Basement Level 1.
The neighbor pulled out his car keys, and an SUV parked near the stairwell flashed its lights twice. He quickly moved over, opened the driver's door, threw his backpack onto the passenger seat, and started the engine.
Vroom...
As the car started, it shook slightly, and a strong smell of gasoline hit me, making my stomach churn. I easily get car sick, but I had no other choice at this moment, so I climbed into the back seat.
The back seat of this SUV was spacious, but the air quality was terrible, and there was a sour smell of fermenting fruit. The combination of the gasoline odor and this strange smell nearly made me throw up.
"Sorry, I forgot to take out a bag of fruit from the car," he said softly from the front, possibly noticing my twisted expression through the rearview mirror.
I looked around and, sure enough, found a bag of rotten fruit. After some hesitation, I decided not to throw it out but instead tied the plastic bag tightly and shoved it into the farthest corner. We didn't bring much food, so I needed to prepare for the worst.
The air conditioning was on, and the temperature in the car gradually dropped. Although it was still stuffy, at least it wasn't as hot.
People began to pass by, getting into nearby cars. Clearly, they had the same idea as my neighbor. Some of the people entering the basement level saw the cars filling up and turned back, likely to get their car keys. Others hesitated for a moment and then headed down to the second basement level.
I saw several property management staff rush past, each carrying a case of bottled water.
"Such a responsible property management team!" I thought.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Lu Zhou. How should I address you?" the neighbor in the driver's seat said.
"I'm Fang Qing. Sorry for getting your car wet." I hesitated before giving a false name, folding the wet blanket and placing it on my lap.
"No worries," he replied, and then we both fell silent, quietly enjoying the cooling temperature inside the car.
This natural disaster—who knows when it will end?
The air was as stifling as the atmosphere, with the hum of the car's air conditioning being the only sound inside.
After a while, he turned on the car radio.
"...It is reported that the extreme high temperatures will continue for another week. Residents are advised to avoid going outside..."
As soon as he turned it on, we were hit with bad news.
I sighed and silently wondered if the water and bread in my backpack would be enough. I regretted bringing that duck instead of more food and water.
"...Greenland's temperature is nearing 70 degrees Fahrenheit, causing glaciers to melt..."
"...Extreme weather worldwide... half the Earth is turning red..."
"...Scientists predict that in the next 10 years, the highest temperatures could continue to rise..."
Lu Zhou switched through several channels before turning it off. Listening any further was pointless—each update was more anxiety-inducing than the last.
"It's all your fault! I said we should take Xiao Ming to my parents' house in the mountains for the summer, but you wouldn't listen. Now look, we're practically refugees!" came a woman's voice outside the window.
A couple with a little girl walked past our car and got into the vehicle next to us.
Because this SUV was parked close to the stairwell, more and more people passed by our car—there were elderly people, children, and mostly families, all moving quickly.
I watched them in silence. The lights overhead flickered a few times, causing my heart to skip a beat.
The elevators were out of service, so where was the power for the parking lot's lights coming from? I hadn't heard the ventilation system running; only the lights were on...
Just as I was thinking about this, Lu Zhou suddenly slammed the steering wheel and cursed.
I froze, my mind instantly replaying some old, unwanted memories—my ex-husband's fists covered in my blood...
"Fang Qing, I was wrong. We need to go back upstairs."
Lu Zhou turned to me, surprised by my expression. "Are you okay?" he asked cautiously.
I wiped the sweat from my face, trying to stay calm. "I'm fine. What did you just say?"
"Have some water first," he suggested, handing me a bottle.
I didn't take it, resisting the urge to back away. Instead, I pulled out a bottle of mineral water from my own bag, drank half of it, and felt my heart rate ease a little.
"Fang Qing, we shouldn't have come down here. There are too many cars; it could get very hot and dangerous soon."
Lu Zhou put the water back in his bag.
"Are you saying..." I trailed off as I began to realize something, quickly scanning our surroundings.
Anyone with a car had likely thought of staying inside to escape the heat. Of the ten cars around us, eight had already started their engines, and more people were getting into empty cars.
"Vehicle exhaust could cause the temperature to rise, and carbon monoxide levels could increase. We need to go back upstairs," Lu Zhou said, looking at me.
I rubbed my temples.
Going downstairs was easy, but going back up—especially to the 16th floor—was going to be tough.
This was a nightmare!
"If you don't want to go back up, you can stay in my car. As long as you don't step outside, you should be safe, but..." Lu Zhou trailed off.
If the gas runs out, I'd still have to step outside for air. By then, I wouldn't just be dealing with extreme heat but also the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
"I'm going back upstairs."
After weighing the options, I made my decision.
We both instinctively checked our backpacks, slung them over our shoulders, and opened the car doors.
A little girl in the car next to us was leaning against the window, watching me.
I couldn't resist knocking on their window.
"What do you want?" the mother snapped, pulling her child closer, her face full of hostility.
"There are too many cars here. The carbon monoxide levels could be dangerous. I suggest you go back home," I said loudly. Not waiting to see if she understood, I turned and followed Lu Zhou.
They were the closest people to us, so I'd done my part by warning them. There was no need to play the saint.
When we reached the 5th floor, the old man was gone. An empty bottle of mineral water lay on the ground.
As we continued upwards, we passed more people heading downstairs. They gave us puzzled looks, but some were going up like us, resting on different floors, likely having realized the same thing.
On the 10th floor, we ran into someone familiar—Xiao Chen from property management.
"Going back for more stuff?" he asked, panting as he came down, carrying a backpack similar to ours. He looked surprised to see us.
"We're heading home, not coming back down. You should warn the people in the parking lot about the carbon monoxide risk," Lu Zhou replied.
Xiao Chen's expression froze, and he muttered something under his breath before leaning in to whisper something in Lu Zhou's ear.
I watched Lu Zhou's expression change from confusion to shock, and finally, disbelief.
"Are you serious?"
"Good luck," Xiao Chen said, patting Lu Zhou on the shoulder before hurrying downstairs.
"What did he say?" I asked.
Lu Zhou turned to me, his face grave, sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Fang Qing, I don't know if my judgment is right anymore."
"You need to make a choice—go back up or head down to the car."
"Xiao Chen just said that the temperature outside isn’t 48 degrees... it’s 56 degrees."