SWNOVELXO Chapter 961 A Little Better
Qiao Liang spent more than twenty days in Newborn Town, the most tormenting and busiest time of his life...
Every day people died, and every day new supplies arrived.
At first, Qiao Liang was not accustomed to it. He had nightmares at night, and each time he saw a sick child die in despair, he felt incredibly miserable, sometimes even finding a place by the river at night to cry his heart out.
It wasn't that Qiao Liang wasn't strong enough, but rather the 'sense of powerlessness' occasionally made him collapse.
He did his utmost, but things did not develop as he had envisioned.
In the first group of 379 patients, nearly 150 died within twenty days, and most of them were children and women.
Subsequently, more than thirty people were infected one after another...
With a mortality rate exceeding 40%, Qiao Liang gained a profound understanding of the Marburg Virus.
The so-called 10~20% mortality rate is deceptive; when most of the infected are malnourished women and children, this rate doubles.
The confusion and bewilderment in the eyes of those children before they died became an indelible image in Qiao Liang's mind.
At that moment, Qiao Liang began to understand that in this world, most viruses are actually 'incurable'.
Because no medicine can eradicate the virus within the human body. With societal development, what improves is the ability to care for patients...
If you have difficulty breathing, I'll give you medication to expand the trachea.
If you have a fever, I'll bring it down.
If you bleed, I'll use medicine to stop it.
Facing the Marburg Virus, having done all this, what remains is to resign oneself to fate!
Qiao Liang always struggled to accept that kind of 'helpless death' because his parents died of 'helplessness'.
To avoid thinking about it, Qiao Liang opted for work, incessant work...
Standing at 1.85 meters tall and nearly 200 pounds, Qiao Liang lost almost 30 pounds in twenty days.
However, the results of his work were very gratifying!
The Qiao family brothers seemed to have a natural talent for management. However, while Boss Qiao led by immersing himself and taking the lead, Qiao Liang opted for a more scientific, intellectual managerial approach.
With the old monster 'Crocodile' and a group of anteaters around, the impoverished behaved very obediently, and as they gradually tasted the benefits of compliance, they began to cooperate more and more.
Newborn Town, which started with a few thatched huts, built a cluster of wards in just twenty days.
Using wood to build foundations and then placing modular quick-installation houses from the massive infrastructure on top, generally a room could be set up in a day by five people.
The impoverished, who initially could only sleep on the ground, slowly acquired tents, and when the medical area was basically completed, they began to dismantle tents and enthusiastically started building houses for themselves.
The development of the whole town felt like it was on fast forward, with changes every day and new things appearing every day.
Most people here have never owned a house of their own in their lifetime!
They hadn't expected, after getting absorbed by Jialiang Shipyard, that not only would they get paid, but they would also have a house.
Houses made from prefabricated panels seemed trivial to many, but for these impoverished people, these clean and shiny homes were what they never dared to dream of before.
Compared to the anxiety about the virus among the external volunteers, the mentality of these impoverished souls was much better.
Compared to the aggressive virus, poverty and hunger would also take lives daily.
In these people's minds, the same sense of powerlessness existed, but poverty and hunger felt more profound and enduring.
With a virus, at least you can rely on your body to resist a little, but against poverty and hunger, there really is nothing you can do!
TC left the medical area late at night, took off his protective suit, underwent triple disinfection, and then, with a gloomy expression, walked toward the riverbank.
Noticing a light in a house by the riverbank, TC walked over...
He didn't knock, just pushed the door open and saw Qiao Liang working. The room was filled with a rich coffee aroma.
Without hesitation, TC went to the coffee pot beside him, poured himself a cup of black coffee, took a sip, and said to Qiao Liang, "I suggest you rest; wearing yourself out won't help the town's problems much."
Joe Ga put down his pen, pinched the bridge of his nose, and looked at TC, saying, "Don't talk about me, what about you? Why have you been hanging on until now?"
TC's face darkened slightly, then he shook his head gently, saying, "Yali died; she was only 4 years old...
Before she died, she asked me, 'What is death?'
I didn't know how to answer..."
Saying this, TC rubbed his face and said, "What's wrong with this damned world?"
Qiao Liang held the cold coffee cup in his hands, stared at the starry sky outside the window, and said softly, "I used to think I was already suffering enough, but now I realize how deeply hopeless this world truly is...
TC, yesterday a child asked me why those patients had to die...
And then I started to understand why my brother sometimes seemed so irritable.
Respect the old as you would your own; care for the young as you would your own!
Civilization should be reflected in the protection of vulnerable groups, but many have failed to achieve this..."
Seeing the somewhat puzzled look on TC's face, Qiao Liang smiled and shook his head, saying, "You don't understand..."
TC, with his cowboy spirit, strongly rubbed his face to drive away the sadness, then grinned and said, "I truly don't understand what you're saying, but I understand the anger in your brother.
Liang, you didn't see the early days of Sangha Town; that was true purgatory.
Your brother pierced the darkness of despair with his anger, letting hope shine into that place, which is why he is so respected.
It's a pity that this fucked-up world is inherently unfair, and sometimes no matter how hard we try, we are powerless over the outcome."
Saying this, TC took a syringe and a vial of medicine from his pocket, walked to Qiao Liang's side, and said, "This is immunoglobulin. You need this to help you, otherwise, before Newborn Town is even established, you'll collapse.
This is not your responsibility at all. You've done your best, just leave the rest to God."
Qiao Liang nonchalantly rolled up his sleeve to his shoulder and watched as TC injected the immunoglobulin into his body. He smiled and said, "In China, we have a saying 'go with the flow,' which I interpret as not forcing things after doing your best.
I still have some energy, so I want to try, even if it means saving just one more person.
I used to be puzzled by Dragon Gecko's talk of 'change,' but now I understand...
Dragon Gecko wants just a 'little bit better,' really just a little bit is enough!
I understand now...
Each life saved is a little bit better!
Each bit of pain that a patient doesn't have to endure is a little bit better!
Each extra smile on those poor people's faces is a little bit better!
If I can do something, I should do it, even if the result is insignificant to the world, it doesn't matter."
Hearing this, TC exclaimed in surprise, "After listening to what you said, I feel like I don't deserve to sleep.
Buddy, do you know why so many people like your girlfriend?"
Saying this, TC noticed Qiao Liang's odd expression and waved his hand, saying, "When I say 'like,' I mean pure liking, even that inhuman Dragon Gecko isn't an exception.
Your girlfriend has a sunny silliness about her, as if everything in her eyes is good and worth her enthusiasm.
Buddy, don't look so burdened and resentful. You should learn from your girlfriend, do what you enjoy doing, rather than turning everything into your own responsibility.
Our abilities are limited. Don't let responsibilities take up too much of our lives. We first have to be responsible to those who love us."
Qiao Liang was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly remembered that he hadn't called Tong Tong for two days...
"Qiao Liang..."
Just as Qiao Liang was feeling a bit remorseful, a shout came from across the river...
Qiao Liang thought he was hallucinating from exhaustion, rubbed his ears and said, "I think I heard someone calling me..."
TC went to the door, peeked out, then laughed and said, "You better come and see, your girlfriend is truly a miraculous person..."
Joe Ga rushed to the door in surprise and saw Tong Tong standing on the deck of a quick response boat, shouting loudly at him...
The most surprising thing was that a string of cement boats was being towed behind the quick response boat, each loaded with containers transformed into houses.
Looking at Tong Tong, who had obviously lost a lot of weight, Qiao Liang's eyes suddenly blurred...
This girl knew he was always worried about the pace of the town's construction, so she came up with this solution.
Having someone wholeheartedly think of you while you're busy is hard to describe.
TC glanced at Qiao Liang, and with a forceful shove on his shoulder, said, "Buddy, you're a lucky guy, hurry over...
First, don't disappoint those who love you!
In this regard, your brother is much better than you, but you can be too!"
Qiao Liang was stunned for a moment, then nodded decisively, rushed to the riverbank, and called out. 'Crocodile' appeared like a ghost from the side, led Qiao Liang onto a speedboat, and slowly docked next to the quick response boat...
After boarding, Qiao Liang found Mother Yang standing on the rear deck, smiling at him. He froze for a moment, walked over, and said, "Mom, what are you doing here?"
Dr. Yang lovingly touched Qiao Liang's sunken cheeks, then shook her head and said, "Today is your birthday!
Tong Tong has been pushing for the containers to be completed, and it finally made it in time."
"Ah?"
Qiao Liang was stunned for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, a few people emerged from the cabin...
Gino pushed a cart with a cake on it, while Adel joyfully ran around the deck with a handful of lit sparklers...
Tong Tong, wearing a pointed hat, impatiently looked at the time on her phone while stomping her feet...
As the clock struck midnight, she let out a loud scream, ran over squealing, leapt from a distance, and landed in Qiao Liang's arms...
Qiao Liang grunted as he was knocked to the ground...
Tong Tong, sitting on Qiao Liang's chest, joyfully shouted, "Happy Birthday!"
Saying this, she pinched Qiao Liang's face, frowned, and said, "How did you secretly lose weight?
Got some secret trick? Tell me quickly, or else I'll..."
Looking into Tong Tong's eyes, Qiao Liang sat up, hugged her tightly in his arms, and said, "Tong Tong, let's get married!"
Holding a camera, Gino heard Qiao Liang's proposal, and he shouted, "Say yes, say yes, say yes..."
Tong Tong covered her chubby face, hesitated, and said, "That's too unromantic!
Why don't I secretly say yes first, but you have to propose again later?"
Seeing the irresistible joy in Tong Tong's eyes, Qiao Liang laughed heartily and said, "We'll go back this time and register, you're my wife, and I'll propose ten more times if needed!"
Joe Ga stood not far away, watching his brother complete an extremely hasty proposal. He smiled, crafted a flawless gold ring, walked over, stuffed it into Qiao Liang's hand, and said, "How can you propose without a ring?"