“At 1 a.m. on July 23rd, a 6.7 - magnitude earthquake hit Qingze County, Yuncheng. The epicenter was in Liushan Town, a small village in Qingze County. The earthquake has left 68,750 people injured, 2,457 dead, and 3,687 missing...”
The formulaic female voice came from the speaker. Fang Siyan clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his hands bulged.
He picked up his phone and, with the last bit of calm he could muster, scrolled through the messages Ding Ruola had sent him.
【...Liushan Town, Qingze County, Yuncheng...】
The words were exactly the same.
All the information popping up on the phone screen was about this major earthquake.
Liushan Town, Qingze County, Yuncheng...
These words haunted Fang Siyan's mind like a curse.
He seemed to have aged more than a decade in an instant. With a trembling hand, he picked up his phone and called Ding Ruola.
“Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable...”
He called again... and again...
“Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable...”
“Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable...”
After making more than a dozen calls, all with the same result of unavailability, Fang Siyan's eyes were blood - shot, but he still kept dialing.
“Pick up the phone, please! Ruoruo... Are you taking a shower and didn't bring your phone? Or did you leave it somewhere?”
“Ruoruo, pick up the phone quickly...”
Fang Siyan bit his lip with a trembling hand until blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
The tears in his eyes fell uncontrollably.
He was scared.
This was the first time in his more than thirty years of life that he had felt such intense fear. It was also the first time he had lost his composure and shed tears since he became an adult.
He was afraid of losing that little girl!
The girl who had always pestered him and wanted to be by his side! The woman who had once vowed to accompany each other for a lifetime! They hadn't even traveled together yet!
He couldn't live without her. He couldn't lose her...
However, none of the more than twenty missed calls he had made were answered!
Fang Siyan frantically scrolled through the Moments, hoping that his little wife would suddenly post another update to report her safety.
But there was no sign of it.
He scrolled to the post his little wife had made last night, and the comment section was in an uproar.
【Yingzi: Ruola! I saw the news! Was there an earthquake in your area? Are you and your friends okay? Please reply to me quickly!】
【Captain Qing: Miss Ding! Are you and your friends okay? Why aren't you replying to messages?】
【Qingran: Ruola must be okay. It can't be that coincidental!】
【Yiluoyuqiu: I pray that the great god will be safe and sound!】
【Liuli: Blessing. Wish for safety.】
【Yimapingchuan: Something's not right! Ask her family! Fang Moran? Ask her husband if he has any news about her?】
【Liuli: Exactly! Ask her husband quickly!】
【Yingzi: @Fang Moran. Mr. Fang, has Miss Ruola contacted you? Please reply to me if you see this message! We are all Ruola's friends, and we're very worried about her...】
【Fang Moran: I haven't been able to contact her yet...】
【Yingzi: Ruola probably has something to do and hasn't checked her phone! Mr. Fang, don't worry too much. Miss Ruola will definitely be okay.】
【Yimapingchuan: That's right! Mr. Fang! Don't be anxious! We're not anxious! The great god must be okay!】
【Yiluoyuqiu: Yeah, stay optimistic! Take care of your health!】
【...】
Back at the villa, Fang Siyan slumped onto the sofa dejectedly.
His eyes were blank and dull.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
Fang Siyan immediately jumped up excitedly, but his eyes dimmed when he saw that the caller was Gu Sen.
He pressed the answer button and casually tried to flop back onto the sofa.
Instead, he fell straight to the floor.
He seemed to have no feeling and didn't even know he was in pain.
Fang Siyan just lay there motionless on the floor, his eyes wide open but without a glimmer of light.
“Hello? Is that Siyan? Are you there?” Mr. Gu Sen's voice came from the phone.
“Siyan, are you there? I heard the news about Liushan Town. Don't be too sad. Take care of your health! Maybe sister - in - law is okay? You need to take good care of yourself! Hello? Are you there, Siyan...”
For several days in a row, Fang Siyan didn't go to work and had no appetite.
His assistant had asked for leave on his behalf.
He locked himself in the villa, keeping the TV on day and night, following every news broadcast.
Every time a person was carried out from the disaster area, Fang Siyan would nervously bite his lip, both nervous and scared.
When he saw that the face wasn't Ding Ruola's, he let out a sigh, as if relieved but also disappointed.
He was relieved that Ruoruo wasn't injured.
He was disappointed that he still had no news of her...
Fang Siyan had new stubble on his chin, and his hair was messy as he hadn't washed it for days.
Due to not eating, he looked listless, as if he had lost his soul.
He was wearing a set of gray long - johns and sitting on the floor beside the bed, staring blankly at the TV.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. He climbed up from the floor like he had been injected with stimulants.
With a trembling hand, he rummaged through the pile of clothes on the bed and found his phone.
He clenched his fist and dialed a number.
It was answered soon.
“Hello? Is that Professor Fang?” The man's voice seemed a bit surprised and also a bit excited.
Just from the voice, it was obvious that this was a man who had been in the officialdom for many years.
“It's me...” Fang Siyan's lips were chapped, and his voice was hoarse.
“Oh? It really is Professor Fang! Hello, hello! Have you been busy with work lately? Why did you think of calling an old man like me? Is it about the shares of Fangyuan Group... Have you made up your mind?...” There seemed to be a bit of banter and a faint expectation in the man's tone.
“Oh, I'd like you to help me find two people. I'll make it worth your while...” Fang Siyan's lips moved slightly, and blood oozed out.
“Oh? Who are you looking for? Don't worry, Professor Fang! I'll ask Chief Zhang to look for them right away. No matter who they are, I'll find them even if I have to dig three feet into the ground!...”
“...Thank you, Chief Zhang.”
“It's no trouble! No trouble at all! Aren't we about to become long - term partners? Ahahaha...”
Fang Siyan frowned.
“Hello? Is that County Magistrate Lin? I'd like you to help me find someone...”
After making several calls in a row, Fang Siyan seemed to calm down a bit.
He looked at himself in the mirror, wiped his face, and said to himself, “Ruoruo, I'm going to find you right away. I've asked others to help look for you! I'm sure I'll find you!”
“Ruoruo, you must be okay! I'm coming to pick you up and take you home! We'll go on a trip together! I'll accompany you to have fun...”
After taking a shower, Fang Siyan quickly found some clean clothes from the closet, put them on, and headed for the door.
“Lao Li, book me a plane ticket...”
Due to not eating for many days, he had a bit of hypoglycemia when he went out and stumbled.
After scrambling to get up, he tidied his clothes and got into the car.