Chapter 55: Indifferent as Water This battle lasted for one and a half years...

The rescue operation, which lasted for one and a half months, finally ended, alarming the government and attracting widespread attention across the country.

The collapse of Shaowei Village in Anshan County displaced over 50,000 people, including over 9,000 fatalities. Rescue efforts totaled 10,000, including firefighters and medical personnel. A secondary collapse resulted in the deaths of over 400 support personnel.

Donations from the state and the public helped Shaowei Village move to a safe area and build houses. The government presented banners and bonuses to those who supported this effort, recognized those who died as martyrs, and provided compensation to their families.

After the plum rain season, Vancouver gradually warms up and early summer arrives quietly with a refreshing evening breeze.

Yile gave the returning supporters a half-month holiday. Chen Song slept soundly in the dormitory and was in a daze for three days before he woke up.

In the early morning of June, Chen Song woke up from a nightmare. He suddenly stood up and gasped for air, with An Xusheng's bloody and hideous appearance of bones in his mind.

The wind blew in from the window, blowing away the sweat on Chen Song's body and bringing a chill. Chen Song paused for a long time, looking out the window when his eyes fell on two candies on the table next to him.

The icing glows brilliantly when touched by a bit of morning light.

Chen Song walked barefoot on the floor, picked up two candies and rubbed them in his hands, his eyes fixed on the rising sun in the distance.

Today, he is going to attend An Xusheng's funeral.

The sun was shining brightly, but the cemetery was lifeless. A group of mourners dressed in black mourning clothes were there, some crying silently, while others were wailing loudly.

Chen Song stood solemnly in a suit and tie, holding a small white daisy in his hand, gazing at the tombstone in the midday sun.

He did not shed tears. The pain between his brows was not the stuffiness of the midday sun burning his suit, but the heaviness of the dead who could not rest in peace in the thunderstorm in the mountains.

Chen Song couldn't understand the faint smile on An Xusheng's lips at the last moment of his life, even though he was so reluctant to go to the mountains to provide support.

An Xusheng was born in Qingjia City, a county-level city below Wenzhou. He came from a well-off family. His parents ran a small business, and he had an older sister who was a teacher. His parents were loving, his sister doted on him, and the family atmosphere was wonderful. Chen Song often listened to him recount interesting stories from his family.

An Xusheng's life was the dream that Chen Song had longed for his entire life but could never reach. But even this sweet dream was shattered by misfortune, becoming a nightmare that he could not let go of.

This was Chen Song's first time attending a funeral in a town, unlike the elaborate rural funerals. No need to carry an urn, draped in mourning, and walk from home to the ancestral grave in the mountains, accompanied by fireworks and firecrackers. There was no gong-and-drum ceremony, and while the rural areas took seven days, the entire process in the town could be completed in just three.

If the countryside is too complicated and long-lasting, then the town is too short, so short that it cannot bear the separation from the deceased.

Unlike the beating of drums and gongs in the countryside, there is only endless crying in the towns, heavy, so heavy that it is impossible to breathe.

When Chen Song came forward to mourn, An's mother snuggled in An's father's arms and cried, "My son! My son! My poor son! You will not have a good death in this black-hearted and cruel hospital! Why is your life so miserable!"

Chen Song knelt on one knee and placed a white daisy among a pile of condolences in front of the grave.

An's mother suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Chen Song and shook him, "Are you from Xu Sheng Hospital?! Right? I remember you, Chen Song! You went with him, and how come you came back like that? And he died? Why? Why didn't you save him? Why didn't you save him? You just watched him die right next to you! He treated you like a good friend, and every time I gave you something, I would bring you a copy! How could you be like this!"

Mother An's eyes were bloodshot and fierce, and her elegantly coiled hair was already a mess. Chen Song was speechless, the words "I can't save him" stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them.

He didn't think An's mother's words and actions were crazy. In Chen Song's eyes, An's mother was just a mother who had lost her son and was in pain.

"Don't be like this, Mom! Don't be like this!" An Qing stepped forward and held An's mother. "This has nothing to do with Chen Song. He is also a rescuer. He was just lucky to be back. He is a doctor who saves lives. Don't be like this, Mom."

An's mother was startled, her eyes wide open as she suddenly lost focus and collapsed on An Qing. An's father stepped forward to steady her and said to Chen Song, "Good boy, I'm sorry."

After An's father finished speaking, he took An's mother aside. An Qing helped Chen Song up and said, "I'm sorry. I apologize to you for what my mother said. You are Xu Sheng's friend, my brother..."

"Even though he says he's reluctant to go there, I know he loves this job. He just hates the dean's hypocrisy. He's tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. How could a kid who's been determined to be a doctor since he was little, just sit there and watch someone die after finally becoming one? This... this is a worthy death, a fulfillment of his dream."

"Given his personality, he'd have gone even if he wasn't forced. He always complained, but his body was honest. He started preparing long after the list came out. He had so many bags and so small, he almost wanted to move his entire family to help with the disaster relief. Worried that the injured wouldn't have clean clothes, he bought them out of his own pocket, for both adults and children. He cursed a lot, but he was actually more thoughtful than anyone else. He kept talking about you being changed on the list and defending you."

Chen Song stood there in a daze without saying a word. This belated realization was like a sudden surprise from An Xusheng's last smile, hitting him right in the heart.

As a fellow doctor, how could he not understand An Xu's smile of no regrets in the face of life and death?

"He has such a sharp tongue. I really trouble you to take care of him." An Qing smiled with difficulty, tears welling up in her eyes. "And Xiaoxuan."

An Qing glanced at Lin Xuan, who had been standing beside the tombstone and crying silently, and sighed.

"They...are about to get engaged. It's really hard for her."

Chen Song looked at Lin Xuan, her face full of loss and disappointment no longer resembled the spoiled young lady she once was. She still had a ring on her hand that was covering her mouth.

That ring was chosen by An Xusheng after consulting Chen Song. The diamond shone brightly in the sunlight, like a white wave, dazzling and dazzling.

After the funeral, Chen Song did not stay for the banquet, nor did he leave. He sat back in the car and smoked alone.

Chen Song became addicted to smoking after performing a surgery during his six-month internship at Yile. He wasn't the lead surgeon, but the patient died. It was the first time he failed to save a life on the operating table.

Although Chen Song had gone through psychological training before and knew that since he had embarked on this path, this day would come, but when that day finally came, Chen Song still couldn't bear it.

In the six months since he entered the hospital, people have died every day, and the atmosphere is heavy and depressing. Lu Yuan always offered him a cigarette as a joke, and that time, Chen Song did not refuse.

When he smoked for the first time, the image of Gu Xingjue standing under the dim street light smoking flashed through his mind.

In the past, when Chen Song saw people smoking, he would think of Chen Shengping's foul-smelling appearance. From then on, whenever Chen Song smoked, he would think of Gu Xingjue.

He didn't smoke often, only occasionally smoking one or two when he couldn't relieve the depression in his heart, just like when he thought of Gu Xingjue. He believed that as time went by, sooner or later he would forget Gu Xingjue.

Chen Song's cigarette was not strong, but the light fragrance of tobacco permeated his body. The smoke swirled from his lungs, slowly sweeping away some of the depression. After a cigarette, his phone rang. It was Lu Yuan calling.

Chen Song put out his cigarette and answered the phone: "Hello."

"Hey, is the funeral over yet?"

"Well, it's over."

"Are you on your way back to Vancouver now?"

"No."

"Then when will you be back? If you're late, you might get stuck in traffic."

"Later, I plan to visit my father's grave."

"What?" Lu Yuan jumped up from the bed, "Why do you suddenly want to go?"

Lu Yuan knew that Chen Song had never visited Chen Shengping since his death, not even during the Qingming Festival. Lu Yuan's family had been worried about Chen Song's departure, but they were relieved to find out he was alright.

But they could all see that Chen Song was in a bad state, and thought it was because the support was too tiring, so the Lu family's parents didn't say much. Lu Yuan knew Chen Song's character, and it was definitely not just fatigue. After asking, he learned that Chen Song's colleague had passed away.

Lu Yuan was afraid that something might happen to Chen Song, so he called to check on his condition.

It's really wrong. Who would go to the deep mountains and forests to visit graves so late at night?

"Why don't you go home and rest for a night, then go tomorrow morning. It will be dark when you get there, and your dad's mountain is so winding and dangerous, what kind of accident will happen then?"

Chen Song said calmly, as if he had made up his mind: "It's okay, I'll go take a look and be back soon. I have to go to work tomorrow."

"Didn't Yile give you a half-month vacation? You're going to go after just a week of rest. Big brother, you're risking your life." Lu Yuan advised, "Or you can just not go today. Wait for me to come back from my business trip in a few days and go with you."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. I'll be there early even if I call you. It'll be six at the latest, so it won't be dark. It's almost summer, and it gets dark slowly. I'll be there for a while, so it won't be too late. I'll hang up first."

"Hey you!" Chen Song hung up on Lu Yuan before he could finish his words. When he was about to make another call to persuade him, a message popped up on his phone.

【Scumbag】: Where is Chen Song?

Lu Yuan was thinking about something when a WeChat call popped up on the other end.

Lu Yuan picked up the phone: "You're fucking sick. Every time I don't reply, you call me right away. I'm not a very idle person. I have to stare at my phone all day long."

Gu Xingjue said coldly, "Where is Chen Song? I didn't see him in the hospital, nor in the dormitory. He hasn't been in good condition recently."

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "He's definitely not in good shape. One of his colleagues passed away while providing support. Today is that colleague's funeral. I just finished talking to him on the phone, and he's already attended the funeral. He said... he was going to visit his father's grave."

"He drove there by himself?" Gu Xingjue's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Yes, I told him not to go. It's so late..."

"When did you set off?" Gu Xingjue interrupted him.

"Just now, he said it was probably around six o'clock."

Gu Xingjue hung up the phone directly.

"Hey! They both hung up on me. I give up." Lu Yuan threw away his phone and reacted immediately.

"What do you mean I didn't see him in the hospital? This scumbag came to Vancouver???"

——

Chen Song still made a mistake. The traffic was congested in the evening and he arrived an hour late.

A bright, clear moon hangs low over the bamboo forest, casting a cascade of shadows. The evening mountain breeze and the rustling of leaves dispel the heat, while the chirping of insects and frogs composes a harmonious melody, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

The deeper you go, the quieter the sounds of life become. Thick, lush trees block out the moonlight, muffle the evening breeze, and silence the insects, leaving only the scattered graves in silence.

The surroundings were dim, with only Chen Song's gray eyes flashing with light. He stepped on the stairs covered with fallen leaves, going up one step at a time, and finally stopped in front of Chen Shengping's grave.

This large tomb has five floors, and the floors above are all occupied by the ancestors of the Chen family.

When his grandparents were still alive, Chen Song was never favored. The favored ones were the sons of his eldest uncle, followed by the sons of his second uncle. When his cousins ​​grew up and went to study far away from home, his grandparents did not give him much care.

When the two elders passed away one after another, the last one was seriously ill and confined to bed. Chen Song often visited them. It was then that they truly realized how good Chen Song was.

Despite this, Chen Song was no match for his cousins ​​in their hearts. Grandpa held on to his last breath, just to wait for his eldest cousin to come back. He didn't take his last breath until everyone persuaded him that his eldest cousin would not come back.

It has been almost four years since Chen Shengping's death, and the scars left by the years in Chen Song's heart are becoming increasingly faint. He once couldn't understand why Chen Shengping said she loved him before she died.

But he gradually understood from An Xusheng's faint smile at the last moment. All the hatred, resentment, regrets and remorse were like a wisp of smoke and as light as water before the separation of life and death.

People will let go of all their obsessions before they die. This is Chen Shengping's confession.

Chen Song could understand it, but he couldn't let it go.

Perhaps when the day comes that he dies, he will be able to let go of all his worries.