The sky outside the car window was dim, and it was clear that dusk was approaching.
A slight commotion arose among the passengers, their voices becoming noisy. However, the driver's voice could still be heard.
It seemed everyone was cooperating with him, some even helping to maintain order and keep quiet!
"Hello, is this Dr. Liu? We followed the person who was guiding us, but we've ended up in a dead end. Hurry and have your people come out to pick us up!"
It turned out the car had driven into a dead end.
After about four or five minutes, the driver finally put down his phone.
He sat stunned in his seat after the call.
Looking through the front windshield, a wall stood about fifty meters away.
On either side of the wall were two rows of residential buildings, one running north-south and the other east-west. The width was just a little more than a car's length, enough for two sedans to pass, or one bus. But if it was a dead end, turning around to get out would be quite troublesome.
"Go on, hurry up! Why aren't we moving!"
"Alas, how can we move! It's a dead end up ahead, and if we go in, the car won't even be able to reverse out!"
"How do you know if you don't try!"
"That's right, that's right! I don't know how they usually drive!"
Some asked, others blamed.
The driver was annoyed, "Or why don't you drive! If you're so capable, you drive!"
His roar silenced those who were complaining.
"But we can't just stay here and not move!"
Someone mumbled softly again.
"Don't worry everyone, they said on the phone that they're sending someone to guide us out. Please wait patiently."
Perhaps realizing his previous outburst was inappropriate, the driver changed his tone and explained.
He didn't want this to happen either. It was just that the person who was guiding them had gestured to the right, and he thought it meant to turn right. But after only a few meters, he saw a wall ahead.
He initially thought he had gone the wrong way, but the person on the phone said no. After much communication, they were told to wait in place for their people to arrange things.
There was no other option now; they could only wait.
During these difficult times, one would think that as long as it helped everyone, no hardship would be too great. But who would have thought it would be so troublesome.
After sitting for a while longer, as the sky darkened, the driver turned on the car lights.
"It's getting dark, when will someone come?"
"Soon, soon!"
The driver consoled them. They were used to driving and generally had more patience than ordinary people. But even so, he was starting to feel uneasy as he said this.
"Stop talking, you talk too much. At a time like this, you should say less!"
"Mind your own business! It's because of you that we all have to go to the hospital for isolation! Now look, you've infected us all!"
"What are you saying? How did I infect you? I just have a cold, how am I infected? You're the one who's infected, your whole family is infected!"
"Damn it, what did you say! Say that again, say that again, and I'll beat you up!"
"Go ahead and beat me, come on, hit me here. Whoever chickens out is not born of their parents!"
As he said this, the man lowered his head and pointed to his forehead with his finger.
"Let's all say a few less words and be patient!"
Seeing them on the verge of a fight, someone next to them quickly intervened to mediate.
The driver shook his head, extremely annoyed. He opened the car door, "None of you should argue. I'll go down and see if I can get out!"
Saying that, he got out of the car and walked towards the end of the road.
Soon, he walked back towards the car from that direction.
As he walked, he started making a call.
He stopped in the light of the car.
The people in the car fell silent, waiting for him to finish his call so they could leave this place quickly.
"I know who it was? It was someone wearing a volunteer vest who led us here. After bringing us, they left, and now... now we can't get out!"
The driver spoke emotionally, unaware of what was being said on the other end of the phone. "You can't just ignore us! I've been driving since morning without a single bite of food. When are you going to let us wait until?"
...
Truly a considerate person!
His voice was tinged with tears and a hint of grievance.
Hearing this, those who had been arguing just moments ago fell silent, waiting for him to get back in the car.
After a while, they finally saw him put his phone in his pocket and walk over.
As soon as he got into the car, he saw everyone looking at him. He scratched his forehead with his hand and said,
"Don't worry, someone will be here to pick us up very soon this time!"
"You haven't eaten all day?"
"This..." He didn't say anything, just gave a simple, honest smile, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothing out considerably.
"Here, I have some food. Have a little to tide you over!"
Someone said, taking out a plastic bag from their embrace. Inside were a few thin flatbreads.
"How can I accept this? Besides, we're wearing these clothes, and there's nowhere to eat!"
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. If it weren't for picking us up, you wouldn't have been up early and working late and gone hungry! Eat up!"
As the person spoke, they immediately put the flatbreads into the driver's hands.
"This..."
"Oh, right, disinfect first and eat outside the car!"
"I... I can't..."
...
You yield to him, he yields to you; mutual consideration and care.
The scene before them was deeply moving.
The driver ultimately did not get out to eat the flatbreads because people had arrived. To transfer everyone to the hospital as quickly as possible, he couldn't afford to delay.
Upon arriving at the hospital designated for isolation, after disembarking in order, everyone was assigned to a large courtyard.
Tents had been erected inside.
Bai Sixiang was wondering why there were so many tents when she saw someone emerge from a corridor. As that person closed the door, she glimpsed through the crack that the beds in the corridor were all filled.
It turned out the hospital had gathered so many people; it seemed this plague was no minor matter.
"Alas, so many more people have arrived. How will there be enough space to accommodate them!" someone said, shaking their head as they walked past Bai Sixiang.
"Hey, have you heard? The person in bed 48 is not doing well!"
"Not doing well? Really?"
"Yes, who would lie to you!"
"Hush! Speak softly! Don't let others hear!"
Two people wearing patient gowns were whispering to each other.
"Weren't they fine yesterday? How could they be not doing well after just one night?"
"Who's to say? It seems this illness really is deadly!"
"Right, right. It's a good thing we're wearing masks, otherwise we would surely be infected too! Cough cough cough!"
As they spoke, the person coughed.
"You! You're coughing too! Could it be that you're infected!"
Hearing this, the person's expression immediately tensed, and they retorted, "Pfft! What bad luck to say such things. How could I be infected? I've been hospitalized for half a month. I had a cough when I came in, it just hasn't gone away, and I cough a couple of times occasionally! Don't talk nonsense!"
Upon hearing this, the person next to them looked on guardedly, found an excuse, and left.
Several people who had overheard their murmuring instinctively moved far away.
He turned his head and saw Bai Sixiang looking at him, so he scratched his forehead awkwardly.