The sky is full of stars.
It is around 8 pm.
Dong Xuebing looks at the moon excitedly. He stretches himself and takes in the fresh air around him.
This feeling is fantastic!
Dong Xuebing had been trapped for over ten days!
Dong Xuebing looked around and saw himself standing in the middle of the former hospital site. Debris is everywhere, and there’s no one around. Most of the patients and staff had been relocated elsewhere. The rescue team had left, and he was alone.
It is mid-October, and the temperature has dropped.
Dong Xuebing looked at the dirty patient gown he was wearing and pulled the collar together before leaving the place.
Most of the obstacles and debris on the streets had been cleared.
No people are walking around. Dong Xuebing stood on the main road and didn’t see anyone. He spotted some lights far away and knew all the residents were there. The first thing he wants to do is call his mother, Sister Xie, Aunt Xuan, and the rest to let them know he is safe. He saw a telephone booth and quickly ran to it. But the line is dead. The phone lines are not resumed yet.
Dong Xuebing decided to return to Guang Ming Subdistrict Office as the phone there should be working.
He picks up an abandoned bike and rides towards Guang Ming Subdistrict.
Dong Xuebing saw a small clothing store and looked at his dirty hospital gown a while later. He had been missing for so long, and he didn’t mind letting others wait a while. He puts his bike by the roadside and enters the store. In the store, he found a clean suit and changed into it. He checks himself in the mirror and tidies his hair before leaving.
Dong Xuebing continued riding the bike and saw a few people.
“Eh!” Dong Xuebing stopped and shouted to a young man. “Do you have a phone? Can you let me make a phone call?”
The young man looks at Dong Xuebing listlessly. “I lost my power bank, and my phone has been flat for days.”
Dong Xuebing turns into a middle-aged man. “Bro, can you lend me your phone?”
The middle-aged man waved his hand. “My phone is damaged, and I am also looking for a phone. Try asking someone else.”
“Where are you all going? Why are you all not at the temporary shelters?” Dong Xuebing asked.
“We came out to get a breather.” The middle-aged man sighed and pointed in a direction. “The shelter is too crowded. We got to share a small tent with more than ten people!”
Dong Xuebing asked a few more questions and knew about Nan Shan District’s current situation. Other than a few neighborhoods not damaged by the earthquake, all residents were sent to nearby temporary shelters. Food and water are provided at the shelters, and the government officials verify everyone’s identity to check for missing people. Rescue operations were ongoing, and many people were rescued. Those that were not rescued should be dead by now. The rescue operation will likely stop in a few days, and the government will start rebuilding the district.
Dong Xuebing left and continued riding forward.
Along the way, Dong Xuebing can hear sounds from the television. Some TV stations in Fen Zhou City had resumed operations.
“The search for Guang Ming Subdistrict Office Director Dong’s body is ending…….”
“The search team had removed most of the debris and estimated to reach the lowest pile of debris by tomorrow afternoon…….”
“We will update the latest news tomorrow. Please……”
Dong Xuebing looks at the newscaster on TV and the recorded footage of the hospital debris. My body?! I am still alive!”
About twenty minutes later.
Dong Xuebing reached Guang Ming Subdistrict. He had ridden past a few temporary shelters along the way, but he did not enter. He wants to return to his territory and tell his family and colleagues he is still alive!
“Ahh!!!”
“Help! Someone help!”
“Help me! I am crushed!”
A middle-aged woman shouted.
Dong Xuebing threw his bike aside and ran towards a collapsed shop. He saw a woman pinned under a heavy wooden plank. She is shouting for help while struggling to crawl out. He rushed forward and moved the plank and other debris away before helping that woman. “What happened? Are you injured? Can you walk?”
The woman thanked Dong Xuebing. “Thank you. I am fine.”
“Why are you here at night?”
“This is my shop, and I wanted to pack some of my things. But it collapsed suddenly.”
“Where are you staying now? A shelter?”
“Yes. Guang Ming Garden temporary disaster relief center.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “I am on my way here. Let’s go together. I can help you.”
“Thank you, young man.”
“Don’t mention it. It is on the way.”
Guang Ming Garden’s temporary disaster relief center is also Guang Ming Subdistrict’s temporary command center.
The Subdistrict Leaders are meeting in an open space outside of the garden.
Geng Xinke, Qu Yiqiang, Zhou Yanru, Wang Yuling, Peng Gang, Yu Rongfeng, and the rest are at this meeting.
Geng Xinke stood in front of them. He had lost weight these few days. “How is our current logistic situation?”
Zhou Yanru replied. “We just received the fourth batch of relief supplies, and they can last until next week.”
“Good. What about the search party? How many more people are missing?” Geng Xinke asked.
“Two more people are missing.” Wang Yuling replied. “It’s been more than ten days, and I’m afraid…….”
Geng Xinke interrupted. “We must try our best no matter what! I know everyone here has not gotten any rest these few days. But we must hang on!”
Qu Yiqiang agreed. “We know. Our hardships are nothing compared to what Director Dong did.”
Qu Yiqiang’s words brought up the sorrow in everyone’s hearts. No one said anything.
About twenty seconds later, Geng Xinke asked. “Has… Director Dong’s body been found?”
Wang Yuling replied with tears in her eyes. “I heard the news that the search party had reached the final stage. They should find him by tomorrow afternoon.”
Geng Xinke bit his lips and said. “Alright. We will put aside our work tomorrow afternoon and go to the First Hospital site. We will…… send Director Dong on his final journey!”
Wang Yuling wiped her tears.
Peng Gang, Zhou Yanru, and the rest were sad.
When they heard Dong Xuebing had died saving everyone in the hospital, they all cried. Although almost twenty days had passed, they still couldn’t accept it. Without Dong Xuebing, many more people in Fen Zhou City would die. How many of their family members can survive without his warnings?! Guang Ming Subdistrict residents have the lowest casualty rate because of him. But he was the first to leave them. This…. When everyone was thinking about Dong Xuebing, they heard a commotion outside.
“Eh, Sister Liu is back! She looks like she was rescued!”
“After Director Dong’s incident, more and more people are willing to risk their lives to save others.”
“That’s right. But Director Dong is……. Sigh……”
Geng Xinke heard a resident was rescued and say. “Let’s go and see what happened.” The Subdistrict Leaders will check the situation whenever they hear someone was saved.
Zhou Yanru and Wang Yuling will remember Director Dong whenever they hear about such situations.
Sister Liu, a store owner in Guang Ming Subdistrict, is thanking and holding a young man’s hand. That young man should be the one who saved her.
Some residents from the shelter were attracted by the commotion and went forward. But the next moment, all of them froze.
The place becomes quiet suddenly. Sister Liu and a few residents were confused when they saw everyone’s shocked expression.
Geng Xinke, Zhou Yanru, and the rest walked over quickly. “What happened? What are you all looking at? Please make way for us.”
The crowd starts to move aside for the Subdistrict Leaders.
Geng Xinke, Pang Gang, Wang Yuling, and the rest saw the young man in the center of the crowd!
Geng Xinke saw Dong Xuebing and almost tripped! Wang Yuling screamed as if she had seen a ghost and jumped back!
Peng Gang, Qu Yiqiang, and the rest were stunned.
They saw someone that shouldn’t appear here!
Dong Xuebing looked at everyone with a smile and waved to them. “Oh, hello, all of you are here!”
