Chapter 109
Then came the outbreak period, with new infections in the community every day. Ambulances came one after another, and the desperate cries of family members chasing after the ambulances echoed throughout the community.
There is no specific medicine, and treatment plans are still being explored. If it is a severe case, there is basically no chance of returning. They will not be able to see each other one last time and will only be sent back as small boxes.
What's frightening is that more and more people are getting infected, and some die at home before they can even receive help. They have no funeral arrangements; they are simply wrapped in a white cloth and taken away in a hearse.
Death's mockery of human powerlessness is vividly displayed at this moment.
The whole world seemed shrouded in a giant "□□". Lin Ting opened her eyes, then closed them, and all she saw was white: white protective suits, white ambulances, white hearses, white tarpaulins...
Life and death happen every day, and many people's mental state will break down, especially those on the front lines.
Lin Ting looked up at the sky, as if even the heavens were grieving for the catastrophe that had befallen humanity. The night was as dark as ink, without even a faint starlight.
The beeping of an ambulance sounded again in the distance, and I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of despair.
A slight coolness felt on my face.
It's snowing.
Lin Ting raised her hand and caught a snowflake. "It's snowing."
Chen Zhiyi: "Yes, it's snowing. Even God is complaining."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ting saw a tall figure slowly slump down on the ground along the white wall, head down, hands on knees hanging limply, his whole body utterly powerless.
When life and death are at stake, who can remain calm?
Chen Zhiyi looked up. Neither of them was wearing protective goggles at the moment. Under the dim streetlights, his eyes shone with endless pain and exhaustion. "I just feel that life is so fragile, so fragile that a car accident, an earthquake, or even a fever and cough can take it away."
Lin Ting smiled bitterly, "Yes, humans pride themselves on being the most advanced beings on Earth, capable of creating advanced civilizations, ruling the world, going to heaven and earth, conquering the stars and the sea, seemingly omnipotent. Yet, when faced with death, they are still helpless, unable to protect themselves or the people they love."
"Do you know what I'm most grateful for these past few days?" A hint of joy flashed in Chen Zhiyi's eyes. "It's being able to be by your side, to be with you, and to have the experience of fighting side by side and sharing life and death. Back in school, you took care of me the most, and I really wish it were the other way around. When we reunited, I also wanted to be by your side at all times. Because of my status as an artist, we've never stood together in front of outsiders, but we've achieved all of that during this time. Thinking about it this way, I feel like I can die without regrets."
Lin Ting frowned: "What do you mean by dead or alive? Don't talk nonsense."
Chen Zhiyi was very serious, saying, "If I really die from the virus, please remember to donate my body for professional autopsy research. Everyone should contribute to society and leave some value in their lifetime."
Lin Ting got anxious, "Stop talking! Can't you be more optimistic? Besides, we're always together. If you get infected, I'll get away with it!"
"That's true. I'll be in a separate room from you then. I don't want you to see me dying miserably. I have to be handsome in your memory."
"They're about to die, all they're thinking about is saving you. Who cares what you look like?" Lin Ting rolled her eyes inwardly. "Even though we're on the front lines, we're doing a good job with our protective measures. We'll be fine. Try to be optimistic."
Suddenly, Chen Zhiyi stood up, faced her, and said solemnly, "You and I both know the current situation; it's hard to be optimistic. Yesterday, while I was resting, I had a lawyer notarize my will, and all my property will be..."
"Shut up!" Lin Ting finally snapped. "Stop pretending to be so noble! What do you mean by 'donating your body'? You handle that yourself. And who gets your assets is none of my business! You won't leave me alone even after you're dead!" Lin Ting then squatted on the ground and burst into tears. "Why is it that in the end I always have to bear the consequences? Am I just destined to suffer?"
Unexpectedly, Lin Ting reacted so strongly, and Chen Zhiyi hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"So many people have already lost their lives in this disaster. Let's not have any more. Wouldn't it be better if we all tried our best to live?"
"good."
Just then, a loud voice broke the silence of the night: "Go China!"
Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man waving a national flag and shouting on the fourth floor diagonally opposite.
Immediately afterwards, people on the opposite building rushed onto their balconies and shouted, "Go China! We will win!"
Soon, more voices joined in, converging into an unstoppable torrent that echoed through the night sky: "Go China! China will prevail!"
At that moment, the national flags waving in the night wind intertwined to form a magnificent picture, decorating the community with extraordinary solemnity and enthusiasm. The scene was no longer white, but bright and unrestrained red. They dispelled the cold of the snowy night, dispelled the shadow of death, and brought faith, hope, and strength.
The scene before her eyes shocked and moved Lin Ting. She slowly stood up and joined everyone in shouting.
The blood that had been frozen by the cold air began to boil.
"Yes, we will definitely win this battle!" Chen Zhiyi shouted, his eyes burning with intense passion, his voice full of power and determination.
He turned to look at Lin Ting, "Xiao Jie is right. Right now, I firmly believe that when spring arrives and the flowers bloom, we will definitely be able to go out together and experience the beauty of spring."
Because we possess a national spirit of unity and perseverance, it will forever be a shining pearl in the long river of history.
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Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi were distributing a new round of supplies when they arrived at apartment 201 in building 6 and found several "Big Whites" (medical workers in protective suits) standing at the door. Lin Ting knew that an elderly man lived there alone, without children, and whose wife had passed away from illness in his middle age. He was very pitiful and helpless. Every time he came to the shop to have his clothes repaired, Lin Ting never charged him. Over time, they became familiar with each other and often sat in the shop to chat with the experienced tailors.
This fight must have been infected, so Lin Ting quickly went over to find out what was going on.
"Uncle Wang, what's going on?"
When the old man saw Lin Ting, he was overjoyed, as if he had found a lifeline. He said, “They said I was infected and that they were going to take me to quarantine. I have no symptoms and I’m perfectly healthy. Even if I get sick, I can just take some medicine.”
"No, according to our epidemiological investigation, you had contact with a severely infected person and are very likely infected, just without showing symptoms yet. To prevent the spread, you must be isolated." Lin recognized the speaker; it was someone from the CDC.
The old man retorted, "I stay at home every day and don't go anywhere. What am I supposed to spread? Besides, I'm not sick and I haven't been infected. Maybe I'll get infected if I go to the quarantine place. I absolutely won't go."
The CDC staff grew impatient. "Don't talk nonsense, old man. Our isolation wards are doing a great job, there's no risk of cross-infection. Many infected patients are receiving effective treatment and will be discharged soon. You should trust the doctors."
"Don't lie to me, the old man across from me passed away in the hospital the day before yesterday."
"The old man had very serious underlying conditions, and the root cause of his death was a heart attack."
“He wouldn’t have left so quickly if he hadn’t been infected. Anyway, I’m not going.”
The CDC staff had run out of patience. "If you still resist, we will have to take tough measures. Moreover, if you do not cooperate with the epidemic prevention and control work, you can be prosecuted as a criminal case."
The old man was clearly not afraid. "Then call the police to arrest me."
"..."
Lin Ting stepped forward and advised, "Uncle Wang, you should go to the hospital with them for isolation. The doctor is right. It's very likely that the virus has already infected you, but it hasn't manifested yet. The virus is spreading rapidly, and if you get sick while you're alone at home, there will be no one to take care of you."
Uncle Wang was anxious, but he didn't expect Lin Ting to help them. "I know my body. I'm fine. When I get sick, it's just a cold or fever. I always keep medicine on hand. I can handle it."
Lin Ting advised him, "Uncle Wang, this is not an ordinary cold or fever. If it becomes a serious illness and is not treated in time, it can be fatal."
"If I die, I die. At least I'll pass away at home. We older folks believe in returning to our roots. I want to die at home, not in a hospital. I want to see my wife looking my best, not in a hospital gown. I haven't seen her in so many years. We've finally reunited, and I want to look my best for her."
Hearing the old man's words, Lin Ting didn't know how to offer any advice. From their conversations, she knew that Wang Bo's wife was the pillar of his life. If he hadn't promised to live for her and see more of the world's beauty for her, he would have collapsed long ago. Although he was a lonely old man, he always dressed himself up neatly and cleanly. Some people mocked him, saying that at his age he still acted like a young man, always fussing over his appearance. What wicked intentions could he have? He simply wanted to present his best self to the person he thought about every day.
The disease control personnel didn't want to waste any more time; every second they spent on him was wasting time that could be used to treat others. "It's completely unreasonable, so we had to take him away by force."
Two tall men standing nearby stepped forward to try and grab the old man's arms, but he resisted fiercely and tried to fall to the ground.
Lin Ting was afraid of Wang Bo's hand, so she reached out to help him up, but Wang Bo was furious and couldn't tell who it was, so he waved his hand away.
Just as the slap was about to hit Lin Ting's right cheek, Chen Zhiyi, who had arrived, stepped in front of her.
A powerful and loud slap landed directly on Chen Zhiyi's face, removing his mask and leaving a deep red handprint with traces of blood, clearly indicating that he had been scratched by fingernails.
Everyone present was terrified, knowing what this meant. Lin Ting froze on the spot, her face as white as a sheet. She didn't know what to do. She only remembered that later, Uncle Wang was forcibly taken away, while Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi were sent home. Chen Zhiyi, being an indirect carrier, could be quarantined at home for observation, and any abnormalities were to be reported immediately.
The community staff escorted the two home. Lin didn't do anything; he just grabbed a sledgehammer and smashed the lock on apartment 301, forcing the door open.
Lin Ting turned to the community staff and said, "During the quarantine period, the two of us will stay in this room and won't go out. You can rest assured. After these few days, we know how serious the epidemic is, and we will definitely not cause trouble for others."
A resident of the community said, "Teacher Ye, you should avoid this area. You should move back to room 302."
Lin Ting looked at Chen Zhiyi with a resolute expression: "If my brother is to live alone in 302, I must stay with him and take care of him."
Chen Zhiyi disagreed, "No way."
"Shut up." Lin Ting said to the community members again, "Don't worry, I'm already very familiar with disinfection and personal protection when I was a volunteer. I believe I can take good care of him and protect myself. Please."
The community members nodded. "Okay, contact us immediately if there are any abnormalities." During this time, the two were inseparable, and their eyes were full of love for each other. Even if they didn't explicitly say that they were in a relationship, everyone knew. True feelings and true love are revealed in times of trouble.
After the community workers left, Lin Ting took off her protective suit and disinfected herself. She then walked through apartment 301. The layout was the same as 302, but apart from two beds and a sofa, there was nothing else. The original landlady, Aunt Wang, was a ruthless woman; she had lived there for so many years, and when she moved out, she took everything with her, leaving no trace. Lin Ting thought that even if Chen Zhiyi had stayed there, he probably would have knocked the door of 302 down.
Fortunately, the water heater worked and produced hot water, so Lin Ting moved Chen Zhiyi's luggage from room 302 to room 301. Since the two of them became volunteers, Chen Zhiyi had been sleeping on the sofa in the living room, and his luggage had been cleared out of Qin Wei's room. Lin Ting took out some loungewear from the luggage and pushed Chen Zhiyi into the bathroom so he could change his clothes and take a hot shower.
While he was taking a shower, Lin Ting packed some personal items in room 301. Before leaving, she went to Qin Wei's room and wanted to say something to him.
To avoid cross-infection, Lin Ting instructed Qin Wei to stay in his room during this time at home unless Lin Ting actively called him out. Qin Wei was washing up in the bathroom. She and Chen Zhiyi shared the master bedroom, and they communicated in the group chat for anything they needed to discuss. Out of necessity, Lin Ting added Chen Zhiyi back on WeChat. His WeChat ID and profile picture remained unchanged, while she had already changed them three times.
The three of them were in a group chat with no group name. The messages were very simple, mostly voice messages from Qin Wei.
"Sister, Brother Chen, remember to drink the chicken soup when you get back."
"I've cooked some porridge; you can have some before you go out."
"I tried to cook braised pork today, but it seems I failed. I'm so sad."
"It's snowing outside and so cold. I made ginger tea, my sister taught me how, and it turned out really well. I poured it into a thermos, so you must drink it when you come back!"
Lin Ting listened carefully to every voice message. She used to feel guilty for taking in and caring for Qin Wei, as it was something she felt she had done wrong to her mother and her younger self. But now she felt it was the right thing to do. Perhaps it was because Lin Qin was worried about being too lonely in the world after her death that she was brought to Qin Wei's side by some unseen force, giving her family again.
She knocked on Qin Wei's door and heard a sobbing voice from inside, "Sister."
Qin Wei probably already guessed what was happening outside. He was actually quite clever, but he listened to his sister very much and stayed in his room the whole time.
"Sister wants to praise Xiaowei. He's kept the house very clean lately, and his cooking is delicious. Really, every time Chen and I come back, we're touched to see the food you've left for us in the kitchen. You've really grown up and become more sensible. You can take care of yourself and your sister too, and I'm so proud of you. I think you can guess what happened from the commotion outside just now. But don't worry, Chen and I are lucky, we'll be fine."
The crying inside became noticeably louder.
"How old are you? Don't cry. To prevent cross-infection, your brother Chen and I have temporarily moved to apartment 301 across the street. You'll be home alone as before. Remember to disinfect yourself daily, eat well, sleep well, and take good care of yourself. Promise me, okay?" Lin Ting knocked on the door again.
Qin Wei's voice trembled with sobs, "I can help you take care of Brother Chen too."
Lin Ting: "I know, but I told you before that this illness is a war without gunpowder. In addition to the front line, a stable rear is also needed to provide support at any time. Not everyone can rush to the front. I will definitely call you when I need your help. But we can hold on for now, so don't worry too much. Taking good care of yourself is the most important thing. Don't make me worry about both sides."
"Okay, Xiaowei always listens to his older sister."
"Great, then you've moved to 301."
Just as she turned around, she heard Qin Wei's voice from inside, "Sister, I never want to be alone again."
Lin Ting understood what he meant, and pounded on the door again, as if to promise him, "Don't worry, you are my only family now, I won't abandon you."
After moving her belongings and personal items to room 301, Lin Ting immediately made the bed in the master bedroom and then began installing the PVC curtain door as a partition.
After taking a shower, Chen Zhiyi came out wearing two masks and saw Lin Ting standing on a stool installing a curtain. He immediately rushed over and said, "Come down, I'll install it."
Lin Ting didn't even glance at him. "It'll be ready soon. You should lie down and rest."
Chen Zhiyi looked at the master bedroom, which was all tidied up, and then at the second bedroom, which was empty except for a bed. He felt a little disappointed, but it was for the best. He would stay in the master bedroom during the day and not go out, so that Lin Ting would return to room 302 at night, minimizing contact with her as much as possible. He knew that this virus was highly contagious and should not be underestimated.
"Why did you install this door?" He was very curious about that.
"This is a partition door. After it's installed, don't close the wooden door to the master bedroom so I can see you in the room at any time."
"What do you mean?" Chen Zhiyi didn't understand.
After finishing the installation, Lin Ting got off the stool. "During this time, your activity area will be inside the partition door. I'll stay outside with you." Then she pointed to the blankets and cushions on the sofa. "I'll sleep by the master bedroom door at night, so I can detect any problems you may have immediately."
"no."
“Now I’m in charge. The daily cleaning and disinfection of the master bedroom and master bathroom will be your responsibility, while I’ll take care of the outside. I’ll prepare the food and drinks and put them inside. After you finish eating, wash and disinfect your dishes and put them by the door. During this period, you’ll use the same set of dishes, completely separate from mine. Also, disinfect your clothes before giving them to me, and then I’ll put them in the washing machine. Experts have said that although this virus is fierce, people with good health and strong immune systems can get through it. There have also been many cases of mild symptoms recovering at home on their own. They’ve shared their recovery process, which I’ve collected and studied. I’ll make a plan later, including exercise, diet, and conditioning. I think if your resistance is up, you’ll be safer.”
"I'll disinfect, I'll prepare food and drinks, and I won't neglect my exercise. You don't need to worry. I won't let you sleep in the living room at night, the floor is too cold. Either you sleep in the second bedroom, or you stay in 302 and don't come over."
Lin Ting tilted her head slightly towards the door. "Do you think the door to 301 can still lock me out?"
"..." Chen Zhiyi was speechless. "Then you can sleep in the second bedroom. If I feel really unwell at night, I'll knock on the door and call you."
Lin Ting's expression turned serious. "Are you sure you'll knock on the door and call me, or will you silently endure it alone, or even run away and hide?"
“How can I run around like this now?” Chen Zhiyi retorted. “Anyway, I can’t watch you sleep on the floor. Either I sleep with you in the living room, or I move here to take care of you, but I’ve ended up causing you trouble.”
“We both know this illness is progressing rapidly. I need to know your condition as soon as possible; we can’t afford to delay. Death is simple; it’s over as soon as you close your eyes. But what about the living? They have to endure the pain, stay calm, and handle the funeral arrangements for the deceased. Then, over the long years, they have to learn to let go and forget. Those who can forget are lucky; the unlucky ones live their whole lives in the shadow of death. So we all have to try our best to live well. Can’t you just listen to my arrangements this once?” As she finished speaking, Lin Ting’s face flushed, her eyes filled with anxiety, and she even stomped her feet a few times.
At that moment, Chen Zhiyi's eyes reddened slightly. He raised his hand to hug her but then put it down, letting out a muffled sound, "Okay."
"I want to hug you. Once your quarantine period is over, I'll let you hug me as much as you want."
The moisture in Chen Zhiyi's eyes receded, his gaze both helpless and amused. "Okay."
Lin Tingzhen drew up a plan, or rather a daily schedule, because they were currently in the incubation period of the virus and it was impossible to determine whether Chen Zhiyi was infected, so strengthening his immunity was of utmost importance. She would supervise his exercise, meals, water intake, rest, and even sunbathing. The master bedroom had a bay window, which was perfect for sunbathing.
Lin Ting also listened to the advice of traditional Chinese medicine experts and asked people in the community to bring her some Chinese herbs to brew into a medicinal soup for her to drink, to clear her lungs and detoxify. There must be a reason for the things passed down from our ancestors.
After five consecutive days without any symptoms, just as Lin Ting was relieved that she might have escaped the worst, she received a message from the community that Uncle Wang had been diagnosed with a serious illness.
This was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue. Lin Ting's face turned pale instantly. Chen Zhiyi also received the message, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly pretended to be nonchalant and comforted Lin Ting, "Don't worry, he is him and I am me. I've been eating so many of the tonics you made recently, my body is as hard as steel, I'm almost immortal."
"How hard can it be?" Lin Ting muttered, her mind a mess, and she didn't react to his joke.
Chen Zhiyi squinted at her, "You know best how hard I am."
Lin Ting then realized what he meant, and her face flushed red. At a time like this, he was still in the mood to talk about these things. "Can't you be a little more pure in your thinking?"
Chen Zhiyi feigned innocence, "Did I say anything?"
"..."
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