On the drive from the medical center to the guesthouse at the mountaintop, Li Mingcheng told Zhao Jing that the hotel staff and guests had evacuated fairly quickly, but one employee had to return to the dorm to pick up their child and couldn’t catch the ride.
Zhao Jing immediately thought of the child who had just received the terrible news, wondering if the boy had found his mother by now. Once he contacted his secretary, he planned to have the foundation do something to help.
The person sent to pick up Zhao Jing last night had been Li Mingmian.
Now sitting in the front passenger seat, Li Mingmian apologized to Zhao Jing with the earnestness of a grandson. “Ge, I’m so sorry. I was in such a hurry to find you that I rushed over without grabbing the room key. I rang the doorbell and knocked on the door like crazy, but you wouldn’t open it.”
“He saw a few cars driving off, panicked, and got flustered,” Zhao Jing’s uncle chimed in, smacking Li Mingmian on the head and scolding him a few times. “Luckily, you’re safe.”
His aunt also apologized from the side.
Zhao Jing had never held high expectations for Li Mingmian’s character. That someone like him would make such a careless mistake was no surprise. What irritated Zhao Jing was the three of them echoing each other’s apologies, so he finally told them to shut up.
They exchanged glances but fell silent, granting Zhao Jing a moment of peace.
The higher they drove, the fewer cars there were on the road.
Zhao Jing stared out at the forest and mountain mist beyond the window, his thoughts drifting repeatedly to the person who hadn’t made it into the car, leaving him with a strange feeling.
That man had appeared unexpectedly when Zhao Jing had been completely helpless, treating him with the same eager attentiveness as everyone who had tried to curry favor with him before.
He had carried Zhao Jing from the villa area to the main road, organized everything at the medical center, and stayed busy handling various tasks. Yet before Zhao Jing even had the chance to settle down and offer a polite word of thanks, the man had left.
Li Mingcheng explained that Wei Jiayi wanted to stay at the medical center to volunteer.
Li Mingmian rebutted with feigned seriousness, “Volunteer? More like he just wants to go down there and take pictures. Otherwise, why hasn’t he returned the camera I lent him?”
Li Mingcheng dismissed the idea as impossible. Zhao Jing thought about it; after spending so much time with Wei Jiayi earlier, he hadn’t seen him take out a camera even once.
Could he really be that socially responsible? Had Zhao Jing misjudged him before?
That said, Wei Jiayi had stepped in to help during Zhao Jing’s most difficult moment, earning a measure of his respect. That was fortunate for Wei Jiayi. Zhao Jing would definitely treat him politely in the future. As was customary for him, he planned to offer a monetary token of appreciation for his help this time. If there were future opportunities to provide resources through work, that could also be arranged.
After thinking about it for a while, Zhao Jing felt inexplicably annoyed and decided to stop dwelling on it.
The evacuees from the resort, both guests and staff, had nearly filled every guesthouse on the mountaintop.
Zhao Jing’s uncle noted that it would be inconvenient for him to stay upstairs with his injured leg. He had arranged for Zhao Jing to stay on the ground floor of the largest and most well-equipped guesthouse.
That bedroom had originally been occupied, but during the trip down the mountain to retrieve Zhao Jing, the previous guest had moved upstairs. By the time they arrived at the guesthouse, housekeeping had already cleaned the room thoroughly.
Upon arrival, Zhao Jing ate a full meal, which restored much of his energy. His uncle and Li Mingmian helped him back to the room.
Although they called it a large bedroom, it was actually smaller than the bathrooms in Zhao Jing’s house. Zhao Jing understood the limitations of the situation and didn’t comment, but his uncle looked as though Zhao Jing had been gravely wronged. “Zhao Jing, just bear with it for one night. Don’t worry—we’re working hard to clear the rooftop. If everything goes smoothly, a helicopter will come to pick you up in the morning!”
His uncle then handed him a phone, suggesting he call his parents to let them know he was safe. The signal was spotty, and despite multiple attempts, the call wouldn’t go through. Zhao Jing kept the phone and dismissed everyone from the room.
Alone at last, the terrifying events from that morning came rushing back to Zhao Jing, like a scene from a movie.
The surging muddy water that rose above his head. The pain of heavy, unidentified debris slamming into his body. The suffocating lack of air as he choked on water. The crushing despair when the tide receded, leaving no one in sight.
Even now, the muscles in his arms still throbbed as if they’d been sliced with a knife. His back also ached terribly. The memory of that near-death moment made him instinctively clench his fists as if holding onto something solid was the only way to feel grounded and safe.
The disinfected skin on his body felt tight, and the dried mud on his feet was unbearable. Zhao Jing sat in a chair for a while before standing up, leaning on his crutches, and slowly making his way to the bathroom. He decided to take a bath.
His right leg was wrapped in gauze, and his left leg was secured in a brace, making even the smallest movements difficult.
But now, the person who had intimidated him with warnings like, “With a wet bathrobe clinging to your skin would look, someone might report you for indecent exposure,” was no longer around. There was no one left to stop him. If he had survived something as perilous as a tsunami, cleaning himself up was hardly a challenge.
Zhao Jing filled the bathtub with a shallow layer of water, took off his clothes, and sat down. Using a towel, he wiped away the dirt and grime.
After thoroughly washing, the strange panic that had gripped him earlier while recalling the tsunami faded considerably. Feeling tired, he took a nap.
By the time he woke up, it was nearly six in the evening. Aside from his left leg still being difficult to move, he felt revitalized, as if he had recovered most of his strength.
Just as he sat up, someone knocked lightly on the door. It was his uncle, calling from outside, “Zhao Jing? Are you awake?” Before Zhao Jing could reply, his uncle quickly added, “Jie[mfn]jie/jiejie = big sister[/mfn], he’s alive—I swear. It’s just a broken leg; I’m not lying.”
Zhao Jing got out of bed, supporting himself with his crutch, and walked to the door. When he opened it, he saw his uncle standing there, holding another phone. Seeing Zhao Jing was like seeing a savior. His uncle shouted, “You’re awake!”
Taking the phone from him, Zhao Jing saw his parents on the screen. The moment they spotted him, they breathed a sigh of relief, and their icy expressions melted into ones of concern.
“Are you okay?” his mother asked anxiously. “Why is your face covered in scratches?”
Zhao Jing hummed in reply. Holding the phone, he hobbled over to the sofa, sat down, and lifted the phone again. “I’m fine, don’t worry. My leg’s in a brace already.”
Switching the camera, he showed them the brace. “I can feel my skin, and I can move it a little. I haven’t had an X-ray yet, but it should be fine.”
“What do you mean, should?” His mother responded immediately. “You’re not a doctor.”
At that moment, the guesthouse’s front door opened.
Li Mingcheng walked in, accompanied by another person.
After just an afternoon apart, that man looked even dirtier than before. He carried his large hiking backpack, and his hair had come undone. When his eyes met Zhao Jing’s, he froze for a moment, then his lips curved. It wasn’t much of a smile, probably because volunteering had worn him out.
From the time of their arrival yesterday to now, barely 30 hours had passed. Yet Zhao Jing found himself almost not disliking the man’s smile anymore. After experiencing a life-and-death situation and reluctantly accepting his substantial help, Zhao Jing felt he had unknowingly changed.
“Zhao Jing, why are you zoning out?” His mother’s voice snapped him back. Her expression was tinged with worry as she waved a hand in front of the screen. “Did you hit your head too? Can you see how many fingers I’m holding up?”
“No, I didn’t hit my head,” Zhao Jing replied, “Three fingers.”
The man stood at the door, and Zhao Jing wasn’t entirely sure why, but unusually, he felt the urge to explain things in detail, speaking loudly. “When I woke up, half the room was already flooded. A painting had fallen nearby, so I grabbed onto it. At first, it kept me floating, but the current was too strong and swept me to the wall at the back of the bedroom. There was a tree there, and I climbed up. Then a blanket floated over in the waves and got tangled around my arms and head.”
As he recalled the events, he felt a chill of fear. He realized how quickly he had reacted, and how lucky he was to have had a thick, tall tree right behind the wall.
When the tsunami receded, Zhao Jing had climbed to the very top of the tree, avoiding the impact. But climbing down had been dangerous since he could only use one leg. He had nearly fallen several times. If it weren’t for his luck, strength, and good balance, he would have died even if he had survived the tsunami.
His mother listened on the other end, her voice filled with both worry and heartbreak.
His father said solemnly, “We’ll be at the nearest airport tonight and come to get you first thing in the morning.”
“Get some rest,” his mother added. “By the time you wake up, you’ll be home.”
Zhao Jing agreed with a simple “Okay” before ending the video call.
Only then did Li Mingcheng pull Wei Jiayi over, guiding him to where Li Mingmian was anxiously lingering behind Zhao Jing’s sofa, clearly wanting to greet Zhao Jing’s parents but having missed the chance. Li Mingcheng asked, “Are there any rooms left? I brought Jiayi with me.”
Zhao Jing turned around and noticed Li Mingmian pause for a second. “Oh, I don’t think so. Looks like we’re full. Jiayi, how about you crash on the sofa tonight?”
Li Mingmian’s nonchalant attitude made Zhao Jing frown. According to his uncle’s idea of making Li Mingmian atone for his actions, Li Mingmian should, at the very least, give up his room for Wei Jiayi and spend the night kneeling outside.
However, before Zhao Jing could say anything, Wei Jiayi spoke up first, declining the offer.
“No need.” He tugged at the corner of his mouth and said to Li Mingmian, “I’ll just borrow Mingcheng’s room to take a shower, and then I’ll head back out to see if any volunteers are needed.”
“That works too.” Li Mingmian didn’t show the slightest self-awareness and even took things a step further. “Jiayi, places like this disaster zone are great for producing amazing shots, right? You can hold onto the camera I lent you for now; no rush to return it. Who knows, maybe you’ll snap something Pulitzer-worthy. Then the camera will really be worth something.”
Zhao Jing noticed Wei Jiayi’s lips tighten, his expression becoming blank.
“Stop talking so much,” Li Mingcheng warned, unable to bear it any longer. “Can’t you show a little empathy?”
It lasted only a second before Wei Jiayi returned to his usual demeanor. His tone was calm as he replied, “You don’t need to give me the camera. I’ll go through my bag later and return it to you.”
Li Mingmian clicked his tongue in embarrassment.
Zhao Jing’s attention remained on them until he heard Li Mingcheng call him.
Li Mingcheng pulled a small pack of painkillers from his pocket. “Ge, these are for you. Jiayi asked for them on your behalf.”
Zhao Jing took the pills, noticing that Wei Jiayi’s expression had turned slightly awkward. For some reason, he avoided looking at Zhao Jing and instead asked Li Mingcheng, “Mingcheng, your room is upstairs, right?”
Li Mingcheng nodded and led him upstairs.
Zhao Jing observed Wei Jiayi’s T-shirt, now clinging to his skin from the dirt. It was finally no longer hanging loosely. He looked thin, but was surprisingly strong, Zhao Jing thought suddenly, as Wei Jiayi’s figure disappeared around the corner of the staircase.
After all, Wei Jiayi had steadily moved Zhao Jing around to several places and had remembered that he hadn’t taken any painkillers yet.
Actions speak louder than words. Judging by his behavior today, Wei Jiayi had been exceptionally thoughtful, going out of his way to consider Zhao Jing’s needs. His performance had reached a level that Zhao Jing could truly acknowledge.
Taking the glass of water his uncle handed him, Zhao Jing swallowed the pills and returned to his room. He glanced at the phone he had taken from his uncle earlier that afternoon and noticed several missed calls from his mother. She must have tried calling while he was asleep, but he had been sleeping so deeply that he hadn’t heard the ringtone.
The phone still had a decent signal, so Zhao Jing decided to call his secretary.
His secretary hadn’t accompanied him to the island and had been waiting at the airport. The moment he heard Zhao Jing’s voice, he sounded like someone who had just survived a calamity. The secretary explained that he’d seen the news and had been trying to call Zhao Jing but couldn’t get through.
Hours later, he finally managed to contact Zhao Jing’s uncle and cousin, but both had been vague and evasive, refusing to provide clear details. Meanwhile, everyone at the company had been scrambling to reach Zhao Jing.
If not for Zhao Jing’s mother finally calling to confirm that he was safe, the secretary said he would have been on the verge of losing it.
Just then, a noise came from outside, and the window rattled as large raindrops splattered against it. It was a sudden downpour.
Zhao Jing paused, staring out the window. The view was pitch-black, and he had no idea how things were down the mountain. He couldn’t stop thinking about the child he’d found on the beach earlier, and the homes he’d passed along the way. He instructed his secretary to use the company’s charity foundation to purchase medicine and essential supplies for donation.
After hanging up, Zhao Jing leaned on his crutches and walked to the window for a closer look. The rain was pouring relentlessly.
His mood turned unbearably heavy and low, and he also realized that the terrifying numbness he’d experienced before his shower that afternoon hadn’t been completely shaken off by rest. He had never experienced anything like this.
It was as though, the moment he closed his eyes, he’d be dragged back into the tsunami, forced to endure another near-impossible fight for survival. And he knew no one could be lucky every time.
Recognizing how dangerous this spiral of emotions was, Zhao Jing forced himself to stop thinking about it. He opened the door and limped out of his room, deciding to get a glass of ice water to calm his nerves.
As he passed the sofa, his peripheral vision caught movement. Turning his head, he saw someone sitting there with a blanket draped over his legs, watching him.
Wei Jiayi had cleaned himself up and changed into a black T-shirt. He was holding his camera, appearing as though he’d been checking photos.
“Hey.” Wei Jiayi raised his head and smiled at Zhao Jing.
Considering that Wei Jiayi had saved him earlier in the day, brought him medicine, and was now the first to greet him, Zhao Jing figured it wouldn’t be appropriate to ignore him as he might have in the past. Instead, he asked, “Weren’t you leaving?”
Wei Jiayi moved slightly, still holding his camera, and explained gently, “It started raining, and there’s been a landslide. Rocks are blocking the road, so we can’t drive down the mountain for now. I had no choice but to come back. Everyone else is asleep, so I borrowed a blanket from Mingcheng to sleep on the sofa for the night.”
“Oh,” Zhao Jing replied.
A day ago, Zhao Jing wouldn’t have come anywhere near Wei Jiayi.
But tonight, he felt uneasy about being alone in the room, and he didn’t want to go back to bed. Standing for too long with his crutches also made his arms ache.
So, despite the fact that Wei Jiayi was the only one in the living room, Zhao Jing sat in the armchair nearby, intending to stay for a bit and allow Wei Jiayi to communicate with him.
He’s so haughty like a cat lmfao
Thanks for the chapter <3333