TSWPF -Chapter 217 Injured

Walking along with the crowd was already difficult enough—let alone trying to move against it.

Liu Zhimou struggled for a while, barely taking a few steps forward, his heart racing with anxiety.

At this rate, when would he even find Li Qingling and the others?

“Hey, hey! Everyone, move outward! Why are you still pushing inward? Do you want to die?” someone shoved by Liu Zhimou frowned and shouted.

Liu Zhimou glanced at him, full of urgency, and said, “My wife hasn’t come out yet. I have to find her.”

Hearing this, the anger on the man’s face softened a bit, and he said kindly, “Brother, it’s packed with people right now. How do you expect to find her? I suggest you wait somewhere. Maybe your wife will come out herself.” In this situation, finding anyone was nearly impossible.

“Thank you, but I still have to go look for her. I won’t feel at ease until I see her.”

“Suit yourself then. Good luck,” the man said, squeezing past Liu Zhimou.

Liu Zhimou gritted his teeth and continued moving against the crowd, calling out Li Qingling’s name as he went.

But the crowd was so loud that his voice was instantly drowned out.

Li Qingling had no idea about Liu Zhimou’s reckless search. She clutched Li Qingning and Liu Zhirou tightly, not daring to stop, and moved with the flow of people toward the exit.

Her heart was full of anxiety as well. How were Liu Zhimou and the others doing?

It felt like a century had passed before Li Qingling finally spotted a small gap in the crowd. She led Li Qingning and Liu Zhirou carefully toward it.

Coincidentally, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan were standing in that corner. Li Qingfeng’s sharp eyes spotted the three slowly approaching, waving their hands frantically. He shouted loudly, “Sister! Sister! We’re here!”

Hearing Li Qingfeng’s voice, Li Qingling looked up and saw him waving desperately at her. A bright smile crossed her face, and she quickened her pace. “Xiaofeng! Xiaoyan…” After calling, not seeing Liu Zhimou, her worry returned. “Brother Zhimou? Why isn’t he with you?”

“Sister, are you all okay?” Li Qingfeng rushed over, anxious.

“We’re fine? But where’s Brother Zhimou?”

“We’ve been waiting here for you. We waited a long time. Seeing you still hadn’t come out, brother-in-law went to find you.”

Li Qingling’s heart sank. That fool—how could he be so impulsive?

“How long has he been gone?”

Li Qingfeng saw the worry etched on Li Qingling’s face and hesitantly replied, “About three or four quarters of an hour.” He really should have stopped brother-in-law from going.

Now that the three of them had reached safety, brother-in-law’s whereabouts were unknown… This was truly…

Li Qingling took a deep breath and forced down her anxiety. She turned to the bustling crowd, clenching her fists but didn’t mention going after Liu Zhimou.

If she went looking for him, and he returned meanwhile, they might miss each other again. It was better to wait for him here.

After a while, seeing that Li Qingling didn’t say anything about searching for brother-in-law, Li Qingfeng relaxed. She seemed rational—at least she wasn’t acting on impulse.

Li Qingfeng turned his gaze to Li Qingning. “Little sister, are you okay? Scared?” Being jostled by the crowd earlier had frightened her.

Unable to hold back any longer, Li Qingning burst into tears. This was her first experience of something like this—she was truly scared.

If her sister hadn’t been there, she might have been trampled.

Li Qingfeng quickly hugged her, gently patting her back to comfort her. “Don’t be afraid. Brother’s here.” He felt frustrated—he wasn’t grown enough yet. Not only could he not protect his sisters, he might not even protect himself.

Seeing Li Qingning cry, Liu Zhirou began crying as well. It had been too frightening, and she felt traumatized. She wouldn’t dare go out next time.

Seeing his sister cry, Liu Zhiyan quickly followed Li Qingfeng’s example, hugging her little sister and quietly comforting her.

Li Qingling watched as the two little ones were comforted by their brothers. She exhaled softly, leaning her tired body against the wall, eyes scanning the crowd, trying to see when Liu Zhimou would appear.

Unaware that Li Qingling and the others had already reached a safe area, Liu Zhimou was still struggling against the crowd.

The crowd was too dense; he couldn’t spot any familiar figures. Shouting loudly was useless, his voice drowned in the chaos.

His brow furrowed tightly. This wasn’t working. If he didn’t find them soon, he might collapse from exhaustion.

He took a deep breath and scanned the area. Spotting a stone pedestal a little higher at the side, he carefully moved toward it, hoping to take a brief respite from the crowd.

After tremendous effort, with his clothes torn by the pushing, he finally reached the stone pedestal.

He climbed onto it and looked down, hoping to spot Li Qingling and the others.

Suddenly, an old man was shoved and fell. Those behind didn’t notice and stepped on him, causing him to cry out in pain.

There were so many people that the old man couldn’t get up. Soon, his cries of pain quieted.

Liu Zhimou clenched his fists and shouted, “Stop pushing here! Someone’s fallen!” He shouted several times, but no one below heard—or if they did, they ignored him.

In such danger, everyone thought of their own safety first.

If this continued, the old man could really be trampled to death.

Liu Zhimou quickly climbed down, carefully moved in front of the stone pedestal, and stretched out his hands, shouting, “Sir, grab my hand!”

The old man, hearing him, shakily reached out. Liu Zhimou grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side of the pedestal. “Are you okay? Can you hold on?”

“Cough…cough…cough…” the old man coughed repeatedly, his whole body aching. If not for Liu Zhimou, this might have been his final day. “I… I’m fine.”

He was hurt, but much better than dead.

Seeing the old man could still speak, Liu Zhimou relaxed slightly.

But his worry for Li Qingling and the others deepened. Had they managed to get out?

Once the old man caught his breath, he looked at Liu Zhimou gratefully.

“Don’t mention it, sir. It was nothing,” Liu Zhimou said.

When someone is in danger, he couldn’t just watch them die.

The old man could tell that Liu Zhimou wasn’t treating it as a big deal. He didn’t say more, only thinking he must properly thank this young man later.

He looked toward the crowd outside and saw people still pushing outward. He sighed heavily. “I wonder how many were injured… how many died?” He regretted going out alone.

Going out for shopping was one thing—but coming to watch a circus performance? He could have been killed.

This incident was a lesson—a warning not to rush into crowds.

“Yes,” Liu Zhimou echoed, sighing with worry. “I hope my wife and the others are okay.”

“Good things happen to good people. Young man, your wife will be fine.”

“Let’s hope so…”

Liu Zhimou stayed by the stone pedestal with the old man until the crowd thinned before leaving.

“Sir, where’s your home? Can you walk back?” He was anxious to reunite with Li Qingfeng and see if Li Qingling and the others had returned.

As the old man tried to stand, he groaned and sat back down. Holding his legs, he grimly told Liu Zhimou that he probably couldn’t walk.

“Sir, how about this—I carry you to meet my two younger brothers, and then we’ll bring you home?”

Grateful, the old man nodded. “I’d appreciate it, young man.”

Liu Zhimou said “You’re welcome,” crouched, and lifted the old man. Fortunately, his regular training allowed him to carry the old man without slowing down.

He quickly walked toward Li Qingfeng and the others.

“Sister, should we go look for brother-in-law? He still hasn’t returned. Maybe…” Li Qingling’s concern made her stop mid-sentence.

May the gods bless him—he had to be safe.

Li Qingling clenched her hands, looking at the dispersing crowd, shaking her head. “No. We wait here. Brother-in-law will come for us. If after three quarters of an hour he still hasn’t appeared, we’ll go look for him.”

She knew that Liu Zhimou, failing to find them, would reunite with her brothers first. Rushing out might cause them to miss him again.

“All right, then. Let’s wait three more quarters. If he still hasn’t come, we follow this road to find him.”

Three quarters of an hour is neither long nor short. Just as Li Qingling and the others were preparing to search for Liu Zhimou, he finally appeared.

Seeing him, Li Qingling’s tears streamed down. She ran quickly toward him, examining him anxiously. “Brother Zhimou, are you hurt?”

She hadn’t known during the wait how agonizing it was, fearing he might be injured.

The mere thought of him getting hurt… made her heart ache.

Seeing his normally uncrying wife sobbing, Liu Zhimou gently said, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Carrying the old man, he couldn’t even wipe her tears. “And you? Are you hurt?”

She worried for him; he worried for the three of them.

Li Qingling hiccuped through her tears and shook her head. They were fine.

Apart from the two little ones’ wrists being slightly bruised from her grip, nothing serious had happened.