As April drew near, veiled in drizzle, Cheng Su followed Technician Zhu into the apple-producing area he had introduced. She feasted her eyes on the pastoral scenery and tasted the fruit from several orchards. Indeed, the apples were crisper, sweeter, and more delicious than those from Qing City, with an exceptionally rich fragrance.
Moreover, the sweetness of these apples was fresh and crisp, not at all cloying or throat-tightening—perhaps due to their proximity to the west, where the days were longer.
Cheng Su ordered several boxes of apples to be sent back and also discussed preliminary cooperation intentions with two orchards. If the sauces turned out satisfactorily, she would choose one of them as a supplier.
Having been out for several days and on the run, by evening, Technician Zhu had taken Zhu Lifen to eat that yak hotpot.
Cheng Su, still recovering and tired from the days of travel, with an uneasy stomach, declined to accompany them, asking only that they bring back some food for her. She laid down to rest in the hotel.
Outside the window, the sky seemed to darken particularly fast today. She wondered if a heavy rain was approaching, with the clouds blanketing the sky, the air stifling and humid, adding a sense of heavy pressure that made one’s heart restless. Even from a distance, the sound of dogs barking could be heard.
She wondered what Qi Taiguo had been up to these past days, how he was doing, whether he missed her or not.
Maybe he was still angry at her willfulness.
Only after a few days apart did she realize how intense her longing was and how she couldn’t truly let go.
Cheng Su’s nose tingled, and her eyes grew warm. She rested her head in her hands, staring blankly up at the darkened sky, consciousness blurring until she quickly fell asleep.
In her sleep, the earth shook violently as if someone were violently shaking her body. Cries, screams, and the sound of objects being smashed came rushing towards her.
Thump!
Cheng Su fell from the bed. Had someone pushed her off?
Not only that, they were shaking her body.
In a daze, she opened her eyes to darkness—it was night.
Her body shook. Who was shaking her?
With a crash, something fell to the floor with a clear sound.
It was the sound of breaking glass. Cheng Su snapped awake, finding herself lying on the ground, her body rocking as though she was on a boat, waves slapping against the sides, making the boat sway.
No, it wasn’t her body rocking, it was the building!
The building was rocking?
Cheng Su jolted upright on the floor, confusedly looking around at the pitch-dark surroundings.
Another thump—the bedside cabinet had fallen onto the ground, prompting Cheng Su to scream out loud.
Her eyes now adjusted to the darkness, she saw nothing but chaos—the cabinets were on the floor, the wardrobe had fallen over, and the building kept shaking violently.
Not far away, someone yelled, "Earthquake! Run! It’s an earthquake!"
"Help!"
An earthquake!
No wonder the ground was shaking—it was the hand of God moving the tectonic plates.
Cheng Su tried to get up but was thrown onto the ground again by another tremor.
"Ah, ah!" Cheng Su cried out, her face pale, forcing herself to calm down.
Stay calm; she had to stay calm and get out of there.
She attempted to rise again, but before she could stand, an even stronger tremor knocked her back onto the floor. This time, the iron-framed bed was also overturned.
"Ah, Qi Taiguo!" Cheng Su screamed, clutching her head with both hands.
With a bang, the door was forcefully kicked open from the outside and flung aside. Someone rushed in quickly. Seeing the scene, they hurriedly embraced Cheng Su, using their body to shield her from the falling iron-framed bed.