Chapter 68 Qingyun, that's my wife.
Jiang Mingxue canceled her ticket and boarded a military helicopter with several air force doctors, carrying the supplies donated by Zhu Wenshan and the others, heading towards Nancheng.
The rain had just stopped, and the helicopter rotors stirred up the last wisp of damp cloud. The plains, freshly washed by the rain, looked as if they had been ironed by the rain; the gray-brown earth had a matte sheen, and the field ridges were as straight as if drawn with an ink ruler. The early autumn fields were radiating a fresh and vibrant color.
After the rain, the north was shrouded in a misty dampness, so clear and bright that it was as if it had been washed clean, making it impossible to look away.
In the past, she would have leaned against the window to admire such a beautiful view, but now she had to conserve her energy to treat the disaster victims.
Even though I wasn't sleepy, I forced myself to take a short nap to avoid being too tired during the rescue.
Two hours later, the military helicopter slowly hovered above Nancheng. Jiang Mingxue opened her eyes. Unlike the clear view when she arrived, the view outside the window was a desolate and dilapidated gray-yellow landscape. The entire Nancheng was submerged in murky water, and the hazy daylight was as dark as night.
The disaster was worse than she had imagined.
The helicopter landed on a temporary helipad set up in the disaster area of Nancheng, and the crew changed into protective suits inside the cabin beforehand.
Jiang Mingxue clutched her medical kit and ran with the military doctor toward the rescue vehicle. The rain was still pouring down, and her trouser legs were instantly soaked by the floodwater. Rainwater seeped into her collar and soaked the fabric, and even her raincoat couldn't keep out the rain.
Outside the car window, the streets were flooded by muddy water, and the trees along the roadside were bent over in the water. Even through the closed car window, you could hear the wailing of a baby trapped in a residential building.
The floodwaters continued to rise, and the closer they got to the area they were responsible for supporting, the deeper the water became. Even the rescue vehicles couldn't get in, so they switched to speedboats and rushed to the temporary resettlement site.
The air was thick with the smell of yellow cement. Not far away, several elderly people clung to the eaves of a house, looking helpless and pitiful.
As shocking scenes unfolded before her eyes, Jiang Mingxue unconsciously clenched her hands, which were resting on her knees.
Watching the news on TV is one thing, but participating in disaster relief on the ground is another kind of awe-inspiring experience.
The video recordings that were once behind the screen were transformed into vivid scenes and sounds: the torrential rain, the rescue workers rushing around, the floodwaters filled with debris, and the cries for help rising and falling in her ears... all of which made her breathing heavy.
In the face of natural disasters, humans are so vulnerable; a single flood can easily take a life.
"That building is full of elderly people and pregnant women. Let's go over there first." The military medical commander sat at the front of the assault boat and gave instructions.
They were providing support to a backward county town under the jurisdiction of Nancheng. The town was located in a low-lying area with poor flood control mechanisms, and it was one of the most severely affected areas.
Rescue workers used inflatable boats to take them to a temporary shelter, then turned back to another location to continue rescuing people.
The temporary shelter was filled with rescued residents. Some had only swallowed some water and were almost fine, while others had developed tracheitis from being submerged in water, and still others had large cuts on their limbs from being hit by sharp objects during the flood, from which blood was trickling out.
Jiang Mingxue glanced at the scene, then quickly and decisively walked to the bleeding victim and took out a first-aid kit to bandage the old man.
From severe to mild cases, from the elderly and children to young adults, the priority is to save lives before treating injuries.
Disaster relief is different from regular treatment. It's about racing against time and saving lives from the flood. Jiang Mingxue quickly bandaged the old man, then turned to the little boy in the corner, half-squatted down, and used iodine and alcohol on her fingertips to clean the large wound on his ankle that had been cut by stones.
The little boy gasped in pain. She gently blew on the wound while quickly wrapping it tightly with sterile gauze: "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt anymore once it's bandaged."
"Doctor, I'm not afraid of pain, but I really want to see my mom." The little boy choked up but remained strong. "Doctor, do you know where my mom is now? Is she safe?"
This question stumped Jiang Mingxue, who had just arrived in Nancheng and was unaware of the situation.
Upon hearing this, another doctor nearby turned around, looked at her with a grave expression, and gently shook his head.
The little boy's mother was swept away by the flood while trying to protect him and is now missing.
Jiang Mingxue paused, her clenched fingers turning slightly white. She then turned around, bent down to tie the gauze ribbon for him, and her gentle voice came from under her mask: "The rescue team has already rescued Mom and is waiting outside to pick up her baby."
The little boy was overjoyed: "Sister, are you serious?!"
Jiang Mingxue hesitated for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "It's true."
She also hoped that her fabricated stories would eventually come true.
There were many patients at the resettlement site, and the medical kits were used up after treating only a dozen or so patients.
Jiang Mingxue wiped the sweat from her forehead and walked to the medical point to get a new one, but she heard the commander arguing loudly on the phone:
"What?! We have over a dozen military doctors here, frantically trying to reach hundreds of patients. We've even dragged military family members over with us! It's one thing that your hospital can't send anyone, but now it takes two days to deliver even a batch of medicine. Do you even value human life?!"
Jiang Mingxue didn't know what the other person was saying, but she heard the commander angrily yell back, "Regulations, regulations, regulations! All you know are regulations! At a time when lives are at stake, you still want to go through those stupid procedures just to keep your jobs!"
"Alright, you don't need to say anything more. If you can't deliver it, I'll report to my superiors and let them determine whether your regulations are more important or the disaster situation is more important!"
After saying that, the commander-in-chief angrily hung up the phone, muttering under his breath, "What kind of garbage is this!"
Jiang Mingxue understood the general situation and went over to ask, "Is it because we don't have enough medicine and medical equipment?"
The commander-in-chief was furious, but he was very polite to Jiang Mingxue: "Yes, the base has limited medical supplies. We have almost exhausted the base's reserves with what we have. But we did not expect the disaster to be much more serious than we imagined. These supplies will not even last tonight."
Jiang Mingxue understood and asked, "If you are willing to use traditional Chinese medicine, perhaps I can think of a way."
Hope rekindled in the commander's eyes: "Of course we're willing to use traditional Chinese medicine! Any medicine that can cure the disease, whether it's Western or traditional Chinese medicine, is a good medicine!"
Jiang Mingxue smiled and said, "Okay."
She walked to the side, took out her phone from the waterproof bag, first called Xu Yan, asking her to coordinate all the over-the-counter medicines in Beicheng, sort and pack them, then called Jiang Huaijing, asking him to send several helicopters to transport medicinal materials and medical supplies, and then sent a brief email to the national head of Yuanhe Medical Clinic:
"If the disaster requires it, Yuanhe Medical Clinic will provide full support. Those who are willing to participate in flood relief will receive triple their year-end bonus."
The head of the 321 branch offices quickly replied that they had received the message.
This whole process was completed in just a few minutes, much faster than the communication process with the hospital.
Even the commander exclaimed, "This efficiency is just too high!"
Jiang Mingxue smiled but said nothing, and put the phone back into the waterproof bag.
Her communication with the clinic and Huaijing would certainly be more efficient.
Because it was done without regard to cost, manpower, or any other expense, the entire medical institution mobilized its resources and gave its all to help.
Jiang Mingxue put away her phone and returned to her assigned area to treat the remaining patients.
She cleaned and disinfected the infected wound of the patient she was handling, and after applying the medicine, she turned to look at the sky outside. The heavy rain showed no signs of stopping.
As the water level rises, the rescue mission for the armed police and soldiers outdoors becomes even more challenging.
With a silent sigh in his heart, just as he was about to turn his head away, a tall figure suddenly appeared at the edge of his field of vision.
His camouflage uniform was soaked through by the rain; the water level was above others' waists, but only reached his upper thighs. His sharp eyes scanned the water ahead, and behind him lay a pale-faced old man, wading forward through knee-deep water.
Seemingly sensing her gaze, the man tilted his head slightly and looked in her direction.
His clothes and trousers were covered in mud. The relentless 17-hour rescue mission had cast a faint shadow over his eyes, but they remained deep and captivating.
The moment their eyes met, Rong Chengzhou froze for a second.
Even though she was wearing a mask and a hat, he could still recognize her eyes and figure accurately, but he never expected to see her here.
My gaze shifted downwards and landed on her white coat; I immediately understood.
Rainwater slid down his taut jawline to his lips, where a very faint curve slowly appeared.
Jiang Mingxue also curved her lips into a smile.
They gazed at each other through the raging rain.
They didn't say a word, just exchanged a knowing smile.
Then they drove away in opposite directions.
He walked through the heavy rain, while she bustled among the patients.
Each went on to fulfill their own mission.
......
Jiang Huaijing arranged for several helicopters to fly over from Beicheng in the heavy rain. In addition to ready-made medicines that can be drunk or applied directly, he also prepared a large amount of supplies, which were transported to their destination in just three hours.
Since the helicopter couldn't land, it was lowered down using a rope.
Like rain after a long drought, a large amount of supplies fell from the sky, bringing hope to all medical staff and patients.
Jiang Mingxue was taking the pulse of a pregnant woman who had just been brought in, gently comforting her:
"The baby is healthy. Just wait a little longer, the rescue boat will be here to pick us up soon."
The pregnant woman burst into tears of joy and thanked the doctor profusely, saying, "Thank you, doctor!"
Not far away, several air force personnel who had come to provide support were resting at the temporary command post opposite, holding dry bread covered in mud in their hands. This was their first meal since arriving here.
An air force officer looked into the resettlement building. Among all the doctors, only the thin young woman was not wearing a military uniform, but only a white coat. She was kneeling on the damp floor listening to the fetal heartbeat of a pregnant woman. She was clearly not a military doctor from their base.
His comrade explained to him, "That's Dr. Jiang. She's not a military doctor from our unit. The commander temporarily pulled her from the family compound. The commander said that we are so grateful to Dr. Jiang today. If it weren't for her, the injured people wouldn't even have been able to get any medicine."
"I knew it. We and the military doctor came here to provide support on a mission, but she volunteered. She's so kind."
"Yes, my wound got infected when I was saving someone, and it was Dr. Jiang who helped me apply the medicine. She was so tired, yet she was still so gentle and patient. Whoever marries her is truly blessed."
"I heard that those helicopters were transported by her family. That's incredible efficiency—they must be incredibly wealthy."
“Of course, just by looking at her demeanor, she doesn’t come from an ordinary family.” Another comrade chimed in, then noticed Rong Chengzhou, who had remained silent the whole time, and asked eagerly, “Hey, Captain Rong, aren’t you curious about who this Dr. Jiang is?”
Rong Chengzhou bent one knee and leaned against the wall, his hand casually resting on his bent knee.
Throughout their conversation, their gaze remained fixed on that slender, beautiful figure in the distance, never wavering from her.
He slowly opened his lips, his tone so earnest:
That's my wife.
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