Chapter 2: Reborn from the Flames, a Benefactor Appears!
****
Seeing that Elder Hong was in danger, Tang Ye took immediate action, dialing 119 and reporting the location of the fire.
More and more thick smoke poured from the gap under the door.
Tang Ye tried to kick the door down.
The fire was developing at an extremely rapid pace; a delay of just a few minutes could lead to tragedy if Elder Hong inhaled too much smoke.
A sharp pain shot through his foot, but fortunately, the solid wood door was not particularly sturdy.
After about ten kicks, it began to show signs of loosening.
The fire grew larger, the smoke billowing thick and fast.
In the movies, doors always burst open with a single kick!
But that wasn't working for him here!
Tang Ye didn't respond; veins bulged on his neck as he lowered his shoulder and slammed into the door with all his might.
In that moment, Tang Ye may have felt fear, but his mind was filled more with memories of the time he had spent with Elder Hong.
He could choose to leave, but if he later learned that Elder Hong had died because he wasn't rescued in time... he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
Time was running out.
Even in the hallway, Tang Ye could already feel the searing heat of the flames.
He began to grow anxious.
If he couldn't break down the door, was he really going to have to give up?
Crack! The sound of the door panel splintering rang out.
Boom! A loud crash...
Tang Ye finally kicked the door open.
A scorching blast of air hit him, a stinging, fiery pain spreading across his skin.
He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm, and first sprinted towards the bathroom.
He found two towels and soaked them with water, using one to cover his own nose and mouth to prevent himself from suffocating on the heavy smoke.
The other was for Elder Hong.
Tang Ye tried to rush out of the bathroom but was forced back by a wave of fire.
In just a dozen seconds, the fire had raged to life; the sofa, wooden cabinets, and other flammable items in the living room had all begun to spew tongues of flame.
As the monstrous flames seared his body, Tang Ye realized he had been too naive.
He seemed far too small and could be devoured by the fiery beast at any moment.
Tang Ye could only make a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble, using all the strength in his body to charge toward the study.
Elder Hong was found at once.
He had collapsed on the study floor, his body twitching uncontrollably.
"Elder Hong, are you alright!"
Elder Hong struggled to open his eyes but did not respond.
Next to his withered fingers lay a scattered medicine bottle and brown pills.
Tang Ye realized he hadn't had time to take his medicine; his asthma had acted up.
The fire had spread to the bookshelf and was burning near his feet.
If he had been just a few seconds later, it would have ignited his pants, and the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Although Elder Hong's body was immobilized, he was still conscious.
In his despair, he saw a figure appear, but his condition was so poor that he could no longer see clearly who it was.
Tang Ye draped Elder Hong's arm over his own shoulder.
The bookshelf collapsed with a crash, showering them with sparks and slamming heavily onto Tang Ye's back.
Tang Ye let out a muffled grunt, cried out in pain, and fell.
He bit down hard on the root of his tongue.
The pain cleared his head, allowing him to gather his strength once more.
He struggled to lift Elder Hong onto his back, the flames behind him licking at his skin.
He passed through the living room and rushed into the hallway.
The hallway was still fraught with danger.
The fire had started burning from the first floor, and every step felt like pulling chestnuts out of a fire.
Tang Ye struggled to persevere.
One step, two steps, three steps...
Amidst the billowing black smoke and the scorching sea of fire, he dragged his staggering feet and finally made it out of the building.
The residents outside were ecstatic, crying out in surprise and relief.
"Someone came out!"
"It's Secretary Hong!"
"Is that young man Little Tang?"
The fire trucks were just pulling into the residential complex at that moment.
Firefighters set up an aerial ladder and began to suppress the blaze with their hoses.
"We're saved!"
A firefighter took Elder Hong from Tang Ye's shoulder.
Tang Ye could no longer hold on.
He faced the sky and collapsed onto the ground.
He didn't know how much time had passed before the sound of an ambulance siren rang out.
He and Elder Hong were successively lifted onto stretchers and placed inside the ambulance.
The sounds of praise around him were endless.
But Tang Ye, now on a ventilator, felt as if he had just been through a long cycle of reincarnation.
Right now, all he wanted to do was close his eyes.
***
Tang Ye and Elder Hong were taken to the Municipal People's Hospital.
At nine in the morning, Tang Ye was jolted awake by a piercing pain that felt like it was drilling into his lungs.
His eyes opened to the sight of clean white bedsheets and a beautiful young nurse.
"You're finally awake!" the young nurse said excitedly, her face beaming with joy.
"Elder Hong, is he alright?" Tang Ye asked with difficulty, his vocal cords raw with pain.
"You should be more worried about yourself! Your injuries are much more serious than Elder Hong's. He had an asthma attack, but it was brought under control in time, and he's out of danger. Your back was crushed and you also have burns. You kept running a fever due to infection. Several specialists had to come from the Provincial People's Hospital just to pull you back from death's door."
The young nurse looked shaken by the memory.
A smile appeared on Tang Ye's lips as he remarked with relief, "It's so good to be alive!"
Nirvana.
It had been a long, vivid dream.
A clear image had formed in his mind—
In the dream, Hanzhou was filled with towering skyscrapers, and Pinghu Town was Hanzhou's commercial pearl...
Upon hearing that Tang Ye was awake, Elder Hong rushed over from the adjacent ward.
His once salt-and-pepper hair had turned completely white overnight, and his once-bright, spirited eyes were now sunken in their sockets.
Elder Hong gripped Tang Ye's wrist tightly, his tone now carrying a hint of warmth.
"You rascal, you're pretty strong. You even managed to break down such a sturdy door."
"Do I need to pay for it?"
"With that paltry fixed salary of yours, could you even afford it?"
Tang Ye moved his body slightly, and the way he winced in pain made Elder Hong chuckle.
"Is it that funny? Your dentures are going to fall out."
Elder Hong opened his mouth and retorted, annoyed, "I have a full set of good teeth, where would I get dentures? You've gotten bold, you rascal, daring to joke with me."
"I fought hard to stay alive. Of course I have to be more optimistic," Tang Ye said with a smile.
Having gone through a life-and-death experience together, Elder Hong's tone had become much warmer.
"Get some good rest. When you're feeling better, we'll battle it out for a couple of rounds."
Not long after Elder Hong returned to his ward, people began to arrive one after another to visit.
A faint, fresh fragrance broke through the olfactory blockade of the antiseptic.
Cheng Lin was wearing a plain-colored suit.
The fabric wrapped her skin tightly, like a jade box concealing a pearl.
Her delicate face was clouded with worry, a stark contrast to her usual spirited, decisive, and efficient demeanor.
When Cheng Lin saw the wounds on Tang Ye's body, her eyes immediately turned red.
"How could you be so careless."
Tang Ye smiled and said, "Sister, are you worried about me? With your concern, I feel like I'm instantly back to full health."
Cheng Lin was taken aback for a moment, a blush rising on her fair cheeks.
"Stop with the sweet talk! The fire was so big, and you still dared to rush in. That was too reckless!"
Tang Ye sighed.
"I don't know what came over me at the time. I was just thinking about saving him. Now I'm a little scared, thinking I might never have seen you again."
"Such a smooth talker!"
The moment she had learned of Tang Ye's injury, Cheng Lin had felt her heart clench.
Seeing that he was alright, her anxious heart could finally rest.
Cheng Lin noticed Tang Ye's lips were dry and chapped.
She dipped a cotton swab in water and helped moisten his lips.
A faint, almost imperceptible fragrance drifted from her fingertips to his nose.
Tang Ye stared blankly at the tender and gentle woman, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.
Cheng Lin stayed and talked with Tang Ye for a while before leaving.
On the third day of his hospitalization, in Elder Hong's ward, Tang Ye met an unexpected visitor.
****
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