Hang in there! The temperature has plummeted by 100 degrees. Hang in there! Survivors of the apocalypse. At first, it was just down jackets selling out, water pipes bursting, and citywide power cuts. Then, repair workers died from hypothermia, and the medical system collapsed. The cold wave swept across the globe, sparing even countries at the equator... In just one month, the temperature has dropped by 100 degrees! The entire city has turned into ice sculptures, with trees freezing to dust before their leaves could even fall. Rivers and oceans worldwide are frozen solid, and not a drop of water can be found on the surface! If it were a zombie apocalypse, humanity could still fight back, but when faced with nature, what can we do? This isn't a movie! It's real... it's the doomsday of extreme cold. 1 Early in the morning, the phone rang urgently. I picked it up with irritation; it was my cousin, whom I hadn't spoken to in a long time. "What's up, sis? It's so early..." "Mianmian! I need to tell you something important. Every word I'm about to say is serious, so you need to listen carefully!" I felt a shiver. My cousin's tone was so serious; did something happen to the family? "What is it, sis? Don't scare me." "Let me tell you, the latest monitoring results from the National Climate Center indicate that the strongest La Niña phenomenon in history may be on the way. Many countries in high-latitude regions have already entered winter early. The precursor to this is increasingly warm weather, which will soon be followed by a rapid drop in temperature! This marks the earliest winter for humanity. In about a month, the world is expected to experience an unprecedented large-scale cooling, essentially a glacial apocalypse." "What are you talking about, cousin? What do you mean by 'glacial doomsday'? Are you saying it's like the movie 'The Day After Tomorrow'?" I was a bit perplexed. Is today April Fools' Day? "This is news from your uncle and aunt who work at the meteorological bureau. There's no time to waste! We've already found a shelter and stockpiled supplies. You should hurry and get ready too. Oh, and make sure to tell your parents about this..." My cousin's voice suddenly cut off, as if someone had deliberately hung up the phone. What’s going on? My cousin's joke isn’t funny at all. I ignored it and went back to sleep. The next day, when I went downstairs to pick up my takeout, I noticed that the temperature was indeed strange. It was already November, yet the sun was blazing, and the sky was completely clear. Wearing just a sweatshirt, I didn’t feel cold at all, and I even thought about putting on a short-sleeved shirt. A week later, the temperature remained unusually warm, even showing signs of getting warmer. I couldn’t help but think of my cousin's words; she had never seemed to joke with me. I couldn't sit still any longer and decided to call my cousin again to find out what was really going on. “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service,” came a cold, mechanical voice from the other end. How could it be disconnected? I don’t know if it’s a woman’s intuition, but I recalled my cousin’s serious tone… Never mind; it’s better to be safe than sorry. I need to start preparing today! Thinking of this, I quickly called my boyfriend, Feng Jiying... This winter is unusually warm. Even though it's already November, it still feels as warm as a spring day. A gentle breeze brushes against my face, the sunlight is soft, and even the trees and flowers along the roadside are lush and green. This is exactly where the climate anomaly lies... I rushed into the mall with my boyfriend and started shopping like crazy. We bought nothing else but quilts, hand warmers, and extra-thick down jackets. With a mountain of supplies in hand, and under the surprised gazes of everyone in the mall, I hurried my boyfriend, Feng Jiying, out quickly. "The items will be delivered to our newly rented villa tomorrow. Aji, let’s head to the next place to shop now." "Mianmian, you’re not running a fever, are you?" He touched my forehead. "Aji, I'm perfectly fine." I took a deep breath and said, "I’ve told you, my cousin has never joked with me like this before." "My aunt's family all works at the meteorological bureau. The day before yesterday, my cousin suddenly called me, urging me to find a place to take shelter and stock up on supplies because an extreme cold apocalypse is coming. At first, I didn’t believe it, but the temperature has been increasingly unusual lately. In a month, humanity might face a severe cold disaster!" It took me ten minutes to explain the whole situation to Ah Ji. Although he was skeptical, he couldn't argue against me and ended up accompanying me for an entire day, buying a bunch of things he thought he wouldn't need. I've always been a fan of apocalyptic stories, having watched countless disaster movies. But now... the end of the world might really be approaching, and I suddenly feel a wave of anxiety and fear in my heart. It turns out that reading what others have written is completely different from experiencing it firsthand... A month’s time is neither long nor short. By the time I learned the news, a week had already passed. Adding the few days I had slacked off at the beginning of the month, there’s now less than three weeks left. I absolutely cannot afford to delay the preliminary preparations. In the interval between rushing to my next procurement destination, I wrote an article online about the recent unusual weather, sharing many of my own insights along with a list of supplies that need to be prepared. If those who see it could believe me, I could offer them a helping hand. But I’m just an unknown person with no influence, and the responses have been sparse, with only a dozen or so comments. Most of the comments were mocking me, but one caught my attention. This person actually analyzed extreme weather conditions with complete seriousness. This netizen's username was "Sister Wang's Wholesale Free-Range Eggs." Sister Wang's Wholesale Free-Range Eggs commented: "The idea of renting a spacious three-story basement villa is sound, but you must use freeze-resistant concrete both inside and out. Choose C40 for concrete strength and F300 for freeze-resistance grade. Solar generators are essential, but you should build concrete barriers around them and use vacuum glass above. No matter how much you fortify above ground, it will eventually become uninhabitable, so you should move underground directly..." Sister Wang, who wholesales free-range eggs, offered these suggestions as if she had truly experienced them herself. I no longer hesitated and immediately used my connections to contact the best local renovation company, repeating Sister Wang's words exactly as she had said them. It took a lot of effort and some extra money to finally arrange for the renovation workers to come today to help us build walls and reinforce the insulation. Once the time was set, I still felt uneasy. In the face of natural disasters, humans are so insignificant. I don't know if I can survive this catastrophe, but I know that to stay alive, I must do my best. Ah Ji noticed that I was deeply worried and tried to comfort me, saying, "Don't worry, if it's really the end of the world, I'll go with you. Where the wife goes, the husband follows." I really wanted to punch him—did he have to make jokes at a time like this? I couldn’t be bothered with him and turned back to continue shopping. "Stop dragging your feet and hurry up." Since it was a newly rented house with nothing in it and the supplies we ordered wouldn’t arrive until next Monday, I paid extra to ensure that the renovation workers would guarantee both quality and speed, finishing the renovations before then. Because I was generous with my spending, the renovation workers were very accommodating, not only completing the job quickly but also with excellent quality, finishing a day earlier than scheduled. I graciously paid the final installment. Before they left, I kindly reminded them that it might get colder, so they should keep warm. The renovation worker smiled and said, "Young lady, look at this weather; it probably won't snow this year." Sigh, never mind. No one would believe me anyway. This week, Feng Jiying and I have been busy buying a large quantity of hand warmers, portable heaters, rechargeable hand warmers, and 72-hour heating pads. Oh, and during the renovation, I had the workers install a fireplace chimney just in case. I also made sure to have surveillance cameras at the front door. I ordered 300 boxes of instant noodles, 200 boxes of self-heating hotpots, 50 boxes of snacks, 30 boxes of compressed biscuits, 12 boxes of sausages, 10 boxes of braised products, 500 barrels of water, 100 cases of bottled water, 200 bags of rice, and a batch of flour... I stocked up on every type of long-lasting food I could find. If there weren't so little space in the house, I would have emptied the supermarket! Additionally, I purchased various seeds, seasonings, daily necessities, and cat litter... As I continued shopping, I lost track of everything I had bought and was too exhausted to move. 5 Time flew by. Once I had gathered most of the things I needed, I decided to bring my parents over as well. I’m embarrassed to admit that if I had told them directly that the world was ending, they definitely wouldn’t have believed me. So, I told them the reason for their visit was that I was getting married. Ah Ji’s parents were often traveling abroad for work, and it was too late to call them back now. Ah Ji spent a long time on the phone, hanging up only after urging them repeatedly. My parents and Ah Ji sat together, and to be honest, it felt a bit awkward. Ah Ji kept sipping tea. My mother wrung her hands and said, "Mianmian is still young—only twenty-five. Isn't that a bit early?" "It's not too early, Uncle and Auntie. I want to settle down with Mianmian as soon as possible." Father's smile looked a bit strained. Sure enough, when I got home, Dad lectured me all evening about being irresponsible with my life. Early the next morning, we lied to our parents, saying we were going to choose a wedding dress, hoping they'd stay a little longer. Seeing my mom's occasional reluctance to let go, I secretly resolved not to disappoint my cousin's kind reminder, and I promised to make sure that everyone I care about survives. The end of the world is terrifying; all I can do is protect my family! The temperature is starting to drop. I'm overwhelmed with work, juggling the need to purchase supplies to reinforce the underground bunker while also handling my parents' questions about marriage. At home, I've replaced everything that could be changed to frost-resistant items, and I've maxed out several credit cards. Still feeling a bit uneasy, I hired another group of renovation workers to inspect the third underground level and confirm that no corners were cut. I had them help me strengthen the surrounding rock and soil to ensure that if any other disasters strike, we won't end up buried underground. Just from the house renovations, I've exhausted all my savings. I sold my beloved little Mini and the apartment I had just purchased, along with many luxury bags and clothes that I had once gritted my teeth to buy. I even took out a large loan to purchase other supplies. After all, this money won’t be of any use in the future, and no matter how expensive a bag is, it can’t compare to the practicality of a down jacket. Aji also gave me all the savings he had accumulated over the years. Just a second before the money was transferred, he said nothing to me. I was surprised and touched. He is the only man who lets me act freely and unconditionally believes every word I say. Even though the idea of an apocalypse sounds absurd, he is willing to give me his complete trust. Recently, the stockpiled grain has completely filled the basement level. I thought the house I rented was quite large, but it still feels far from enough. I’ve gradually bought more long-lasting food items, and I even purchased a lot of alcohol; if the temperature drops too low, drinking can help keep me warm. I've also stocked up on a substantial amount of meat, which can be preserved by freezing at low temperatures and has a long shelf life. Throughout this process, only Aji and I were involved. We couldn’t let our parents find out about it too soon, as the older generation tends to be conservative and would definitely not accept it. We were nearly ready. The day before the apocalypse, Aji took me to F's store to look at diamond rings. "Aji, why are we still buying a diamond ring at a time like this?" I asked, puzzled. "To convince your parents that we really are getting married." Aji flashed a grin, revealing his two small canine teeth. "I've already explained the situation to my parents and set up a group chat for us. I informed them about our trip to buy the ring, and they will be fully supportive." "I see!" As we entered the mall, Aji thoughtfully bought me a cup of hot cocoa. The weather is getting cooler now, and it might be hard to enjoy a sip of hot cocoa when winter arrives, so I need to drink a few more sips! After finishing the hot cocoa, we arrived at the dazzling display of diamond rings at the counter, and I was so mesmerized that I could barely open my eyes. Although the slogan "A diamond is forever" is just a marketing catchphrase, to be honest, no woman can resist a diamond ring, especially a wedding ring from the man she loves most. I spotted a beautifully cut, three-dimensional diamond ring, and I couldn't take my eyes off it. Absolutely stunning! That's how I would describe this diamond ring. The saleswoman seemed to notice that I really liked this diamond ring, and she perceptively took it out to explain its background to me. "Every diamond ring has a romantic love story behind it. Our philosophy is to use this romance to await the next couple who will experience it..." I listened with great interest. After the saleswoman finished her explanation, I felt a bit embarrassed for being so captivated that I actually thought I might buy the ring. I glanced at Ah Ji awkwardly. "We'll think it over and get in touch if we need to," Ah Ji replied calmly. The saleswoman showed no signs of disappointment or annoyance, bowing at a 45-degree angle as she waved us out of the store. As I stepped outside, a sudden urge to pee hit me. Oh no! I had drunk too much hot cocoa. “Ah Ji, I need to use the bathroom. Wait for me here!” I hurried off, took care of business, and then rushed back. From a distance, I saw Ah Ji gazing thoughtfully at the hot pot restaurant across the street, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I caught you, didn’t I? You’re smiling at the hot pot restaurant! You want to eat hot pot!" I pretended to wipe away his drool. "Since you've transferred all your secret stash to me, I'll treat you to this meal. You don't need to feel too touched!" Ah Ji looked at me as if I were a fool, but I ignored his expression and dragged him toward the hot pot restaurant. I understand that men care about their pride! In the end, it was still Ah Ji who paid the bill. I was very angry, and he coaxed me the whole way until I finally shouted, "How do you still have secret money?" We exchanged smiles and, in this final moment, used our time to buy a whole tricycle's worth of items from the nearby wholesale market. In addition to food, we got toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, bowls, chopsticks, and pots... It was the last day, so there was no need for discretion anymore. I had the driver bring the vehicle right to our doorstep. My parents were already waiting at the door, and they were stunned when they saw the fully loaded tricycle. "Are you two planning to flee from a disaster?" my mother exclaimed in shock. The movers nearby couldn't help but chuckle. I didn't say anything; I just supervised the movers as they brought items into the house one by one. It wasn't until the last item was moved in, the bill was settled, and I watched the movers drive away that I finally told my parents the truth. "Mom, Dad, the end of the world is coming... You might not believe it, but I promise I'm not lying to you." I spent half an hour explaining everything to them. After hearing me, my parents looked serious and didn't say a word. 9 "How's your uncle's family?" my father asked. The man in his fifties had a voice that unexpectedly trembled at that moment. My parents were childhood sweethearts, and my uncle and dad were also close friends from a young age. However, as they grew up, they lost touch due to their busy work schedules. "Cousin said they've already found a safe house. Don't worry, the disaster will pass, and we'll all be okay!" We moved things together several times, and later, I went to the basement to grab a small cart. My parents helped us load it, and Aji and I transported the supplies to the basement. Once everything was sorted, the four of us sat in the living room of my newly rented villa, looking at each other in silence. "Your cousin isn't a reckless or naive kid, so the situation is likely just as she described," Dad said with a serious expression. "Is the apocalypse really coming?" My mom still didn't quite believe it. No one responded to her. Everyone's expressions were grim. None of us wanted the apocalypse to happen, but what if it actually was? And how could we prove it wasn’t? "Kids' dad, go get the car now. We're heading to the 24-hour convenience store to stock up," my mom suddenly stood up, startling us. "Alright, we should pitch in with the kids. We can't just sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor. Tonight, we'll have some questionable takeout. That’ll count as celebrating the New Year together as a family," Dad said as he got up and walked out. "Mom, Dad, please don't go out..." I anxiously tried to call them back, but Ah Ji stopped me. "Xiao Ji, take good care of Mian Mian. We'll feel uneasy if we don’t go out to buy a few things," my dad instructed Ah Ji before closing the door. 10 "Mian Mian," Ah Ji urged me, "Your parents can't sit still either. They think we're getting married and have been giving us advice for a long time. They feel guilty about delaying our important matters, which is why they went out. They want to do their best to help us prepare enough supplies, and it also gives them peace of mind." "But... but the apocalypse is coming soon, and I'm really worried. Aji, I'm so scared." My body trembled uncontrollably. The word "apocalypse" felt so distant to me. I had only seen it in novels and heard about it; I never imagined it would actually happen to me, in the time I live in. So I sat by the door, waiting for my parents to come back, with Aji keeping me company. We talked about our childhood, about how we first met, about our romantic experiences, and about our studies. We also talked about how Aji had this annoying guy who was uglier than him and not as good at studying, but better than him in every other way. We reminisced about all the times our parents scolded us from childhood to adulthood. "Aji," I sniffed and instinctively hugged my arms tightly, "don’t you think it feels a bit cold?" Aji didn’t reply; he just looked up at the sky, and I followed his gaze. There was no moon tonight, but the sky still had a glow—one you could see clearly without the need for streetlights. It’s so red; when did the sky turn dark red? I stared at Aji in shock, "Is it going to snow?" Aji nodded, looking at the red sky, and said, "It looks like we're in for a heavy snowfall." My anxiety peaked as a snowflake landed in my palm. "Mom and Dad still aren't back..." "Don't worry, don't worry." Aji finally lost his composure, his hands trembling slightly. "It'll be alright; everything will be fine." "I'm going to find them!" I broke free from Aji. 11 "Don't rush; I'll go with you. The weather isn't cold yet, so it’ll be okay." I felt the cold sweat on his palm. We exchanged a glance and headed towards Aji's car. "Beep beep!" A Jeep and a large truck drove up side by side. From the passenger seat of the Jeep, my mom was waving at us. I quickly ran over and threw myself into her arms. "This child, we were only gone for four hours—why are you acting like we haven't seen each other in a year?" Mother wiped away my tears. "This kid must be a bit off. It's snowing, so shouldn't we drive slowly? If something happened, who would take care of you two little ones? Look how frighteningly red the sky is!" Father was truly a man who didn't understand sentimentality. "Brother, don’t be too hard on your daughter. She’s just worried about you two old folks. It’s snowing heavily, and the weather is likely to change. Winter is coming!" Three or four workers climbed down from the large truck and began unloading supplies. Once everything was unloaded, my father handed the movers a generous sum of money. After they left, he opened the trunk, revealing an assortment of snacks, cosmetics, toys, playing cards, mahjong, Chinese checkers, and even the game "Legends of the Three Kingdoms." I picked up "Legends of the Three Kingdoms" in astonishment, noticing my father awkwardly averting his gaze. My dad, noticing everyone looking at him, blushed and said, "Weren't you the one who loved to play the most when you were little? It's perfect; I'll take my annual leave, and when you're bored, I'll play with you." Our whole family began bustling about. The men moved the larger items, while the women handled the smaller ones. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Everyone felt a cozy warmth in their hearts, knowing that as long as we were together, we wouldn't be afraid of any difficulties. 12 We kept busy from midnight until seven in the morning. The snowflakes transformed from light flurries to heavy snowfall in just two hours. Ah Ji's parents called him to let him know that everything was safe and that food and supplies were plentiful. They chatted for quite a while before hanging up the phone. Originally, my parents had agreed to pick up some takeout when they returned from buying supplies in the middle of the night. I’m not sure what they discussed on the way, but they suddenly changed their minds. Instead, they went to a 24-hour seasonal fruit and vegetable store and bought a bunch of ingredients, planning to let Ah Ji show off his skills. What surprised Ah Ji was that my mom was actually assisting my dad, who was the head chef. I looked at my parents proudly and said to Ah Ji, "From now on, you'll have to cook for me, you know?!" "Of course, no problem!" Ah Ji replied with a salute. Before long, a variety of aromatic and delicious dishes were served one by one. My dad really outdid himself today, making braised green beans, cola chicken wings, oil-braised prawns, beer-braised carp, and seaweed egg drop soup. These were all Ah Ji's favorites. "Dad! Why isn't my favorite pork hock here?" I complained, feeling unsatisfied. "You silly girl, look how chubby you've gotten! Just look at our little Ji—he's so thin. At 1.9 meters tall, he's as skinny as a bamboo pole, unlike you, who's as round as a bean." Dad's teasing words instantly brightened the atmosphere at the dinner table. I also eagerly chimed in, "Dad! I'm 160 centimeters tall and weigh 82 jin—where am I fat?" "Let’s eat, let’s eat." Ah Ji placed a fragrant, tender, and juicy cola chicken wing in my bowl, and I quickly stuffed my mouth with it. Mom and Dad exchanged a mischievous glance, then started eating. Dad's cooking was particularly delicious today. 13 After enjoying a hearty meal, I instinctively glanced out the window again. The snow was already ankle-deep and showed no signs of stopping. Feeling a bit uneasy, I suggested that we all go sleep in the basement. Mom and Dad felt that the temperature wasn’t too low yet. They picked a bedroom and went back inside to rest, having been busy all night; it was time for a good sleep. If any of Dad, Mom, or Ah Ji were gone, I wouldn’t want to live alone. If we were to freeze to death overnight, I would want to die alongside the ones I love most. Ah Ji and I also returned to our room. Before drawing the curtains, I took another look at the sky, which seemed to be getting redder and redder... Next door to us is a large farmers' market, bustling with the calls of vendors. Perhaps everyone is stocking up, especially after such heavy snowfall; everyone surely knows that the temperature is about to drop. Who wants to venture out every day to buy groceries in this cold weather? Outside, children have already begun having snowball fights and building snowmen. This is the essence of childhood innocence. I drew the curtains. When I woke up, the air conditioning had kept the room warm, and the Wi-Fi was still working. The news reports that heating will be provided to the city starting tomorrow. More news reports: Today, several regions suddenly experienced heavy snowfall, with some areas seeing light to moderate snow. Our country has recorded the largest snowfall in history. The news urges all citizens: If you can avoid moving around, please do; if you can stay indoors, please do. I opened the curtains and cracked the window slightly. Hiss, it’s really cold. I shivered and quickly closed the window. 14 My parents had gotten up early and were sitting at the table, engrossed in their phones. On the table, there was steaming rice porridge and a few side dishes. Ah Ji and I sat down at the table, each serving ourselves a bowl of plain rice porridge, and began to eat with enjoyment, accompanied by some side dishes. I glanced at the temperature display on the wall; the room temperature remained at 26 degrees Celsius, and the air conditioning was working normally. Although the floor heating hadn’t kicked in yet, at least the electricity was still on. "Let me tell you, you kids are just too superstitious. We don’t believe in all this end-of-the-world talk, but you’re taking it way too seriously. Well, look at the situation now—the heavy snow has blocked the roads, and you two young ones have to stay cooped up with us old folks!" Dad shot me a teasing glance. "Yu Cheng! Don’t lump me in with the old folks, okay? You can go grow old wherever you like!" Mom protested, clearly annoyed. After dinner, despite our attempts to dissuade them, Mom and Dad dressed neatly and went for a walk in the neighborhood. When they returned, Mom looked at us with disdain and said, "Men in their fifties these days can't keep up physically. He couldn't even walk as fast as me." Dad, out of breath, replied, "You can be careless with your eating, but not with your words!" Ah Ji and I exchanged a helpless smile. Our parents were living more energetically than we were. On the third day, Ah Ji started cooking. The food turned out pretty good, and I genuinely praised him for it. This time, we joined the after-dinner exercise, and the whole family went out for a leisurely stroll, creating a lively atmosphere. The temperature outside wasn't too low; my phone showed it was -10 degrees Celsius today. Our parents have also returned to work, going about their regular nine-to-five jobs, and life is simple and comfortable. The heating is functioning well, so we don’t need to turn on the air conditioning. It's even a bit warm wearing short-sleeved shirts at home. Running has become a family tradition, and we all cherish our strolls because we never know when we might not be able to go out anymore. The sky is still red, and it has been snowing for four consecutive days, but only the first day saw heavy snowfall, with each subsequent day bringing less. Today is the fifth day, and the snow has finally stopped. The temperature inside the villa is stable at 28 degrees Celsius; the heating this year has been remarkably effective. The internet is still running smoothly. While there haven't been many significant changes in our city, various regions across the country continue to be caught in blizzards. This large-scale, abnormal snowfall is unprecedented, and the government has dubbed this snow season the La Niña Blizzard Season. In the blink of an eye, two weeks have passed. Outside, the sky has been dark red for fourteen consecutive days, and the sun hasn’t shown itself at all, as if it never existed. 15 For some unknown reason, since the day the snow stopped, it has become increasingly colder outside. Now, when we go out for a run, we have to bundle up completely, wearing scarves and masks. Fewer and fewer pedestrians are out, as everyone finds it too cold and prefers to stay indoors. A lot has happened in the past two weeks. Since it hasn't been particularly cold, we've stocked up on plenty of fresh vegetables at home. As the temperature continues to drop, prices are rising as well. Everyone is stockpiling for winter and reluctant to venture outside, so the vendors have made a significant profit. Mom and Dad used their savings to stock up on a large amount of food and also bought many medications that we didn't have in reserve. Days go by one after another, and the temperature drops each day. The indoor temperature can only be kept at 28 degrees Celsius with the air conditioning. Outside, pedestrians and vehicles are rarely seen. Even the children who were recently having snowball fights have stopped going out. In the homeowners' group chat, complaints are widespread, with everyone discussing why it’s so cold this year. After all, we live in a wealthy area with excellent heating and security. As long as we stay indoors, we can maintain the status quo. Online, we’ve learned about the situation in other regions, where outdoor work has been completely halted due to the ongoing low temperatures. Some high-latitude regions in our country are experiencing power shortages and have temporarily lost contact with the outside world. Due to the sudden onset of the disaster, many people without heating equipment have no choice but to seek refuge in shelters. One such shelter is not far from my home, already filled with police cars and ambulances. From the third floor of my villa, I can just see the entrance to the shelter. The chaotic noise of the crowd cannot be completely muffled, even with soundproof walls. Every hospital has dispatched ambulances, and medical staff wearing thick down jackets are waiting near the shelter. The hospitals are also overcrowded. Fortunately, our neighborhood is still relatively safe. Every household has stockpiled plenty of food, and both electricity and heating are functioning normally, so there's no need to go outside to seek refuge. 16 Another week has passed like this. Today, it's particularly cold outside, which has caused the temperature inside the house to drop as well. "Why is it a bit chilly?" I rubbed my hands together and wrapped the blanket tightly around me. Ah Ji glanced at the room temperature: 21 degrees Celsius. He immediately turned on the air conditioner. Mom and Dad can't go to work again. Except for heating personnel, others are not allowed to go out to work unless absolutely necessary. The community residents' group chat was particularly active. Some who had left mentioned that the so-called shelters had poor conditions. While they were warm, they were overcrowded, forcing people to sleep on the floors of shopping malls and survive on distributed compressed biscuits every day, enduring unbearable hardship. Others were still holding their ground, believing it was just a heavy snowfall and not something to take seriously, thinking that buying a bit more food would be enough. 17 A message in the residents' group caught my attention: "Does anyone have fever-reducing medicine? My child has a fever; please help me!" I remembered the kids who had been having fun with snowball fights a while back and wondered if this child was one of them. Feeling a bit sympathetic, I privately messaged the homeowner to ask for their apartment number, and then Ah Ji and I brought over a box of fever-reducing medicine and some food. When the door opened, a couple appeared. They looked at the supplies in our hands with surprise and closed the door without uttering a single word of thanks. Ah Ji and I exchanged glances and shared a wry smile, realizing that our kindness had gone unappreciated. Later, the child's fever broke, and the homeowner expressed gratitude to us, tactfully asking if we had any more food to share with them. I politely replied that we didn't have many supplies left either and that what we had was bought recently. I urged them to quickly stock up on some, but then I didn’t respond further. That family didn’t send any more WeChat messages either. Looking at the chat page on my phone, I felt somewhat dazed. Did I do something wrong? In these end-of-world times, would exposing our supplies put us in danger? Aji's expression was also serious. We agreed that if anyone else needed help in the future, we would simply ignore them to avoid bringing trouble to our home. At the dining table, we, who were chatting and laughing just a few days ago, now sit in silence, scrolling through Weibo on our phones and constantly checking the reports of low-temperature disasters from various regions. "In just a month, the outdoor temperature in our city has dropped to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Can you imagine that?" my dad said as he passed his phone to us. "Staying outside for a few hours would probably make someone faint from the cold," my mom remarked. Now, the first floor of the villa has become uninhabitable. I can't bear to stay there even for a minute; it's just too cold. Thankfully, the heating is still holding up, albeit barely. We discussed and moved all the supplies from the ground to the first floor. After calculating, we should have enough food to last about a month. We plan to move to the relatively safe and warm basement to live after these supplies are completely used up. 18 It got colder again today, with the temperature continuing to drop. The outdoor temperature has now reached -48 degrees Celsius, and it’s really getting colder. Snow started falling again, beginning as light flakes and gradually turning into heavy snow. Finally, the residents of the community began evacuating to the shelter one after another, driving away in succession. The family I helped last time hasn't left yet, and they sent me another WeChat message: "Please, kind soul, help us! We're running out of food, and our children will starve if they don't eat!" I was going to ignore it, but my mom saw the message on my phone. "Mianmian! We can't do this. We have enough food that we'll never run out in our lifetimes. Don't be so stingy; share some with them. What will happen to the children otherwise?" I understood my mom, but when I told her that this wasn't the first time they had asked me for help, she fell silent as well. "Let's not invite trouble upon ourselves. Given the current tense situation, if others find out about our abundant stockpile of supplies, it could lead to problems," my father said at that moment. Since Dad had said this, Mom could only nod hesitantly, holding back her words. Noticing my mom's discomfort and reluctance, I spoke up, "Mom, it's really cold outside, and I don't want to go out either, but honestly, can't people buy food out there too? It just depends on whether they're willing to brave the snow. We have supplies, so we don't want to go out; they don't have supplies, so why don't they rely on themselves instead of begging from us?" After saying that, my mom completely gave up on the idea of providing them with supplies, and I stopped replying to that family's messages. We barely managed to survive in the villa for over half a month. That family hadn't sent me any more messages; perhaps they couldn't hold on and had gone to a shelter. Gradually, I pushed them out of my mind. The temperature outside had plummeted to -56 degrees Celsius. In the homeowners' group chat, complaints were rampant every day. It was now impossible to find food, and whatever little was available was being sold at outrageous prices. We live in a wealthy area, so some people have started trading cars for a bag of rice, while others are exchanging luxury watches for two pieces of bread. However, these offers have disappeared without a trace, receiving no response. The food reserves above ground are estimated to last only half a month; after that, we'll have to move underground. Even with the air conditioning running, the indoor temperature can only be maintained at 16 degrees Celsius, and the heating is becoming increasingly ineffective. Every household has started to run out of food, and finally, other residents in the community are preparing to go to the shelter. "Is the shelter closed?" A resident of the community posted a photo of a locked shopping mall. "The one in S district is closed too!" another property owner posted a photo. "What's going on? I've checked every shelter in Z district, and none of them are open! I'm almost out of gas," another property owner complained in a voice message. I casually opened the full-size image and saw that the second floor of the mall, which was being used as a shelter, was packed with people, while the doors on the first floor were tightly shut. The shelter was overcrowded and could no longer accommodate anyone else. As I was scrolling through the property owners' group chat on my phone to check the situation, a sudden loud noise startled us—it was the sound of glass shattering. We looked toward the source of the sound and saw that the glass of the neighboring mall, which was serving as a shelter, had been smashed. The area around the mall was crowded with people and vehicles, and even the traffic police couldn't control the scene. A dense crowd of people pushed their way into the shelter, while vehicles crashed through the temporary barriers of the parking lot and rushed into the underground garage. Suddenly, alarms blared incessantly, and police cars quickly arrived one after another, blocking the entrance to the parking lot. But when people are desperate, who cares about the rules? They charged straight at the police cars. When vehicles broke down, people got out and made their way on foot toward the underground parking garage. The scene descended into chaos. "This is insane," I couldn't help but exclaim. "In this situation, people can lose their minds," Dad said with a serious expression. There wasn't much food left on the ground, but we weren't afraid because we had a large supply of resources underground. There was nothing to worry about. "Bang!" A gunshot! Did someone just fire a weapon?! Dad quickly pulled the curtains shut, so fast that I didn't have time to see what happened next. In just one night, everything changed completely. What was terrifying wasn't just the natural disaster, but also human nature. It's hard to imagine how insane people might become in an apocalyptic world without the constraints of the law. "Mianmian, check the homeowners' group chat." When I heard my mom say this, I opened my phone. "B03 has supplies. I asked her for some before, but she didn’t give me anything. Now we need to come together and go to their house to find supplies. That's the only way we can survive. Why do these selfish people get to live so well?!" The speaker was the family of three I had helped before. I let out a cold laugh, thinking about how unpredictable people can be. I had helped them before, but when I simply stopped, they could repay my kindness with such hostility. "We can't wait any longer. Let's leave the supplies on the ground for them. I've set up cameras in the house, turned off the air conditioning, and taken the remote with us. Now, let's go hide in the basement." Mom and Dad exchanged a glance and quickly packed a few things. We hurried to the first floor of the villa, where someone had already started banging on the door, one thud after another, and there were even gunshots. Without looking back, we made our way to the basement. I used a key to unlock the first reinforced door, then my fingerprint for the second door, and finally the third door. After that, I locked all the doors from the inside. Mom and Dad were dumbfounded. "This... even a grenade couldn't open it, could it?" "Absolutely, this is genuinely bulletproof level." Seeing my mom's surprised expression, I felt extremely pleased. 21 As I entered the basement, I noticed the temperature was indeed quite different from outside. Although it was a bit cool, it had the kind of coolness typical of a basement rather than being cold. Through this lesson, I finally understood the extent of human malice. The ground floor, where we could have held out a little longer, was no longer livable. The first and second underground levels were designated for storing supplies, while the third level was our resting place. I casually grabbed a bunch of disposable heat packs and six fully charged hand warmers. I handed the foot warmer to Aji, who reluctantly followed behind me, acting as my laborer. We reached the third floor, which had six rooms. Four were used for storing supplies, while the other two served as bedrooms where we could rest. The living room was also packed with supplies, and even the kitchen, apart from the cooking area, was filled with rice and flour. The third basement level was indeed the warmest, and with all the makeshift protective measures I had put in place, I felt that the temperature here was as comfortable as autumn. The La Niña apocalypse has just begun, and because of that ungrateful family, we had to move underground. If any more problems arise, we'll be completely backed into a corner with no way out. In the days ahead, who knows if the temperature will continue to drop. At this rate, we're not far from experiencing minus 60 degrees Celsius. Today, our only option for a main meal is instant noodles. The fresh fruits and vegetables were all upstairs, and I guess they've been looted by now. I opened the surveillance app on my phone and saw that our front door had been broken. A crowd had rushed in, some carrying guns and others wielding axes. They were shouting and cursing over the distribution of supplies on the first floor, and it escalated into a brawl. I spotted the family that betrayed me among them, and even the children had come along. The boy I had once helped was quietly hiding the vegetables my dad bought inside his clothes. Although our family doesn't lack these supplies, it's incredibly frustrating to watch. 22 "I'm the one who called everyone to come get the supplies; I have the right to distribute them. Our family will take 40%, and you can divide the remaining 60% among yourselves!" the woman said smugly as she walked toward the supplies to move them, but she was suddenly pushed down by a burly, muscular man. "Bitch, don't think I don't know how you found out about the supplies at their place. That little girl's family brought you medicine, and you still betrayed them." "These supplies are mine! Without me, what would you know?!" The woman, nearly hysterical, lunged at the supplies. "Pah!" A woman stepped forward and slapped her. "You ungrateful wretch! We're taking supplies from their house, and helping you with this is our good deed! I'm sure the owners won't blame us." "Don't touch my family's supplies!" The child rushed forward, but a man kicked him away. His head hit the wall, and he lay motionless. "Son! Jiang Dayong, what are you looking at? Go for it!" The woman let out a heart-wrenching scream as she threw herself onto her son. Feeling that he was still breathing, she turned to her husband and spat angrily. After all, one person can't fight against many. Their family was quickly subdued, and the woman was left bruised and battered, gaining nothing before fleeing in shame. "You reap what you sow," I sneered coldly as I watched everything unfold on the security monitor. "There's a door here!" The group upstairs had discovered the door to our basement. I thought to myself, this isn't good. However, despite their attempts to chop at it with axes and smash it with hammers, the door didn't budge an inch. "What kind of broken door is this?! Why can't we get it open?!" the muscular man leading the group cursed loudly. "That family must be hiding down there! If we can just get this door open, there will definitely be plenty of supplies down below!" Unfortunately, after half an hour of effort, the first door to our basement remained sturdy, though it had sustained some minor damage. "This is an ultra-thick bulletproof door; even a grenade can't break it. Do you really think you can handle it?" I sneered from the monitoring side. "This house seems warmer than ours! Let's set up camp here and wait for a chance to get the basement door open and take all their food." I don't know who said it, but the people upstairs all agreed, so these uninvited guests decided to stay here. 23 I watch every move of these uninvited guests through the surveillance cameras every day. Each day, they loiter around the basement door, trying to find a way to open it, but unfortunately, they fail every time. As time goes on, the supplies are running low, and they are starting to get agitated. Their first fight broke out a week after they moved in. With supplies dwindling, disagreements arose over distribution. The muscular man in charge and a few others who wanted to seize the supplies ended up in a brawl. Meanwhile, I was sitting in front of my phone, eating instant noodles. Finally, after a gunshot, the man trying to steal supplies collapsed in front of the muscular man. I was so startled that I cried out, drawing my parents and Aji over. They watched the scene on the monitor as the men attempting to steal supplies fell one by one. "Now we have supplies," the muscular man said with a sinister grin. I felt a wave of nausea and rushed to the bathroom to vomit. In the following days, the temperature in the basement remained unchanged—still warm and comfortable. But I was scared by the muscular man's actions, and the next day I came down with a fever. My father boiled hot water for me, my mother prepared my medicine, and Ah Ji was even busier. Every day, he made instant noodles for me, monitored the surveillance to keep an eye on their movements, and changed the hot towel on my forehead. Even though I was sick, I still cared about what was happening outside. However, Ah Ji refused to let me watch anymore, no matter what, and instead, he reported everything to me verbally each day. "Now there are only three women and one man left." "Today, there are only two women and one man left." "Today, there’s only one man left." "The muscle-bound guy went out in the morning, and when he returned in the afternoon, he brought back the family of three we had delivered medicine to before, along with a lot of supplies." Ah Ji tells me every day what happened, and the situation is becoming more horrifying by the day. As for that family of three, they still haven't left. The supplies the muscle-bound guy brought back are probably theirs. Even though they have their own supplies, they still came to raid ours. "They brought it upon themselves," Ah Ji said. I nodded silently. 24 After a month, I was finally able to get out of bed. With nothing better to do, I started watching the surveillance footage again. The muscular man had somehow gotten his hands on a grenade and was preparing to blow open the door. "Mom! Dad! Ah Ji!" I called them to come look at the footage. The man had already backed up quite a distance, ready to blast open the door to our basement. Just before the grenade was about to explode, he noticed the camera. "Just wait until I get in there; you’ll all be in for it!" the muscular man shouted menacingly at the camera before quickly running away. With a loud bang, I felt my whole house shake. The glass of the surveillance camera has been shattered, but fortunately, we can still see the footage. The first gate is damaged, but unfortunately, the force wasn't enough; there are still two more gates to get through. The man roared in helpless rage, picking up an axe like a madman and wildly hacking at the door. We were all frightened, secretly relieved that the door was sturdy enough. "We're in the basement now; it's safe here. Mianmian, don't worry," Mom said, patting my hand reassuringly. "Mm, I hope so," I replied, gripping Mom's trembling hands in return. "The food we've stockpiled should be enough for us to last until the end of time, so we don't have to worry too much about that. However, since we’re underground, it’s both a lifeline and a potential grave. If something unexpected happens, we could all die." We instinctively glanced at the muscular man on the monitor, who was nearly out of control. If my door were just a bit more fragile... Another month passed, and the heating system completely broke down. Yet, for some unknown reason, the electricity and internet remained functional. Through the surveillance, I saw that the man had consumed all the supplies. He was exhausted, and the temperature inside the room had dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius. He needed to curl up in bed, fully bundled up. I guess he'll leave in another two days. 25 The outdoor temperature had reached an absurd minus 65 degrees Celsius. It's hard to imagine that in just a few months, the temperature plummeted to record lows and continues to drop. For the first time, I felt how insignificant humans are in the face of nature. I had imagined zombie outbreaks, alien invasions attacking Earth, and every conceivable apocalyptic scenario. At that time, I only felt a thrill, but when disaster truly struck, I could only instinctively feel fear and terror. All we could do was hide in this small underground space, whether we were depleting our resources or passively awaiting our fate—the point was to survive longer. In the following days, we didn't fare well. Every day, we had to keep a constant watch on the man outside, and sometimes I would suddenly wake up startled from my sleep. Two days later, I saw through the surveillance camera that the man had been lying motionless on the bed for an entire day. He hadn't eaten, hadn't drunk any water, and hadn't even turned over. Perhaps he had already... The temperature is steadily dropping, decreasing by three to four degrees each day compared to the previous day. Today, it has already gone from -65°C to -68°C. The internet and electricity have been functioning normally, which puzzles me. It makes sense that my house has power since it's solar-powered, but what about the internet? The property management group sent a message: "I'm not sure how many residents are still in our community, but we need to come together. I'm currently in B03, where there are still plenty of supplies. Residents in need can come and pick them up." Isn't B03 my home? I quickly rolled out of bed and checked the monitor. It was a message from the muscular guy. He's not dead?! Using Aji's phone, I changed the name and profile picture, then tagged him in the group chat and asked, "Why do you still have internet?" "Hello, dear resident. Our community operates on independent solar power for electricity and heating. As long as you're within the community, you'll have coverage. Our property management is dedicated to providing you with the best experience." A chill ran through me. I couldn't imagine how someone as fierce and intimidating as the muscular guy could type those words. It's terrifying, truly terrifying... Is this what people become in the apocalypse? I tried to calm my racing heart, taking deep breaths to steady my nerves. Thankfully, we were in the basement, where it was warm and we didn’t have to worry about food. In this way, we spent a month without incident. The temperature drop had slowed, but there wasn’t much room left for it to fall further. Outside, it had already reached -89 degrees Celsius, and if anyone exposed their skin outdoors, it would freeze instantly. A layer of frost had formed on our door. The muscular man had run out of supplies. No one came to his door anymore, and he had become thin and weak, looking utterly defeated. Because of the natural disaster, my appetite has been dwindling, and I've lost quite a bit of weight. My mom was worried about me and urged me to eat more, saying, "You need to eat more, Mianmian. What if we get through this and zombies show up? We'll need you and Aji to fight them!" I forced a smile and started eating. I need to stay alive. Only by living can I protect everyone I care about. I have to survive. That day, I saw the muscular guy smile slightly at the surveillance camera before walking up to the rooftop. I felt a sense of dread and quickly switched the camera feed. The view shifted to the rooftop, where the man was seen opening the door to the room housing the solar generator and bringing down his axe with a single strike. After destroying our generator, he grinned at the security camera and said, "I'm not going to make it, but you'll all freeze to death too. Let's go down together, hahaha!" Slowly, he lay down on the rooftop, closed his eyes, and became motionless. That day, both the internet and electricity went down. Without air conditioning, the basement grew colder and colder. What should we do? If this continues, it will surely affect us on the third underground floor, and the solar generator has been destroyed as well. Without internet and electricity, our home was engulfed in darkness. I retrieved a lamp from the storage room, and the three of us sat in the living room, unsure of what to do next. 27 “We have a backup solar generator at home, but I don’t know how to use it. It’s in that room on the rooftop,” I said. “Dad can fix it. Don’t forget, I built my career on this,” Dad said, giving my shoulder a reassuring pat. “But…” I wanted to protest, but Dad interrupted me. “Without electricity, there’s no air conditioning and no heating. We can't even maintain basic warmth. How are we supposed to survive?!” Dad's expression was serious. I fell silent. It was true, but what if we encounter danger after going outside?! Without the hum of the electrical appliances, all we could hear were each other's breaths. The house felt eerily quiet. I felt a deep sense of guilt. If I had planned more thoroughly and locked the solar generator as well, would we have avoided this power outage? I instinctively turned my head to look at Aji, who shook his head. "Uncle, the power is already out. Minus 80 degrees isn't actually that bad. The highest record in Country M is sleeping in a snow house at minus 80 degrees. I agree with you about going outside, uncle." I looked at Aji in disbelief. Why would he say something like that? "On the condition that you take me with you, the two of us can lend a hand." "I disagree!" I protested vehemently. "Neither of you can go! What if the muscular guy isn't dead? What if new people come in? What if..." "Mianmian, there are no 'what ifs.' Trust us." After Aji's persistent insistence, I finally compromised. Unable to argue with him, I reluctantly helped them change clothes, feeling dejected, and found a bunch of heat packs to stick inside their clothes, gloves, and shoes. Mother remained silent as well, hugging Father before leaving and affectionately patting Aji's shoulder. "Wait!" I called after them, my hands busy applying heat patches and placing hand warmers on myself. "I want to go too. If you don’t agree, I’ll just go outside and freeze to death on my own." In the end, we became a group of three. 28 It was incredibly cold outside, the chill piercing through our clothes like a sharp blade, making my skin ache. The door on the first floor had been mostly destroyed, so we found a cabinet to block the draft. Although it didn’t help much, it could still shield us from some of the wind. Arriving on the third floor, it was noticeably warmer here, though we were still shivering from the cold; it felt much better than the first floor. Just five minutes after stepping outside, my eyes started tearing uncontrollably, and my throat began to retch from the cold air. It was freezing. We quickened our pace and opened the door to the rooftop. Wow, it’s really cold! Minus 89 degrees—an unimaginably frigid temperature... I helped my father with the suitcase, while Ah Ji and he swapped the positions of the new solar generator and the old one. My father then tinkered with it for a while before finishing the job. I deliberately brought a padlock up and locked the door after closing it to ensure that no one could get in. Just as I was about to head downstairs, I noticed a small, slightly arched mound of snow—it was the muscular man's corpse... As I stood there in a daze, a loud crash echoed from downstairs. We looked down from the rooftop and saw a group of people seemingly appearing out of nowhere, frantically slamming into the cabinets. A woman was leading them. She spotted us! The woman was broad-shouldered and formidable, exuding an air of menace. "Catch them!" she sneered, her face twisted into a cruel grin that made my skin crawl. I mockingly gave her the middle finger, provoking the woman to rush over and forcefully slam the cabinet open. A large crowd surged toward the rooftop. "What should we do?" my father asked. "What should we do? Run! They haven’t left anyone on the first floor. Let’s take the fire escape and circle back to the basement!" With that, I grabbed Ah Ji and Dad, hurrying down the stairs. The cold wind whipped against my face, and my eyes blurred with tears, making it hard to see the path. But we couldn’t stop. If we stopped and they caught up with us, the consequences would be unimaginable. Inside, there was a spiral staircase, and outside, a straight ladder. They reached the upper floor just as we arrived at the lower floor. When I opened the basement door, that woman was leading a large group of people down to the first floor. "You bitch, you'll regret this when you come out!" she shouted, viciously kicking the basement door. She winced in pain and pulled her foot back. We safely returned to the third basement level, entered the basement, and found it pleasantly warm. We took off our gloves and discovered our hands were frozen and purple, completely numb. Mom quickly prepared hand warmers and hot water to help us warm up. The electricity is back, but unwelcome guests have shown up again. Although the internet is down and I can’t access online news, the surveillance cameras can transmit images via Bluetooth. I used to watch muscular men; now I’m watching wicked old women. The temperature in the basement is dropping as the surface temperature decreases, making it impossible to maintain a comfortable environment. Our room can barely stay at around 11 degrees Celsius, and it's a bit chilly even with two layers of clothing on. On the surface, they didn't stay here for long—mainly because it was too cold for anyone to live here and because there weren't many supplies. I had heard that woman curse the uselessness of the men under her command countless times. A week later, they left, probably thinking they couldn't open the basement door. Before leaving, they took a few quilts from my house and locked the basement. "Is her intelligence inversely proportional to her weight?" I was speechless. "We have so much food; why do we need to go out?" I was soon proven wrong. The solar generator finally gave out at minus 100 degrees Celsius. We've lost power again. 30 "We can only activate our backup plan: making a fire," Ah Ji said calmly. "The fireplace at the end of the third basement level was installed by workers before the ongoing apocalypse. It was designed for situations like this to provide warmth." "But what if the chimney is covered with snow and ice?" Mom asked. "The smoke outlet leads directly to the first basement level," Ah Ji continued. "To prevent this, I reinforced the outlet with thick vacuum glass. The top can be cleared with a wooden stick. If the ice isn't too thick and the snow isn't too deep, I can manage it with my strength." "It's too dangerous, A-Ji! We don't know what the temperature is up there. It's too risky!" "It's fine, Mian Mian. If we can't use the fireplace later, we can still rely on those hand warmers; if the hand warmers run out, we can use heat patches. We'll manage somehow. But if we use the hand warmers now and deplete our supplies for the future, we'll really be at a dead end." "If you're going, I'm going with you!" "Don't be stubborn, Mian Mian. This is a man's responsibility!" Father was already getting dressed. "If something unexpected happens, I'll protect A-Ji with my body!" Mom held my hand and shook her head at me, then asked me to help Aji pack his clothes while she assisted Dad, applying heat packs and warmers. But this time, the temperature was minus 100 degrees, far beyond what any human could endure. They were fully prepared to depart, and no one said much—there were no goodbyes, no instructions. Just before they left, Mom, suppressing her emotions, said to them, "Come back soon. Mianmian and I will make self-heating rice for you. It won’t taste good if it gets cold." "We're just going down to the first level underground. Don't worry, we'll be fine. We're not that useless yet," Father said, wiping his face and waving his hand without looking back. They didn't dare to look back, fearing that if they did, they wouldn't be able to leave. "It's been too comfortable for too long. Time to get moving!" Father cracked his knuckles, making a popping sound. "Don't you think so, Xiao Ji?" "Yes." 31 In the second basement level and the first basement level, I kept switching between surveillance camera views. Luckily, we had installed cameras on every floor during the renovation. Mom sat next to me, her eyes glued to the phone screen. The temperature on the first floor was already quite low. Even though they wore two down jackets and had warmers all over their bodies, both of them were still shivering from the cold. A Ji led my dad to the smoke outlet, the coldest place. Although I hadn't been there myself, I felt that I would faint if I stayed there for even a second longer. A Ji picked up the wooden stick that had been left here, found the designated slot, and jabbed it forcefully. With a cracking sound, "Did it work?" I asked my mom, but she didn't respond. In the scene, A Ji shook his head at my dad, and then my dad took over the wooden stick. My dad gave it a try but also failed. I didn't know what A Ji and my dad said, but my dad patted A Ji's shoulder, and together they gripped the wooden stick, rhythmically striking the smoke outlet. Crash! A thick chunk of ice fell from the chimney, landing directly on the third basement level with a shattering echo. We did it! I jumped up excitedly as I watched the video. Along with the ice came a bone-chilling wind. I saw them quickly leave the first basement level and rush back to the third. I hurried to open the door for them. Thankfully, everyone was alright! "Yucheng, what happened to your hands?" As I helped Aji take off his coat, I glanced at my dad's hands. Both of his hands had turned bluish-purple from the cold and were trembling slightly. "Dad..." Tears started flowing uncontrollably down my face. "It's okay, daughter, it's okay." Father wanted to raise his hand to stroke my hair, but his arm could only remain frozen in place, unable to move. I cried even harder. Father sighed and said, "Don't cry, my child. I'm actually quite grateful. Isn't it worth exchanging my hands for everyone's warmth?" Suddenly, I realized what was happening and took off Aji's gloves, revealing the horrifying blue-purple color beneath! Aji guiltily turned his hands away. "I... I'll go make a fire!" I felt a lump in my throat, quickly gathered firewood and dry grass, took out a lighter, and ignited the kindling. A wave of heat filled the room, smoke rising up the chimney, and the house was illuminated by the glow of the fire. 32 I'm not very happy; this warmth was bought with the hands of the two men I love most. How can I find joy in that? We hadn’t been warm for long when smoke suddenly filled our room. Mother, quick on her feet, extinguished the burning firewood with water and opened the basement door to let the smoke escape. The room was plunged into darkness once again. I was completely bewildered. What happened?! We had clearly broken through the ice layer! Everything seemed fine! "It looks like... we still failed," Ah Ji said with a wry smile. "We still have plenty of hand warmers and heat packs. We can manage for a year or so without any problem," Mom reassured everyone. Yes, I've stockpiled a lot of supplies—enough to last a year and a half without any problem. But what happens after that? What if the apocalypse hasn’t ended by then?! "Stop overthinking it, Mianmian. Just live in the moment and make the most of today. You'll wear yourself out like this," Mom said, shaking her head as she handed each of us two hand warmers and two foot warmers. "That way, everyone has four warmers to use at night, and during the day, you can stick two heat pads in your down jackets and shoes to minimize waste." Fortunately, when I ordered the electric warmers, I made sure they were fully charged before shipping. Otherwise, they would be useless now. That night, I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep while holding the hand warmer. My palms and the soles of my feet felt warm, and soon my limbs warmed up as well. Perhaps it was too warm, as I quickly drifted off to sleep. The next morning, my palms still retained the residual heat from the electric hand warmer. The high-powered one truly lived up to its reputation. In fact, using just one for the entire night would have been sufficient; using two was wasteful. At this rate, we could still last for over two years, as long as the temperature doesn’t drop to even more outrageous levels. Ah Ji was still asleep, so I quietly slipped out of the bedroom and turned on my phone's flashlight. I saw Mom continuously blowing on her hands, and when the bright light shone on her, she instinctively hid her hands behind her back. "Mianmian, you're up so early?" I quickly walked over to take Mom's hands. They were ice-cold, completely devoid of warmth. "Mom, how many hand warmers did you use last night?" "Just one. It stopped being warm in the middle of the night, and I fell asleep, so I didn't turn it back on." Mom avoided my gaze. Liar! "A hand warmer tucked inside the sleeve of a down jacket can keep you warm all night, and my palm is still warm. Mom, you’re lying; you didn’t use any!" I grabbed my mother's hand, urging her to feel the warmth of my palm. The commotion woke up Ah Ji and my dad. I quickly went over and took my dad's hand; it still had some residual warmth—he had used a hand warmer last night. "Mom, did you want to save all the hand warmers for us while you tough it out in the cold?" "I want all of us to survive together. How could you make such a decision on your own? What if I hadn't noticed? Do you plan to keep this up? The temperature is dropping; how long can you hold out?!" Mom lowered her head at my words, like a child who had done something wrong, not daring to look at me. "Mom, Dad, if we lose even one person, or if someone gets sick and dies because we're trying to save resources, then I don't want to live either." Having calmed down, I decided to let things be. "Mom, you didn't use the hand warmer last night, did you? Tonight, I won't use mine either. I'll join you in not using it. When you come to your senses and want to use it again, then I'll use mine too." "Mom was wrong." She gave a bitter smile and unexpectedly began to cry. "I'm useless; I just want you to survive, to live longer than we did!" "Mom, I know... I know." I hugged her tightly, and we cried together. 34 "Mom won't do this anymore, my daughter. I'll use it... you don't have to go without. It's too cold at night; you won't be able to stand it." Hearing this, I cried even harder. "Starting tomorrow, Mianmian and I will each check your hand warmers and foot warmers. The basic nightly consumption is two units. If we find that you haven't used up the electricity, we'll do the same as you." Later, we diligently checked our parents' hand warmer count every day. Seeing how serious we were, they had no choice but to use them every night. As the days went by, our phones ran out of battery, and the flashlights broke one after another. At some point, Aji developed the habit of writing in a diary, turning on the flashlight to write for a while each day. We've moved all the beds into the master bedroom so our parents can sleep and stay warm in the same room with us. My partner and I are on one side, while my parents are on the other. We're bundled up in several down jackets, and given the harsh conditions, we can't ask for much more. With everyone in one room, it's noticeably warmer at night. We've piled on layer after layer of blankets and added extra padding, making it a bit of a struggle to get into bed now. We've already used up half of our stored hand warmers, and hope for the end of this apocalyptic situation is growing increasingly dim. My sleep time is getting shorter and shorter, and I've been plagued by overwhelming anxiety for a long time. Today, I was completely unable to sleep. Mom, lying beside me, noticed something was off and asked me to go to the living room. I quietly followed her there. She handed me the hand warmer she was holding, but I shook my head. "Mianmian, Mom knows that ever since the apocalypse, you’ve been under a lot of stress. But let me tell you, everyone ultimately faces death; it’s just that some go first and others follow later. If you’re going to be anxious about these things, you might as well have started worrying the moment you were born." "Mom!" The emotions I had suppressed for so long burst forth. I hugged her tightly and cried softly, afraid of waking those who were still asleep. "My sweet child, Mom and Dad promise to live healthily and stay by your side until the end of our lives." Mom gently stroked my back, filling me with warmth and strength. After a moment, I said stubbornly, "You have to keep your promise." "Alright." 35 After this little episode, I came to understand many things. It’s just the end of the world; as long as I live earnestly and remain hopeful about both the world and my country, if I don’t give up on myself, then no one can give up on me. My sleep quality has improved. Although I wake up more often from the cold at night, at least I can still fall asleep now. Another six months passed, and the temperature had dropped to -130 degrees. Once it reached this point, it no longer decreased further. Ding! Is that the sound of the air conditioner running? I instinctively glanced at the air conditioner and was surprised to see it actually working! What's happening? Has the temperature risen? Or has the power been restored—does that mean the apocalypse is over?! I exclaimed in surprise, and everyone else noticed that the air conditioner was on too. Then, the lights in the living room came on. The power has been restored! I quickly charged my phone and turned it on, and to my surprise, the signal was restored! While it wasn't 5G, the 4G signal indicated that the network was back up! The first thing I did was check Weibo to see if the government had released any updates. As expected, there was indeed new information. The government issued an announcement: We apologize for the late notice, but the La Niña apocalypse has arrived. We have rushed to produce a batch of clothing made from spacesuit materials and have made every effort to repair the cables in some areas. We are also working on restoring the heating system. Please trust the government! The government will not abandon any survivors! There are only a few dozen comments below, and I’m not sure if these are the only survivors or if power has yet to be restored in other areas. The network signal is patchy. Through my phone, I see that the world outside is now completely blanketed in ice and snow. The cities resemble ice sculptures carved by nature, with snow swirling and fierce winds howling. 36 It's not just our country; other parts of the world are also entirely covered by blizzards and cold. Even countries near the equator haven't escaped this disaster. The average temperature on the Earth's surface has dropped to minus 138 degrees. At this temperature, anyone who goes outside would instantly turn into an ice sculpture. Regardless, with the restoration of internet and electricity, we finally saw a glimmer of hope. We could finally take off our heavy down jackets and sit comfortably in the living room. I scrolled through TikTok, curious to see if anyone nearby was also doing well. A video caught my eye of a person in a spacesuit diligently repairing a solar generator. That generator looked familiar—it was ours! "Hey, friend, I’m not sure if you can see this video, or if you’re even still alive in this world, but I wanted to let you know that while I was repairing some power lines, I happened to find your solar generator. I went ahead and picked the lock, fixed it up, and even added a protective layer that will keep it running even in temperatures as low as -200 degrees. You need to live well, and we all have to keep pushing through! I shared the video with everyone, and my dad couldn’t stop praising it." I replied under the video: We are all still alive! Right now, we're hiding in the basement. Thank you for helping me fix the generator. I believe these dark times will eventually pass! Wishing you peace and success—stay safe! To my surprise, I received a private message from them. He first provided his credentials as a senior mechanical maintenance technician from a government agency and asked where I lived. He mentioned that soon the government would send representatives to distribute spacesuits and then transfer survivors to the underground Xianzhou. Xianzhou is the codename for the national refuge fortress. It turns out we haven't been abandoned! I looked at his credentials. His name is Shen Xiao, and the photo shows a very young and handsome face. Ah Ji shot me a jealous glance, snorted dismissively, and went back to the bedroom. I smiled and told him the exact address and the password for the basement door. 37 Three months later, after the power was restored, we returned to a more normal life. We no longer had to huddle together for warmth, drink ice-cold bottled water, or live in darkness. Father and Ah Ji's hands had improved a lot, and we could gather again to play poker and "Three Kingdoms Kill." "Ah Ji, are you cheating?! How come you're so lucky every time we play poker?!" "No way, I’m not!" There was no response from Shen Xiao; the message was marked as read but left unanswered. However, we didn’t mind. Even if we had to stay in the basement indefinitely, as long as the heating system held up, we could survive off our resources until they ran out, living on for an eternity. Days went by one after another. I occasionally checked Weibo for updates, and more and more countries and regions began to restore power and internet access. The surface temperature still hovered around 130 degrees. That day, we were jolted awake by a loud noise. A group of people in spacesuits walked in, and the leader removed their helmet, approached me, revealed two small canine teeth, and said with a warm smile, "Hello, 'I don't want to eat cilantro.'" That was my Douyin name. I looked at this handsome face, which matched the one on the work ID that Shen Xiao had shown me earlier. I immediately felt a surge of excitement. "You're Shen Xiao! The one who helped us fix the solar generator!" "That's right, Miss 'I-Don't-Want-to-Eat-Cilantro,'" Shen Xiao said with a smile. "We have six spacesuits here. Put them on and follow us; we'll help you transfer all the food from your basement. Rest assured, the country's food reserves are ample, and we won't confiscate your belongings. Of course, if you're willing to donate a bag of rice, you'll receive a residence in the underground Celestial Ark." "Donate, donate, donate! We'll donate! Is there air conditioning and underfloor heating over there?" Dad said with a decisive wave and donated my bag of rice. "Yes, that place started being built six years ago. It's quite far from the ground and has complete infrastructure. Even without air conditioning or underfloor heating, the temperature remains comfortable," Shen Xiao explained. "Okay, okay, then let's hurry up and get dressed!" Dad said contentedly as he began putting on his clothes. However, due to his clumsiness, he ultimately needed Mom's help to get fully dressed. Ah Ji and I also quickly changed into our clothes and followed Shen Xiao as we left the underground room where we had lived for over two years. 38 As we passed the first floor, I noticed a pile of cat litter shaped like a small mountain in the corner. Help! I didn't scoop the poop! Feeling a bit embarrassed, I glanced at Shen Xiao and found him smiling back at me. I instinctively looked away while A Ji stared assertively at Shen Xiao, marking his territory. "Miss Xiangcai's boyfriend gets jealous easily, haha." When we arrived at the underground Xian Zhou, there were still hundreds of survivors like us inside. Outside, they were conducting a thorough search, hoping to find more survivors. After all, as long as people are alive, there is hope; as long as there is hope for the people, there is hope for the nation, and ultimately, hope for civilization. Thanks to a bag of rice, we were also given a residential unit. We no longer needed the government to distribute rice, flour, grains, oil, and other daily necessities, as Shen Xiao had brought them all to us. Life has finally returned to normal, and the end-of-the-world crisis has come to a pause. While we still can't leave the underground to live on the surface, things are getting better, aren't they? Life is now full of hope; can the arrival of sunshine really be far off?