Chapter Five: Stepping Out

“Isn't that a bit much? I'll be heading back in a few days anyway!” Zhao Nannan was bewildered—her father was being overly cautious.

“What, are you not coming home after the New Year? Just do as I say and get prepared. And stop going to crowded places. Human-to-human transmission means you need to avoid contact!” Her father remained uneasy.

“Okay, okay! Don't worry, I'll try to come home earlier! You just finished a night shift, you must be exhausted—go home and get some sleep!”

“Alright, just take care of yourself! Disinfect frequently, don't take off your mask when you go out, and wash your hands as soon as you get home!”

“Oh, I know, I'm not a kid anymore! Fine, fine, go get some rest now!” Zhao Nannan hung up the phone, then sat down with her computer to look up information about spherical viruses. As she searched, articles about SARS popped up—how eating wild animals led to the virus infecting humans, and how it eventually disappeared. She even watched a film and some documentaries about SARS. By the end, a chill ran down her spine. It was genuinely frightening. Was this nature's punishment for humanity?

“I feel like I've seen this before somewhere…” The mention of SARS seemed vaguely familiar, though she couldn't tell if it was because of the movie she’d just watched or something else. Still, her father was right—the sky hadn’t darkened yet, so she should go out and buy disinfectant and masks.

She was about to leave when she realized she didn’t have a single mask left. With no other choice, she knocked on Tian Lei’s door.

“What’s up?” Tian Lei had just finished uploading a video and was replying to messages from viewers.

“Do you have any disposable masks? Lend me one, I’ll pay you back!” Zhao Nannan got straight to the point.

“I’ve got plenty, no need to pay me back. Here, I’ll give you a whole pack.” Tian Lei fetched an unopened pack of disposable masks and handed it to her. “What’s got you thinking about wearing a mask all of a sudden?”

“My dad just called. He said the virus here might spread from person to person and told me to take precautions and come home early. But I need to pick up some New Year’s supplies and stock up on food for the next few days first.” Zhao Nannan waved the masks in her hand, sounding helpless.

“Huh? Well, I’ll come with you. Wait a minute!” Tian Lei quickly closed his door to change. He wasn’t planning to go home this year, but if the virus was contagious, he’d need to stock up on food too.

When Tian Lei came out again, he was wearing not just a mask and a hat, but also disposable gloves.

“Wow, what are you doing?” Zhao Nannan was stunned by his getup and couldn’t help but tease him. “Aren’t you going a bit overboard?”

“Do you even know how it spreads? Here, put these on too!” Tian Lei pulled an N95 mask and a pair of disposable gloves from his pocket and handed them to her.

“No, no, it’s fine.” Zhao Nannan was actually a little unnerved by Tian Lei’s seriousness. “This is over the top. You look like you’re in a zombie movie…”

“It never hurts to be careful,” Tian Lei replied matter-of-factly. “And make a shopping list for everything you need. Let’s get it all in one go!”

“That actually makes sense!” Zhao Nannan sat down at the coffee table and started writing her shopping list.

Tian Lei was also making mental notes—if things got worse over the next few days, he’d need to stock up on more essentials. If it came to it, he’d buy rice, flour, oil, vegetables, eggs, and meat, so he wouldn’t have to order delivery, and could eat at home for the holiday.

Once Zhao Nannan finished her shopping list, the two of them put on their masks and headed out.

“You’re really wearing disposable gloves?” Zhao Nannan had thought Tian Lei was joking, but he actually put the gloves on.

“Better safe than sorry, better safe than sorry,” Tian Lei replied cheerfully.