Chapter 51: A Grave Incident

"Time to eat," Qin Huairou said softly.

"You don't need to keep your voice down. I replaced the courtyard walls with sound-absorbing materials; nobody outside can hear what's going on in here," Lin Shaowen said, talking utter nonsense with a straight face.

"Really?" Qin Huairou asked, her face lighting up with pleasant surprise.

She believed every word Lin Shaowen said without a single doubt.

"Really."

Lin Shaowen nodded with a smile. "Plus, we don't have to hide anymore. There are Boston ivies growing all over the walls, so no one would ever dare try to scale them."

"Oh, wow, that's wonderful."

Delighted, Qin Huairou leaned over and gave Lin Shaowen a quick kiss.

Whenever they were in the courtyard, she used to feel a bit anxious, terrified that someone might spot her or overhear them.

"You silly goose."

Lin Shaowen gently ruffled her hair.

"Let's have our meals under the trellis from now on."

Qin Huairou suggested. Even though there was a fan inside the house, it was still far too hot.

"Hmm," Lin Shaowen nodded.

Qin Huairou immediately went to bring the food out.

Night fell.

Lin Shaowen lay back on a lounge chair in the courtyard, drifting toward sleep.

Accompanied by a faint fragrance, a soft body pressed up against him.

"Qin Huairou, this is the courtyard we're in."

"Didn't you say nobody can hear us?" Qin Huairou asked, her face flushed.

"Even so... mmm."

...

The next day.

Sitting in the infirmary, Lin Shaowen felt a profound sense of regret.

If he had known better, he never would have told Qin Huairou about the courtyard's soundproofing. Now look at her—the woman had completely let loose.

"Sigh."

Lin Shaowen sighed and entered the island space.

He had originally intended to go fishing, but when he saw what had sprouted from the vegetation by the entrance, his whole body went numb. The plants looked remarkably like corn—no, to be precise, they literally were corn. However, instead of ears of corn, they bore cans and bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite, beer, and various other beverages.

"Sigh."

Lin Shaowen sighed, plucked a can of cola off the stalk, and began casting his fishing rod.

"They wouldn't actually give me a refrigerator, would they?"

He muttered to himself as the fishing line traced an arc through the air and settled into the water.

"First cast."

"Obtained: one refrigerator."

...

Lin Shaowen stared blankly at the appliance that shouldn't have existed outside of the 1980s. Though it lacked any brand labels, it was identical to the vintage, single-door refrigerators he had seen in his previous life.

This thing... he was a bit hesitant to use it.

After hesitating for quite a while, he decided to use it anyway, though he would need to build a hidden wooden cabinet in the kitchen to conceal it.

"Second cast."

"Obtained: one building story."

"What on earth is this?"

Staring at the blueprint in his hand, Lin Shaowen was utterly dumbfounded.

After racking his brain for a long time without figuring out what the thing was actually good for, he decided to set it aside for now.

"Third cast."

"Obtained: one box of wasabi."

"Finally, something actually useful."

Satisfied, Lin Shaowen finished drinking the cola in his hand and prepared to toss the empty bottle back into the small shack. To his surprise, as he passed the "cornfield," the bottle hooked itself back onto the stalk on its own, and the beverage inside slowly began to refill.

"Now that's impressive."

...

With all three casts completed, Lin Shaowen once again entered his state of post-epiphany calm.

Just as he was pondering what to have for dinner, Factory Director Yang suddenly walked in, accompanied by a plainly dressed young woman.

"Doctor Lin, this is Lou Xiaoe. She's starting as a temporary worker in the infirmary. Show her the ropes."

The tone was utterly flat, carrying a distinct sense of strict professionalism.

"What are you two up to this time?" Lin Shaowen asked helplessly.

"Ahem, ahem. It's just that we figured you were too busy handling everything by yourself..."

Before Factory Director Yang could finish his sentence, several workers came sprinting over.

"Director Lin, it's bad! The molten iron boiler has exploded..."

"Factory Director, hurry up and contact Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Red Star Hospital, get them to send people over to help!"

Leaving behind those words, Lin Shaowen grabbed his medical kit and sprinted after the workers.

"The molten iron boiler... exploded?"

Factory Director Yang's head hummed violently. His legs went weak, and he slumped to the floor, giving himself a vicious slap across the face. "Serves your big mouth right."

Seeing this, Lou Xiaoe didn't wait for Factory Director Yang's instructions; she immediately ran to her family's car and sped off to summon help from the two hospitals.

By the time Lin Shaowen reached the heating room, cries of agony filled the air.

The two workers who had been closest to the boiler had already lost all vital signs, while everyone else had sustained injuries from the shrapnel and blast of the explosion.

"Everyone who isn't injured, listen to my orders!"

Lin Shaowen roared, instantly subduing the panicked chaos at the scene.

When Zhang Yuyang arrived with his medical team, rescue operations were already underway in an orderly fashion.

"Xiao Lin, what's the situation?"

"Two dead on the spot, five with extensive burns, three broken arms, two broken legs, four heavily injured and unconscious... and the rest have minor injuries," Lin Shaowen said with a grim expression. "Get the burn victims to the hospital first. If we don't manage them properly, we'll likely see more fatalities."

"I'm afraid our vehicles aren't enough," Zhang Yuyang said, his expression grave.

"I've already sent the unconscious ones to Red Star Hospital using the motor pool's car. You guys take the severe burn victims first—I'm worried Red Star Hospital's medical capabilities might fall short," Lin Shaowen said in a deep voice. "We haven't received word on the unconscious ones yet, so you need to be ready to receive patients at any moment."

Seeing how thoroughly Lin Shaowen had organized everything, Zhang Yuyang shot him an approving look.

"Xiao Lin, what's the situation here?" Deputy Factory Director Li also drove up in his car.

"Director Zhang can brief you on the situation later. For now, use your car to take a few injured workers to the hospital..."

Before Lin Shaowen could finish, he heard the driver accompanying Deputy Factory Director Li mutter under his breath.

"Just wait for the hospital ambulances to get here. Otherwise, they'll get blood all over the car..."

The air seemed to freeze.

Lin Shaowen glanced at Deputy Factory Director Li, didn't waste another word, and directed the workers to load several men with broken limbs into the vehicle. He then climbed into the driver's seat, started the engine, and sped away.

"Get back here..."

By the time the driver snapped out of his shock, the car had already cleared the rolling mill's gates.

After chasing it for a short distance in vain, he came running back to complain, "Factory Director, that punk Lin Shaowen actually drove our car away..."

Slap!

Li Xinmin delivered a fierce blow across the driver's face. "Shut your trap."

"Second Uncle," the driver cried out aggrievedly.

"Shut up!"

Hearing that form of address only fueled Li Xinmin's rage even further.

He simply couldn't fathom how two people sharing the same bloodline could result in this kid being such an absolute fool.

"When the handover happens, I will report this accurately to your factory's revolutionary committee," Zhang Yuyang stated, turning around and walking away without a backward glance.

Deputy Factory Director Li's expression shifted drastically; he knew his nephew was finished.

Twenty minutes later.

Lin Shaowen drove back to the steel rolling mill. All the injured workers had already been safely delivered to the hospitals. As for their follow-up treatments, that was no longer his concern.

A crowd had already gathered at the accident site to clear things up. Police officers and the rolling mill's leadership had all arrived with the objective of investigating the cause of the explosion.

Upon spotting Lin Shaowen, Factory Director Yang hurriedly strode over, grasped his hand, and said, "Xiao Lin, thank goodness for you today."

"Indeed, Director Lin, we owe you a massive thanks," Li Xinmin chimed in eagerly.

"Well done, Director Lin."

The other leaders surrounded him as well upon seeing this.

Reports coming in from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Red Star Hospital indicated that, aside from the two workers who had died instantly, everyone else's lives had been saved.

Furthermore, both hospitals had sent letters of commendation to the rolling mill's medical department. The workers on site had been treated with remarkable promptness—particularly the few who suffered massive hemorrhaging; had their bleeding not been stopped in time, the casualties today would have easily quadrupled.