At the end of April, the temperature began to rise significantly.
The World Cup has finally come to an end, and the Brazilian region in South America won the championship. The local team stopped in the quarterfinals, a not bad result.
However, due to the war, this World Cup gave people an anticlimactic feeling. In the finals, not even one-third of the tickets were sold, which is the best in the history of the World Cup.
May 1, Federal Labor Day.
Early in the morning, Zhang Hao personally took Yang Huaqing to the hospital in the city.
The half-monthly prenatal check-up is here again.
Generally speaking, after three months of pregnancy, prenatal check-ups are conducted every half month, but now the reason why it is shortened to once every half month is because it is a last resort.
According to the eldest sister Zhang Jiahui, since last year, the abortion rate among local pregnant women has suddenly more than doubled, and it is no longer limited to the first three months. The probability of abortion after three months is also high.
As for the reason, there are two main guesses:
One is the side effects caused by volcanic ash;
Another factor is environmental factors. Due to the long-term lack of sunlight, coupled with the plummeting living conditions, nutrition cannot keep up.
Or both.
When the car passed the supply and marketing cooperative at the entrance of the village, looking at the long line of people outside the car window, Yang Huaqing couldn't help but wonder: "Why are there so many people today?"
"You forgot, today is the 1st, the day when food stamps are distributed." Zhang Hao reminded casually.
"I remember there weren't so many people before?"
Yang Huaqing shook his head.
Generally speaking, the conditions in Shawei Village are pretty good. Villagers usually choose to miss the peak period at the beginning of the month and wait until the third or fourth to collect food.
"What's so strange about this? Rumors are flying all over the world right now. Everyone is afraid that there won't be enough food to share, so they all want to save their money as soon as possible."
"What are the rumors?"
Yang Huaqing suddenly became interested.
Zhang Hao helped his wife peel an orange and replied: "There are many rumors. Some people say that there will be a nuclear war; some people say that the federal grain depot has been occupied by Europeans; some people say that military control will be imminent, and then the rations will be more
nervous."
"Which one is more reliable?"
"None of them are reliable, but it is true that food rations are becoming increasingly tight. The reason is not the three reasons I mentioned, but the energy crisis will break out next, or it has already broken out, but it has not yet been transmitted to real life."
"Energy crisis? How serious is it?"
Yang Huaqing frowned.
Zhang Hao broke off two slices of orange, brought them to his wife's mouth, and then said the two most direct consequences:
"It is expected that power cuts will be frequent in the future, and food production will definitely plummet."
"Can we understand the power rationing, but what about the reduction in grain production?"
"I won't be able to explain this for a while. When I have free time, I will take you to visit the indoor plantation. You will understand that today's food is 'produced' in factories and cannot be separated from energy.
"
Zhang Hao explained patiently.
Yang Huaqing nodded and said worriedly: "When you say this, I probably understand that if there is a real reduction in grain production, society may be in chaos."
"Don't worry, there won't be chaos for the time being. There is almost a year's worth of grain reserves up there. Besides, this energy crisis is not fatal, and there won't be the situation you're worried about."
Zhang Hao quickly comforted him.
Compared with the energy crisis in the dream, the federation in the real world still retains 30% of its share. In addition, it no longer has to worry about the life and death of Europeans and Africans, and the food pressure has been greatly reduced.
Ma Ruijie, who was in the front seat, helped to persuade: "Madam, Director Zhang is right. The food stamps this month are more than last month, and the continuous downward trend has finally been stopped. This is a very good phenomenon."
Zhang Hao guessed that the official reason for doing this was mainly to stabilize people's hearts. If the turmoil continues, the economy, which has just improved, may take a sharp turn.
Today, faith is more precious than gold.
"Really? If so, that's really good."
Yang Huaqing breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Hao didn't want his wife to worry too much, so he quickly changed the subject: "Captain Ma, have you visited the second-hand goods market recently?"
"I just went yesterday." Ma Ruijie nodded.
Although she was single, her parents were still alive, and she occasionally had to support her two sisters. The pressure on food rations was not small, and Captain Fang had been "beguiling" the team members to stock up on food, so she started to think about it.
"Can I still buy food in the market? What's the price?"
"Food prices have risen sharply recently. Rice has almost exceeded 500 yuan per catty. But even at such a high price, the supply is still in short supply. Whether you can buy it depends entirely on luck." Ma Ruijie said with a helpless face.
Yang Huaqing was stunned: "Is it so exaggerated?"
She rarely goes out. Since she became pregnant, except for prenatal check-ups, she has never left the house or left the house, and she doesn't even go back to her parents' home very often.
Ma Ruijie said bitterly: "This is still the market price. The real deal will probably be much higher."
"War is no joke. Although there is a temporary truce, most people are generally not very optimistic about the future and have formed a panic. Under such circumstances, there is nothing more secure than food."
Zhang Hao took the opportunity to express his analysis.
Yang Huaqing lamented, then patted Ma Ruijie on the shoulder: "Sister Ma, our family harvested a lot of sweet potatoes last year and we can't finish them all. If you need it, I can sell some to you."
"How can this be so embarrassing..."
Ma Ruijie symbolically excused herself.
Nowadays, no matter what kind of food it is, as long as it can be purchased, one is extremely lucky.
"Don't be polite to us." Zhang Hao waved his hand, "That's it, it's settled, not just you, but everyone else too, fifty pounds each."
Their sweet potatoes are usually eaten very little and are mostly used to feed the livestock. However, last year the livestock consumed a lot, and there were tens of thousands of kilograms left.
It's the most appropriate thing to use as a favor.
After talking to this point, Ma Ruijie did not refuse anymore and agreed on the spot.
…
Two and a half hours later, the hospital arrived.
Everyone consciously wears masks. In the season when the weather turns warm and cold, there are signs of a resurgence of the flu epidemic this year, so preventive measures must be taken.
Zhang Hao called his eldest sister and then helped his wife into the obstetrics and gynecology department.
After a while, Zhang Jiahui arrived in a hurry.
"Why so late? Is there a traffic jam on the road?"
Yang Huaqing smiled and nodded, "Isn't today the day to distribute food stamps? The entrances of all supply and marketing cooperatives are full of people. It's really a bit crowded. If I had known this was the case, I might as well have taken the subway here!"
"If there's a traffic jam, don't take the subway." Zhang Jiahui quickly dissuaded her, "The subway is more crowded than the bus. It's too dangerous for a pregnant woman like you."
"Someone should give up their seat, right?"
"There are no seats. Our car broke down last week. Your brother-in-law and I took the subway once in a while. Good guy, the car was packed like a sardine can, and there was no room to stand."
Zhang Jiahui said with lingering fear.
Zhang Hao immediately echoed: "Wife, eldest sister is right, we'd better be careful."
"Okay then! I listen to you."
Yang Huaqing did not insist anymore.
For the sake of the baby in your belly, you really shouldn’t take risks quietly.
Next, under the leadership of Zhang Jiahui, Yang Huaqing quickly completed the prenatal check-up.
The fetus is developing well and there are no problems.
After the prenatal check-up, Zhang Hao handed the bag in his hand to the elder sister and then left the hospital.
He planned to take his wife to the group headquarters to have a rest and have lunch before going back in the afternoon.
Here at the hospital, it’s soon lunch break time.
Zhang Jiahui carried the bag and came to Dr. Wang's office. Dr. Wang was the one who helped Yang Huaqing during her prenatal examination and was also the chief physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
"Dong dong dong..."
"Lao Zhang, why are you here?"
Director Wang quickly stood up.
Although Zhang Jiahui is only a deputy head nurse in the internal medicine department, her husband is on the same level as her, and he also has a very wealthy younger brother. It was his first time to have a prenatal check-up, and even the dean came in person.
"Director Wang, haven't you had lunch yet?"
Dr. Wang shook his head: "Not yet, I'm going to finish writing the report."
"Thank you for your hard work." Zhang Jiahui praised, then put the bag in his hand on the desk: "Director Wang, this is a little bit of my brother's thoughts..."
Doctor Wang interrupted directly: "I can't take it, take it away quickly, aren't you making me violate discipline?"
"It's not a valuable thing. Just accept some of the bacon I made at home! My sister-in-law is pregnant for the first time and her body bones are a little weak. Please be more careful."
After Zhang Jiahui finished speaking, she opened the bag.
Dr. Wang took a sneak peek and his eyes suddenly lit up. There were two pieces of bacon in the bag, each weighing about five or six kilograms.
To be honest, this gift is a bit heavy.
If you get it on the market, it will be worth at least 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, but the key is that you may not be able to buy it yet.
But due to human feelings, she had to evade:
"Don't worry, Lao Zhang, I will definitely try my best, but I really can't accept the things."
Zhang Jiahui is also an old man. One look at the other person's face and she knew they were polite words, so she bent down and opened the cabinet on her desk and stuffed the bag inside.
"Director Wang, you really don't have to be polite to me. This is whale meat. You must have heard about it. My brother is the general manager of Southeast Fisheries, and there is no shortage of this stuff at home."
Dr. Wang pretended to be suddenly enlightened: "It turns out to be whale meat. No wonder, I said it doesn't look like pork."
In fact, she recognized it at first sight.
Last year, their hospital had a welfare program where they gave out whale meat, and she received twenty kilograms directly.
It's a pity that the benefit only lasted once and then disappeared.
"Actually, in my opinion, the taste of marinated whale meat is not much different from that of pork. Director Wang, please take it back and try it to see if I am right."
"Hey, we are all colleagues, you said this is causing trouble..." Dr. Wang sighed.
Zhang Jiahui cooperated and persuaded: "It is precisely because we are colleagues that I did not give any red envelopes."
"Okay, I'll accept it shamelessly. To tell you the truth, my family hasn't seen any meat for more than a month. It's okay, sir. The two grandsons are quarreling all day long and giving me a headache."
Dr. Wang readily agreed.
"Director Wang, didn't your family stock up on meat before?"
Zhang Jiahui took the opportunity to change the topic.
Dr. Wang hurriedly asked the other party to sit down, and then replied: "Why didn't you stock up? The year before last, our old man took a big fat pig home, but a few small ones couldn't keep their mouths shut, and ate them all within a year.
It’s over.”
"A pig only weighs two to three hundred kilograms. On average, it is less than one kilogram of meat per day. It can last for a year."
"It's still such a loss. If I had known there was going to be a war, I would have saved some food no matter what. I'm afraid this war won't end in a few years."
Dr. Wang said regretfully.
Nowadays, pork is a good thing. It can not only satisfy the appetite, but also can be used as a substitute for food at critical moments.
Even though she is a chief physician, the environment is not good and she usually only receives red envelopes and liquor. This is the first time she has received food, let alone meat.
Zhang Jiahui followed up and asked: "Director Wang, is your family short of food now?"
"Que, Lao Zhang, do you have any idea?"
Dr. Wang said impatiently.
There is never too much food, and there is always a shortage.
"I have connections here, and I can help you buy a hundred pounds. If there's more, there's nothing you can do."
Zhang Jiahui nodded.
This is what I mean too.
"Really?" Dr. Wang said in surprise.
Zhang Jiahui smiled: "This weekend, please wait for my good news!"
"Oh, I really don't know how to thank you."
Dr. Wang paused and then changed the topic:
"Let's see. I'll go back and discuss it with some old experts to see if we can help Yang Huaqing formulate a targeted physical therapy plan based on her physical condition to minimize all risks."
"That's troublesome. I want to say thank you on behalf of our Zhang Hao family."
"What's our relationship? You're welcome!"
…
At 3:30 in the afternoon, Director Zhang and others finally returned to Shawei Village. I don’t know what happened, but the traffic was even worse in the afternoon than in the morning.
Passing by the village headquarters, Zhang Hao suddenly remembered Village Chief Fan's phone call in the morning, saying that he had something to discuss with him, so he asked his wife to go home first, and he got out of the car directly.
Village Chief Fan was in a meeting. When he saw Zhang Hao coming in, he immediately suspended the meeting and led the other party into the village chief's office.
"Uncle Fan, what meeting were you just having?"
Zhang Hao asked casually.
Village Chief Fan poured a glass of water for the other party, and then replied: "I received a notice from the Power Supply Bureau this morning that starting from next Monday, the power supply will be officially started. Different from the previous temporary measures, this time it is a fixed
Yes, there will be a power outage when the time comes."
"Oh? Has the specific plan been released?"
Zhang Hao had already been mentally prepared for this.
"It's out. Taking our town of Huangge as an example, the power is cut off for eight hours every day, starting at two o'clock in the afternoon and ending at ten o'clock in the evening."
Village Chief Fan replied.
"There is a power outage in the afternoon and evening? Isn't this too inconvenient?" Zhang Hao couldn't help but be surprised.
"There is no way, this is a hard rule, there is no room for bargaining." Village Chief Fan sighed.
Zhang Hao tried to comfort him: "Just stop. Fortunately, there are wind turbines in the village, which can solve the urgent need more or less. It's not the worst."