Chapter 22.2 - Job's tears 薏苡仁
He hoped to secure a lifetime of peace and happiness for her. Having seen too many partings in the hospital and tasted the pain of losing loved ones, nothing in this world moved him more than the concept of "peace." He could overlook and disregard whom she loved, but he genuinely wished for her safety and well-being.
He wondered when his feelings would be discovered. No matter how well he hid them, that book had betrayed him.
So what if she was going to study in the United States? He had that opportunity too. Since she always liked to walk ahead, he would follow a meter behind, giving her freedom and space. If she ever needed him, he would be within reach.
Sure enough, the next day the rain continued unabated, with signs of worsening. The original plan was to have the children come to the health center for vaccinations, but now the doctors had to make house calls.
The lead doctor joked, "With our straw hats and first aid kits, we really look like we're marching off to war."
Someone else chimed in, "We're the field army, like Liu and Deng's forces, ready to advance into the Dabie Mountains."
Fang Kexin helped prepare tea for them, reminding, "The roads are slippery from the rain, be careful."
He Suye quietly pulled aside an intern, "How about we switch areas? The roads are bad in this weather, and there's a mountain to cross. I'm more familiar with this route. What do you think?"
The intern was flustered, "Ah—sure, that works."
In such heavy rain, an umbrella alone wasn't enough. Soon, his shoulders were completely soaked, his pants splattered with mud, and he felt as if he were submerged in water, struggling to catch his breath.
The mountain's foundation was unstable, and each step felt uncertain. The rain had washed away the soil, exposing many loose stones, and muddy water rushed down the slopes. He tread carefully, taking much longer than usual to reach his destination.
By the time he had visited all the homes, it was already dark. A local young man offered to escort him back. He tried to decline, but couldn't resist the young man's enthusiasm, "My mother-in-law lives over there, I'll stay there tonight."
As they walked and talked, He Suye continuously inquired about the local health conditions, and the young man answered everything he knew. Suddenly, halfway up the mountain, they heard a child's cry, "Help! Help!"
The desperate scream pierced through the night sky, startling both of them. The young man tentatively asked, "It seems to be coming from the east. Should we go take a look?"
The voice grew fainter and hoarser, sounding even more harrowing in the rain. But as they got closer to the source, using the flashlight's beam, the young man exclaimed, "Here, here! A child!"
Two small hands were desperately clutching at the loose stones and mud, blood streaming down the arms. The slope was steep, and a single misstep could lead to a fatal fall. The child was clearly terrified, staring wide-eyed at them, unable to even utter another "help."
He Suye cautiously approached the steep slope, soothing the child in a gentle voice, "It's okay, big brother will pull you up." He reached out, grabbed the child, and pulled him up. The young man quickly took the child and examined him with the flashlight, letting out a sigh of relief, "Luckily, it's just a flesh wound, nothing seri—"
Before he could finish the word "serious," He Suye suddenly felt the ground beneath him give way. An irresistible natural force drained all his strength, and he was lifted into the air. The young man turned around, horrified, "Dr. He, be careful!" He reached out to grab him, but in an instant, He Suye, along with the cascading mud and rocks, disappeared into the vast, pouring rain.
By now, it was completely dark, and the rain had gradually lessened. The medical team members returned one after another, each drenched from head to toe, with rainwater streaming from their pants and sleeves. One doctor shouted, "Even a sauna isn't this intense! This is absolutely refreshing!"
Fang Kexin handed them towels and served hot tea, calling out to them, "Take a hot shower, and I'll ask the kitchen auntie to prepare some red date and ginger tea for you to drive away the cold! We'll cook some coix seed porridge tonight; the weather here is too damp, and it helps to reduce water retention and swelling."
The others exclaimed, "It's really nice to have a female doctor along, so thoughtful, treating us just like her patients."
Fang Kexin smiled bashfully, her eyes constantly drifting outward. The strong wind, accompanied by fine rain, had completely soaked her bangs. She reached up to touch them, her palm feeling icy cold, and the previously bandaged wound showed traces of fresh blood.
While helping in the kitchen, she couldn't sit still or stand steadily. A sense of foreboding gradually surfaced in her heart, and her stomach churned with acidity. Suppressing the urge to vomit, she took a couple of spoonfuls of the porridge before putting down the spoon. She pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number.
The unanswered call made her even more fearful. She kept comforting herself, thinking that she was just being overly sensitive. As the saying goes, "Worry leads to chaos." He Suye must be fine; maybe he was just delayed by something. Perhaps in the next second, he would push the door open and walk in.
The coix seeds in the pot boiled and churned. One minute, ten minutes, twenty minutes passed, and she felt she could no longer hold on. Restlessness, unease, and panic wove a dense net, suffocating her and clouding her thoughts.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the courtyard, and someone shouted loudly, "Doctors, something's happened! Call 120!"
