"Actually, there's one feature still missing. Mr. Qian has prepared a surprise for you that covers exactly this function. With his addition, the RV will be truly complete. I hope you will like the gift he's sending. Rest assured, we only use the best available."
Da Shi left, his footsteps echoing in the quiet garage. Only later did Jing Shu learn that he was a scientific researcher in Boss Su's conglomerate, a man whose expertise far exceeded simple mechanics.
Jing Shu blinked, her gaze lingering on the closed door. Were young people this amazing now? Scientists and professors were out here refitting vehicles? She was curious, though. What would Qian Duoduo send her? The RV already seemed perfect, a rolling fortress of luxury. What function could it possibly still lack?
After Da Shi left, she followed Chu Zhuohua's manual and continued exploring, her fingers tracing the glossy pages of the guide. "Tsk, bad review. He couldn't come explain this part himself?"
Even so, she figured it out quickly, the intuitive design guiding her hands. The German MAN platform was already luxury–grade, a beast of German engineering. On top of that, Chu Zhuohua had added a lot of practicality and indulgence, layering comfort over the raw power of the chassis.
The main driver's area now had a central control panel and new touch screens that hummed with a soft, blue glow. The original passenger seat had been removed, leaving a wide, clear space. Behind where the passenger seat used to be, the circular sofa was also taken out to open a passage. Built into the passage was a hidden folding bed measuring 0.8 by 1.8; pull it out and it popped up with a small tent, giving real privacy. It would block the passage while in use, but this bed was prepared for Third Aunt Jing Lai.
Behind the driver's area was the living room with a lift table, seating, and a 32–inch TV. It had been converted into an enclosed tatami room. Though only 1.6 by 2 meters, it was spacious enough and right beside the passage bed.
This room was intended for her grandparents. With Third Aunt Jing Lai next door, if anything happened to the elderly couple, they could call her easily. Mainly, there just wasn't space to fit beds elsewhere without compromising the layout.
She opened the bedroom door and knocked on the wall. It was a light–steel partition, warm and soundproof under her knuckles. She slipped off her shoes and stepped onto the soft tatami, the woven texture slightly springy. The height was just right, not so low that standing up would be a struggle. A lift-up storage cabinet sat in the middle. When they weren't sleeping, the old couple could lounge as on a sofa, watch TV dramas, or listen to the Peking Opera that Grandpa Jing loved.
On the right was a hanging cabinet with a fold-out table. The upper space had originally been reserved to mount a bunk for Wu You'ai, but it had now been turned into a luggage rack. That was fine too. They would definitely bring a lot, and having more room for clothing and quilts was a good thing.
That was the front half of the RV. The entry door split the vehicle into two sections. After entering, the right side held the shoe cabinet and overhead storage, plus the air-conditioning and control systems. Farther right was the passage and her grandparents' bedroom. The far right led straight through to the main driver's area, and in the upper-right corner was a small cylindrical one-person elevator that went directly to the second floor.
Taking the left from the door led to the kitchen. The German MAN already used top-tier appliances: ceramic cooktop, range hood, sink, refrigerator, and drawer cabinets. On top of that, Jing Shu willfully added the salvaged FOTILE sink-dishwasher combo and an ultrafiltration purifier. In the apocalypse, drinking water had to be taken seriously. There were so many parasites lurking in the stagnant city floods.
Speaking of parasites, memories surfaced, a cold knot tightening in her stomach. After the crustal shifts, certain deep-sea organisms carried infections toward land. Sea overlords weren't affected much, since ocean-floor temperatures were already low. But when they suddenly got relocated inland, the consequences were horrific.
She shook her head, forcing the dark thoughts away. Those problems were still one or two years away. Worrying now was premature. She had to prepare for parasites and for those organisms as well.
Back to the RV: the natural gas system connected to the twelve external pods. Most importantly, the RV now ran a 24-hour hot-water circulation. In the dead of winter, twist the tap and it was always hot water. Turn on the shower and it was hot. Apocalypse or not, that was pure happiness.
To avoid wasting energy, she added underfloor heating with circulating hot water, plus a small instant heater. Water lines ran in the walls, keeping the indoor temperature steady and warm.
Blown air from central systems dried out her skin. Every time she used standard AC, Jing Shu's throat sparkled with pain. Underfloor heating was the perfect replacement. It didn't guzzle electricity and saved fuel. Once the floor reached forty degrees Celsius, it took only a trickle of gas to maintain temperature.
No more shivering for an hour waiting for the bed to warm up, then refusing to leave the covers to pee, then sprinting to the bathroom only to return and find the bed freezing again, and only then realizing the light was still on. Jing Shu would solve all of that.
She envied those lucky apocalypse survivors who could lounge in long johns and eat ice cream at minus seventy outside because their RVs were so warm.
She caressed the water heater, the metal cool beneath her palm. In this lifetime, she could have that too.
Past the kitchen were a dry–wet–separated bathroom and a dining area. At the rear were her parents' double master bedroom. None of it had changed much. Chu Zhuohua had simply rebuilt it fresh, the new upholstery smelling of clean fabric.
She climbed the automatic aluminum stairs with five armored-grade steps up to the second level. This was where the biggest changes were.
The original hydraulic rooftop terrace had been converted into an enclosed second floor. The solar panels that used to be on the rear of the roof were removed and remounted on top of the new second floor.
The front of the second floor was Jing Shu's bedroom.
Behind the bedroom lay a living zone that would hold the family's luggage and supplies. Right now, all of the family's materials were managed by her. Everyone was used to that, and it made her feel secure.
Farther back was the original small water tank. She had Chu Zhuohua change it into a deep, raised barrel pool for fish, a legitimate cover for her operations, encased in sealed tempered glass.
Per her request, the central section was the space capsule Wu You'ai had dreamed about. Chu Zhuohua had built it for her. Jing Shu ran her hand over the white capsule. It really felt high-tech, the surface smooth and cool.
Its brilliance lay in its lift-and-tilt. Stand and lean back, and it would slowly recline from vertical to flat. It could adjust height as needed, and even transform into a sofa chair.
Closed, it didn't feel cramped. It measured roughly 1.2 by 2 meters and had its own climate control. A 20–inch TV was mounted inside the capsule, and to the side was a recessed perpetual cabinet. Whether upright or flat, items inside wouldn't shift; they always stayed vertical to the ground.
On the right was a desk built on the same principle, plus a mini-fridge and a small electric kettle. Those had to be Chu Zhuohua's additions. Was he trying to make Wu You'ai drink more hot water? Hm? In this day and age, telling a girl to drink more hot water was practically asking to get punched.
Small, yes, but with all the essentials. It felt incredibly safe. Knowing Wu You'ai, she could lie inside for a lifetime, watching anime, reading comics on her phone, snacks within reach.
Jing Shu found herself unexpectedly fond of this space capsule, the sleek lines promising a sanctuary of peace.
===
In China, "drink more hot water" is a notorious, almost sarcastic phrase. It's something people, especially men, are stereotyped as saying to women when they complain about feeling unwell, stressed, or in pain. It comes across as lazy, dismissive advice, like not taking the problem seriously at all.
Over time, it turned into a meme. Telling a woman "drink more hot water" became shorthand for:
-Being emotionally clueless
-Giving useless, perfunctory care
-Not understanding what the other person actually needs
So "in this day and age, telling a girl to drink more hot water was practically asking to get punched," it means:
In modern social awareness, saying that is so tone deaf and irritating that you're basically inviting anger or backlash.
In context, the line is poking fun at Chu Zhuohua. The kettle suggests he might be trying to take care of Wu You'ai, but in the most stereotypically ineffective way possible.