Before I could finish explaining, a neighbor who had returned with groceries looked at her strangely.
“You’re lucky to even have instant noodles now. You’re being picky?”
“Haven’t you seen the news? How many people have starved to death outside?”
Lily hadn’t been out for a long time and had no idea what was happening outside. Every time there was a news report, she thought it was exaggerated and didn’t take it seriously.
She felt the old lady next door was meddling and wanted to argue with her. But as soon as she stepped outside, she couldn’t help but scream,
She quickly withdrew her foot and, her eyes darting around, swiftly snatched the things from my hands.
“Emma, you heard it too. There’s not enough food now.”
“It’s not worth all three of us starving to death.”
Then the door closed in front of me at an alarming speed.
Just like in my previous life, when Lily heard there wasn’t enough food, she left me outside.
My heart completely died. I didn’t want to play along with her act anymore.
11:51 AM
<
With sweat pouring down my face, but feeling no burden in my heart, I quickly called an expensive ride–share to go to the place I had rented.
In my previous life, it was the same. Lily had sent me to buy groceries, and when I finally managed to buy some and return, she refused to open the door for me.
She told me to find somewhere else to stay, not to interfere with their life as a couple, and said there wasn’t enough food for an extra person.
I never imagined people could be so cruel.
I thought it was my house, the food and everything else was bought with my money, so why should I leave? So I stubbornly refused to go.
But the temperature outside kept rising, and I was hot and hungry.
I had no choice but to go look for something to eat.
To my surprise, when I went downstairs again, all the shops on the street were closed. Not even a bird could be seen, let alone food.
After walking a few steps, under extreme thirst and dehydration, I collapsed and never got up again.
9
When I arrived at the rented place, I quickly turned on the air conditioning and drank a small bottle of fever–reducing medicine.
Once the temperature dropped, I felt like I had truly come back to life.
I turned on the TV to watch the weather channel, which was reporting on the recent abnormal high temperatures.
“Dear citizens, please note that we will be experiencing continuous high temperatures, possibly reaching an abnormal situation of 122°F.”
“Please take protective measures and once again, we remind you to minimize going out as much as possible.”
I turned off the TV and fell into a deep sleep. The past few days of pretending had been quite mentally exhausting.
When I turned on my phone again, I saw a text message from Lily, sent not long after I left yesterday.
Just like in my previous life, she told me to find another place to stay.
“Emma, you know, it’s inconvenient for Derek and me to live together with you here. Now there’s not enough food, you’d better find somewhere else to stay.”
Looking at the text, a cold smile spread across my lips.
Not a single word in it showed any concern for me.
So everything that happened afterward was your own doing. I hope you can bear it.
With a month left until summer vacation, schools across the country had already uniformly suspended classes.
Large and small businesses had also started their heat wave holidays.
The indoor temperature was too high, and air conditioning was slowly becoming ineffective.
I took out the snacks I had prepared in advance and moved a chair to the naturally cool basement.
I also opened the surveillance app on my phone to check on my sister’s situation at home.
After I left, the task of cooking fell on her shoulders.
In the past two days, the ingredients at home had been almost used up by my extravagance.
Lily had stayed at home these days, complaining it was too hot outside and unwilling to go out. She had been lazy every day, making me wait on her.
She had no idea about the current situation outside.
