Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 146 Changing the Locks

"Excuse me, how do I change the door lock?" she asked.

The staff member glanced up at her, seemingly unfazed by such requests. "Lock replacement service costs 1 point. We have partnered craftsmen on-site. After you pay the points, someone will bring the tools and a new lock and accompany you to your house to replace it on-site. Would you like that?"

"Yes, I need to." Xu Xiaoyan nodded without hesitation. It's always good to be extra careful. Who knows if the previous tenant, or even earlier tenants, had secretly copied the key? She didn't want uninvited guests to easily show up with a backup key while she was sound asleep.

After paying another 1 point, the staff made a brief contact through the internal communication system. In less than five minutes, a middle-aged man in work clothes, carrying a toolbox, and who looked taciturn came running over. After confirming Xu Xiaoyan's address and needs, he simply said, "Come with me."

Xu Xiaoyan followed the locksmith through the somewhat chaotic but relatively orderly streets of the outer city, heading towards the small bungalow she had rented near the city gate of the central city.

The two did not exchange words along the way. The locksmith seemed to be used to this silent work and just walked silently. Xu Xiaoyan memorized the route and observed the surrounding environment. It was quieter than she had imagined. Perhaps it was because it was close to the border of the central city, and the patrol teams seemed to be more frequent.

Soon, they arrived at room 12567, the small brick-and-mortar house she had repeatedly watched in the video. Compared to what she saw on the screen, the real thing had a more weathered and solid feel. The gray walls exposed the texture of the bricks and were somewhat mottled, but the overall structure was very sturdy, giving off a sense of security that could withstand wind and snow.

On its left and right sides, there are two two-story buildings, which are newer and larger than its own. These two buildings are obviously rented out to families. Through some open windows, you can vaguely hear children playing or adults talking. Clothes of different sizes are also drying outside the windows, creating a strong sense of daily life.

In comparison, her small bungalow sandwiched in the middle seems rather inconspicuous, but this layout is exactly what Xu Xiaoyan is looking for: "low-key" and "hidden". Families usually pay more attention to their own homes, and as long as she doesn't provoke anyone, her neighbors are unlikely to pay much attention to her, a tenant living alone.

The locksmith remained as taciturn as ever, only raising his chin to signal Xu Xiaoyan to open the door. Xu Xiaoyan withdrew her gaze from looking around, took out the slightly worn key, and inserted it into the lock on the door.

With a "click," the door lock opened.

The room was empty, carrying the dusty smell of someone who hadn't lived there for a long time. Without saying a word, the locksmith immediately started working.

He deftly removed the old lock cylinder, then took out a brand new, seemingly high-quality lock cylinder from his toolbox and skillfully installed it.

With a "click," the new lock cylinder clicked into place, making a crisp sound, and the locksmith handed Xu Xiaoyan a brand new key.

"Here's the key to the new lock. Keep it safe. I need to take the old lock and key back to verify them," the locksmith said succinctly before packing up his tools and leaving.

After seeing the locksmith off, Xu Xiaoyan closed the door, held the cold new key, leaned against the solid door, and let out a long sigh of relief. She finally had a private territory that she could temporarily call "home" and that she could completely control.

The main reason Xu Xiaoyan rented this small house was the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). Thinking of the increasingly cold weather and the supplies stored in her space, she no longer hesitated and took out several bundles of dry wood and a bag of easy-to-ignite dry leaves from her space.

Stuff the dry leaves and twigs into the stove opening of the kang (a heated brick bed), light it with a lighter, and the orange-red flames were initially weak, but then greedily licked the dry pine needles, making a soft "crackling" sound.

As the fire grew stronger, she carefully added larger pieces of firewood, watching the flames burn steadily, and then carefully inspected the flue and surface of the kang (heated brick bed).

After about fifteen minutes, when I touched the surface of the kang (a heated brick bed), I could feel a gradually rising, comforting warmth.

"it works!"

Xu Xiaoyan breathed a long sigh of relief, her heart finally calming down. In this season when winter was fast approaching, a properly functioning heated kang bed was far more valuable than the 15 points she earned each month.

Having solved the most pressing issue of heating, Xu Xiaoyan finally had the mind to pay attention to other facilities. She walked to the wall and pressed the light switch—but there was no response. The only light in the room was the increasingly dim daylight coming in from the backyard window.

"The power's out already?" Xu Xiaoyan frowned slightly, a question rising in her mind. She clearly remembered seeing lights coming from the two-story building next door just now.

She walked reluctantly to the kitchen area and turned on the tap.

"Splash—" Clear water gushed out instantly, and the amount of water was quite plentiful.

"Shouldn't water and electricity be connected together?" She was even more puzzled. It was strange that there was water but no electricity. She carefully walked around the house again, checking the other sockets and switches, and confirmed that it was not as simple as a bad connection.

The problem must lie within your own home.

Left with no other choice, she had to go out of her house again and come to the two-story building next to her house on the right. She looked up and saw that the windows on the second floor were lit.

She hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand and knocked on the sturdy-looking security door.

A moment later, a second-floor window creaked open, and a plump middle-aged woman wearing an apron poked her head out, her face showing annoyance at being disturbed. "Who is it? What do you want by knocking?"

Xu Xiaoyan quickly looked up, trying to make her expression appear polite and harmless. "Hello, ma'am, excuse me. I just moved in next door. I wanted to ask why the light switch in my room isn't working?"

Upon hearing her question, the plump woman's impatience was instantly replaced by an expression of "I knew it," even carrying a hint of superiority over the newcomer.

She scoffed, "Hmph, new here, huh? You obviously don't know the rules!" Her loud voice was especially clear in the quiet evening. "The electricity here isn't something you can just use whenever you want! You need an electricity card! It's a physical card that you insert into the meter box behind the door to get electricity!"

She continued speaking rapidly, "The first time you buy an electricity card, you have to go to the power supply service center to purchase it! Later, if the card runs out of power, it's convenient—you can just top it up on the official app on your phone. What a country bumpkin!"