As the crowd marveled at the hotel's opulence, shouts from outside suddenly drew everyone's attention. They saw the scaffolding, precariously loose, and even more terrifyingly, a child perched precariously above, having climbed up somehow. The child was now crying, clearly frightened by the swaying structure, and everyone's hearts lurched with concern.
"Save my son! Son, don't move! Help! Someone save my son!" Seeing it was her son standing up there, the mother was beside herself with terror. She burst into tears, kneeling before the crowd, desperately hoping someone would rescue her child.
Liu Yifeng's heart ached. This child looked even younger than Tongtong. He must have climbed up out of curiosity, never expecting the scaffolding to loosen. "Has anyone called for an ambulance? This is too dangerous!" As Liu Yifeng finished speaking, a staff member nodded, confirming the call had been made.
However, if help didn't arrive soon, there would undoubtedly be danger. The child's terrified thrashing only made the scaffolding more unstable, swaying more violently. Liu Yifeng felt he had to take concrete action while waiting for the rescue personnel, otherwise, the child wouldn't last until they arrived.
Without hesitation, he moved from the securely fixed scaffolding nearby to the little boy's side, extending a hand to grab him. But the child, likely due to fear, continued to cry and thrash, ignoring Liu Yifeng. Seeing his hand, the boy even resisted more. Liu Yifeng frowned. This was indeed a tricky situation. The child didn't understand danger; he was simply scared and wanted to move.
"Little one, little one, don't move wildly. Listen to me. Uncle is here to save you. Give me your hand, and I'll take you to your mom, okay?" Liu Yifeng felt the best he could do was to try and calm the child's emotions, thus buying time for the rescue workers. But the boy seemed to reject Liu Yifeng's attempts even more, his cries growing louder, and the scaffolding swaying more intensely.
Below, the onlookers grew more agitated, shouting loudly, sensing the direness of the situation. The child's mother was now sobbing heartbrokenly. Zhang Jin, standing below, was more worried about Liu Yifeng. He was in a dangerous position too, as the scaffolding near him was also shaking due to the child's violent movements. "Brother Liu, please be careful! It's not entirely safe over there either." From Liu Yifeng's perspective above, it might not have been clear how much the structure was shaking. But from below, it was evident, and Zhang Jin was concerned. Liu Yifeng weighed significantly more than the child, so any slight shift from him would cause the scaffolding to sway, increasing the danger.
Hearing Zhang Jin's words, Liu Yifeng noticed the slight trembling around him. He felt a pang of panic, but an idea also formed: he could jump from his position towards the child, grabbing him mid-air. This way, both of them would land on the sandpit behind them, minimizing injuries. However, he knew this was incredibly risky and might not succeed. He was still weighing his options, and felt it was crucial to first control the child's emotions.
"Little one, please don't move. Listen to Uncle. If you stop crying now, Uncle will take you to your mom, okay?" Liu Yifeng's tone was as gentle as possible, hiding his tension from the onlookers. The little boy, seeing Liu Yifeng's smile, seemed to feel a sense of warmth. He turned to look at Liu Yifeng, his emotions calming slightly. "Really?" he asked, his voice still choked with tears, looking with disbelief at Liu Yifeng, who was already leaning halfway towards him.
"Of course, it's real. Come, reach your hand to me first." Slowly, step by step, he guided the child's actions. As he saw the boy's small hand extending towards him, the crowd below held their breath, hoping Liu Yifeng would catch the boy on the first try. Liu Yifeng felt he could move a little closer, so he took another step and successfully grabbed the boy's hand. However, the pillar he was on began to sway violently. Those below instinctively reached out their hands, their hearts tied to the unfolding drama above.
It was a mere interlude. Fortunately, Liu Yifeng managed to stabilize the pillar. The situation now was that as long as he remained still, the pillar would not move. But he needed leverage to bring the boy over. He carefully examined the scaffolding's position and felt he could attempt it. He held the boy tightly. "Little one, don't worry. Uncle will bring you to me now, and then you'll be safe." The boy, now fully trusting Liu Yifeng, wiped his tears and nodded. He understood this uncle was here to save him.
Seeing the trust in the boy's eyes, Liu Yifeng knew he couldn't afford any mistakes. He gripped the boy's arm, found a stable footing, took a deep breath, and as if making a momentous decision, counted down from three. With a surge of effort, he pulled the boy close. Although he had successfully secured the child, the scaffolding, now bearing their combined weight, swayed even more violently. To the onlookers, it was a terrifying sight. The child's mother fainted from the shock.
"Everyone, let's not stand idle. Let's help this lady to a room to rest. Don't worry, the person up there is my friend, and he has children. He will surely keep the child safe." Zhang Jin was also extremely worried. However, with the child's mother having fainted, it wouldn't be good for the child, so he urged the crowd to disperse. Liu Yifeng tried to stabilize the scaffolding to reduce its swaying and prepared to climb down slowly. But the moment he extended a foot, the scaffolding lurched. He quickly retracted his foot, deciding to focus on stabilizing it first.