"You...did you dream about something?" Mrs. He was agitated, grabbing He Zizhen's arm, eager to know if He Tingchuan was safe.

He Zizhen winced in pain and frowned: "Grandma, you hurt me. I didn't dream about it. I just saw you crying and was too scared to talk to Auntie, so I guessed it."

Not getting the answer she wanted, Mrs. He felt completely drained and slumped into her chair: "Your uncle is fine. Don't overthink it or say anything."

He Zizhen nodded: "Grandma, did Uncle go to Tang City?"

Mother He glanced at He Zizhen and nodded.

Thinking of the massive earthquake and the excruciating pain she felt in her dream, He Zizhen was terrified. She clung to her mother and said, "Grandma, Uncle will be alright. He's so strong."

Mrs. He nodded and patted her head reassuringly: "You're right. Your uncle is so outstanding, he'll definitely be fine. Your aunt and Xiaoniangao are still waiting for him to come home!"

......

When Yun Jin received a phone call about the Tang City earthquake, she heard people in the compound talking about it. Some even said they felt the tremors last night but thought they were just half asleep. Who knew it was an earthquake?

The others were unfortunately sleeping too soundly.

Some people are also worried about the situation in Tang City and don't know how it is now.

Today's newspapers are selling exceptionally fast; everyone wants to see the news as soon as it's published.

Yun Jin also bought a copy of the newspaper. The newspaper reported on the early evacuation of residents from the disaster area, indicating that the disaster area had been emptied before the earthquake and that post-disaster relief efforts were already underway.

The number of casualties was small, and could not be compared to the number of people who died or were injured in Yun Jin's reality.

Looking at the number of words in the newspaper, Yun Jin's heart softened. It was wonderful that so many people could be rescued successfully.

He Tingchuan did a great job.

Yun Jin took the newspaper back, looked at the adorable little Nian Gao, picked her up and kissed her a few times: "Your dad is so great, so amazing! When you come back, you must call him 'Dad' a lot more often!"

Little Rice Cake grinned happily and followed Yun Jin's words, "Daddy!"

"Yes, Dad!"

"Daddy...Mommy!"

Yun Jin stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "Say it again."

Little Rice Cake happily kicked her legs: "Daddy, Mommy!"

"My sweet baby is so amazing!" Yun Jin happily kissed him several times, almost distorting Xiao Niangao's face.

When Li Aimei saw the newspaper about the earthquake, she couldn't help but worry: "I wonder where my brother and the others are on their mission. I hope they didn't go here."

Yun Jin didn't say anything, afraid that Li Aimei wouldn't be able to handle it.

In the following days, Yun Jin listened to the radio or waited for the daily newspaper whenever she had nothing to do.

Their location was too far from Tang City to offer much help. All they knew was that there were still aftershocks of varying magnitudes after the earthquake, and it was also raining heavily, making the weather harsh and the conditions for rescue difficult.

Fortunately, they had all evacuated, so there was no need to dig any deeper.

The terrain of Tang City has also changed drastically, leaving it scarred and shocking.

Yun Jin called Beijing every few days to inquire about He Tingchuan's whereabouts. He's mother always said that he was there for rescue and was fine, so she didn't need to worry. She said that he would call her after the power lines were installed and communication was restored.

Yun Jin waits for He Tingchuan's call every day.

He Tingchuan also wanted to make a phone call, but unfortunately he couldn't.

When the earthquake struck, the car overturned out of control, and everyone fell out of the car. Only those who have experienced it can understand the feeling of the world spinning and the earth cracking.

When he woke up, he found himself buried underground.

A faint whimpering sound could be heard. After regaining consciousness, He Tingchuan called out Li Aiguo's name, as well as the names of others.

After barking for a while, a woofing sound came from behind.

He Tingchuan recognized her; it was the little female dog that had given birth.

After a while, He Tingchuan checked his surroundings and found himself buried under a truck. The truck bed was stuck in a spot with a small gap.

He Tingchuan glanced at the time in the dim light; it was already past eight in the morning.

In other words, he was unconscious for more than four hours.

Just as they were thinking about how to get out, they heard a faint cry for help: "Commander, Commander, where are you?"

“I’m here, Li Aiguo,” He Tingchuan shouted.

Li Aiguo responded, "Here."

"Who's with you?" He Tingchuan asked.

Li Aiguo's eyes darted around, and in the limited space, he spotted a familiar face. He replied, "Liu Xiaoguo is here too."

"Check on his condition." He Tingchuan waited for Li Aiguo's response.

Li Aiguo struggled to check and found that the other person was already cold. His heart sank and tears almost welled up in his eyes: "Commander, Liu Xiaoguo has sacrificed himself."

He Tingchuan: "..."

Knowing that now was not the time to grieve, He Tingchuan, after confirming their situation, devised a plan for self-rescue with the survivors. They had come to be rescued; they couldn't let others rescue them.

Moreover, aftershocks continued, putting rescuers in great danger.

If they want to survive, they have no choice but to save themselves.

Exhausted, hungry, and injured, they relied on their will to survive and managed to crawl out from under the truck bed before nightfall, carrying a female puppy in their arms and two still-living puppies in their pockets.

After settling the mother dog and the puppies in place, he immediately returned to rescue Li Aiguo and the others.

During this period, aftershocks continued, and He Tingchuan was covered in blood, so disheveled that he was unrecognizable.

The rain poured down, and He Tingchuan and the survivors they rescued dug a hole in the spot where Li Aiguo and the others were. Before another aftershock struck, they also brought out the bodies of Li Aiguo and Liu Xiaoguo.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!