Natural Disasters Arrive: Hoarding Supplies, Crushing Scumbags, and Eating Hotpot CH8
Chapter 8: Hoarding 05
Nan Xi couldn't have cared less about Han Yingxi’s ghostly wails on the other end of the line. She had delegated the task, and how well he executed it was up to his own fate.
Meanwhile, Nan Xi was busy contacting a renovation company in City J to completely overhaul the apartments in the East Lake Complex.
In her previous life, when the disasters first struck, she and the Jiang family had been vacationing at a lakeside resort in City J, invited by Tang Chu Xiao. When the typhoons hit and the torrential rains began, they initially stayed at the resort. There weren't many people, and the supplies were relatively plentiful, making the first few weeks somewhat comfortable. However, as the rain persisted and the city flooded, rescue efforts stalled and they lost contact with the outside world. Eventually, following Tang Chu Xiao’s suggestion, the family relocated to the East Lake Complex.
They had stayed in the very apartments Jiang Mingrui had just handed over to her.
The largest unit was a penthouse, 2501, which included a private rooftop garden—a secluded area that was incredibly secure. East Lake was marketed as a high-end complex. The building Jiang Mingrui had invested in consisted entirely of large-scale floor plans. Each building had a single entrance with a spacious lobby, and each floor had only four units, separated by the elevator hall into two wings.
Jiang Mingrui had also bought the adjacent unit, 2502, which was now in Nan Xi’s hands. Then there was 2401, directly below them. Nan Xi wanted all of them.
Because the rain lasted for months in her past life, the floods rose all the way to the eighth floor, leaving residents on lower levels homeless. By controlling several high-floor apartments, Jiang Yiran and Jiang Mingrui had played the "saints" in her previous life. Of course, the supplies they used to act like heroes were all things Nan Xi had risked her life to scavenge.
This time, Nan Xi planned to gut and renovate. 2501 and 2502 could be merged, providing enough space for her to move around freely. She even considered installing a hidden trapdoor between 2501 and 2401 downstairs for easy access.
In her past life, the units across the hall—2503 and 2504—had remained empty until Tang Chu Xiao broke the locks and used them to house his followers, earning himself quite a reputation for "charity."
In this life? They can all go to hell!
She was certain that, without her around to carry them, they wouldn't have the mood to vacation in City J anyway. They could just rot in their villas.
Muttering curses under her breath, Nan Xi drove toward the largest agricultural wholesale market in the area. It was too late to buy fresh produce now; she was mainly there to scout the location and buy seeds and saplings.
The black soil in her space was still empty, much like the hollow ache in her heart.
The renovation company in City J was skeptical of her plan, but Nan Xi felt her demands were modest. She just wanted to knock down a wall—as long as it wasn't a load-bearing one—and add a door. Cutting a hole for a trapdoor in the floor required more thought, but she didn't insist on it if it proved impossible.
Her main requirements were replacing the front door of 2501 with the highest-grade explosion-proof security door. In fact, she wanted three layers of doors. Each door had to have two horizontal deadbolts and three "heaven-and-earth" locks, plus a steel gate with a viewing window and a barred security fence. She didn't even mention that she planned to order several more of these doors to keep in her space as spares.
She had initially wanted the company to install a gate in the hallway itself, but she knew the property management would never agree, so she held her tongue. She planned to custom-order the gate and install it herself later to completely wall herself off from the rest of the floor.
The rooms needed fireplaces and floor heating. The flooring had to be replaced with interlocking, removable panels. Every window had to be bulletproof and explosion-proof glass with heat-reflective coating. She also wanted a full fresh-air filtration system. It didn't sound like much, but she wanted this for the entirety of 2501 and the rooftop garden!
Turning the rooftop garden into a complete glass-enclosed conservatory was a massive undertaking. Between the 300-square-meter 2501, the 200-square-meter 2502, and the 100-plus-square-meter rooftop garden, the entire top of the building was hers.
"Can you do it or not?"
"Miss Nan, this is truly difficult. Your requirements aren't the problem, but the timeframe... there's just not enough time!"
"Fine. If you can't do it, I’ll find someone who can."
"Miss Nan! Two months! If you give us two months, we can definitely do it with the best materials. You'll be satisfied."
"One month. At most one month. Actually, four weeks—not even a full month."
It wasn't that she didn't want to give them time, it was that the world didn't have much time left.
"Miss Nan, for the labor alone, a month is enough. But the high-end materials you want are custom. Sourcing and shipping them takes time..."
"I’ll pay extra."
"This..."
"Double the price. Best materials. Finished in four weeks. For every day you finish early, I’ll add a 20% bonus. That means if you finish five days early, the total pay doubles again."
"Uh..."
"As for the materials, I’m sure you have ways to get them immediately if you try. Money isn't an issue. I’ll cover the markup for the materials, too."
"Deal! Since you’ve put it that way, Miss Nan, we’ll get it done on time and to spec!"
"Then I’ll leave it to you. I’ll contact the property management to clear your entry. I’ll be out of the country for a few days, so I expect the work to proceed smoothly in my absence."
"Please rest assured, Miss Nan."
Nan Xi smiled and hung up. Another major task checked off.
However, the company’s reminder about the doors made her realize that high-quality explosion-proof doors wouldn't be in stock. She immediately began searching for contacts and ordered dozens of security doors from multiple vendors. She set the delivery address to her warehouse with one condition: "As soon as possible. Money is not an issue."
Including the deposit for the renovation company, she had just spent another million yuan.
While a couple of million was a drop in the bucket compared to the billions she had, Nan Xi still felt a sense of urgency. Her hoarding had only just begun, she had barely scratched the surface.
Next, she contacted the mooncake shop—a century-old establishment with a small storefront and a limited daily output. She booked a week’s worth of their standard pastries for when she returned and successfully negotiated a custom mooncake order. It was the wrong season, but with enough money, they were willing to open the ovens just for her. By the time she got back, she would have 50,000 mooncakes in various flavors—enough to eat two a day for nearly seventy years. She didn't need fancy boxes, simple oil-paper wrapping was fine since she was just going to store them in her space.
The smoothness of the transaction put her in a better mood, and she pressed down on the gas pedal.
At the agricultural market, she headed to the planting section. Lacking experience with seeds, she couldn't judge quality, so she simply hit multiple shops. She bought common, cheap seeds in bulk and rarer, expensive ones in smaller quantities.
She spent about 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per shop, making sure the vendors categorized everything and provided manuals. She even asked them to make a quick tutorial videos for each of the complicated ones.
Then came the saplings. Ornamental and fruit trees were priced differently. Nan Xi loved apples and peaches, so she ordered 1,000 of each variety. For other fruits, she took 100 of each kind. Even if the black soil in her space couldn't fit them all yet, she could store them until the space upgraded and the land expanded.
In fact, years down the line when the disasters ended, these seeds and saplings would be invaluable.
She added grapevines, strawberry runners, watermelon seedlings, pineapple crowns, and dragon fruit cuttings. Whether she recognized them or not, whether she liked eating them or not, she took them all.
By the time she finished, she had another million yuan worth of goods. Her van couldn't hold it, so she had the vendors deliver everything to the suburban warehouse overnight. She went to receive the first batch and the rest would have to wait until she returned from the States.
By the time she finished, it was past dinner. She tipped the delivery drivers and drove back toward the city. As she passed a night market, vendors were just setting up.
Nan Xi realized she was hungry again.
Even though her space was now packed with food she could eat at any time, she frequently felt hungry. It wasn't a physical need, but a psychological void. Five years of starving in the apocalypse had left her with a constant fear of being empty. She wanted to stuff everything into her stomach.
It wasn't quite crayfish season yet, but they were already available, alongside various grills. Nan Xi could practically smell the enticing aroma.
Grilling took time, so she stuck to her routine: ordering a bit from every stall. By the time she finished the street, it was a massive haul. 1,000 yuan worth of "hardcore" BBQ from each stall, plus 100 pounds of spicy crayfish per vendor. By the time she reached the end of the alley, she felt marinated in the scent of charcoal and spice.
Suddenly, she realized the seasonings she’d bought earlier definitely weren't enough. Even if she couldn't cook now, she could learn from videos. She needed to buy more spices so she could grill things herself later!
Checking the time, she finally headed for the airport.
Jiang Mingrui was still texting her to come home for dinner. She didn't have the time for that. She just told him to have her assets ready for when she returned. She also reminded Han Yingxi to deal with Tang Chu Xiao and get her jade pendant back—she didn't trust the Jiang family to handle it!
Han Yingxi called again: "Sis! You really broke the engagement with Tang Chu Xiao?" He knew about the Dragon and Phoenix pendants used as tokens.
"Why would I lie? Just make sure you get the pendant back. Not a scratch on it."
"Heh, Sis, want me to ask for some 'emotional damages' too? The Tangs wasted years of your life! Tang Chu Xiao bullied you!"
"Sure. Whatever you can squeeze out of them, you keep half."
Han Yingxi was chuckling when he heard the background noise on her end. "Sis, where are you?"
"The airport."
"The airport?! Sis, where are you going? You're not really leaving the country because of the breakup, are you? To escape the 'heartbreak'?"
"What weird nonsense have you been reading? Or was it someone talking trash online again? No, wait. Nevermind....I'm actually going to take over my assets. The Rose Manor—you know it, right?"
"Ah... should I? Well, let's say I do! Honestly, Sis, you’re going abroad and not taking me?"
"Next time."
There probably won't be a next time.
"By the way, Teng Heng and the guys heard we’re buying villas in Bihan Xiangdu. They want in on the action."
"Let them buy. Do they have enough pocket money?"
"It’s a bit tight for them. Teng Heng is fine, but Jin Tao and Yan Jiayu definitely don't have enough. The three of them plan to split one unit right next to ours."
"Then put them to work. You said you were spread too thin anyway!"
"Alright! Anyway, Sis, when are you coming back?"
"A few days. I’m boarding now. Talk later."
Nan Xi hung up and boarded the plane. It was a red-eye flight, so first class wasn't an option, but Nan Xi—having survived far worse—didn't care. Economy was luxury compared to the past.
Putting on her eye mask and pulling up the blanket, she hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign. As her consciousness sank into the space to begin a new round of work, she had one thought:
Time. I can't waste a single second!
Chapter Notes:
Nan Xi couldn't have cared less about Han Yingxi’s ghostly wails on the other end of the line. She had delegated the task, and how well he executed it was up to his own fate.
Meanwhile, Nan Xi was busy contacting a renovation company in City J to completely overhaul the apartments in the East Lake Complex.
In her previous life, when the disasters first struck, she and the Jiang family had been vacationing at a lakeside resort in City J, invited by Tang Chu Xiao. When the typhoons hit and the torrential rains began, they initially stayed at the resort. There weren't many people, and the supplies were relatively plentiful, making the first few weeks somewhat comfortable. However, as the rain persisted and the city flooded, rescue efforts stalled and they lost contact with the outside world. Eventually, following Tang Chu Xiao’s suggestion, the family relocated to the East Lake Complex.
They had stayed in the very apartments Jiang Mingrui had just handed over to her.
The largest unit was a penthouse, 2501, which included a private rooftop garden—a secluded area that was incredibly secure. East Lake was marketed as a high-end complex. The building Jiang Mingrui had invested in consisted entirely of large-scale floor plans. Each building had a single entrance with a spacious lobby, and each floor had only four units, separated by the elevator hall into two wings.
Jiang Mingrui had also bought the adjacent unit, 2502, which was now in Nan Xi’s hands. Then there was 2401, directly below them. Nan Xi wanted all of them.
Because the rain lasted for months in her past life, the floods rose all the way to the eighth floor, leaving residents on lower levels homeless. By controlling several high-floor apartments, Jiang Yiran and Jiang Mingrui had played the "saints" in her previous life. Of course, the supplies they used to act like heroes were all things Nan Xi had risked her life to scavenge.
This time, Nan Xi planned to gut and renovate. 2501 and 2502 could be merged, providing enough space for her to move around freely. She even considered installing a hidden trapdoor between 2501 and 2401 downstairs for easy access.
In her past life, the units across the hall—2503 and 2504—had remained empty until Tang Chu Xiao broke the locks and used them to house his followers, earning himself quite a reputation for "charity."
In this life? They can all go to hell!
She was certain that, without her around to carry them, they wouldn't have the mood to vacation in City J anyway. They could just rot in their villas.
Muttering curses under her breath, Nan Xi drove toward the largest agricultural wholesale market in the area. It was too late to buy fresh produce now; she was mainly there to scout the location and buy seeds and saplings.
The black soil in her space was still empty, much like the hollow ache in her heart.
The renovation company in City J was skeptical of her plan, but Nan Xi felt her demands were modest. She just wanted to knock down a wall—as long as it wasn't a load-bearing one—and add a door. Cutting a hole for a trapdoor in the floor required more thought, but she didn't insist on it if it proved impossible.
Her main requirements were replacing the front door of 2501 with the highest-grade explosion-proof security door. In fact, she wanted three layers of doors. Each door had to have two horizontal deadbolts and three "heaven-and-earth" locks, plus a steel gate with a viewing window and a barred security fence. She didn't even mention that she planned to order several more of these doors to keep in her space as spares.
She had initially wanted the company to install a gate in the hallway itself, but she knew the property management would never agree, so she held her tongue. She planned to custom-order the gate and install it herself later to completely wall herself off from the rest of the floor.
The rooms needed fireplaces and floor heating. The flooring had to be replaced with interlocking, removable panels. Every window had to be bulletproof and explosion-proof glass with heat-reflective coating. She also wanted a full fresh-air filtration system. It didn't sound like much, but she wanted this for the entirety of 2501 and the rooftop garden!
Turning the rooftop garden into a complete glass-enclosed conservatory was a massive undertaking. Between the 300-square-meter 2501, the 200-square-meter 2502, and the 100-plus-square-meter rooftop garden, the entire top of the building was hers.
"Can you do it or not?"
"Miss Nan, this is truly difficult. Your requirements aren't the problem, but the timeframe... there's just not enough time!"
"Fine. If you can't do it, I’ll find someone who can."
"Miss Nan! Two months! If you give us two months, we can definitely do it with the best materials. You'll be satisfied."
"One month. At most one month. Actually, four weeks—not even a full month."
It wasn't that she didn't want to give them time, it was that the world didn't have much time left.
"Miss Nan, for the labor alone, a month is enough. But the high-end materials you want are custom. Sourcing and shipping them takes time..."
"I’ll pay extra."
"This..."
"Double the price. Best materials. Finished in four weeks. For every day you finish early, I’ll add a 20% bonus. That means if you finish five days early, the total pay doubles again."
"Uh..."
"As for the materials, I’m sure you have ways to get them immediately if you try. Money isn't an issue. I’ll cover the markup for the materials, too."
"Deal! Since you’ve put it that way, Miss Nan, we’ll get it done on time and to spec!"
"Then I’ll leave it to you. I’ll contact the property management to clear your entry. I’ll be out of the country for a few days, so I expect the work to proceed smoothly in my absence."
"Please rest assured, Miss Nan."
Nan Xi smiled and hung up. Another major task checked off.
However, the company’s reminder about the doors made her realize that high-quality explosion-proof doors wouldn't be in stock. She immediately began searching for contacts and ordered dozens of security doors from multiple vendors. She set the delivery address to her warehouse with one condition: "As soon as possible. Money is not an issue."
Including the deposit for the renovation company, she had just spent another million yuan.
While a couple of million was a drop in the bucket compared to the billions she had, Nan Xi still felt a sense of urgency. Her hoarding had only just begun, she had barely scratched the surface.
Next, she contacted the mooncake shop—a century-old establishment with a small storefront and a limited daily output. She booked a week’s worth of their standard pastries for when she returned and successfully negotiated a custom mooncake order. It was the wrong season, but with enough money, they were willing to open the ovens just for her. By the time she got back, she would have 50,000 mooncakes in various flavors—enough to eat two a day for nearly seventy years. She didn't need fancy boxes, simple oil-paper wrapping was fine since she was just going to store them in her space.
The smoothness of the transaction put her in a better mood, and she pressed down on the gas pedal.
At the agricultural market, she headed to the planting section. Lacking experience with seeds, she couldn't judge quality, so she simply hit multiple shops. She bought common, cheap seeds in bulk and rarer, expensive ones in smaller quantities.
She spent about 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per shop, making sure the vendors categorized everything and provided manuals. She even asked them to make a quick tutorial videos for each of the complicated ones.
Then came the saplings. Ornamental and fruit trees were priced differently. Nan Xi loved apples and peaches, so she ordered 1,000 of each variety. For other fruits, she took 100 of each kind. Even if the black soil in her space couldn't fit them all yet, she could store them until the space upgraded and the land expanded.
In fact, years down the line when the disasters ended, these seeds and saplings would be invaluable.
She added grapevines, strawberry runners, watermelon seedlings, pineapple crowns, and dragon fruit cuttings. Whether she recognized them or not, whether she liked eating them or not, she took them all.
By the time she finished, she had another million yuan worth of goods. Her van couldn't hold it, so she had the vendors deliver everything to the suburban warehouse overnight. She went to receive the first batch and the rest would have to wait until she returned from the States.
By the time she finished, it was past dinner. She tipped the delivery drivers and drove back toward the city. As she passed a night market, vendors were just setting up.
Nan Xi realized she was hungry again.
Even though her space was now packed with food she could eat at any time, she frequently felt hungry. It wasn't a physical need, but a psychological void. Five years of starving in the apocalypse had left her with a constant fear of being empty. She wanted to stuff everything into her stomach.
It wasn't quite crayfish season yet, but they were already available, alongside various grills. Nan Xi could practically smell the enticing aroma.
Grilling took time, so she stuck to her routine: ordering a bit from every stall. By the time she finished the street, it was a massive haul. 1,000 yuan worth of "hardcore" BBQ from each stall, plus 100 pounds of spicy crayfish per vendor. By the time she reached the end of the alley, she felt marinated in the scent of charcoal and spice.
Suddenly, she realized the seasonings she’d bought earlier definitely weren't enough. Even if she couldn't cook now, she could learn from videos. She needed to buy more spices so she could grill things herself later!
Checking the time, she finally headed for the airport.
Jiang Mingrui was still texting her to come home for dinner. She didn't have the time for that. She just told him to have her assets ready for when she returned. She also reminded Han Yingxi to deal with Tang Chu Xiao and get her jade pendant back—she didn't trust the Jiang family to handle it!
Han Yingxi called again: "Sis! You really broke the engagement with Tang Chu Xiao?" He knew about the Dragon and Phoenix pendants used as tokens.
"Why would I lie? Just make sure you get the pendant back. Not a scratch on it."
"Heh, Sis, want me to ask for some 'emotional damages' too? The Tangs wasted years of your life! Tang Chu Xiao bullied you!"
"Sure. Whatever you can squeeze out of them, you keep half."
Han Yingxi was chuckling when he heard the background noise on her end. "Sis, where are you?"
"The airport."
"The airport?! Sis, where are you going? You're not really leaving the country because of the breakup, are you? To escape the 'heartbreak'?"
"What weird nonsense have you been reading? Or was it someone talking trash online again? No, wait. Nevermind....I'm actually going to take over my assets. The Rose Manor—you know it, right?"
"Ah... should I? Well, let's say I do! Honestly, Sis, you’re going abroad and not taking me?"
"Next time."
There probably won't be a next time.
"By the way, Teng Heng and the guys heard we’re buying villas in Bihan Xiangdu. They want in on the action."
"Let them buy. Do they have enough pocket money?"
"It’s a bit tight for them. Teng Heng is fine, but Jin Tao and Yan Jiayu definitely don't have enough. The three of them plan to split one unit right next to ours."
"Then put them to work. You said you were spread too thin anyway!"
"Alright! Anyway, Sis, when are you coming back?"
"A few days. I’m boarding now. Talk later."
Nan Xi hung up and boarded the plane. It was a red-eye flight, so first class wasn't an option, but Nan Xi—having survived far worse—didn't care. Economy was luxury compared to the past.
Putting on her eye mask and pulling up the blanket, she hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign. As her consciousness sank into the space to begin a new round of work, she had one thought:
Time. I can't waste a single second!
Chapter Notes:
- East Lake Complex (东湖小区): This location will be her secondary stronghold. Its high-altitude position is crucial for surviving the floods.
- "Heaven-and-Earth" Locks (天地锁): A type of multi-point locking system common in Chinese security doors that locks into the top and bottom of the door frame as well as the side.
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