Chapter 217

“I understand. Since everyone from our brigade has been rescued, you should take them back first when you leave later,” Song Nianchu said, finally managing to suppress her emotions.

“You’re not coming back with us?” The man could hear the implication in her words.

“I still have a few things to take care of here. I’ll return once they’re settled.” Song Nianchu wanted to wait and go back with Mu Shi’an.

“But there are too many injured people. I’m afraid we won’t be able to take all of them back at once.”

“Then take the lightly injured back first, and have the brigade send more people over to collect the rest.” Song Nianchu thought for a moment before speaking.

“All right.”

“…”

After the man left, Song Nianchu did not return to the tent immediately. She simply gazed into the distance. The rescue efforts were still continuing, but they had shifted from saving victims to the subsequent reconstruction work.

She had promised Mu Shi’an that she would definitely find Mu Jingmei. She just hadn’t expected that she would now have to break that promise.

“What are you thinking about?”

Song Nianchu was so lost in thought that she failed to notice Mu Shi’an walking up behind her.

She jumped in surprise.

“Did I scare you?” A trace of regret appeared on Mu Shi’an’s face.

“No. I was just thinking about something.” Song Nianchu shook her head.

“What did the villagers come to see you about just now?” Mu Shi’an asked.

Song Nianchu suddenly didn’t know how to begin.

Mu Shi’an had a vague idea of what was coming.

“Could it be… that they found her?” His voice sounded much hoarser than usual.

Song Nianchu shook her head.

“Mu Jingmei is missing.”

“They still haven’t found her?” Mu Shi’an frowned.

“No. I searched carefully yesterday too, but I really couldn’t find her.”

Mu Shi’an fell silent.

With a disaster of this magnitude, it was normal for some people to go missing. Most of them would be presumed dead.

Mu Shi’an understood that very well.

“Don’t worry. I’ll help search for her again,” Song Nianchu said.

“All right.” Mu Shi’an nodded.

“…”

Song Nianchu stayed with Mu Shi’an for only half a day before throwing herself back into the rescue efforts.

She also spoke with Zhao Yuanshan and asked him to keep an eye out for Mu Jingmei.

But even after Mu Shi’an and the others had completely sealed the breach in the dam, they still found no sign of her.

“After the reinforcement work we’ve done during this time, the dam should be able to hold for another year. You need to speed up construction on the new project and make sure it’s completed within the year,” Mu Shi’an instructed Tian Daqing.

“I understand.” Tian Daqing nodded repeatedly.

Mu Shi’an went over a few other matters with Tian Daqing as well. Only after he finished did he notice Song Nianchu standing in the distance, watching him.

He said something to Tian Daqing, then walked toward her.

“What brings you here?” Mu Shi’an had lost a great deal of weight over the past few days. The flesh he had finally managed to put back on was now gone again.

“Captain Zhao told us that the rescue mission here is over and that we can go back. I came to ask whether you’ve finished with everything here,” Song Nianchu replied.

“I’m just about done.”

“Then shall we… go back tomorrow?”

“All right.”

“…”

The next morning, Captain Zhao and Tian Daqing personally saw Song Nianchu and Mu Shi’an down to the foot of the mountain.

“Comrade Song, Comrade Mu, we truly can’t thank you enough. If it weren’t for you, the casualties this time would have been far worse.” Zhao Yuanshan’s eyes were filled with gratitude.

“We were only doing what we should,” Song Nianchu replied.

“Your sense of responsibility is an honor to the organization. Don’t worry—I’ll apply for organizational commendations for both of you,” Zhao Yuanshan said firmly.

“Then thank you, Captain Zhao.” Song Nianchu did not refuse.

It wasn’t that she coveted the rewards. Mu Shi’an’s identity was rather special, and if the organization granted him a commendation, his future work would undoubtedly be more convenient.

“There’s no need to be so polite. Be careful on the way back,” Captain Zhao reminded them.

“All right.”

“…”

Song Nianchu and Mu Shi’an left with the last group of injured survivors.

Zhao Yuanshan and Tian Daqing stood there for a long time. Only after their figures had completely disappeared from sight did they finally look away.

“…”

The survivors in this final group were all seriously injured, so everyone moved much more slowly.

Whenever they came across a difficult stretch of road, Song Nianchu had to carry or shoulder people herself.

By the time they finally returned to Qinghe Fishing Village, night had already fallen completely.

However, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‍when they reached the entrance to the village, they saw Wu Zhenggui leading a group of villagers waiting there.

The people behind him were not all from Qinghe Fishing Village. Some had come from other villages in the brigade as well.

They had been waiting for their loved ones. Now that they saw them return, they all rushed forward.

After surviving such a catastrophe, the reunion of family members naturally ended in tearful embraces.

But not everyone had been able to wait for their loved ones to return. A large group of people still stood behind Wu Zhenggui with grief-stricken expressions, their eyes fixed on the families who had been reunited.

Seeing this, Song Nianchu’s eyes grew hot, and even her steps became unbearably heavy.

The distance was so short, yet it took her an incredibly long time to cross it.

“Uncle Zhengui, I… I couldn’t bring everyone back…” Song Nianchu’s voice was hoarse the moment she spoke.

Wu Zhenggui’s eyes immediately reddened as well. Forcing down his emotions, he patted her on the shoulder.

“You’ve already done very well.” Although he hadn’t gone to the disaster site himself, news of the dam collapse had spread throughout Qinghe County long ago.

He knew very clearly that the people from many other villages who had gone to help had almost all perished.

The fact that so many people from their brigade had returned was already a rare blessing.

Song Nianchu lowered her eyes, not wanting Wu Zhenggui to see her tears.

“Chu, don’t burden yourself, and don’t think that you were the one who caused their deaths.”

“Supporting the construction effort was a task assigned by the organization. Even if you hadn’t proposed the extra subsidy, our brigade would still have drawn lots to send three hundred people there. This has nothing to do with you.”

Wu Zhenggui was afraid that Song Nianchu would blame herself, thinking that the extra compensation she had proposed for participating in the dam construction was what had led to these people’s deaths.

Hearing this, Song Nianchu felt her throat tighten even more.

“Chu, you haven’t done anything wrong from beginning to end. Don’t make things difficult for yourself.” Wu Zhenggui knew that Song Nianchu was an extremely sentimental person.

He didn’t want her to sink into self-reproach. Otherwise, such a major tragedy would crush her.

“Comrade Song, none of us blame you. We all know that when you proposed the extra compensation, you were only trying to do what was best for us.”

“After something happened at the dam, you immediately led people there to help with the rescue. If it hadn’t been for you, perhaps no one from our brigade who went there would have returned.”

“You’ve already done more than enough. We’ve all seen it. You’re a truly wonderful person.” The families who had lost loved ones comforted Song Nianchu in hoarse voices.