also turned to yellow, withered grass.
Only a handful of vehicles traveled along the broad roads.
In the once-lively exercise area of the residential complex, not a single elderly man or woman was in sight, nor were there any children laughing and playing.
Only the outdoor air-conditioning units could be heard running.
Enduring the heat that made her sweat with every movement, Jiang Ci hung shade cloth over all the windows in her home.
She had not wanted to attract her neighbors' attention before, so she had held off on installing them early.
Over the past couple of days, she had seen many households in the complex putting up shade cloth, so she quickly followed suit and installed it at home.
Once she drew the shade cloth and then the curtains, the room immediately darkened.
Jiang Ci turned on the living room light, took an ice cream bar from the refrigerator, and lay down on the sofa.
At last, she felt much cooler.
After finishing her ice cream and enjoying the air conditioning for a while longer, Jiang Ci decided to get up and take a shower.
There was no telling how long the water and electricity would last. While they were still working normally, she had to treasure them.
After washing up and changing into loungewear, she turned off the light, slipped under her summer quilt, and enjoyed a comfortable sleep.
At midnight, she was woken by a burst of noise.
Outside, the lights had just come on, and every home was brightly lit, illuminating the night until it was as bright as day.
The shops downstairs in the residential complex were crowded with people, and both sides of the roads were lined with night stalls and snack carts.
Jiang Ci quickly got ready and went downstairs.
Downstairs, there were people selling vegetables, fruit, snacks, daily necessities, little pieces of jewelry, and clothes-everything one could want.
The elderly men and women and the children had all come out to get some activity.