Chapter 24: Illegal Intrusion!

Jiang Yan had just taken a simple folding stool out of her space and sat down when the trailer transporting the mobile Apple Pod and the installation workers arrived.

Along with them came the boss of the company and several cleaning ladies in matching uniforms, each holding various cleaning supplies.

After all, this was a private order worth over six million yuan, and with today’s unusually harsh weather, the boss decided to come in person to oversee the assembly and cleaning.

Of course, the main reason was that he wanted to meet Jiang Yan, such a big client, in hopes of maintaining a good relationship for potential long-term cooperation.

Unfortunately, there would be no “next time.”

The boss, Liu Lei, was a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, dressed fashionably from head to toe.

He was momentarily stunned when he saw Jiang Yan fully suited up.

Another young man, who looked like his assistant, directed the others to unload several boxes of electrolyte water for the workers, then had the cleaning ladies spray mosquito repellent throughout the warehouse before calling out loudly:

“It’s a hot day—let’s work hard and get the installation and testing done quickly! The sooner we finish, the sooner we can sign off, get your red envelopes, and go home!”

The workers, seeing that not only would they get free neck fans but also red envelopes today, instantly forgot about the heat and got fired up.

Liu Lei, as the boss, was someone who paid attention to details.

He twisted open a bottle of electrolyte water that had been chilled in the car’s mini fridge and handed it to Jiang Yan.

“Miss Jiang, even though you’re wearing a heat-insulating suit, it’s really hot today and heatstroke is a real risk. You should drink something.”

He was an extreme sports enthusiast in his spare time and knew a thing or two about professional gear, so he recognized Jiang Yan’s outfit at a glance.

“Thank you,” Jiang Yan said, reaching out to take the bottle.

“By the way, Miss Jiang, are you sure you want to install the mobile Apple Pod inside this warehouse?” Liu Lei asked, glancing around.

The warehouse was spacious and empty, with a row of faucets on one side.

In this scorching weather, the temperature inside was a degree or two cooler than outside.

But in his opinion, it was clearly unrealistic for someone to live here.

There were weeds all around outside, and at night, it would be a haven for mosquitoes.

If those huge bloodsucking mosquitoes showed up, with her petite frame, she’d barely be enough for them as an appetizer.

Besides, such a high-end, luxurious Apple Pod was meant to be placed on a lakeside golf course, not hidden away in a warehouse.

And without sunlight in here, the solar panels would be utterly useless—like putting on pants just to fart, completely unnecessary.

Although it was technically “mobile,” the pod was so large that once installed, it might as well be fixed in place—unless someone came to dismantle it again.

Jiang Yan just replied with a simple “Mm,” not saying much more.

Liu Lei knew better than to press further.

As a businessman, he had a strong sense of boundaries.

He was a professional, but he could only offer suggestions—the decision was always up to the client.

Most of the time, you just do the job and that’s it.

Meanwhile, the workers, red-faced from the heat, had already finished unloading and started assembling the pod with the help of two cranes.

After a brief chat with Jiang Yan, Liu Lei went over to personally supervise the work, leaving Jiang Yan to herself.

*

“Beep! Illegal intruder detected at your front door!!!”

Jiang Yan had just finished a bottle of electrolyte water and was about to catch up on the news when her phone’s smart home app blared an alarm.

She had spent extra money to upgrade her smart home system with some black tech.

Besides the usual functions like turning on the TV, lights, and curtains, it was also linked to her home’s surveillance system, the smoke detector at the door, and the window and door sensors on the exterior walls.

If a stranger lingered at her door for more than three minutes and made contact with the door, the system would automatically classify them as an illegal intruder.

She could then remotely activate the anti-intrusion program from her phone or tablet, delivering an electric shock ranging from low-voltage 110V to ultra-high 500V, and could also trigger water or pepper spray jets.

The nozzles for the water and pepper spray were hidden just behind the first door, making them nearly impossible to tamper with.

Jiang Yan had a pretty good idea who it was.

She picked up her phone and opened the app. A high-definition feed from her front door appeared.

As she expected, the people at her door were He Chunmei and Zhou Guangfu.

But besides the two of them, there was also a seven- or eight-year-old boy and a three- or four-year-old girl.

Both children looked flushed and dazed, clearly unwell.

Each was holding a little cartoon plastic stool.

Standing next to Zhou Guangfu were two elderly people—thin, grave-faced, with graying hair and canes.

Judging by their looks, they were probably Zhou Guangfu’s parents.

The hallway in this building wasn’t wide to begin with, and now the six of them were packed tightly in front of Jiang Yan’s door.

He Chunmei brushed her hair back and instructed the children:

“Baobao, Beibei, your job this morning is to sit right here in front of this lady’s door. If she opens it, you tell her it’s too hot and beg her to let you inside to cool off. If she refuses, you grab her leg and tug her hand, got it?”

The little boy pressed his lips together, glancing at the small iron hammer in her hand, then lowered his head.

The little girl, however, piped up sweetly, “Got it, Mommy.”

“This is just begging, isn’t it?! I, Zhou Shangyou, have lived an upright life—I won’t stand for this! I’d rather die of heat! Old woman, let’s go home!” the old man said, thumping his cane on the ground and pulling his wife, Jiang Lifen, to leave.

Earlier, their daughter-in-law had said the new neighbor had air conditioning and wanted to bring them over to cool off, but now it was clear she’d tricked them.

Jiang Lifen looked embarrassed for a moment, glanced at her feverish grandchildren, but didn’t move.

“Dad, what are you talking about?!

Do you know what the weather forecast says for noon today?

Forty-seven degrees!

Do you know Guangfu tried to get an air conditioner installed this morning? The earliest appointment is three months from now!

Three months! At this temperature, with these bloodsucking mosquitoes, we’ll all be dried-up corpses by then!

In this whole building, the only person living alone with air conditioning is her!

Baobao and Beibei were vomiting all night, and now they’re burning up. If they get heatstroke, their lives will be ruined!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Why should she just stand by and watch others suffer without offering a little help?

Besides, compared to life, what’s dignity or pride?

Yes, you’re an educated man! You have integrity! You have self-respect! You’re already half-buried in the ground and not afraid of death!

But shouldn’t you think about Baobao and Beibei?!”

After a sudden disaster, social order doesn’t collapse overnight. Plus, the heroine still has some preparations to finish, so the next few chapters will be a bit of a transition."