Chapter 51: One year after the collapse of Anshan.

One year later.

In April, near the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), Vancouver was hit by a week of thunderstorms. The downpour continued until after the festival, and the sky was thick with fog and a gray, gloomy sky, with no sign of the sun for a long time.

Chen Song was very busy during the three days of Qingming Festival. Today he took a day off and slept until five in the evening.

The single dormitory provided by Yile was about 20 square meters. The air was filled with the humidity of the rainy season, which made Chen Song sweat lightly.

As the seasons were about to change, Chen Song's rhinitis recurred. His nose was itchy and runny at times, and he blew his nose frequently. The tip of his nose was always red and had some minor scratches.

It was an old problem he'd picked up during his senior year of high school, a minor one. Chen Song didn't worry about it, only slightly worried about the fever that followed the rhinitis. Rhinitis is followed by tonsillitis, and the inflammation caused the fever.

Chen Song was not afraid of getting sick and causing discomfort, but was afraid of delaying his work.

Chen Song got up and opened the curtains to ventilate. Dusk fell, and the bustling streets were lit up with neon lights. The evening breeze slowly passed through his clothes, blowing away the thin sweat.

The air was filled with the fragrance of trees, flowers and the scent of soil. Chen Song lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, and he felt sleepy for a moment, recalling that unforgettable early summer.

The heavy rain watered the bamboo forest and the trees. He knelt in front of Chen Shengping's grave, and someone stood beside him holding an umbrella for him.

I haven't thought about it in a long time. It was almost five years ago.

Chen Song turned around and walked to the refrigerator, opened it and took out tomatoes and eggs. The kitchen facilities were simple, so Chen Song casually cooked a bowl of tomato and egg noodles.

He ate while checking his phone. After the busy Qingming Festival, he had some free time on his shift, all in preparation for the training he was about to go out for in the next few days. He woke up with no work messages. Just as he was about to turn off his phone, a news item popped up on the top bar. Chen Song clicked on it.

"Our station reports that on April 5th, a large-scale landslide occurred in Shaowei Village, Anshan County, Wenzhou City, Jiangxi Province, causing house collapses and serious injuries to over 50,000 villagers. The Fire Department has issued a Level 1 alert and is rushing to provide support. The number of trapped people and the death toll are being counted. Please follow our station for the latest news..."

The video depicts collapsed rooftops and crumbling mountains, majestic and majestic like a beast awakening. The rescue team appears insignificant beneath the vast expanse of the earth, and the moans of those lying in the rubble are barely noticeable. A bloodied boy is carried out on a stretcher, his severed legs and hands blurred, a horrifying sight.

Chen Song's heart sank. He couldn't imagine that such a horrific geological disaster could happen so close to him.

Chen Song couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he turned off his phone and pondered for a moment before his rhinitis came back. He sneezed twice in a row, boiled some water and took some cold medicine to prevent fever. Half an hour later, the medicine took effect. After taking a shower, Chen Song fell into a deep sleep and slept until dawn again.

Chen Song had a lot of dreams that night, and when he woke up, he couldn't remember what he had dreamed about. His breathing was heavy, and he felt a little cold. He had forgotten to close the window he had left open last night, and the night breeze had sneaked into the house and blew on him all night.

Chen Song washed up quickly, changed into his white coat, and went to work. His dormitory was just behind Yile, a few steps from his office. He took the medical records and went for a quick inspection. Most of the patients were resting. After checking that there were no problems, he put the medical records back and went to the cafeteria to buy breakfast.

Only two windows were open this morning. Chen Song took a quick look and felt no appetite as they were all greasy-looking buns and fried dough sticks. So he ordered a cup of soy milk.

On the way back to the office, I met my colleague An Xusheng.

An Xusheng and Chen Song had joined Yile at the same time, working in the same department under the same mentor, and both became full-time employees before the Lunar New Year. An Xusheng was a talkative person, and over time, he and Chen Song became familiar with each other.

An Xusheng greeted Chen Song, but his expression paled when he saw the soy milk in Chen Song's hand. "Nothing to eat today? Why are you so unlucky? The food in the restaurant is getting worse and worse. If I wasn't in time, I would have taken it from outside."

"Wait a moment, I have something to tell you." An Xusheng patted Chen Song's shoulder and went to the window to ask for two meat buns.

Chen Song stood there, drinking soy milk. It was too sweet, and after a few sips, he felt sick and stopped. An Xusheng came over, biting a bun, and the two of them walked out together.

"Do you know about the landslide in Anshan?" An Xusheng said as he walked, his words intermittently biting a bun. "You were on leave yesterday, and the hospital issued an emergency notice to select ten people to provide support."

Chen Song listened quietly, threw the soy milk into the trash can, and pressed the elevator button.

"The list has come out, and it's all us newly hired staff. Isn't it obvious that we are being forced to suffer. Although it's also for the purpose of saving lives, it's very unfair for the hospital to send us specifically. I don't know what Lin Zhengzhen is thinking. He is becoming more and more like a villain. We are a private hospital, and the higher-ups want people from public hospitals to go. Public hospitals are forced to arrange people. The First Municipal Hospital asked for a hundred people. Lin Zhengzhen insisted on getting involved and dragging us newly hired staff into the water. He has established a good reputation as a benevolent and righteous person. The old doctors dare not offend us and put all the blame on us. Do you know what the conditions are like over there?"

"This place is remote and strange. They say the collapse was caused by lightning two days ago. The whole village was flooded. The village is right at the foot of the mountain. With so many people in such a large village, they won't be able to get back for a month or so. It's hard, tiring, and dangerous. You can't be sure what happens and you won't be able to get back."

The elevator door opened with a ding and several nurses came out. Chen Song got in and pressed the button for the 7th floor. He seemed to be thinking about something and said nothing.

An Xusheng slumped against the elevator wall, his mouth so greasy he couldn't even eat his buns. "You're lucky. You signed up for out-of-town training last week and got away with it. I'm in trouble. My girlfriend and I had a huge fight over this yesterday. Did I want to go? I didn't want to go either. What a miserable life!"

The elevator reached the seventh floor. Chen Song stepped out of the elevator. An Xusheng followed and grabbed Chen Song's arm, wailing, "Chen Song! Remember to think of me after I'm gone! I don't know when we'll see each other again after this separation~ Woo woo woo~"

Chen Song tried to appease him helplessly: "I will."

"What are you arguing about?" The two of them bumped into Cai Ying as they turned the corner. Cai Ying, wearing rimless glasses, glanced sharply at An Xusheng, "Don't you look like a doctor this early in the morning? You've been a regular for so long, don't you know the rules?"

An Xusheng immediately calmed down, let go of Chen Song, stood up straight, lowered his head and said seriously, "Director. Good morning, Director."

Cai Ying was still staring at him, about to attack, but Chen Songxian said, "Director, what's the matter with you coming so early?"

It was now half past seven in the morning. Their director, who was always late but always decisive, came so early to cause trouble, which scared An Xusheng.

An Xusheng shrank his neck and dared not speak.

Cai Ying looked at him a few times to confirm that he was a good man and honest before turning his gaze to Chen Song. His tone was much softer: "Chen Song, come here. I have something to tell you."

Chen Song responded, and Cai Ying nodded and turned forward: "Come to the office to talk."

An Xusheng felt as if he had been pardoned. Looking at Chen Song's back, an ominous premonition suddenly flashed through his mind, and a terrifying and disgusting guess came to his mind.

Chen Song closed the door, and Cai Ying sat on the chair, turned on the computer and said, "Sit down."

Chen Song pulled out a chair and sat down.

Cai Ying tapped away at the keyboard, her tone leisurely, as if she were discussing a trivial matter. "Um, Chen Song. Did you know about the Anshan collapse?"

"Yeah." Chen Song responded softly.

"Have you seen the news?"

"Um."

"It'll be easy to tell once you've reviewed it," Cai Ying continued to work on the keyboard, his eyes seemingly focused on the computer. "Our director is kind-hearted and wants to find ten volunteers to provide support. Doctors are like parents, and we doctors are definitely heartbroken when something like this happens. The government will award a 5,000 yuan bonus to the doctors who go to provide support. All expenses will also be covered by the government, so go there and feel free to provide assistance. No matter how many people we save, it will be a great merit for us, and it will also enhance our hospital's reputation."

"It's impossible for a doctor to get promoted quickly," Cai Ying glanced at Chen Song, "so the hospital gives you newly hired children a chance. If you do well this time, it will prepare you for future promotions."

Chen Song lowered his eyes and listened quietly, without saying a word, and no emotion could be seen.

Cai Ying stopped typing and made Chen Song a cup of tea. "You're the best student in our department, and I don't want you to miss this opportunity. Our hospital and Ruoyang have a good relationship, so there will be many opportunities for training in the future. But if you miss this opportunity for support, you've missed it. Opportunities cannot be missed. You're a smart child, you should know what's important."

Cai Ying handed the teacup to Chen Song. Chen Song looked at the tea in the cup for a moment and took it. "You mean that I should give up the opportunity to go to Ruoyang for training and go to Anshan for support?"

Cai Ying paused, retracted his hand, and adjusted his glasses. He returned his gaze to the computer screen and clicked the mouse. "I'm just explaining the pros and cons to you. The decision you make is yours."

Cai Ying knew that Chen Song was a smart man. No matter how heavy the task assigned to him was, he would always work hard and never complain. He had never said it so clearly.

Of course, Cai Ying knew that this matter was different from the usual ones, and he never thought that he could get Chen Song to agree with just a few words.

"All your classmates have volunteered. They're all jumping at the chance."

Chen Song could hear the pressure in her words. She said it was voluntary, but in reality, it was all forced upon her. He didn't really want to go to Ruoyang's training. He used to yearn for Ruoyang, but Ruoyang was in Beichengjing City, and he didn't want to go back there. If it weren't for this training, even without Cai Ying's conversation, he would have gone.

Cai Ying hinted to him like this, obviously to inform Chen Song. It seemed that he wanted Chen Song to make his own choice, but when did he ever make a choice?

Chen Song took the teacup and took a sip. The refreshing sweetness of the tea spread on the tip of his tongue. He said softly, "Okay. I'll go to Anshan."

Cai Ying was delighted, put down the mouse and looked at Chen Song. She didn't expect Chen Song to agree so readily. She was planning to negotiate for a few rounds.

"Okay, okay, Chen Song, you are indeed the pride of our department. You are a good kid. I am very pleased. I was right about you."

The next day, Yile chartered a van to take the volunteers to Anshan County.

Chen Song sat in the back seat, watching the high-rise buildings outside the window gradually turn into mountains, rivers and rice fields.

An Xusheng said angrily, "I fucking knew that the female devil was looking for you with bad intentions. Why did you agree to her? You coming here is a good thing for Sheng Zimo. I give up. He actually snatched your spot to go to Ruoyang. I'm really sick. How can people with connections be so disgusting! It's so disgusting. You've fallen from heaven to hell with one kick, brother. How can you tolerate this? If it were me, I would have overturned the table long ago!"

Chen Song had a faint smile in his eyes: "Didn't you tell me to remember to miss you, so I followed you."

An Xusheng's anger subsided a lot, and he got goose bumps instead: "Damn it, stop it. You're crazy, I'm talking to you about something serious!"

Chen Song stretched his hand out the window, feeling the free mountain wind blowing through his fingers: "I didn't want to go to Ruoyang, I came here of my own accord."

"Really?" An Xusheng said in disbelief. "Why would you squeeze into this gutter instead of taking the sunny road?"

Chen Song didn't say anything.

He has always lived in the gutter, but this support did not make him feel like he was going to the gutter. Instead, it made him find some meaning in living in this world.

It seemed like the world that had always abandoned him finally said to him, "I need you."

The van drove from morning to evening and finally arrived at the destination.

The chaotic scene evoked a strange sense of dread. A drizzle of rain was thick with murky dust, a dark sky loomed before us, and the truncated mountain, so near at hand, loomed like a colossus, as terrifying as the severed skull of a ferocious ancient beast. The groans beneath the scattered rubble were the beast's painful howls and dangerous warnings.

The rain grew heavier, its pounding crashing down on everyone intensifying their fear. This night of rain threatened to swallow them all. Chen Song shuddered in awe at the shock of all things. He realized how insignificant he truly was. He had once resented the world for abandoning him, but when he saw it firsthand, he realized it had no time for him.

"Is there anyone? There's a child down here!"