When they got busy, it was another whole day. A batch of injured people sent over in the morning were all seriously wounded. The emergency center at the military medical group couldn’t accommodate them all, so they sent some to this medical center. Five major surgeries—directors from various departments of major hospitals all took to the operating theater together, but the results were far from satisfactory. Of the five people sent over, only one was saved.

On the other side, after receiving the emergency assembly order, Chen Yi and Shen Yu received orders to continue advancing deeper into Luolin. They led the team to the northern district of Luolin. That area was far from the center of Luolin, close to the foot of the mountains. When the earthquake occurred, the entire village became ruins—almost no one escaped.

The rescue team searched there for an entire day without finding any survivors. All those they carried out had stopped breathing. There was one household of five—the youngest still in swaddling clothes. When Chen Yi carried the child out from beneath the rubble, several grown men nearby all had red eyes.

Shen Yu cursed and turned his gaze away. The atmosphere of the entire team was very oppressive. Someone choked up and said, “If only we could have come earlier.” At the time, no one responded. Everyone fell silent and quickened the pace of rescue, continuing until dark before returning.

When they reached base camp, Chen Yi went to report the search and rescue results to the leadership. He came out and went nearby to randomly take a cold shower, returning to the tent with wet clothes.

He took off his shirt, bare-chested, with eight neatly defined abs at his waist. Shen Yu lifted the curtain and walked in from outside. Seeing the wound on his arm and remembering what the doctor said in the morning, he reminded, “Tonight I’m leading the team on duty. You go to the medical center to change your dressing and get an IV while you’re at it. Don’t collapse yourself before we even rescue others.”

Chen Yi put on a short-sleeved shirt, grabbed the dirty clothes beside him and tossed them into the bucket to the side, then raised his head to look at him. “Can you wish me something good for once?”

“Fuck, I’m showing concern for you, aren’t I?” Shen Yu threw the jacket in his hands over to him, muttering non-stop. “I fucking hate this attitude of yours.”

Chen Yi laughed lazily, exhaustion that couldn’t be dispersed between his brows and eyes. He took down the jacket and threw it in the bucket, then picked up the bucket to wash clothes at the water basin outside.

At that moment, the night sky was clear and starry. Ruan Mian and a colleague hurriedly walked past in front of the water basin with quick steps. Their voices were gentle and soft though, floating over like the wind.

“Director Meng did three major surgeries today, didn’t rest for over ten hours, and collapsed right after coming off the operating table. He’s probably still lying down at the center now.”

“Then what do we do? The injured are still lying in the operating room waiting to be saved.”

“How about this—I’ll still go find Director Meng first. You contact thoracic surgery doctors from other hospitals and see if anyone isn’t currently in the operating room.”

“Okay.”

…

The sounds of their conversation gradually disappeared along with the distant figures. Chen Yi turned on the faucet again, finished washing the clothes in two or three moves, wrung them out, and carried them to hang on the clothesline in the open space beside.

After finishing these trivial matters, Chen Yi went to hold another meeting with people from the team. It was almost eleven o’clock when he went to the medical center. The person who changed his dressing was still the same doctor from the morning, surnamed Song. She helped change the dressing and conveniently hooked him up to an IV.

Song Yangling, seeing Chen Yi was a soldier, originally wanted to do him a favor and find him a bed in the treatment hall to lie down for a bit. Chen Yi declined her kindness and took the IV bottle outside to the hall himself.

She followed him out and poured him a cup of hot water, placing it beside him. “If you need anything, just call us.”

“Alright.” Chen Yi nodded slightly, his attitude consistently polite throughout. “Thank you for the trouble.”

Song Yangling smiled. “No problem.”

Chen Yi needed to hang three bottles—after one small bottle was empty, it was replaced with a large one. He watched the drip speed and estimated the approximate time, then leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.

Perhaps it was a military habit—in unfamiliar environments or situations like this, he didn’t sleep deeply and could still hear the movements around him.

Footsteps, voices, occasional sobbing—all kinds of disturbances, the myriad states of human existence.

Close to eleven-thirty, Ruan Mian and Lin Jiahui came back from outside. The previous surgery was arranged at the military district’s emergency center. She had gone back to call Meng Fuping, but the lead surgeon was a doctor from another hospital, with Meng Fuping as first assistant. Afterward, she and Lin Jiahui stayed there to help receive other injured people, only becoming free now.

“Ah, I’m exhausted.” Lin Jiahui walked over to get a cup of cold water and drank it down in one gulp. “Really, when I get back from this trip, I absolutely must apply for a week off from the director. I need to sleep at home for at least three days and three nights.”

Ruan Mian laughed softly, also exhausted. “That’s only if it gets approved.”

“…” Lin Jiahui let out a long sigh. Her whole body turned around to lie on the table. Her gaze naturally fell on the IV hall opposite, and she exclaimed in surprise, “Hey.”

“What’s wrong?” Ruan Mian turned her head to look at her.

“Isn’t that your high school classmate?” She lifted her chin forward.

Ruan Mian’s head turned another ninety degrees. She saw Chen Yi sitting there receiving an IV, leaning back in the chair—he looked like he was asleep.

She withdrew her gaze, her fingertips tapping on the cup twice, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Lin Jiahui straightened up and bumped her shoulder. “At the very least he’s a classmate. Aren’t you going over to see what’s going on?”

“Later.” Ruan Mian said, “He’s sleeping. I can’t just wake him up, can I?”

Lin Jiahui snorted with laughter, her expression one of seeing right through her. “Such virtue.”

Ruan Mian ignored her and put down the paper cup. “I’m going out to wash my face.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Ruan Mian walked out. The oncoming wind was full of dust and a faint bloody smell that couldn’t dissipate. She stood at the doorway for a while, then went to the outdoor faucet, scooped up some cold water, and splashed it on her face. With this stimulation, she became much more alert.

When she came back inside, she walked past Chen Yi. Within a few minutes, she returned, holding a medical blanket in her hands.

The man’s sleeping posture was somewhat casual. His little habits were almost identical to those in high school—both hands crossed and resting on his waist and abdomen, long legs slightly spread. His face, no longer concealed by dust, was handsome and fair. His long, dense eyelashes trembled slightly, his breathing low.

Ruan Mian stopped in place and watched for a few seconds. She leaned forward, preparing to cover him with the blanket, when the man who had his eyes closed suddenly opened them, raised his hand to grab her wrist, and blocked her movement.

Ruan Mian was startled. Her hand trembled, and the blanket fell onto his lap.

The instant his gaze cleared, Chen Yi’s eyes flashed. He released her hand, his voice somewhat hoarse. “Sorry, I thought it was…”

“Was what?” He had used a bit of force just now. Although he let go quickly, Ruan Mian’s skin was soft and fair—it still left a circle of light red fingermarks. She put her hand into the pocket of her white coat.

Chen Yi followed her movement with his gaze but didn’t see anything. He raised his head and smiled. “Nothing.”

Ruan Mian didn’t mind either. She walked over to look at the IV bottle he was receiving—it was anti-inflammatory solution used for wound inflammation. The doctor’s signature at the bottom was Song Yangling’s name.

She raised her hand to adjust the IV speed for him and gave an instruction. “The hall is cold at night. Cover yourself with the blanket.”

Chen Yi hummed in acknowledgment, pulled up the blanket that had fallen on his lap, and moved it to his waist. As if making conversation for the sake of it, he asked, “Were the injured people sent over this morning saved?”

“Only one was saved.” Ruan Mian casually continued this topic and asked, “How were things for you all today? Did you find any survivors?”

Chen Yi pressed his lips together and shook his head. “No. The northern district is Luolin’s heavily affected disaster area. The situation on site was very serious, so probably…”

Humans always seem small in the face of natural disasters. Ruan Mian had seen too much death during this period. She consoled him gently, “You’ve already done your best. Do what humans can, and leave the rest to fate. Sometimes there are many things we’re powerless to change.”

Chen Yi hummed in acknowledgment.

Ruan Mian continued, “Alright, you rest. I’m on duty here tonight. If you need any help, you can find me.”

“Okay.” Chen Yi watched her walk away. When he was about to lose sight of her, he saw her take her hand out of her pocket. From the movement and her back, it looked a bit like she was rubbing her wrist.

Thinking of his action just now, he moved the hand that had grabbed her, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes in contemplation.

In the latter half of the night, several more injured people were sent to the medical center. By the time Ruan Mian finished her work and came out, Chen Yi was no longer in the IV hall. The blanket was also neatly folded and placed on the stool.

Ruan Mian rubbed her shoulder and walked over. Song Yangling, who had given Chen Yi the IV, appeared out of nowhere from the side. “Doctor Ruan, can I ask you something?”

“What?” Ruan Mian bent down to pick up the blanket and draped it over her arm.

“Did you and Chen Yi know each other before?” Song Yangling said, “I just saw you two talking over there from inside. You looked quite familiar with each other.”

Song Yangling was a doctor from City B Medical University Affiliated Hospital. This time she had come with the hospital to support the disaster area. She looked fresh and delicate, and spoke in a soft and gentle voice—very tender.

Ruan Mian couldn’t quite figure out what she meant for a moment, but she didn’t hide her relationship with Chen Yi either. “We were high school classmates.”

“What a coincidence.” Song Yangling didn’t ask anything more. She took out her phone from her pocket. “What’s your WeChat? Let me add you on WeChat.”

Ruan Mian gave her phone number and added, “I didn’t bring my phone. When I get it later, I’ll accept your request.”

“Okay, no problem. You go ahead with your work then. I’m off shift.” She waved at Ruan Mian, turned and walked outside, quickly disappearing from view.

Ruan Mian looked back once, then withdrew her gaze. As she walked inside, she suddenly thought of what Chen Yi had said earlier—”I thought it was…”

Her imagination ran a bit.

Could he have thought it was Song Yangling just now? But soon Ruan Mian laughed at herself for overthinking. Whoever it was, what did it have to do with her?

The night passed, and it was another clear sunny day.

Chen Yi woke up early in the morning and went to the military district’s medical group to ask someone for something.

He hadn’t returned to the team until almost two o’clock last night. Perhaps because of the IV, he felt somewhat drowsy. He found the resting truck compartment and sat inside.

Shen Yu, sleeping beside him, muttered and tossed him a clean jacket.

He laughed, took it and draped it over his stomach, crossed both hands behind his head as a pillow, and closed his eyes, but sleepiness was gone. His mind was full of random thoughts.

He thought about the recent non-stop rescue operations, about the tasks he would assign to everyone after waking up in the morning, and also about many people and many things from the past.

He thought about how the person who used to get nervous just talking to him in high school could now calmly stand before him and comfort him. Things had changed after all.

Nine years—it really had changed a lot, not just him, but others too.

…

At this moment, he came back from outside. Shen Yu was already assembling the first and second teams, preparing to continue to the next rescue point.

He raised his hand to put on his hat. Under the brim, his jaw’s contours were sharp and distinct. His voice was low. “Depart.”

“Yes, sir!”

A group of people advanced in a mighty procession, jogging toward deeper and more distant places. Even from the not-too-distant new medical center, one could still hear those waves of footsteps.

Ruan Mian had only slept for two or three hours again. After washing up in the morning and coming back, she ran into colleagues from other hospitals. One called out to her, “Doctor Ruan, there’s something for you at the consultation desk in the hall.”

She responded, “Okay, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ruan Mian wondered who would be sending her something at this place and time. Subconsciously, her footsteps quickened considerably.

The item was placed beside the consultation desk.

It was a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao spray with a note underneath. A sentence was written on it, with no signature, but the handwriting was almost bone-deep familiar to Ruan Mian.

—For Doctor Ruan Mian of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Author’s note: Chen Yi: I really didn’t use much force…

A few days ago I met a new friend. This is her new serialized story. If you’re interested, you can go take a look! Love you all!!!

“The Most Fortunate in the Entertainment Industry” by Flying Saucer UFO

Synopsis: Extremely narcissistic female celebrity × Super handsome, super rich, super cold domineering CEO

A story about desperately trying to become a superstar, or else having to go back to being a wealthy lady.

After the Yu family went bankrupt, Yu Xiying married her lifelong rival—the Pei family heir, Pei Chen.

To oppose Pei Chen, she insisted on entering the entertainment industry, deliberately signed with his entertainment company, concealed their relationship, and started as a ninety-eighth-tier nobody.

According to the agreement set beforehand, if she didn’t do well, she would have to go back and properly be her wealthy lady.

So she could only work with all her might—

In the first TV series she filmed, she won Most Popular Supporting Actress.

In the second TV series, Best Actress.

In the first movie, Best Actress at the three major international film festivals.

…

She went smoothly all the way, becoming explosively popular as a phenomenon not long after debut, becoming a top-tier traffic flower with countless fans.

At year-end reviews, a certain entertainment weekly that had once had conflicts with her sarcastically dubbed her the “most fortunate” female celebrity in the entire entertainment industry.

The next day, Yu Xiying reposted that entertainment weekly’s review Weibo and replied: Besides most fortunate, also the most beautiful, thank you.

Haters: Hehe?

Entertainment weekly: Forgot to switch to your alt account?

On a certain day when the internet crashed, Yu Xiying’s agent was shocked to discover that the little ancestor with the bad temper who loved offending people, whom he constantly worried would be blacklisted by the company, was actually a super-rich woman worth billions who owned several golden commercial streets and top-tier luxury homes in the center of City H… and was also his boss’s wife?!

Turned out that all this time worrying for Yu Xiying, pitying her rough background, thinking she had no backing, worrying himself bald over her acting career—he was a complete fool!

She herself was the hardest backing, the thickest leg to cling to!

Mini theater:

One day, Yu Xiying proposed divorce to Pei Chen without warning.

The man raised his dark, piercing eyes. His expression was calm, but his low voice conveyed pressure: “Money, resources, fame, status—I can give you all of these. Why divorce?”

The gorgeous little vixen before him pressed her sexy red lips together and snorted disdainfully: “You think I care about these things? You don’t love me anyway. Hurry up and sign the agreement. From now on, we’ll go our separate ways and have nothing to do with each other!”

Pei Chen curved the corners of his mouth lightly, his smile both righteous and wicked: “Don’t love you? Every night I love you so hard—can’t you feel it?”

Yu Xiying: “…”