Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 164 Fat Aunt

Master Li stopped the drilling machine, cleaned the debris from the edge of the hole with a brush, checked the diameter and depth of the hole, nodded in satisfaction, and then moved to the second marked point without stopping, and steadily picked up the impact drill again.

"Buzz—Clang clang clang—!!!" The second wave of noise attack sounded again, its penetrating power still strong.

Xu Xiaoyan held her breath. The neighboring houses on both sides remained deathly silent. No lights suddenly turned on, no angry shouts, not even a cough of complaint.

Once both wall holes were perfectly drilled, Master Li began skillfully installing the metal exhaust pipe, connecting it to the furnace body, carefully applying special high-temperature resistant sealant to each joint, installing rainproof and windproof caps, and firmly fixing the exhaust pipe to the wall with metal clamps and brackets... He completed this entire process quickly and efficiently, demonstrating his extensive experience.

Xu Xiaoyan's doubts grew stronger. This was illogical. Even if her neighbor had a good temper or was a sound sleeper, how could they not react to such a loud noise that lasted for nearly an hour? She couldn't help but walk out the door and cautiously peek to both sides.

It was past 11 p.m. outside. The windows on both sides were tightly closed, and the heavy curtains were drawn so tightly that not a single ray of light could be seen coming out!

"Strange..." she muttered to herself, and then a thought flashed through her mind like lightning, and she suddenly understood.

That's it! Tomorrow night at 10 PM, the temperature will plummet dramatically. In such a life-or-death situation, who with any ability, connections, or sense of crisis would stay home and sleep peacefully? Most people, like she was before, are probably frantically searching and scrambling for the last bit of food, fuel, and clothing that might save their lives...

She looked away, walked back into the room, and looked at Mr. Li, who was doing a final check and applying soapy water to the joints to check for leaks. Both stoves had been installed, the stoves were placed stably, and enough space had been left around them in accordance with fire prevention requirements, with matching heat insulation pads placed on them.

"Young lady, everything's installed. Come over and check it. It would be best to test it now to see if the flue is clear, if the stove is burning properly, and most importantly, check if there are any leaks at the connections," Master Li said, wiping the sweat from his brow and pointing at the stove.

Xu Xiaoyan nodded, turned and went to the kitchen. She picked out a few dry pieces of wood and a handful of shavings from the firewood. Following Master Li's instructions, she carefully placed the tinder in the furnace of the cast iron wood-fired stove, put the small pieces of wood on it, and lit it with a lighter.

The orange-red flames quickly rose, licking the wood and making a slight crackling sound. The air circulated in the furnace, and the flames burned steadily and vigorously. Xu Xiaoyan and Master Li moved closer to carefully check the various joints of the flue pipe, especially the seals around the wall penetration holes. They did not see a trace of smoke leakage, only the normal, faint blue smoke drawn away from the furnace opening. She also tried to feel around the joints with her hand, but there was no abnormal flow of hot air.

"The flue is clear and the seal is good too." Xu Xiaoyan straightened up, a satisfied look on her face. Master Li's skills were indeed excellent.

"That's good!" Master Li breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "This stove is of good quality, and the flue is also made of good material. Once it's installed, it will last a long time. You can also try the coal stove when you have coal. The method is the same."

Xu Xiaoyan didn't delay any longer. She took out her phone and transferred the points to Master Li through the platform, according to the previously agreed double price. After confirming receipt of payment, Master Li's smile widened, and he thanked her repeatedly, saying, "Young lady, you're so helpful! If you need any repairs in the future, just call me, Old Li! I guarantee I'll be there anytime, and the prices are fair!"

After seeing Mr. Li off, Xu Xiaoyan locked the courtyard gate and the house door. She decided to take another stroll around the Taiping Street Free Trade Market. She slung her backpack over her shoulder, tightened her clothes, and disappeared into the quiet, dimly lit street.

Compared to the evening, the number of pedestrians on the streets at midnight was not much less. People were still in a hurry, but many of them were more discreet. They covered the packages and bags they were carrying in their arms and hands tightly, walked quickly with their heads down, and rarely talked.

As she was walking, at a fork in the road leading to her home, she bumped into a group of people. It was the overweight woman next door with whom she had a disagreement, her family, a middle-aged man who was also overweight and looked worried, a timid teenage boy, and an elderly woman who walked with a slight tremor.

The family, young and old, were all carrying bulging bundles and bags haphazardly wrapped in old sheets or blankets. The man and boy also had burlap sacks on their shoulders, the contents of which were obscured. They kept their heads down, their expressions unusually solemn in the dim light of the streetlamp.

The plump woman looked up and saw Xu Xiaoyan walking towards her. Perhaps it was the grudge from their previous conflict over reinforcing the house that had been building up inside her, or perhaps it was the heavy load of supplies she was carrying and the fear and anxiety about the harsh winter ahead, but when Xu Xiaoyan's gaze seemed to sweep over their disheveled state as they were moving their belongings, it was like a firecracker exploding! She yelled directly at Xu Xiaoyan, her voice sharp and piercing, carrying far in the relatively quiet night:

"What are you looking at! What are you looking at with those shifty eyes! What's so interesting! Haven't you ever seen someone take something home before!" Her face was a mixture of exhaustion, anxiety, and a kind of bluffing ferocity, as if she wanted to relieve her immense inner pressure by attacking others.

Her husband seemed to sense something was amiss, so he tugged at her arm and whispered, "Alright, stop talking and hurry home." But the plump woman shook off his hand and became even more emboldened, continuing to glare at Xu Xiaoyan.

Xu Xiaoyan paused, speechless. This old lady was really... quick to anger. She could understand the pressure the other woman was under, but taking her anger out on a stranger who was just passing by was really annoying.

However, she knew exactly what time it was—less than twenty-four hours before the deadly cold arrived, and there was no need to waste time on pointless arguments with such people, needlessly exhausting her mind and energy, and possibly even attracting unnecessary trouble.

So she simply looked away almost indifferently, as if she hadn't heard the shouts or seen the angry glare on their faces, and continued walking along her predetermined route, leaving behind the family's heavy breathing, muttered complaints, and the fat woman's likely muttered curses.