Chapter 45: Louyun City

Chapter 45: Louyun City

This time, because she was in the Drift Island House when she received her reward, she clearly felt the light and shadow inside the house shift for a brief moment. The change lasted less than a second. When she looked up again, she was surprised to see that the house now had an additional half-story!

This was what they meant by "split-level space," which was different from what she had imagined.

After the raft was upgraded to level 2, the internal height of the Drift Island House had increased to around 3.8 meters. She had once marveled at how the height resembled the loft apartment she had purchased in her original world. Unfortunately, the space hadn't been divided, so the upper area felt underutilized.

But now, there was a mezzanine!

Starting from above the back door, the newly appeared wooden panels sectioned off part of the upper area of the house, covering the entire bathroom and extending to the sofa where she was sitting, creating a half-story partition.

This area was rectangular, with two sides against the walls and two sides suspended in the air. It was enclosed by a wooden railing over a meter high, forming a completely open upper space.

The wooden stairs, positioned between the bathroom and kitchen, were perfectly angled, allowing for easy movement and adding a decorative touch.

Shu Fu quickly ascended the stairs. The new mezzanine, roughly ten square meters, was still empty except for the railing. Since the area included the floor-to-ceiling windows next to the bookshelf and soft cushions, about one-third of the three-meter-high windows were now above the mezzanine, providing good lighting.

Shu Fu immediately thought of how to arrange this new space, just like her loft apartment. She would move the bed, bedside tables, and clothing storage boxes from downstairs to this split-level space, which would become her bedroom!

Without wasting any time, and with the assistance of her wristband space, moving the bedroom took only a second.

She put away the living room’s bed, bedside table, and the storage cabinet for laundry, then went back upstairs and set up the bed first. The bed was placed by the floor-to-ceiling windows, with the head of the bed against the wall. To the left was the half-partition of the floor-to-ceiling window, and beyond that was the wooden railing. From here, she could see the entire living room below.

The upper space was only about 1.8 meters high. The low, soft bed, combined with the wooden floor and small floor-to-ceiling windows, gave it a cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

She originally had two bedside tables but had only set up one because the bed was against the wall. Now, with the bed’s head against the wall, she placed both tables—one on each side. One bedside table held a sage and sea salt scented candle, while the other had a rechargeable lamp, as usual.

The area near the stairs was enclosed by walls on two sides. Shu Fu searched her space and took out a modular wardrobe and a single sofa that had been used in the living room downstairs.

The wardrobe had been bought after she rented the apartment in Sui City. Made of composite wood, the three wardrobes lined up were quite spacious and could hold all her seasonal clothes and spare bedding, freeing up several cubic meters in her wristband space.

She placed the wardrobes along the right wall, fitting perfectly. The single sofa went between the bedside table and the wardrobe, with a soft round rug and a glass coffee table in front of it.

The coffee table had two layers. On the lower storage layer, she placed a power bank, room-temperature drinks, another Bluetooth speaker, a few books, among other things.

With just a few adjustments, the once-empty mezzanine was now fully furnished. The area on the first floor where the bed had been placed was now vacant. With the good lighting from the floor-to-ceiling windows, she moved the manual rowing machine, small dining table, and chairs to this spot, and brought out another matching chair.

This layout divided the first floor into two distinct areas: one for dining and fitness, and the other for relaxing.

This small Drift Island House was beginning to feel like a split-level villa.

After finishing the decoration of the house, it was just past eight o'clock. The water supply period was from 8 to 9 o'clock. Shu Fu stretched lazily, grabbed her change of clothes, and left the house to go to the rented apartment for a shower.

She had been showering in the rented apartment for the past few times, primarily to save water. After all, the raft had been out of the water for over a month, and with 50 liters of purified water less each day, she had some concerns about water usage.

Now, the 500 liters of water in the house’s water tank had been saved and stockpiled during the two months in Sui City from the daily purified water. She used the purified water from the house for brushing her teeth, bathing, washing dishes, and laundry. For flushing the toilet, she used the filtered water from Louyun City stored in the foldable bathtub.

**

However, in recent days, she couldn’t continue showering in the house because the wastewater tank’s capacity was only 1000 liters, and it was about to fill up. Since the raft had left the water surface, the waste tank couldn’t be manually emptied. She had to leave some space for wastewater from brushing and using the toilet, so naturally, she couldn’t shower in the house, as showering consumed the most water.

The washing machine also used a lot of water, but she didn’t want to move the washing machine outside every time or have her clothes smell like chemicals from the filtered water. In the end, she decided to make a sacrifice.

Besides, a quick spritz of floral water after a shower would help mask any lingering chemical odors on her skin.

Half an hour later, Shu Fu, carrying a combination of floral water and chemical odors, entered the wooden house, looking somewhat melancholic. As soon as she stepped inside, she lit the scented candle on the bar table near the entrance. She had chosen a strong rose scent to cover up the mixed odors on her body.

However, the mixture of the three scents only deepened her troubled expression.

Lying flat on the sofa, Shu Fu reconsidered her previous plan to take the raft back into the water to drain the waste tank.

She had moved to Jixing Neighborhood to complete a mission. Later, she stayed because Zheng Feifei was here, and the subsequent missions were also based here.

But now, Zheng Feifei’s family had moved to Zhicheng, Fang Zhuo Wen had left, and Liu Shuang had been transferred back to Xiangzhou Province.

It felt like their shared journey had reached a crossroads. Everyone had gone their separate ways, and there was no real reason for her to stay here anymore.

Could she find an old house near the Cloud River, one that would flood on the first floor whenever the river rose? She remembered some houses like that...

Or perhaps settle in a farmhouse with a small pond in the suburbs? The eastern suburbs had several shelters, and due to the large number of refugees, many farmhouses had shut down.

If she wanted to rent there, she could likely find a way through a real estate agent.

However, the main issue with these places was the low elevation. Although Louyun City had a dam to hold back the water, heavy rain would cause the Cloud River to rise, flooding low-lying areas.

Her raft’s progress to level 3 was only 15% complete and could still only be used for 12 hours. Even if she upgraded it to level 3 now, she couldn’t guarantee it would last 24 hours.

If the situation in Louyun City changed, living in these low-lying buildings would again pose a survival problem.

After all, she had no idea how long she would stay in Louyun City this time. The floodwaters outside the safety walls were rising every day. Although the dam could be raised, the hills between the dams were difficult to manage.

It had been suggested online that the authorities should connect the six dams to form a true high wall around the city. However, constructing on the hills was unimaginably complex, and with half the city’s effort already invested in these six dams, adding more construction sites was nearly impossible.

Even if they conscripted all the refugees in the suburban areas, there wouldn’t be enough machinery and building materials.

This meant that no matter how much the dams were reinforced or raised, there was a limit. Beyond this limit, even if the rising floodwaters couldn’t overflow the dams, they could bypass them through the nearby hilly areas.

At that point, Louyun City would face the same flood problems as Sui City.

For now, however, this hadn’t caused panic among the people of Louyun City, as the water level outside the dams wasn’t rising that quickly. The vast plains of China provided a large area, and the waters in the plains would need to rise another 150 to 200 meters before they could bypass the hills and flood into Louyun City.

Even in a worst-case scenario, such a rise in water levels wouldn’t happen overnight.

And this time factor of “not happening overnight” was exactly what troubled Shu Fu about the idea of moving.

Based on previous experience, the remaining 15% progress might only be triggered after the floodwaters entered Louyun City. Judging by the water rise speed in Sui City, it would take another 5 to 6 months for the flood to reach Louyun City.

Assuming constant heavy rain, it could take 5 to 6 months; in reality, it might stretch to 7 or 8 months.

She couldn’t let the raft sit unused for such a long time; it would be too wasteful.

But moving to a lower area did seem a bit risky.

Thinking this over, she browsed several rental centers online and found a new agent she didn’t know. She added the agent’s WeChat account and left a message saying she wanted to rent a small house near the Cloud River or in the suburbs near fish ponds.

Her requirements were a bit odd, but she decided to try her luck.

The agent quickly accepted her friend request and politely replied that due to weather conditions, there had been few clients looking for such places recently, so he didn’t have much information. He asked to organize what he had and said he would get back to her the next day.

Not sure if the agent didn’t want her business or for some other reason, Shu Fu didn’t receive any new messages for two days. Just as she was about to search for another agent online, Cheng Yu called her.

He seemed to be in a hurry, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he directly asked her if she was planning to settle in Sha City.

"Yes." Shu Fu had never hidden her intention to move to Sha City from anyone, but what she didn’t expect was that her answer would result in such a practical offer from him.

"In about three days, I will be heading to Sha City. I can't go into the details, but I can bring a team, and I can add one more person to the group. I know this might sound sudden, but time is tight, so—" Cheng Yu paused for a moment before continuing, "Shu Fu, would you like to come to Sha City with me?"

"Ah?" Shu Fu's surprise was genuine.

Until he said those last words, she thought he was calling to say goodbye. After all, both he and Liu Shuang were her friends now, and it made sense for him to inform her before leaving Louyun City.

But she never expected that he could arrange for someone to join him and was offering that spot to her.

Shu Fu felt deeply touched. Whether it was Liu Shuang or Cheng Yu, they were people she had met during the crisis, yet both of them were incredibly kind and gentle.

If she could, she would have told him how much she appreciated his offer and how much she wanted to go to Sha City—she didn’t find it sudden, nor did she feel the time was pressing. She had always wanted to go to Sha City!

But—

Shu Fu sighed slowly, "I can't leave just yet. I still have unfinished business here... But I am truly grateful that you thought of me at this time. Captain Cheng, I truly appreciate it."

On the other end of the phone, Cheng Yu was silent for a while before speaking again, "Is it still about what happened last time?"

Shu Fu didn't respond. In fact, she didn’t intend to mislead him. The unfinished business she referred to was, of course, the progress bar mission.

But perhaps because of what happened in Sui City, when she left the main evacuation team and jumped ship for "love," the impression she left was too profound.

So when she was vague again, it was easy for the other party to assume it was the same situation as before.

Shu Fu was a little conflicted. On one hand, she didn’t want to deceive Cheng Yu, but on the other hand, she really couldn’t find a more convenient or easier excuse. She didn’t need to explain much because it involved personal feelings. Since she didn’t want to talk about it, others wouldn’t pry.

So in the end, she said nothing.

But to her surprise, Cheng Yu's voice came again, "Why don't you think about yourself more? I really want to know... What kind of person makes you so... determined?"

"Captain Cheng—" Before Shu Fu could finish her sentence, Cheng Yu suddenly changed the subject.

"I'm sorry."

His voice revealed some disordered breathing. He sounded a bit flustered and restrained, probably realizing he had said something he shouldn’t have. At that moment, he seemed regretful and afraid that his words might have hurt her, so he apologized again, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, please don't mind."

"I don't mind." Shu Fu certainly wouldn’t mind. After all, it was just an unwarranted excuse, "I know you're concerned about me. If I were you, I might ask my friend the same... Captain Cheng, thank you. Both you and Sister Liu Shuang are very kind and gentle people. I hope you reach Sha City safely and smoothly!"

**

Before leaving Louyun City, Cheng Yu took some time to meet with her.

It was really just a brief moment, lasting only about twenty minutes. He didn’t even go upstairs. After parking the car, he asked her to bring a folding cart downstairs.

Shu Fu took the elevator to the ground floor parking lot and opened the door for him.

He parked the car in a corner spot and opened the trunk.

He brought her two boxes of supplies. Inside were vacuum-packed instant rice and noodles, bottled mineral water, some canned fruits, chocolate-flavored energy bars, and vacuum-packed compressed biscuits.

The two boxes were packed to the brim, no wonder he insisted she bring a folding cart downstairs.

Looking at these supplies, Shu Fu suddenly didn’t know what to say to him.

"Don't refuse just yet. These are some supplies we were issued before. I couldn’t take too many with me since I'm leaving in a hurry. I left some for the other team members, but these two boxes are for you. Liu Shuang and I won't be in Louyun City anymore, so you'll have to rely on yourself from now on."

Cheng Yu said as he closed the trunk, asking her to get in the car for a quick chat.

Shu Fu set the cart aside and got into the passenger seat.

Cheng Yu didn’t bring up the things he had asked about during their previous phone call. This time, he needed to head to Xiangzhou Province first to take over another team and escort a group of people to Sha City together. The mission was urgent, and most of the details were still under wraps. Even he didn’t know the specifics.

Compared to his previous missions, this one seemed relatively straightforward—an escort mission. That’s why he had thought of taking Shu Fu to Sha City this time.

It was early February now. In March, he had originally planned to finish the rescue team’s tasks in Louyun City and return to his unit for reporting.

However, with this additional mission, he wasn’t sure how long it would take. It was possible that after completing the mission in Sha City, he would have to report back to Xiangzhou Province directly. Therefore, before this departure, he had to arrange everything he needed to.

But he couldn’t disclose any parts of the mission. He guessed that the chance of returning to Louyun City after this was slim. The next time they met, it would probably be after he had reported back to his unit and applied for leave again, which would take at least two months.

So, the main reason he came today was to remind her about some safety issues.

These supplies were also meant to give her a safety net. They were long-lasting and easy to carry. If she found herself stuck inside again or if bad weather dragged on, these supplies would be her backup plan, a way to get through tough times.

Additionally, many people had been reassigned from Louyun City this time, and the order in the eastern part of the city wouldn’t last much longer. So, the last thing he wanted to ask her today was whether she had any plans to move to a different place.

Shu Fu didn’t see the need to hide this from Cheng Yu. "I do have this plan."

"Where do you want to move to?"

"I haven’t decided yet." Mainly because she hadn’t found a suitable place. Over the past couple of days, she had been thinking about locations that were elevated and close to water sources, such as a semi-airborne mansion with a swimming pool or a lakeside or pond-side guesthouse in the southwestern mountain area.

However, these places were just as coveted by others in Louyun City. The rent was sky-high, and finding an available place was nearly impossible.

She had already asked an agent from another rental company to look for places, but there had been no news yet.

Since Cheng Yu asked, she briefly explained her requirements. After all, he had been in Louyun City longer than her and was more familiar with the area.

"A higher building and a place with a pond?"

The request did sound a bit odd, but she wasn’t self-conscious about it in front of Cheng Yu. She nodded without changing her expression. "I’m not a strong swimmer, and I’ve been burned before. You know how floods are everywhere now. I want to practice swimming more often when I have time..."

Cheng Yu believed her reasoning and realized that what she needed wasn’t a pond but a place to practice swimming.

He quickly found a contact in his phone and sent her the number via WeChat. He explained that this was a good friend from his rescue team who would be reassigned back to Xiangzhou Province with him in March.

That person would remain in Louyun City until early March. If she really wanted to move, she could contact him directly. Cheng Yu would clarify this matter with him in the next couple of days. The place he suggested was one she had already visited before.

"Before?"

"The time when you sent us back to the dormitory."

"You mean—you want me to move to that hilltop?"

Cheng Yu nodded and told her that the hilltop was originally a scenic resort area. The dormitory where the rescue team was currently staying was a converted hotel. There were other hotels and guesthouses nearby, and two sturdier buildings had been reinforced to house the families of the rescue team members.

The place he suggested for her to move to was one of these family buildings.

"Behind one of the buildings, there’s a guesthouse that isn’t very sturdy and was half-destroyed. But it has an indoor swimming pool that’s perfectly preserved." An indoor swimming pool was much safer than a pond, at least it provided shelter from wind and rain.

Moreover, being close to the rescue team meant that refugees wouldn’t dare to cause trouble there. If anything happened, the rescue team could arrive quickly to save people.

In addition, because the rescue team was stationed there, the basement of a hotel had been converted into an underground shelter to protect against extreme weather like hurricanes, tornadoes, waterspouts, and thunderstorms.

Shu Fu was intrigued but worried that the place might be too crowded, making it hard to carry out her plan.

In the end, she decided to go take a look in person to see what the situation was. But if she moved there, how would she explain her presence? After all, it was meant for families.

This time, for some reason, Cheng Yu glanced away, cleared his throat, and hesitated before saying, "As my family member..."

"Huh?"

Cheng Yu added, "Just tell him you're my little sister."

Shu Fu teased, "Shouldn't that make me your niece? Otherwise, when I see Yao Ruoyun and Xun Huiming next, I'll be their aunt!"

Cheng Yu was speechless.

"Just kidding!" Shu Fu waved her hand, a smile and her lovely dimples appearing. "I'm just teasing, no need to get upset, Cheng. Really, thank you for all the effort you've put into arranging this."

Cheng Yu's gaze lingered on her face for a good while without moving.

After a moment, he sighed softly, almost wistfully, and said, "I'm about to leave, and you're still addressing me so formally?"

Shu Fu suddenly remembered he had brought up this topic of address before, and a sudden inspiration struck her. "Thanks, Cheng Yu!"

Cheng Yu?

Cheng Yu hadn't expected her to change her address so directly, and he wasn't quite prepared for it. He rubbed his ear, feeling a strange tingling sensation.

He mumbled a soft "hm" and said he'd go pack the boxes for her, then got off the vehicle.

He moved two cardboard boxes to her folding cart. As Cheng Yu prepared to leave, Shu Fu pulled the cart back a few steps, stepping aside to wave goodbye. "Farewell, Cheng Yu, see you next time!"

Cheng Yu had already pulled open the driver's seat door but, at the moment he turned back, a wave of reluctant emotion washed over him.

Even though everything had been arranged, he still couldn't feel at ease.

It felt like she might vanish again, just like before.

He looked at her, then suddenly moved forward, walking briskly towards her. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, moving slowly and gently.

The hug was so slow that she could have easily pulled away if she wanted to.

But Shu Fu didn't refuse. She reached out, just like when she said goodbye to Liu Shuang and Zheng Feifei, and hugged him, lightly patting his back. "Take care, Cheng Yu. See you soon."