Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 252 Childbirth Promotion Policy

"A promise? That guy's standing there, he hasn't said a word, what kind of promise is that?" The man in overalls gestured toward the edge of the crowd.

Xu Xiaoyan followed his gaze and noticed that there was indeed a young man standing outside the battle zone, near the steps of the convenience store.

He was quite tall, wearing a dark sweater that looked to be of good quality, and was indeed handsome.

But at this moment, his handsome face was filled with panic and a strange sense of bewilderment.

He stood there blankly, his hands hanging helplessly at his sides, his eyes wide open.

Looking at the two women fighting for him, he moved his lips a few times, but no sound came out. He had neither the courage to step forward to break up the fight, nor the strength to speak up and stop them.

"Brother Jun! Look at her! Look at this shameless woman!"

Between beatings, the woman in the yellow cotton coat actually managed to shout something at the man, her voice both aggrieved and violent, as if she were showing off a trophy or seeking approval.

The man called "Ah Jun" trembled, his face flushed red and then turned pale, and he took a slight step forward as if he wanted to go forward.

But seeing the woman in yellow's crazed state and the woman in gray's disheveled appearance, he ultimately didn't take that step. Instead, he shrank back, his eyes darting away, not daring to meet either of their gazes.

This comical yet tragic scene fueled the heated discussion among the onlookers.

Those who accused the "mistress," those who mocked the "wife's" shrewishness, and those who despised the man's weakness—all these voices intertwined, forming a noisy wave that seemed to be adding to the excitement of this physical fight.

Xu Xiaoyan unknowingly walked to the outer edge of the crowd and couldn't help but peek inside.

The woman in the gray trench coat, who had been relentlessly beaten, had probably reached the peak of her pain and humiliation.

It may have been her only chance to retaliate—as the woman in yellow swung her fist at her again, her wrist just grazed the edge of her mouth.

In the blink of an eye, the woman in the gray trench coat suddenly turned her head, opened her mouth, and bit down hard on the inside of the woman in the yellow coat's right wrist!

"Ah—!!!" This time, the scream came from the woman in yellow, and her voice was extremely shrill.

Xu Xiaoyan wasn't very close, but at that moment, she saw a bright red stain that didn't belong to the woman in the gray trench coat instantly seep from the corner of her mouth!

The woman in yellow jerked her hand back as if she had been electrocuted, and bounced off the woman in gray.

He staggered back two steps, clutching his bloodied wrist, trembling with pain, the ferocity on his face replaced by intense agony and terror.

The woman in the gray trench coat seized the opportunity to break free and scrambled to her feet in a disheveled state.

Sure enough, there was a glaring bloodstain at the corner of her mouth, which, combined with her disheveled hair and tear-stained, dusty face, made her look exceptionally horrifying.

She gasped for breath, glaring fiercely at the woman in yellow and the stunned man opposite her, and hissed, "Madmen! You're all madmen!"

After saying that, she wiped her mouth haphazardly, not bothering to straighten her clothes, turned around, pushed through the crowd, and stumbled out, disappearing at the other end of the passage.

An even greater commotion erupted from the crowd.

"Oh my god! It's bleeding!"

"That's ruthless! Are you a dog?"

"Serves you right! You think you're in the right for hitting someone? Getting bitten to death would be too lenient!"

"This is terrifying..."

Xu Xiaoyan watched the whole thing with a frown. When people are driven to the brink, they really will do anything for a man.

Is it still for the sake of pride?

Perhaps it's a combination of both.

But what about the results?

A cut on the wrist can leave a permanent scar or even pose a risk of infection.

One of them, notorious and disgraced, fled in disarray.

The man who was being fought over remained pale-faced, standing motionless as if none of this concerned him.

The woman in yellow was still clutching her wrist and crying, blood seeping from between her fingers and dripping onto the ground, forming small, dark red dots.

When the onlookers saw that she was injured, some of those who had been stirring things up just moments before fell silent. Some looked on with pity, while others, finding it boring, began to disperse.

The man named "Ah Jun" seemed to finally react at this moment, and moved his stiff steps to the side of the woman in yellow.

His lips trembled as he tried to look at her wound, but was frightened by the bloodstains and became helpless.

"What are you looking at! Take me to the hospital! It hurts so much! It's all because of you! Because of you!"

The woman in yellow cried and cursed while hitting the man with her uninjured hand.

The man hesitated and hurriedly helped her up.

Ignoring the various gazes around them, the two hurriedly left in the opposite direction from the woman in gray, in an extremely awkward manner.

It left behind a mess and gradually fading discussions.

As the excitement subsided, the crowd quickly dispersed, as if the intense conflict had been nothing more than a trivial interlude.

Xu Xiaoyan stood there, speechless. What time is it now? How can they still be jealous? Did they get their heads caught in a door?

She shook her head, clearing her mind of these chaotic thoughts. She couldn't delay any longer. She turned around and hurried towards the capsule warehouse.

Xu Xiaoyan practically jogged through the last two passages; the room containing the capsule was almost there.

However, as she turned into the passageway leading to her capsule warehouse, her pace involuntarily slowed down.

The scene before her eyes left her somewhat taken aback, and she even temporarily forgot what she was supposed to be busy with.

The corner of the passageway was quite lively at the moment, with two men and two women, who all looked very young, probably in their early twenties, gathered together.

They were clearly not just standing there chatting; the two girls were wearing brightly colored woolen skirts that seemed too thin for the season, and they had exquisite makeup on.

A girl was playfully punching the shoulder of a tall boy next to her with her fist, and the boy dodged with a grin and grabbed her wrist.

The other couple was closer together. The boy was talking to the girl while she blushed slightly, twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers, her eyes darting around with a smile.

Their body language was bold and intimate, and the air was filled with a sweet atmosphere that seemed out of place in this gray passageway.

Playful fights, flirting, youthful exuberance, and complete lack of inhibitions.

Xu Xiaoyan frowned, subconsciously avoiding them, and walked quickly along the wall, a sense of absurdity rising in her heart.

What's going on?

Is today some special day? First, someone got into a fight over a man and ended up with a bloody head, and now two young couples are openly flirting in the passageway.

This world... why does it feel like men and women have suddenly taken aphrodisiacs, exuding an inappropriate hormone everywhere?

The area where she lived, specifically in Zone C, especially near the capsule warehouses, was usually filled with the numbness of people struggling to make a living.

Such relaxed interactions, which are clearly romantic or sexually suggestive, may not be entirely unique, but their concentration is certainly unusual.

Could something have happened at the base that she was unaware of, something that could directly affect people's behavior patterns? Was it some kind of collective activity?

Or... has some new policy been introduced?

This thought made Xu Xiaoyan's heart skip a beat. In the base, any policy change could have a butterfly effect, ultimately affecting every resident at the bottom of society.

She stopped and, instead of immediately going into the room, leaned against the wall in the corridor and quickly took her phone out of her pocket.

She opened an underground information exchange forum and swiped her fingers quickly.

Skip over those common posts like "Looking to buy cornmeal", "Repairing sewers", or "A certain administrator has a terrible attitude".

Soon, several posts that had been pushed to the front page and whose titles contained words that clearly expressed excitement or anxiety caught her attention:

[Breaking News!] New policy in Zone C! Hurry if you want a bigger house! Discounts available for weddings!

[Discussion] Is it worth getting a fake marriage for a three-square-meter shared room? If you can't conceive within a year, you'll lose a lot!

[Official Verification] Are Maternity Subsidy Points Doubling? Is it True?

[Urgent Seeking Partner! Female, 22 years old, in good health, looking for a reliable male to jointly apply for a couple's room, with a clear agreement!]

Xu Xiaoyan's heart skipped a beat. She immediately clicked on the post marked "Official News Verification," which had already been flooded with replies.

The poster shared a photo taken from a bulletin board, which was followed by various interpretations, speculations, and debates.

She squinted, carefully examining the small print on the photograph, and combined it with the supplementary information from others who seemed to know the inside story, quickly extracting the key information:

"...In order to optimize the population structure and encourage childbirth at the appropriate age, the C District Management Committee has decided to implement the 'Housing and Childbearing Promotion' incentive program on a trial basis, effective immediately. The specific measures are as follows:"

1. Any couple registered in Zone C who are of legal marriage age and register their marriage within this year can apply for a "Newlywed Housing Rental Discount" and enjoy a room type exclusively for couples by presenting their marriage certificate.

The rental fee is 50% off, and the discount period lasts until one year after the initial rental contract expires.

2. During the aforementioned preferential period, couples who give birth to a child and complete the birth registration will automatically receive "Newborn Childcare Subsidy Points" for a period of three years.

100 points are awarded annually and credited to the family's main account quarterly.

3. If the couple does not conceive or give birth during the rental discount period, the discount will automatically terminate upon expiration, and subsequent rentals will be charged at the original price.

If any sham marriage or fraudulent acquisition of preferential treatment is found, both parties will have all their welfare eligibility revoked and will be placed on a credit blacklist…

There are some details and application procedures to follow, but the core content is already clear.

Xu Xiaoyan held her phone, motionless for a long time. The laughter of the two young couples at the alley entrance could be faintly heard, but now it had a completely different meaning to her.

Goodness... I see.

It's not some random "heat" that's causing this; it's the result of policy directives.

A fold-out couple's room!

For many young people crammed into capsule cabins, a relatively private and stable three-square-meter space is undoubtedly a huge temptation.

Not to mention the points subsidy of 100 points per year for three consecutive years after the child is born.

In Zone C of the base, where resources are extremely scarce and living space is a luxury, such a policy is tantamount to throwing a large, fishy-smelling bait into a dried-up pond.