CHAPTER 138: BRIGHT MOON NIGHT AT THE TWENTY-FOUR BRIDGE, WHERE IS THE JADE PERSON...

Jing Shu frowned. "That’s just what you think. I really need PVC plastic. Otherwise, why would I bother trading water for it?" It seems Nima Sang likes Yao Zixin, Jing Shu thought. She’s probably jealous, thinking I’m also interested in him.

Nima Sang posted, "Maybe you traded the 300 ml of water for some plastic just to get the school hunk to notice you. Oh, come on, stop pretending. I see right through your little tricks, but your methods are a bit distasteful."

Meanwhile, Yao Zixin, who had been silent, added Jing Shu. "Jing Shu, what kind of PVC plastic do you want? How much do you need? What kind of water will you trade for it?"

Seeing Nima Sang getting more and more out of line, Jing Shu, who had originally wanted to leave her some dignity, decided against it.

"@Nima Sang," she posted, "you’ve taken a fancy to Yao Zixin, haven’t you? Aren’t you afraid Xie Zihao, the one you took a ’mandarin duck bath’ with after high school graduation, will get jealous?"

Of course, this incident was only supposed to be revealed much later, Jing Shu mused, but I don’t mind leaking it early to give everyone an explosive start. As someone who has been reborn, I have to operate on a much higher level. I disdain playing games with those of such low caliber.

He Shouwu posted, "Wow, really?"

Nima Sang retorted, "You’re talking nonsense! You’re just slandering me because you’re desperate!"

Jing Shu just laughed. "At that time in the bathhouse, you two insisted on a private room for mixed bathing. They didn’t agree at first, not until Xie Zihao paid 200 yuan to let you in. I happened to be in the next room. The sounds were so loud, and it was even recorded by a pinhole camera. Have you forgotten?"

Jing Shu’s revelation was like a bombshell dropped into water, stirring up many people.

"This news is so explosive! Xie Zihao is so ugly, covered in acne, and she still got together with him."

"He may be ugly, but he’s rich."

"I never thought Ni Ma was this kind of person."

"I want to see the video! I want to see the ’pure’ high school girl in action."

Nima Sang typed, "That’s enough! I have no relations with that ugly bastard anymore. The apocalypse has arrived; everyone should be thinking about how to survive. And Jing Shu, I advise you to be kind."

See? When you try to talk about emotions with some people, they switch to ideals. When you talk to them about ideals, they lecture you about life... In short, they’re always right, Jing Shu thought.

At this moment, Xie Zihao also chimed in, "’On the night of the full moon at the Twenty-Four Bridges, where does the fair lady teach one to play the xiao?’ Ni Ma, you said that, and it truly breaks my heart. You didn’t seem to mind when you were ’playing the xiao’ during our mandarin duck bath, did you?"

If Jing Shu’s words had needed verification, the fact that one of the involved parties had now spoken up made it irrefutably real.

"666!"

"I bow down to the master! This completely shattered the pure image of Ni Ma I had in my heart."

Su Malie asked, "What does ’playing the xiao’ have to do with a ’mandarin duck bath’?"

Everyone: "..."

He Shouwu offered, "Come, come, let me explain the connection to you."

...

The group chat had veered off from discussing item exchanges and was now completely centered on Nima Sang, with everyone chatting merrily. Zhang Lingling recounted the class numbers: out of 56 students, only a little over half showed WeChat activity like step counts or posts. The fate of the rest was unknown; some of their WeChat Moments were permanently frozen on a particular day.

「Meanwhile.」

Jing Shu had connected with Yao Zixin. Fortunately, Yao Zixin’s family facility was professional enough to meet Jing Shu’s specifications: an integrated PVC plastic ceiling, higher in the center and sloping down towards the edges, designed so rainwater would flow down naturally.

To prevent red earthworms from getting stuck on the ceiling, Jing Shu also had them make PVC wipers. Mr. Jing could then install a manual system, similar to the pull-cord design for villa window blinds, to scrape off any unwanted debris.

Rainwater Collection Boxes also needed to be made. Jing Shu requested four, one for each corner of her villa, and additional ones for the RV garage. Speaking of the garage, it’s been built for so long, Jing Shu pondered. Yet there’s been no word from Wang Dazhao and Yang Yang, who went to the United States. How can that be?

Jing Shu had tried calling them several times, only to find their numbers were out of service. Alright, roaming services aren’t available anymore, and international calls aren’t possible. But the United States has internet... Couldn’t they just connect to Wi-Fi and report they’re safe? Jing Shu decided that if there was no news within another month, she would... just have to wait longer. If all else fails, I’ll have to inquire with Minister Niu.

As for the color of the PVC ceiling, Jing Shu requested black.

Initially, Yao Zixin had wondered if Nima Sang’s earlier remark implied Jing Shu was interested in him and had brought up the PVC deliberately. Despite the wide range of uses for PVC, no one really wants it right now, he thought. But when Jing Shu stated her detailed requirements, Yao Zixin swallowed hard. This is a big order!

"Ahem, it’s possible, yes. But how much water do you plan to exchange for it?" Yao Zixin was a bit worried Jing Shu might try to fob him off with a small amount of water.

"Do you want mineral water or ordinary water?"

Yao Zixin thought for a moment. "Ordinary water, I guess. I can get more that way."

"How about 50 liters?" Jing Shu suggested. This amount should allow his family to last until October, when the water shortage might not be as severe. Yet, for my family, this amount of water is just the daily requirement for a single cow... The gap between the rich and the poor is just that vast.

"That’s equivalent to over 300 centimeters in trade value. Okay." Yao Zixin calculated. His family had sold many items for only a few tens of centimeters in trade value, and now, collecting tree branches day and night only yielded about a dozen centimeters or so. This single deal would bring in so much in return; it was definitely worth it. Our family does have a factory, after all. It’s a pity we exchanged everything for food back then. Who would have thought there’d be a water shortage?

"I’ll give you 10 liters as a deposit first. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that’s fine! Thank you. We’ll get it done as soon as possible."

「Back in the group chat.」

Zhang Lingling had successfully guided the conversation back to the main topic, prompting everyone to prepare items for exchange. They would meet in three days at an abandoned mall in the new district for the exchange and a reunion.

Zhang Lingling announced, "So, it’s settled. Everyone, please send me your lists of needs and what you can offer. I’ll post them in the announcement group so everything will be clear at a glance."

Jing Shu closed the WeChat group. I can’t think of anything else I need right now. As for the class reunion... I’d better skip it. I don’t really want to go. Dressing too cleanly would be showing off, and my actual strength made it impossible to truly be low-key.

「The world outside remained grim.」

Every day, countless people hovered on the brink of life and death, and many died. The public’s response was intense. They demanded to learn from Africa and build underground dwellings over ten meters deep, hoping to at least reduce the ambient temperature and their water needs, thereby preventing so many deaths.

However, experts from Huaxia predicted that these high temperatures would not last long. But the fact that they had continued for so long meant the sea level had risen even higher. When the floods eventually came, they would be all the more fierce, and anyone in underground dwellings would be completely wiped out.

Africa’s vast, arid savannahs wouldn’t be submerged, which is why they could build such dwellings.

「Despite the dreadful, stay-at-home weather.」

Jing Shu finished her dinner, got in her car, and, with several large buckets of water, attended the cursed class reunion. I swear, I really don’t want to go! she fumed internally. That Su Malie must be my nemesis; otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that she needs exactly what I have to offer?