NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Chapter 30 You Need Some Shame!
"Look, Qiqi, I told you she would come back! It's almost 5:30, and the Blood Mosquitoes are about to launch a large-scale operation. Going out at this hour is a dead end!"
He Chunmei pulled Zhang Qiqi's hand and walked back while talking confidently.
The others were taken aback by her words, but then they came to their senses.
The government had issued a Blood Mosquito alert at noon, advising citizens to return home by 5:30 and to keep doors and windows tightly shut.
Most of the people involved in the "siege" were from Building A, but there were also a few from other buildings.
If they were to go back late, they might encounter the Blood Mosquitoes.
However, previously, only the residents of Building D had encountered them, and there hadn't been much talk about other buildings.
Plus, at this moment, the resident of 3201 was about to return, and victory seemed within reach, so those few did not want to give up just yet.
Everyone exchanged glances and ultimately decided to stay.
They happened to hit the peak time when other residents were returning home, and the elevator stopped frequently, struggling to reach the 32nd floor.
Just when everyone started doubting whether Jiang Yan had actually gone up, the door to 3204 squeaked open.
A young couple in their twenties came out.
The man was tall and straight, sporting a crew cut and about 1.78 meters tall.
The woman was of average height, well-proportioned, with her long black hair tied into a high ponytail.
Both were dressed in quick-drying, sweat-wicking shorts, sporting shoes, and wearing sports watches, looking like they were about to go for a workout.
"Su Dai, Sun Jingtao, you guys were home after all?! Perfect timing, come join us!" He Chunmei quickly greeted them enthusiastically as she saw them.
Su Dai was a fitness trainer, and Sun Jingtao was a former military officer, now working in the security department of a certain institution.
Normally, on weekends at this time, they would go to the gym near their community, where Su Dai worked, to exercise.
The weather had been too hot these past few days, and with the emergence of Blood Mosquitoes that attacked people, they had recently chosen to climb stairs within the building instead.
Having stayed home all day today, they were getting restless. But with the temperature so high, continuing to climb stairs was clearly unrealistic.
So, they planned to walk around on different floors, treating it as a walk.
Hearing what He Chunmei said, Su Dai smiled slightly, speaking softly, "Sister Chunmei, we would rather not join."
He Chunmei hadn't expected her to refuse and felt somewhat embarrassed.
After all, residents from other floors and buildings had responded to the call to participate. As neighbors, shouldn't they support each other even more?
Most importantly, the group she was leading consisted of the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the pregnant.
If it came down to a scramble, the odds would be fifteen to eighty-five.
But she knew the backgrounds of Su Dai and her husband's work, especially Sun Jingtao, who clearly had some capabilities.
If she could gain their support, their chances of winning would be a hundred percent.
Thinking of this, He Chunmei raised her voice slightly and said,
"Why not join? You've been cooped up at home all day, aren't you hot? I saw the weather forecast, and it's going to be even hotter the day after tomorrow! You don't know, that young lady in 3201, she has two big air conditioners at home! We are all neighbors; we should be united at this moment~"
Her words sounded a bit like moral blackmail, and others chimed in after her.
"Exactly, both of you, join us, the more people, the greater our strength!"
"Miss, let's do it together!"
"..."
Sun Jingtao, a straightforward person, was displeased upon hearing this,
"Sister He, aren't you misunderstanding the word 'battle line'? A battle line implies struggle and enemies; since we're all neighbors, why bring up the word 'battle line'?!"
At this, He Chunmei's face turned sour for a moment, and she spoke in an elder's lecturing tone, "Ah, look at what Xiao Sun is saying; I was just making a casual analogy."
"What casual analogy? Blustering all day about air conditioning like jumping monkeys! People need to have a face, trees need bark! If she doesn't want to let you in, why do you insist unreasonably?
Look at the mess you've made on the 32nd floor! Moreover, ganging up on a young lady, what kind of behavior is that?!
And involving children as well, is this how you set an example for the kids?! Have some dignity!" Sun Jingtao retorted emphatically.
Muscles tensed as emotions built up like gunpowder in each individual.
Upon hearing Sun Jingtao's retort, He Chunmei also became angered, and she justified staunchly,
"How can you talk like this, Xiao Sun?! Her apartment is so big, the air conditioner will cool one person or a group just the same, and it's so hot these days, everyone is getting heatstroke! Isn't it only natural for her to lend a hand?! Besides, we are not asking for free!"
"Sister Chunmei, she doesn't owe you a kinship; choosing to help you is a favor, not helping is her right, what 'natural' are you talking about here, why should you trouble the young lady?" Su Dai gently took Sun Jingtao's arm and spoke slowly.
She and Sun Jingtao had acted early, having bought an air conditioner from an online platform as soon as they noticed the abnormal weather.
The air conditioner was scheduled to be installed tomorrow morning.
Their apartment was situated at the opposite end of the same corridor as Jiang Yan's. They had clearly witnessed everything that had happened at Jiang Yan's door today.
At this pace, He Chunmei and the others would soon replicate their tactics against them.
So, in a way, they and Jiang Yan were on the same side.
By clarifying their stance now, it was much better than dealing with the mess the day after tomorrow.
Additionally, the couple's values were relatively upright on normal days.
Seeing the couple in sync, He Chunmei scoffed mockingly,
"Su Dai, you and your husband are speaking without a care in the world! If your child who died in the womb had been born successfully, he or she would be three or four years old now, right?! If you had a child and they might suffer from heatstroke, would you still speak so lightly?!!"
"You—" Su Dai's face changed abruptly upon hearing this.
She pursed her lips, her eyes reddened, and her fists clenched as she moved to confront He Chunmei, but her husband, Sun Jingtao, pulled her back.
"Baby, don't stoop to her level; she's just being an unreasonable lunatic today!" Sun Jingtao was actually more angry than she was, but he held back, his forearms bulging with restrained fury.
If they were to physically confront He Chunmei now, wouldn't that just divert the problem towards them?
He wasn't foolish.
Moreover, he worked in an institution.
Although he was in charge of an inconspicuous security department, he was still a leader and needed to be mindful of his external influence and image.
Others were about to step forward and mediate when Song Xiaofei, who had been watching the elevator floor indicator, suddenly cried out,
"Mom! Mom! The elevator's almost at the 32nd floor!"