Don't get married if you're reborn.

Chapter 499 Frozen 2008 (10K)

In the days that followed, Zeng Wenjie kept an unusually low profile and entered a phase of stealthy development.

Although major media outlets still mention him from time to time, he rarely appears in the media.

Some companies hate him to death—

These companies often treat their employees poorly, almost like beasts of burden, and keep their wages very low.

Zeng Wenjie also understands the principle that a tall tree catches the wind. While focusing on cardiovascular game science, he also helped the provincial government improve and promote the two village-level leagues.

The achievements of the two village-level leagues are quite remarkable, attracting widespread attention and praise from foreign media.

Chongshan not only attracts tourists from other provinces, but also attracts many foreign tourists.

In order to develop tourism efficiently, Chongshan has been cracking down on robbery and theft cases recently. Any robbery or theft case will be solved within 48 hours.

This led to Chongshan's security level soaring to the top in the country, and several well-known gangs were dismantled.

My impoverished hometown is gradually getting better.

Zeng Wenjie took some time to take Zeng Mi to Guzhou County to see "Cun Chao" and meet Ye Yixuan.

Zeng Mi wasn't interested in sports; she just felt she hadn't seen Ye Yixuan in a long time and wanted to meet her.

Ye Yixuan isn't as busy anymore. Besides, the current "Village Super League" matches aren't frequent; they only play one or two matches occasionally. The schedule is only packed during holidays to make it convenient for tourists from other provinces to come and watch the games.

Ye Yixuan's husband happens to live in Guzhou County. His surname is Jiang and his given name is Jiang Qi. The characters are very masculine, but they sound rather feminine.

"This is my husband, Jiang Qi," Ye Yixuan introduced calmly.

On some occasions, Jiang Qi's cooperation is also required.

Jiang Qi had a round face and wore glasses, which perfectly matched Zeng Wenjie's stereotype.

Upon seeing Zeng Wenjie, the deputy chief physician of a top-tier hospital's eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Little Zeng, I've heard so much about you! Yixuan often mentions you!"

Seeing his outstretched hand, Zeng Wenjie felt a chill run down his spine; he didn't know whether to shake it or not.

Finally, forcing a smile, he shook hands and said, "Brother-in-law, hello, hello..."

Ye Yixuan watched from the side and felt that this matter was somewhat darkly humorous, especially since it made her think of some very strange ethical issues.

Zeng Mi, equally curious, looked at Jiang Qi, whom she was meeting for the first time, and couldn't help but ask, "Director Jiang, which department are you from?"

"Rehabilitation Department," Jiang Qi replied.

Jiang Qi was very interested in Zeng Wenjie and asked, "Little Zeng, when we shook hands just now, you seemed to have calluses on your hands. As a big boss, you certainly wouldn't do manual labor. They must be from working out, right?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Yes, I like to exercise regularly."

Jiang Qi then said, "He's quite muscular, he should have abs, right?"

Zeng Wenjie's anus tightened instantly. He waved his hand and said, "You're joking. I often drink at business dinners, so I don't have any abs at all. I only have a belly."

Zeng Mi also found the scene strangely funny. Ye Yixuan's husband was actually interested in Zeng Wenjie's abs?

"Probably not. Judging from your walking posture, your core strength is quite impressive," Jiang Qi said with a smile.

Ye Yixuan coughed lightly and said calmly, "What kind of questions are these?"

Jiang Qi was quite afraid of Ye Yixuan, so he said, "Sorry, I was just a little curious, I didn't mean anything by it."

However, on the other hand, how many men in the world could keep a woman as extraordinary as Ye Yixuan in check?
Zeng Wenjie didn't care about any of that; he just wanted to stay away from his brother-in-law.

"You should go back to Fengzhou quickly. Don't you have to go to work tomorrow? If there are any occasions here that require your attendance, I will let you know," Ye Yixuan said.

"Alright then... Well, goodbye, Zeng!" Jiang Qi said to Zeng Wenjie with a smile.

"Goodbye, goodbye!" Zeng Wenjie said immediately.

After Jiang Qi left, Zeng Wenjie stepped out from behind Zeng Mi. Although Zeng Mi's petite figure couldn't hide him, it gave him some psychological comfort.

Zeng Wenjie realized that this was the first time in his life he had ever been so afraid of someone!
Ye Yixuan asked Zeng Mi, "How have you been lately?"

Zeng Mi nodded and said, "It's very busy. It turns out that going to work isn't as wonderful as I imagined."

Ye Yixuan said, "Nonsense! But you're a little rich now, you don't have to go to work if you don't want to."

Zeng Mi shook her head and said, "I don't know what to do if I don't work. Besides, participating in game development is a very interesting thing. There are many experts in the company, and I can learn a lot."

Ye Yixuan said, "It's really good to have something to do. If you're too idle, you'll develop all sorts of problems."

Zeng Mi smiled and said, "Wenjie said that after my special condition is resolved, he will send me to Yenching University for further studies, which will fulfill the promise between you and me."

Ye Yixuan said coldly, "You've already missed it, so at this point it's not even worth trying to salvage the situation."

Zeng Mi smiled dismissively and said, "That's still a way to make up for regrets."

Ye Yixuan gave Zeng Wenjie a deep look and realized that this bastard really understood women's hearts, and had actually arranged Zeng Mi like this.

However, this cannot change the fact that he is a scumbag!
After dinner, it was time for drinks. Instead of going to a bar or any other place, we stayed at Ye Yixuan's house.

She would occasionally have a couple of drinks after a long day at work, so she had a good collection of wines at home. Moreover, Zeng Wenjie was good at socializing and would often send her a couple of bottles of high-quality foreign wines.

After they became more familiar with each other, Zeng Wenjie would no longer return gifts like alcohol and shoes to Ye Yixuan.

On the shoe cabinet by the door were several pairs of Marleneia brand high heels, but the styles were not flashy and were more suitable for commuting, which suited Ye Yixuan's temperament.

"The next time I go back to Fengzhou will be around the New Year," Ye Yixuan said.

Zeng Mi nodded and said, "Now that you're so busy, it's quite difficult to meet up with you and have a drink."

Ye Yixuan smiled helplessly and said, "I also want to go back to those carefree days!"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Why not just resign?"

"You think you have a mouth?" Ye Yixuan glared back, her expression icy.

Zeng Wenjie raised his glass with a smirk and said, "I'm punishing myself for my foul mouth."

Ye Yixuan also picked up her glass and said, "I'll have a drink with you. I have to thank you for taking such good care of my good-for-nothing brother. He's finally starting to look up, and my father is more at ease with him now."

Zeng Wenjie asked, "Is Uncle Ye still pressuring him to take the civil service exam?"

Ye Yixuan said, "With his current wealth, he's incredibly arrogant when he goes home, and he's even willing to listen to my dad? Besides, my dad thinks it's good for him to continue developing like this."

Ye Qiansheng was not a hopeless case; he was just rather arrogant and didn't like to follow his family's arrangements.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have worked at the school supermarket in the first place. She even had a sudden realization after Zeng Wenjie's words and started rudely talking to customers, which ultimately led to her being fired.

"You've been keeping a low profile lately? You haven't been in the media or given any interviews since Singles' Day," Ye Yixuan asked, glancing at Zeng Wenjie.

"I'll play it safe for a while and develop my business cautiously. A lot of companies want to strangle me because of me. Now netizens are criticizing them on the internet all day long, which has caused their stock prices to drop a bit." Zeng Wenjie smiled bitterly.

Ye Yixuan said, "This world is just so absurd. People hate those who have things and laugh at those who don't, especially when it comes to things like conscience."

Zeng Mi laughed and said, "Wenjie did a great job. I've heard that there aren't many employees who don't criticize their boss, but within Game Science, everyone praises the boss."

Ye Yixuan asked, "What are your plans for next year?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "We will continue to steadily develop online sales, and offline expansion will come as it happens. Our main focus will be on Dark Souls, while also trying to negotiate more high-quality game copyrights."

Ye Yixuan asked, "How profitable is WG?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Just look at Tencent's stock price and you'll know."

Ye Yixuan nodded in satisfaction, admiring Zeng Wenjie even more. He was already earning foreign exchange at such a young age, which was quite impressive!

Moreover, Marlenia also earned foreign exchange income, and she was able to receive orders from abroad one after another. Obviously, foreign women also liked Marlenia's uniquely styled stockings and high heels.

Zeng Wenjie planned to send someone to Paris to spend some money, participate in some fashion shows, and do some good marketing to make Marleneia a legitimate international brand. Even if its fame doesn't reach the level of those top luxury brands, at least it can earn more foreign exchange overseas.

These days, countries prefer companies that can earn foreign exchange, since they still lack core competitiveness compared to foreign countries.

"Let's talk less about work!" Zeng Mi said with a hint of resentment.

"Then what should we talk about? How about we talk about your month-long stay in prison?" Ye Yixuan suggested.

Zeng Mi broke down completely and cursed, "Ye Yixuan, you dog!"

Ye Yixuan burst out laughing.

Zeng Wenjie couldn't help but laugh, saying, "When it comes to poking at someone's wounds, you have to look to my Sister Xuan. No wonder even her own brother wants to slap her in the face so much!"

Zeng Mi grabbed Zeng Wenjie's arm and shook it, saying, "She bullied me."

Ye Yixuan watched coldly.

“Drink her under the table!” Zeng Mi said.

"You two are a pair of adulterers," Ye Yixuan sneered. "Come at me all at once, what do I, Ye, have to fear?"

She exuded the same spirit as Xiao Feng during his bloody battle at Juxian Manor.

Zeng Wenjie was young and had a good tolerance for alcohol, while the two of them were a bit tipsy.

Finally, Ye Yixuan went straight to her room, waving her hand and saying, "I can't, I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon, drinking will only make things worse!"

Zeng Mi, with her arms around Zeng Wenjie's neck, said drunkenly, "That's just how she is. When she can't drink anymore, she makes up work-related excuses."

In the middle of the night, Ye Yixuan's drunkenness subsided a bit. When she came out of the bedroom, she heard quite a commotion in the guest room, which made her blush.

She couldn't help but spit out a harsh "Pui!", but this seemed to provoke Zeng Mi, who became even more agitated.

After taking a sip of water and returning to her room, Ye Yixuan could still faintly hear some noises that upset her, and she tossed and turned, finding it difficult to fall asleep again.

Ye Yixuan really regretted not letting them go to a hotel to sleep.

After returning to Fengzhou from Guzhou County, I could clearly feel that the weather had gotten much colder, and the winter vacation was just around the corner.

At this crucial moment, Zeng Wenjie caused Fengzhou's snacks to panic and significantly increase their orders, resulting in an excessive amount of stock. This left everyone wondering what had gotten into the boss.

The same thing happened over there; the warehouse was overflowing, which made Shi Jing worry about when they would be able to sell everything.

Zeng Wenjie only vaguely remembers a super cold wave in 2008 that forced trains to stop on the tracks for half a month, and the price of a box of instant noodles was eighty or even one hundred yuan.

Then, Zeng Wenjie also went to buy charcoal, candles and other such things, filling the storage room of his villa to the brim.

Candles usually sell for 50 cents for two, but after the cold wave hit and power outages occurred everywhere, a single candle sold for five dollars.

The cold wave hasn't arrived yet, but everyone feels that the weather is much colder than in previous years.

Fengyuan had just started its winter break when Mu Qingyang took Zeng Xiangdong's car back to Baishui Town for the holiday. The family had already moved into their new house and were going to have a lively New Year celebration there.

Zeng Wenjie originally wanted her to stay with him, since he had to stay in Fengzhou to manage the company, and if the weather froze, he wouldn't be able to go home.

But Mu Qingyang was in high spirits after the holiday started, so he didn't bring it up.

As expected, the temperature dropped that very night after Mu Qingyang returned to Baishui Town, and a heavy snowfall followed, accompanied by freezing rain, which caused almost the entire mountain road to freeze over.

Moreover, the power suddenly went out in the middle of the night.

When everyone woke up the next day, the whole city was frozen, there were no cars on the road, and everything was covered in white.

Many water pipes were frozen and burst, causing widespread water and power outages.

When Feng Xiao woke up, she saw a vast expanse of white. There was no water or electricity in the house, so she couldn't even wash her face.

Then, she recalled Zeng Wenjie's bizarre behavior a while ago, and her lips twitched involuntarily as she muttered, "Despicable fellow!"

Fortunately, her phone still had power, so Feng Xiao called Zeng Wenjie directly and said, "Hello, Prophet, I have no water and no electricity right now. How am I supposed to survive?"

Zeng Wenjie then said, "You and Zeng Mi should both come here. I have plenty of supplies here."

Feng Xiao gave a wry smile and said, "Walk there?!"

The walk from here to Yunhu is more than ten kilometers, and Feng Xiaoguang felt a sense of despair just thinking about it.

But if I don't go, then... I'll just have to freeze and eat instant noodles!

Given this situation, the company can forget about starting operations. This freezing disaster came too suddenly, and the temperature dropped too drastically.

When Feng Xiao went downstairs, she saw that the water pipes on the exterior wall had burst and the water inside was frozen.

A gust of cold wind made her shiver, and she hurriedly ran upstairs to put on another coat.

Then her phone kept ringing; many of Marlenia's employees called to ask about the situation.

"Everyone should rest at home and buy some supplies at the supermarket to prepare for winter," Feng Xiao said with a sigh.

However, after hearing her words, people didn't take it too seriously. How could it be so serious that people would hoard supplies for the winter?
If Feng Xiao hadn't witnessed Zeng Wenjie's strange behavior of hoarding winter goods, she certainly wouldn't have thought of the worst.

This winter has been incredibly difficult for city dwellers.

In rural areas, things are much better; they are completely self-sufficient, and they burn charcoal and firewood, so the lack of electricity doesn't have much of an impact.

"What a heavy snowfall."

Feng Xiao grabbed a handful of snow, gently crumbled it, and felt a sense of quietness throughout the world.

There were no vehicles on the road, and even if there was one, it moved as slowly as a tortoise, proceeding very cautiously.

The municipal government has begun organizing rescue efforts, but Feng Xiao feels that these efforts are unlikely to be very effective. Another heavy snow could come at any time, and with the temperature so low and everything frozen, it's uncertain when the electricity and water supply will be restored.
"Sister Zeng Mi, are you home?" Feng Xiao called Zeng Mi and asked.

“I’m at home. It’s freezing today, and the company has a power outage, so I can’t go to work,” Zeng Mi said.

Feng Xiao sighed and said, "My house is also without water and electricity, and I'm on my way to your place now."

Zeng Mi then said, "I also have no water or electricity here. I'm huddled under the covers, shivering. Why don't you come and freeze with me?"

Feng Xiao said, "That bastard Zeng Wenjie has hoarded a lot of winter supplies. Let's go to him as refugees, it's convenient to do so along the way."

Zeng Mi was taken aback and said, "Isn't that unnecessary? Maybe the water and electricity will be restored after a while."

"It definitely won't recover in a short time. If you believe me, hurry up and get dressed, then come with me on a trek of about ten kilometers to Yunhu!" Feng Xiao said with a wry smile.

"Okay..." Zeng Mi was already weak, and after hearing what Feng Xiao said, she became a little scared and hurriedly got up to tidy herself up.

Not long after, Feng Xiao arrived at the Xiaopin Teahouse, knocked on the door, and Zeng Mi opened it.

Looking at Feng Xiao, who was bundled up like a polar bear, Zeng Mi couldn't help but ask, "Is it really that exaggerated?"

Feng Xiao nodded and said, "Almost all the water pipes on the exterior wall of our apartment building have frozen and burst. Do you think other places can be any better off? Besides, this is only the first day. Who knows, it might snow heavily again later."

Zeng Mi put on her windproof hat and wrapped herself up tightly, saying, "Then we'll have to spend the winter at Wenjie's house?"

Feng Xiao said, "Unless you eat instant noodles every day! But given the current situation, it might not even be easy to get instant noodles..."

After saying this, Feng Xiao reached out and took Zeng Mi's arm, leading her towards Yunhu Lake.

Although Zeng Mi was older than her, Feng Xiao took care of her like an older sister.

“Oh my god, it’s so far! I’ve never walked this far in a single day in my entire life! Why didn’t I go to his house yesterday?” Zeng Mi said bitterly.

"Those bastards are hateful! They knew there was going to be a cold wave, but they didn't even pick us up in advance!" Feng Xiao said through gritted teeth.

"He knows?" Zeng Mi asked.

"Why would he hoard so many winter supplies?!" Feng Xiao sneered.

This is a misunderstanding of Zeng Wenjie. Although he remembers a very severe cold wave, he doesn't know the exact day.

As they trudged along the road, it started to drizzle and snow. Luckily, their clothes were made of a waterproof material; otherwise, they might have frozen to death before they even reached their destination.

The sleet stopped after a while. Feng Xiao gently patted the snow off Zeng Mi's shoulder and said, "In a couple of days, prices will be outrageous, and even if you have money, you might not be able to buy anything."

When passing by the convenience store, Feng Xiao asked about the price of candles while buying bottled water; they were already selling for 1.5 yuan each.

She and Zeng Mi took a sip of water, and both felt a bit uncomfortable, as if their internal organs were frozen by the water.

"Although the cold wave was predicted in the news, we obviously underestimated it," Zeng Mi couldn't help but say.

"That's right, Zeng Wenjie is the one we value the most, he's such a coward!" Feng Xiao said resentfully.

After walking for a whole day, we were cold and hungry before finally reaching Yunhu Lake.

Zeng Mi's legs were weak from walking, and she was filled with resentment. She even pounded on the door several times when she knocked. When Zeng Wenjie opened the door and saw the two disheveled women, he couldn't help but smile helplessly and say, "There's nothing we can do, the road is closed."

Zeng Mi stamped her foot and said, "I'm freezing! Is there a fire to warm me up?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "I've lit some charcoal. Come in and warm yourselves by the fire, and have something to eat while you're at it."

Feng Xiao was full of resentment, but as soon as she entered the house and saw that Zeng Wenjie had prepared a hot meal for them, her resentment instantly dissipated.

Roasting over a charcoal fire in the villa gave Feng Xiao and Zeng Mi a rather strange feeling, but it was undeniably warm and comfortable!
After eating around the charcoal fire and drinking two glasses of vodka, I finally warmed up and was able to take off my heavy coat.

"Why didn't you let us come over yesterday?!" Feng Xiao poked Zeng Wenjie's arm and questioned him, settling scores later.

Zeng Wenjie said helplessly, "There was still some sunshine yesterday. I never expected it to be so ridiculous in the early morning. Suddenly it started to rain freezing rain, and then the water and electricity were cut off."

Feng Xiao looked at Zeng Wenjie suspiciously, but heard him say helplessly, "I don't remember everything."

Zeng Mi hadn't considered what Feng Xiao was thinking, so she didn't find anything unusual.

But Feng Xiao keenly caught the word "remember," and her eyes deepened. She nodded and said, "Fine, I'll forgive you for preparing hot food!"

Zeng Mi took off her shoes and warmed her feet, saying somewhat coquettishly, "I walked more than ten kilometers, my legs are about to break."

Zeng Wenjie said, "I'll rub it for you later."

Feng Xiao sneered, "Why should I reward you?"

Zeng Wenjie glanced at her before saying, "I'll rub it for you too."

Then, Feng Xiao fell silent.

Zeng Mi was so tired that she curled up on the sofa and fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already dark and candles were lit in the room.

"what time is it……"

Zeng Mi subconsciously opened her mouth to ask, but found that her throat was so sore it felt like a knife was scraping it, making it difficult to make a sound. Moreover, her hands and feet were weak and powerless.

"You're awake? Hmm? What's wrong with your voice..."

As Zeng Wenjie asked the question, he reached out and touched her forehead; it was burning hot.

Feng Xiao frowned and asked, "Does he have a fever?"

Zeng Wenjie hurriedly went to get a thermometer and said, "Take a temperature check first. If the fever is too high, we need to go to the hospital!"

Zeng Mi curled up and held the thermometer between her legs. After taking the temperature, it read 39.3.

“I’ll carry her to the hospital to get her checked out. You stay home,” Zeng Wenjie said. “Judging from her condition, I feel it’s a bit serious.”

Zeng Mi wanted to say no, but Yunhu is several kilometers from the hospital, and it's impossible to drive there. It's also dark, and it's not safe.

Feng Xiao said, "I'll go with you."

Zeng Wenjie said, "I'll run there, but you might not be able to keep up. Just wait at home. If anything happens, call me. Be careful not to close the doors and windows completely, or you might get poisoned."

Feng Xiao nodded.

Zeng Wenjie prepared an extra set of thermal underwear, knowing he would be drenched in sweat when he ran over, and in this weather, he would freeze to death if he didn't change.

He carried Zeng Mi on his back, then had Feng Xiao wrap a rope around her, grabbed a flashlight, and hurriedly went out.

Zeng Mi slumped softly against Zeng Wenjie's back and whispered, "I'm sorry..."

"Taking care of you is what I should do," Zeng Wenjie said with a smile. "Don't say anything, and don't be afraid, we'll be at the hospital soon."

Zeng Mi replied, "I'm not afraid."

Zeng Wenjie carried her on his back and ran through the snowy night. Luckily, he had been exercising regularly, otherwise he probably wouldn't have been able to complete the task of carrying the weight for several kilometers.

Zeng Mi was exhausted and fell asleep on his back, feeling incredibly safe and at ease, as if she had returned to her childhood.

When she was little, her father would carry her on his back and run to the hospital whenever she was sick.

When Zeng Wenjie arrived at the hospital, he was covered in sweat. He immediately went to the emergency room for a check-up, and the doctor prescribed medication before giving him an injection and intravenous infusion.

Fengzhou did not experience a city-wide power outage, but few areas were spared. Many places were without power, and water was cut off almost throughout the city as water pipes froze and burst.

After the IV drip was finished, Zeng Mi's fever subsided, and her mental state improved considerably.

"How are you feeling?" Zeng Wenjie asked.

"I'm much better now, but my throat is still a little sore." Zeng Mi slumped onto the bed.

"It's good that you're alright," Zeng Wenjie said.

Zeng Mi nodded, glanced at him with a pout, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Zeng Wenjie reached out and patted her head, comforting her.

In the early hours of the morning, freezing rain started again, the temperature dropped sharply, and the hospital lost power without warning...

Although the hospital has backup power, it also allocates power to the most important departments.

"The hospital is without power?" Zeng Mi couldn't help but smile wryly.

"It seems so." Zeng Wenjie looked outside; it was pitch black.

Zeng Mi sighed helplessly and said, "What can we do?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Let's wait until dawn. Once you're alright, we'll go back."

Zeng Mi said, "Okay, come up and squeeze in with me, it'll be warmer if we sleep together."

So, they squeezed onto the hospital bed for one night.

The next morning, when Zeng Wenjie went to get hot water, he received a call from Mu Qingyang, who was asking about the situation in Fengzhou.

"Don't worry, I've stockpiled a lot of winter supplies, so you won't get cold or hungry. Besides, I'm rich, I can just buy more!" Zeng Wenjie reassured her with a smile.

"I heard this cold wave is going to last a long time. I wonder when you'll be able to come back?" Mu Qingyang asked with some concern.

“It’s okay, I’ll just spend the New Year here if I can’t come back!” Zeng Wenjie said calmly.

Mu Qingyang said, "The water and electricity have also been cut off here in my hometown. Today I accompanied my grandma to fetch water, but I don't know how to use a carrying pole, so I couldn't help much."

Zeng Wenjie laughed and said, "Of course not, I don't even know how to use a carrying pole!"

Mu Qingyang snorted and said, "Then I will definitely try my best to learn it."

Zeng Wenjie said, "When you get a call, remember to fully charge your phone immediately, otherwise you won't be able to make the call."

Mu Qingyang exclaimed, "Oh yeah! I still have... two bars of battery left. Let's save some power!"

Zeng Wenjie brought hot water back to the ward and saw that Zeng Mi was still sleeping, so he didn't disturb her.

Standing by the window and looking out, all I could see was a vast expanse of white, with ice hanging from the trees and several children playing carefree in the snow.

He figured that Zhuang Aimin and Ye Yixuan must be having a lot of headaches these past few days...

The government's response was actually quite fast, and it was already taking action to combat the disaster, but its assessment of the cold wave was still a bit low, indicating that its preparations were insufficient.

After waking up, Zeng Mi drank hot water and ate a bowl of hot instant noodles, and felt energetic again.

After the doctor's examination, you can be discharged from the hospital.

As the two walked along the road, they saw a water truck parked at the entrance of a residential area, where residents were holding buckets and queuing up to collect water.

Zeng Mi said with some worry, "I wonder when things will return to normal?"

"The electricity will definitely be intermittent, and this is the only way to deal with the water in the short term. I estimate that this freezing disaster will continue until after the New Year," Zeng Wenjie said, shaking his head.

This is only the beginning of the cold wave; several more waves of extremely low temperatures are expected, freezing power lines by tens of millimeters, making repairs extremely difficult.

Most importantly, countless people are trapped on highways and trains, awaiting rescue.

The Hao You Lai supermarket is open for business, and prices have not increased. Today, a wave of panic buying has occurred. Everyone has obviously realized that this cold wave is not so simple, and with news reports about it, everyone is stocking up on supplies.

The goods that Zeng Wenjie stockpiled in advance will probably be sold out very soon.

On the road, some vehicles were being driven with chains attached, but the traffic situation was still terrible. Many roads were icy, and accidents could be seen from time to time.

They walked back to Yunhu Lake, where the electricity had just been turned on, and Feng Xiao was already cooking.

"How are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?" Feng Xiao asked with concern, noticing that Zeng Mi's face was still a little pale.

Zeng Mi nodded and said, "Much better, thank you."

Feng Xiao said, "Zeng Wenjie was not well prepared. If he had known this would happen, he should have prepared a carriage. We could have driven the carriage here yesterday."

Zeng Mi smiled after hearing this and said, "That seems to make some sense?"

Zeng Wenjie rolled his eyes and said to Zeng Mi, "Boil some water and wipe yourself down. It's probably not going to be possible to take a bath anytime soon."

Then, Zeng Wenjie called Zhuang Aimin to say hello.

"Luckily you were well prepared, otherwise you might have frozen to death this winter."

While eating, Zeng Mi couldn't help but sigh.

Zeng Wenjie laughed and said, "It's not that exaggerated. The government's emergency response is quite effective. It's just that this cold wave will last for a long time, which is a bit troublesome. The power supply has been intermittent during this period, and it is indeed difficult to get by without charcoal."

Feng Xiao glanced at Zeng Wenjie and said, "Didn't you prepare anything extra?"

"We're all prepared. Our people will be delivering supplies to elderly people living alone," Zeng Wenjie said.

“I knew it,” Feng Xiao said.

"I was supposed to go to Beijing to receive the award, but the cold wave affected all provinces, so the award ceremony was postponed," Zeng Wenjie said with a helpless smile.

"Isn't that even better? When you win the award, your reputation will be even greater," Feng Xiao said casually.

The highways will gradually reopen, but not continuously; they will freeze again if the temperature suddenly drops.

The same applies to flights; their availability depends on the weather.

The national top ten awards ceremony has been postponed until after the new year, once the cold wave has passed.

Zeng Mi couldn't help but look at Zeng Wenjie and said, "You made it to the finals?"

Zeng Wenjie nodded and said, "Yes, if I'm not shortlisted, who is qualified to be shortlisted?"

That's quite narcissistic of me, but it's also impeccable; there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Feng Xiao calmly said, "It's a sure thing that he'll win the award, there's nothing surprising about it."

Zeng Mi laughed and said, "Anyway, I think it's amazing, congratulations!"

Shortly after lunch, the power went out again. Power is still tight, so it is only supplied during critical times and then cut off.

"The power's out again!" Zeng Mi said with a helpless wry smile. "Won't the company suffer losses if this continues?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Power supply to businesses will be prioritized, and city transportation will also be restored soon. Once everyone can return to work normally, we will let them come back to work."

Feng Xiao said, "Aren't you going to give them some money?"

"Yes, we should give out some winter allowances," Zeng Wenjie said with a smile.

After hearing this, Zeng Mi couldn't help but complain, "I've never seen a boss who loves to give away money like you."

Zeng Wenjie said, "If we pay more money, we won't be called 'dog capitalists' so easily."

Zeng Mi suddenly asked, "Judging from this weather, are you unable to go home for the New Year?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "My journey home is already quite long. Even if the road were open, with these road conditions, it would probably take a long time to get there, and I might get stuck on the road at any time. So, I'll just stay in Fengzhou for the New Year this year!"

Feng Xiao couldn't help but glance at Zeng Wenjie, and then remembered that last year, they got up early to make "New Year's Eve dinner".

Moreover, Feng Xiao was well aware that the chances of spending the New Year with Zeng Wenjie were extremely rare.

“Then let the three of us celebrate the New Year together!” Zeng Mi said happily.

“Okay,” Zeng Wenjie said.

A smile appeared on Feng Xiao's face as she said, "Sister Zeng Mi, is it really necessary for you to be so happy?"

Zeng Mi nodded and said, "Of course I'm happy, aren't you?"

Feng Xiao thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "I am really quite happy."

Zeng Mi reached out and hugged Feng Xiao, saying, "There's no electricity again today, let's sleep together tonight, it'll be warmer that way."

"What about me? It's quite cold sleeping alone too," Zeng Wenjie suddenly asked seriously.

"You can sleep on the sofa; there's a charcoal fire, so it won't be cold," Feng Xiao said casually.

Zeng Mi covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "He's dreaming!"

In the evening, the temperature started to drop again. Fortunately, the room with the charcoal fire was not large, and although the door was open and connected to the villa's hall, it was still relatively warm.

Lighting candles and drinking together around the charcoal fire creates a unique kind of romance.

Most families, however, are not so warm and cozy. Their homes are as cold as ice caves, and in places where the power is out, there is no way to keep warm, so they can only huddle under the covers and shiver.

"You can't drink anymore. You just recovered from a fever, do you want to go back to the hospital?" Zeng Wenjie said, taking Zeng Mi's wine glass.

"Ah...am I supposed to just watch you drink?" Zeng Mi said, sounding a little aggrieved.

"I won't drink anymore after I finish this cup," Feng Xiao said with a smile.

Zeng Mi sighed and said, "Then you guys drink, you guys drink, I'll watch you drink."

She felt like a little girl being pampered, with two people who were clearly younger than her taking such good care of her.

Zeng Mi felt a little useless, but at the same time, she felt very warm.

They warmed themselves by the fire until around midnight, when it started to sleet outside. Zeng Mi and Feng Xiao went back to their room to sleep.

Zeng Wenjie drank another glass of wine, and his body warmed up. He went back to his room to sleep. Although he was sleeping alone, he was young, and with the effects of the alcohol, he felt warm all over after sleeping for a while.

When I woke up the next day, I found that my feet were cold and a little painful.

He drew back the curtains and glanced out the window. It had been raining and snowing all night again, and yesterday's rescue work had been in vain. The government was probably going to be very busy.

Fortunately, the power came back on in the morning, and Zeng Wenjie charged all the items that needed charging before boiling water to cook noodles.

Feng Xiao and Zeng Mi didn't get up until after nine o'clock. It really took courage to get out of bed on such a cold day.

Two days later, the power situation improved, the company's power supply was restored, and the road conditions were much better than before.

Zeng Wenjie's Audi A8 also had chains strapped to its tires, and with the powerful Torsen differential, driving it wasn't a problem, but the travel time would definitely be longer than usual.

Upon arriving at the company, almost everyone was present. Zeng Wenjie gathered the staff and distributed subsidies, which greatly improved everyone's mood after being frozen for several days.

Nothing is more enjoyable than receiving money!

“For those whose homes are in other provinces, keep an eye on flight schedules these days. If flights are available, plan your time to go home. Don’t worry about having your salary deducted. If you can’t go home, stay and work overtime, and maybe even spend the New Year together at the company,” Zeng Wenjie said.

Zeng Wenjie has always managed his company in a humane way and would never take the opportunity to hold his employees hostage.

Game Science, which had been affected by the freezing weather for a few days, has resumed work and is once again enthusiastically engaged in the development of Dark Souls.

Feng Ji and Yang Qi, two core members, decided not to go home for the Chinese New Year. Since flights were affected anyway, they were too lazy to keep an eye on them, so they simply stayed at the company to work on development.

Because this game excites them.

They all felt that the sooner it was developed, the sooner the terrible state of online games in China could be improved.

In the past few days, many touching stories have unfolded everywhere, with everyone united as one to fight against the disaster brought by this severe cold.

Zeng Wenjie also got busy. As a prominent figure in Chongshan Province, he was able to set an example and cooperate with government departments to do some things to achieve a positive effect.

Game Science was handed over to Zheng Shouyun, who then worked tirelessly day and night to assist the provincial government in disaster relief.

As a result, Zeng Wenjie, who had not appeared in the media for a long time, once again became active in the public eye.

(End of this chapter)