Dong Xuebing lay in his bed, giggling and laughing to himself. He had a sweet dream and woke up laughing. He dreamt of playing with his baby girl and Qu Yunxuan in a park. He is a father now and has forgotten about his worries.
Dong Xuebing wants to return to sleep and continue with his dream.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing heard giggling at the door. He turned towards the door and saw Zhan Rourou and a few nurses looking at him. They saw him looking at them and quickly ran away, leaving Zhan Rourou.
Dong Xuebing looks at her. “What are you looking at?”
“I am wondering why you are so happy?” Zhan Rourou giggled. “I heard you laughing in your dreams when I walked past your ward.”
Dong Xuebing changed the subject. “I dreamt about our residents being all safe. Xiao Zhan…. You shouldn’t be giggling when we are in a disaster.”
Zhan Rourou retorted. “This is not the first time we have had an earthquake. Moreover, this earthquake is not very serious.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “Who told you that it is not serious?”
“That’s what I see.” Zhan Rourou points out of the window. “Look, the buildings around the hospital are fine.”
Dong Xuebing is speechless. “I think you have not left the hospital since the earthquake.” Zhan Rourou nodded, and he sighed. “This area is developed, and the buildings here had withstood the earthquake. If you see those old houses in the old estate next street, you will not smile again. Hmmm…. I think you should not go there. It’s terrible.”
Zhan Rourou stops smiling. “Are you sure?”
“I came here from outside, and I lost count of the bodies by the roadside. Sigh….”
Zhan Rourou kept quiet.
Dong Xuebing forced a smile. “Alright. Let’s not talk about this. Help me outside. I had been lying for one day.”
Zhan Rourou nodded. “I will bring a wheelchair over.”
A corridor in the hospital.
Zhan Rourou pushed Dong Xuebing slowly.
This is the first time Dong Xuebing has left his ward, and he is shocked. He thought everything in the hospital was in order, but this place was chaotic. Injured patients sleep along the corridors, and more than six patients are squeezed in a tiny ward. Patients are groaning and moaning in pain everywhere.
Dong Xuebing asked. “How many patients are there in the hospital?”
Zhan Rourou shook her head. “I am not sure. But our hospital had received six to seven times the maximum capacity. The lobby is full of injured patients.”
“Then why am I assigned to a single ward?!”
“You are an earthquake hero, and this is the District Government’s instruction.”
“Nonsense!” Dong Xuebing looked at the nurses and doctors running around to treat the patients. “So, are you assigned to care for me only?”
Zhan Rourou nodded. “That’s right. You finally realize it?! The Hospital Director told me to look after you, and I don’t need to care about other things.”
“No!” Dong Xuebing interrupts Zhan Rourou. “Our residents are sleeping on the floor, and some critically injured don’t even have a ward. How can I sleep in a single ward?! Push me forward, and tell your Hospital Director not to give me special treatment. I want to be treated the same as the rest.”
Zhan Rourou refused. “I can’t. My Hospital Director is….”
“What do you know?!” Dong Xuebing lowered his voice. “This is a critical period, and we must share weal and woe. How can I get special treatment when the ordinary folks sleep in the corridors? I am a Civil Servant and stay in a single ward with a personal nurse. What will the people think of the government and me? You don’t understand what I am talking about. Just pass my message to the Hospital Director. My injuries are nothing, and I can walk by myself. I don’t need to stay in a single ward.”
Zhan Rourou giggled. “I am impressed. No wonder you are a hero.”
“Stop kissing my ass. Go…. Push me downstairs. I want to see the situation.”
“Yes, Sir.” Zhan Rourou joked. “You had impressed me.”
Dong Xuebing got more shock when he saw the situation downstairs. It is packed with critical patients. Some don’t even have a place to lie down and can only lean against a wall.
Dong Xuebing looks around the hospital and felt terrible.
Suddenly, Zhan Rourou points to a wall. “Director Dong, look over there. The hospital’s wall is cracked.”
Dong Xuebing looked up and saw many cracks on the main building wall. A small portion of a side building had collapsed, and the remaining walls were full of cracks.
“Director Dong, Xiao Zhan.” The Hospital’s person in charge, Director Sun, saw them when he walked out of the building.
Zhan Rourou quickly tells Director Sun. “Director, look…. Our hospital building is going to collapse.”
Director Sun looked at the cracks. “It’s alright. Our hospital is built to withstand 8.0 earthquakes. The earthquake this time should be less than 8.0, and we should be safe.”
Zhan Rourou is relieved. “That’s great. I had a fright.”
“It will not collapse now, but it will be troublesome after the disaster. We might have to demolish the building and rebuild it.”
Dong Xuebing thought nothing about the cracks. The building should be able to withstand these cracks. “Director Sun, I want to talk to you about my ward. Leave that single ward to those in need. I can squeeze with others or sleep along the corridor.”
Director Sun shook his hand. “No. You are a hero. How….”
Dong Xuebing interrupted. “Stop calling me a hero. That’s settled. You must do as I say.”
Chief Qu of the Health Bureau and Dong Xuebing hold the same rank, and Director Sun is a level below him. He cannot refute him. “Alright.”
“Ok.” Dong Xuebing tried to pat Director Sun’s shoulder but forgot his arms were injured. He gasped in pain when he tried to lift his arm.
Director Sun got a fright. “Xiao Zhan!”
Zhan Rourou quickly supported Dong Xuebing’s arm and placed it on the wheelchair’s armrest.
Dong Xuebing smiled. “Oh, I forgot I was injured. My bones are so weak and fracture so easily.”
Director Sun thought to himself. ‘It is a miracle your arms are still intact, and you can move them after what you had done. Amputation would be the best scenario if it were someone else.’ He had heard about Dong Xuebing’s glorious deed at the Party District Committee Building.
“Let’s go.” Dong Xuebing said. “Xiao Zhan, push me back and make arrangements to change my ward.”
Director Sun politely reply. “Secretary Wang and Mayor Geng are heading the rescue operations outside and want to see me. I need to leave, and I will visit you later.”
“Go ahead. I am fine.”
“Alright. Xiao Zhan, you must take good care of Director Dong.”
Zhan Rourou pushed Dong Xuebing back into the main building to his ward.
The aftermath of the earthquake is starting to show. The City is having problems with the rescue efforts, injuries, medical, food, water supplies, and relocation of the residents. Dong Xuebing looked at the patients and could not sit still. He wonders if he should use his power to recover and help with the rescue efforts. It’s a waste of time staying in the hospital.
Zhan Rourou is helping Dong Xuebing pack. “Director Dong, the hospital will never allow you to stay in the corridor. I have contacted the admission office, and you will be transferred to an 8-men ward.
Dong Xuebing nodded. “That’s fine. Just don’t send me to a single ward.”
Zhan Rourou laughed. “You are the same as my Dad. I noticed all Government Leaders had to consider a lot of things.”
Dong Xuebing thought to himself. You are not a government official, and you don’t know our actions represent the government. We must be careful of what we do.
Suddenly, something happened as the both of them were chatting.
The ground shook. It is an earthquake!
The tremors are powerful.
Dong Xuebing and Zhan Rourou were stunned. They can feel the whole building is shaking.
The tremors stopped after around one minute.
When Dong Xuebing and Zhan Rourou sighed in relief, a loud rumble was heard. The main hospital building could not hold on anymore and collapsed.
“Ahhh!” Zhan Rourou screamed as the ceiling crashed, and she died on the spot.
Dong Xuebing felt his body falling. The last thing he saw was debris falling on him, and he died.