Chapter 31

"Gong, Dr. Gong?" "Are you all right?" Ren Yu said in a hurry

He wanted to turn around, but he was imprisoned in his arms by Gong Yingxian's two arms. Every tremor from his skin shocked him.

Gong Yingxian's rapid breathing spewed thin in Ren Yu's neck. His body was frozen and could not move. Only uncontrollable trembling proved that his heart was still beating.

His skin, his blood, his memory, all relived the feeling when he was close to the fire, like a blade licking his throat, like a sharp arrow rubbing his ear, like a devil missing his shoulder. He has been holding Ren Yu like a life-saving straw for 18 years. He has not experienced human body temperature and can give him such a sense of security in nightmares.

He couldn't let go. He was afraid that if he let go, he would fall into the abyss of inflammation and burn to ashes.

Ren Yu took a deep breath and said softly in a soft voice, "Dr. Gong, it's okay. We're far from the fire. The fire won't hurt you."

Gong Yingxian was silent.

"Believe me, with me, the fire can't hurt you." Ren Yi stroked Gong Yingxian's arm, "you can let go of me. I won't go. I'll accompany you." As a firefighter, he has seen countless victims' trust and dependence on them in times of crisis. Gong Yingxian is also a victim. Although it is not the of the fire, the arms around him are so powerful, but he knows that such power is to cover up the vulnerable soul at this time.

Gong Yingxian's grip finally loosened. Ren Yu took the opportunity to turn around. He looked at Gong Yingxian's diffused pupils, pale complexion and raging sweat. He knew that his current condition was very bad. A serious attack of PTSD may induce myocardial infarction and memory disorder, and he needed the help of a professional doctor.

Gong Yingxian can go into the ruins of the fire and put out the open fire with a fire extinguisher. He must have been treated for a long time and have some resistance, but he went directly into the fire source for himself... At the thought of this, Ren Yu's heart was wrenched.

He hugged Gong Yingxian with his back hand, stroked his hair and said softly, "don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's all right."

Gong Yingxian's consciousness was still anxious and confused, and his body was still rigid and trembling, but the sound in his ears and the touch of his body were quietly soothing him like a gentle drizzle.

A black spot, a small black spot, appeared in front of him. He tried to see it clearly, so the focal length began to return slowly. Finally, he saw clearly that it was a mole on Ren Yu's nose.

The red flame burning in the background hugged his solid and gentle arms and a mole on the bridge of his nose.

Like a gust of wind blowing the dust on the memory, the old yellowing pictures emerge in my mind one by one. Such scenes and such people are familiar.

Who is it? He can't remember.

Far away, the sirens of fire engines and ambulances came into my ears.

Ren Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

As the fire engine came quickly, the fire car was put out without causing more serious accidents such as explosion.

After the ambulance personnel carried Zhou Chuan to the car, they came to carry Gong Yingxian again.

Gong Yingxian grabbed Ren Yu's arm and shook his head.

Ren Yu whispered, "I'll go with you. I'll go with you to the hospital, okay?"

"No..." Gong Yingxian uttered a word difficultly.

"You must go to the hospital. You listen to me, just check you. If you don't do anything, I'll let Sheng Bo pick you up."

Gong Yingxian still shook his head.

"Good, obedient." Ren Xuan winked at the first responders and asked her to sedate Gong Yingxian.

The first responders understood, and quickly gave Gong Yingxian an injection. He slowly closed his eyes.

"You get in the car first and wait for me for a minute." Ren Yu helped the first aider to carry Gong Yingxian's stretcher into the car.

The commander of the harmonious police squadron came over: "comrade, what's going on?"

Ren Xuan carefully lifted the kitten he rescued from the ground and quickly said, "brother, I'm the squadron leader of Phoenix squadron in Hongwu district. That's the criminal harmony police of Hongwu branch. We caught an arsonist. Please inform Hongwu branch immediately."

"Are you... Captain?" The other party looked carefully at Ren Yu's face, which was blackened by smoke, "Oh, it's really you. I've seen your promotional film."

Ren Yu shook hands with him: "brother, I'll give it to you. The cat is still alive. I'll deal with it."

"You go quickly. I'll keep the scene."

Ren Yu went to the ambulance of Gong Yingxian. He looked at the kitten's body as big as his palm, but the skin and hair were stuck together. He couldn't tell how much the injury was. He said to the first aider, "comrade, can you save it?"

The first aider frowned and said, "I haven't handled the pet. I can only cool it first. After a while, you can send it in after a 24-hour veterinary hospital."

"OK."

The first aider wrapped the ice with several layers of gauze and gently pasted it on the kitten's wound. The kitten curled up in pain and made a hoarse cry in her throat. She said painfully: "such a small cat, I don't know if it can survive."

Ren Yi sighed and felt uncomfortable.

After too much experience that night, his mind was in chaos. Now he didn't even have the strength to be angry. At the thought of what Zhou Chuan and the man in black did, and those people who hid behind the screen and watched with interest, he only felt cold and risked a frightening chill from the bottom of his heart.

After the veterinary hospital, Ren Yu handed the kitten to the veterinarian on duty and left a thousand yuan and his phone. When he left, the kitten had fallen asleep, its dirty fur tangled together, and its slightly undulating little body looked so fragile that anyone could take its life, but it was still breathing tenaciously.

He touched the kitten and prayed silently that it would live. Then he returned to the ambulance and accompanied Gong Yingxian to the hospital.

When he arrived at the hospital, the doctor listened to Ren Yu's description and gave Gong Yingxian an examination. Then, the doctor put down the stethoscope: "he's fine physically, but he has a great psychological impact. Transfer to the psychiatric department."

Ren Yu hesitated: "doctor, let's open a ward for him to have a rest. I'll contact his family and decide." He added, "single room."

-----

Gong Yingxian's sedative effect hasn't passed yet. He is sleeping soundly. His quiet face seems that nothing has happened. Only the sweaty bangs prove that his experience is not easy.

Ren Yu called Sheng Bo, but Qiu Yan arrived before Sheng Bo. Obviously, the fire brigade that put out the fire informed Hongwu branch. Ren Yu briefly described what happened that night to her

When Sheng Bo arrived, he looked at Gong Yingxian lying unconscious on the hospital bed. His face was distressed and he held clean clothes. He couldn't say a word.

Ren Yu comforted him and said, "he has no problem. He just took a tranquilizer and woke up."

Sheng Bo said sadly, "the young master has been doing psychotherapy since childhood. He can barely face the fire when he is 13, but he has never been so close to the fire. Because of the fire, he even rejects hot food."

Ren Yu lowered his head with some guilt.

Qiu Yan whispered, "Sheng Bo is not blaming you. As captain, don't think about it. It's not your fault."

Sheng Bo also hurriedly said, "Captain Ren, I didn't mean that."

Ren Yu nodded: "I know, but... I didn't expect his situation to be so serious."

"It's much better now. I don't have to take medicine or see a doctor for many years." Sheng Bo sighed, "the young master hates being dirty. I'll clean him up and change his clothes so that he won't feel uncomfortable when he wakes up."

Ren Yu and Qiu Yan left the ward.

Qiu Yan looked dignified, with a touch of sadness on his face: "go out and get some air."

"Let's go."

They went to the courtyard outside the hospital. Qiu Yan took out his cigarette and handed it to Ren Yu.

Ren Yu hesitated and pulled out one. He smoked when he was in college. At that time, he was young and energetic just to be cool. Later, he quit when he joined the squadron. There are hundreds of large and small fires caused by cigarette butts every year. As a firefighter, he always felt uncomfortable smoking.

But now he's really upset and needs to calm down.

Qiu Yan sat on the stone table with her slender fingers holding smoke. The mist between her lips vomited gently. Suddenly, the cigarette end was like a star in the dim light, and her long hair was the dark Milky way. This picture had a kind of boundless beauty.

Ren Yi also took a sip. The spicy taste went into his throat and made him cough twice.

Qiu Yan chuckled, "haven't you smoked for a long time?"

"Well, but your cigarette is too strong. It's the first time I've seen a girl smoke such a strong cigarette."

"The work is intense and refreshing." Qiu Yan looked at the smoke in his hand. "Smoke is so harmful, but many people still can't quit, and the state can't quit. After all, there are a lot of taxes."

"Yes."

"Do you say it looks like fire?" Qiu Yan's side face is as delicate and beautiful as carving, but it is difficult to hide his loneliness. "It has both great advantages and great disadvantages."

"Yes, fire is the origin of human civilization, but it is also a major killer to destroy human civilization."

"Ying Xian has studied too much, from the aspects of history, religion, theology, folk custom, science and so on." Qiu Yan said with a wry smile, "he said he was to cure his fear of fire, but I think he is paranoid. He can't let go of the fire. He wants to find the truth from the fire. Who has experienced such a thing can come out."

Ren Yu took a heavy smoke. At the thought of what Gong Yingxian had suffered from childhood, he felt heavy breathing.

"Do you know?" Qiu Yan asked, "about his family."

"I know a little. I don't dare to ask him."

"No one dares to presuppose in his face." Qiu Yan looked back at the hospital building. The orderly square of the building looked dull and depressed. Only a few lights were on in the dense rows of windows. At night, it was gloomy and sweaty. "Do you know why he hated the hospital?"

"His parents..."

Qiu Yan shook his head: "his parents didn't come out of the house alive at all. It was his sister who was sent to the hospital."

Ren Yu was stunned.

"His sister is my best friend." Qiu Yan took a cigarette and whispered, "we have been in the same class since kindergarten, until junior middle school, from small to large."

Ren Yu clenched his fist secretly. He knew what kind of story he was going to listen to.

"She is... She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She is smart and kind. She plays the piano well and is as perfect as an angel. But the fire burned her beyond recognition..." she took a deep breath and choked in her voice. "Ten fingers are stuck together."

Ren Yu took a breath and his eyes were red. He has seen the tragedy of burning human bodies. He has seen too many.

"She lay in intensive care for six days..." Qiu Yan's tears fell silently.

Ren Yu's hand holding the cigarette couldn't stop shaking.

Qiu Yan wiped away his tears without trace: "Captain Ren, Ying Xian has closed himself for 18 years. You are his only friend. We all thank you very much and hope you can help him in the future."

"I will." Ren Yu took a deep breath and felt a helpless anger. He couldn't help saying, "why did his father do such a thing..."

Qiu Yan was silent: "no matter what you heard, it's not the truth."

Ren Yu looked at Qiu Yan in surprise.

"They were murdered."