RIACMET chapter 19

 

On August 27th, rain began falling at 7:03 p.m.

At first, the air was filled with the smell of dust. Gradually, the temperature dropped and the rain intensified, shifting from a drizzle to a downpour and eventually settling into steady rain, not too heavy nor too light.

Most people were delighted to see rain after such a long drought. News apps and short videos competed to report on it, and many people ran out into the rain, cheering.

As he watched the drenched people grinning at their phones as they streamed live broadcasts, Jiang Nian could already picture what they would look like as zombies. He sighed, put down his phone, and continued eating. The culinary skills of this five-star hotel were exceptional!

Cheng Jing said nothing. According to Jiang Nian, those caught in the rain would experience adverse reactions later that night and end up in the hospital. They would die soon after. In the coming days, hospitals would be overcrowded and shrouded in an aura of death.

Jiang Nian had to carefully time things to maximize the value of goods, especially medicines, sugar, and salt, so he could stock up on more of them.

Having lived through the end of the world before, Jiang Nian remained extraordinarily calm. He ate and went to bed on schedule and silently told himself, “God is merciful, and everyone has their own destiny. Just take care of yourself and don’t drag others down.”

Cheng Jing watched him quietly, still trusting Jiang Nian’s explanation that it was just a premonition of a nightmare.

After dinner, Jiang Nian began charging every energy storage device in the house. Although Cheng Jing could generate electricity, doing so depleted his physical and mental energy. It was better to charge as much as possible while the power grid was still working.

Cheng Jing didn’t interfere he focused on adapting to his abilities as quickly as possible.

After the chaotic day, Jiang Nian was especially quiet at night. He nestled obediently in Cheng Jing’s arms and said softly,

“Go to sleep early, Brother Jing. You’ll get used to it soon.”

Cheng Jing gazed down at him. “You seem to have gotten used to it already.”

“…”

Jiang Nian rubbed his arm, half-heartedly covering up his thoughts.

“I’m not worried. You’ve awakened your powers, so I’m not panicking at all.”

“All right. Let’s sleep.” Cheng Jing didn’t ask any more questions. He simply smiled and closed his eyes.

People generally sleep better on rainy nights. Despite his anxiety, Cheng Jing woke up later than usual.

When he opened his eyes, Jiang Nian was already in the living room, eating instant noodles and talking on a video call with Huang Qian.

They were discussing the news that someone who had been caught in the rain the previous night had died in the hospital just a few hours later.

When Jiang Nian saw that Cheng Jing was awake, he stopped talking and got up to make him a bowl of beef-flavored soup with a poached egg.

Huang Qian watched all this on the video call and teased:

“I’m telling you, Little Nian, you’re so virtuous, but once you put on that ring, he’ll have you wrapped around his finger…”

Jiang Nian smiled gently. “I only do this occasionally. Most of the time, Brother Jing takes care of me.”

He raised his left hand to show off the ring.

“It looks nice, doesn’t it, Sister Qian? I really like it.”

Huang Qian gritted her teeth in frustration.

“What a promising person you are! Where’s the spirit that kept you going until the end last time? Hmph…”

Jiang Nian glanced guiltily toward the bathroom and lowered his voice.

“Sister Qian, don’t talk nonsense. I never strung Brother Jing along. It was just a misunderstanding.”

Breaking up unilaterally had been the greatest mistake of his two lifetimes!

Huang Qian curled her lips.

“Yeah, yeah, just a little misunderstanding, and you turned him into a widower.”

“I really didn’t…”

Jiang Nian started to offer an excuse, but when he saw Cheng Jing coming out, he changed the subject.

“The past is in the past. We’ll be fine from now on. I really envy you!”

He turned to Cheng Jing with a bright smile.

“Right, Brother Jing~”

“Mm.”

Cheng Jing sat down beside him. Jiang Nian handed him chopsticks and opened a carton of soy milk.

Huang Qian watched from the other side of the screen and quietly ended the video call.

After eating and drinking, Cheng Jing looked at Jiang Nian, who had proactively gathered up the trash, and asked with a smile, “

“Are you afraid I’ll bring up the past?”

He looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Jiang Nian leaned closer and held his hand.

“I’ve already apologized…”

The taste of the tea didn’t matter—what mattered was that it was useful.

Of course he was afraid. Even though they had settled things and reconciled that day, he was still uneasy because everything had gone too smoothly, thanks to the weight of old debts.

“All right, I forgive you. Don’t be scared.”

Cheng Jing stroked his face as if soothing a pet. He knew Jiang Nian had come back on his own. What else could he do but forgive him? He wasn’t one to dwell on the past. What was over was over.

The group chat pinged, and Cheng Jing picked up his phone. The others in the group were thanking him for reminding them not to go out yesterday.

His relative and family also messaged him to say they were safe.

Outside, the rain was steady—not too heavy, not too light—but showed no sign of stopping. It looked like it would last several days.

Cheng Jing reminded everyone to wear protective clothing if they absolutely had to go out and to pay attention to the news.

After that, he started reading news reports from all over. Soon, a breaking news story came out saying that people who had been caught in the rain had been infected with an unknown virus and had died. More and more people who had been caught in the rain crowded into hospitals, sparking panic.

Chaos was about to begin.

Jiang Nian also saw heated discussions in his school and friend groups. Because his mother had been sick, he had always been busy working or preparing for work while attending school. He hadn’t formed any close friendships.

After all, if you decline invitations a few times, people stop bothering you.

Besides, his sexual orientation wasn’t a secret, so some people approached him with dating in mind or to offer help, but he refused them all.

His first love had been too dazzling, and all those that followed seemed dull in comparison. He wasn’t someone who would compromise when it came to love.

Consequently, no one he knew well contacted him, and strangers just chatted briefly before disappearing.

All day, Cheng Jing kept an eye on outside developments through the news.

Aside from occasionally discussing things with Cheng Jing, Jiang Nian calmly did what he needed to do. He took turns playing with various game consoles and tried out the fitness equipment he had ordered online, including dumbbells and a small treadmill.

He was so calm—there was no trace of panic at all. It was as if his nightmare had come true and he was already used to it, as if he had been through it before.

Several times, Cheng Jing wanted to ask Jiang Nian something, but he held back each time. Forget it. Jiang Nian would tell him when the time came.

August 28th, the first day they stayed home to avoid the rain, passed relatively quietly.

Since they weren’t going out, their physical energy had nowhere to go. They were young and full of energy, so they ended up channeling it into the bedroom. The beautiful sound of gurgling water continued late into the night.

Then, in the second half of the night, Jiang Nian developed a high fever.

As in his previous life, Jiang Nian wasn’t afraid, but Cheng Jing panicked, thinking he had gone too far.

Cheng Jing finally relaxed when Jiang Nian hinted that the fever might be a sign of awakening powers.

By August 29, the death toll had risen and chaos had erupted in hospitals nationwide.

Cheng Jing’s company headquarters and official contact groups sent out notices to teams everywhere, preparing for unrest.

However, Cheng Jing didn’t have time—he was busy taking care of Jiang Nian, who was burning up with a fever. If it hadn’t been an emergency, he would’ve rushed everyone to the hospital long ago.

Jiang Nian was delirious from the fever. His whole body was soaked in sweat, and he muttered incoherently from time to time.

Cheng Jing kept feeding him water, changing his clothes to cool him down, and soothing him when he rambled. He didn’t dare close his eyes the entire night. The normally composed man couldn’t help but let his thoughts spiral.

What if Jiang Nian wakes up with powers and forgets about him?