Chapter 3The $5 Sharing Era

I was jolted awake. It was two in the morning.

Rubbing my temples, I stumbled onto the balcony.

It was the sound of a baby crying, and it seemed to be coming from directly below our floor.

A shiver went down my spine. I thought of Sarah and her visit today, and my mind instantly cleared.

As I peered over the railing, I saw lights flick on in the building across from us, windows opening as people looked over in our direction.

The crying was sharp and piercing, an assault on the dead quiet of the night.

I frowned. A baby’s cry is loud, but this was… amplified. Unnaturally loud.

Soon enough, a man from the opposite building couldn’t take it anymore and yelled out his window, 「Are you insane? Some of us have to sleep!」

I shook my head. You can’t just tell a baby to stop crying.

But to my utter astonishment, after the man shouted, the crying miraculously stopped. Just like that. Gone.

My eyes widened in shock.

What? How was that even possible?

With the noise gone, the lights in the other apartments began to go out, one by one.

My mind was buzzing with questions, but the pull of sleep was too strong. I didn’t investigate any further.

Soon, I was fast asleep again.

But as I drifted in the fog of a deep dream, I heard what sounded like an air-raid siren.

I shot upright in bed, heart hammering.

When my eyes focused on my familiar bedroom, I let out a breath of relief. It was just a dream.

No. Wait.

That sound outside…

It was the baby’s cry again.

But this time it was different. It wasn’t just crying; it was the sound of a child choking on its own sobs, dry-heaving for air.

And the volume was even more ear-splitting than before.

Lights flashed on across the complex again. We were all awake.

This time, the man across the way yelled several times, but the wailing didn’t stop.

It just kept echoing through the courtyard.

That’s when the group chat exploded.

【ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHOSE KID IS THIS? IF YOU CAN’T SLEEP, FINE, BUT LET THE REST OF US!】

【Seriously, I have to work tomorrow! This is ridiculous!】

【Comfort your damn kid instead of torturing the entire building!】

【Building management, do something! Figure out which apartment it is!】

Before management could reply, she jumped in herself.

【@Apt 1003, I’m so sorry, everyone. That’s my son. He’s crying because… he’s starving.】

The moment I saw her name, my stomach dropped. A terrible premonition washed over me.

【My milk supply is too low, and he refuses to take a bottle. I’m at my wit’s end. That’s why I went to the owner of 1503 today and begged her to spare a little life-saving milk for him.】

【She’s so… blessed… with so much milk, but she told me she’d rather pour it down the drain than give any to my son. I just… I don’t know what else to do!】

【I even brought her a gift, and she took it, but she still wouldn’t help. I… sigh… I’m so, so sorry to be bothering you all.】

Her tone was sincere. She even posted a picture of a baby with a face flushed red from crying.

Immediately, the tide of anger turned.

【@Apt 1503, it’s just a little milk! How can you be so heartless?】

【Yeah, that poor baby sounds miserable. Just let him have some! It’s not like it costs you anything!】

【She took the gift and still refused to help? What kind of person does that?】

【@Apt 1503, say something! Stop playing dead! I can see your lights are on!】

I stared at my phone, my heart sinking with every new message.

The forum post swirled in my mind. Why was she so obsessed with MY milk?

Because in that post, breast milk was linked to one thing. HIV.

I didn't respond in the group chat. My fingers flew across the screen, frantically searching for the original post I had seen earlier.

But as I searched, I found something else. A new post.

From a different user.