Chapter 39 (with over a thousand words added) His child...
At seven in the morning, the temperature in Lian City was only minus twelve degrees Celsius. The car was running with the heater on, and everyone's cheeks were flushed red from the heat.
After coordinating with the command center, she diligently listed points one, two, three, and four in her notebook. The six members of her team surrounded her, no one urging her, only the scratching sound of paper and pen.
She stopped writing, briefly explained the precautions, and then looked up at everyone.
"I just confirmed with the command center that the situation is more complicated than we thought, and the rescue will be very difficult. We have limited time, so here's the division of labor: Da Liu, you and Anchor Song will share a car. You have the most experience, so the toughest task is yours. Anchor Song, you need to film the core footage of the rescue, especially the moment the person is rescued. This is our key shot. Make sure the satellite transmission line is kept working."
After years of working together, anchor Song and Da Liu exchanged a glance and a look of trust.
Qin Qiao looked at reporter Xiao Zhou: "You're in charge of breaking news and detailed reports. Make sure to verify the information sources, especially the casualty figures and the progress of the rescue efforts. They must be accurate. If you're unsure about anything, come and ask me immediately. Breaking news needs to be fast, and detailed reports need to be in-depth."
"Yes, Director." Xiao Zhou nodded.
She looked at the others one by one, assigning tasks to them. Finally, her gentle yet firm gaze swept over everyone: "The mission is important, but safety comes first. Call me anytime via walkie-talkie if you need anything."
As soon as she finished speaking, her phone vibrated again, displaying the words "Lu-Tai" on the screen. Qin Qiao picked it up and answered it.
"Lord Lu, please speak."
Eight hours after the earthquake, the sky was a murky, sickly gray-blue. Thick dust filled the air like a thick haze, visibility was very low, and light was directional.
Collapsed houses and severed limbs have become huge, bizarre, silent dark shadows, while the remaining utility poles lean askew, cutting through the dim sky.
The ground was cracked and uneven, and the cleared roads were either flooded or muddy, reflecting a broken and cold light in the dim sunlight.
Those figures in camouflage uniforms and orange rescue suits bent over, squatted on the ground, and dug with their bare hands, digging through the soil and broken cement slabs.
The world fell into a deep, oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional bark of search and rescue dogs.
A series of SUVs bumped past, and the reporters inside dared not get close enough to disturb them, but simply silently filmed the scene.
The assistant in the car with Qin Qiao couldn't bear to watch this scene, looked away, and tears streamed down her face. Qin Qiao looked at her tear-streaked face, took out two tissues and handed them to her. Xiao Min lifted her eyelids to take them, wiped away her tears, and her body was still trembling slightly.
“Wipe away your tears. Tears are a sign of our empathy, but they can't cloud our vision or our work,” Qin Qiao added. “Take five minutes. Then check the equipment; we need to start work at the next dispatch point.”
*
As soon as Chen Jiashu's team landed in Guning County, they used the only five-star hotel in the area as their temporary command center.
An emergency meeting was convened immediately.
At the head of the table, Chen Jiashu's face was cold and stern. After a two-second silence, he spoke: "Eight people, their fates unknown. This is the only core member we have now."
He faced the crowd, spoke faster, and gave clear instructions: "Zhu Ao, you are responsible for liaising with the rescue command center, sharing all information, and requesting them to prioritize the search and rescue operation at all costs!"
Zhu Ao pulled out a chair and sat down: "Received."
"Now, immediately organize all on-site staff to form a logistics reserve team, but they must obey professional commands and are absolutely not allowed to cause trouble! Mr. Wang, you are in charge of this matter."
Mr. Wang, the main person in charge of the factory, immediately responded, "I'll take care of it right away."
Chen Jiashu tilted his head slightly, "Director Liu?"
The female factory manager in the fourth seat on the left immediately replied, "Chairman Chen, I'm here."
"You will personally take charge of the family liaison team. Be sincere, be transparent, and just ask for any resources you need."
"clear."
Chen Jiashu added in conclusion: "Don't worry about logistics. Our first batch of supplies is already on its way, with medicine, water, and food as priority. Once the trucks arrive, we will immediately set up a relief point."
......
After those people left, the local government secretary and secretary came to the door, and Chen Jiashu picked up his white cane and went forward to greet them.
At the hotel entrance, a white minivan was parked. The door opened and Qin Qiao and her assistant got out one after the other.
Qin Qiao's phone kept vibrating, not only with messages in the work group but also with photos from the scene.
Multiple satellite TV channels urgently interrupted their broadcasts with earthquake news. Drone aerial footage pierced through the billowing dust, transmitting breathtaking images: as far as the eye could see, the earth was torn apart, towns were destroyed, and ruins lay everywhere.
Yet, amidst these ruins, well-trained soldiers repeatedly ventured into perilous situations, lifting one life after another from darkness into light, and raising hope from despair.
With her eyes still moist, Qin Qiao finished flipping through the news articles one by one. Her phone rang again, and she left the sofa and went to the window to answer it.
In just over fifty kilometers, the sun shines brightly here, a stark contrast to that cruel world.
"Ms. Qin, meeting room 103 has been cleared out for you," the hotel manager said as he walked over.
As soon as news of the earthquake broke, advance teams of media from across the country and volunteers flocked to the town.
In no time, all the decent hotels in town were fully booked.
It was past 11 p.m. when the colleagues returned with the news. As usual, Qin Qiao held a short meeting for them. The meeting ended right at midnight. After more than ten hours, everyone was exhausted. The colleagues who were assigned to the night shift went to the front line, while those who were scheduled to go back to their three-person rooms to catch up on sleep the next morning.
Qin Qiao was the last to leave. The window at the end of the corridor reflected her back as she raised her hand to pinch her neck. Suddenly, Qin Qiao stopped and took a few steps back to stand outside the door of a large conference room, peering through the half-open door.
The man lay face down on the table with his hands crossed, his broad shoulders slightly bent. Because of his posture, his spine was faintly visible under his white shirt. He must have been sleeping very soundly, not even noticing that his white cane had fallen to the ground.
Qin Qiao's heart trembled, and she pushed the door open as if possessed.
Suddenly remembering something, she turned and left. About two or three minutes later, Qin Qiao returned, this time with a blanket on his arm. She tiptoed closer and gently covered his back with the blanket.
He bent down to pick up the fallen cane, and following his example, folded it into a small section, carefully placing it directly in front of his head.
In this way, if he wakes up, he can reach out and touch it without accidentally knocking it down or being lost and unable to find it.
Turning her head, Qin Qiao noticed the words "Tujia Town Project" in bold on the document he was holding down. She recalled the investment promotion meeting from six months ago.
No wonder he was here... Tujia Town was the hardest hit among the nearby towns. Aerial footage showed that almost no buildings survived. That means that Qiao Shu's factory was also destroyed. The board of directors must have given him trouble.
A faint frown appeared between her brows. She raised her right hand, intending to smooth out the wrinkle, but it ended up resting on his back. The protruding spine pressed against her palm, and the initially insignificant pain traveled up her arm to her heart, causing a dense, stabbing pain.
The sound of high heels clicking on the floor at the door.
Qin Qiao quickly withdrew her hand, trying to cover it up by hiding it behind her back.
The footsteps faded into the distance; they were just passing by.
Qin Qiao slipped out and walked faster and faster until she disappeared at the end of the corridor.
The morning light shone on the emerald green paulownia tree, and carried by the swaying leaves, it tapped against the windowpane with a very slight sound, yet it startled the people inside.
The man's fingertips twitched, touching the cold, smooth piece of metal.
He straightened up, and the weight and warmth on his back fell down together. Chen Jiashu's heart clenched slightly, and he felt an indescribable strange sensation. He reached out and grabbed the blanket piled behind him.
It still held his body heat, and seemed to carry a familiar scent.
*
On the third day after the earthquake, with the strong support of the whole country, the rescue work was coming to an end, and the dark clouds that had been hanging over Tujia Town, Dongsheng Town and Qiwen County finally dissipated.
A black minivan was parked in front of the gate of the factory area, which had been reduced to ruins.
A man got out of the passenger seat first. He walked quickly to the side of the rear door, and almost simultaneously, the door slid open automatically.
First to emerge was a white white cane lightly touching the ground, sunlight striking it and refracting it with a cold white light. Immediately afterward, a pair of black leather shoes landed one after the other, standing firmly.
Finally, all eyes were drawn to that face: well-defined features, strikingly handsome, in no way inferior to a movie star.
Zhang Zhu walked over and stood beside Chen Jiashu, whispering, "Chairman Chen, we're right where the original gate was. The whole place inside has been leveled. The original office building and workshop are now just a pile of ruins. You can't even tell what it was like before. The ground is full of pits and broken bricks."
Two managers from the factory, a man and a woman, rushed over.
"Chairman Chen." President Wang.
Factory Director Liu: "Chairman Chen."
The crowd gasped in astonishment; it turned out this blind man was indeed someone of great importance.
“You’ve come at the right time. Let’s take a walk around the perimeter of the factory.” Chen Jiashu added, “Assistant Zhang, please lead the way.”
Chen Jiashu usually says "point the way" but "lead the way" has a very different meaning, which only his assistant and driver, who are always by his side, know.
Chen Jiashu put away his white cane, hung it on his wrist, and reached out to half-grab Zhang Zhu's arm.
"Okay, Mr. Chen. Let's move forward first. There are gravel on the ground, so please proceed slowly."
The two walked forward in sync, with the two leaders following behind. Zhang Zhu occasionally whispered reminders about the footing.
The north wind howled, offering no shelter from the elements, and felt like ice blades were slashing my face.
As Chen Jiashu walked, he gave instructions on the factory's reconstruction. The person in charge nodded frequently and responded briefly. When Chen Jiashu asked about the eight employees who died in the disaster, Factory Manager Liu chimed in:
"As per your previous instructions, we are prioritizing the handling of the funeral arrangements for the deceased employees. However, three family members of the deceased employees also tragically perished in the accident, a truly devastating situation. We have already contacted and offered our initial condolences to the families of the other five victims. The aftermath work has commenced, and we will proceed in accordance with the labor contracts and legal provisions."
As he walked, he reached a street corner and suddenly stopped, as if summoned by something. He turned left and looked straight across the street.
The two people accompanying them looked over as well.
This is a crossroads, the only paved road that survived the earthquake.
Although Tujia Town is a remote town, it was full of life before the earthquake. Pedestrians were always crossing the zebra crossings, traffic lights were flashing, and all kinds of vehicles were constantly flowing.
The sesame seed cake shop across the street is famous far and wide, with long queues every day; the townspeople love to buy a freshly baked sesame seed cake and pair it with a cup of rich soy milk from the soy milk shop next door. It's a great satisfaction to eat it hot.
Tragically, all eight members of the two families who owned the shops perished, including the children. Both owners, recalling the bustling and warm atmosphere of the past, had tears welling up in their eyes.
Immersed in their grief, the two belatedly noticed the woman who had already walked into the middle of the zebra crossing.
In the distance, the clanging of machinery drowned out the woman's voice on the phone. She tilted her head, her medium-length hair cascading over her shoulders, her phone tucked between her shoulder and cheek, and her hands holding a heavy-looking laptop.
"Go back tomorrow morning. Anchor Song and Xiao Zhou will stay here." This military computer weighs nearly fifteen or sixteen pounds. Qin Qiao carried it for more than ten minutes until her arms ached and she could no longer support herself. But this precious thing could not be damaged in any way: "Director Lu, I will pass on your instructions to my colleagues. I will talk to you later."
She stopped, gripped the edge of the computer tightly with her right hand, barely freed her left hand to take her phone and put it in her pocket, then immediately used both hands to steady the machine.
A few strands of hair, damp with sweat, clung to my cheeks, itching unbearably.
Qin Qiao shook her head, trying to shake him off, but it was to no avail.
However, as she looked up, she saw Chen Jiashu walking towards her.
The computer was taken by Chen Jiashu's assistant, while Chen Jiashu turned on his white cane and tapped it on the ground.
"When did you arrive?" Chen Jiashu asked.
Qin Qiao glanced at him: "Six o'clock in the morning on the 13th."
Chen Jiashu paused almost imperceptibly. He hadn't watched any of her live broadcasts from this place and had assumed she hadn't come at all. He never imagined they would both arrive in this ravaged land on the same day.
"Shall we go for a walk?" Chen Jiashu extended an invitation.
A man and a woman were standing there, staring at them expectantly, presumably waiting for Chen Jiashu.
"No, thank you," Qin Qiao raised her gaze and gently placed it on Chen Jiashu's eyes. "My colleagues are waiting for me in the car ahead. We still have to go to the next location."
Chen Jiashu didn't insist: "Okay."
Qin Qiao's eyes flickered. "I'm leaving." But Assistant Wang still insisted on taking the computer to her car.
That night, the moonlight was very faint, drifting through the clouds.
The screen of the phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up and vibrated. Qin Qiao looked down and saw her shadow reflected on the white wall as she turned and walked to the bedside table.
The fingers gripping the device tightened.
The last message above is exactly: "[I misunderstood you, I'm sorry]".
He didn't reply.
Chen Jiashu can be quite 'childish' at times; he simply ignores messages he doesn't know how to reply to or doesn't want to reply to. Qin Qiao first experienced this fifteen years ago when he ignored her apology messages because he didn't know how to respond to them.
However, after the two confirmed their relationship, Chen Jiashu deeply realized his mistake and promised never to repeat it in the future.
Her malicious words hurt him deeply, and he really can't be blamed.
The voice message sent by Chen Jiashu was more than a minute long?
"Qiaoqiao, have you ever heard of dreams coming true?" He chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his slightly raised voice. "Three days ago, I dreamt that you came to see me and even covered me with a blanket. And guess what? When I woke up, there really was a blanket on me. I asked everyone at the hotel, Zhu Ao, and Assistant Zhang, but no one admitted it. Zhu Ao even said I was possessed... Qiaoqiao, isn't that amazing?"
Some people are investigating the blanket as a major clue. Qin Qiao couldn't help but smile. She pressed the button to send a voice message: Sometimes, it's enough to believe in the beauty of dreams. Why do you have to dig to the bottom of things?
After sending it out, Qin Qiao immediately regretted it, realizing she had exposed herself so quickly.
She wanted to retract her message, but the other party was already typing.
That's all.
Chen Jiashu: Okay, I'll listen to you. Can I book the next warmth?
Qin Qiao: The conditions in the disaster area are tough. Take care of yourself and get some rest.
Not long after I put my phone down, the doorbell rang.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
