All Meng Family employees who had come to Yishi, as well as Li Wei and the others, became unexpectedly silent and set to work. If they saw someone buried or pinned under debris, they would move it aside. If they found the injured, they'd carry them to a nearby open and safe area. They were not the first to arrive, but they were the fastest. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ noᴠelfire.net Their cooperation was seamless, and one by one, the victims were dug out. The weather was unforgiving, with rain trickling down relentlessly. Yet, no one seemed intent on seeking shelter; everyone was engrossed in the rescue effort. In the pitch-black night, beneath the rubble of collapsed houses, Qin Anyu began to develop a high fever after eating the roast duck. "An Yu," Chu Hong was anxious, but there was nothing he could do, buried under the ruins. He could only repeat Qin Anyu's name, saying, "An Yu, does your back hurt?" Qin Anyu was groggy, immobilized. She could only slightly move her hands and head—below her chest, it felt like a thousand pounds. In a daze, she said, "Chu Hong, are we going to die?" Qin Anyu mentioned this with a tinge of fear. The darkness was suffocating, the silence complete. Chu Hong held her trembling hand firmly, saying, "An Yu, we're not buried very deep, plus we have food. We'll be fine for two or three days. By then, rescue teams will arrive, and we'll be saved." His voice was calm, soothing Qin Anyu's panic until her heart gradually quieted down. "An Yu, don't be afraid. We will definitely survive," Chu Hong assured her with conviction. Perhaps it was his unwavering words that slowly settled Qin Anyu's heart. She asked, "Can we really survive?" "Yes," Chu Hong answered firmly, holding her hand tightly, shifting her focus by sharing amusing anecdotes. Over the years, he had been to many places and seen all kinds of people. He even pretended to be a flirt to keep the Chu Family at bay and cheer up girls, which was something Chu Hong was adept at. Listening to the amusing stories, Qin Anyu occasionally let out a chuckle. The more she listened, the more muddled she felt, and her head seemed to burn even hotter. "An Yu?" While talking, Chu Hong received no response from Qin Anyu. Groping in the dark, he reached for her forehead, which was scorching hot. He was anxious and at a loss. There was no fever reducer here, nor could he use water to cool her down. What should he do if the fever continued? Chu Hong tried to think of a way to self-rescue, but with the house completely collapsed, there was no space to even move. What to do? Chu Hong thought quietly about the layout of the room. To be convenient, there was also a bathroom on the second floor. Could he possibly get water if he reached the bathroom? Soon, Chu Hong's idea was crushed by the harsh reality. The collapse was total. Chu Hong couldn't even think of reaching the bathroom a few meters away, let alone move a meter. Chu Hong was frantic. He refused to give up and began to blindly search around. He knew that Qin Anyu always drank warm water from her thermos, even in summer, so wherever she went, she carried it with her. The thermos should be on the desk, but unfortunately, when he turned over the table, he hadn't paid attention to such details. Chu Hong slowly moved his body, beginning to grope around. Everything was covered with lime slabs or consisted of bricks and miscellaneous items. Searching for a thermos was no easy task, especially in the dark. Chu Hong's hands were chafed and bleeding, but he didn't mind at all and continued to search. Perhaps it was luck, but after rummaging through quite a few things, he actually felt something round. He pulled hard and brought it in front of him. It was pitch black here, he couldn't see anything and could only rely on touch and feeling. Chu Hong was truly grateful for the days he had spent here to win Qin Anyu's approval, shamelessly staying by her side. When Qin Anyu worked, he would be there to pour her water or handle things over the phone for Yipin Inn. He recognized this thermos; Qin Anyu liked rabbits, and this one had two rabbit ears on it, very cute. "I don't know if there's still water inside." Chu Hong shook it gently, weighed it in his hand, and felt it was quite heavy. He breathed a sigh of relief. But Chu Hong was in a dilemma on how to help Qin Anyu drink water. "An Yu, wake up, have some water, and then you can sleep," Chu Hong whispered softly. "I feel terrible." Qin Anyu, delirious with fever, hardly understood what Chu Hong said. She felt as if she was being roasted on a fire, extremely uncomfortable. "The water will make you feel better," Chu Hong coaxed softly. Unfortunately, Qin Anyu was so groggy that she couldn't even open her eyes. She responded faintly but showed no other reaction. Chu Hong was anxious, but then he had an idea. After opening the thermos, he took a sip of the warm water. He hadn't had any water or food for a long time, and this sip felt as sweet as nectar. Chu Hong held the water in his mouth, leaned close to Qin Anyu, pressed against her lips, and passed the water to her. Perhaps Qin Anyu was thirsty as well, because she drank reflexively. Chu Hong almost didn't resist deepening the kiss, but feeling her hot cheeks, all romantic notions vanished. He wasn't in a hurry. After giving Qin Anyu a decent amount of water, he closed the lid. They didn't know how long they would be trapped, and the water should be conserved. Chu Hong pursed his lips, the lingering taste of water making him instinctively lick them. He let out a long sigh, thinking of all the delicious food in Yipin Inn and the tea that was always prepared for him. He never imagined that one day he would experience an earthquake, with neither food nor drink available. He planned to give Qin Anyu the water in multiple doses, hoping it would help her in some way. In the darkness, Chu Hong didn't dare to sleep, constantly holding Qin Anyu's hand. Feeling the pulse in her wrist kept his heart calm. Tang Yue and Lian Qingyang's car couldn't enter Yishi at all; the roads into the city were all destroyed. Tang Yue and Lian Qingyang's supplies coincidentally came across people from Meng Jin's company. When Meng saw they had brought a truckload of supplies, he immediately had everyone carry some. Especially upon seeing the abundant medication, Meng Jin excitedly said, "With these, we can save even more people." Food, drink, clean water, and medicine were probably what they needed the most now. "Uncle Meng, the supplies we've brought are limited," Tang Yue quickly said. "No, these items are exactly what's needed the most over there," Meng Jin said gratefully, planning to send Tang Yue and Lian Qingyang back.