Chapter 20: Good News?
December 4th, Sunday. It had been over a month since Mulan City was locked down. The chaos on the streets had subsided considerably. Humans were recovering from the disaster with remarkable resilience. The cordon lines between districts had been removed, patrolling police officers were gradually withdrawn, and the RSA virus was initially under control.
Soon, Chen Jianing would be able to return to Mulan University, and Lu Li could finally end this unpleasant trip to Mulan. It should have been that way. However, Chen Jianing seemed to be cursed. She would recover only to fall ill again, becoming increasingly frail. For the past two days, she hadn’t left her bed and had only eaten one meal. Lu Li had a vague realization: they had reached the limit, Chen Jianing’s limit.
The positive rating of Black Wolf’s Ring remained at 55%, with no hope of ever reaching 80%, just like Chen Jianing’s ill-fated life, which would never see the fireworks of the 2018 New Year.
Lu Li entered the room and found Chen Jianing awake, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“A final burst of energy before death,” she said.
“What?” Lu Li closed the door and tucked the blanket around her, preventing the cold air from getting in.
“This must be the final burst of energy before death. I feel much clearer now.” Chen Jianing turned her head to look at Lu Li. “Did you call my mother?”
“Yes. Your mother asked where you went to study abroad and when you’re coming back. She complained that you didn’t even say goodbye before leaving.” Lu Li was lying. He hadn’t called Chen Jianing’s parents. “Your mother is a very gentle person.”
“Yes, yes, she’s very gentle. I’ve never seen her scold anyone or get angry in my entire life.” Chen Jianing rambled on, as if afraid she wouldn’t have enough time to say everything. Lu Li listened quietly, occasionally responding with an “mm-hmm” or making an expression of surprise.
Chen Jianing suddenly stared at Lu Li for a long time, then smiled, revealing her little tiger teeth. “Thank you, Lu Li. It’s great to have a kind boyfriend during the last leg of my journey. If it weren’t for this outbreak, I might have actually considered making you my real boyfriend.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Lu Li ruffled the girl’s hair. “Who would want you?”
“Hmph, you don’t know what’s good for you. Let me tell you, the guys who chased me in college could line up all the way to Chenghua Street. I have high standards.”
As the two were bickering, Lu Li’s phone rang. He took it out, glanced at the caller ID, and hurriedly got up and left without even saying goodbye to Chen Jianing. Chen Jianing watched his hasty retreat, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. She wanted to call out to him, but her innate awkwardness made her shut her mouth.
“Uncle Chu.” Lu Li’s voice trembled slightly, his tone filled with suppressed joy and anticipation.
“Xiao Lu, good news.” Chu Xiaodong sounded more tired than usual. The outbreak in Mulan City must have been giving him a headache. “There’s a vacant bed at Mulan Fourth Hospital, and four specialists are conducting research there. Take your friend to the Fourth Hospital now and look for Chen Lei, the director of the hospital’s political office. I’ve already spoken to her. By the way, I’m also on my way to Mulan City. I’ll meet you at the Fourth Hospital.”
Chu Xiaodong hung up in a hurry. Lu Li vaguely heard a girl’s voice in the background. To be honest, when he asked Chu Xiaodong for help, he didn’t have much hope. After all, there was no benefit for Chu Xiaodong in helping him. A politician like him wouldn’t go out of his way for a “potential” boyfriend of his daughter. But to his surprise, Chu Xiaodong actually did it. Why? And not only did he help, but he was also personally flying to Mulan City?
The Chuanhai Prime Minister’s actions were full of mystery, and Lu Li couldn’t figure it out.
But the important thing was that Chen Jianing could be saved now.
Lu Li excitedly returned to the room and pulled Chen Jianing, who was lying in bed waiting to die, up. “Chen Jianing, quick, quick, quick, change your clothes, we’re going to Mulan Fourth Hospital!”
Chen Jianing had never seen Lu Li so flustered and found it rather amusing. “Didn’t they say there were no beds available at the hospital?”
“Don’t talk nonsense, do you want to live or not?”
Chen Jianing hadn’t reached the point of wanting to die. Her eyes gradually lit up with hope. “Yes! I’ll change right away, you, you go out for a bit…” Lu Li slapped his forehead. How many times had he changed Chen Jianing’s clothes these past few days? Sometimes, when she was sweating at night, he even had to change her underwear in the dark. Seeing Chen Jianing’s slow movements, Lu Li snatched the clothes from her. “I’ll change you!”
“It’s broad daylight… not nighttime…”
“What are you talking about? Raise your arm, higher, it’s not like I haven’t seen your armpit…”
***
Mulan Fourth Hospital.
Chen Lei, a woman in her forties, held a fax and went straight to Professor Yuan Shengguo’s office, where he was taking a nap. Yuan Shengguo was almost seventy years old, with a white beard. If the Mulan outbreak hadn’t been so serious, the government wouldn’t have asked this old expert to come out of retirement. “Professor Yuan, Professor Yuan, there’s an urgent case from above.” Before she even arrived, Chen Lei’s sharp voice pierced through the corridor and reached Yuan Shengguo’s ears.
Professor Yuan saw Chen Lei’s plump figure squeeze into his office and frowned slightly. “Director Chen, loud noises are prohibited in the hospital corridor. There are hundreds of patients lying outside. It’s fine if you disturb my sleep, but disturbing the patients’ rest is a grave sin!”
“Yes, yes, yes, you’re right, Professor.” Chen Lei didn’t dare to put on airs in front of Professor Yuan. “There’s an urgent case from above. They want us to gather the expert team and treat the patient as soon as possible.”
Which family’s young master is it this time? Professor Yuan sighed imperceptibly. There were still a large number of ordinary people in Mulan City waiting for help, but these urgent cases seemed to be getting more and more urgent. He regretted interrupting his retirement. Wasn’t it better to stay at home and take care of his grandson? He wondered if his little grandson was bullying Da Huang again today…
Although he disliked the bureaucratic atmosphere in Mulan, the patients were innocent. Professor Yuan took the fax, read it carefully, then got up to find the other three professors to prepare a treatment plan. If the information wasn’t false, then the patient should be among the most severe cases of RSA, with not only coughing and dizziness, but also recurring high fever. This was extremely rare in clinical cases of RSA, and even the possibility of viral mutation couldn’t be ruled out.
Thinking of this, the old man quickened his pace. They had just managed to bring RSA under control, they couldn’t afford a mutated virus at this time.
The four members of the expert team quickly gathered and had a heated discussion based on the faxed information. They finally reached a consensus: It was a mutated RSA virus and must be treated seriously! The four elderly men with white hair looked at each other, their faces etched with bitter smiles. If they couldn’t handle this situation properly, they would be the sinners of Mulan City.
As the expert team waited with bated breath, ready to sacrifice themselves if necessary, the “urgent case” finally arrived at Mulan Fourth Hospital. It was a girl who looked no older than twenty, delicate and pretty, but her steps were unsteady, and her face was as pale as paper. Supporting her was a young man in a school uniform, his brow furrowed with worry.
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