TF01 116

After receiving the satellite phone, Ying Ming was able to contact Shi Yi more frequently. He updated him regularly on the search and rescue progress and weather conditions. On the twenty-seventh hour after the incident, the rescue team finally located the two stranded buses. Taking a calculated risk, a helicopter dropped off emergency supplies and food. Once the location was confirmed beyond doubt, the rescue team continued their efforts through heavy rain.

Everyone at the site was overwhelmed with emotion when the buses were found. Ying Ming stood at the edge of the mountainside beside Kong Wei, watching the operation unfold. He had not even bothered to bring an umbrella.

After two and a half hours, the rescue team finally made contact with the trapped passengers.

“All ninety passengers have been confirmed. No fatalities. Eight passengers are showing signs of hypothermia and have received emergency treatment. We’re now moving them out as planned.”

That line from the walkie-talkie finally allowed Ying Ming to breathe a little easier. He turned to Kong Wei and said, “Thank you.”

In truth, he wished he could thank everyone. He had no words left to express how he felt.

From the moment he arrived until now, he had imagined the worst-case scenario countless times. No matter how much mental preparation he did, he still could not bring himself to accept that kind of ending.

Fortunately, the rescue team never gave up. And fortunately, every single person here had kept going.

Ying Ming had originally wanted to call Shi Yi immediately, but after hesitating for a moment, he decided to wait until he could be sure his mother was truly safe.

Time crawled by. Passengers were evacuated in order, beginning with the children and elderly. Three hours later, nearly everyone had been brought safely to the temporary disaster relief tents.

In the low evening light, Ying Ming spotted Shi Yi’s mother right away. He had met her once before at Shi Yi’s father’s memorial, so her face was familiar. When he saw the medical staff supporting her down from the helicopter, he rushed over at once.

“Auntie!”

Shi Yi’s mother was clearly surprised to see him there.

It was a difficult setting for a first proper meeting. Both of them stood awkwardly, unsure what to say. Ying Ming instinctively reached out and took the oxygen tank from the medical staff, guiding her gently to the side.

The paramedic had not yet left. Ying Ming turned to ask, “How is her condition?”

“Huh?”

The paramedic was not Australian. He looked Asian. Seeing how anxious Ying Ming was, he patted him on the shoulder in reassurance. “Don’t worry. Her condition isn’t serious, just mild hypoxia and hypothermia. I’ll have her taken to a nearby hospital for observation. But you’ll need to register her information. Is she family?”

Ying Ming nodded. “I’m her son.”

Shi Yi’s mother stiffened at those words. She glanced up at Ying Ming, lips parting as if to say something, but in the end she said nothing. Kong Wei came over to check on the situation. After confirming there were no immediate concerns, he left to attend to other passengers whose relatives had not yet arrived.

Ying Ming stayed by her side. Once her color had improved a little, he pulled out his phone. “Auntie, you should call Shi Yi. He found out you were in trouble while he was in the hospital. He’s been worried sick.”

The mention of the hospital also served as a quiet explanation for Shi Yi’s absence. Shi Yi’s mother hesitated, but in the end she accepted the phone.

Following the steps Ying Ming gave her, she dialed the number. It connected quickly.

Shi Yi must have thought it was Ying Ming, because he answered with urgency. “How is it? Did they find her?”

“Shi Yi…”

Her voice was hoarse after so many hours of stress. She cleared her throat, trying to sound as normal as possible. “Shi Yi, can you hear me?”

“Mom!”

The moment he recognized her voice, Shi Yi bolted upright from the couch. “Mom, how are you?”

“I’m okay. Everything’s fine. Your aunt is fine too. Don’t worry.” As she spoke, her sister was also being escorted over by a medic. Ying Ming stepped forward quickly, wrapped her in a blanket someone had handed him earlier, and helped her over.

Shi Yi’s aunt looked at him in confusion.

“And you are…?”

“I’m Ying Ming.” He introduced himself plainly. She looked at him blankly for a moment, then realization struck.

For a few minutes, the atmosphere turned awkward.

As the call went on, Shi Yi’s mother began to cry. No one could imagine what those past forty-plus hours had felt like for her. There had been moments during the wait for rescue when she had nearly given up hope. Hearing her son’s voice again felt like waking from a nightmare.

Shi Yi could hear the strain in her voice. His chest ached. He gripped the phone so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand rose sharply, but he barely noticed.

“Mom, I’m sorry. I couldn’t get there… Ying Ming will take care of you. I’m working on getting everything arranged for your return. You’ll be home very soon.”

“I’m fine. Really.”

She kept repeating it, over and over. In the end, she could not continue. She passed the phone to her sister, who exchanged a few simple words before handing it to Ying Ming.

Shi Yi drew in a shaky breath. “Ying Ming, I’ve got everything set up. Get them out of there and come home.”

His voice trembled uncontrollably. If Ying Ming’s parents had not been standing nearby, he might have broken down completely.

Ying Ming’s tone was steadier. “Auntie and her sister will go to the hospital for a full checkup. Once we know they’re really okay, I’ll contact you. It won’t be long. Don’t worry. I’m here.”

Those last two words, “I’m here,” somehow calmed the storm that had been raging in Shi Yi’s chest. He nodded, then handed the phone to Ying Ming’s father.

After the call was passed over, Shi Yi rushed to the bathroom and finally could not hold it back any longer. He vomited until there was nothing left.

That wave of nausea, born from fear, had started the moment he learned about the accident in Australia. It had never really gone away. He had only forced it down with sheer willpower. But now that he finally knew she was safe, he could no longer suppress it.

He had barely eaten, so all he could do was dry heave. After he emptied what little strength he had, he collapsed in the bathroom, completely unable to get up.

In the end, it was Ying Ming’s mother who came to check on him. She helped him to his feet.

“How are you feeling? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Shi Yi’s face had gone so pale it was almost blue. His lips were drained of all color, and his forehead was soaked with cold sweat.

He rinsed his mouth with water and waved a hand weakly. “Let me wait until they’re on the plane. Just let me stay a little longer…”

He was not pretending to be fine. He knew exactly how bad his condition was. But unless he saw with his own eyes that Ying Ming and the others had boarded safely, he could not bring himself to leave. Ying Ming’s mother frowned but did not say anything else. She helped him back to the couch and glanced at the medicine bottles on the table.

“You took your pills on an empty stomach, didn’t you? That’s why they made you sick. I’ll heat up some porridge. You should eat a little. I think there’s still a cooling pad somewhere. I’ll go look.”

She turned and headed for the kitchen. Shi Yi wanted to tell her it was no trouble, but in the end, he never got the words out.

——

Ying Ming accompanied Shi Yi’s mother and aunt to the hospital for checkups. Even just lining up took ages. The hospital was overwhelmed with patients. Although the ones who had been trapped were prioritized, the sheer number of injuries meant no one could keep up.

By the time all the results came out, it was nearly noon.

Luckily, the phones in the nearby town were still working. Ying Ming called home every so often to update them. Once the last report came through for Shi Yi’s mother, the car Shi Yi had arranged arrived at the hospital entrance.

They drove straight to the airport. The tickets and paperwork had all been taken care of ahead of time. Even though Shi Yi had not made it to Australia himself, his influence was still felt. Everything had been arranged perfectly. From the hospital to boarding, they encountered no delays or issues at all.

Once they were on the plane, Shi Yi’s aunt finally let out a long breath. “We can finally breathe. These past few days…”

It had started out as a trip meant to ease their minds, but had ended up an ordeal no one could have imagined. Looking back on it now, it felt like a nightmare.

Shi Yi’s mother had not said a word the entire time. She leaned back against her seat with her eyes closed, resting in silence.

Ying Ming did not try to make small talk. But throughout the entire trip, he made sure to take care of the meals, water, and everything else. He had not properly slept in nearly sixty hours. His eyes were dry and aching, but with the relief of knowing Shi Yi’s mother was safe, it was as if the exhaustion had not fully registered yet.

Once the flight attendants learned the passengers had been part of the rescue effort, they were attentive and helpful, frequently bringing water and blankets. Australia had only recently reopened flights. This was just the second one since the airspace reopened. If Shi Yi had not made arrangements in advance, it would have been nearly impossible to get tickets.

Anything handled by the embassy would have taken another day at the very least.

The plane landed on time. Chen Cheng was waiting at the airport to pick them up. The man, who in Ying Ming’s memory had always seemed composed and confident, looked as though he had aged years overnight. After getting Shi Yi’s mother into the car, he lowered his voice and said quietly to Ying Ming, “Shi Yi’s back in the hospital. That’s why he couldn’t come. I’ll take his mother home. You go check on him, and call me later.”

Chen Cheng’s tone was not exactly warm, but it was not cold either. After speaking, he got into the car and left. Ying Ming hailed a cab and went straight to the hospital without going home.

On the way, he called to let his parents know he was safe. His mother told him that Shi Yi was still at the same hospital, same room. His father had insisted on staying there.

“Your dad said someone had to stay. Now that you’re back, go take his place. We haven’t slept for two nights because of you!”

When Ying Ming had left earlier, his parents had not tried to stop him. Not because they were not worried, but because they knew there was no way to stop him. It did not mean they were not angry. He had run off to a disaster zone, after all. So this mild scolding was expected. Ying Ming just listened silently without arguing.

When he arrived at the hospital and checked with the front desk, they gave him Shi Yi’s room number and chart. The nurse told him the condition was not too serious, and he finally exhaled in relief.

His father was standing in the corridor outside the ward. Perhaps he had already heard that Ying Ming was back, because he showed no surprise. He only turned to glance at him, then lit a cigarette and took a few drags in silence.

When Ying Ming came closer, his father said simply, “He still has a fever. They gave him meds. He’s sleeping. Stay here.

He lowered his head and brushed past Ying Ming. The two of them did not speak again. That heavy silence between father and son left a dull ache in Ying Ming’s chest.

He could not help himself. He turned back and called out, “Dad!”

But the figure walking away did not stop. He quickly disappeared down the corridor, leaving Ying Ming standing there, helpless, staring at the empty hallway. A sudden wave of exhaustion swept over him.

He pushed open the hospital room door. Shi Yi was still asleep on the bed, face pale and drawn, his brow faintly furrowed even in his sleep.

Ying Ming reached out to touch the furrow between his brows, then sat silently for a while before finally taking off his shoes and lifting the blanket. He squeezed into the narrow bed next to him. Shi Yi’s breathing was steady against his ear, each rise and fall in time with his heartbeat. Solid and rea.l

He was so tired his mind could barely function. Now that the tension had been lifted, the weariness returned all at once like a crashing tide. He did not even have time to think. The moment he closed his eyes, he was asleep.

Even in sleep, he still held tightly to Shi Yi’s hand, the pressure so great that his knuckles had gone pale.