"The car was abandoned on the road, and we didn't have passports, so they wouldn't let us leave. Fortunately, I had a flag with me, which is how I got back."
Mrs. Li also rushed to the man's side with a cry.
"What did you say? Li Kai is in trouble? He's being held there and can't come back? How can you be so inhumane? You left him there alone and ran back yourself? What's wrong with him? Is he going to die? Where is he? Hurry up and take me to him!"
The man's demeanor angered everyone, and they crowded around him, all speaking at once.
Perhaps unable to bear the scolding any longer, or perhaps having recovered his senses, he suddenly punched the wall hard.
"Enough, stop talking! If you have the ability, go out and see for yourselves! Whoever wants to be a hero, go be one! I'm not doing it!"
"The language is different, and those people are fierce. One wrong move and you'll be taken away... I'm here to make money, not to be a hero. You all go see for yourselves first!"
At his words, some people went to the window to look outside.
The result was that the more they looked, the more they were frightened and retreated.
"My heavens!"
"What's wrong?"
"This is like a movie, it's really scary. You all see for yourselves."
More people crowded by the window to look out.
Upon seeing it, they all retreated in fright.
The streets were filled with rubble and debris, many houses were smashed and precarious.
Every few steps lay a person, dead or alive, the entire city was covered in dust, mixed with billowing black smoke.
Members of an organization, armed and patrolling, would occasionally appear on the street, very much like scenes from a certain film series starring the action actor Wu Jing.
How could those born in a time of peace have ever witnessed such things?
When truly facing death, fear is the first human reaction.
No one mocked the man anymore; they huddled together, pessimistically asking what to do.
"Even Manager Li is like this, and the message can't be sent out. What should we do now?"
Seeing everyone like this, Mrs. Li became even more distraught, grabbing her child and preparing to rush out.
"You're not going? Fine! I'll go myself! I can't just watch my husband die out there! I'm going to save him! Tell me where he is? I need to take him to the hospital! Hurry!"
The man glanced at Mrs. Li with a vacant expression, stated a location, and Mrs. Li took off running. Tong An'an stopped her.
"Sister-in-law. This is not the time for impulsive actions, you can't be so reckless!"
"What? Not the time for impulsive actions? Can't be reckless? Tong An'an, our two families have always been the closest. I thought... you've really disappointed me!"
She thought Tong An'an was a coward, but Tong An'an didn't think that way.
"Sister-in-law, listen to me. It's really chaotic outside right now, and it's not safe for you and the child. I'm not saying you shouldn't go save Manager Li, I'm just saying, let's plan a little, prepare ourselves, and then go."
"You don't want to go out for nothing and come back empty-handed after a conflict, do you?"
There was some truth to what she said. Mrs. Li looked at her pitiful child and then outside, tears streaming down her face.
"Then what do you suggest? Wuwu, poor Li Kai, if he's gone, my child and I won't live either!"
Tong An'an looked at the frightened child and the disoriented Mrs. Li, her heart heavy.
After thinking for a moment, she comforted her.
"Find Manager Li's passport, and his work ID, and the proof of his position at Zhan's Group. Give them all to me."
"You stay home with the child, I'll go find him."
"What? You're going to find him?"
"You're right, Manager Li has always treated me well, and you've been good to me too. I have no way to repay you, so I can only do a small thing for you at this time. The child can't leave you, so you stay with him. I'll go back to get the passport and then I'll go."
This was a matter of life and death if not handled carefully, not just a casual act of gratitude. Mrs. Li hesitated.
Tong An'an urged her, "Hurry, you said he's injured. If no one helps him, he might bleed to death. Time is life!"
Ultimately, Mrs. Li handed a stack of documents to her.
Without a word, Tong An'an ran back into the house, grabbed her own documents and passport, and dashed downstairs.
She was familiar with the accident site. Walking there, she figured she could make it in half an hour if she ran fast.
However, she was stopped many times along the way. Every time she encountered someone with a weapon, she had to present her documents to explain herself.
Fortunately, our international influence is growing year by year, and no one gave her trouble.
When she reached the accident site, she saw the car abandoned amidst the rubble from afar.
Tong An'an rushed over and looked inside through the window. The car was empty, which startled her.
Could it be that Manager Li had already met with misfortune?
Fortunately, after searching the surroundings, she found Manager Li had been moved out of the car and was now leaning against a wall, unconscious.
Having found him, she woke him up, encouraged him a few words, and helped him into the car.
Manager Li had lost a lot of blood and was extremely weak, barely able to stand.
Tong An'an, half-carrying, half-dragging, managed to get him into the car. She turned the key, and thankfully, the car started.
The journey towards the hospital was bumpy and difficult, as she was afraid of jostling Manager Li.
Just as they were nearing the hospital, she discovered that the hospital had been occupied by those people.
A red line was drawn from a distance, and many masked individuals holding weapons stood guard, with many vehicles parked behind them. The scene was quite intimidating.
But Tong An'an was only there for treatment, and besides, she was a foreigner and not involved in their affairs.
Despite her legs trembling with fear, she held onto all her documents and walked up to negotiate.
She first explained herself to the first person, who then called over someone with stripes on their shoulder.
After explaining again, that person called over someone with three stripes on their shoulder.
Tong An'an thought she was finally done. However, after carefully examining her passport and work ID, the person's eyes lit up, and they spoke rapidly to someone next to them.
Several people immediately surrounded her.
Tong An'an loudly asked what was happening in English and explained her purpose again.
The people did not listen at all; they pushed and shoved her towards the compound.
Tong An'an struggled hard, refusing to go, shouting loudly that there was a patient in the car. The scene became quite harrowing.
The person with three stripes on their shoulder finally returned.
After a few more words, several people went to the car, found Manager Li, and carried him out.
At this, Tong An'an finally breathed a sigh of relief and followed them inside.
The group carried Manager Li inside, pointed to a doctor in a white coat, who then called two nurses and pushed Manager Li into the operating room.
Tong An'an tried to follow, but two people stopped her and told her in English, "Come over here."
It was the same sentiment. Tong An'an had faith in our international influence and assumed they wouldn't dare do anything, so she followed them with neither subservience nor arrogance.