Chapter 85: Everything Will Be Alright - Emergency Rescue of the Kitten During a Girlfriends' Gathering
The city is bathed in lazy sunshine on the weekend, and a sense of leisure permeates the air.
Shi Wan and Wang Zhizhi arranged to meet at a highly-rated private restaurant.
Upon meeting, Wang Zhizhi gave Shi Wan a big hug, her face beaming with a radiant smile reminiscent of the song "The serfs have been liberated and are now singing."
"Shi Xiaowan! I've missed you so much! You have no idea how triumphant I've been this past week!" She pulled Shi Wan down to sit, and her mouth started to run like a clockwork, complaining endlessly about the various antics of her former boss, Li Cheng, before he left, and about her joy at finally escaping his clutches and about to get a promotion and a raise.
Although it was temporary, the mountain that had been weighing on her head had finally disappeared, and that alone was enough to make Wang Zhizhi happy for half a year.
"You have no idea, on the last day he was still trying to put on airs and dump a few difficult cases on me, but I shut him down on the spot with the procedural terms and conditions! Hahaha, you didn't see his face then, turning from green to white, it was so satisfying!" Wang Zhizhi waved her chopsticks as if they weren't chopsticks, but her scepter of victory.
Shi Wan smiled and placed a piece of her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs on her plate. "Alright, alright, Mr. Wang, calm down. The evil dragon has been driven away. From now on, the world is yours."
"That's right!" Wang Zhizhi said, her words muffled as she bit into a spare rib. Then she asked with concern, "By the way, how are things over there? Is the farm doing well? I saw you guys are hyping up new products, are you going to launch that mousse jar and fruit and vegetable crisps? I saw everyone's reviews online saying they're really looking forward to it!"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony. Remember to reserve some for me after they're produced. I want to be the first customer for the new product!"
"Okay, okay, what kind of relationship do we have? How could I forget you?" Shi Wan took a sip of tea and pretended to roll her eyes at her. "You know, ever since Su Qing took over the second district, the new production line in the second district has been running smoothly, with a lot of orders. I've been able to relax a bit, otherwise I wouldn't have had time to listen to your glorious deeds."
"The first district is still the same as always. The cats eat and sleep, occasionally supervise the work, and live a more comfortable life than I do. They're getting bigger and bigger than pigs. At this rate, the diet food will probably be brought up soon."
Wang Zhizhi laughed so hard she was shaking.
The two chatted as they ate, talking about everything from work gossip to the shows they'd recently watched, and from fashion items to their life ideals, their laughter never stopping.
After dinner, still feeling unsatisfied, they went to a karaoke bar to sing. Wang Zhizhi grabbed the microphone and belted out several inspirational songs, howling and screaming for a long time, completely venting her pent-up frustration.
Finally, they went on a shopping spree at the mall. Wang Zhizhi bought a beautiful dress for herself and Shi Wan, ostensibly to celebrate their new life.
"Once I've completely sorted out and handed over my work, I'll come visit you at the farm this weekend!" Wang Zhizhi said confidently, carrying shopping bags. "Let me tell you, I'm firmly against ineffective competition, and nobody can take away my weekend rest time! From now on, my weekends will either be spent lounging at home or at your place cuddling your cats and recharging!"
Shi Wan was amused by her and was about to nod when suddenly the smile on her face froze slightly.
A voice, tinged with worry, rang urgently in her ear, a voice only she could hear.
It is the arrival of a star.
"Shi Wan, there is an anomaly at feeding point B-07. The surveillance footage shows a kitten that appears to be injured has entered the feeder. It has blood on its mouth, is trembling, and is in very poor condition. I have already synced the coordinates to your navigation."
Shi Wan's heart sank.
Those magical stones hidden in the corners of the city are not only feeding points, but also equipped with basic monitoring and vital sign scanning functions. They are monitored by Starfall in order to deal with this situation.
The relaxed expression on her face vanished instantly. She gestured for Wang Zhizhi to wait a moment, quickly walked to the side, pretended to answer the phone, and asked in a low voice, "Xinglin, what's the specific situation over there? Can you see the injuries clearly?"
"The camera angle is limited, so I can't make a complete judgment. But the vital signs scan shows that the heart rate is too fast, the breathing is weak, and the body temperature is trending downward. My judgment is that it may have suffered an external impact or serious internal injuries. The nearest 24-hour pet hospital is Anxin Animal Clinic, which is about 3.5 kilometers away. I have planned the best route."
Xinglin's voice remained steady, but his speaking speed was slightly faster than usual, revealing the urgency of the situation.
Shi Wan put away her phone and quickly walked back to Wang Zhizhi's side, her face more solemn than ever before.
"Zhizhi, I'm sorry, something urgent has happened. A kitten that was seriously injured was found at a pet feeding station. It's not doing well, and I have to go there right away."
Wang Zhizhi's smile vanished instantly. Seeing Shi Wan's furrowed brows, she didn't hesitate and immediately picked up the shopping bag that was placed to the side. "Where is it? I'll go with you! More people means more help!"
Shi Wan felt a warmth in her heart, nodded, and the two of them, carrying the things they had just bought, hurried towards the parking lot.
Shi Wan started the car and set the navigation destination to the coordinates near the feeding point provided by Xinglin. The vehicle immediately merged into the traffic.
The atmosphere inside the car was tense.
Wang Zhizhi fastened her seatbelt and asked worriedly, "Is it serious? How did you get injured? What exactly happened?"
“Xing… I saw blood on the corner of her mouth on the surveillance footage, and the kitten was trembling. We don’t know the specifics yet.” Shi Wan gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Xinglin's voice rang in her ears at just the right moment. Although anxious, he remained calm. "The target's vital signs continue to weaken. We have contacted the clinic's front desk to explain the situation, and they said they will be prepared. The route is clear, and we expect to arrive at the feeding point in seventeen minutes."
This clear and calm broadcast was like a shot in the arm, calming Shi Wan's anxious heart a little.
She knew that Xinglin was mobilizing all available resources to buy time for that little life she had never met.
Guided by Xinglin's precise route, the car traveled quickly and smoothly.
When they arrived at the feeding point hidden deep in the green belt of the old residential area, Shi Wan cleanly and neatly parked the car and jumped out, with Wang Zhizhi following closely behind.
At the entrance of the automatic grain dispensing machine, which was disguised as an old tree stump, a small, orange-white figure was huddled inside.
It looked only two or three months old, skinny and bony. Its once fluffy fur was now covered in dust and dark red bloodstains, especially the bright red stain at the corner of its mouth, which was shocking.
Its small body was curled up in a ball, trembling incessantly, as if it had exhausted all its strength to even lift its head.
When it heard Shi Wan's approaching footsteps, it weakly opened its eyes a crack, filled with fear and pain, and let out a barely audible, breathy moan... It was heartbreaking.
"Oh my god..." Wang Zhizhi covered her mouth. As a cat owner, she couldn't bear to see this scene, and tears welled up in her eyes almost instantly. "How can it be so small..."
Shi Wan's heart clenched. She approached cautiously, trying not to make a loud noise.
"Don't be afraid, little one, we're here to help you," she said softly, gently touching the kitten's neck with her finger.
Thankfully, my skin was still warm.
Just then, the kitten seemed to be unable to hold on any longer. Its body, which had been barely curled up, went limp and it lay down on its side. Only the slight rise and fall of its belly proved that it was still alive.
"It seems to be dying!" Wang Zhizhi exclaimed anxiously, immediately taking off the soft cashmere scarf from her neck. "Wrap it up with this!"
Shi Wan took it and carefully wrapped the tiny, almost weightless kitten with a scarf, leaving only its head sticking out.
The kitten seemed to feel a little safe from the wrapping, or perhaps it was too weak to struggle, and was just trembling slightly inside the scarf.
The two carried the kitten and returned to the car as quickly as possible.
Wang Zhizhi sat in the back seat, holding the kitten wrapped in swaddling clothes, and kept gently comforting it, "Hang in there, little baby, we'll be at the hospital soon, the doctor will definitely save you..."
Xinglin once again proved its worth, providing real-time traffic updates, selecting the smoothest route, and communicating with the clinic in advance about the estimated arrival time and the cat's initial condition.
Upon arrival at Anxin Animal Clinic, the nurses, who had clearly been notified, immediately came to greet us.
Shi Wan quickly and simply explained the situation: "We found it at the animal feeding point. It had blood at the corner of its mouth, was unconscious, but was still breathing."
There weren't many people in the clinic, just a young couple who brought their dog to get vaccinated and a girl waiting to have her rabbit examined.
When they saw Shi Wan and Wang Zhizhi rush in carrying a kitten wrapped in a scarf that was clearly in critical condition, they all gathered around them with concern.
"Is the doctor here?" Wang Zhizhi asked urgently.
A middle-aged male doctor wearing a white coat and glasses walked out quickly, looking serious.
"Leave it to me." He gestured for the nurse to take the kitten into the treatment room, and with practiced ease, he untied his scarf and began the initial examination.
Under the light, the kitten's condition became clearer.
It was so thin and small, with its ribs clearly visible. Besides the corners of its mouth, there were also some scratches and scabs on the edges of its ears.
The doctor listened to its heartbeat and breathing with a stethoscope, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.
He gently pressed on the kitten's abdomen and limbs, and even though the kitten was unconscious, its body twitched reflexively.
“The situation is not good,” the doctor said in a deep voice, his tone grave. “There are multiple abrasions on the body, and the bleeding from the corner of the mouth may be due to internal oral injury or internal bleeding. The pupils have a sluggish pupillary light reflex, there is a fracture in the hind limb, and the abdominal cavity is sensitive, suggesting internal bleeding. It is very likely a car accident.”
Upon hearing the words "car accident" and "internal bleeding," Shi Wan and Wang Zhizhi felt their hearts sink.
Looking at the small, lifeless body on the treatment table, Wang Zhizhi's eyes reddened again, and she subconsciously gripped Shi Wan's hand tightly.
The parents with the dog whispered worriedly, "Sigh, such a small kitten, so pitiful."
"I hope the doctors can save him."
The girl holding the rabbit looked solemn and silently prayed for the unfamiliar kitten.
The doctor quickly issued instructions: "Immediately check the chest and abdominal cavities, and be prepared for surgery at any time."
The nurses immediately sprang into action, and the treatment room was filled with a tense and busy atmosphere.
Shi Wan and Wang Zhizhi were asked to wait outside temporarily.
The corridor fell silent, save for their heavy breathing and their shared prayers for the little life.
The two looked at each other silently, their eyes filled with unyielding solemnity and worry.
Xinglin wanted to comfort Shi Wan, but he didn't know how to start.
After all, even he himself found it hard to accept the possibility that the kitten might die.
"It'll be alright." Shi Wan held Wang Zhizhi's hand, unsure whether she was comforting her or talking to herself.
"Everything will be alright."
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